terça-feira, 3 de julho de 2012

The Mega Benefits of "Ultimate Omega 360 Bread"



These Healthy Fats Belong in Everyone's Diet

The family of fat is very complex, so to make it less confusing, picture it as a family tree. At the top, there are two different families of fat—saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat (butter is one example) is packed with hydrogen atoms, making it solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fat (like olive oil) contains fewer hydrogen atoms, so it is liquid at room temperature. The family of unsaturated fat includes two children: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. In the polyunsaturated fat family, you'll find omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, and it is the omega-3 family that has been making headlines in the nutrition world.

3 Types of Omega-3's 
There are actually three types of fatty acids that are collectively referred to as omega-3's: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Besides being hard to pronounce, they are extremely important to your health. Omega-3's are "essential" fatty acids, because they are necessary for health and must be included in your diet (because the human body cannot manufacture them on its own). But what exactly are they used for, and what do they do for human health?

Mega Health Benefits
Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fats reduce inflammation, helping to prevent inflammatory diseases like heart disease and arthritis. In addition to warding off inflammation, omega-3’s are also essential to the brain, impacting behavior and cognitive function, and are especially necessary during fetal development. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM), omega-3’s may also:
Improve artery health by helping to reduce plaque buildup and blood clots in arteries that lead to the brain.
Improve cholesterol by lowering triglycerides and elevating HDL (good cholesterol) levels. These benefits come primarily from DHA and EPA. Learn more about fats that fight cholesterol.
Improve joint health by reducing joint tenderness and stiffness associated with arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Improve bone health by positively impacting the body's calcium levels, reducing the incidence of bone loss.
Improve mental health by helping to insulate nerve cells in the brain, allowing these nerve cells to better communicate with one another. People who are deficient in omega-3’s may suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and ADHD.
Improve skin health by helping to alleviate symptoms related to skin disorders like acne and psoriasis.
Improve bowel health by reducing inflammation of the bowels, helping alleviate symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Improve lung health by reducing inflammation in diseases like asthma. To read more on this topic, click here.
Improve menstrual health by reducing the pain associated with PMS and menstruation.
Help prevent cancer. Colon, breast, and prostate cancers have all been correlated with low intakes of omega-3's.

High Fiber Multi-Grain Bread: Essential for a healthy diet



Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff
Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?

Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Selecting tasty foods that provide fiber isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it and how to add them to meals and snacks.

What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes relatively intact through your stomach, small intestine, colon and out of your body. It might seem like fiber doesn't do much, but it has several important roles in maintaining health.

Fiber is commonly classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).

Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.
The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Benefits of a high-fiber diet

A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include:

Normalizes bowel movements. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool. For some, fiber may provide relief from irritable bowel syndrome.
Helps maintain bowel integrity and health. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids, and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Some fiber is fermented in the colon. Researchers are looking at how this may play a role in preventing diseases of the colon.
Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels. Epidemiologic studies have shown that increased fiber in the diet can reduce blood pressure and inflammation, which is also protective to heart health.
Helps control blood sugar levels. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes can help improve blood sugar levels. A diet that includes insoluble fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
Uncertain effect on colorectal cancer. Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some show nothing and some suggest increased risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer.

segunda-feira, 18 de junho de 2012

The Whole Story About Whole Grains




What′s the big deal about whole grains and whole-grain products? What do whole grains have that refined grains lack? Whole grains, unlike refined, retain theis fiber, anti-oxidant vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals-nutrients that may help to reduce your risk of Type diabetes, heart disease, ad câncer. Whole grains help maintain normal insulin and blood sugar levels. In studies of large groups of people, researchers found that people Who ate the most cereal fiber-the kind of fiber found in whole grains-had na up to 30% reduction in their risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those Who ate the least. Promising re-search shows diets higher in whole grains may also decrease your risk of heart disease ad some cancers and may help you to maintain a healthy ody weight. Wuole grains are as excellent source of energy-boosting complex carbohydrates (also known as starches). They are naturally low in calories, fat, sodium and sugar. On the other hand, when whole grains is refined, a number of beneficial componets are removed, includinhg the bran, germ. And as many as 16 vitamins and minerals. Only Five of these lost vitamins and minerals-B!1, B2, B3, iron, and folic acid- are added back when the refined flour is enriched. Compared with refines enriched wheat flour, whole-wheat flour contains 200 to 700% more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6 and E. For these reasons and more, the USDA′s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recomends that at least half of the grain products you eat Day be whole grains.

Athletes use acai supplements


The acai bread is starting to be used by many athletes as a sports supplement, because if its energy boosting properties and amino acid content. While it may be a new idea to the rest of the world, it has been used for decades by the top surfing and martial arts champions of Brazil. The Gracie family, pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, were known to eat an acai bowl with Guarana each morning in preparation of their hard day of training. Energy and recovery time are the two of the most important factors in athletic performance. You need a lot of energy to be able to push yourself through a tough workout, and need to have a fast recovery time in order to be able to get back at it the next day. Taking an acai sports supplement in the morning or after a workout (or both) just might help you improve both. The combination of fiber and essential fatty acids found in the acai bread are one of the reasons this bread can help boost your energy levels. These components help fuel your body, without the dreaded crash you would get when drinking coffee or an energy drink. The acai has a very small Glycemic Index load, which means it is absorbed slowly by the body. This allows us to control our blood sugar levels, and prevent the spike in insulin that sugar, or other bad energy sources, cause. The bread of acai banana walnut, also has a nearly perfect amino acid profile, and one that matches up very well with eggs. It contains 19 or the 22 amino acids our body uses, and all 9 that our body needs but does not produce on its own. Amino acids are the building blocks of the protein in our body, and are the key to fast recover and progress in athletic performance.