Tag: nutrients

Wonderful Soy milk!

Something that can prove to be the best alternative for milk is SOY MILK. It is rich, nutritious and very healthy drink. Soy milk has become so famous because of its high quality proteins and anti oxidative qualities. Most of the people drink this milk because of the added health benefits attached to it. As being lactose free, it is primarily used by lactose intolerant persons. It may lack in context of taste, but people consume out of its advantages and nutritive value, but now even the taste is improved since it has been started to produce commercially. This is well known how much beneficial soya and its products are as they are protein dense and can provide all the protein in a vegan diet, that you can get from meat. Similarly, Soy milk is the best substitute for Diary milk (cow milk) and for meat and chicken protein (animal protein). Soy milk or Soya milk is a plant milk, which is produced by soaking dry soyabeans, boiling and grinding them with water. It is a traditional staple in the Asian diet and has the same amount of food value and proteins and even higher as that of cow milk. One can take soy milk as per their taste as there is plain soy milk, which is unsweetened and salted soya milk is also consumed in some countries. Also, many soy products are sweetened. It was first produced in China.
Soy milk is a super awesome drink rich in many nutrients, vitamins and minerals and is a good replacement for animal protein and some sources of dietary fiber. Moreover, it also contains digestible calcium, little saturated fat and no cholesterol and contains no lactose. Soy milk has found many uses in vegan and vegetarian diet and vegan recipes and cooking. Soy milk has versatile uses and is used in making soy cream, soy yoghurt, soy based cheese analogues and tofu is also a product of soya. To know more about the benefits of this wonderful beverage, let’s have a look on these :

It reduces Cholesterol and improves Lipid profile: People who include soy milk in their diet have reduced cholesterol levels as it is unsaturated with no cholesterol, unlike cow milk which is high in saturated fat and is unhealthy and increase your cholesterol. Studies have found significant results in maintaining good cholesterol levels in the blood with the use of soy milk and decreasing LDL which is bad cholesterol. Also, the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid in soy can inhibit the transport of cholesterol in your blood stream and this is why it is recommended to take soy milk as a regular drink and enjoy it.
It helps in loosing weight: Soy milk is really helpful if you want to lose weight as it has natural sugar content and has very few calories almost equal to skim milk. Also, intake of soy milk is high in fiber content which makes you feel full for longer time, and makes you eat less and paves a way for less craving. Moreover, monounsaturated fatty acid present in soy milk can restrain the intestinal absorption of fat.
It is rich in Isoflavones: Presence of isoflavones is a very unique benefit of soy milk and is beneficial like anything. The health benefits can range from prevention of osteoporosis, ease of postmenopausal symptoms, reduction of cholesterol, prevention from risk of certain cancers; breast cancer and prostate cancer. Also, they are antioxidants that protect our cells and DNA against oxidation and this is not found in cow’s milk and that’s why it is sometimes considered as more beneficial than the dairy milk.
It has no lactose: The most beneficial use of soy milk is for lactose intolerant population. This lactose free is preferable by many because of its several benefits. In addition, it has prebiotic sugars, which decrease the toxic substances in the body and boosts immunity.
It Strengthens and nourishes the Blood vessel integrity: Soy milk is extremely helpful in nourishing the blood vessels due to the nutrients present in it as the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and also the Phyto-antioxidants in soy milk protect your blood vessels from hemorrhage. These compounds are helpful because they bind to the blood vessels lining and defend the lining cells from cholesterol deposits and free radicals attacks. The binding action of these nutrients also improves the flexibility and fluidity of your blood vessels. In such a way, it plays an important role and the reason the regular intake of soya milk is recommended.

Woah! So many benefits. No? After all these good facts about soy milk, the one who doesn’t really like having it, will start drinking it. There are many variants of soy milk available in your grocery store with so many flavors, like pistachio, chocolate, almond and plain too. You can pick any flavor of your choice and have it with all your heart for your healthy heart. Now, even if you are lactose intolerant, which has become quite common, you have milk that fulfills your craving for milk with so many other attached benefits, which may not be there in cow milk. Enjoy your Soy milk.

