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Therapeutic Value of Different Foods

2008-02-24T05:39:00.001-08:00

Today awareness is increasing among consumers regarding foods and the importance of nutrients playing a role in therapeutic healing.
It is increasing fast. Americans according to survey, a good 33% of them are including some foods or components into their daily food intake to enhance and continue good health. The biggest faction of health conscious consumers in the country is the maturing and progressively more mindful of long life cohorts. The realization that several modern foods actually caused the diseases of society is intimidating our very existence. Some people are now detoxifying there minds from the delusional growth of todays technological and pharmacological developments are advancing the quality of our health life.
Nothing can be further from the truth. Thus this group of aging people takes it upon themselves to lead the awareness of health giving foods.Foods have different purposes. Some foods have taste, smell and sustentative importance. But in the course of recent years, purposeful foods have been classified. Now they are called in different names.
We have medical foods, foods for long life, designer foods, therapeutic foods and a host of others. Functional foods are what are now known as organic foods. Thought to improve health management. Their compounds and substances like lycopene in tomatoes, allicin in garlic and isoflavones in soybeans are eaten as enhancement when taken with whole foods. This way they become nutritious. These kinds of foods are said to be linked to the deterrence and cure of cancer, hypertension and heart diseases. As antioxidants, anticarcinogen and probiotic, functional foods supply help with ailments such as abnormal bowel functions, arthritis and osteoporosis. Whole foods such as nuts/seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and others are considered to be health promoting foods. In the midst of thousands of various foods Mother Earth has supplied, the greater part comprises no less than the many nourishment our bodies require. Functional foods include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, fish, flax, garlic, ginseng, oats, red grapes/red wine, soybean, tomato and whole grains (oat, wheat, and barley). These are the healthiest foods because they contain the most nutrients. These foods are the resources of the vital nutritive values necessitated for good health. Whole foods are considered one of the healthiest because the level of natural endowment of nutritional values is high. They are the most common healthy eating foods that abound on planet earth. They are good to the taste, available without delay and reasonably priced.
These are the foods that encourage lively health and vigor to suit your personal requirements and lifestyle. The richest foods have all the nutritive components in the right proportion and balance. Researches are continuing regarding the health advantages of functional foods. The latest discovery and development of healthy foods are continuing. Even the soil they grow on and its fertility are being studied to make it consistent with the making of healthful and quality food. This is the first stage of a bigger endeavor to look forward for prospects to enhance farmers’ economic feasibility and the wellness of humanity.

Healthy Cooking

2008-02-24T05:37:00.000-08:00

Healthy cooking consists of modification of the already existing cooking methods, and not the avoidance of all favorite foods.
A healthy way of cooking goes hand in hand with a healthy eating pattern. Cooking methods like pressure cooking, steaming, microwave or non-stick cookware are simple techniques for healthy cooking. These methods are easy to follow and call for lesser oil. Valuable nutrients are retained by these methods. Invisible fats are an important aspect to be considered while cooking and eating.
Dietary fats from foods, such as olives, soy, nuts, fish, avocado and seeds, are beneficial, as they also comprise of other vital nutrients. Limited usage of monounsaturated fats is preferred. Fat in cooking is essential, as it helps in the absorption of antioxidant phytochemicals and fat soluble vitamins. Preference for low fat cooking techniques commence at the time of raw material purchase. Food products having a low fat version, such as low fat milk or skimmed milk, skimmed yoghurt, low fat dressings are considered.
Lean cuts of meat and skinless chicken are preferred. Baking, braising and grilling are also effective and healthy cooking methods. Use of oil or butter is minimized by using non-stick cookware. Fresh vegetables and fruits are beneficial in providing many essential nutrients, with minimal or nil cooking. Add salt in the final stages of cooking and fishes, with the exception of high fat fishes are included in the diet, owing to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids. Avoid or minimize frying techniques, as a cooking procedure. Recipes calling for oil can be met with, by cooking sprays or brushing the cookware with oil. Use broth, vegetable stock, water or vinegar for cooking, as it retains the water soluble nutrients and thus prevents wastage. Low fat milk or skimmed yoghurt is preferred in recipes requiring cream. Creamy sauces or dips can be substituted by chutneys, salsa and vinegar. Oil absorption by vegetables, can be decreased by browning them and adding oil at a later stage. Microwave, followed by grilling helps vegetables by providing a browning effect. Scrubbing vegetables is a better option, rather than peeling them, as the nutrients, hidden, right under the skin is saved. Avoid over cooking or over boiling of vegetables, to retain nutrients. Use half the salt while cooking.
Try to replace salt with spices and herbs, such as parsley, oregano and basil leaves. Lemon juice is squeezed on salads, instead of salt. Tinned vegetables and fruits are replaced by fresh vegetables and fruits, as packaged foods are a storehouse of salt. Creating innovative cooking methods lies in the hands of the cooking individual and thus healthy cooking methods can be followed based on the capacity and knowledge of the individual.

Healthy Living

2008-02-24T05:36:00.001-08:00

Healthy living depends on one’s own self.
Major life threatening diseases, such as cardiac problems, renal diseases, lung disease, injury and respiratory issues can be prevented by proper lifestyle, diet fitness and regular exercise. Lifestyle and behavioral changes involves the non-usage of tobacco. Excessive drinking affects the lungs and results in cancer of the throat and liver. Alcohol is fatal in situations, like psychological problems, car driving and so on.
A balanced diet and its nutrition comprises of maximum servings of cereals, ranging from 6 to 11. This group includes rice, pasta, bread, wheat and others. Three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits are recommended. Vegetables and fruits provide all the essential nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber and antioxidants.
These nutrients help in fighting infection and boost the immunity levels. Antioxidants prove beneficial in swallowing the free radicals and protecting from degenerative diseases. Two to three serves of fish, poultry, meat or nuts are preferred. Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are provided by this food category. Skimmed milk and fat-free milk products make up 2-3 servings, every day. Beware of saturated fats in the form of hydrogenated fats or animal fats, as there is increased possibility of cancer, gall bladder disease and cardiac diseases. Sodium levels are restricted, as they increase the blood pressure. Processed and packaged foods are rich in sodium. Healthy cooking is the foundation for healthy living.Overweight increases the incidence of diseases. The principle of diet for weight management involves a low fat and high fiber regimen. Enhanced with physical activity, diet and healthy cooking habits helps in weight loss and maintenance. Regular exercise for 30-60 minutes helps in keeping diseases and obesity at bay.
This prevents secondary complications, such as osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, stroke and so on. Skin cancer is commonly caused due to improper sun bathing. Go in for expert advice, before opting for one. Diabetes, heart diseases, certain kinds of cancer and stroke is hereditary to a particular extent and extra care is of help in preventing these, though at increased risk.Refer to a physician, for details regarding essential vaccines, such as tetanus-diphtheria booster. Breast cancer is common in post-menopausal women and regular check-ups are necessary for healthy living. Healthy living is the basis for disease prevention. Physical, physiological and psychological health are of great concern, when it comes to healthy living. Happy Living! Healthy Living!

Genetically Modified Foods

2008-02-24T05:34:00.000-08:00

Genetically modified foods are inventions of biotechnology.
Genetic Engineering is the method used to amend the genetic material, by transferring specific genes from one organism to another. Selective breeding is the technique used to transfer genes. Certain crops have the capacity to develop immunity to viruses and insects. Soybean, potato, maize, canola oilseed, tomato, squash and chicory are some of the genetically modified plants that endure herbicides. Genetically modified corn is used as a fodder.
It is also incorporated in bread, corn chips and breakfast cereals. Cauliflower, beet, coffee and yeast are more GM products available commercially. Genes, that are modified might be available or absent in the final food product. Phytochemicals are gene products that aid in disease prevention. Organic foods are devoid of any genetically modified (GM) ingredients.
Benefits of GM foods are diversified. Genetic engineering is a vital method, used in crops, to enhance the quantity of nutrients, such as vitamins. Nutritional enhancement is a process, in vogue now. Research is underway in prevention of vitamin A and iron deficiency. Removal of allergic proteins from peanuts is being studied. Modification in genes results in increased yield with better quality and nutrients. Foods with enhanced antioxidants, such as carrots, that are cost effective and nutritious are produced. Increased shelf life and standing period results in long lasting vegetables, like tomatoes. Edible therapeutic bananas carrying rotavirus antigens or bacterial antigens are produced by genetic modification. Environmental degradation is prevented by genetic engineering. Genetically modified crops are at decreased risk to attacks by micro organisms and herbicides. This calls for a reduced usage of herbicides and fungicides, making these genetically modified crops, eco-friendly. Residual levels of these products in the environment are thereby, less. Risks of genetically modified foods include triggering of allergic reaction and toxicity. Stability of the transferred gene is questionable. Unintentional hidden effect of the inserted gene is to be assessed.
Genetically modified foods are compared with their respective counterparts, with respect to its safety levels and nutrient content. The intensity and effectiveness of antibiotics might be reduced, due to the consumption of genetically modified foods. Incidence of allergic reaction to the inserted gene is possible. Environmental degradation is also seen to a particular extent, based on the surrounding weeds. Genetically modified crops give rise to the production of specific toxin resistant insects. Effects on biodiversity are yet to be identified. Studies are underway, regarding the effect of genetic engineering on flora and fauna. Genetically engineered crops, for the production of medicines and others might pollute other food products.

Chocolate

2008-02-24T05:33:00.000-08:00

Chocolate, also referred to as cacao is made from seeds of cacao (Theobroma cacao) tree.
The seeds are fermented and roasted, in order to remove the bitter taste. They are then powdered and the resultant product is termed as ‘Chocolate’. Chocolate contains both saturated and unsaturated fats and are recommended in small quantities. Some chocolates contain antioxidants, called flavanoids, which are heart-friendly. Chocolate bars with processed chocolate, nougat, caramel and groundnuts are better avoided, as they contain more fat.
Alkaloids, like phenethylamine and theobromine are present in chocolates, having therapeutic value. Research reveals that chocolates result in increased risk of acne, obesity and migraines. About 50% of chocolates comprise of sugar. Protein in chocolate helps in repair and regulation of cells. 30% of chocolates are fats, comprising of equal amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats.
Cocoa beans contain around 600 chemicals and some active ingredients or antioxidant phytochemicals, called flavanoids, necessary for combating degenerative diseases, cardiac problems and cancer. Chocolates contain iron and copper, essential for hemoglobin formation and nervous system functioning respectively. Copper is also necessary for melanin formation and iron metabolism. Minerals, such as, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in chocolates are essentials for strong teeth and bones. Vitamin E helps in cell integrity. Threobromine and caffeine in chocolates are nerve stimulants. Migraines are devastating and incapacitating. It is a kind of headache, caused by arterial spasms to the nervous system. Factors that stimulate a migraine headache are stress, fasting, fatigue, hormones, anger and others. Chocolates also stimulate headaches but are not the primary causes. Chocolates also intensify acne and other skin complications. Studies focus on the effect of a dietary regimen with increased refined foods consumption with a combination of high glycemic index foods, on pimples. Chocolate is an energy bundled food and regular or excessive eating results in weight gain. Little amounts of chocolates can be consumed by diabetics; nevertheless, guidance of physician is essential. Majority of the saturated fats in chocolates are stearic acid, which fail to have any negative effect on blood cholesterol levels.
Catechins in cocoa beans, also seen in vegetables and fruits, are helpful in prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiac problems. Dark chocolates are a good source of catechins and are supposed to prevent lipid oxidation and reduce blood coagulation. Drinking cocoa is preferred to eating chocolates, as it has a reduced fat content. Tea also has catechins, similar to cocoa and chocolates, but is devoid of fat.

Calcium

2008-02-24T05:32:00.001-08:00

Calcium is the most common mineral seen in the teeth and bones and thereby comprises 2% of an individual’s weight.
It monitors the contraction and relaxation functions of muscles. Calcium is required for nerve functions and coagulation of blood. It regulates the heart muscle. It also aids in enhancing enzyme function. Research reveals that 70 per cent of children and majority of women fail to achieve the requirement.
Decrease in blood calcium brings about a reduction in the urinary calcium levels. Lack of calcium absorption from the digestive tract puts forth the removal from bones or bone degeneration. In course of time, it leads to fragile or brittle bones. Osteoporosis is a common problem faced by such individuals, possessing weak bones. Sources of calcium include soymilk, dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals and so on.
Milk products, such as cheese, yoghurt, buttermilk and fortified milk provide a good amount of calcium. Green leafy vegetables possess a considerable amount of calcium, in spite of the high oxalate concentration. Sardines, salmon, almonds and sesame seeds are also good sources. Calcium needs vary from each individual, being high in adolescents and growing children. Calcium requirements depend on the stage of life cycle. Infants on mother’s milk require around 270 mg per day, whereas, babies who are bottle-fed have a higher requirement of 350 mg, due to the inefficient calcium absorption from artificial feeds. 500 mg of calcium is required by children aged between 1-3 years. Needs increase in growing children and falls at 700 mg in 4-8 years and an estimated 1 gm in 9-11 years. Adolescents require more calcium, owing to the onset of puberty and growth spurt and range around 1.3 gm per day. Osteoporosis and other bone complications can be avoided, by proper intake during adolescence and early adulthood. Bone mass increases, during this period. The requirement falls at 1 gm per day. A pregnant mother has an increased requirement, due to the growing fetus and is 1.3 gm per day, in the case of pregnant adolescent. In general, mother’s replace the deprived calcium, utilized by the growing fetus. Breastfeeding adolescents require 1,300 mg per day. Bone loss or degeneration is common in senescence. Menopause in women calls for a greater calcium requirement.
Compensating the bone losses is essential in both the genders, during the course of ageing process. Men above 70 years and women over 50 years require 1,300 mg per day. Calcium supplements are recommended as per the instructions on the bottle and are preferred, under the guidance of a physician. Requirement of supplements occur in those with increased risk of osteoporosis and those with a poor calcium diet.

Minerals

2008-02-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

Minerals are inorganic substances and are not broken down into smaller substances.
Minerals comprise of single atoms. The degree of absorption of minerals or bioavailability varies from one mineral to the other. Antinutrients, as the name implies, are non-nutrient substances that are seen in most foods. It is one of the important factors that hinder the mineral absorption. The availability or deficiency of certain minerals affects the bioavailability of others.Minerals are absorbed in the small intestine and are broadly classified into two types, namely, major minerals and trace elements.
Major minerals are necessary in larger amounts by the body for its normal functioning. About 250 milligrams of these minerals are necessarily consumed on a daily basis, owing to its loss everyday. Trace elements are essential in minor amounts and lesser than 5 grams of these are maintained on a daily basis. Around 20 milligrams of a steady supply of these minerals are required. Major minerals include calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, and electrolytes, such as, chloride, sodium and potassium.
Calcium is essential for bone and teeth formation. It also aids in muscle contraction, regulating the fluid balance, coagulation of blood and conduction of nerve impulses. Magnesium helps in enzyme functioning for the various metabolic reactions in the body. Phosphorus is essential for teeth and bone formation. It forms a protective layer on the myelin sheath of the neurons. It also helps in maintenance of the body’s pH and aids in breakdown of carbohydrates. Sulfur is a part of proteins and is necessary for the synthesis of enzymes. Electrolytes help in nerve impulse transmission and monitoring the flow of fluids in the body, both inside and outside the cells. Potassium is vital for the proper functioning of the kidneys, digestive tract, nerves, muscles and heart. Cellular functions in the body necessitate the presence of potassium. Chloride helps in maintaining homeostasis. Sodium regulates the fluid balance and protects the body from dehydration. It helps in elimination of waste from the cells. Trace minerals include copper, chromium. Copper helps in iron absorption and is an antioxidant.
It helps in collagen synthesis and hastens wound healing. Chromium triggers insulin activity and helps in the breakdown of fat, protein and carbohydrate. Iron plays a vital role as an oxygen carrier in hemoglobin. Manganese boosts the immune system and selenium is a potent antioxidant. Zinc helps in cell growth and its division. Fluoride aids in remineralization or strengthening of teeth and iodine is helpful in the synthesis of T3 and T4 hormones. Persistence of deficiency calls for dietary supplements are considered under the guidance of a physician.

Carbohydrates

2008-02-24T05:28:00.000-08:00

What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are energy suppliers for the vital organs of the body, such as, central nervous system, kidneys, heart and brain.
Fifty to sixty per cent of the daily calorie requirement is provided by carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are the three major macronutrients, essential for our daily lives. Carbohydrates are metabolized into simple sugars, such as glucose. Blood glucose is removed and pushed into the cells by insulin. Insulin is the hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas. Beating of the heart, respiratory pattern and digestion require the energy provided by carbohydrates.Based on the chemical structure, carbohydrates are classified into simple and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are broken down rapidly and include refined sugars. Fruit juices, sugar, molasses, milk, honey, fruits and yoghurt are simple carbohydrates. They are also referred to ‘bad carbohydrates’. Polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates are those that have a longer transit time. They are a bundle of vitamins, dietary fiber and minerals.
They are ‘good carbohydrates’. Complex carbohydrates comprise of elongated strands of simple sugars and take more time to break down. Three types of dietary fiber fall under the category of complex carbohydrates, namely, cellulose, hemicellulose and gums. They are provided by the legumes, fruits, vegetables, cereals and pasta in our diet. Both the types provide 4 calories per gram. Natural and unrefined carbohydrates are recommended, as they have a low glycemic index. High glycemic index foods increase the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance and hypertension. Low carbohydrate diets are recommended under a dietitian’s guidance. Such diets provide 60gm of carbohydrates per day, but are high in saturated fats. This diet decreases the intake of fruits and vegetables. Such diets recommend energy from fat and protein sources. Certain vegetables, cereals and fruits are restricted. Dairy products and meat in the diet are increased. Vegetables and fruits are a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. They are especially recommended in a weight loss diet.
Reduced incidence of heart diseases and degenerative diseases is seen in individuals on good carbohydrates. Five servings of fruits are advised. Whole grains, such as, rye, oats, whole wheat and others reduce the glycemic index. Potatoes provide a feeling of satiety, but are refined carbohydrates. The have a greater glycemic index. Fresh potatoes are preferred in addition to sweet potatoes. They are devoid of fat and comprise of potassium and vitamin C. Making them a part of the diet with other low glycemic index foods is preferred.

