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Raw Cocoa : A Super Nutrition

2011-02-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

By Debbie Nicholson Revised by Syed K Haque, M.D.

Raw Chocolate: It's Purist Form for Maximum Benefits

The chocolate evolution is gaining speed. Cocoa is making its way through the world of nutrition. Yes, cocoa is chocolate but in its purest form. It is un-roasted and only a few subdued ingredients like sea salt.

Cocoa has been used for thousands of years. Research has recently shown us that dark chocolate has the ability to reduce blood pressure(1), that is provided it has at least 70% and above of cocoa. Now enters cocoa with its wondrous health benefits.

Native Americans have acclaimed the wonders of cocoa through pottery, stone work and stories handed down from one generation to the next.

What makes Cacao a Medical Asset ?

Cocoa has been demonstrated in science that its Cocoa Flavonols(CF) can improve cognitive function. In a double blind study consisting of 30 healthy adults. The adults had consumed either 520mg or 994mg of CF mixed into a beverage. Both groups of the adults had shown improved cognitive function,and mental fatigue reduction was found only in those who had consumed 520mg. Those who consumed 994 mg of CF showed increased visual information processing but produced more errors in one of the cognitive tests(2).This suggests taking flavanols in moderation is much better than taking it in excess.

Cacao also contains potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc and magnesium, that aids cardiovascular health(3).It helps lower blood pressure and lowers risks of death from heart disease(4).

Raw cacao ranks first for nutritional content in comparison to other chocolates. Raw chocolate keeps almost all of its nutritional value due to low processing temperatures than chocolate which is roasted.

Cacao also contains all those nutrients in high doses for health such as vitamin C and omega 6 fatty acids(3). Studies published in 1996 showed that chocolate contains anandamides that act at the same site in the brain as cannabis(5). But later studies concluded that these constituents are too low in chocolate to produce any pharmacological effect(6).The most likely reason for its role in elevating mood and the chocolate craving phenomenon is that it stimulates the release of endorphins(7).

The Chocolate Information Center has the following facts:

An average size dark chocolate bar contains between ten to sixty milligrams of caffeine. The normal cup of coffee has 175 milligrams.

Dark chocolate weighing forty grams is equal in caffeine to one cup of decaffeinated coffee.

A cup of hot chocolate contains four to five milligrams of caffeine.

Cacao on the ORAC Scale

Cacao is a great source for antioxidants if it is certified organic raw cacao according to the ORAC scale.

The ORAC scale was developed by USDA researchers. It is a test in which measures the oxygen radical absorption capacity in different foods. It is called the ORAC scale and is one of the most sensitive and reliable methods in measuring antioxidant capacity. The higher the score the higher the level of antioxidants.

According to the scale cacao ranks on the top of the antioxidant list with nearly four times greater the amount than Goji berries.

The top scores in antioxidants on the ORAC sale:

Raw cacao powder 95,000

Raw cacao nibs 62,100

Roasted cocoa powder 26,000

Organic Goji berries 25,300

Acai berries 18,500

Dark Chocolate 13,120 followed by milk chocolate at 6,740

And in fruit: prunes 5,770, raisins 2,830 and blueberries 2,400

Consumption of raw cacao is fine but is limited to forty grams at the highest amount each day. Which basically translates to four or six heaping teaspoons each day.

Cacao can cause over stimulation in the central nervous system along with heart and brain. When this happens you can feel hyperactive followed by feeling drowsy. Which is the side effect of consuming too much cacao. The nibs are not as strong but only four or five are suggested.

Scientific Studies

In February of 2008, Dr. Gabriel Cousens had conducted a study on the health benefits. Dr. Cousens discovered that raw cacao is safe for people with diabetes as it raises blood sugar only slightly and it can heighten insulin sensitivity.To date this one of the only specifically health benefit studies on raw cacao.(citation needed)

The antioxidants and massive amount of magnesium along with other phytochemicals balance blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, remove arterial plaque and promote general health by reversing heart disease.In healthy humans, flavanol-rich cocoa dilates vessels via nitric oxide(8).This could be one of the explanations of how it provides benefits to the heart.

A Harvard study was conducted on the Kuna Indian tribe located off the coast of Panama. The tribe lived in an area abundant in cacao trees. They consumed five cups of the cacao in a drink form each day. The tribe had shown lower rate occurrences of major diseases and longer life span(9).