Happy drinking. Happy Life!

July 1, 2014
Essential Muscle Nutrients Which Are Found Only in Animal Food

Muscles are every much important for the human body as they perform several essential functions such as breathing and allow us to do physical labor. Every man today wants to have a body full of muscles so that they can look attractive and powerful. Muscles burns calories and so if you are planning to build a powerful body you need to pay special attention towards the food that you eat as the consumption of right food is very important. In order to build and later maintain these muscles there are some essential nutrients which your body requires and more importantly these nutrients are only found in the animal food. For the non-vegetarian people this is not a problem as they eat flesh but the vegetarian people look around for the replacement of this option. So they go for supplements which are available in the market today. These supplements are made up of artificial ingredients which causes harm to the body if you take it regularly. So it is recommend that if you want to build muscle and maintain your body, then you should start eating meat. Hereby we are mentioning some of the nutrients which are only found in animal food i.e. meat and are essential for muscle building.

Creatine:

Creatine is extremely important for the body and is one of the most popular supplements used for the muscle building. If your body has adequate amount of Creatine in it, then it not only improves the mass of your muscles but also the strength. Creatine forms the energy reserve in the muscles which helps in its maintenance. The energy in the body is provided by the Adenosine Triphosphate and the cells in the body have them in limited quantity. In the process of building muscles, people perform complex and vigorous exercises and so the amount of Adenosine Triphosphate in their body is not enough to last long. Creatine provides the phosphate in the cells and helps in producing the required extra energy. Although human body produces Creatine on its own but it is not enough and you need them in your diet. All the vegetarian foods are deprived of Creatine. So you should go for the meat and other animal foods.

Carnosine:

Carnosine is a dipeptide made with the help of the two amino acids. These amino acids are beta-alanine and histidine. Carnosine is highly popular as one of the wonderful anti-aging food supplement which stops the degenerative processes in the body and helps in maintaining the muscles. They are also required to keep your muscles in shape. When you perform intense workout the body releases lactic acid which stops the muscles from functioning normally and you experience fatigue. Carnosine is required as it helps in stopping the formation of this acid in the body by acting as a buffer. If the formation of the lactic acid is kept in check, there is no hindrance in the functioning of the muscles and you can carry out with your work with ease. This nutrient is only found in the animal food or else you will have to take supplements.

Animal Protein:

Proteins are the basic building blocks of muscles and they themselves are made up of amino acids. In total there are 21 essential amino acids required by the human body to synthesize proteins. Out of which only few of these amino acids can be produced by the body itself, rest all are provided in the diet. Those amino acids which the body cannot produce on its own are called as the essential amino acids. The best source of all these essential amino acids is animal food. Fish, meat and eggs have tremendous amount of proteins in them and they can easily compensate for the amino acids which the body requires. The proteins found in the plants lack some of the amino acid profiles and so the animal food is essential. Simply a vegetarian diet cannot provide you with the proteins that your body requires.

Vitamin D3:

Vitamin D3 is extremely essential for the human body. The proper functioning of the muscles and other body organs are very much dependent on it. There should be adequate amount of Vitamin D3 in the bloodstream. If your body is deprived of Vitamin D3, your muscles will decease and they will stop functioning properly. Although supplements are available to maintain the amount of Vitamin D3 in the body, the best source of this essential nutrient are fatty and the cod fishes. Moreover if you stay in such a place which receives less sunlight then you must start eating animal foods as the plants foods do not offers Vitamin D3.

Saturated Fats and Cholesterol:

Generally people believe that saturated fats and cholesterol are very much harmful for the human body and they are also the reasons for various dysfunctions in the body. So people opt for the low fat foods. But such food items have tendency to reduce the testosterone hormone in the body which is very much essential for muscle building and their maintenance. The testosterone hormone is required to increase the muscle mass and libido. The animal foods have large amount of saturated fats and cholesterol required for muscle building and that is why you should eat them.

