Your Body Needs Protein

Did you know that proteins are the building blocks of your body – they are like Legos for your body parts? You can consume protein by eating meat, poultry, fish, legumes eggs and also nuts.

Eggs contain vitamins, protein and fats. Just one egg contains over 6 grams of protein.

Raw nuts and seeds can provide you with some of the protein that your body needs. If you roast the nuts it does reduce the antioxidant levels in the nuts slightly but not enough to render them unhealthy. You may however need to watch your sodium intake if you eat salted nuts. Sunflower seeds contain protein but zinc, folate, vitamin E and also magnesium, quite a little powerhouse nut!

When you eat fish you are getting an excellent source of lean protein and also omega-3 fatty acids. If you fry the fish or serve it with a heavy, fat and calorie dense sauce you will quickly turn a healthy food into an unhealthy food.

Red meats are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, and also minerals. Red meats also contain saturated fats so be sure to choose lean cuts of red meats and to trim all visible fat. You can substitute poultry, and vegetarians can substitute beans and legumes.

Did you know that there are two kinds of protein? There is animal protein and there is vegetable protein. They both have the same effects on your health. The difference between the two proteins is in the “package” for instance when you desire to get your protein from a juicy steak you are looking at 38 grams of protein AND about 44 grams of fat of which 16 of them are saturated fat. That steak alone is about 3/4s of the daily-recommended amount of saturated fat. If you ate a cup of lentils instead you would be getting 18 grams of protein, but only 1 gram of fat. Vegetable proteins such as beans, nuts, and whole grains, are good choices for protein and they also provide healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals. Those who love to eat animal proteins should choose fish and poultry. If you must have red meat then make sure that you choose the leaner cuts and make sure you stick to a proper portion size. Limit your red meat intake to once or twice a week.

Protein is important to your health because your body uses protein to maintain and replace the tissues in your body. Your organs, muscles, and many of your hormones are made up of protein. Protein is also used in the manufacture of hemoglobin (red blood cells). We all need hemoglobin because it carries oxygen to all of your body parts. Your body also uses protein in order to manufacture antibodies that fight infection and disease. Protein is also necessary in the process of the body’s ability to clot blood.

Why Do We Have To Eat?

Kids love asking questions and many 3 year olds have asked why do they have to eat? Can’t you just hear them now? Many of us answer that question by saying that we eat because we are hungry or because food tastes good, or we are bored, sad or happy. We eat when we are at a party, or when the lunch bell rings, whether we are hungry or not. Many depressed individuals eat when they are sad. As you can see there are many emotional and physical reasons for eating.

If our bodies could answer that same question they would say that we should eat nutritious foods because the body needs good food for proper fuel so that the body can grow and maintain body parts. Food is the fuel that our bodies use to function. Food is energy to our bodies. If we don’t feed our bodies, our bodies will not have the energy needed to grow and maintain function and we will eventually die without food.

Our bodies need not just any food, it needs nutritious foods. Foods that is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Our bodies need carbohydrates because carbohydrates broken down into individual glucose, fructose or galactose is where energy comes from. However, too many carbohydrates, more than what the body needs for energy needs, is stored as fat.

The proteins that we eat are broken down into individual amino acids and the body to build and repair various body parts uses the amino acids.

Calcium is another nutrient that the body needs to function. This mineral, calcium is used to build strong bones and teeth.

Fats keep our bodies healthy. Membranes that contain fats are all around the cells in our bodies. Our brain ahs fatty acids, and fats are also needed to signal hormones to do their work.

Vitamins and minerals function as co-enzymes, which help the chemical reactions in the body to occur faster and more efficiently. Vitamin A is necessary for healthy vision. Zinc is used in metabolic processes, and vitamin C helps to keep connective tissue strong and also keeps our immune system functioning properly.

If our bodies are deficient in any of these nutrients than the body is not able to function properly and we become ill.

We eat so that our bodies can have the energy it needs to function properly. We eat so our bones and teeth can be strong. We eat so we can have good eyesight. We eat so we can live, because without food we would die.

Whole Grain Recommendations for Optimal Health

Ask any doctor, nutritionist or dietician and they all will say that part of a healthy diet must include entries from the whole grain group. However, do you have any idea why whole grains are such an important part of your diet? You have to understand the different parts of the grain and the key ingredients that are present to realize that sometimes whole grains provide the best beneficial qualities in your diet.