Notable Health Benefits

The Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism signifies that the flavanols in the cacao may aide in the prevention of additional neural damage in case of stroke(10). This could suggest that the flavanols in cacao provide such protection. Cacao was used in the study.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had shown that the consumption of cacao improves heart health. Blood pressure becomes decreased and endothelial in overweight adults is also improved(11).

An article in Nutrition and Metabolism had noted that short term feeding trails show that cacao possibly have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of lowering blood pressure, anti-inflammation, anti-platelet function, higher DLD, decreased LDL oxidation. The larger part of the study on the flavonoids showed that they could decrease the risk of cardiovascular death.(12).

The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry in an article titled "Cacao has more phenolic phytochemicals and a higher antioxidant capacity than teas or red wine" notes that cacao has found to contain one of the highest antioxidant levels on the planet, surpassing red wine, green tea and other exotic fruit(13).

An article in Journal Arteriosclerosis notes that the antioxidant effects of cacao are helpful in arteriosclerosis(14). The effects were far greater than other well known antioxidant substances of vitamin C, E and probucol.

Free Radical Biology Medicine had published that the cacao may actually lower oxidative stress(15) in strenuous activities which would allow athletes to recover much faster. The flavanols in the cacao when used as a drink for an example, lowers the plasma level of F(2)-isoprostanes.

Experimental Biology Medicine had noted that the procyanidin in the cocoa have shown to stop cataract formation in diabetic lab rats(16).

If you purchase cacao make sure it is of high quality and organic raw cacao. There are places online where you can purchase the organic raw cacao such as Natural Zing, Amazon and Sun Food. Organic health food stores also carry raw cacao.

References:

1.Ried K, Sullivan T, Fakler P, Frank OR, Stocks NP.Does chocolate reduce blood pressure? A meta-analysis.BMC Med. 2010 Jun 28;8:39.

2.Scholey AB, French SJ, Morris PJ, Kennedy DO, Milne AL, Haskell CF.Consumption of cocoa flavanols results in acute improvements in mood and cognitive performance during sustained mental effort.J Psychopharmacol. 2010 Oct;24(10):1505-14.

3.USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release(2010).http://www.nal.usda.gov.Accessed February 6,2011.

4.Buijsse B, Feskens EJ, Kok FJ, Kromhout D.Cocoa intake, blood pressure, and cardiovascular mortality: the Zutphen Elderly Study.Arch Intern Med. 2006 Feb 27;166(4):411-7.

5. DiTomaso E Beltramo M Piomelli D Brain cannabinoids in chocolate Nature 1996; 382: 677–8.

6. Benton D . Chocolate craving: a biological or psychological phenomenon? In: Knight I, ed. Chocolate and Cocoa: A Review of Health and Nutrition. Oxford: Blackwell Science Limited, 1999.

7.Benton D, Donohoe RT.The effects of nutrients on mood.Public Health Nutr. 1999 Sep;2(3A):403-9.

8. Fisher ND, Hughes M, Gerhard-Herman M, Hollenberg NK.Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans.J Hypertens. 2003 Dec;21(12):2281-6.

9. Harvard Study on Benefits of Cocao.http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/02/cocoa-shows-promise-as-next-wonder-drug/ .Updated: February 22, 2007.Accessed February 2,2011.

10. Shah ZA, Li RC, Ahmad AS et al.The flavanol (-)-epicatechin prevents stroke damage through the Nrf2/HO1 pathway.J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2010 Dec;30(12):1951-61.

11.Baba S, Osakabe N, Kato Y et al.Continuous intake of polyphenolic compounds containing cocoa powder reduces LDL oxidative susceptibility and has beneficial effects on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in humans.Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;85(3):709-17.

12. Ding EL, Hutfless SM, Ding X, Girotra S.Chocolate and prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review.Nutr Metab (Lond). 2006 Jan 3;3:2.

13. Ki Won Lee, Young Jun Kim, Hyong Joo Lee, Chang Yong Lee.Cocoa Has More Phenolic Phytochemicals and a Higher Antioxidant Capacity than Teas and Red Wine.J. Agric. Food Chem., 2003, 51 (25), pp 7292–7295.

14.Loke WM, Proudfoot JM, Hodgson JM et al.Specific dietary polyphenols attenuate atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice by alleviating inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010 Apr;30(4):749-57.

15. Lotito SB, Frei B.Consumption of flavonoid-rich foods and increased plasma antioxidant capacity in humans: cause, consequence, or epiphenomenon?Free Radic Biol Med. 2006 Dec 15;41(12):1727-46.

