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Archive for the ‘Healthy dieting’ Category

Why They Say Chocolate Has Health Benefits

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Does chocolate have health benefits at all? Few studies and researches made not too long ago suggested it has. In fact, a lot of chemicals containing chocolate were found to be beneficial to the people’s health. So, it does contradict the old myth and half-truths surrounding the saying that anything that looks and tastes good is bad.

The health benefits are particularly true to cocoa, dark chocolate, and minimally-processed chocolate foods. Aside from the copper and magnesium, which aids in regulating blood pressure and heartbeat, they contain flavonoids, the ones that you also found in high-antioxidant green tea. As you probably know already, antioxidants are good for your health as they accomplish a number of health benefits, such as the following:

- Improve circulation
- Lower blood pressure
- Stimulate kidneys, improve digestion
- Can help patients with poor appetite, kidney stones, and anemia
- Improve endothelial functions
- Guard against free radicals and other destructive molecules, which are known to trigger stroke and heart disease.
- Lower heart disease-related deaths

Flavonoids have two different kinds, the epicatechins and catechin. The catechin has been found to be rich in minimally processed chocolate foods and cocoa. This is known to aid in preventing heart disease illnesses and possibly cancer problems. It also aids in boosting an individual’s immune system; this one also was recently discovered by the experts. Catechin can be found triple in amount in chocolates as compared to those found in teas.

But despite the discovered health benefits of chocolate, you have to be cautious at what type and amount of chocolate food you consume. As anything excessive can be bad for health, and that applies to chocolate too. Eating high quantities of chocolate can still cause weight and eventually trigger illness especially if you consume the less healthy type of chocolate.

In order to avoid the unpleasant consequences, you have to choose the right type of chocolate when consuming as not all kinds are good. For example, highly-processed chocolate food kinds such as those in candy and bar forms have high calories, sugar, and fat contents, therefore, must be avoided at all cost. Healthy kinds are dark chocolate, cocoa, and any other minimally-processed chocolate food.

This is in relation to studies demonstrating possible effects of eating chocolates done by the experts with groups of participants. In a particular study, half of the group ate dark chocolate while the other white chocolate. The ones, who ate white chocolate, showed no change in blood pressure, while the other who ate dark chocolate, significantly lowered their systolic blood pressure.

At another conducted Pennsylvania State University study, a different group of participants received a low fat diet, except that the half got a high-carb snack and the other consumed low fat chocolate bars for a certain length of time. The two groups didn’t show any difference in levels of bad or LDL cholesterol afterwards. However, those that ate chocolate bars did show increases in triglycerides, a type of heart-risk blood fat, and good or HDL cholesterols.

From these studies, it showed how chocolate can actually be a good diet food. However, note that the participants were only fed minimal quantities of chocolates, therefore it is still not advised to consume this sweet treat more than what is required for you to take. Also, remember to avoid chocolate foods that are high in artificial flavorings, with dairy products, and sugars. Remember this: the less that it is processed, the more health benefits you will get from chocolate.

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==>One nice thing about egotists: they don’t talk about other people.<==

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Tags: antioxidants, calories, fats, Healthy dieting, weight gain
Posted in Antioxidants, Diet Info, Healthy dieting, Healthy eating | 3 Comments »

Fat Loss Programs – Do They Work?

Friday, August 27th, 2010

If you are struggling to get rid of weight, then maybe you should check out some fat loss programs. There are several effective programs out there that will set out exactly what you need to eat in order to get trim and fit. This article will give you a quick introduction to a few of them and tell you if you really need them.

There are all kinds of fat loss programs out on the market. When you want to lose weight, it’s almost impossible to sift through all of them. You want to make sure that you get something that is safe but also effective – especially since you will probably be spending some money in order to follow the plan.

The first plan that a lot of people look into is the Atkins Diet. It gained a lot of popularity several years ago. This diet is all about eating food that is high in protein. It also involves cutting out a lot of carbs. A lot of people like this diet because the guidelines don’t really do anything to restrict your intake of fat. Carbs are pretty easy to avoid – you just need to eat a lot of vegetables. Since you don’t need to worry about fat intake, you can also feel free to eat red meat as well. There are a few problems with this diet, however. You are encouraged to limit your intake of fruit, which can really have an impact on your energy levels if you depend on sucrose from fruits for a lot of your energy. You may also find that you are lacking fiber while you are following the Atkins Diet.