In order to count a grain in your diet as whole, the endosperm, germ and bran must be present. During the refinement process for flour and other ingredients, these parts are sometimes lost and therefore cannot be counted as beneficial whole grains. A label could tout made from whole grains but would not be considered as a whole grain.

The reason why whole grain is considered an essential part of your diet is because it has as many key nutrients as vegetables and fruits and sometimes is actually a better source of them. Many whole grains do contain free radical fighting antioxidants as well as phytochemicals, a cancer-fighting agent. In addition, there are many vitamins and minerals to be found such as fiber, iron, a host of B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and much more.

What is surprising is that whole grains have some powerful antioxidants that vegetables and fruits cannot claim. However, the grain must have all three parts in order to be beneficial. The vitamins and powerful antioxidants are located in the bran and germ part of the whole grain. For this reason, you have to be careful when you buy products that say “whole grain” on them as they may just be derived from them not actually intact with all three parts. To give you an idea of the types of whole grains available, here are some examples:

The most common whole grains you can find on your grocer’s shelf are:
1. Brown rice or wild rice
2.  Whole wheat
3.  Whole oats and oatmeal
4.  Barley
5.  Popcorn
6.  Rye

Less common grains that could likely be found in a whole foods, organic or health food store are:
1.  sorghum
2.  millet
3.  amaranth
4.  quinoa

Other Benefits of Whole Grains

The benefits of whole grains are numerous and extend far beyond the vitamins, minerals and antioxidant levels. Did you know that whole grains can reduce your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, thereby your risk of heart disease? Diabetic patients find that consumption of whole grains on regular basis helps regulate their blood sugar levels. In addition, you are likely to weigh a few pounds less if you choose whole grains over refined white flour foods.

You need at least 3-4 servings of whole grains a day to meet the minimum daily dietary requirements. You can achieve this by selecting muffin recipes with whole grain wheat flour or breads for toast and sandwiches that contain whole wheat, rye, or other whole grains. Choose whole grain cereal and add fruit to make it more palatable. Perk up soups with wild rice or substitute chips for popcorn. There are many ways to introduce whole grains into your diet.

What You Eat Is Closely Tied To Your Health

Have you ever heard the saying, “We are what we eat”? The foods we eat determines whether or not our bodies have what they need to grow properly, to renew cells, and to have the energy we need to function. When we eat poorly our bodies are not able to function properly and we are not able to prevent diseases. We become sick and can even die when we deprive our bodies of proper nutrition. When we eat nutritious foods on a daily basis we do give our bodies what they need to grow properly, to renew cells, and to have the energy needed to function properly. The result of eating good nutrition is that we have healthy bodies. We look good, we feel good and we can perform well because we have the foods in us to do accomplish these things.

When we overeat, taking on more calories than our bodies need, we gain weight. Excess body weight is linked to many diseases such as diabetes. When we eat foods high in saturated fats we can increase our risk for heart disease. There are so many connections between the food or the amount of food and disease that everyone should be more aware of what food is put into our bodies if we truly want to be healthy.

Today many diets are geared towards helping improve our health if we have certain health conditions such as the heart smart diet, and the cancer diet. You can also find a diet if you have diabetes, or diverticulitis, There is a diet for those who are lactose intolerant. There is also a Gluten-Free diet, an ADHD diet, and an IBD diet. Women can go on the Menopause diet, or the Osteoporosis diet, or the Breast Cancer Diet or even the diet designed specifically for the needs of the pregnant woman. There are diets to help you eat healthy while dining out, and diets to help you lose weight. There are bodybuilding diets, and athlete diets. Everyone of these diets use certain types of foods in order to gain a certain result from the body based on what the foods do for the body. These diets are a perfect example of the fact that what we eat has an impact on our health.

There are healthy eating guidelines set forth with the purpose of helping us to decide what to eat and how much of each food to eat. These guidelines are to help us eat healthy and reduce the risk of developing nutrition-related diseases. Nutrition-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease have been studied along with the effect that certain foods have on them. Guidelines such as the food pyramid are geared towards individuals without major health concerns and those who are over 14 years of age. Those with major health concerns may need a special diet and should be guided by their doctor when it comes to making food choices. Those who are fewer than 14 should be eating foods that are for young children who are still growing. Your pediatrician can help with meal planning for this age group to be sure they have all the nutrients they need to be healthy while growing. A basic healthy eating guideline for those over age 14 are to eat 30% fruit and vegetables, 30% bread, potatoes, rice and pasta, and 15% milk and dairy foods, along with 15% meat and fish and 10% of the fat and sugary types of foods each day.

