Category: Nutrition (Page 43 of 45)

Eat fat and forget about your cholesterol.

The lipid hypothesis states there is a direct link between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of heart disease. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Before the mid 1920’s cardiovascular disease was literally unheard of and eggs, butter and lard were conumed in abundance. In 1900 when heart attacks were nonexistent, egg consumption was three times what it was in the mid 1950’s when cardiovascular disease was already the nations #1 killer.

Scientific data just doesn’t support the supposed benefits of reducing saturated fat and choesterol. 20 studies have shown that people who have had heart attacks haven’t eaten any more saturated fat than other people, and the degree of atherosclerosis at autopsy is unrelated to diet. On the contrary, saturated fats have been nourishing societies for millenia.

Below is a list of guidelines we can and should follow to be healthier and reduce our risk of the nations number one killer:

Read food labels.

Consume whole, unprocessed foods.

Don’t consume any product that contains trans fat.

Don’t be fooled by products that advertise “zero trans fat.” Always read the ingredient list and if “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “shortening” are listed, understand that it has trans fat. By law, companies can claim “zero” if there is .5 grams or less of trans fat per serving. There is no safe level of trans fat.

Don’t consume any product that contains vegetable oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening listed as one of the ingredients.

Only use oils that are labeled “Cold Pressed,” “Expellar Pressed” or “Extra Virgin.”

Consume eggs laid by free range chickens. They are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and vitamins A, D and E.

Use peanut oil, sesame oil or olive oil for cooking if you do not want to use animal fats. These oils can also be used for one-time frying.

Use coconut oil for cooking or frying. It’s very stable, and has strong antimicrobial properties.

Use butter, not margarine.

Don’t use trans fat-free spreads. They are still made with highly processed oils that are rancid.

Keep your consumption of polyunsaturated fats to a minimum. They are high in omega-6 fatty acids.

Consume meat.

Don’t eat like a vegetarian. We do not possess multiple stomachs, nor do we chew cud. Our stomachs produce hydrochloric acid, which is not found in herbivores. We are omnivores. There are essential nutrients in animal products that cannot be gotten in sufficient amounts by eating plants.

Don’t feed your children a low-fat diet. If they’re fat, it’s because they sit on their asses too much and eat too much junk. Not coincidentally, these are the same two reasons many adult Americans are overweight.

Supplement your diet with vitamins and other nutrients: A, D, E and C, CoQ10, fish oil (omega-3), selenium.

Don’t smoke.

Exercise at least three days per week.

Taken from, “Fats, Cholestarol and the Lipid Hypothesis

Omega-3 in orange juice?

Omega-3 fatty acids have become all the rage over the last 3 years with good reason. Some of Omega-3’s benefits include the following:

Prevents depression
Used to treat bipolar disorder
Improves immunity
Counteracts autoimmune diseases
Prevents and treats cancer
Protects our brains
Fights cardiovascular disease
Prevents and treats arrhythmia
Essential for healthy cell walls

There was a time when omega-3 fatty acids could be found in high concentrations in many different foods like beef and dairy. This is back when farmers supplied local consumers and their animals fed on their natural foods. The vast majority of animals in the U.S. that are raised for human consumption unfortunately are fed garbage like soy and corn, which yields products with sub par nutritional value.

So where do you turn for your omega-3’s? Without a doubt the best sources for omega-3’s are from fish oils. However food giants would like you to believe otherwise. According to USAToday.com omega-3 showed up in 120 new food products in 2005, and in 2006 it showed up in around 250. Omega-3 fatty acids are being added to everything from yogurt to orange juice. Why? Money. It’s a marketing dream for the food industry ever since the Food and Drug Administration and the American Heart Association gave omega-3 the thumbs up.

Looking at the track record of the food industry in this country do you really think they take your health into consideration? Hell no.