16. Osakabe N, Yamagishi M, Natsume M, Yasuda A, Osawa T.Ingestion of proanthocyanidins derived from cacao inhibits diabetes-induced cataract formation in rats.Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2004 Jan;229(1):33-9.
Last Revised : Feb 6, 2011

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Soy vs. Casein Protein: Which Is Better?

2010-08-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

Dr.Kristie Leong

Image Credit: CoolFox
Bodybuilders and fitness buffs, intent on building lean body mass, are usually focused on getting enough protein in their diet. Some choose the natural route and get their protein through food sources, while others turn to protein supplements. Traditionally, casein is thought to be the best choice for body builders because it elevates protein levels better than soy. Now, a new study calls this into question. Soy vs. casein – which protein is best for building muscle?

Getting enough Protein: Casein or Soy?

According to a new study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, soy and casein proteins are equal in their effects on muscle protein synthesis. When they tested both forms of protein on a group of 22 young people, they found that casein and soy affected muscle protein synthesis similarly – although levels of some amino acids in the bloodstream varied with each. All in all, both forms of protein should lead to similar muscle growth.

To Build Muscle, It’s Important to Get Enough Protein, but Not Too Much

Some bodybuilders assume if some protein is good, more must be better – and they overdose on protein shakes and supplements. The body can only use so much protein and any excess is converted to fat, which is not what most bodybuilders want. Plus, there’s some concern that too much protein makes the kidneys work too hard – and that a high protein diet could increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Although the RDA for protein is only 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight, bodybuilders need as much as 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight to build lean body mass. There’s little reason to go beyond this since it won’t build lean body tissue any faster.

To Get Enough Protein Which Type Should You Choose?

Casein or soy? Based on this study, either casein or soy protein is good for building muscle. Soy protein is the perfect choice for vegetarians since it contains no animal products – and it still has all of the necessary amino acids. The only concern about soy is it contains phytoestrogens, which can raise estrogen levels in men and theoretically lead to breast development, although there are no good studies to support this.

Casein protein, derived from milk, is slowly digested which means it supplies the body with a continuous supply of amino acids to prevent muscle breakdown. In this way, it has an anti-catabolic effect. The disadvantage of casein is it can cause bloating and gas in some people.

Get Enough Protein: Other Options

Whey is another form of protein that many bodybuilders use. Whey protein is quickly digested and absorbed so it becomes available to the body for building muscle quickly. It’s a good choice to use immediately after a workout.

Another option for getting enough protein is to get it naturally through foods such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, and low-fat milk products. This is the least expensive way to go.

Getting Enough Protein: The Bottom Line?

Even if you’re a bodybuilder, you only need so much protein. (about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight). To meet these requirements, you can get your protein naturally through diet or protein supplements. If you choose protein supplements, consider the advantages of each type, but keep in mind that neither casein nor soy is superior in terms of its effects on muscle protein synthesis.

References:

Nutraingredients-USA. "Soy matches casein for muscle protein synthesis: Study"

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Is Excessive Tea Drinking Unhealthy?

2010-07-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dr.Kristie Leong
Image Credit : Vanderdecken
Tea drinking is growing in popularity in this country – although America still lags behind the rest of the world in terms of its popularity. Most studies show that drinking tea has health benefits; but now there’s a new reason to drink it only in moderation. New information from the Medical College of Georgia suggests that drinking too much tea can increase the risk of a condition called skeletal fluorosis.

What is Skeletal Fluorosis?

Skeletal fluorosis is a condition where excess fluoride is deposited in bones and joint. This condition may be asymptomatic at first, but as it progresses, it can lead to joint pain, stiffness, bone pain, and muscle weakness. In its most advanced stage, it causes deformities of the spine and wasting of the muscles. Too much fluoride from water, tea, or through other exposures can cause discoloration of the teeth in children – with visible brown and white spots.

Most cases of skeletal flourosis come from occupational exposure to fluoride, although fluoride can also come from drinking water or tea, especially a type of tea called brick tea, which is popular in China. Fluoride is also found in some pesticides.

Excessive Tea Drinking: Can Fluoride in Tea Cause Skeletal Fluorosis?