What Role Does Carbohydrates Play In Our bodies?

Carbohydrates are a nutrient that converts into energy. It fuels our bodies much like gasoline fuels our cars. Our human bodies need carbohydrates for the energy we use to move and grow.

There are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars made of one or two units or molecules. Words that end in “ose” are sugars. Sugars are sucrose also known as table sugar, fructose, which is the natural sugar found in fruit and honey, and lactose, which is the sugar found in milk.

Complex carbohydrates are known as starches and are long chains of glucose molecules. Both simple and complex carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise. Fructose causes the smallest amount of rise in blood glucose level of all the simple and complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are found in your diet when you eat grains, beans, starchy vegetables, fruits and milk and also sweets.

Complex carbohydrates such as grains, beans, and starchy vegetables are at the base of the food pyramid. The next level of the food pyramid contains other complex carbohydrates such as vegetables. Sweets are at the very top of the food pyramid and should be eaten sparingly.

Even diabetics can eat some sugar and sweets occasionally as part of their total carbohydrate intake. Everyone should try to spread his or her intake of carbohydrates out throughout the day.

The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains, vegetables, fruits and also beans. Carbohydrates can promote good health by giving plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and important phytonutrients. Carbohydrates are easily digested.

Consuming carbohydrates found in white bread, white rice, pastries, sugary sodas, and other processed foods that are eaten in excess of normal amounts can lead to weight gain, can interfere with weight loss, and can also promote diabetes and also heart disease.

Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a good source of protein.

Complex carbohydrates are absorbed by the body slower and give you energy over a longer period of time.

Carbohydrates that are in some foods (the simple sugars) causes the glucose level to rise more quickly in our bloodstream than other carbohydrates. You should therefore limit simple sugars in your diet such as table sugar and candy and increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, oatmeal, and whole-grain wheat bread.

Most foods we eat contain carbohydrates, which our bodies than break down into simple sugars, which as previously states are sources of energy used by the body.

What Does Nutrition Mean To You?

If you said that nutrition to you means the physiological process by which body/organisms obtain food that is necessary for development and growth and to secure energy to continue to live than you would be absolutely right.

Nutrition is a vital process; it involves reconstruction of tissues (food, supplies). Nutrition is vital to all living organisms without which we would die. Proper nutrition means not only surviving but being healthy and having an optimistic view of life – a healthy mind in a healthy body. If the body is not healthy, the mind cannot think clearly. Nutrition is the fuel that makes the body function just as the gasoline fuels a car. Food can be healthy for our body and certain foods can damage our bodies.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) is an organization of nutrition professionals which happens to be one of the largest organizations in the U.S. Members of the ADA are nutrition experts who promote a way of life that promotes healthy nutrition and gives advice to those who wish to eat healthier. In America over the past 30 years our diets have been overloaded with junk food and fast-food restaurants that push combo sizes. We have become a nation of overweight individuals, even our kids are overweight. Compounding the problem is the fact that we not only have poor eating habits but we have become a sedentary nation. Health experts have been pushing nutrition and exercise for a while now and some Americans are listening. Fitness is beginning to become a fad again and Americans are looking for how to define good nutrition and how to make good nutrition a reality for their families.

Nutrition experts agree that a healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, good fats, whole grains and plenty of water.

Good nutrition involves eating right. What does eating right look like?

Unless you have a medical issue that requires a special diet, good nutrition might look something like this:

Five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

Whole grains such as whole-grain rice, bread, pasta and cereals.

Limit consumption of refined carbohydrates such as processed pastries, sweetened cereals, soft drinks and other high-sugar foods.

Substitute healthier fats for the bad fats.

Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil.

Avoid trans fats that are in margarines and baked goods.

Limit saturated fats and cholesterol that you find in meats and dairy products. Choose lean meat such as “round” and “loin”, and trim the excess fat from the meats you purchase.

Choose poultry and chicken that has been de-skinned.

Substitute poultry, fish and beans instead of beef, lamb and pork.

Use avocados and nuts to your meals and snacks. These can be high in calories so watch portion sizes.

What Do You Know About Macronutrients?

Do you know that macronutrients are carbohydrates, fat, fiber and proteins?

Macronutrients make up the bulk of the foods we eat. We need macronutrients in large amounts because they provide energy and chemical building blocks for tissue production.

