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Monday, 7 November 2016

Health Benefits of bananas...

Bananas are one of the most commonly consumed fruits in the world for good reason.

The beautiful shaped yellow fruit packs a big nutritional punch, wrapped in its own convenient packaging. Some experts believe that the banana may have even been the world's first fruit.

Today, bananas are grown in so many countries and are stand at fourth among the world's food crops in economic value. Americans consume more bananas than oranges and apples combined.

With the world consuming so many bananas, it’s unsurprising that people are raising the question: are bananas good for us? Here are the potential health benefits of bananas.

Possible health benefits of bananas

Listed below are the health benefits connected with bananas. It is important to note that more high quality studies are required before these health benefit links are proved definitive.

1) Maintain Blood pressure

Maintaining low sodium (NA) intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium (K) intake may be just as important because of its vasodilatation effects. According to the survey of National Health and Nutrition Examination, Less than 2% of American adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.

Also of note, a high potassium intake is connected with a 20% decreased risk of dying from all causes.

2) Decreases the chance of Asthma

A research conducted by the Imperial College of London found that children who ate just one banana per day had a 34% less chance of developing asthma.

3) Bananas for Cancer

Consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. Bananas are good source of vitamin C, which can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables like bananas are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

4) Heart health

The potassium, fiber, vitamin C and B6 content in bananas all support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee. In one research, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day).

High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.

5) Regulates Diabetes

Studies have shown that type one diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type two diabetics may have improved blood sugar, insulin and lipids levels. One medium banana provides about 3 grams of fiber.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.

6) Treating diarrhea

Bland foods such as banana and apple sauce are recommended for diarrhea treatment. Electrolytes like potassium are lost in large quantities during bouts of diarrhea and may make those affected feel weak. Bananas can help to store and promote regularity and replenish potassium.

7) Preserving memory and boosting mood

Bananas also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that studies suggest plays a vital role in preserving memory and boosting your mood.

Look at the nutritional profile of bananas, how to incorporate more bananas into your diet.

Nutritional profile of bananas

One medium banana (about 126 grams) is considered to be one serving. One serving of banana contains 110 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of protein. Bananas are naturally free of fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Bananas provide a variety of vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin B6 - .5 mg

Manganese - .3 mg

Vitamin C - 9 mg

Potassium - 450 mg

Dietary Fiber - 3g

Protein - 1 g

Magnesium - 34 mg

Folate - 25.0 mcg

Riboflavin - .1 mg

Niacin - .8 mg

Vitamin A - 81 IU

Iron - .3 mg

The recommended intake of potassium for adults is 4700 milligrams per day.

Adding more bananas into your diet

Fresh bananas are available all round the year. Unlike other fruits, the ripening process of bananas does not slow down after they are picked. Bananas should be stored at room temperature. The warmer the temperature, the faster bananas will ripen. However, to slow ripening, bananas should be refrigerated. The outer peel of the banana will darken but the banana itself will stay intact longer.

To encourage faster ripening, place the banana in a brown paper bag at room temperature.

In 2008, a popular diet fad known as the Morning Banana Diet recommended eating a banana in the morning along with water, eating a normal lunch and having dinner before 8pm.

Bananas and oatmeal

Add a sliced banana to your morning cereal or oatmeal for a more nutritious breakfast

Like apple sauce, ripe mashed bananas can be used in baked goods to replace oil or butter. Mashed bananas lend a moist, naturally sweet flavor to muffins, cookies and cakes.

Peel and freeze bananas for a great addition to any smoothie.

Add sliced banana to your morning cereal or oatmeal, or take a banana with you on your way to work or school for a healthy, portable snack.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271157.php?page=2

Thursday, 3 November 2016

Nutritional benefits of organic carrots

They’re sweet. They’re Big. They’re orange. They’re beautiful. Latin scientist may know the vegetable as daucus carota, but we just call them carrots. They can grow all over the seasons, and there are over one hundred species of carrots of all colors and sizes.

The good thing about organic carrots is that they have wonderful nutritional benefits, like helping to prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as its good for eyesight. Here are few great nutritional benefits of organic carrots.

Strong antioxidants

Powerful Antioxidants, help to fight from cell damage done to the body by toxins that find their way from our environment into our bloodstream. Along with wonderful antioxidants like vitamin C, carrots contain phytonutrient antioxidants like beta-carotene. Beta-carotene has some outstanding benefits, and may protect the body from lung cancers, stomach, cervix, colon, uterus, and the oral cavity.

Nutrients rich

Along with 400% of your daily vitamin A, a serving of carrots will provide nutritional vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E and K, and also plenty of fiber, potassium and manganese. Organic carrots have a little bit of everything. This vitamin rich vegetable has the highest amount of carotene when compared to other fruits and vegetables. In addition it is an excellent source for vitamin B, C, D, E and K. You can eat them raw or cook them as you wish.

Eye Care

The retina of the eye needs vitamin A to function. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a carotenoid pigment which is an essential antecedent for vitamin A. Deficiencies in vitamin A are the leading causes of blindness in the developing world. Lack of vitamin A can also lead to Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness. Extra vitamin A can prevent night blindness as well as fighting macular degeneration and the formation of cataracts to keep your eyes healthy.