Whole Grain Foods

Whole grain foods are those that comprise of a variety of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.
These encompass all the products manufactured with the bran and germ intact. Whole grains, whole wheat bread or muffins, bulgar, brown rice, wheat germ, popcorn, couscous, oatmeal and puffed whole grains fall under this category, whereas, white bread, waffles, pasta, cakes, white rice and biscuits are refined foods. Whole grain consists of the outer layer ‘bran’, main part ‘endosperm’ and smallest part ‘germ’. Wholegrain foods are a good source of B complex vitamins. They are also rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
Whole grains are cholesterol free and reduced in saturated fat. It is a good source of polyunsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids. Carbohydrates are abundant in whole grains. A notable amount of protein and minerals, like copper, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus are present. Antioxidants and phytochemicals, namely phenolic compounds, lignans, saponins, oryzanol, phytic acid aiding in reducing cholesterol levels are also seen.
Phenolic compounds exhibit free radical scavenging property. Lignans slows cancer incidence. Saponins and oryzanol are helpful in decreasing the cholesterol levels. Phytic acid aids in regulating the blood glucose levels. Nutritional values are significantly met. The bran and germ is removed, during the process of polishing, thereby depriving them of 66 per cent of fiber. Approximately 99.8 per cent of phytochemicals are lost, due to refining. Fortification of nutrients is possible to a certain extent, though these grains remain deprived of phytochemicals. Whole grain cereals have a lower glycemic index, resulting in decreased risks of diabetes mellitus. Oats and psyllium are good sources of soluble fiber. Substitution of these whole grains proves beneficial against heart disease. A significant reduction in the cholesterol levels is seen. Reduced incidence of diverticulitis and constipation is seen in individuals consuming whole grain cereals. The fiber content adds bulk to the feces, resulting in softer and easier bowel movement. This causes a decrease in the harmful microbes, thereby eliminating the toxic substances.
Research reveals the decreased incidence of stomach, colon, breast, kidney, digestive tract and bladder cancer. Weight management therapy is benefited by intake of whole grains. Fiber provides a feeling of satiety, thereby decreasing the eating capacity. They also take a longer time to breakdown. Four to five servings of cereals are recommended per day. Whole grains should comprise half of this. Whole meal whole grain breads are also available, comprising of whole grains, in addition to the whole meal flour.

Vegetarianism

2008-02-24T05:25:00.000-08:00

Vegetarianism means following a diet that is strictly vegetarian in nature, i.e.
there is no inclusion of meat, fish, poultry (except eggs) in the diet. Vegetarian diet does provide people with all the nutrition they require for proper functioning of their body. However, all vegetarians have to ensure that they eat food which ranges over a variety of foods.
Vegetarian food includes grains, vegetables, fruits, salads, nuts, dried beans and only those which grow on plants.There are different types of vegetarian diets. These can be classified mainly as vegan, lacto vegetarian, lacto ovo vegetarian and ovo vegetarian. All these diets follow some or the other pattern regarding inclusion of food.Vegan diet includes all vegetarian foods excluding dairy products as well as eggs.Lacto vegetarian diet includes all vegetarian foods and also dairy products but no eggs.Lacto ovo vegetarian diet includes vegetarian foods, dairy products and also eggs.Ovo vegetarian diet includes vegetarian foods and eggs but no dairy products.Nutrition is provided completely by vegetarian food, but it is important that every vegetarian eats a variety of food, so that each food can provide them with required nutrition.
Vegetarians do need to concentrate on getting proper amounts of proteins, iron calcium, zinc as well as Vitamin B12 in their diets. There are many advantages to vegetarian diet, firstly this diet is rich in fiber, which makes proper digestion of food possible. Most of the non-vegetarian dishes can be made with a little difference by vegetarian way and will taste as tasty, except that the vegetarian dish is likely to have lesser calories and saturated fats that its non vegetarian counterpart. Vegetarian food can be made in several different ways, therefore tastes as different each time. You can have as much fun barbecuing vegetarian food as you may have at your non-vegetarian barbecue. If you are interested in going vegetarian then you need not worry about eating out. There are many restaurants which have now opened up this new option of serving vegetarian food, you will find a varied vegetarian menu at Indian and Asian restaurants all over the world. If you want low calorie and low fat food, lentils and beans are ideal substitutes. Substituting cheese for meat however is not a good option because it is higher in fat.
For sautéing green vegetables you can use olive oil and spices in vegetarian food to provide it with extra taste and make interesting vegetarian dishes for all to enjoy. You can even make vegetarian pizzas and sandwiches, kebabs, lasagna, etc. So go vegetarian for a healthy low fat diet.

Lactose Intolerance

2008-02-24T05:24:00.001-08:00

Lactose intolerance is the inability of a person to digest sugar in milk called lactose.
There might be a limit up to what each person can digest lactose in milk. This happens due to shortage in an enzyme that helps digestion of lactose called lactase. Function of lactase is to break down lactose into sugar (glucose) and galactose, which goes directly into the blood stream. Each person has different lactose intolerance symptoms.
People might start reacting to lactose in milk after 30 minutes to 2 hours. Symptoms might include cramps, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, etc. Symptoms are not the same in each person; some might feel only a mild upset whereas someone might get severe cramps. Lactose tolerance also depends on the age, sex and ethnicity of a person.
Lactose intolerance is also dependant on the digestive system.For the purpose of lactose intolerance diagnosis, there are three types of tests taken. The first one is the Lactose Tolerance Test; this test involves drinking liquid containing lactose. For this the person has to fast before taking the test. Doctors then keep on taking blood samples over the period of next two hours. If the enzyme lactase has been able to break down all lactose and convert it into glucose, the glucose then will be transferred to liver which will then go in to the blood stream, thus there will be an increase in glucose level in blood. If there is no increase, it means the person has lactose intolerance. Another method is the Hydrogen Breath Test, this test involves measuring hydrogen in a person’s breath. The person is made to drink a lactose drink, then there is undigested lactose in stomach, the bacteria ferment it and it starts giving out gases, one of the gases is the hydrogen. Hydrogen then travels through the blood stream into lungs and then comes out of breath, thus measuring hydrogen tells whether or not the person is lactose intolerant.The third test is the stool acidity test, this test useful for infants. This measures the amount of acid in their stool. Undigested lactose when fermented by bacteria increase the level of acid in stomach, this increases the acid levels in stools. Undigested glucose also might be present in the stools.
This can show the level of lactose indigestion. Lactose intolerance can be treated, though there is no way to increase lactose in stomach, people can consume lactose in some other ways. For some people, a single glass of milk might not do any harm whereas two glasses of milk would, in such a case the person can limit his milk intake to a single glass, people can also have milk in several different ways like the yogurt or cheese, where the lactose is less likely to harm. Infants should not be fed with lactose rich food if they have allergy, there are chances that lactose intolerance would diminish as they grow.

Fresh Produce Safety

2008-02-24T05:22:00.000-08:00

Fresh produce too, requires as much care at the time of buying as much you would involve at the time of buying meat.
Fresh produce requires being stored in a proper manner to ensure that it remains uncontaminated and good to eat. Following are certain buying tips, which will help you ensure that the fresh produce you are buying is really fresh. First you require seeing that the fruits and vegetables you are buying are clean and not bruised or broken as this can lead breeding of harmful bacteria. While buying cut fruits like half watermelons, etc.
make sure that these have been packed and kept in ice immediately after cutting so that it does not become contaminated. Fruits like oranges, sweet lime, strawberries, etc. should be stored below 40°F so that these remain as fresh. After buying make sure that you are keeping vegetables separately from other fish and poultry items to avoid contamination.
Moreover, store eggs, meat and fish separately and vegetables and fruits separately. These storage tips will help you ensure that no contamination of fruits and vegetables taken place inside of home.There are also some rules to be followed at the time of preparation of this food. These are some preparation tips to help you cook safe food. It is necessary that you wash hands thoroughly before you start cooking, by washing hands means washing hands for at least 20 seconds under warm water with soap. This will ensure that all probable infections bacteria have been cleaned from your hands. The next step in preparation is washing the vegetables. Before washing it is of extreme importance that any bruised or damaged part is cut away from the vegetable. If any vegetable looks rotten it should be totally discarded. Vegetables should be washed thoroughly under running water until these have been ensured clean. It is important to scrub salads like cucumber, etc. even though you intend to peel these.Leafy vegetables too, should be washed thoroughly before eating. If you have bought packaged leafy vegetables where it is mentioned, ‘washed before packing’, it might be necessary to wash these, however, if you do it would be better still.Lastly, it is important that the sprouts are cooked well before eating, since there is a danger of bacteria causing food borne diseases, even the home grown sprouts are at a danger of being contaminated.
Therefore, cooking sprouts properly before using these is necessary.Proper hygiene should be maintained in the kitchen, it is necessary that all countertops, chopping material like chopping boards, knives, etc. are washed with a detergent before and after use. It is also necessary to use separate knives for vegetables and separate ones for meat.

Antioxidants

2008-02-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

Antioxidants are essential for the prevention of oxidative damage in the body, which in turn, results in membrane and tissue damage.
Oxygen interaction with certain molecules results in a group of atoms. They have an odd paired electron. This damage causes cell death or malfunctioning. Metabolism of oxygen results in free radicals.
These free radicals embezzle some electrons, thereby resulting in cell injury. Excessive free radicals cause liver and cardiac problems and are also carcinogenic. Factors, such as smoking, sunlight, stress, pollution and alcohol aggravate free radical formation. Free radicals blind vision, by resulting in degradation of the lens. The damaged DNA stimulates a carcinogenic effect, causing cancer.
Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease is a result of the damage of the brain’s nerve cells, by the free radicals. Ageing is hastened, thereby causing wrinkles. Risk of cardiovascular diseases is increased, due to the adherence of (LDL) ‘bad cholesterol’ to the arterial walls. What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are those, which have the capacity to resist and nullify the effect of free radicals. They also decrease the effect caused by oxidative damage. In other terms, they scavenge the free radicals. Vitamins and minerals are the major antioxidants, with potent activity, seen in food. Minerals, such as selenium, copper and zinc and Vitamins E, C and A are some of them. Phytochemicals or non-nutrient antioxidants in plants have a much potent antioxidant activity, than these nutrients. Anthocyanins in cranberries and lycopene in tomatoes are suitable examples for non-nutrient antioxidants. Antioxidants are also referred to as the disease fighting antioxidants, due to their efficacy in curtailing many diseases. Research reveals the non-existence of prostate cancer in men consuming tomatoes (lycopene). Reduced risk of degradation of eye lens and blindness is seen in old age people, consuming corn and spinach (lutein). Catechin, which is a flavanoid present in green tea, reduces the risk of cardiac problems. Good sources of antioxidants include a big list of varied food stuffs.
Foods containing beta carotene, lignans, sulphur, indoles, polyphenols, copper, isoflavanoids, catechins, manganese, cryptoxanthins, zinc, lutein, selenium, Vitamins A,C and E are good sources. A serving comprises of half a cup of vegetables (cooked) or a medium fruit. Five servings are recommended. Artificial supplements are better avoided. Athletes find these antioxidants helpful, due to improved performance and endurance behavior. Food isolated forms of antioxidants, such as beta carotene have decreased effects. Antioxidants act as pro-oxidants, at levels much higher than the recommended intake.

Reading Food Labels

2008-02-24T05:16:00.000-08:00

Reading food labels is the primary duty of a consumer.
Food labels contain information regarding the manufacturer’s name and address, serving size, common name of the product, ingredients list, nutrients list and measure or weight of the product. Nutrient content, in terms of, ‘fat-rich’, ‘high fiber’ or ‘high protein’ food is mentioned. Food labels are simple, distinct and easy to understand, enabling the consumers to make healthy choices in their diet. The amount of fat, with respect to saturated fat and cholesterol is provided.Nutrition information, in the form of health concerned nutrients, such as dietary fiber and other nutrients are obtainable.
A nutrient reference value which is beneficial to the customers in the way it fits into a diet is also available, as percentage daily value. Details regarding the percentage or quantity of juice in a drink are given. The nutrition facts label provides an insight about the inherent nutrients in the food. It is seen on the outside of the packed foods and is easy to trace. Fresh foods also provide this information to a certain extent.
Nutrients are expressed in terms of grams (g). Few of them are denoted as milligrams (mg). Percentage (%) is another way of expressing nutrients. Serving size is mentioned in numbers or cup sizes. This enables people to keep a check on their eating quantity. The number of servings per container is also mentioned, showing the duration of the contents. Percent daily values of potassium, sodium, other minerals and vitamins, protein, fat and carbohydrates are available. Fat is available as unsaturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat and saturated fat. Cholesterol and sodium are expressed in terms of milligrams and proves helpful for those on a fat or sodium restricted diet respectively. 'Light' or 'Lite' foods are those that are reduced in calories, sodium and fat to a significant extent. Such products assure fat content decreased by 50%, one-third of the calories are reduced or reduction in sodium content by around 50%.
Other confusing terms are 'Low fat'- Equal to or less than 3 grams of total fat (with respect to a reference quantity)'Fat-free'- With a reduction of 0.5 grams of total fat (with respect to a reference quantity)'Reduced sugar'- About 25% less sugar with respect to reference food'Sugar-free'- provides less than 0.5 grams per serving'No added sugar'- Neither sugar nor are substitutes present'Low-cholesterol'- Equal to or less than 20 mg of cholesterol (with respect to a reference quantity)'Cholesterol-free'- Less than 2 mg of cholesterol (with respect to a reference quantity)'Calorie-free'- A reduced amount of 5 calories per serving'High fiber'- Equal to or greater than 5 gm per servingThe shelf life of the product is indicated by the expiry or ‘best before’ date.
This information is especially essential for perishable foods. The date of manufacture is also indispensable. When made proper use of, food labels are very informative, providing knowledge to the consumers.

Infant feeding and Nutrition

2008-02-24T04:59:00.000-08:00

Infant feeding and Nutrition

Breast feeding is an important and initial aspect of infant feeding.
Infants are first put on mother’s milk, especially colostrums, the first milk. It is a natural phenomenon, initially unknown to the infant. Perseverance and patience from the mother's side is essential, for the baby to benefit. The position and the attitude during a feed enhances the bonding established between the mother and child. Suckling results in the 'let down' reflex, triggering milk production.
Colostrum is a yellowish, thick, sticky substance secreted, prior to milk production. It is rich in antibodies, helping to ward off infection. It is also a concentrated source of minerals and proteins.Advice is available from everybody around, for a new born infant. A physician’s guidance is more recommended and reliable, though age old techniques might help, at times.
Nipple chewing is an indication of the child wanting solid foods. Weaning foods are commenced from the fourth month. This is because of its inability to digest solid foods, prior to this. This also decreases the risk of food allergies. In addition to the mother’s milk, these foods aim at targeting the other necessities of a growing infant, such as, improving muscle tone and coordination. Weaning foods, such as mashed fruits, soft double-cooked cereals, cooked potatoes and yoghurt are recommended. Iron fortified nutrition is essential for the formation of hemoglobin, and thereby enhancing the oxygen and nutrients carrying capacity. Finger foods (apple slices, peas, carrot slices) are introduced in the eighth month, to enable their eye-hand coordination. Foods like spinach, fish, berries, corn and wheat might result in allergic reactions. These are made a part of the meal, after 9 months, when they are comfortable.Take your time to adjust with the child’s varying requirements. Introduce one food at a time to improve infant nutrition. Mash them properly and sieve them for bigger pieces.
Carbohydrates are needed to compensate for the energy breakdown. Proteins and amino acids are essential for growth and infant development. They are also required for connective tissue growth. Breast feeding poses the advantage of easily available, cost effective and sterile milk, possessing all the essential nutrients, in comparison. It also saves the mother from a variety of diseases, such as, colon cancer. Infant formula available commercially in the market is of different features. They are not affordable by every part of the community. Proper sterilization of bottles is required, in the case of artificial feeds. Measuring feeds is another issue, in the case of bottle feeds.

Breast Feeding

Breast feeding is an important aspect of a child’s development.
Breastfeeding by women who are devoid of illnesses is preferable, as it is beneficial, both to the infant and the mother. Breast milk is rich in a series of nutrients striking a balance, keeping the baby fit and healthy. It helps in protecting the infant from some diseases. Lactating mothers are at decreased risk for cancer. Mothers suffering from tuberculosis or HIV infection or those on alcohol or certain drugs should abstain from breast feeding.
Feeding of a child from a mother’s / woman’s breasts is referred to as breast feeding. Suckling reflex helps in sucking the milk from its mother’s breasts and drinking them. It is a wholesome source of nutrients. An infant is breast fed either from the breasts or by expressing the milk and feeding in a bottle. It is beneficial for infant development.
The quantity of water, fat, protein and sugar in mother’s milk is in right proportion, and is apt for the infant’s growth and development. They are easily digestible, being safe for the digestive system and comprises of antibodies that helps to ward off infection by invading the bacteria and virus. When drunk from breasts, it is sterile. Breast milk is available at the right temperature and is readily available. Infant nutrition paves way for further development. Breast-fed infants have a reduced probability of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other diseases. Teeth growth and speech development is improvised by breastfeeding. It has a proper balance of nutrients and sleep apnea is also prevented by breast milk. The ordeal of mixing and measuring artificial feeds is prevented. Physical contact improves the bonding between the mother and infant and provides a feeling of warmth. Improper sterilization of bottles causing infection is avoided. The extra weight gained during pregnancy is shed, as lactation uses up some amount of energy. The size of the uterus is regained and lessens bleeding, if any. The probability of ovarian and breast cancers are reduced.Proper overall development takes place. Premature breast fed infants also fare well, when compared to those fed on artificial feed.
Breast fed infants have a better I.Q than those fed on formula. Immediate attention is provided by a lactating mother. Reduced risk of osteoporosis and pelvic fractures is seen to occur on those women who breast fed. It helps the child feel at ease, providing all the comfort. Breast feeding improves the self-confidence and increases the bonding with the child. Breast feeding is also beneficial to the society, as it reduces the infection and thereby the hospitalization and prescription. A productive workforce occurs, as, children are healthy, devoid of infection.

Cow’s Milk for Infants

Nutritionally the first year of life is very critical for a baby and they deserve the best available food options.
Exclusive breast feeding should be the primary option as it forms the basis of an ideal nutrition and is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for the first six months after birth. Cow’s milk is not considered appropriate for infants below one year and American Academy of pediatrics recommends iron-fortified infant formulas over cow’s milk for infants weaned before 12 months of age.
Although cow’s milk forms the basis of nutrition for older children and adults, but due to the following reasons it is not considered appropriate for infants.
Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency among infants, cow’ milk is a very poor source of iron.
Moreover iron present in breast milk is 100% absorbed by the baby compared to cow’s milk.
Ordinary cow’s milk that lacks heat processing required for infant formula can lead to intestinal blood loss in infants.
Besides iron, cow’s milk is also a poor source of vitamin C, vitamin E, essential fatty acids and copper. This can cause vitamin C deficiency in infants fed solely on cow’s milk.
Young infants can not digest the fat present in cow’s milk as it is in very different form then that of breast milk or infant formula. For overweight babies, low fat milk is not the answer.
Also the sodium level in cow’s milk is high, that exceeds the normal daily requirement of sodium of an infant. The potassium levels in cow’s milk are also high that together becomes difficult for an infants system to handle.
Proteins in cow’s milk are approximately 2-3 times higher than that of breast milk or an infant formula.
Cow’s milk allergy among infants is common than an adult. The immune system of an infant sees the high protein level in the cow’s milk as dangerous unconsciously and tries to fight it off. In the process an infant can become irritable and fussy and can get a stomach upset. Milk allergy should not be confused with lactose intolerance as it is very different form milk allergy. (In lactose intolerance the enzymes to digest the milk sugar lactose are lacking and it is rare in infants).It is very important to achieve optimal nutrition in an infant by selecting an appropriate milk source and eventually introducing solid foods to the infant.

