Archive for Healthy Food

Health Benefits Of Bananas

November 3, 2009 at 12:36 pm · Filed under Healthy Food ·Tagged , , ,

Banana is one of the most popular and easily available fruits in the world. It is a rich in natural sugars like glucose, fructose and sucrose that make it an excellent source of energy. It also contains a large amount of natural fiber and moisture, besides having a high mineral content. Among the several health benefits of banana, the most popular are the ones that relate to digestive problems. Because of its smooth, moist nature banana functions as an effective laxative and is of great help in treating chronic cases of constipation. Ripe bananas mashed and mixed with a pinch of salt, are also very useful in treating diarrhea. Bananas also help counter hyperacidity in the stomach and thereby provide relief from the symptoms of indigestion. They also have a soothing effect on intestinal ulcers and help in curing them.

Banana Health Facts

Bananas are also rich in iron, and are therefore a very good natural means of treating anemia. You may also include four or five ripe bananas in your regular diet if you suffer from body pains caused by arthritis and gout. Since banana contains very little protein and salt and has a good amount of carbohydrate, it helps treat infections in the kidney and urinary problems. Regular consumption of bananas is believed to prevent the formation of stones in the kidney and the gall bladder. Banana also contains a high level of potassium, which makes it effective in checking high blood pressure and consequently reducing the risk of strokes. A diet comprising only bananas and skimmed milk also helps in weight reduction if followed for a couple of weeks at a time till the desired results are achieved. On the other hand, underweight people can consume bananas daily in order to put on weight. Bananas are also supposed to relieve pre-menstrual syndrome and control excessive bleeding and pain during periods. It is also believed that bananas stimulate the production of a natural chemical called steronin in the brain that enhances mental capacity and prevents ailments like Parkinson’s disease. Bananas are also rich natural sources of calcium and magnesium, and thus strengthen bones. Bananas help replenish vitamins to the body, and are hence useful in countering the effects of a hangover. You should blend a couple of ripe bananas with a cup of yogurt and a teaspoon of honey and eat this mixture to get rid of a hangover. You may also use mashed banana topically on the skin to treat burns and wounds. This produces a soothing, softening effect on the damaged skin cells and helps them heal faster.

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Yogurt | Health Benefits of Yogurt

August 26, 2009 at 6:54 am · Filed under Healthy Food ·Tagged , , ,

Yogurt is essentially a dairy product, but it has many more benefits that milk does. Yogurt is the result of the bacterial fermentation of milk, and the presence of these “good bacteria” makes it much more beneficial for your health, besides the fact that it is rich in a number of important nutrients. As far as nutrition goes, the main nutrients found in yogurt are protein, vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2), phosphorus, and calcium. There are also smaller amounts of zinc, potassium, and vitamin B5.

Health Benefits of Eating Yogurt

Regular consumption of yogurt is therefore a good and tasty way to get these nutrients. If you use yogurt in a salad or some similar preparation by adding fruits or raw vegetables, you get a healthier and well balanced meal. However, the bacterial culture in yogurt is among the main reasons why it is so good for health. These good bacteria help to get rid of harmful bacteria from the digestive tract, due to which yogurt is often recommended for a variety of digestive problems. Regularly eating yogurt also seems to improve oral health, apparently by getting rid of harmful bacteria. Yogurt seems to reduce dental plaque, gum disease, cavities, and bad breath. Another important fact regarding yogurt is that the bacteria convert the lactose in milk to lactic acid, which can be safely consumed by people with lactose intolerance. Therefore, if you are lactose intolerant, you can still meet a considerable amount of your protein and calcium requirements by regularly consuming yogurt.

There are indications that yogurt consumption may help in other ways too, although not all these benefits are satisfactorily proven. It seems that consumption of yogurt helps fight and prevent vaginal yeast infections. Yogurt also seems to boost the immune system, and may reduce the chances of developing cancer too. Some studies have also shown that regular consumption of probiotic yogurt can reduce bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol. Another study has shown that yogurt may have an anti inflammatory effect in arthritic patients. Consumption of yogurt also seems to help in weight loss; however, here it needs to be noted that this would only apply to low fat yogurt, and would need to be done in conjunction with standard weight loss measures such as exercise and diet. It is also generally advisable to avoid consuming sweetened, flavored, or fruit yogurts, as these products usually contain added sugar and artificial flavors which are unnecessary and can actually have a negative effect on your health.

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Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd

July 17, 2009 at 11:40 am · Filed under Healthy Food ·Tagged , , , ,

The bitter gourd is a vegetable that is one of the bitterest tasting ingredients of some Asian, African and Caribbean cuisines. It is so bitter that it cannot be had raw and sometimes has to be treated with brine before being cooked, though this is not a staple method of cooking the vegetable. More commonly known as a bitter melon, this warty looking vegetable has started to gain increasing notice among the medical and herbal medicine community for its effect on some diseases, the most notable of its effects are on a disease that has plagued humanity for generations called diabetes. There is also some diatribe among the medical and scientific community about its efficacy in the treatment of AIDS and HIV, though there is a clinical catch in this theory. The active ingredient that makes it a candidate for treatment against HIV are its proteins but these are not very well absorbed by the body and therefore are not really a good candidate for being part of the repertoire against HIV infection. However, it has been shown that enemas with the extracts of the bitter melon could be useful against HIV infections.