Protect from cardiovascular disease

There is a direct connection between eating more carrots and lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease. Carrots contain a variety of antioxidants and polyacetylenes which, together, provide a protective shield to the heart, Making carrots part of your everyday diet is an excellent way to prevent heart related disease, and to maintain your cholesterol level (a major factor for heart disease). Eating root vegetables like organic carrots also lower the chances of having a heart attack.

Good for your teeth

Carrots act as natural coarse, stimulate your gums and cleaning sticky plaque from your teeth. They help keep your teeth clean after meals by stimulating saliva to help scrub stains on your teeth. The minerals found in carrots will also help killing germs in your mouth and prevent tooth damage.

Reduce the risk of heart problem

A study from Harvard University indicates that eating more carrots can reduce the risk of suffering a stroke. The study suggests that eating more than five carrots a week can greatly reduce this risk of heart stroke.

Hair Benefits Of Carrots

Since years, carrots have been known to promote hair growth and add thickness to the hair. Being loaded with vitamin A, carrots offer the following benefits for your hair.

 Help to control Hair loss:

Carrots are great for combating hair loss as they provide your hair with vital vitamins, making them stronger, thicker and shinier. Drinking carrot juice makes your hair healthy. This is the best benefit of carrots for the hair.

 Hair Growth:

Consuming 2 to 3 glasses of carrot juice daily stimulates the hair growth and thickens your hair. Vitamin C and Vitamin E in carrots improve the circulation in the scalp, thus helping hair growth and prevent premature graying of hair.

Source: http://www.fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife/2012/05/29/organic-carrots-nutritional-benefits/

Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Interesting facts About Honey

Interesting facts About Honey

Here are the health benefits of one of the oldest sweeteners on earth, And some interesting facts, some great recipes and a few cautions.To make honey Bees swallow, digest and regurgitate nectar; this nectar contains almost six hundred compounds. We need our bees, so let’s do everything we can to save them and keep them alive here on this planet.
Honey is so good we have included it in our list of foods that should be in your kitchen right now.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Honey

1. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal

“All honey is antibacterial and antifungal, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂),” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

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2. Prevent cancer and heart disease

Honey contains antioxidants and flavonoids which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.

3. Increase athletic performance

Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance and energy levels. This has now been verified with modern science, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time when compare to other sweeteners.

4. Reduce mouth ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems

Research shows that honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastrointestinal problems. This may be related to the other benefit.

5. Reduce cough and throat infections

Honey fight with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. In a study of 105 kids, a single dose of buckwheat honey was just as effective as a single dose of dextromethorphan in relieving nocturnal cough and allowing proper sleep.

6. Balance the 5 elements

Since 4000 years, Honey has been using in ayurvedic medicines in India and is considered to affect all three of the body’s primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful in improving weight loss, eyesight, curing impotence and urinary tract disorders, premature ejaculation, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.

Honey is called as “Yogavahi” since it has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissues of the body. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it adds the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.

7. Blood sugar regulation

Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar which we use or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of glucose and fructose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some honeys have a low hypoglycemic index, so they don’t push your blood sugar.

8. Heal wounds and burns

Studies have shown that honey to be very successful in healing wounds. External application of honey has been shown to be most effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazine. It is speculated that the drying effect of the simple sugars and honey’s antibacterial nature combine to create this effect.

9. Probiotic

Some varieties of honey owns large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to six species of lactobacilli and four species of bifid bacteria. This may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.”

10. Strengthen the immune system

According to a study at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
Manuka honey is a favorite of mine. Manuka Honey has been found to stimulate the production of immune cells.

Extra!

For Beautiful skin

Its anti-bacterial qualities are particularly useful for the skin, and, when used with the other ingredients, can also be moisturizing and nourishing! For a home beauty treatment for which you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.

Different honeys have different flavonoid profiles, depending on the floral source of the nectar. The most beneficial honeys for the body are Manuka and buckwheat.

Different Types of Honey

Manuka honey strengthens the immune system. pure Manuka Honey harvested from the remote hills, forest, and coastal areas of New Zealand.
Buckwheat is also good for the immune system and as a healthier alternative to cough syrup.
Wildflower – Topanga Quality Wildflower Honey is raw, unfiltered and unpasturized. Kosher too.
Alfalfa – Stockin's unheated and unfiltered raw Alfalfa honey is made in Saskatchewan, Canada from Alfalfa Blossoms.
Black Locust has the lowest glycemic index (32) of all of the honeys.
Raw Locust Honey by the Beekeeper’s Daughter is light, clean, and very aromatic and floral.
Blueberry
Orange Blossom

There are at least 40 types of honey – each one has distinctive taste and unique properties.
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels.
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species) usually has the lowest glycemic index. For example, locust honey from the Black Locust tree has a Glycemic index of 32. Clover honey, which is used commercially, has the highest glycemic index at 69.

Honey Suggestions

If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and Organic.
Raw Organic honey contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes not present in refined honey.

Source: http://www.realfoodforlife.com/health-benefits-of-honey/