Formula Feeding

Formula feeding is becoming popular increasingly today and since babies are the sweetest gift from god, they deserve the best of everything that can be proffered to them.
First year in a baby’s life is the most critical especially from a nutritional point of view for amazing changes take place in its body throughout the year and it experiences the speediest growth and development period in its lifetime. These changes are not only external but internal within its vital organs like brain, heart, kidneys, digestive system etc.
And that is why, it becomes exceedingly important for parents to understand the unique nutritional requirements of infants to keep them healthy, after all it is their first and foremost responsibility.Commonly, a baby receives all nutrients from a single food source or a limited number of sources and, since its nutritional needs are unique and different, careful selection of baby formula is extremely important and it is essential that the balanced and proper nutrients at the right levels are present in that source or sources.Deciding on a method for feeding a baby is ultimately the parent's decision, nonetheless, in making this decision, parents should rely on the advice of the health professionals like physicians and nutritionists as they are extensively trained and can provide sound counseling matching their unique physiologic and metabolic demands of a baby.Breastfeeding is certainly a preferred and suggested method of nourishing a baby as it endows it with proper and balanced nutrients required for growth and development; it does not strain a baby's developing digestive system, kidneys, heart & brain; it’s free from germs & microbes and therefore, keeps baby unaffected; and it involves emotional growth of child as well. However, at the same time, the diet of a breastfeeding mother affects not only her own health and well-being, but that of her child, and therefore she should be healthy and should eat an adequate and nutritious diet to ensure the quality and quantity of her milk supply.
Strict dieting, indulging in sweets and any consumption of alcoholic beverages are all prohibited for breastfeeding women as a breast-fed baby receive a portion of everything consumed by the mother.With the advancement in the ingredients of baby formula, the parents can very easily supplement the breastfeeding with it. Baby formula is certainly a good supplement to breastfeeding provided it has proper amount of iron, protein and carbohydrates. Iron is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in babies. Requirement of protein can be met with cow's milk or soy. Both these sources support infant growth and development. Please note that the most of baby formula contain lactose as the carbohydrate source though it is not very much desirable as it is probable that some children recovering from gastroenteritis temporarily cannot tolerate the sugar lactose.
Therefore, the babies should not consume lactose.

Solid Foods for Infants

Introducing solid foods in a baby’s diet would determine the overall health and life long eating habit of a baby.
It is very important to start solid foods at the right time when the baby is ready for it. Don’t be in a rush to start solid foods as breast milk and infant formulas take care of the infant nutrition for the first 4-6 months. Starting a solid food at this stage might cause the baby to develop food allergies or diarrhea as an infant intestinal track is not as fully developed in the first few months.
The baby in this stage is also unable to express the feeling of fullness and this might in turn lead to unintentional overfeeding. At his stage of life the baby is still learning to swallow foods, thus introducing solid foods can be a potential cause for choking. To detect if the baby is allergic to a particular food, feed one type of food for several days.
Avoid egg whites, cow’s milk or honey till the baby is at least 12 months old. Following are the general guidelines to start solid foods as the baby grows older. Remember that the type and amount of food will vary on daily basis.
4-5 months – Till 6 months of age an infant should be exclusively breast fed. But in case breast feeding is a problem than cereal based iron fortified infant formulas could be started. Introduce these gradually in small amounts to familiarize your baby with solid foods.
6-7 months – Along with breast milk, the cereal based iron fortified nutrition could be given (up to 4 tablespoons). Other baby foods or well-cooked strained and mashed vegetable can also be introduced.
7-8 months – Along with 3-4 feedings of breast milk and formulas, canned, peeled, mashed and cooked fruits can be introduced. Fruit juice diluted with water (1:2 proportions) can also be given.
Mild cheese, egg yolks (no whites as it may cause allergic reaction), soft bite size pieces of foods, finger foods, salted crackers or pastas can also be given.
10-12 months – Along with 3-4 feedings of breast milk and formulas, a baby’s diet will start resembling that of an adults diet with 3 meals and 3 snacks daily. To inculcate good eating habits encourage the baby to eat by himself with other family members. Breastfeed your baby at least till he turns one. There is no specific age when he should be weaned. Wean your child gradually by reducing the amounts of breast feeds when he gives an indication by drinking from a cup. Start cow’s milk only after 12 months of age.

Soy Based and Special Formulas for Infants

An infant’s healthy nutritional status purely lies in the hands of the parents based on the food choices they make for their little one.
Soy protein based formulas are used for more than 100 years and around 25% of the United State infants receive these formulas. Soy based formulas are used by parents seeking a vegetarian diet for their infants. These formulas are a good choice for infants having cow’s milk protein allergy, galactosemia, lactose intolerance or hereditary lactase deficiency as these formulas are free from cow’s milk protein and lactose.
Infants who experience colic, irritability or emesis are often switched to soy protein based formulas in hope of relieving the symptoms (diarrhea and visible blood in the stool are the major symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy). But if a true cow’s milk protein allergy is not present then this change is not likely to be successful. Moreover infants with cow’s milk protein intolerance are likely to be sensitive to soy milk as well, as soy itself is an allergen.
Soy based infant formula meets the nutritional requirement of an infant in terms of proteins, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Infants receiving soy based formulas have shown adequate growth status when compared to those fed on cow’s milk formula. Also serum phosphorus and calcium levels and bone mineralization in infants fed on soy based formulas is similar to that of infants fed cow’s milk protein formula. Soy protein formulas are fortified with additional calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc as they contain 1.5% phytates that interfere with the absorption of these compounds. Studies show that serum phosphorus levels in pre-term infants fed on soy based formula are lower and can lead to osteopenia in these infants, thus soy based formulas are not advisable for pre-term infants. Although soy based formulas are a good choice, lot of concern has been raised regarding its safety due to the presence of phytoestrogens in the form of isoflavones. Isoflavones are phytochemicals with plant estrogenic activity that can interfere with the endocrine and reproductive development of an infant. Only soy milk formulas used routinely have not shown to have value in preventing illnesses and diseases. Thus to minimize unnecessary exposure to any possible unknown risk, use soy protein based formulas when a child cannot tolerate cow’s milk or in the absence of breast milk.
Other special formulas include ready to use formulas, liquid concentrate formulas and powdered formulas which can be lactose free, iron-enriched, extensively hydrolyzed, formulas for pre-mature and low-birth weight babies, human milk fortified or metabolic formulas. Depending on the infants tolerance and need a specialist will recommend a formula for the infant.

Eating Disorders

2008-02-24T04:39:00.000-08:00

Eating disorders is a common phenomenon in adolescents and this is attributed to the reduced respect for the self.

Such individuals need to have a command over their emotions and environment and organize themselves. Anorexia nervosa is a wrong way of managing this situation. It is the circumstance and the genes which help in stimulating a negative attitude. It is a combination of anxiety, sorrow, stress and distress. The individuals feel unwanted, possessing no control over the reins of life.
An anorexic is perceived as a sensitive, dieting person. The individual has his own perception of being fat. A fear of lack of control over food exists. They are obsessed about dieting, and restrain themselves from any kind of joy, which includes eating. A psychological feeling of not liked by any is common.
Anorexia occurs as two episodes. Binge eating is one type, wherein the individual induces vomiting or laxative or diuretic abuse is possible. Restricting type of anorexia involves the non-indulgence in diuretic misuse or vomiting. People who eat a great amount in a shot span and indulge in self-induced vomiting, as a method of punishment suffers from Bulimia nervosa. They are snowed under, unable to manage their emotions and mental health. This behavior reflects the way they perceive themselves. Bulimia involves binging and purging to bring out frustration, anger, stress and depression. Environment and genes do play a role in some cases. Isolation and wearing large sized clothes to mask the body shape is common. Visit to the bathroom is regular after meals. Laxative abuse, feeling of guilt post food consumption and formulating strict diet schedules are some of the behavioral pattern of individuals suffering from bulimia. They buy cookery books to discuss about recipes and food-related tissues. They are conscious about a positive body image. The main principle of bulimic individuals is the repetitive cycle of binging and purging. Weight fluctuation is common, due to the storage of food for later periods. Diet supplements are consumed to reduce binging habit.

Compulsive overeating is in simpler terms referred to as ‘Food addiction’. It is an easy way to manage stress, conceal emotions and cope with an inner emptiness. They are obese and have increased probability to develop renal diseases, cardiac problems, bone degeneration and hypercholesterolemia. They try to shy away from social gatherings, due to their low self-esteem. Eating is a technique to manage their emotional behavior and thereby increases their weight. Love and feeling of wanted ness is necessary to bring them to normalcy.

Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a disease, accompanied by self-starvation and is lethal if not treated.

Generally, anorexia occurs in individuals around the puberty age. Symptom detection is the primary step in treatment. It is an eating disorder associated with dieting to reduce weight. It occurs, especially in teenagers and is a technique followed, as a result of fear. It is a condition of eating in a restricted manner, to control the body.

An anorexic individual is obsessed with the fear of getting fat. Typical symptoms include excessive exercise, refusal to eat meals, following a strict dietary regimen, dissatisfaction about the stature, incorporating low calorie foods, social withdrawal, concealing foods, menstrual problems and fear of weight gain. It is seen in people of the elite class, especially of those involved in dancing and athletics. They are skinny and around 15% below the normalcy is seen, with respect to their weights. Anorexics follow this method and perceive it as a laborious technique.
They have no respect for themselves. These people view this as an achievement and fail to understand it as a disorder. A pessimistic attitude is common. They frequently weigh themselves, to note the slightest weight change. They establish rigid rules on their eating habits and count the calories before they eat for weight loss. Anorexic exercise on a regular basis, avoid food and always have a fear for food. Self-hatred and progression of suicidal tendencies are common. They have crisis about their feelings and are negative about their perception about their body shapes. Purgatives are used constantly and in course of time, the bowel muscles lose their function. Laxatives also contain rough chemicals that are resorbed and harm the body.Anorexics determine their body shapes to be distorted. They are perfectionists. Their cognitive abilities are decreased due to improper eating and the resulting malnourishment. A low sense of self-esteem is seen in anorexic individuals. They have raised action of chemicals in a particular part of the brain, which manages incentive and remuneration. Weight loss fails to bring any happiness to such people.

Dopamine is a chemical compound, associated with pleasure. Over activity of dopamine receptors in basal ganglia is the reason behind. Typical symptoms include fatigue, menstrual irregularities, refusal to eat, brittle skin, breathlessness and inclusion of low calorie foods. Medical risks involve tachycardia, osteoporosis, improper growth, bulimia and mineral loss. Support from parents and peers are essential. Psychiatrist therapy is helpful as an intervention program. Hospitalization in serious cases is essential, especially for those possessing suicidal tendencies.

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder, characterized by withdrawal from food and society.

In course of time, binge eating becomes habitual. No respect for the self is seen. Anorexia is a common eating problem encountered by adolescents. Anorexia involves sociological, neurological, psychological and physiological aspects. It is a complex disorder which exhibits different symptoms in different individuals and they refuse to eat with the family.

Starvation in anorexia is associated with ventricle enlargement of the brain. Decreased flow of blood to the temporal lobes is seen to occur. Clinical depression is common. They avoid eating heavy full meals and restrain from eating publicly. They have a reduced appetite.

Behavioral changes include suicidal tendencies and depression. Frequent weighing to ensure reduced weight is seen. Symptoms of anorexia include use of condiments, guilt feeling, postponement of meals, denial of hunger, establishing hard and fast rules related to food, reduction of food quantity and being deceptive about eating. Psychological symptoms includes apprehension about appearance and physique, dissatisfaction regarding the figure or negative body image, misconception about image, low self-respect, yearning for self change, pangs of depression, classifying foods as good and bad foods, exhibiting moodiness and depression, sensitive to criticism, not being flexible, depressive outlook and extremities in thinking. Social withdrawal, failing to attend social functions is common.Anorexia is an eating disorder and other symptoms include over exercising, repeated weighing, staying isolated, wearing loose clothes to hide the figure, intolerant to others, restraining from revealing illness and withdrawal from social gatherings. Hair loss, white body hair, yellowish palms, dry and pale skin, bloated stomach, weight loss and amenorrhea are also seen. They are mostly underweight. Starvation results in a series of complications. Tryptophan and steroid hormone metabolism is reduced due to starvation, thereby decreasing the serotonin levels.Constipation and discomfort in the abdomen is common, due to dieting. Organ damage, as a result of changes in enzyme configuration happens. Elimination process is disrupted due to the improper use of laxatives. Hypotension and bradycardia occurs. Renal function is profoundly inhibited by anorexia. Menstrual irregularities are seen, resulting in infertility. Liver functioning is not impaired. Bone density in women is affected.

Starvation also hinders with the functioning of the heart. Food absorption pace is affected. The chemical processes of life are also hindered. Laxative abuse results in a weak electrolyte balance. Anemia is a common symptom and lack of immunity, resulting in increased susceptibility to infections occurs. They are irritable and fail to interact. Lack of sleep leading to fatigue, malnutrition, brittle nails, erosion of dental enamel, lack of concentration are few more to contribute.

Compulsive Eating Disorder

Compulsive eating is seen in people, who eat in uncontrollable amounts when they are not hungry.
An individual who eats in excessive amounts, for a variety of reasons, is termed as a Compulsive eater. Binge eating or snacking through the day is a common phenomenon. Irrespective of their size and shape, they eat more. They are unable to stop this behavior and feel that they are uncontrollable. They are unable to analyze the reason behind this eating pattern.
Difficult, uncontrollable emotions and mental health are controlled by food. Day to day issues and emotional problems are overcome by eating. They do understand the existence of such a problem in them, but fail to identify the reason behind. The reasons attributed by compulsive eaters vary. Sorrow, guilt, fear, boredom, anger, depression, disappointment, and shame are the common ones.
Temporary relief to the problem is addressed by this technique. Excessive hunger is also a causative factor in increasing food intake. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa occur as a result of low self esteem. These individuals are ashamed of their actions and fail to eat publicly. The beginning years of eating paves way for compulsive overeating. Inability to cope up with problems and stress leads to compulsive overeating. Being fat also ahs a protective function, according to them. They are not harassed and sexually battered. Compulsive overeating is followed subsequently by weight gain. Male percentages of compulsive overeaters are greater, compared to individuals suffering from anorexia and bulimia. Dieting, followed by overeating results in a binge, and this in turn, results in guilt, frustration and shame. Emotional dissatisfaction can result in a series of dieting and bingeing, thereby yielding no results. Though this technique is camouflaged, it is a life-threatening problem. Medical, nutritional and psychiatric guidance is essential. Typical symptoms of compulsive overeating include, depression, social withdrawal, self depreciating, following irregular diet pattern, professional failure, complete focus on weight reduction, tormented by the eating pattern, binge eating, crash dieting and eating lesser quantities in public.
Medical complications involve embolism, arthritis, weight gain, sciatica, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, insomnia, breathlessness and finally lead to cardiac arrest. Dieting should be stopped, as it is difficult to recover later from the diet and binge cycle. Research reveals the lack of correlation between long term dieting and weight reduction. Intervention is slow and requires a lot of self-support. The inherent behavior takes a while to change, by analyzing the issue.

Eating Disorders in Athletes

Eating disorders in athletes is increasing, as the profession calls for thin people.
Gymnastics, dancing, synchronized swimming, and skating have individuals suffering from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Incidents reveal the fact, that eating disorders can be life threatening and lead to cardiac arrest and organ failure. Imbalance in electrolytes cardiac arrhythmias are the common offspring of eating disorders in athletes. The primary causative factor is the thought, that the performance is enhanced with a thinner body.
Arduous exercises and practices, puts a lot of stress and pressure on athletes. Body building is opted by weight loss. Laxatives for weight loss are a common feature in athletes, in addition to the use of diuretics. Knowledge about the consequences of these eating disorders is essential, as it helps them from refraining the athletes in activities, such as vomiting after meals, laxative abuse and so on.
Athletes are obsessed with the desire to reduce weight, in order to achieve success. Nutritionists play an important role in such cases, helping them with proper and healthy eating. Counselors have a significant role in helping them out. A positive outlook of the disorder is necessary for them to open up. Male athletes suffer more, as failures in competitions are unacceptable. Children in such field need special attention, to prevent further problems. Eating disorders is attributed to lack of respect for the self or denial of acceptance by the family. Anorexia nervosa is the result of excessive eating and vomiting induced at a later stage. Laxative or drug abuse also contributes to this condition. Bulimia nervosa is a condition involving bingeing and vomiting or purging, as a cyclic process. Oscillation of weight is seen, due to the hiding of food and eating them later. Supplements are taken to substitute for the unconsumed food or nutrients.
Non-indulgence in foods aggravates the condition. Compulsive eaters are those who eat to combat stress and emotions.Physical and mental health of athletes need an optimistic approach to protect themselves from such disorders, and help them achieve success, devoid of practices, like, laxative or drug abuse, use of diuretics and so on. Requirement of praise from the coach or instructor or achievement of a medal leads athletes to lose weight. Lack of knowledge or the spirits to win in athletes tempt them to opt such techniques to lose weight and move forward in life. Loss in a competition also leads to depression or anxiety, thereby causing weight loss.