Doctors at Medical College of Georgia have identified four cases of skeletal fluorosis in patients who drank large amounts of tea. These patients reportedly consumed up to two gallons of tea every day for several decades. There have been other cases of skeletal fluorosis, although they have occurred almost exclusively in people who drank very large amounts of tea (several liters) over many years. Based upon these reports, doctors looked more closely at the fluoride content of black tea. Most previous studies show that a liter of black tea contains between one and five milligrams of fluoride. Upon closer investigation, the doctors found that some teas contain up to nine milligrams in a single liter – more than double what was expected.

Fluoride in Tea: How Does It Get There?

The fluoride in tea comes from the soil and water the tea plant, Camelia sinensis, needs to grow. The tea plant very easily takes up and accumulates fluoride from the soil. In addition, water is fluorinated, so a cup of tea may contain a fair amount of fluoride.

Fluoride in Tea: Should You Drink It?

Keep in mind that all of the documented cases of skeletal fluorosis have occurred with excessive tea drinking involving more than a liter a day – for at least a decade. Most people don’t drink this much tea and are probably not in danger of skeletal fluorosis. On the other hand, it’s best to limit tea consumption by children because the risk of tooth mottling. What about adults? Most people can safely drink up to five cups of tea a day – so moderation is key. One word of caution. Avoid drinking instant tea since it may be higher in fluoride than tea brewed fresh from tea leaves. Brew your own tea at home and drink it in moderation to reap the antioxidant benefits.

References:

Beverage Daily website. “Excessive tea drinking linked to skeletal fluorosis”

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Is a High Protein Diet Healthy?

2010-07-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dr.Kristie Leong

Some fitness gurus recommend a high protein diet for building lean body mass. There’s little doubt that getting enough protein is important, especially if you’re doing resistance exercise to increase lean body mass – but is more really better? Is a high protein diet good for you?

Is a High Protein Diet Good for You?: How Much Protein Do You Need?

The reality is most Americans get enough protein in their diet – and many exceed the daily recommendations. Protein requirements vary somewhat depending upon activity level. People who engage in high intensity exercise or do resistance training need more protein than a couch potato – but usually not so much that it justifies a trip down to the health food store to buy an overpriced protein supplement.

How much protein does a sedentary person need? A person who doesn’t exercise should get about 0.8 milligrams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For most people, this is 50 to 60 grams per day. Considering that a single serving of red meat has 25 grams of protein, most non-vegetarians easily meet their daily protein requirement if they’re not restricting calories.

If you’re a long distance runner or lift weights, you need between 1.2 and 1.6 milligrams of protein per kilogram of body weight depending upon how hard you work out. Eating more than this offers no advantages in terms of building lean body mass. Your body can only use so much protein - the rest it stores as fat.

Benefits of a High Protein Diet

Eating a higher protein diet that doesn’t exceed the recommended daily requirements has some benefits. Higher protein diets are usually more filling, which reduces the risk of overeating. The key is to eat low fat sources of protein such as lean chicken breast, white meat turkey, and egg whites if you’re trying to shed a few pounds – and not to overdo it.

People who focus too much on protein usually don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, which is neither balanced or healthy. The key is to eat enough protein at each meal to feel satiated, but leave enough room for antioxidant rich fruits and veggies.

Are High Protein Diets Risky?

Too much dietary protein forces the kidneys to work harder, and long-term this could lead to health problems – although there’s still controversy about this. Diabetics and people with long standing hypertension often have mildly reduced kidney function and should avoid eating a very high protein diet. There are also concerns that a high protein diet could increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Is a High Protein Diet Good for You?: The Bottom Line

As with most things in life, moderation is key. Protein helps to build lean body mass and reduce appetite, which is a positive if you’re a bodybuilder or trying to lose weight. On the other hand, if you’re a diabetic with mild kidney dysfunction, a high protein diet isn’t the best choice. With protein, more isn’t better. Best to stay within the recommended guidelines.

References:

Web Md. “Pros and Cons of High-Protein Diets”
Fitness Prescription for Men. March 2010. page 30.

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Warning! Some Protein Shakes Are Contaminated With Heavy Metals

2010-07-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

By Dr.Kristie Leong

When you pop the top off a body building protein shake you don’t expect it to be contaminated with heavy metals – but don’t be too sure. When Consumer Reports magazine did an analysis recently of popular protein shakes that body builders use to boost their protein, they found that three out of the fifteen they looked at contained heavy metals – not exactly a glowing endorsement for body building protein shakes.

The three body building protein shakes that contained heavy metals were EAS Myoplex Original, Muscle Milk Chocolate, and Muscle Milk Vanilla Powder – all popular drinks used by body builders. What type of heavy metals were in these drinks? Consumer Report testers found lead, cadmium, and arsenic – all metals that can cause serious health problems. With the degree of drink contamination they found, casual use of these products over time would lead to unhealthy blood and tissue levels of these metals.