There is another diet called Choose to Lose which was developed by a certain Dr. Goor. This diet is all about cutting out fat from your diet. You are given a certain amount of fat that you can intake each day. Once you have eaten your allotted amount, you can have no more. This is a bit like another popular diet called ‘Weight Watchers’. This diet allows and encourages you to eat fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it may be a good choice for you if you want to steer clear of Atkins.

After you follow some fat loss programs for a while, you may decide that they really just aren’t for you. Luckily, there is an alternative. You can simply create your own healthy diet plan. You just need to start thinking hard about what you are eating. You can try to think of foods to eat that are low in fat and high in nutritional value. These are foods like lean meat and poultry. Try taking bacon out of your diet and adding in turkey bacon. Or you could try switching over to turkey meat for you burgers. It tastes almost exactly the same but has less than half of the fat and more nutritional value than red meat.

There is no reason why you can’t start your own fat loss program right now – start today. It just takes some careful planning and a lot of motivation. If you start eating healthier today, you could be a ‘new you’ in a matter of months!

*****Your reading satisfaction is my future!*****

==>We all get heavier as we get older because there’s a lot more information in our heads. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.<==

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Tags: body fat, Diet Info, Diet programs, Healthy dieting, lose weight, Motivation, ways to diet, Weight Loss
Posted in Diet Info, Diet Program, Fat Loss Programs, Fat loss, Healthy dieting, Motivation, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Program | 4 Comments »

Get into the Tofu Habit for a Naturally Healthy You

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Tofu is a popular to most vegetarians. It is packed with nutrition and can easily substitute for meats. It is made of soybeans and is low in cholesterol, fat and calories. Tofu is very popular among vegetarians because it is a great source of protein. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, it is a very healthy idea to include tofu in your diet because it provides your body with the nutrients you need.

Here are some benefits you can get from eating tofu.

Good for the heart:
Tofu is low in calories, cholesterol and fats. We all know that too much cholesterol and fats will increase your risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Tofu lowers the amount of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and maintains a good amount of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) in your body. LDLs are known as the bad cholesterol. Excess amount of LDL will eventually result to serious heart illnesses. It also contains Omega 3. A nutrient that is important to keep your heart healthy.

Makes your Bones strong and healthy:
Tofu is rich in calcium that is very much needed in keeping your bones strong. As you get older, you’ll need more calcium in your body to prevent your bones from getting brittle and weak. Eating tofu also prevents you from developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Rich in protein and Vitamin B:
This is most popular reason vegetarians eat tofu. Since they don’t eat meat, they lack protein in their diet. Tofu is packed with protein and vitamin B. Tofu has a high amount of protein. Eating Tofu gives vegetarians the amount of protein they need without having to resort to eating meat.

Contains Isoflavones:
Isoflavones help lower the amount of LDL in your body. They are known as cholesterol fighters. Isoflavones also work like estrogen. Combined with protein, tofu is very effective in fighting off certain diseases and types of cancer. Women on the pre- menopausal and menopausal stage can greatly benefit from tofu. The estrogen in tofu helps regulate hormone levels. During menopause, women experience hormonal imbalances due to the reduction of estrogen in their system. Without this hormone, women become prone to health conditions like osteoporosis and breast cancer. In men, isoflavones help reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer.

Powerful Antioxidant:
Some people like to eat tofu because it is very rich in antioxidants that fight off radicals and other harmful microorganisms in the body. Having an adequate amount of antioxidant in your body is also known to prevent certain cancers.

Maintains Weight:
Tofu can help you lose weight without losing important nutrients in your body. You get enough amount of protein that you get from meat without the fat. A study had shown that people who eat tofu have lower hunger cravings and stay full longer than those who don’t eat tofu.

Tofu has many benefits. It is not an exclusive food for vegetarians. Eating tofu is one way of improving your natural health. To make eating tofu more delightful, try learning different tofu recipes.

*****Your reading satisfaction is my future!*****

==>Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places!<==

Tags: Diet Info, fats, Healthy dieting, Healthy eating, protein, Weight Loss
Posted in Healthy dieting, Healthy eating, Healthy lifestyle, Nutrition, Recipes, Weight Loss | 8 Comments »