Eating Disorders in Males

Eating disorders in males is similar to female eating disorder.
They also get anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Few of them engage themselves in bingeing and compulsive eating. Research reveals that males suffering from anorexia are in the ratio of 1:4 to females and 1:8 males suffer from bulimia nervosa, with respect to females. But, unlike females, males are devoid of guilt or anxiety after bingeing.
Males with eating disorders are unwilling to open up to psychiatrists or counselors. Anorexia is an eating disorder, associated with a perception of excessive weight. Bulimia nervosa is a cyclic process involving purging and bingeing. The risk of eating disorders in males is affected by excessive weight during childhood. Dieting in any phase of life is an essential aspect contributing to eating disorders.
Individuals in a field requiring thinness or body image, such as sports, modeling, athletes and acting force them to lose weight, thereby resulting in anorexia or bulimia. Research reveals that men in the gay community are more prone to eating disorders. Males undergo occupational hazards, such as those acting as models and actors and try to act as role models for other men, which force them to follow this, resulting in anorexia or bulimia nervosa. Dieting and eating disorders are associated with females. Males require special help in treating this disorder, and the outcome is beneficial. A physician and mental therapist are required. The latter is required to assess the psychological reason behind the problem. Media messages also play a crucial role in these eating disorders. The pace, at which the intervention begins, is critical in its treatment. Lack of treatment centers and their reluctance to attend female therapy centers is a hindrance in their treatment program. Problems in their personal lives or family is a primary cause in the occurrence of these disorders. The risk of men suffering from eating disorder, to suffer from drug abuse or alcoholism is greater. The anxiety for sex is greater in men, who suffer from anorexia or bulimia.
Studies also reveal the existence of correlation between Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders. Anxiety, multi-personality syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, stress, depression and others are the primordial reasons for anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Lack of self respect is the causative factor of eating disorders in both males and females. Non acceptance by family or peers and inability to cope with stress and emotions trigger anorexia or bulimia.

Pregnancy and Eating Disorders

Pregnancy and eating disorders might prove life threatening for the child.
Increased risk of complications and miscarriages are seen in the case of anorexic or bulimic individuals. Mother’s death or defective infants are also possible. Conception is difficult in the case of individuals suffering from menstrual irregularities, which is a common symptom of women with anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating. Limiting food intake is a characteristic feature of anorexic and this deprives the baby of all nourishments. Low birth weight and premature birth is associated with pregnant women with prior eating disorders. Cerebral palsy and low I.Q is seen in such children.
The risk of the baby to thrive is reduced by the first year. Still birth and caesarean delivery is possible. Eating disorders in pregnant women puts a lot of stress on the baby and the mother. Lack of supplementation of calcium during pregnancy depletes the mother of her calcium stores. Kidney, heart and liver problems are common among mother with eating disorders. Physical and emotional health of the pregnant mother is disturbed.
Depression is an offspring of eating disorder. Newborn care is reduced by mothers, suffering from postpartum depression. The stress of managing an infant is high. Treatment of the eating disorder, prior to conception is recommended, thereby protecting the child to-be-born. Providing a complete knowledge to the gynecologist, regarding the eating disorder, is helpful in further care. Pregnancy demands 300 additional calories and 60 grams of protein. Calcium recommendation is one gram per day and is essential for the fetus and the mother. 30 mg of iron per day is recommended during pregnancy, owing to the raise in the blood volume. Folic acid is essential for the formation of the major organs of the fetus and the prevention of neural tube defects in infants. Birth defects are seen in infants, with mothers suffering from anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating. The duration of the disorder affects the probability of conception. Pregnant women with eating disorders suffer from dehydration, deficiencies in vitamins, imbalance in electrolytes and malnutrition, thereby proving lethal to the growing infant. Cleft palate or cleft lips are common birth anomalies. Growth of the fetus is deferred. Respiratory suffocation and death is possible. Excessive use of laxatives by anorexics is harmful to the baby. They also deprive the infant of fluids and other essential nutrients, thereby leading to abnormalities in birth. Bulimics suffer from weight gain, increasing the risk of high blood pressure.
A pre-conception guidance from a gynecologist is necessary. Regular prenatal check-ups prove helpful. Healthy balance of weight is essential, during pregnancy. Normal weight gain helps and reduces the probability of complications. Counseling is essential to overcome depression. Both physical and emotional health is enhanced. A nutritionist’s help is beneficial in planning healthy diet plans. Seek the help of your friends and peers, especially after child birth. Guidance from a lactation consultant is necessary for breast feeding.

Eating Disorder Treatment

Eating disorder treatment encompasses a variety of procedures.
Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating affect an individual’s physical and mental health. Frequent worrying over weight gain is substituted by proper dietary regimen and exercise. Fanatical attitudes about food and physical image can also cause eating disorder, though low self respect is identified to be the primordial cause. Depriving the body of food at the required time, self induced vomiting or eating less are typical features of a person suffering from eating disorder. Intervention relies upon the cooperation rendered by the patient and the physician.
A multifaceted treatment schedule or therapy proves beneficial. A psychotherapist, physician and dietitians constitute the squad of experts required. Psychotherapy comprising of individual therapy is helpful, wherein an interpersonal relationship is established by the psychotherapist with the individual. All problems, such as lack of self confidence, low self respect, depression, negative body image and anxiety are addressed. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy highlights on the past of the individual.
Interpersonal therapy is opted for dealing with troubled relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy is used for focusing the correlation between thoughts and feelings. Individual counseling technique also helps. Eating disorders can be treated by support group, in the form of cooperative friends. Support groups enable individual’s visit at a convenient time on a regular basis. Experienced people showcase these support groups and not professionals. They are either past cases of eating disorder or had a close entity suffer from the same. Online support is also available. This involves, the exchange of problems through mails ad queries in relevant sites. Family therapy is another technique, wherein a close entity of the individual suffering from eating disorder, supports in the form of incentive and encouragement. Success of this technique, lies in the hands of the family member. Group therapy is a concept, wherein many individuals who suffer from this disorder get together to help each other for a specific period of time. Unattended eating disorders are harmful and life threatening. When healthy eating is concentrated upon, resulting in a proper weight gain, physical health is treated. Antidepressants, are regularly used in addition to other medications.
But, the patient requires the psychotherapy treatment for a wholesome cure. Nutrition consultant plays a vital role, as improvising the diet helps in hastening recovery. The myth and fears regarding food is identified. Nutrition education is one more important tool in understanding and rectifying this disorder. Alternative treatment goes hand in hand with the medical and psychological intervention, though it is not considered as the initial or crucial treatment process. It includes aromatherapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, meditation and acupuncture.

Older People and Eating Distress

Eating disorder is a common teenage problem.
But, research reveals the incidence in middle age and senescence. The body image attitude of women in the late 60s is the same as that of teenage girls. Some of them develop these disorders in their old age. The primary reasons or causative factors include sorrow, financial insecurity, depression and poor appetite due to dentures. Elders deny their appetite and put a ceiling on their eating pattern.
The self portrayal of body image is negative, meaning ‘thin’. They deny suffering from depression and having suicidal tendencies. Cardiac arrest and emaciation are common, leading to death. Though, bingeing and purging is not a characteristic phenomenon in elderly, laxative abuse, might contribute to weight loss. Disorders of appetite, malfunctioned taste and reduced olfactory sensitivity or the sense of smell results in decreased eating behavior. Physical and psychological distress results in eating disorders.
Dysguesia or reduced pleasure of eating is caused by zinc deficiency. Trauma in the form of death of the spouse or loved person, fatal disease or personal issues, such as divorce stimulates eating disorders. Lack of financial independence and insecurity from children also trigger the situation. Ageing results in shape distortion, due to menopause in women. Self confidence and self esteem decreases, due to absence of job and idle sitting. Ageing also results in bowel problems. The muscles of the rectum fail to function in a normal manner and the improper eating pattern also results in problems in bowel movement. Psychological problems such as loneliness void feeling, increased stress, reduced intimacy with the spouse, body dissatisfaction calls for immediate help. ‘Empty nest’ syndrome is common in senescence, wherein the responsibility of the parents towards children are completed, leaving them to themselves. This in turn, might result in drug addiction, excessive exercise, anxiety and depression in the older people. Intervention depends on the removal of the underlying problem. Treatment should commence as soon as the problem and the causative factor are identified. Physiological treatments, such as plastic surgery and others call for medical guidance, as the power to resist the pain and healing process is at a lower pace, as you age. Psychological moral support from existing family members in the form of siblings or children proves beneficial. Analysis of medications taken is essential, as certain medicines, result in weight loss.
Proper dentures are required for proper mastication and enjoyment. Underlying illnesses, if any, should be treated initially. Alcoholism, poverty, memory loss, antidepressants usage and lack of enthusiasm are related factors, calling for attention.

Bulimia

Bulimia nervosa is one of the eating disorders affecting the adolescents.
A cyclic process of bingeing followed by purging is a common symptom. Excessive intake is compensated by purging. This process is repeated on a weekly or daily basis. This is especially done to prevent weight gain. It is a psychological condition involving lack of control. Problems and issues of life are concealed by this improper eating disorder.
Extreme concern about body image and weight, depression, anxiety and others are the common causes. Purging involves laxative misuse, vomiting, excessive exercise, use of diuretics or enemas and medication abuse for weight loss. It stimulates some chemicals that aid in keeping the individual in high spirits. Dehydration and imbalance in electrolyte levels are common in bulimics. Bulimia is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘ravenous hunger’. Research reveals the correlation between low estrogen levels, high testosterone levels and bulimia.
It is a devastating, life threatening disorder, being an offspring of low self esteem. They hoard the food and eat at a period, when stressed or worried. Bulimics keep away from the society and refrain from eating in public. They are either normal, under weight or over weight. Rarely, the binge eating process is absent. Some bulimics are the purging type and the others are the non-purging type. The former kind of individuals practices usage of diuretics, tapeworms and enema. Laxatives for weight loss are also a method to reduce body weight. A combination of these methods is also possible. The second category is not a widespread type to reduce weight gain. Fasting and excessive exercising are typical features, following a binge.Bulimics suffer from a pessimistic attitude, resulting in a negative body image. It results in voice damage, low serum sodium, malnutrition, dental cavities, ulcer, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance. Swelling of the salivary gland is seen. Esophageal disruption is seen, resulting in inflammation. Muscle atrophy and face and cheek swelling occurs. Contradictory studies reveal the role of a chemical synthesized by the brain, in bulimia. Suicidal intentions arise, as a result of depression.As this disease goes unnoticeable, intervention occurs at a later phase. Hospitalization is essential in most cases.
The causative factor is identified for easy and effective treatment. Recurrence after discharge is possible. Psychiatric counseling proves beneficial. Cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy forms the base of treatment. Bulimia in schizophrenics worsens the situation, as they perceive concepts in a completely different manner. Anti-psychotics and anti-depressants are used, as a form of therapy.

Who are at Risks?

Compulsive eating is one among the various eating disorders and a form of food addiction.
Frequent periods of uncontrollable bingeing result in compulsive overeating. The pace at which they eat is rapid. Feelings of depression and guilt are high after food consumption. They are not on laxatives or enemas, but eat typically, when not hungry. All obese people are not compulsive eaters, but compulsive eating mostly results in weight increase.
When the primary technique of compulsive overeating is through bingeing, it is referred to as binge eating disorder and these eating disorders are common in teenagers. Lack of bingeing and rapid overeating is compulsive overeating. It is more commonly seen in females. They also experience a grazing behavior, wherein, they return many a times to pick up the same food. This results in a calorific rise, irrespective of the quantity.
Delayed treatments result in conditions, such as, cardiac disease, hypercholesterolemia, depression, diabetes and hypertension. Side effects staying for a long time are arthritis, degeneration of bone, stroke and renal issues. The pangs of hunger do not set in, in compulsive overeaters. Compulsive overeaters have a low self esteem. They lack respect and love for themselves. They eat in private, to avoid the embarrassment. They are preoccupied with the thoughts of weight loss, but contradictorily gain some. Mood swings, weight vacillation, knowledge of the improper eating pattern, social withdrawal, isolation, secretive eating behavior, breathlessness, loss of sexual desire, concept of friendship with food, history of failed diets, joint pain, perspiration and weight gain are the signs of a compulsive overeater. They are highly obese, though their intake in public is less. In course of time, compulsive overeaters, develop a fear of controlling their eating. Media and women being thin is analogous to the fact, that these compulsive eaters have a feeling of inferiority, as thin women are more preferred by men. This is also an underlying cause for compulsive overeating. They make self defeating statements, after food, as a result of their guilt. They hide food in a number of places, like cupboards, beds and suitcases. They blame the society for their not attending to the problem.
Fatigue and poor sleeping habits result in insomnia. Opting for promiscuous relations is seen to occur in compulsive eaters, as a result of sexual desire. Depression is a common offspring of eating disorders and calls for immediate physical, physiological and psychological treatment. Intervention requires a team of experts comprising of a psychotherapist, a physician and a dietitian. Combating depression is the greatest ordeal and anti depressants prove beneficial. Overcoming the feeling of void ness in life is necessary, as food remains their sole companion. The presence of a loving and cooperative kith and kin can be a hindrance in treatment, as these eaters fail to feel the necessity of losing weight, as they are accepted by everybody, irrespective of their weight.

Sport Nutrition

2008-01-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Nutrition requirements of sports persons are different than that of normal people.
In most cases nutrition of the sports persons depends on the type of sport they are involved in. each sport has uses different parts of the body and requires different levels of physical fitness and energy requirement. This is reason why sports nutrition is a science which requires proper study based on scientifically collected data.
Most of the sports persons have sports nutritionists who guide sports persons what are the immediate foods they should have after exercising as well as after their sports events. These foods generally are aimed at replenishing the lost energy to muscles.Most of the times the above are carbohydrate foods which are absorbed immediately by the body and the body can maintain its energy levels. Sports nutritionists are available to guide all sports persons to educate them regarding what they should eat so that they can enhance their performance as well as maintain require fitness level.
For people who train in muscle building and physical fitness, sports nutrition is readily available in the market, this nutrition addresses their requirement for daily dose of required nutrients so that they can build muscle power along with getting adequate amount of energy and strength.These sports nutrients have the power of nourishing and building muscle power with low fats and high calorie intake. These nutrients are available in the form of powders and bars. With powders you will require to mix these with water and drink after exercises and bars you can have them like any other chocolate bar. These are highly packed with nutrition.Since these products are mixed with nutrients, these might not be liked by all; therefore, the companies have also taken care to make these nutrients in different flavoring. So sports persons should not have any difficulty in drinking or eating these nutrients. Sports nutrition packs are made from several different types of raw materials like whey, oats, gram, etc. these materials provide nutrition as well as muscle building power. Sports nutrition packages are created by doctors’ consultation, several nutritionists decide compositions required by sports persons.Sports nutrition should include proteins, carbohydrates, iron, and vitamins. Not just that these should also include adequate fiber and other nutritional elements that are required for a healthy body.
Sports nutrition also includes eating proper balanced diet so that nutrients normally required by the body are provided to the body.

During Exercise

Consuming carbohydrates during an event helps to extend endurance performance in an athlete.
It is important to replace both fluids as well as carbohydrates for energy that sustain till the end and improves performance. This will largely depend on the type of exercise, intensity and duration.
Carbohydrates during exerciseCarbohydrate replacement is beneficial in both high intensity short duration exercises and events lasting for more than 1-2 hours.
But in the latter type which includes continuous long lasting events like swimming, running, cycling and other sport it is more important. Carbohydrate replacement during an activity will help to increase time and intensity an athlete and is able to carry out before feeling exhausted. Carbohydrates supplied during an exercise supplies additional fuel for the working muscles thus preventing fatigue and maintaining blood glucose levels.
Approximately 30-80 g of carbohydrates is recommended during an event to prevent blood glucose levels to drop and delay fatigue or 0.7 g/kg body weight per hour is recommended to extend endurance performance. This can be obtained from sport drinks, bananas or dried fruits. Some athletes may even prefer diluted fruit juices or suck on hard candies, animal crackers or energy bars that can be easily chewed and digested. Although mixtures of glucose and fructose may seem to be effective, glucose should be the primary fuel yielded from the carbohydrates consumed as fructose seems to be less effective and may cause diarrhea.
Fluid recommendationsEven partial dehydration tends to compromise a performance, thus it is necessary to drink enough fluid and maintain fluid balance. Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or in other words water consumption should be around 17 ounces two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event. Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 6-10 ounces of water or diluted sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising. For intense activity lasting longer than an hour, beverages containing carbohydrates in the concentration of 4-8 % are recommended.
Although plain water is considered appropriate for activities lasting less than an hour, 4-8% carbohydrate beverages are also suitable. It is important to replace the electrolytes lost in perspiration, 0.5-0.7 g/l of sodium is recommended for activity lasting longer than an hour. This will also help to increase the palatability of sports drinks and in turn increase fluid consumption. Athletes susceptible to hyponatremia also benefit from added sodium in the fluid replacement beverages. Adequate fluid consumption will also help the body to maintain temperature, blood circulation and proper muscle function.

Energy Levels for Athletes

When it comes to gaining energy for exercise several factors should be considered before planning a meal as it is the first nutrition priority for athletes.
For optimal athletic performance achieving energy balance is essential as it helps to maintain lean tissue mass, immune and reproductive function. Energy intake refers to energy gained in totality from food, fluids and supplement products and energy expenditure refers to the total energy expended in basal metabolism, thermal effect of food and any physical activity.
Energy intake should equal energy expenditure to achieve an energy balance. Any imbalance will interfere with the athlete’s performance.
High energy intake and low expenditure can lead excess weight gain and low energy intake and high energy expenditure can lead to loss of muscle mass, strength and endurance. In the latter situation fat and lean body mass are used as fuel for energy, moreover chronically low energy intake can precipitate many micronutrient deficiencies. The energy intake of an athlete would vary according to sex, age, body-size, fat-free mass, lifestyle, physical activity and type of sport a person is in. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women that are involved in light-moderate activity between the ages of 19-50 years are 2,900 and 2,200 respectively. The energy intake of an athlete is calculated on the basis of the intensity, duration and frequency of an exercise, also energy needed for normal daily activity and energy expenditure while performing an exercise are taken in to account. How much ever precise numeric energy intake guidelines are recommended, it is important to keep in mind to consume enough energy to maintain appropriate body weight and composition.
Low energy intakes are a strict no-no for athletes as they would not even feel deprived or over hungry with 10-20% lower energy intake but on the contrary lose weight. Emphasis in the diet should be laid on starch intake or complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and cereals; proteins in the form of fish, lean meat, eggs, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts, and fruits and vegetables for vital nutrients and fiber. Fat intake should not be decreased below 15% of the caloric intake and focus should be on quality fats. Saturated fats and trans fats can be substituted with more healthy fats like polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Healthy dietary changes should be inculcated in life for life time; one should keep in mind that short term diet would definitely fade off some day.