July 1, 2014
Foods that can actually kill you

We have several food items in the market which people believe are very healthy and essential for the human body. But there are not aware that these food items can cause serious damage to their body. The result of which can even lead to death of the person. You must be aware of the side effects of such food items so that you can stay protected. Here we are mentioning some of those foods and you should stop eating immediately as they can kill you.

Sports Drink:

Today we have several sports drink in the market and people believe that they are highly beneficial for the body. These types of drinks are specially designed for the people who get involved into the training sessions or play different sports. Due to the intense workout and physical labor they sweat a lot and the level of glycogen in their body goes down. The sports drink contains water, sugar and electrolytes which compensates for the loss of fluid, energy and the electrolytes. If you are not getting involved in any intense workout sessions then this drink can be highly dangerous for your body as you don’t need any additional sugar, fluid and electrolytes. So please avoid drinking it.

Heart Healthy Vegetable Oils:

People are so much influenced with the heart healthy vegetable oils that are present in the supermarkets. They believe that with its consumption, they can protect their heart and keep it healthy. But it is not necessarily true. The methods performed in their extractions are quite complex and involves several processes such as bleaching and addition of hexane which are very much harmful for the human body. As a result these oils have a large amount of Omega 6 fatty acid and trans fats in them which are not at all beneficial. There are chances that you may get diagnosed with the chronic diseases if you consume these types of oils.

Agave Nectar:

You must have seen several advertisements in which the manufacturers claim that their product is sugar free. It is because it contains Agave Nectar and it gives the sweetened taste. While people prefer it as Agave Nectar has low glycemic index and it acts as a wonderful replacement to the actual sugar, they are not aware that it contains unnatural fructose which cause several damages to the human body. Those people who are not very much active or say don’t exercise much, high fructose can lead them to serious diseases which are life threatening. Agave Nectar has 40 % more fructose in it than the actual sugar. So it is better to avoid them.

Energy Bars:

Energy bars are not for such people who have a normal routine. They are very much similar to the sports drink. The ingredients that they have are required only by the specific peoples and if you are not among them, then you should avoid it so that you remain protected. The sports personalities need extra protein intake so as to make them fitter and gain energy. So they eat it in 2-3 hours intervals. If you don’t have such work then there is no need for you to eat these energy bars. They have a lot of ingredients which are harmful for a normal person.

Fat Free Foods:

Today people love to eat those food items which have less fat or absolutely no fat in them as they believe that it is the best way they can keep a check on their health. But this is not at all a wise decision. The absence of fat in the body also leads to several diseases. The fat free foods have several disadvantages. Since they are highly processed and several chemicals and sweeteners are added so as to get rid of the fat contents, they are extremely dangerous for the human body. It is advised that you stay from such food items as their adverse effects can take your precious life from you as well.

Foods Having Low Carbohydrates:

People generally believe that it is good to eat those food items which offer low carbohydrates as they offer several health benefits. The market today is full of such food. For the companies which manufacture such food items, they find it a perfect opportunity to make some cash as people prefer them without knowing that such foods harm them and make them prone to the diseases. The artificial ingredients added in them can cause some serious damage and you can eventually get yourself killed because of its side effects.

Gluten Free Foods:

People today have started to eliminate gluten from their diet completely as they find it one such ingredient which causes them serious trouble. Gluten is found in wheat and barley. So the food items in the markets today are gluten free. But the point which needs attention here is that gluten free foods are not at all healthy. They contain starch and other artificial chemicals which causes several adverse effects on the health. Moreover they also have large sugar content. So you should understand that gluten containing food items are much healthier and the complete absence of gluten can deteriorate your health and cause you trouble.

July 1, 2014
Almonds at its Best.

The nuts called Almonds are all good and are most sought after and preferable nuts of all. These crunchy, tasty nuts aren’t just mouthwatering, they promote health and longevity like no other food, if eaten in moderation. Just a handful of nuts are enough to meet your body’s daily requirements. Simply one ounce of almonds provides third of your body’s need. Almonds are my favorite nut of all. Almost every morning, I add 8 to 10 almonds to my breakfast with a glass of milk. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and also contain magnesium, which lowers blood pressure and heart healthy monounsaturated fats, which helps in lowering LDL, the so called ‘bad cholesterol’. Almonds are very beneficial for health and provides all sorts of nutrients. The diet which is rich in almonds, supports reduced inflammation throughout the body and also reduced levels of insulins, which is a hormone that helps in controlling blood sugar. Fortunately, the deliciously flavored and versatile almond is available throughout the year to make a healthy and tasty addition to almost any dish.