Drink contamination with these metals is concerning because once they enter the body, they can be difficult to eliminate. Lead can cause brain and nervous system damage at even lower levels in children; and exposure to cadmium causes kidney damage which is irreversible. Chronic cadmium exposure also leads to softening of the bones and loss of the sense of smell. Arsenic is associated with a higher risk of cancer including cancers of the skin, lung, kidneys, and bladder with low exposure – and is potentially deadly at high levels.

Heavy metal contamination can be a problem with foods too - particularly produce grown in areas where soil is contaminated with heavy metals - or when contamination occurs during processing. Large fish that come from polluted waters often accumulate heavy metals such as mercury. Even dinnerware can be a source of heavy metals. Some ceramic plates and bowls contain lead and cadmium – and the FDA allows this. Their rationale is that the layer of glaze placed over the plates and bowls prevents leaching of heavy metals into food. But, over time, that glaze can chip off and increase the risk of lead exposure.

Should these findings keep you from drinking body building protein shakes? Not every protein shake has heavy metal contamination, but why take the risk? Most Americans get enough protein without drinking processed body building protein shakes. If you need more protein in your diet, it’s best to get it from organic meat, wild Alaskan salmon (which is usually very low in mercury), organic eggs, or tempeh – and skip the powdered protein drinks. Get your protein naturally – not from processed protein shakes.

References:

Food Production Daily Website. "Protein Drink Contamination Raises Eyebrows”
Phys4.harvard.edu website. "Chronic Arsenic Poisoning"

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Is Niacin Associated With a Higher Risk of Obesity?

2010-05-29T23:09:00.000-07:00

By Dr.Kristie Leong MD

Image Source :NIH Niacin Deficiency Patient with Pellagra

Can too much niacin increase the risk of obesity in children? According to a new study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, too much niacin may not be a good thing when it comes to the risk of weight gain and obesity – at least in children.

What is Niacin?

Niacin is a B complex vitamin, also known as vitamin B3. It plays an important role in energy metabolism and helps to support the health of the skin, digestive system, and nervous system. Deficiency of niacin causes a disease called pellagra which usually manifests with skin changes, diarrhea, and dementia.

At high doses, niacin has the beneficial effect of lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease – although too much niacin causes an uncomfortable flushing sensation in most people. High doses of niacin are frequently used to treat high cholesterol in patients who can tolerate the flushing reaction. Foods high in niacin include meat and dairy, although niacin can also be found naturally in nuts, eggs, and some vegetables.

Too Much Niacin and Childhood Obesity: Is There an Association?

Using a glucose tolerance test to measure the effects of niacin on glucose metabolism and its effects on hydrogen peroxide, researchers found that niacin raised glucose levels at one hour and lowered them at three hours compared to a control. This suggests that niacin could stimulate appetite and encourage overeating by a mechanism that involves oxidative stress.

There’s more evidence that too much niacin could contribute to a greater risk of obesity. Niacin has been added to bread since 1938 to prevent pellagra and, in more recent years, it’s been added to other foods. Since the fortification of foods with niacin has become more commonplace, the incidence of obesity among children has gone up too – and this rise in obesity in children is correlated with the addition of niacin to foods.

Does Too Much Niacin Lead to a Higher Risk of Obesity in Children?

The association between too much niacin and obesity in children is far from proven. At least in adults, taking niacin to lower cholesterol levels isn’t associated with a higher risk of obesity – although it could have different effects on obesity in children. More research is needed, but if this association is confirmed, it could raise questions about the wisdom of fortifying foods with niacin.

References:

Medical News Today website. "Obesity And Niacin Intake"
World J Gastroenterol. 2010 May 21;16(19):2378-87.

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10 Dietary Tips for Pregnant Women

2010-02-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

By Dr Oneal Gupta

1. Daily calorie chart:
• 3–4 portions of milk products,
• 2–3 portions of meat, fish or eggs,
• 3 portions of fruit, 4–5 portions of vegetables or greens
• 7–8 portions of cereals and legumes (a portion is defined as the amount of food that would be found on
an average plateful or the normal units of consumption of a food).

2. Milk products:
These are an important source of nutrients whose intake should be increased during pregnancy. In
particular, milk products are good sources of calcium and riboflavin.