Dehydration with High Protein

DietsHigh protein diets are taken by athletes with the intension to increase the muscle mass in the body or lose weight.
But some are unknown with the fact that a high protein diet can cause silent dehydration in endurance athletes who are trained adapt greater degree of dehydration compared to an average individual. As the amount of proteins is increased in the diet it influences the hydration indices. Degree of hydration in the body is inversely proportional to the amount of protein consumed in the diet.
High-protein low carbohydrate diets followed for weight loss only work for few weeks, after which the lost weight is regained. High protein diets mainly emphasize on foods rich in proteins like eggs, meat, chicken, fish, most of which are also high in saturated fats. Also foods rich in carbohydrates are restricted like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and non fat milk products which provide other vital nutrients and fiber.
This can lead to nutritional deficiencies that are rarely for short period. A low carbohydrate diet can in turn cause loss of body fluid, incomplete fat burning and formation of ketone bodies. Follow a thumb rule - Higher the protein in the diet higher should be the water consumption.Kidney plays a very important role in filtering not only the toxins from the body but also regulating the blood pressure and the number of red blood cells in the body. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is one of the tests used to determine the kidney function. When high amount of proteins are consumed in an athletes diet, abnormal BUN levels are found in the tests. This can be explained as increased protein intake can caused nitrogen build up in the body. This nitrogen precipitates in the kidney in the form of urea that has to be eliminated from the blood via urine. This process leads to increased urination that may ultimately cause dehydration. High protein diets may have a negative impact on the kidneys posing a load on them to produce concentrated urine.
Moreover dehydration forces the kidneys to work harder to clean the waste materials from the blood. Thus whether you feel the desire to drink water or not, to is wise to increase the water intake with high protein diets to avoid dehydration. Even 2% decrease in body fluids can affect the performance of an athlete in an event and may also increase cardiovascular risks. Following a balanced diet along with regular exercise regime is the best way to stay fit and enhance performance of an athlete in an event.

Eating Guide for Vegetarian Athletes

Vegetarianism may be followed by some athletes due to various reasons.
An athlete can be vegan, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian or fruitarian. Vegetarian diet can be followed by an athlete for religious beliefs, ethical, economical or health reasons. Some female athletes may switch to a vegetarian diet with the aim of decreasing calories and weight that is required for some sports like gymnastics.
When an athlete becomes vegetarian his diet should be monitored carefully as occasionally this habit may develop in to an eating disorder. Although following vegetarian diets would not affect the performance of an athlete, proper planning of the diet in terms of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and other micronutrients should be done. Body weight and composition should be monitored to determine if energy needs are satisfied.
Protein intakes of vegetarian athletes are often complained to be low. Animal proteins are well digested than plant based protein even though the protein quality of vegetarian diet is adequate. To compensate this incomplete digestion a 10% increase in the protein intake is recommended, in other words 1.3 to 1.8 g protein per kg body weight is recommended for vegetarian athletes. Choose proteins wisely and emphasize on the good quality proteins. This could be achieved by including plenty of low-fat dairy products, eggs and protein rich plant sources like soy. Also extra care of micronutrients like vitamin 12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, zinc and riboflavin should be taken to avoid vitamin deficiency as these nutrients are particularly high in animal products. Even though iron intakes of a vegetarian athlete is similar or higher than the omnivorous, bio-availability of iron in plant based products is low (as heam iron present in animal sources is readily absorbed by the body), thus the iron stores in a vegetarian athlete are generally low. Moreover iron requirement is increased with increase in exercise, thus possibility of low iron stores in the body is high in vegetarian athletes, especially women. Iron levels should be monitored periodically to avoid low body stores and anemia in women athletes.
Include whole-grain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, rice flakes, lentils, figs and some dry fruits to get non-heam iron in the diet. Additional vitamin C should be consumed with non-heam iron to facilitate its absorption in the body. Animal products are the primary source for vitamin B12, which is one of the most common vitamins very low in the diets of vegetarian athletes. Vitamin B12 can be derived from eggs, yeast, fermented products, cheese, milk, yoghurt or vitamin B12 fortified cereals or soy milk.Registered dieticians specialized in sports nutrition are an important resource for vegetarian athletes. They can help them to plan a well balanced diet and avoid any nutritional deficiencies.

Hydration for Athletes

Maintaining an appropriate fluid balance is very important for optimal performance, as a performance in an event is often impaired with progressive dehydration.
Keeping oneself hydrated during an event is just not enough, before and after exercise hydration also plays an important role. Dehydration during an event can cause serious problems like heat stroke, head injury or even loss of coordination affecting the performance of an athlete. There are heavy water and electrolytes losses while performing an exercise via sweat and urine.
To replenish these losses becomes very important as our body can not synthesize or store water that is important for almost all body functions.
Fluids and electrolyte balanceEven partial dehydration tends to compromise a performance, thus it is necessary to drink enough fluid and maintain fluid balance. Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or in other words water consumption should be around 17 ounces two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event.
Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 6-10 ounces of water or diluted sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising. For intense activity lasting longer than an hour, beverages containing carbohydrates in the concentration of 4-8 % are recommended. Although plain water is considered appropriate for activities lasting less than an hour, 4-8% carbohydrate beverages are also suitable. It is important to replace the electrolytes lost in perspiration, 0.5-0.7 g/l of sodium is recommended for activity lasting longer than an hour. This will also help to increase the palatability of sports drinks and in turn increase fluid consumption. Hyponatremia occurs when large amounts of water are consumed that leads to comparatively low levels of sodium in the blood. Athletes susceptible to hyponatremia also benefit from added sodium in the fluid replacement beverages. Adequate fluid consumption will also help the body to maintain temperature, blood circulation and proper muscle function.
Some athletes may experience mild dehydration as the fluid intake post event is often forgotten. Adding sodium in the drink can be beneficial in 2 ways, maintains osmolarity and thus desire to drink and reduce diuresis that can occur when only plain water is ingested. Fluid consumption can be up to 150% of the weight lost during an exercise. Fluid and electrolyte disturbances in an athlete can precipitate in the form of dehydration, hypohydration or hyponatremia, all of which can pose a life threat in their most severe forms. Although athletes experience dehydration more often than hypo hydration or hyponatremia, the latter two are not uncommon.

What is hyponatremia?

Excessive amounts of plain water may disturb the fluid and electrolyte levels in the body leading to hyponatremia.
Overhydration when combined with prolonged endurance exercise can develop dangerously low sodium levels in the blood, less than 135 millimoles per liter (normal plasma sodium concentration is 136-142 millimoles per liter). Osmotic balance across the blood brain barrier is disturbed due to the continuous fall of sodium concentration leading to rapid entry of water into the brain. This can lead to serious list of complications like cerebral edema, serious neurological responses like seizures, confusion or coma and even death due to ruptured brain stem.
Decrease in serum sodium concentration is directly proportional to the speed and degree – more rapid and higher fall, higher the risk of severe consequences of hyponatremia.
Symptoms of hyponatremia Early symptoms of hyponatremia include headache, puffiness, muscle cramps, slurred speech, nausea and vomiting, these are experienced when plasma sodium levels fall below 130 millimoles per liter. With increased severity, sodium concentration below 125 millimoles per liter cerebral edema, altered mental status like confusion, disorientation, seizures, respiratory distress due to pulmonary edema, coma or even death can occur.
Sodium levels should be checked when an athlete complains acute symptoms of hyponatremia and the athlete should not be rehydrated even on claims of thirst as this might worsen the situation.
Causes of hyponatremia During a high intensity long duration exercise, sodium is lost in sweat. Moreover drinking too much water can cause water retention, further diluting the sodium levels in the body. Hyponatremia is primarily caused when the water intake exceeds the amount of sweat and urinary losses. It is very important to prevent hyponatremia as it is more often self-induced. Hyponatremia has no association with low sodium diet or any nutritional deficiency; it is purely due to excessive intake of water combined with high intensity long duration exercises.
Preventing hyponatremia It is prudent to avoid over consumption of fluids and have sports drink or other salty foods rather than just emphasizing on plain water.

-Salt intake can be increased several days prior to an event, provided you are not suffering from hypertension.
-To prevent loss of sodium before an event, an athlete should avoid overhydration.
Maintain a high degree of self-discipline and learn not to exceed water consumption more than the sweat loss.
-Follow a thumb rule for high intensity long duration exercises - 1 cup fluid for every 20 minutes.

Nutrition for Winter Athletes

Some athletes may get cold weather on their nerves but some might accept this change happily considering it as a change from exercising in summer’s heat.
Exercise should be done with the help of proper nutrition and layers of dry clothing to chase away the winter chills. Metabolism in the body is increased 7 to 10 times than the resting levels while performing an aerobic exercise that is a body temperature can be raised from 98.6° to 140° F. In summer this heat is dissipated as sweat but in winter this heat helps to keep the body temperature warm.
To generate this amount of heat in the body, fuel is required that is provided by the food. The way one fuels his body in cold will help to perform better and remain safe and comfortable in cold. Proper nutrition helps to fuel the muscle tissue and regulate the body core temperature that normally drops in winter.It is important to learn the basic cold weather exercise safety, avoid frostbite and hypothermia, and dress well for cold weather exercise.
Although water is not lost via sweat in winters, significant amounts of water is lost during respiration. It becomes important to humidify the cold air while breathing, in this process water is lost. Thus to avoid dehydration it is important for winter athletes to consciously increase the water consumption. Replacing fluids in winter becomes more important as the thirst mechanism is reduced in the cold weather causing decreased desire to drink water. Temperature of foods should be considered in winters, warm foods are prudent choice than cold foods. Although in summer cold foods are best (as they give a cool feeling and help during exercise) but in winters they can chill the body. A balanced meal with high carbohydrate intake is preferable in winters. To replace the carbohydrate stores that are used to keep the body warm and in exercising, it is important to eat continually to avoid fatigue or chills. Children are especially more prone to get fatigue and tired, thus keep handy foods ready like chocolate bars, energy bars, bananas, sandwiches, or trail mix.

Important points to keep in mind

-Avoid alcohol completely as it tends to dilate the blood vessels thereby increasing heat loss.
-Decrease caffeine consumption. Although a stimulant, it acts as a diuretic thereby further decreasing the water from the body.
-Drink plenty of water consciously.
-Eat warm or hot foods to stay warmer every 30-40 minutes (100-200 calories).
-Include foods high in complex carbohydrate.

Post Game Meal

After an event a post game meal or snack is often forgotten, but this meal plays importance in an athlete’s diet.
Carbohydrates that are stored in the body in the form of glycogen are depleted soon after an event. Human body has a limited capacity to store carbohydrates, after an activity the enzymes responsible for taking in fuel and storing it in liver and muscles are at their highest level within first 30-45 minutes. It is wise to take advantage of this period and have a nutritious post game meal.
1.5 g carbohydrate per kg body weigh at the interval of 2 hours is often recommended. For example when this amount is consumed immediately after exercise it increases the glycogen stores 6 hours post exercise compared to delayed ingestion of a post exercise meal for 2 hours. The composition and timing of a post exercise meal will largely depend on the duration, length and intensity of the exercise as this will determine the amount of glycogen depleted from the body.
For maximum benefits it is often recommended to feed 0.4 g carbohydrates per kg body weight every 15 minutes for 4 hours after a glycogen depleted state (remember this can lead to high energy load). However the time of carbohydrate intake does not affect the glycogen stores for an athlete who takes one or more days between intense training sessions. The recovery of muscle protein is also important, addition of protein along with sufficient carbohydrate in a post game meal will not only help to recover the muscle fibers but will also aid the storage of carbohydrates and promote a more anabolic hormonal profile. Carbohydrate to protein ratio is also of importance, a commonly recognized ratio is of 3:1 respectively, in other words 75 g of carbohydrates and 25 g protein from a post game meal will help an athlete to recover after an event. Glucose and sucrose have almost similar effects when consumed at the rate of 1.5 g per kg body weight for 2 hours, but fructose is less effective. 24 hours after an exercise, muscle glycogen stores are higher when high glycemic index foods are consumed than compared to low glycemic index foods. However the emphasis should be laid on an overall healthy post game meal for an athlete. Some athletes may experience mild dehydration as the fluid intake post event is often forgotten. Adding sodium in the drink can be beneficial in 2 ways, maintains osmolarity and thus desire to drink and reduce diuresis that can occur when only plain water is ingested.
Fluid consumption can be up to 150% of the weight lost during an exercise.

Pre Game Meal

A diet you consume several days before an event will affect your performance.
A pre-game meal is one of the most important meals for both endurance and power athletes that will determine whether or not an athlete will achieve his maximum potential during an event. A per-game meal allows an athlete to achieve increased muscle strength, better endurance and increased energy to perform their best. During an event the body primarily relies on the pre-existing glycogen and fat stores.
This can be achieved if a pre-game meal is consumed at proper time. A pre-game meal will help to load the body with glycogen stores and maximize strength and energy that will help optimize performance.
Carbohydrate loading – carbohydrate is the main fuel used as a source for energy during an exercise. It is important to reserve adequate carbohydrate stores in the body for an event. For this, first exercise to exhaustion should be done to deplete the carbohydrate stores from the right muscles that will be used in the event. Follow this by eating a carbohydrate rich diet (60-70% of the energy should be gained from carbohydrates) and combine this with depletion exercise 3 days before an event. Now these muscles which are loaded with used glycogen will be available for longer periods of time during an event. This process gives the right kind of energy and fiber from carbohydrates for workouts and saves amino acids for muscle building and recovery.
Following points should be kept in mind while planning a per-game meal

-Timing of a meal can make a difference, for exercise longer than 30 minutes, a per-workout snack one hour before the event or practice can be beneficial.
-Eat a meal 2-4 hours before an event this will give the body time to digest and also include good quality protein for staying in power.
-Liquid meals are emptied from the stomach more rapidly, so eating them prior to workout would help as they will provide energy as well as hydration to the body.
-Choose simple carbohydrates before an event as they are easily digested and will provide instant energy without causing any gastrointestinal distress.
-It is important to replace the fluids lost through perspiration during an exercise.
Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or around 17 ounces of fluid intake two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event. Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 3-6 ounce of water or sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising.
-An athlete’s metabolism is generally higher than a normal individual, so use fluids with high simple sugar content with caution to avoid sudden drop and maintain blood glucose levels. A per-game meal should never be under rated as it is a very important component that will determine an athlete’s power and performance in an event.

Suggestions for Food Intake for Athletes

In order to have an optimal health and performance it is important for athletes to eat well and keep themselves hydrated.
The type of foods athletes consume has a lot of influence on the way they practice and compete. Good nutrition is required for strong body to build muscle mass and to store energy for endurance activities. In the process of gaining optimal workout and recovery, often many athletes give less time and attention to eat nutrient rich food cleverly.
Eating a balanced meal should be emphasized to gain sufficient energy and a wide range of vitamins and minerals and other important chemicals like phytochemicals occurring naturally in foods. Fad diets are becoming increasingly popular, but one should keep in mind that these often restrict consumption of certain foods and is not for life time. So try to include all the food groups in your diet in a balanced form to avoid any nutritional deficiencies and follow them regularly.
Following are some suggestions for food intake for athletes which would help them to make wiser choices.

-Carbohydrates should form the basis of energy; 55-60% of energy should be derived from carbohydrates. Include whole grains, cereals, fiber rich cereals, brown rice, whole wheat and its products, whole meal pastas and breads in your diet.
-Have at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Select a wide range so that they suffice the nutritional needs of vitamins, minerals and fiber in the diet. Fruits are healthy choices and makes excellent snacks especially in between training sessions. Make a meal appealing by including different colored vegetables, include salads in the meals and load your sandwiches with different vegetables.
-Include healthy proteins in the diet in the form of eggs, milk, lean meats, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts. 12-15% energy should be gained from proteins. Calcium intake is necessary along with vitamin D and phosphorus to maintain healthy bones of an athlete.
-Fat consumption should not exceed beyond 20-25% of the total calories. Often when athlete’s fat consumption is increased they tend to gain weight with less lean muscle mass and compromised immune function that ultimately interferes with their performance. Reduce fat consumption and focus on healthy fats; replace saturated fats and trans fats with healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Avoid fatty, oily foods, meat or chicken loaded with fat.
-Keep yourself hydrated as it is very important to replenish the water lost during an exercise. Sports drinks rich in simple carbohydrates can be selected to keep the carbohydrates in the body leveled. Have a balanced meal and include variety of foods in the diet, this will eliminate the need of taking any extra vitamins and minerals in the form of food supplements.

The Training Diet

To get categorized as an elite athlete not only requires good genes or good training and conditioning, but also requires the foundation of a balanced nutritional diet.
A good nutrition plays a very important role in optimizing and enhancing an athlete’s performance. A balanced training diet is required daily, and not just one or two days before an event. Along with other factors like age, sex and built the daily energy recommendations for a healthy individual are based on the activity level of a person.
As athletes are involved in extensive physical activity, they require additional energy to fuel the physical activity. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women that are involved in light-moderate activity between the ages of 19-50 years are 2,900 and 2,200 respectively.A diet should comprise 60-70% of carbohydrates which includes whole cereals, whole wheat and wheat products, pastas, breads, rice, fruits and vegetables. Consume at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
The intake of refined flour and sugars should be minimal. To stay energized and perform at your best use a carbohydrate strategy. High protein foods in the form of eggs, milk, lean meats, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts are required by the body to build new tissues and perform other functions. Proteins should comprise 12-15% of the total caloric intake. Fats should comprise not more than 20-25% of the total calories. Including too much fat is associated with extra weight gain, heart diseases, cancer and more importantly not getting enough carbohydrates in the diet leading to poor performance. The need of vitamins and mineral and other nutrients will depend on the energy levels, the need would increase in high caloric diet and decrease in a moderate-low calorie diet. The main fundamental difference between a healthy individual’s diet and an athlete diet is the requirement of additional fluids. Fluid loss is extensive in athletes in the form of sweat and urine, to replace these fluids and avoid dehydration it is important to maintain a normal fluid and electrolyte balance.
The timing of meals and snacks are important in an athlete’s diet and are largely individualized according to the intensity, duration, frequency of a work out and his gastrointestinal conditions. Besides these lifelong healthy dietary habits, it is very important to consume appropriate meals and fluid before, during and after exercise. Fad diets are becoming increasingly popular, but one should keep in mind that these often restrict consumption of certain foods and is not for life time. So try to include all the food groups in your diet in a balanced form to avoid any nutritional deficiencies.