Bitter Melon Benefits

Diabetes is the main disease for which bitter melon seems to show results. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system of the body either destroys the insulin producing cells, as is the case in Type 1 diabetes, or the body becomes resistant the action of insulin. Type 1 diabetes can only be treated by taking insulin intravenously while type 2 diabetes is treated by managing the diet to ensure low glucose intake. Since insulin moderates the amount of blood sugar in the body by acting as a fuel switch between glucose and fat, one of the indicators of this disease is the high amounts of blood sugar. Because of insulin ineffectiveness, the liver is constantly metabolizing fat for use and this is problematic because it causes an acid build up in the blood, which slowly destroys the organs and cells. Bitter melon comes as a redeeming feature to most diabetics because of two reasons. Bitter melon contains a protein called lectin and this has the ability to mimic insulin and binds to the receptors of insulin in the tissues. What this does is to cause the body to start using glucose as a fuel source instead of fat, thereby reducing the blood sugar.

Bitter melon’s other benefits are in the form of an appetite enhancer, a soothing balm for protecting mucus membranes and reducing inflammation, and in some parts of the world is used to treat malaria as well.

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Health benefits of Almonds

June 19, 2009 at 12:23 pm · Filed under Healthy Food ·Tagged , , , ,

While it is always important to keep fit and stay healthy, today’s world has placed an incredible strain on almost every individual to look great. So much so that opportunities are open to people based more on their physical appearance than ever before. As a result, the entire cosmetic industry have invested millions of dollars on miracle creams and lotions to help everyone and anyone look exactly the way they want – while keeping the cosmetic lotions healthy and safe. Mother Nature, however, has already provided us with the miracle ingredient. Almonds are a treasure trove for beauty enhancing ingredients as well as health maintaining and enhancing contents. Almond, in their various forms of pastes, oils and essence all have great therapeutic value and purpose.

Almonds for Health

Almonds contain a few essential minerals like magnesium and calcium. Almond oil also contains a rich source of Vitamin E. raw almond oil is frequently used as a taste enhancer on salads, grains and even toast. While a lot of people know that almond it good for the health and complexion, few know that its value is currently extending into the core medical fields as well. Recent studies have shown that almonds may be very useful in providing protection against cancer and also helping in keeping cholesterol levels under control. However, while almonds have their amazing qualities, one must understand that almonds alone are not the be all and end all of health concerns. To increase the effect almonds have on the health of a person, they must be combined with a healthy diet which consists of fruits, vegetables and low fat whole grain products.

A number of therapeutic massages make use of almond oil. The fact that almond oil is adaptable to any skin type is extremely beneficial as well, as it qualities in improving ones complexion and retaining the skin glow, lightening of dark circles and nourishing the skin to make it smooth and soft. Almond oil is also very good for the hair and helps in hair nourishment, controlling hair fall and increasing the thickness, strength and length of the hair. However, during application, the oil must be properly massaged into the roots of the hair to have an effect. The consumption of raw almonds will also help nourish the brain as well as the nervous system there by increasing intellect as well as endurance, helps reduce the cholesterol levels in the body and provides relief to any strained muscles.

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Calcium for Bone Health : Calcium Rich Foods

June 18, 2009 at 12:03 pm · Filed under Healthy Food ·Tagged , , ,

Calcium is a very important mineral component for various important functions in our body. While most people are aware that calcium is the primary building block in parts of the human body like teeth and bone, most are oblivious to the other important functions that calcium will help carry out. Calcium is essential in providing overall rigidity to the human skeleton. It also plays an important role in the growth of a child, helps in the clotting of blood and allows the muscles and nerves in the body to function properly. The body requires Vitamin D in order to help the small intestine absorb the calcium from any food eaten.

Calcium and Bones

All in all, calcium deficiency is a very real problem in the United States and it is believed that an estimated 44% to 87% of the population do not have an appropriate intake of calcium. While it is more commonly believed that calcium only helps bone strength, this is not completely the case. Up until the ages of 35, the calcium is stored primarily in the bones, but not after. Hence when the body starts to remodel the bones, its only real source of calcium is that, absorbed through digestion. So if an inappropriate amount of calcium was stored in your bones up until this age, when your body tries to naturally remodel your bones, there will be an insufficient supply of calcium which in turn will cause your bones to become brittle and weak. Osteoporosis is probably the biggest danger that one can face due to the lack of proper and appropriate bone density. When a person does not have enough calcium content in the body and the bones become brittle, they are prone to damage and breaks at a much higher rate than before. Hence a person suffering from osteoporosis will tend to experience a number of bone brakeage and will need to take extremely careful steps to avoid any potentially hazardous situations.

In order to boost your calcium intake, try to get as much vitamin D into your body. You can get supplements for this or even increase your intake of fish (mackerel is recommended) or cod liver oil. Orange juice and soy milk as well as green leafy vegetables, cereal, almonds and hazelnuts are all rich in calcium. You must also cut down on alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes as these substances actually help in stripping the body of calcium.

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