3. Fat:
Adequate supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially those such as docosahexaenoic, which can
influence the formation of structures of the nervous system and retina of newborn infants, also useful in
lubricating and thus augmenting easy labour.

4. Fruit and Vegetables:
-3 Of medium size 1 glass of juice (150 ml)
-Vegetables and greens: 4–5 100–200 g when raw
-Cereals and legumes : 7–8 Bread: 30–40 g
Breakfast cereals: 30–40 g Rice, pasta; legumes: 50 g before cooking.

5. During pregnancy, the consumption of liver, which is rich in vitamin A, and smoking should be avoided.

6. Cereals: provide important amounts of vitamin E, which plays an important role in the final success of
pregnancy. Women with low vitamin E levels more frequently have premature babies, with low birth-weight
and at greater risk of haemolytic anaemia.

7. Nuts and legumes are also important sources of zinc and magnesium, minerals often present in diets
below recommendations. Their deficit has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension and
other problems of gestation.

8. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables is especially useful for hyperemesis during pregnancy,
these are foods with high nutrient densities and pregnant women should take as a minimum the
recommended 3–5 portions per day.

9. Fruits are an important source of vitamins and minerals. They provide antioxidants, especially vitamin C
and b-carotenes, which are essential during pregnancy.

10.Drink plenty of water.

Sleep for 7 hours…

Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile…

WISH U A HAPPY MOTHERHOOD and A HEALTHY CHILD…

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Are Junk Food Commercials Making Your Kids Fat?

2010-02-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

By Dr.Kristie Leong

Health Tip:Encourage your child to watch commercial free educational programs or give them some educational DVD’s to view. This will encourage them to feed their mind as well as their body. After they’ve spent an hour in front of the television set, send them outdoors to burn some calories.

Image Credit:SCEhardt
Does television watching cause a child to become overweight or obese? The answer is a resounding “yes”, but not for the reason you think. It’s not just the lack of exercise, but those junk food commercials that are motivating your child to eat more “bad for you” foods. According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, food commercials can greatly influence a young child’s eating preferences – and that spells trouble when it comes to the risk of obesity.

In this study, over 3,500 kids between the ages of infancy and adolescence had their television viewing habits and activities monitored. All in all, kids who watched non-educational television shows with commercials had the highest BMI’s or body mass indexes. This association was strongest for kids under the age of seven. But, not all television was bad. Children who watched education television shows with no commercials or educational DVD’s were no more likely to be obese or overweight than kids who stayed away from the T.V. It’s not the television watching that’s so bad – but the junk food commercials.

Junk food commercials are a problem everywhere. Some countries are taking steps to curb the influence these commercials have on kids by prohibiting them. In South Korea, food commercials featuring unhealthy foods have been banned between the hours of five and seven in the evening - and during children’s shows. This has been done to curb the growing problem of childhood obesity in South Korea.

Here in the United States, kids are bombarded daily with junk food commercials. A child who watches Saturday morning cartoons, can expect to see a commercial featuring unhealthy food as often as every five minutes – and you can bet they’ll soon be begging for the sugary cereals, cookies, and salty snacks they see on the television screen. The makers of junk food commercials know exactly how to push the right buttons and tantalize the taste buds of impressionable, young kids. Fortunately, you ultimately have control over the remote control and what your child watches.

What’s the best way to handle the problem of junk food commercials and child obesity? Encourage your child to watch commercial free educational programs or give them some educational DVD’s to view. This will encourage them to feed their mind as well as their body. After they’ve spent an hour in front of the television set, send them outdoors to burn some calories.

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Avoid These Unhealthy Candies at All Costs

2009-12-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

By Dr Kristie

Of course you know that most candy isn’t good for you – with the exception of small amounts of dark chocolate. Most commercial candy is too loaded with sugar, fat, and artificial colors and flavorings to make it worthy of more than an occasional splurge. Of course, occasionally, you want to treat yourself. If so, here are some unhealthy candy treats you’ll definitely want to leave on the shelf.

Unhealthy Candy: Cotton Candy

Image: FocalPoint

It may look pretty with its light texture and pastel colors, but cotton candy is far from light in the sugar department. This carnival candy treat has an astounding 56 grams of sugar in a single 2.1 ounce serving. That’s 200 calories full of sugar, artificial flavoring, and artificial colorings. If you don’t destroy your pancreas in the struggle to produce enough insulin to tame all of that sugar - it’ll surely decay your teeth. This is one sweet treat to stay away from.