Vitamins and Minerals for Athletes

Vitamins and minerals requirement would largely depend on the daily caloric intake and exercise levels of an athlete.
These micronutrients play vital roles in the body like involved in hemoglobin synthesis (iron, folate, and vitamin B12), energy production (thiamin, riboflavin and niacin), maintaining adequate immune function, bone health and protection of body tissues by scavenging the free radicals and preventing oxidative damage (antioxidant vitamins like vitamin A, E, C, beta carotene, selenium, zinc and glutathione). Stress caused due to exercise may interfere with many metabolic pathways in which these micronutrients are involved. The turnover of the micronutrients is also increased due to exercise leading to the losses of vitamins and minerals from the body.
Thus the need of vitamins and minerals would be higher for an athlete involved in strenuous exercise.Foods rich in carbohydrates and proteins when consumed suffice the current Recommended Dietary Allowances for all the vitamins and minerals. However when athletes who restrict energy intake for weight loss are at greater risk for micronutrient deficiencies and might require multivitamin and mineral supplements. But this practice is discouraged unless a genuine medical or nutritional health reason is present.
Unlike fat soluble vitamins, water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. Riboflavin, calcium, iron and zinc are the common vitamins and minerals found low in the diets of female athletes. This can be attributed to avoidance of non-vegetarian diet, dairy products and restricting caloric intake. As female athletes are also more prone to low mineral density, stress fractures and menstrual dysfunction, calcium intake along with vitamin D and phosphorus becomes utmost important. Poor energy intake is also associated with high incidence of iron depletion from the body. Female athletes involved in high intensity and duration exercise should be screened periodically to check the iron status in the body. Often amenorrhea is present in female athletes to preserve the body iron stores. Chronic low iron levels will ultimately lead to low-iron stores, low-iron transport in the body and then anemia. To avoid this situation it is better to consume iron rich foods before iron depletion state is developed.
Some athletes may experience a transient depletion of serum ferritin with initiation of a training program; this can be explained due to increase in the plasma volume causing hemodilution. This effect however does not appear to affect performance. 70 % zinc is mainly derived from animal proteins and approximately 81 % women and 90 % men have zinc deficiency. It is wise to assess zinc levels in diets of the athletes as it plays important role in building and repair of muscle tissue and energy production.

Weight Change in Athletes

To meet demands of a sport, it is common for an athlete to lose or gain weight.
Irrespective of the reason, this weight change should be gradual and should be accomplished at the beginning of the season or off season before an event as weight and body composition are the two major factors that influence the performance of an athlete. By incorporating additional energy in the diet in combination with strength training (to promote growth of desired muscle mass) weight gain can be accomplished. But this will largely depend on an athlete’s genetic makeup and his dedication and inclination to do so.
Weight gain would also depend on degree of positive energy balance, type of exercise done in a training program and number of rest and recovery days per week. Weight loss however should be done only when necessary under the guidance of a registered dietician trained in the field of sports nutrition, as decreased energy intake can compromise nutrient intakes and hinder performance with decrease with both muscle mass and body fat. If weight loss is necessary, it should be done slowly, approximately 1-2 lbs pre week and no fad diets should be followed.
The aim should be to maintain healthful body weight that is based on genetic, social, sport, physiologic and psychological factors. A realistic goal should be set keeping in mind that a healthful weigh should be maintained with minimum risks of illness and injuries and allows positive advances in sport performance. Weight loss and weight gain should be done carefully as a failure might result in boycott from the team, restricted participation or elimination from the competition. These changes will affect the athletes psychologically and might result in chronic dieting or binging to lose or gain weight. This can ultimately lead to eating disorders, other health consequences and low nutrient profile in an athlete. This cycle is primarily due to the pressure on athletes to achieve a weight goal. Especially weight loss can be problematic in female athletes than male counterparts because of the small stature and lower energy needs. Hormonal changes are reported in females who have low energy intake and high energy output. There are alteration in the secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone (pituitary gonadotropins) that leads to changes in the secretion of ovarian hormones causing amenorrhea.
This in turn leads to loss of bone mass in young female athletes. Energy availability to maintain the vital body functions is decreased and this negative energy balance due to chronic dieting with heavy exercise leads to ‘energy drain’ which affects the health and performance of an athlete. Having a balanced diet will suffice the nutritional and energy need of an athlete and help then to improve the over all nutritional and reproductive function.

Artificial Sweetener Substitutes

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Substitute for SugarArtificial sweetener or sugar substitutes are chemicals that are calorie free but provide the sweetness of sugar.
It is basically a food additive used in various products that attempts to duplicate the effects of sugar. They are many times sweeter than sugar, thus a small quantity is enough to equate large quantities of sugar. Unlike sugar some of the artificial sweeteners may have an unpleasant after taste.
Sugar is a favorite and most overused substance world wide. But sugar provides calories and excess sugar consumption is related to many health problems like obesity and anxiety. It is important to satisfy the sweet tooth, but this can be done by replacing sugar with artificial sugar substitutes.
People with diabetes mellitus have difficulty in metabolizing sugar in blood. An artificial sweetener is a wise choice for them as they can enjoy the sweet taste of the food without leaving any sugar in the blood to metabolize. As artificial sweeteners provide zero calories it is used by many individuals to have control over their weight or used as a part of weight loss plan. Sugar substitutes are not fermented by the micro flora of the dental plaque and thus are non-carriogenic. Five low calorie sweeteners are approved by Food and Drug Administration and have established an ‘acceptable daily intake’ (ADI) for each sweetener to avoid its abuse. These sweeteners can be used in a variety of food products and the ADI depicts the maximum amount that is considered safe to consume each day for life time.

-Aspartame – 50 mg per kg body weight
-Saccharin – 5 mg per kg body weight
-Acesulfame K – 15 mg per kg body weight
-Sucralose – 5 mg per kg body weight
-Neotame – 18 mg a day

Except aspartame all artificial sugars are heat stable and can be used for baking or cooking purposes. Lead acetate is an artificial sugar substitute made from lead which was used extensively in the past. But habitual consumption of this sweetener eventually may lead to lead poisoning.
There are various studies conducted to assess the safety of artificial sweeteners due to the concerns of it being carcinogenic and causing other health problems. But all the studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe to use for healthy population. However people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should use aspartame with caution as they can not metabolize it. One should keep in mind that a sugar free product does not mean a caloric free product. Artificial sugar substitutes can be used over sugar confidently as it has many other benefits, but should be used sensibly for instance it is a good idea to replace diet soda with normal soda but that should not be the only beverage in a persons diet.

What is aspartame?

Aspartame is a non saccharine artificial sweetener available on the shelf of the supermarkets with the trade name as Equal, NutraSweet or Canderel.
It is used as an ingredient in more than 6,000 reduced calorie foods and beverages sold in the world. It is commonly used as a sugar substitute or table condiment, in diet soft drinks, sugar free chewing gums and even available as chewable vitamin supplements. Aspartame is not heat stable as it often loses its sweetness and breaks down when heat is applied, thus not suitable for cooking or baking.
This effect can be masked by combining aspartame with other high intensity sweeteners. The additive code or E number for aspartame is E951. Aspartame is basically composed of two amino acids namely aspartic acid and phenylalanine, as the methyl ester.
These amino acids are naturally found in various protein containing foods. Aspartame does not accumulate in the body and on digestion it breaks down in to aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol.Aspartame is a low calorie sweetener and 180-200 times sweeter than sugar. Although it provides 4 calories per gram, the amount required to produce the sweetness is very low making its caloric distribution negligible in a food product. This unique property of aspartame makes it a very popular sweetener and a sugar substitute especially for ones who are trying to avoid calories from sugar. Some people find the taste of aspartame unpleasant as unlike sugar the sweetness of aspartame has a slower onset and stays for a longer duration. Aspartame is used to intensify and extend fruit flavors in foods and beverages for example oranges and cherries. Aspartame does not affect the blood sugar and insulin levels, thus can be safely consumed by diabetics. Aspartame is also tooth friendly as it is resistant to fermentation by the oral micro flora and does not cause dental plaques or tooth cavities. People suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU - a rare inherited disease) should avoid aspartame as the phenylalanine (an essential amino acid) in aspartame cannot be metabolized by them causing a health hazard.
Thus it is mandatory in United States to write ‘Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine’ on the product labels containing aspartame. Although studies have proved that aspartame is safe when consumed in the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and does not have any adverse health effect, this is been a subject of controversy. Some studies have also recommended studying the aspartame side effects and its association with conditions like headaches, brain lesions, brain tumors and lymphoma.

Acesulfame Potassium

Acesulfame potassium commonly referred as acesulfame K is a high intensity artificial sweetener available in the supermarkets with the trade name of Nutrinova, Sweet one and Sunett.
It is similar to aspartame in sweetness that is around 200 times sweeter than table sugar or sucrose. When used in high concentrations, like saccharin it has a slight bitter after taste. It is usually blended with other sweeteners to mask this quality, to give a synergistic effect and to give a more sugar like taste to the product.
Acesulfame K can be effectively used for cooking or baking purpose as it is heat stable and also stable in mild acidic or basic conditions. The good taste, solubility and stability of this compound make it suitable for various products in the market. Acesulfame K is used as an artificial sweetener or food addictive in many food and beverages to reduce the calories from sugar and the food additive code or E number for acesulfame K is E950.
It is used as a table top sweetener, in puddings, desserts, baked goods, soft drinks, carbonated beverages, sodas, canned foods, soft candies, hard candies, dairy products, low calorie chewing gums, mints, cough drops and lozenges. It is also a popular compound in protein powders used by body builder and athletes. Acesulfame K helps to reduce calories thus it is beneficial for people on low carbohydrate diets or for weight loss. But one should keep in mind that sugar free does not mean calorie free. People with diabetes can safely include acesulfame K in their diet as studies have shown that it does not have effects on blood glucose and insulin levels or on cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Acesulfame K is non carriogenic and is not associated with dental plaques or dental carries. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) for acesulfame has been established by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of 15 mg per kg body weight. There is always a hunt for low calorie sweet tasting products as the general population is becoming more health conscious and not every one wants to gain the excess pounds. There is a common health concern with acesulfame K and other artificial sweeteners regarding their safety.
Although the Food and Drug Administration has permitted acesulfame K for use as general purpose sweetening agent (expect stevia that is used as a dietary supplement), some critics say that this compound should be studied properly as it may prove carcinogenic.

Cyclamate

Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener discovered by accident in 1937.
It was first used by Abbot to mask the bitterness of some drugs. It was designated as ‘generally recognized as safe’ in U.S. in 1958. Cyclamate is approximately 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose; some individual may feel an unpleasant after taste after its consumption.
For this reason to have a synergistic effect in a product and mask the after taste it is often combined with other artificial sweeteners. For example cyclamate when combined with saccharin in 10:1 proportion gives a sugar like taste and masks the off taste of both the sweeteners. Cyclamate can be a sodium salt or calcium salt of cyclamic acid, both the forms of cyclamate are soluble and heat stable. Cyclamate is used as an artificial sweetener in various foods, as a beverage sweetener, in diet beverages, table sweeteners and other low calorie foods. Cyclamate also makes a good flavoring agent for many toiletries and pharmaceutical preparations.
Cyclamate like other artificial sweeteners can be used by people who are on weight loss diet or low-carbohydrate diet. It is also safe for people with diabetes or hyperglycemia as it does not affect the blood glucose or insulin levels. Also it has no effects on serum triglycerides and cholesterol. Cyclamate is tooth friendly and is not associated with dental plaque and dental carries. Cyclamate is associated with many health related controversies. One study published in 1966 claimed that cyclamate can produce clyclohexylamine by some intestinal bacteria and this compound is suspected to have some toxic effects in animals and even testicular atrophy in mice. Another study published in 1969 claimed that cyclamate when combined with saccharin in the proportion of 10:1 may increase the incidence of bladder cancer in rats. Due to these controversies and bladder cancer cause of cyclamate, its sale was banned in United States and United Kingdom by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Abbot however tried to lift the ban on cyclamate but eventually the petition was denied by FDA in 1980. Many studies have proved that cyclamate does not have carcinogenic effects and is non-mutagenic. But FDA have denied repeated petition and its request to get approved is still pending. Cyclamate has been studied and approved its used as an artificial sweetener in more than 55 countries under the brand name Assugrin, Sweet’N Low, Sucaryl, and Sugar Twin.
However cyclamate is still been restricted in some countries despite the researches proving its safety. A favorable decision by the FDA on the recent petition can meet the consumer demand by supplying more variety of artificial sweeteners.

Isomalt

Isomalt is a type of sugar alcohol having sugar like properties and provides half the calories of that of sugar.
Isomalt was discovered in 1960s, it is a white, odorless, and crystalline sweetener made from sucrose and has a physical appearance similar to sucrose. Isomalt is made in a two-step process from sucrose. The first step involves enzymatic rearrangement between the links of glucose and fructose in sucrose.
The second step involves addition of two hydrogen atoms to the oxygen atom in fructose portion of sucrose. In this way half of the fructose is converted to mannitol and half of it is converted to sorbitol resulting in two different disaccharide alcohols that is gluco -mannitol and gluco-sorbitol. These molecular changes are responsible for making isomalt more chemically and enzymatically stable than sucrose.
Isomalt stability is used effectively in more than 70 countries worldwide in various foods and beverages like toffees, chocolates, chewing gums, hard and soft candies, nutritional supplements, baked foods, cough drops and lozenges in place of sugar. Isomalt is heat stable and thus can be used in the products that require cooking methods like baking or boiling. In fact DiabetiSweet is a product available in the market containing isomalt in combination with acesulfame K which is sold for baking purpose. It also helps to increase the shelf life of the product and is not involved in the process of browning or caramelizing, it is non hygroscopic and thus can not absorb water nor make a product sticky. Isomalt is used as a flavor enhancer and dissolves gradually in mouth with no significant after taste. Isomalt is often used with other high intensity sweetener to give a synergistic flavor and a sugar like taste. Products where isomalt is used as a sweetener provides low calorie and are ideal for people following a weight loss diet or a low carbohydrate diet. Like other polyols it is partially digested in the gut, thus have a minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. It provides only 2 calories per gram this is because of the fact that it has a stable structure which is not easily hydrolyzed by the intestinal enzymes. It can be safely used as a sugar substitute for people with diabetes.
It is also non carriogenic and is tooth-friendly as it is not associated with dental plaques or dental carries; in fact it helps to repair dental carries lesions. Food and Drug Administration has allowed the manufacturers to mention ‘Does not promote dental carries’ on sugar free isomalt containing products. However like other sugar alcohols, isomalt when taken in high concentrations can cause mild gastric problems like flatulence or gas and mild diarrhea.

Lead Acetate

Lead acetate is a chemical compound with a sweet taste.
It is derived by treating lead oxide (PbO) with acetic acid. The resultant red oxide is very toxic like other lead products. Lead acetate is often used printing and dying agent in textile industries, a drier in paints and varnishes and a reagent to make other lead compounds.
It is easily soluble in water and glycerin and is a principle active component in the hair coloring dyes (progressive type) when used in low concentrations. Lead acetate is also known as lead of sugar, lead diacetate, salt of Saturn, plumbous acetate and Goulard’s powder after the name of Thomas Goulard. Historically lead acetate was been used as an aphrodisiac because of the sweet taste it exhibits.
The Romans used to boil grape juice in lead pots, as they had limited sweetening options besides honey. This grape juice boiled in lead pots produced a reduced sugar called defrutum which is concentrated again to sapa. This sugar was in turn used as a sweetener or sugar substitute in wine and to preserve and sweeten fruits. Lead acetate or any of its compounds might possibly leach from this sugar syrup and causing lead poisoning to any one consuming these products with this sweet syrup used as a sweetener. It is believed that Pope Clement II who died in October 1047 was poisoned with lead sugar. Although the toxicology examinations confirms these old rumors, this issue is still not clear if it was lead poisoning that killed the Pope as in those times lead sugar was used as a cure for venereal diseases. Albert Christoph Dies in 1971 swallowed ¾ of an ounce of lead sugar by mistake. Although he recovered from its toxicity (slow and incomplete recovery), he lived with illness until 1822. In Panama, Mary Seacole tropically applied it among other remedies against an epidemic of cholera.
Because of its recognized toxicity, lead acetate is not used anymore as an aphrodisiac. Through out history leas acetate and white acetate have been used in cosmetics. Although in western countries this practice has ceased, it is still used in men’s hair coloring products. Sugar of lead is used as a treatment for poison ivy. Hydrogen sulphide a poisonous gas can be detected with the help of lead acetate paper. A grey precipitate of lead II sulphide is formed on the moistened paper when hydrogen sulphide gas reacts with lead II acetate. It has been reported that like other lead salts lead II acetate can pass the embryo through the placental barrier leading to fetal mortality.

Saccharin

The oldest artificial sweetener saccharin was discovered by accident by Ira Remsen and Constantin Fahlberg in 1879 at Johns Hopkins University.
Saccharin is approximately 300 times sweet as sucrose and is heat stable. However it has a metallic or bitter after taste that is unpleasing for many individuals. Saccharin is often blended with other high intensity artificial sweeteners to mask the off taste and give sweetness similar to sugar. For example cyclamate is often combined with saccharine in the ratio of 10:1 to compensate for each sugar’s weakness and give a synergistic effect to the product.
The food addictive code or E number allotted to saccharine is E954. Saccharine is stable to acidic and alkaline medium and helps to increase the shelf life of a product as it does not react chemically with other food ingredients. Due to these properties saccharin forms the base for many low calorie sugar free products worldwide. It is widely used as a sugar substitute in baked goods, chewing gums, hard candies, soft candies, canned fruits, dessert toppings, table sweetener, salad dressings and even saccharin toothpaste.
The most popular brand of saccharin available in supermarkets is Sweet’N Low. Saccharine has effectively no food energy and passes the digestive system without being digested and absorbed. Thus saccharine is very important discovery for diabetics as it does not affect blood sugar or insulin levels. People with diabetes can have a wider choice of food to consume and can satisfy their sweet tooth with the help of saccharin based products. Saccharine is tooth-friendly and does not promote tooth decay or dental carries as it is not easily hydrolyzed by the bacteria in the oral cavity. The amount of saccharine required to sweeten a product is very low and thus can be considered calorie free as it does not provide any calories. It can be effectively used by people on low carbohydrate diet or weight loss diet. Saccharine became popular during World War I due to the shortage of sugar in that period. This wide spread use of saccharin continued through out World War II. Saccharin has been studied for its safety since many years. Some studies suggested that saccharin can be carcinogenic when used in high amounts and can increase the rate of bladder cancer in rats. But it was later proved that these effects were due to very large amount of saccharin were given to test subject rats.
These doses were more than hundred times higher than the normal recommended daily doses by humans. After this saccharine safety has been studied largely, but no study proved saccharin relation with any health risks including cancer.

What is Sucralose?

