Switch over to jackfruit and cactus juice if you want to lose weight

Leading nutritionists have indicated that the top food and drink to help you lose weight in 2017 will be jackfruit and plant water. These will replace the coconut water and baobab. All of these have slimming properties and fall in the category of superfoods.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 22 December 2016.

Products like jackfruit and cactus juice will be flying off the shelves next year - they possess slimming properties and can also help boost digestion, lower cholesterol and even banish hangovers.
Nutritionists refer to jackfruit as "pulled pork for vegetarians" and is a popular substitute for meat. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is an important aspect of preventing obesity. Seeds of the jackfruit are a strong source of Vitamin C and antioxidants and can also help to prevent cell damage. The seeds are also beneficial for blood circulation and also vital for hair growth.
After the coconut water boom, one can expect to see more plant waters being added to our diets than ever. One of these is cactus plant water. It has immense health benefits that include helping fight high cholesterol levels and curing hangovers. It is high in fibre and low in calories which means it can also help one to stay fuller for longer - making it an excellent weight loss aid.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Foods that help to lower cholesterol levels and control heart disease

#heart #health #cholesterol It is a well known fact that certain types of foods have the power to decrease heart disease risk by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Cholesterol-busting powers of fish, oatmeal, red wine, beans, and olive oil is not new but, there are other foods that can also help the cause.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 23 January 2016.

Some of other foods that can help reduce bad cholesterol are Indian gooseberry (amla), barley, avocado, strawberries, probiotics and grapes.
Indian Gooseberry - it is a round, green fruit that is sour, bitter, and quite fibrous. It is found in India, the Middle East, and some southeast Asian countries and is used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It functions by reducing total cholesterol levels, including the fatty acids called triglycerides, without affecting levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. It can be eaten fresh, as chutney added to steamed vegetables, or in powdered form added to a smoothie.
Barley - we know that oatmeal has numerous benefits because it lowers blood cholesterol levels, but barley is equally good. Like oatmeal, barley is high in soluble fiber which helps to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood. Barley can be taken at breakfast time. Or - cold barley salad tossed with some olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs for a tasty cholesterol-lowering lunch. It is also delicious in soups and can be eaten for breakfast with a splash of milk and honey instead of oatmeal.
Avocado - it is a high-fat food but could be considered for inclusion in a cholesterol-lowering menu. Go in for avocado instead of mayonnaise on your sandwich, topping off your omelet with avocado slices, or making a guacamole to snack on with high-fiber crackers or sliced vegetables.
Strawberries - it is sweet and, while the berry season is in the summer, frozen berries are an affordable substitute that can be enjoyed all year long.
Probiotics - these are live microorganisms that naturally occur. Yogurt falls in this category. Other common sources of probiotics include kefir, and fermented foods (like sauerkraut, tempeh, and pickles).
Grapes - red wine is said to be good for the heart. Grapes are not far behind. The heart-healthy polyphenol found in red wine, resveratrol, is also found in grapes of all colors. Moreover, fresh grapes provide other heart-protective nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and flavonoids.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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An egg a day can keep Type 2 diabetes at bay

#type2diabetes #cholesterol #health Sunday ho ya Monday, roj khaye andey – this jingle is proving to be true because a study has established that four eggs every week can reduce the risk of Type-2 diabetes by 37 percent when compared to those men who ate only one egg a week.
It is good for health. The study has been published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and reported in zeenews.india.com dated 3 April 2015.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland – they assessed the dietary habits of 2,332 men aged between 42 and 60 years during 1984-1989. During the follow-up over the next 19-years, nearly 432 men were diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes.
The study concluded that consumption of egg was associated with a lower risk of Type-2 diabetes apart from lower blood glucose levels. The reason could be attributed to the fact that in addition to cholesterol, eggs contain many other beneficial nutrients that can have an effect on metabolism of glucose metabolism and low-grade inflammation. Thereby, the risk of Type-2 diabetes is lowered. Incidents of Type-2 diabetes is on the rise throughout the world.
Therefore, taking a cue from the famous philosophy of an apple a day keeps the doctor way, we can say – an egg a day can keep Type 2 diabetes at bay.

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Anchovies can boost good cholesterol and reduce risk factors of the heart

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#anchovies #omega7 #heart #health #LDL #cholesterol A study has found that anchovies could hold the key to cutting risk factors for heart disease and stroke because an extract of omega oil found in anchovies can reduce levels of harmful blood fats and, simultaneously, boosted ‘good’ cholesterol.
This has been reported in dailymmail.co.uk dated 28 March 2015.

The study was conducted by Dr Michael Roizen, professor of medicine and head of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. The findings of the study come from the first human trial of supplements of purified Omega 7 oil. This is the key fatty acid found in anchovies.
In the opinion of experts, the health benefits of palmitoleic acid, the prime Omega 7 acid, are gradually coming to surface. Dr Michael Roizen feels that the major benefit would be from decreasing inflammation as well as a beneficial effect on other contributing risk factors to cardiovascular disease. As of now there are no known side effects.
The study was conducted on 60 adult volunteers who were randomly assigned to take 220mg of palmitoleic acid once a day or an inactive supplement for 30 days. It was seen that those who were participating had mildly raised levels of blood fats and inflammation. Tests carried out after the study revealed that there was 44 per cent reduction in CRP, 15 per cent cut in triglycerides and eight per cent fall in LDL cholesterol. All these are factors that are linked to heart disease.

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