Unhealthy Candy: Rock Candy

Photo: Andreas Praefcke

This is another treat that’s all sugar with little nutritional value to redeem it. It, too, packs 56 grams of sugar and 200 calories into a two ounce serving. The only advantage it has over cotton candy is it may doesn’t have artificial food colorings unless you buy it dyed.

Unhealthy Candy: Licorice Sticks

Photo:Windell Oskay

You know the ones – the licorice style candy that’s twisted into sticks of red and black The famous ones come in plastic packages and are called Twizzlers. Don’t be fooled by the word licorice – there’s very little in one of these sticks of twisted, soft candy. What you get instead is a whopping dose of high fructose corn syrup. Fat free? Maybe – but they’ve also thrown in some partially hydrogenated oil in quantities low enough that they don’t have to list it on the package. Still, it all adds up. There’s also preservatives and food coloring. All that and not a speck of nutritional value.

Unhealthy Candy: Deep Fried Candy Bars

Candy bars aren’t health food to begin with, but when you coat one in batter and deep fry it you’re committing the ultimate health atrocity. You can buy these frightening creations at fairs and carnivals. Some people love them so much they make them at home. Let’s hope they have good health insurance.

Unhealthy Candy: Skittles

Photo:Acdx

They’re colorful and loaded with sugar – 47 grams in a single 2.2 ounce bag. Combine that with 2.5 grams of saturated fat and a little trans fat and you have a very unhealthy candy treat. They do add a small amount of fruit juice – but don’t let that fool you, it’s mostly artificial coloring.

Sure, candy isn't health food, but sometimes you want a treat. Here are five particularly unhealthy candy treats to avoid.

The copyright of the article, "Avoid These Unhealthy Candies at All Costs," in "Interesting Health Articles" is owned by Dr.Kristie Leong M.D. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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A Lip Balm That Helps With Weight Loss?

2009-12-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

By Dr.Kristie

When the temperatures drop and the air becomes cold and dry many people cover their lips with lip balm to protect them against moisture loss. Lip balms and glosses come in all colors and flavors and most people have their own personal preference. There’s even a lip balm that claims to help with weight loss. This new lip balm with appetite suppressants is growing in popularity in the U.K. as women clamor to add it to their arsenal of weight loss tools. A lip balm with appetite suppressants? It sounds like an unlikely combination; but that’s not stopping people from snatching it up in hopes of dropping a few pounds by licking their lips. In the United States, this new lip balm with appetite suppressants is called Fat Burner Energy Lip Balm and it’s now being sold in stores and online.

A Lip Balm With Appetite Suppressants?
What’s in this new lip balm with appetite suppressants and does it really do what it claims? The balm contains green tea extract, chromium picolinate, hoodia extract, and caffeine – all ingredients that have been marketed as appetite suppressants and metabolism boosters in the past. The ingredients are blended together and added to an emollient blend of shea butter and soy oils. This new lip balm comes in a variety of flavors including acai berry, pomegranate, vanilla, and strawberry. A tube sells for $5.99.

How Does Fat Burner Energy Lip Balm Work?
The developers of this lip balm with appetite suppressants claim that when it’s applied to the lips, the active ingredients are absorbed into the blood stream – helping to control appetite and promoting greater fat burning while keeping lips smooth and moist at the same time.

Does a Lip Balm With Appetite Suppressants Really Work?
The reality is that the active ingredients in Fat Burner Energy Lip Balm are unlikely to be absorbed into the blood stream in significant amounts through applying a lip balm. Even if absorbed, the science behind the fat burning and appetite suppressing effects of these four extracts is not proven. Some studies have shown that caffeine and green tea modestly stimulate the metabolism, but only when the equivalent of five or six glasses of green tea are drank per day – not with the amounts found in Fat Burner Energy Lip Balm. Even though Hoodia has been aggressively marketed as an appetite suppressant, there are no human studies that support its effectiveness.

The Bottom Line?
This new lip balm with appetite suppressants is unlikely to be a life or weight changer. At best it’ll keep your lips moist. As always, there are no easy shortcuts for weight control – eating a healthy diet and exercising wins out every time.