Sucralose is a low caloric artificial sweetener that has a taste like sugar because it is made from sugar.
It is available under the trade name Splenda in the markets. Sucralose is around 320-1000 times sweeter than sugar and can be used as a table sweetener. It is the most heat stable artificial sweetener used in variety of products like desserts, beverages, canned fruits, baked goods, dairy products or syrups and condiments.
It is also stable to a broad range of pH conditions and is used in more than 4,000 food products as a sweetener and the products maintain the sweetness throughout their shelf life even after baking or cooking. The addictive code or the E number used for sucralose is E955. In the processing of sucralose, sugar molecules undergo a patented, multi-step process that selectively substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups. This creates a molecular structure that is exceptionally stable.
Chlorine in sucralose may raise questions for some. But chlorine is present in the form of chloride that is an element naturally found in many foods and beverages like natural water, tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, peanut butter, melons and table salt. Sucralose can be consumed in a variety of products without the concern of extra calories from sugar. Sucralose is essentially an inert molecule, doesn’t have any harmful effects and is absolutely safe even if taken on regular basis for life time. Sucralose can be safely consumed by all people without any harmful effects including pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, children and people with diabetes. Our body doesn’t recognize sucralose as a carbohydrate although it is made from sugar and thus is not broken down in the body for calories. Sucralose molecule is not digested in the gastrointestinal tract and is eliminated from the body via feces and urine, unchanged. Although products made from sucralose may contain calories, but sucralose is a calorie free and thus provides no calories. Hence it is used as a sweetener to replace sugar in various products and in turn decrease the total (especially empty calories) calories of the food product.More than 100 scientific studies conducted over 20 years prove the safety of sucralose in various fields.
All studies clearly demonstrate its safety and ensures that it is non carcinogenic. Sucralose is permitted for use in more than 60 countries as many regulatory bodies have declared that it safe. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of sucralose is 9 mg per kg body weight.

Natural Sugar Substitutes

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Life of a person should be full of sweetness, natural sweetness.

Nature has offered a lot of choice for this. Sugar is a favorite and most overused substance world wide. But sugar provides calories and excess sugar consumption is related to many health problems like obesity and anxiety.

It is important to satisfy the sweet tooth, but this can be done by replacing sugar with natural sugar substitutes. Natural sugar substitutes are the ones found naturally in fruits and vegetables or derived by processing the sugar molecule itself. These include brazzein, xylitol, fructose, glycerol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, glycyrrhizin, lactitol, mabinlin, miraculin, monellin, pentadin, tagatose and thaumatin.

Natural sugar substitutes or natural sweetener provides some amount of calories depending on the sweetener.

-Stevia with fruit ogiliosaccharides (FOS) – Stevia is a sweet herb available in powder and liquid form.
-Xylitol is a low glycemic sugar and can be used for baking and sweetening beverages. Like sugar, it does not cause yeast over growth or blood sugar imbalances.
-Single blossom honey – it is low glycemic but high in calories and carbohydrates so should be used wisely.
-Fructose – is a low glycemic sugar found naturally in fruits, it is required in less amounts as it is sweeter than sugar.
-Sucrose – is a medium glycemic sugar, should be avoided in large amounts.

Artificial sweetener or sugar substitute is calorie free but provide the sweetness of sugar. They are many times sweeter than sugar, thus a small quantity is enough to equate large quantities of sugar. People with diabetes mellitus have difficulty in metabolizing sugar in blood. Natural or an artificial sweetener is a wise choice for them as they can enjoy the sweet taste of the food without leaving any sugar in the blood to metabolize. As artificial sweeteners provide zero calories it is used by many individuals to have control over their weight or used as a part of weight loss plan.

Sugar substitutes are not fermented by the micro flora of the dental plaque and thus are non-carriogenic. There are various studies conducted to assess the safety of artificial sweeteners due to the concerns of it being carcinogenic and causing other health problems. But all the studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe to use for healthy population. However people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should use aspartame with caution as they can not metabolize it. One should keep in mind that a sugar free product does not mean a caloric free product. Natural sugar substitutes can be used over sugar confidently as it has many other benefits, but should be used sensibly with restrain.

Brazzein

Brazzein is a natural sugar substitute isolated form the plant Pentadiplandra brazzeanafrom West Africa. This plant was discovered by Marcel and Anette Hladik in 1985 while studying the eating pattern of apes in Gabon. The fruit of this plant is 500x-1000x sweeter than sucrose and was traditionally consumed by apes and people of Gabon for many years. These people called the fruit ‘L'oublie’ which means ‘to forget’ in french, as it was believed that this fruit is so sweet, after eating you tend to forget everything. Most of the sugar substitutes are carbohydrates, but unlike those brazzein is a naturally occurring protein based potential economic sweetener.

In fact brazzein is the smallest and the sweetest molecule of protein discovered so far. There is an increased demand of a non-caloric protein-based sweetener with favorable taste. The composition of brazzein consists of a single chain with 54 amino acid residues. It has much less calories compared to sugar and is also considered safe for people with diabetes.

Brazzein is very special for the industrial food manufacturers as it is exceptionally heat stable with pH range of 2.5 - 8. The sweetness of brazzein can be attributed to even distribution of the bridge between its four intramolecular disulfide bonds and lack of free sulfhydryl groups. With a long history of consumption, brazzein has excellent sweet potency, solubility and thermostability. Brazzein tastes purely sweet without any other secondary taste like bitter, sour or salty. But unlike a very high intensity sugar substitute, the sweetness of brazzein is not lingering in the mouth and readily washed off from the tongue. Brazzein when blended with other sweeteners, often improves the mouth feel and works well in citric acid and phosphate beverages. To provide a synergy that is qualitative and quantitative brazzein is often combined with aspartame and acesulfame-K. This blend helps to improve the taste, flavor, mouth feel and reduces the possible side effects of other sweeteners. Brazzein is often expressed in fruits, vegetables and yeast to increase their sweetness. Often brazzein is engineered in grains like wheat to make pre sweetened grains or flours. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, brazzein was first isolated as an enzyme by Professor Bengt G. Hellekant and Ding Ming.

With ordinary milling, brazzein can be commercially extracted from genetically modified maize. Approximately 1-2 kg of brazzein can be derived from one ton maize. Brazzein is an economical alternative for the food industry because of its natural properties.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a natural sugar substitute and a polyol that is a sugar alcohol.

It is virtually non-caloric yet 70% sweet as table sugar. Erythritol has been a part of human diet since ages. At low levels erythritol is naturally found in grapes, pears and melons and found at higher levels in fermented products like wine.

Daily in our regular diets knowingly or unknowingly it is estimated that we consume approximately 30-100 mg of naturally occurring erythritol. Erythritol has been used as a sugar substitute in many products in Japan since late 1980’s. Recently it is approved for use in Canada and U.S.Under the requirements of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for labeling, erythritol has a caloric value of 0.2 calories per gram in U.S. but Japan labels it as 0 calories (calorie free). Unlike other sugar alcohols erythritol is absorbed well in the blood stream (due to its small molecular size and structure) in small intestines and excreted in the urine unchanged with in 24 hours. As it is not absorbed in the large intestine (as most of it, around 95% is absorbed in the small intestine) it does not have any laxative effects. It is also more difficult for intestinal bacteria to digest it, so is unlikely to cause any other gastric side effects like gas or bloating like other common sugar alcohols. In general it is free of any side effects, but one should remember that if consumed in large quantities, which the body can not absorb easily, then it may cause laxative effects (1 gm per kilogram body weight is well tolerated by adults). Erythritol is safe for people with diabetes as it does not affect the blood glucose or insulin levels and can be easily replaced for sugar to make food formulated specially for people with diabetes. Erythritol is tooth friendly as unlike other sugar alcohols it is resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria that produces acid by breakdown of sugars and alcohol that may lead to loss of tooth enamel and cavities. Erythritol is a non-cariogenic polyol sweetener approved by American Dental Association and FDA and claimed that its use does not promote tooth decay.Erythritol has a clean and crisp taste, very similar to sugar, but when compared to sugar it lingers poorly in the mouth and when consumed in high concentration has a slight harsh after-feel. Due to this effect it is often combined with high intensity sweeteners like sucrose.

Fructose

What is fructose?

Fructose is a low glycemic simple sugar (monosaccharide) used by the body as a source of energy and is one of the three most important blood sugars along with glucose and galactose.

Fructose is a naturally occurring sweet sugar (twice as sweet as sucrose). Fructose is found naturally in combination with sucrose or glucose in honey, fruits mainly melons and berries, root vegetable such as sweet potatoes, beets, onions and parsnips. Sucrose is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose and fructose can also be derived from sucrose by digestion.

The low glycemic index of fructose can be attributed to its structure (5-member hemiketal ring) and lengthy and unique metabolic pathway that involves multi-step enzymatic process in the liver. However fructose when given alone in pure form increases blood glucose levels in a similar amount of glucose. Pure crystalline fructose has a fruity aroma and tastes similar to cane sugar.

GULT-5 transporter is required for the absorption of fructose in the body; in case of its deficiency excess fructose is carried in to the lower intestine and acts as a nutrient for existing gut flora. This results in fructose malabsorption, bloating, loose stools, excessive flatulence and even diarrhea depending on the amounts consumed and other factors. Excess consumption of fructose is been related to obesity (central obesity), elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels that can ultimately cause metabolic syndrome. Unlike glucose fructose is processed in the liver, when amount of fructose exceeds the limit of the liver to process it, the excess of it is converted to fat and transported in the blood stream as triglycerides. Moreover the excess consumption can be due to the fact that the calorie from fructose does not make a person feel satisfied. This is a possible reason why fructose is related to weight gain. Dietary fructose is often avoided if plasma triglyceride levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. High fructose added in the processed products is due to the easy accessibility and inexpensive high fructose corn syrup. Studies show that high fructose corn syrup has similar properties to sucrose and have essential identical physiological effects.
Fructose also chelates minerals like copper, zinc and chromium in the blood. Since these micronutrients are present in small quantities, chelating effects may lead to deficiency disorders, immune system impairment, fructose intolerance or even insulin resistance (a major factor for type-2 diabetes).These effects of fructose doesn’t happen with consumed in normal amounts in natural form that is fruits and vegetables, but the problem occurs when the consumption exceeds the limit which body can handle.

Glycerol

What is glycerol?

Glycerol is a chemical compound with the formula HOCH2CH(OH)CH2OH and is sweet tasting sugar alcohol with three hydrophilic alcoholic hydroxyl groups.
Glycerol is also known as glycerin by commercial products and is widely distributed in nature in the form of esters known as glycerides. Since glycerol forms the backbone of a triglyceride molecule it is a by product obtained from fats and oils in the process of saponification or transesterification. It is a sweet, syrupy, colorless or yellow liquid and is used as a sweetener, solvent, antifreeze and plasticizer.
It is also used in the manufacture of liquid soaps, dynamite, cosmetics, ink and lubricants. In medical and pharmaceutical preparations glycerol is used to improve smoothness, lubrication and as humectant. Glycerol is used with the motive of food production for many foods and beverages.
Its unique properties like sweetener, humectant and solvent may help to preserve foods. It is used as a flavoring agent (such as vanilla), softening agent (for candies, cakes, meats and cheese), thickening agent, emulsifier and in manufacture of polyglycerol esters. Glycerol is often used in baked products because of its moisturizing properties as it prevents crystallization when added in candies and icings. Approximately glycerol is 60% as sweet as sucrose and serves 27 calories per teaspoon. It almost serves the same energy as sucrose but it does not raise blood sugar levels nor does it serves as a feed for the bacteria in oral cavity. Thus it is tooth friendly and does not cause plaque or dental cavities. Glycerol is used as a solvent, substitute to alcohol to create a therapeutic herbal extraction that is approximately 30% less absorbed by the body. Glycerol is also used as an ingredient in laxatives in the form of liquid enema (it induces hyperosmotic effect by irritating the bowel), cough syrups, elixirs and expectorants. Glycerol is also used in personal care products like tooth paste, shaving creams, hair care products, skin care products and soaps. Soap with glycerol is specially used by people with sensitive skin as it has moisturizing properties and prevents skin dryness.
It is also possible to make glycerol soap at home. Glycerol is also known as E number E422 as a food addictive. It should not be consumed in concentrated or undiluted form as in that form it tends to draw water from the body tissues and may cause gastric distress and blistering in the mouth. Glycerol these days is increasingly used in feeding animals.

Glycyrrhizin

Glycyrrhizin is an active principle of the plant licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra) and extracted from licorice root.
It is 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose. Standardized extracts of licorice available in the market have 20% glycyrrhizin. Chemically glycyrrhizin is a triterpenoid saponin and a sulphated polysaccharide. It is considered to the active constituent of the drug and the standardization of licorice is based on glycyrrhizin content.
The standardized extracts of licorice sold in the market contain 20% of glychrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin is sweet but different than sugar as the onset is lower than sugar and the taste lingers in the mouth for sometime after consumption. Although glycyrrhizin is heat stable, it has a typical flavor from licorice that makes it unfavorable as a direct sugar substitute.
It is not used as a sole sweetener but in U.S. glycyrrhizin is classified as ‘generally recognize as safe’ as a flavoring agent. It is also used as a flavoring agent in many candies, tobacco products and pharmaceuticals. Glycyrrhizin is often used in combination with other sweeteners in Japan where there were concerns over safety of artificial sweeteners and a trend to choose plant derived sugar substitutes. But due to some of its side effects Japanese government has asked the citizens to limit its consumption to 200 mg per day.Glycyrrhizin and other products with this component have a long history of medicinal value and are used in the treatment of peptic ulcer especially glycyrrhetinic acid (triterpene derivative). Glycyrrhizin has a protective effect on the liver as it may have inhibitory effect on immune mediated cytokines in the liver. The compositions of licorine root containing glycyrrhizin have been reported to decrease serum testosterone levels in males (the active component of licorice, glycyrrhizic acid interferes with the enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone). Glycyrrhizin also has anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, but more scientific researches are required regarding its safety and effectiveness in these areas. Glycyrrhiza has many potential side effects like hypertension, hypokalemia and fluid retention or edema.
Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme which converts cortisol to cortisone in the kidney; as a result cortisol levels increase with in the collecting duct of the kidney. This cortisol acts like aldosterone and increases sodium re absorption leading to edema. This can be avoided by removing glycyrrhiza from licorice – the resulting compound deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) does not contribute to any metabolic disadvantage and can be used in the treatment of ulcers.

Lactitol

Lactitol is a disaccharide sugar alcohol (polyol) used as a replacement bulk sweetener.
It is derived from natural milk sugar lactose (manufactured by reducing the glucose of lactose) with approximately 40% of the sweetness of sugar. Compared to a typical carbohydrate that provides 4 calories per gram, lactitol provides 2.4 calories per gram. The clean sweet taste of lactitol is similar to the taste profile of sucrose.
It is a low calorie sweetener produced by two manufacturers Danisco and Purac Biochem and they market it in both anhydrous and monohydrate form. Due to its stability, solubility, and similar taste to sucrose it is used in variety of low fat and low energy foods such as chocolates, sugar free candies preparation, chewing gums, baked goods and sugar substitutes. Unlike lactose, lactitol is not hydrolyzed by the enzyme lactase for its metabolism.
It is in fact neither hydrolyzed nor absorbed in the small intestine but is metabolized in the large intestine by the bacteria’s and is converted to biomass, organic acid, carbon dioxide and small amount of hydrogen. The further metabolism of organic acid results in a caloric distribution of 2 calories per gram. Lactitol like other sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol and xylitol) is approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as ‘generally recognized as safe’. Most of the countries around the world have approved the use of lactitol in many food products. FDA has also approved it as a food addictive and is not associated with tooth decay or causing increases in blood sugar levels. Lactitol is a white crystalline powder with clean sweet taste and no noted after taste. Lactitol is non hygroscopic that is it does not absorb water in the products when used and help to increase the shelf life by maintaining the quality of a product for example it helps to maintain crispiness and freshness of cookies and chewing gum. It is heat stable, stable in acidic and alkaline conditions and has similar solubility to glucose. Moreover due to its mild sweetness and low calories it can be combined with other high intensity sweeteners and be used as a replacement bulk sweetener.
As lactitol is fermented in the large intestine it has beneficial effects on the colonic micro flora. Lactitol functions as a prebiotic as an increase in the prebiotic bacteria along with a decrease in pH of the colon resulting in significant reduction of potential pathogens in the colon. As lactitol contributes almost half the calories of sucrose, has a low glycemic index and does not induce an increase in blood sugar or insulin levels it is considered safe for consumption for people with diabetes. Compared to sugar it helps control blood sugar levels, insulin levels, body weight and lipids in the body of a person with diabetes.

Maltitol

What is maltitol?

Maltitol is a sugar alcohol and is commonly used as a natural sugar substitute.
Except for browning it has very identical properties to sucrose and has 75 - 90% sweetens of sucrose. Compared to other carbohydrates which give 4 calories per gram, maltitol gives 2.1 calories per gram thus due to its fewer calories it is often used to replace table sugar (sucrose).
Commercially maltitol is known as Maltisorb and Maltisweet (trade names), it is basically a disaccharide and produced from corn and its products. Maltose obtained from the starch of corn undergoes hydrogenation to give maltitol.
Compared to other sugar alcohols, maltitol is very subtle and has similar effects to sucrose; its high sweetness also allows it to combine with other high intensity sweeteners and use in low calorie food products as a sugar substitute. Maltitol is most commonly used in the production of sweets like chocolates, chewing gums, sugarless hard candies, ice creams and baked goods. Although maltitol has lesser effect on blood sugar levels (as it somewhat gets slowly absorbed than sucrose thus more suitable for people with diabetes) and also is not associated with tooth decay (as it is not metabolized by oral bacteria), but it is known to cause gastric distress if consumed in large quantities. As it is absorbed slowly in the gut it has a laxative effect and sometimes can cause bloating or flatulence if consumed in high amounts. Thus people with gastric problems like anal leakage should use fibrous foods or other sugar alcohols along with maltitol wisely to avoid any complications. Even after liquifying intense heat application, maltitol does not get brown or caramelize.
As maltitol has exceptional sugar like properties it is often used in large quantities by the food manufacturers, thus consumers often end up consuming maltitol far more than any other sugar alcohol or substitute. It is true that maltitol is a low calorie sweetener but one should keep in mind that it provides around 2 calories per gram and the products in which it is used are not necessarily calorie free or fat free. Moreover maltitol syrup has a glycemic index of 52 which is close to that of a table sugar which has glycemic index of 60. The powdered form of maltitol has a glycemic index of 36, which is still higher when compared to other artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Thus people with diabetes should keep this in mind before consuming maltitol as a sweetener or table sugar.