Lee Holmes agrees,” Almonds are full of good fats, and are a great hit of protein, which is essential for strong skin, hair and nails. It’s also a great snack between meals, keeping you satiated.” Almonds are actually stone fruits related to cherries, plums and peaches. The seed of the almond fruit is that we refer to as the almond nut. Almonds are scientifically classified as drupes, have several health benefits and these beneficial properties are used via various forms like almond oil, almond milk, almond paste or whole almonds. The benefits may range from healthy hair, good skin or managing healthy cholesterol levels, there are innumerable advantages which are not generally known by everyone. So, many of its good qualities and benefits are enlisted here, and this will surely inspire you to never skip on almonds in your diet.

Skincare benefits: Almonds have great health benefits in terms of good skincare. Almonds prevent the premature appearance of wrinkles, pimples, blackheads, dry skin. A regular massage of almond oil will get you a glowing and healthy flawless skin complexion.
Haircare benefits: Almond oil is also helpful in treating dark circles around oils, as it helps to revitalize the fatigue cells and improve the blood flow. It is also useful in treating all kinds of hair problems. It help as a cure for treating hair-fall, dandruff and prevents premature whitening of hair.
High in nutrients: Almonds are super-nutritious and have high nutritive value as they contain iron, copper and vitamins and are hence used as an effective remedy for anemia. They are also beneficial in treating constipation as they increase the fiber content in our food and have laxative properties.
Antioxidant benefits and contain vitamins: Almonds have antioxidant properties and contains alpha-tocopherol, which is a major source of vitamin-E and is hence really great for healthy hair and skin and also increases blood flow to the vital organs.
Reduce weight: Almond’s healthy fats help the obese person to lose weight. Almond rich, low-calorie diet, which is high in monounsaturated fats can help overweight people to put down some kilos more effectively than a low calorie diet high in complex carbohydrates. It also lowers the risk of weight gain in individuals consuming almonds in their daily routine. So, never let your concern about gaining weight, prevent you from enjoying the nutritious and delicious almonds.
Reduces Bad cholesterol: Almonds help in lowering bad cholesterol or low density- lipoprotein(LDL), as they contain healthy monounsaturated fats and some polyunsaturated fats, which are the same type of health promoting fats found in olive oil. They reduce the risk of heart disease, due to the antioxidant action of vitamin E. Thus, addition of almonds in your diet can prove to be more heart healthy.
Prevention in Diabetes: Almonds provide double protection against diabetes as they decreases the after-meal rises in blood sugar levels and also provides antioxidants to mop up the smaller amounts of free radicals that still result in. Hence, they help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. They also protect against cardiovascular diseases by lessening the increase in cholesterol-damaging free radicals that follows large elevations in blood sugar.
A few quick serving ideas with almonds:
Add sliced almonds to chicken salad.
Garnish chopped almonds on almost anything from homemade cookies or cakes or ice creams or any dish. Almonds are versatile that they go with all.
Add some almond butter to the breakfast shake which in turn boost its taste and protein content.
Enhance a healthy sauté of curried vegetables with slice almonds and enjoy.
Almonds and apple slices make a wonderful power pack, on-the-go snack.
Add to plain yoghurt, some chopped almonds and dried fruit and make it delicious.
Sprinkle a handful of nuts over your morning cereal or cornflakes or porridge, lunchtime salad, dinner’s steamed vegetables.
After acknowledging so many benefits of almonds and so healthy and easy to make simple quick servings, I don’t think any sane person would do injustice to them by not having some almonds everyday. If regular consumption is important, then moderation is also necessary. So, enjoy your almonds and be creative with them. With so many different uses and different products, they are sure to acquire an important place in our life.

Eat Almonds. Live healthy.

June 19, 2014