The copyright of the article, "A Lip Balm That Helps With Weight Loss?," in "Interesting Health Articles" is owned by Dr.Kristie Leong M.D. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Health Benefits of Vanilla

2009-11-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

By Dr. Kristie

Chances are you’ve used vanilla to add flavor to your favorite recipes if you do any cooking or baking at home. Most people have some of this commonly used spice hidden somewhere in their spice cabinet. It’s also used as the flavoring agent in America’s favorite ice cream flavor. The process for growing, harvesting, and fermenting vanilla is quite time consuming, making vanilla the most expensive spice with the exception of saffron. What’s surprising is that vanilla is not only flavorful, but it’s actually good for you. What are the health benefits of vanilla?

Health Benefits of Vanilla: It May Have Anti-Cancer Benefits
Could the cure for cancer be in your spice cabinet? Vanillin, the active ingredient in vanilla, has shown some interesting anti-cancer properties. Not only does it prevent mutations, the changes in the cell’s DNA that lead to cancer, but it also stops growth of cancer cells in a laboratory setting. A study conducted on mice showed that vanillin stopped the metastasis or spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs and decreased their ability to invade new tissue. Bromovanin, a derivative of vanillin, also shows some promise for the treatment of cancer and could be used in the development of new cancer treatments.

Health Benefits of Vanilla: Can It Help Those with Alzheimer’s?
Vanillin, the active component of vanilla, has antioxidant activity and appears to offset some of the oxidative damage that occurs in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease – particularly the formation of a compound called peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite plays a role in other degenerative diseases of the brain such as Parkinson’s disease. Although research in this area is still in its infancy, it may hold future promise for people dealing with these debilitating diseases.

Health Benefits of Vanilla: Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease?
Studies have shown that vanillin can stop the sickling of red blood cells that leads to problems for people with sickle cell anemia. Unfortunately, vanilla can’t be used directly since it would be destroyed by the acid in the stomach. Researchers are hoping that a drug using vanillin can be developed to treat sickle cell disease in the near future.

Health Benefits of Vanilla: Medicinal Uses in the Past
Vanilla has been used historically as far back as the seventeenth century to treat a variety of conditions including stomach ulcers and sleep difficulties. The essential oil reportedly has sedative-like properties. Some alternative practitioners use vanilla essential oil to treat insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It’s also thought to be an aphrodisiac although there’s little scientific evidence to support this.

Surprised? As you can see, there’s more to that little bottle of vanilla than meets the eye. Use it in good health.

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Mediterranean diet for your heart

2007-10-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

There are so many types of diets.One of the most interesting ones is Mediterranen diet.The key components of Mediterranen diet includes fruits and vegetables,olive oil and canola oil,nuts,and fish.

A number of studies have come up with amazing conclusions.These are

1. It helps reduce birth defects.It contains a lot of folic acid from leafy vegetables.Its well known that folic acid tablets are routine for pregnant women.In some countries diets are fortified with
folic acids.These countries have shown a decline in birth defects.

2. It helps in asthma as it is rich in anti-oxidants.

3. As far as heart is concerned,it is considered good for heart. The AHA(American Heart Association diet) diet contains 30 percent of total caloric intake as fats (10 percent as saturated(the bad fat) fats, 10 percent monounsaturated fats, 10 percent polyunsaturated fats) and a cholesterol intake of less than 300 mg per day. In comparison, the Mediterranean diet contains less cholesterol, less polyunsaturated and saturated fats, more fiber and more vitamin C.It also contains the beneficial linolenic acid ,a type of omega-3 fatty acids.Studies has shown that omega-3 fatty acids lower triglyceride levels and has got anti-inflammatory effect .

4. It has also been found to lower risk of cancers.

5. And in 2006 ,a study linked it to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease as well.

PICTURE:Olive Oil :A must in Mediterranean Kitchen

Lyon Diet Heart Study

Now take a look at the impressive result of this study.

“ After an average follow-up of 46 months (almost four years), patients following the Mediterranean-style diet had a 50–70 percent lower risk of recurrent heart disease.”

AHA say had this diet been prescribed along with “Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet “ the result would have been even more remarkable.

Chicken: health benefits

2007-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Health Benefits
The video shows pit bull and chicken(very cute).The picture is weird.Dont you notice the chicken has four legs.

A Very Good Source of Protein

People who are meat eaters, but are looking for ways to reduce the amount of fat in their meals, can try eating more chicken. The leanest part of the chicken is the chicken breast, which has less than half the fat of a trimmed Choice grade T-bone steak. The fat in chicken is also less saturated than beef fat. However, eating the chicken with the skin doubles the amount of fat and saturated fat in the food. For this reason, chicken is best skinned before cooking.

For a more detailed reading goto the source
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=116