Macronutrients are made up of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Eating breads, cereals, fruits, grains, potatoes and also vegetables, can obtain carbohydrates. Fats are found in oils, butter, and margarine and also in mayonnaise. Proteins are found in eggs, cheese, fish, legumes, milk, and also in meats.

Healthy daily diets should be made up of 15% proteins, 30% fats and 55% carbohydrates.

Because macronutrients provide energy they are needed for growth, for metabolism and also for other functions important to the maintenance of the body.

If we ate macronutrients alone we would not have a healthy body because we also need other things for good health such as water. Our bodies also need micronutrients, but in smaller amounts. Macronutrients, water and micronutrients are all necessary for a healthy body.

Carbohydrates are also called, Carbs, and Sugars. Carbohydrates act as the main source of energy needed by the body. Carbohydrates create energy reserves as stored glycogen. Carbohydrates are found in plant foods such as fruit, grains, legumes, nuts and also vegetables. It can also be found in milk and milk products.

There are many compounds that make up the group called fats. Fats include triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats can be both solid and liquid. Common words to describe fats are oils, fats and lipids.

Edible animal fats are lard, which is pig fat, fish oil, and butter. Edible plant fats are peanut, Soya bean, sunflower, sesame, coconut, olive and vegetable oils. There are saturated fats and unsaturated fats. All fats have fatty acids, which are chains of carbon and hydrogen.

Fats are important to our health because they maintain healthy skin, and hair. They also insulate the body organs against shock. They maintain the body temperature, and also promote healthy cell function. Fats can also serve as energy stores for when you need it. When fats are broken down in the body glycerol and free fatty acids are released. The glycerol is converted into glucose by the liver and is then used as an energy source.

The body to build and also to maintain muscles, organs, skin, and also blood uses proteins. Proteins also can assist in energy metabolism and also in cell processes. Proteins can defend the body against disease.

Proteins come from meat, fish, poultry, milk products as well as nuts, seeds, tofu, legumes, and also grains. By eating nuts, seeds, tofu, legumes and grains vegetarians can also receive protein from their diet.

Fiber is necessary for good health because it lowers blood cholesterol; decreasing your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. Fiber also helps you to feel full, so you can lose weight by not overeating. Fiber also helps to maintain intestinal health.

There are many food sources of fiber including vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole wheat breads and cereals and other whole grain products. Whole grains that contain fiber are brown rice, wild rice, oatmeal, barley, bulgur, kamut, spelt, quinoa, and also millet.

Weight Loss Nutrition Starts With Fiber

Approximately two-thirds of Americans are overweight or worse – obese. Good nutrition is important no matter what your size is, but for those who are struggling with being overweight it is vital to eat a healthy diet that contains appropriate amounts of fiber. Want to know how to design a healthy diet that contains fiber and tastes good? Read on to discover the secrets of losing weight by eating healthy including adding fiber to your diet.

To be of a healthy weight, you should have a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 20 and 25. If your BMI is more than 25 than you need to work on losing weight and bringing down your BMI number. You can find out what your BMI is by using an online BMI calculator or ask your doctor to calculate it for you.

Individuals who are overweight are taking in more calories each day than their bodies require. The typical complaint of those who diet is that they feel hungry or that they miss the pleasure of eating when on a diet. So how do you lose weight without feeling hungry?

The key to dieting successfully is to eat plenty of fiber with each meal that you take in so that you feel full longer. Fiber is also important to your digestive system, so when you eat it with every meal, you are giving your digestive system the boost that it needs.

What foods give you this dietary fiber? Whole grains, fruits, vegetables are the main foods to give you fiber.

It is easy to add fiber to your diet once you discover what foods provide your body with fiber. Here are some good examples of foods you can eat:

Instead of drinking fruit juice, bite into a juicy apple and leave the skin on. Eat fresh whole fruits because the skin contains the fiber that your body needs. The same thing goes for potatoes – leave the skin on and keep the fiber in your diet.

Buy whole grain breads, pasta and cereals. White flour processes out the fiber.

Add vegetables to dishes such as stews and casseroles and decrease the meat content.

While you are increasing the fiber content in your diet it is important to remember to also increase your water each day. If you increase your fiber and don’t increase your water you will end up being constipated.

Using Supplements For Good Nutrition

Many individuals turn to supplements when making sure that they are getting proper nutrition.

Calcium builds strong bones and can help you to prevent osteoporosis. The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 mg. If women who are menopausal take 1,000 mg of calcium a day they can slow down bone loss.