McDonald’s changes their frying oil

Feeling the pressure from health advocates, McDonald’s has been trying to eliminate trans fat in frying oil for quite some time now.? In January they announced that over 1200 of its franchises will be using a trans fat free oil.???

The Chicago Tribune reports, by early 2008 all 13,700 McDonald’s franchises in the U.S. will be cooking all their frie’s, chicken nuggets and other items in a vegetable oil blend.? Cargill did the scientific testing and blending of oils to find one that did not jeopardize the iconic nature of the french fry.? They tested 18 types of oil in more than 50 different blends over 7 years.? The new, “healthier” oil is a blend of canola, soybean and corn oils.?

Ram Reddy vice president and general manager for Cargill’s Napier office said, “We’re not going to turn the french fry into a health food, but it is going to be healthier.”

Healthier, let’s not jump to conclusions.? So instead of using partially hydrogenated oils, they’re going to use polyunsaturated oils.? These oils should never, ever be used in cooking, let alone frying.?

We have been force fed a load of crap concerning the virtues of polyunsaturated fats.? We’ve been told relentlessly that polyunsaturated fats are good for our health and to increase our consumption.? Unfortunately, polyunsaturated fats cause many health problems.? One of the biggest reasons polyunsaturated fats are so unhealthy is because they are very susceptible to becoming oxidized or rancid when exposed to heat and light.? The polyunsaturated oils you buy in grocery stores are already rancid.?

Bullz-eye.com

Foods that fight aging

We all eat food for different reasons. Some of us eat certain food to lose weight or to build muscle, while some eat whatever the hell we want, when we want. Well, what about eating food to fight aging?

In a recent online article, Men’s Health highlighted five foods that will help battle the ravages of old age:

Sunflower seeds
These salty wonders have the highest natural vitamin E content of any food around. “Vitamin E is one of the most important nutrients around for looking younger,” says Barry Swanson, Ph.D., a professor of food science at Washington State University. “No antioxidant is more effective at fighting the aging effects of free radicals.”

Spinach and beans
Researchers in Australia, Indonesia, and Sweden studied the diets of 400 elderly men and women, and found that those who ate the most leafy green vegetables and beans had the fewest wrinkles. The reason? Spinach and beans are full of compounds that help pre-vent and repair wear and tear on your skin cells as you get older.

Grape juice
Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, grape juice can also help keep your middle-aged skin from sagging. “Grapes are filled with antioxidant polyphenols that help to keep your skin flexible and elastic,” says Swanson.

Sweet potatoes
Overexposure to the sun is one of the primary reasons men age prematurely. But sweet potatoes may help to fight sun damage. European researchers recently found that pigments from beta-carotene?rich foods — like sweet potatoes and carrots — can build up in your skin, helping to prevent damage from ultraviolet rays.

Cheese
No wonder rats always look so young. “Cheese is one of the best foods you can eat for your teeth,” says Matthew Messina, D.D.S., an American Dental Association spokesman. “It’s a good source of calcium, to keep your teeth strong. Plus, eating cheese can lower the levels of bacteria in your mouth and keep your teeth clean and cavity-free,” he says. Dr. Messina recommends eating at least two servings of block cheese every week.

Eventually, we all think about getting older. Since we’re already eating certain foods to gain or lose weight, why not add some that will help us look better for when we take advantage of that senior discount at the movies?

50 ways to spice up chicken

Any bodybuilder or person that is looking to get?into shape and stay healthy knows that chicken is one of the leanest?foods on the market. Chicken should be a staple in anybody’s diet that is looking to pack on muscle and stay lean. Another great thing about chicken is that it’s cheaper than steak or pork – especially frozen and in bulk – so it’s usually the meal of choice come most dinner times.

The problem is that chicken can also be boring as hell, especially if you’re eating it two or three times throughout the day to feed your growing muscles. Without having to drop too much more coin at the grocery store, here is an article from Men’s Health.com that offers different ways to jazz up the protein-packed bird: 50 ways to Feed Your Muscles.

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