It is dangerous to take in too much calcium in your diet because when you take in too much calcium you can block the absorption of other minerals.

Evening primrose oil contains essential fatty acids, including gammalinolenic acid, or GLA. Individuals who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis they report less joint pain, and less swelling and stiffness. Side effects from using primrose oil can include nausea and headaches.

Feverfew taken daily can minimize headaches for migraine sufferers when they take 80 milligrams a day. When taking the herb, feverfew is aware that when you try to quit using the herb you may experience headaches, nervousness, and insomnia. Do not take feverfew if you take other medications to prevent blood clotting or if you take iron supplements.

A lot of attention is being given to fish oil with claims of it being beneficial for those with arthritis or depression. Studies have shown that fish oil appears to prevent blood clots, and lower the risk for heart disease. Fish oil may also help to control bipolar disorder (manic depression). The evidence shows that the supplements have the same benefits as you receive from eating fresh salmon or other fatty varieties of fish several times a week. If you take blood-thinning drugs you should no take fish-oil pills.

Folic Acid supplements are usually taken before or during pregnancy to help avoid spinal bifida, and also help to prevent skull and other spine mishaps. Studies have shown that women who take folic-acid supplements are up to 72% less likely to have babies with neural tube defects. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that women who wish to become pregnant or are newly pregnant should take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day or eat foods such as chickpeas, spinach, oranges in your daily diet.

Very high dosages of folic acid may mask a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Ginger is useful to pregnant moms as an aid for those who suffer from nausea or vomiting. It is uncertain if ginger has an effect on fetal development. High doses of ginger should not be taken when the individual takes blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin, or when taking medications that control blood sugar such as when individuals have diabetes.

Many individuals take Glucosamine and Chondroitin for arthritis. Studies have not been able to prove that taking these supplements benefit joint health or relieve pain of arthritis.

There are some supplements that may be harmful such as Bee pollen, billberry, ephedra, kelp, and shark cartilage.

Top Teas for Good Health – Do You Know What to Drink?

The United States is finally catching up to what the rest of the world has known for years – tea CAN be good for you! Besides water, tea is the most consumed drink in the world and there are countless varieties such as herbal, black, oolong, green and white. The question is, which ones offer the most health benefits?

Basic Benefits of Tea

Tea contains quite a few polyphenols, which are in the antioxidant category. These polyphenols has cancer-fighting properties and preliminary research shows that cases of esophageal and digestive cancers are greatly reduced or even prevented with the consumption of tea. Other research studies are looking into how effective tea is against other cancers like breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Certain teas like green tea are high in antioxidants which have been known to prevent or reduce the incidence of heart disease. The chemical properties of this tea present certain anticoagulant properties and have been known to aid in the reduction of cholesterol levels. The jury is still out on the how effective other teas are in different ailments.

Which Tea Do You Drink?

The leaves of oolong, black, green and white teas are obtained from the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen tree that grows in warm regions. In many cases, these teas have more of the restorative polyphenols in the leaves than could be obtained from eating fruits and vegetables. Each of these teas are processed different, which accounts for the difference in color and taste but regardless of the process, these antioxidant properties are still present, although in varying amounts.

White teas are obtained from these Camellia leaves while they are still young and very light (usually white) in color. Green tea is harvested similarly only there is some color to the leaves. The oolong and black teas are created from dark colored leaves that are then crushed, dried and fermented. This process accounts for their stronger flavors.

Teas with the “herbal” label are not derived from the Camellia plant and therefore are not truly teas. Rather they are originate from other plants and infused with the essences of herbs, flowers and spices. The proper terms for these “teas” is called tisane. The red Rooibos tea blend and soothing chamomile teas also fall under the tisane category. Tisane beverages do not have the same healing compounds as the Camellia based teas do. While they cannot claim restorative properties such as cancer-fighting agents, they do provide other benefits.

There are some exceptions to these “herbal” tea brandings. If any of the oolong, green, black or white teas are infused with herbs or spices they will still have the beneficial properties of the polyphenols.

Other Facts

A cup of tea usually only contains half the caffeine that coffee does and retains all the restorative properties that the polyphenols provide. However, the research thus far does not have much to say in regards to decaffeinated teas. Tests are still being conducted to see if the decaf versions of these teas retain the antioxidant properties that the fully caffeinated versions have. Therefore, for now, stick with the caffeinated versions to take advantage of all the health benefits these teas provides.