Mannitol

Mannitol is a sugar alcohol or a polyol originally isolated from manna.
It is also commonly referred as Mannite or Manna sugar and similar to xylitol or sorbitol. Commonly a substance such as sodium bicarbonate is added to adjust its pH as it tends to lose a hydrogen ion in aqueous solution and causes the solution to become acidic. Mannitol has a negative heat solution and thus can give a cooling effect or fresh feeling to the product; it is commonly used in breath freshening candies.
Mannitol can be used by diabetics as a sweetener as it does not affect the blood sugar and insulin levels. People with diabetes can thus have a wide variety of foods to choose and satisfy their sweet tooth. Mannitol is occasionally used as an adulterant or cutting agent for illicit drugs like heroin or methamphetamines.
When mannitol is used for this purpose it is often referred as baby laxative in many films or television shows depicting drug culture. Mannitol is sometimes sold as laxative for children (in larger doses more than 20 gm it acts as a laxative), as due to its sweet taste children consume it easily. Clinically mannitol is used as a treatment to reduce marginally raised intracranial pressure until more definitive treatment is given (the use of mannitol in this area is currently under controversy). It is believed that mannitol is filtered by glomerulus of the kidney when administered intravenously but there is decrease in water and sodium reabsorption due to its osmotic effects (as it is incapable of being reabsorbed from the renal tubule). Thus mannitol decreases the extra cellular fluid volume by increasing water and sodium excretion. Mannitol can temporarily shrink the tightly coupled endothelial cells that make up the blood brain barrier, thus it helps to open the blood brain barrier and in turn helps in the delivery of various drugs directly to the brain (helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease). Mannitol cannot cross biological membranes as it is a non permeable molecule. As it is readily absorbed in blood it is sometimes used to encapsulate a sharp object while it’s passing through the venous system (by the time it reaches its destination the sharp object will be exposed). During a cardiopulmonary bypass mannitol is commonly used in the circuit prime of a heart lung machine.
While a patient is on a bypass, the presence of mannitol helps to preserve renal function during the times of low blood flow and pressure. This is done by preventing the endothelial cells in the kidney to swell, which may have otherwise reduced the blood flow and resulted in cell damage. Mannitol is also used for the diagnostic test for airway hyper responsiveness and is being developed by Australian pharmaceutical company for the treatment of bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.

Natural Sugar Substitutes

Life of a person should be full of sweetness, natural sweetness.
Nature has offered a lot of choice for this. Sugar is a favorite and most overused substance world wide. But sugar provides calories and excess sugar consumption is related to many health problems like obesity and anxiety.
It is important to satisfy the sweet tooth, but this can be done by replacing sugar with natural sugar substitutes. Natural sugar substitutes are the ones found naturally in fruits and vegetables or derived by processing the sugar molecule itself. These include brazzein, xylitol, fructose, glycerol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, glycyrrhizin, lactitol, mabinlin, miraculin, monellin, pentadin, tagatose and thaumatin.
Natural sugar substitutes or natural sweetener provides some amount of calories depending on the sweetener.
Stevia with fruit ogiliosaccharides (FOS) – Stevia is a sweet herb available in powder and liquid form.
Xylitol is a low glycemic sugar and can be used for baking and sweetening beverages. Like sugar, it does not cause yeast over growth or blood sugar imbalances.
Single blossom honey – it is low glycemic but high in calories and carbohydrates so should be used wisely.
Fructose – is a low glycemic sugar found naturally in fruits, it is required in less amounts as it is sweeter than sugar.
Sucrose – is a medium glycemic sugar, should be avoided in large amounts. Artificial sweetener or sugar substitute is calorie free but provide the sweetness of sugar. They are many times sweeter than sugar, thus a small quantity is enough to equate large quantities of sugar. People with diabetes mellitus have difficulty in metabolizing sugar in blood. Natural or an artificial sweetener is a wise choice for them as they can enjoy the sweet taste of the food without leaving any sugar in the blood to metabolize. As artificial sweeteners provide zero calories it is used by many individuals to have control over their weight or used as a part of weight loss plan.
Sugar substitutes are not fermented by the micro flora of the dental plaque and thus are non-carriogenic. There are various studies conducted to assess the safety of artificial sweeteners due to the concerns of it being carcinogenic and causing other health problems. But all the studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe to use for healthy population. However people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should use aspartame with caution as they can not metabolize it. One should keep in mind that a sugar free product does not mean a caloric free product. Natural sugar substitutes can be used over sugar confidently as it has many other benefits, but should be used sensibly with restrain.

Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol (polyol) that is also known as glucitol.
It is slowly metabolized by the body and is a bulk sweetener found in numerous food products. Sorbitol is obtained by changing the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group by reducing glucose. Sorbitol has 1/3rd fewer calories and is about 60% sweeter than sucrose. Besides being used in processed foods, sorbitol is also used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Sorbitol is often referred as a nutritive sweetener as it provides 2.6 calories per gram verses the average 4 calories per gram of a carbohydrate. Sorbitol occurs naturally in many foods including fruits and berries especially from the trees of the genus Sorbus. It is also commercially produced by hydrogenation of glucose. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has affirmed sorbitol as ‘Generally Recognized as Safe’ (GRAS) and approved its use in various countries.
It has an E number E420 as a food addictive and is group under ‘other natural agents’Sorbitol is used as an inactive ingredient in various cough syrups. Sorbitol when consumed in higher amounts 10-50 gm or more can cause gastro-intestinal problems like abdominal pain, flatulence/gas formation and mild to severe diarrhea. It can also aggravate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and fructose malabsorption. Sorbitol is used as a sugar substitute in various foods like ice creams, sugar free chewing gums, sugar-free candies, frozen desserts, baked foods and diet drinks. Sorbitol is heat stable and is chemically unreactive and very stable. It also does not participate in maillard reactions, as a result is used in products like cookies where a brown appearance is not desired. Sorbitol is non-carriogenic and does not contribute to dental plaques or dental carries as it is resistant to metabolism by bacteria in the oral cavity. For sugar free foods that contain sorbitol or other sugar alcohol the FDA has approved its use and can mention ‘does not promote tooth decay’ on the health claim labeling. In oral suppression or suppository form sorbitol can be used as a non-stimulant laxative. Drugs with sorbitol stimulate the bowel movements by drawing water in to the large intestine. This can be helpful especially in old age, as sorbitol use is determined to be safe in elderly. As sorbitol is absorbed slowly in the body it does not cause significant rise in blood glucose and insulin levels.
Thus products with sorbitol as a sweetener can be consumed by people with diabetes wisely. Although our body produces sorbitol naturally, yet it is poorly digested and may cause cell damage. Excess sorbitol accumulated in the eyes and nerves is related to diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy (excess glucose that goes through polyol pathway).

Tagatose

Tagatose is a functional sweetener and has a very similar structure to fructose.
Tagatose is a naturally occurring monosaccharide that can be found in some dairy products in small amounts for example milk sugar extract, but it can be commercially produced from lactose. Lactose is first hydrolyzed to glucose and galactose; galactose in turn is isomerized by calcium hydroxine under alkaline conditions to get D-tagatose. This is then purified to get a solid tagatose with the help of crystallization, chromatography and demineralization.
It is 92% as sweet as sucrose and has a similar texture to sucrose but has only 38 % (provides 1.5 calories per gram) of the calories. Tagatose has been since 2001 and the Food and Drug Administration has approved it in the year 2003 as a food addictive and GRAS ‘generally recognized as safe’. Unlike sucrose tagatose metabolism is different in the body and has minimal effects on blood sugar and insulin levels.
Only 15-20 % of tagatose is absorbed in small intestine and although it has a similar structure to fructose it is incompletely absorbed in the body. Rest of the ingested tagatose is fermented by the microflora in the colon producing short chain fatty acids that are completely absorbed and metabolized. Tagatose has great taste, low carbohydrate impact and high functionally. Because of these properties it is used in wide range of foods to improve quality of the product. Tagatose can be used in diet soft drinks, health bars, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen yoghurt or non fat ice cream, hard confectionary, soft confectionary, frosting and chewing gums. Tagatose can be used as a flavor enhancer and can also be used in combination with other high intensity sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame-K or sucralose. This combination in fact helps to reduce bitterness in a product and even speeds up the onset of sweetness. It is ideal for the regular soft drinks as when combined with other high intensity sweeteners it creates a synergetic flavor enhancing effect. Tagatose is pH stable, heat stable and also stable in acidic medium and enhances specific flavor in various applications.
It is ideal for use in frostings due to its crystallization properties. Although tagatose is heat stable, it tends to caramelize when subjected to certain temperature. Thus its use is not appropriate in the baked products where browning is undesirable. Although safety of tagatose is studied in humans, some sensitive individuals may have mild gastrointestinal discomfort. Tagatose is tooth-friendly and does not promote plaque formation or tooth decay as unlike other sugars it is not fermented and is resistant to the micro flora in the mouth.

Stevia

Stevia also known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf is a South American herb used as a sweetener.
Stevia when used as a sweetener has a slow onset and a longer duration than sugar. At high concentrations some of its extracts might have bitter or licorice like after taste.
Stevia extract have up to 300 times sweetness of sugar. Stevia is an attractive natural sweetener option for diabetics as it has negligible effect on the blood sugar level and even enhances glucose tolerance.
It has also gained attention due to its positive effects in the treatment of obesity and high blood pressure with the help of carbohydrate controlled diets and low sugar food alternatives. However due to some health and political controversies stevia is not readily available on the shelves of the superstore in many countries as the Food and Drug Administration has turned down the request of its use in foods in U.S. Although it is not used as a food addictive in most of the countries, it is widely used as a dietary supplement (FDA has little control in this field) in many countries and in Japan it is widely used as a natural sweetener. Stevioside and rebaudioside are the two glycosides responsible for the sweet taste of stevia. They were isolated in 1931 by a french chemist and are 250-300 times sweeter than table sugar sucrose, also they were heat stable, pH stable and non-fermentable and thus can be used in many stevia recipes that are low in carbohydrates. Stevia and stevia leaf has been consumed for many years without any scientific research for its safety and effectiveness (in Japan it is used for more than 30 years with out any reported averse effect). Stevia when consumed in small amounts (1 or 2 serving per day in tea or coffee) is considered safe, however when consumed in larger amounts (if allowed to use it as a food addictive in diet sodas or other products) it might pose a public health threat.
Stevia may affect the male reproductive organ system by reducing the sperm count, increased proliferation of the cells in the testicles and may even cause infertility problems. Stevia is also associated with cancer as it is believed that it may get converted in to a mutagenic compound and may promote cancer. It may even interfere with the energy metabolism in the body. However to prove these effect more human based scientific researches are required. It is very important to derive the standard safety dose of stevia and clear these health controversies before it is approved to be used as a food addictive or a sweetener in products widely used by people.

Xylitol

What is xylitol?

Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute and is also known as brich sugar or wood sugar.
Xylitol is naturally present in various fruits and vegetables that include oats, corn husks, different berries and mushrooms. It can also be extracted from corn, corn fiber, plums and raspberries. Xylitol provides roughly same sweetness as sucrose but has low food energy (provides 2.4 calories per gram).
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and was first derived form brich trees in 19th century in Finland, which is considered as its home country. Today corn fiber extracts are popular as a source of xylitol. Xylitol like other sugar alcohol has less impact on blood sugar and insulin levels and is marketed as ‘safe for diabetics and people with hyperglycemia’. Also it is absorbed slowly in the body and provides 40% less food energy when compared to the table sweeteners.
It has zero net effective carbohydrates and virtually no after taste. Xylitol gum and xylitol mints are very popular in Finland and it is used in almost all the chewing gums. Xylitol sugar is a tooth-friendly natural sugar and does not promote plaque formation or dental carries, on the other hand xylitol actively helps to repair the minor tooth cavities caused by dental carries. It is believed that this effect may be due to chemical properties that attracts and starves the harmful microorganisms in the oral cavity, allowing the mouth to remineralize damaged teeth or the minor cavity with less interruption. Xylitol is however not appropriate for making yeast based breads as it exhibits this same effects. U.S. Food and Drug Administration have allowed xylitol based products to make medical claim that they are not involved in the process of dental carries. Xylitol unlike other sugars improves bone density and prevents weakening of the bones, thus may have a potential as a treatment for osteoporosis. Unlike glucose, galactose and sucrose xylitol consumption may prevent proliferation and help control oral infections of candida yeast.
Xylitol chewing gum may also be beneficial to prevent ear infections. Xylitol prevents the growth of bacteria in the eustachian tube (a tube that connects nose and ear) and the action of chewing and swallowing helps in the disposal of earwax. Like other sugar alcohols xylitol when consumed at high doses might have a mild laxative effect. Many people have consumed xylitol for long period of times in high quantities as much as 400 gm per day with no known toxicity. However when consumed greater than 100 mg per kg body weight can be life threatening and is associated with hypoglycemia. This can manifest in depression, loss of coordination, collapse or seizure.

Sweeteners

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Sweeteners are mainly of two types – artificial sweeteners (non-caloric) or nutritive (caloric) sweeteners.

Nutritive sweeteners provide 4 calories per gram. Artificial sweetener or sugar substitute is calorie free but provide the sweetness of sugar. They are many times sweeter than sugar, thus a small quantity is enough to equate large quantities of sugar.

They also improve the quality of a product (by acting as a preservative), maintain freshness, provide a base for fermentation for breads, add bulk and body to ice creams and carbonated beverages and enhance flavor of the product. Some artificial sweeteners are processed chemically, but some like sucralose are made from sugar molecule itself. Sugar provides 4 calories per gram and most people consume in large quantities as a part of their daily diet. When consumed in large quantities sugar adds up more calories and is converted to fat which in turn causes weight gain.

As artificial sweeteners provide zero calories it is used by many individuals to have control over their weight or used as a part of weight loss plan. Artificial sweeteners provide the sweetness of sugar without raising blood sugar levels, thus it is beneficial for people with diabetes. Food source of caloric sweeteners include corn sweeteners, confectioners sugar, dextrose, invert sugar (made by processing sucrose to form glucose and fructose), natural sweetener or sugar, turbinado sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, mannitol, maple sugar, molasses, honey and sorbitol.

Examples for artificial sweeteners include

-Aspartame (combination of two amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine) is 180-220 times sweeter than sugar.
-Saccharine is the first artificial sweetener and 300 times sweeter than sugar.
-Cyclamates 30 times sweeter than sugar, but some studies showed that it causes bladder cancer in animals, thus is banned in U.S.
-Acesulfame K mainly used in combination with other sweeteners.
-Sucralose a low calorie sweetener made from sugar and is 600 times sweeter than sugar.

All the artificial sweeteners are stable to heat and can be used in cooking and baking except aspartame. There are various studies conducted to assess the safety of artificial sweeteners due to the concerns of it being carcinogenic and causing other health problems. But all the studies confirm that artificial sweeteners are safe to use for healthy population. However people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should use aspartame with caution as they can not metabolize it.One should keep in mind that a sugar free product does not mean a caloric free product.

For example just substituting sugar with artificial sweetener in cakes and chocolates does not make them fat free or calorie free. Thus sweeteners should be used sensibly for instance it is a good idea to replace regular soda with diet soda, but the latter should not be the only drink you consume.

DNA and Diet

2008-01-09T04:19:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe it, but it’s true, if you choose foods that are appropriate to your genetic makeup then the susceptibility of getting disease may decrease and in turn the ability to perform will increase at your optimal genetic potential.

Every one has a same set of genes in the body that are essential for life and have encoded information which is translated into proteins. However there are slight variations among all individuals and this genetic variation can affect the protein encoded in each gene. The aspect of genetic variation is very important as it will affect the nutrient requirements between individuals, risk of a person getting a disease and influences of environmental factors on a person’s gene.Days will soon go where a diet is based on ones body metabolism

Days will come where a diet is provided according to ones genetic makeup and dietary lifestyle. The main concept is to replace the foods that have negative effects on the body to the healthy ones like saturated fats and trans fats replaced with healthy fats that promote cholesterol breakdown. (For example eating oats or whole cereals and pulses over fried chips, cheese or meat streak).

Nutrigenomics is the term used for the study of genes and nutritional requirements. This gives us an idea of how food components interact with genes or how some gene variant information can be translated to the food choices to be made. The aim is to study the effect of a nutrient at a genetic level and prescribe diets according to ones genetic makeup. Basically like other fad diets, there is no such diet called as a DNA diet, but one of the environmental factors that is food has influence on our genes. It is important to match a particular food according to an individual’s gene variation. Once this concept is clear, it will benefit an individual to perform better and lower the risk of getting diseases. Some food component like bioactive components may interact with certain type of genes. For example certain proteins may be completely digested by some genes; where else some genes may be unable to digest wheat proteins or other nutrients, in turn increasing the need of some nutrients in the body. Some genes may aggravate the inflammatory conditions in the body but this effect can be diluted by choosing the correct type of food in correct amounts.

Although the concept of DNA and diet is little complex and at a very preliminary state at the moment, it shows promising results in the coming decades. More research and through homework of dietetic professionals is required in developing this field.

Caffeine

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Its not coffee that makes people so much easier to deal with after they wake up, it’s the caffeine.

The first rule for many people about talking in the morning is a simple one. “Wait until I’ve had my coffee!” Caffeine is a metabolic stimulant that rouses the body’s central nervous system causing an increase in awareness, frontal lobe functions and heart rate. Although it is legal and widely used at all ages, caffeine is a drug. Since it stimulates the nervous system, excessive consumption of caffeine may lead to problems like insomnia or sleeplessness.
Caffeine is taken every day by millions of people across the world.

Caffeine is found in various beverages like coffee, black and oolong tea, cola soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate. It is used so prevalently that major industries and some nations would be ruined if caffeine consumption stopped or decreased dramatically. There’s no real danger of that, however. Most people not only like caffeine, they are addicted to it.
Apart from our nervous system, caffeine does affect our intestine as well. If a person is having diarrhea, consumption of caffeine may aggravate the problem.

The human body gets used to the effects of caffeine on the central nervous system and adjusts by creating more receptors to accommodate the drug. This change in the body is called adaptive tolerance and causes the central nervous system to depend upon caffeine being added to the system. When people stop using caffeine for a period of time the body goes through symptoms of withdrawal such as irritability, sleepiness, lack of concentration and sometimes biochemical depression. When the drug is introduced back into the body’s system the symptoms disappear within 45 minutes.
Caffeine adds a number of positive things to our daily life. It helps us get through the day motivated and alert. Because it activates the frontal lobe area of the brain, some studies have concluded caffeine not only promotes increased awareness but also better memory retention when combined with focused thought. Caffeine has been used as a chemical additive to migraine medications and has been hypothesized to prevent some forms of heart disease, like coronary heart disease in non-hypertensive patients. Many over-the-counter pain relievers add caffeine to the drug to increase the effectiveness and speed up the body’s response to the medication.
In moderation caffeine is a good part of our daily lives. However, there are some side-effects and concerns raised by the use and overuse of caffeine. Used in large amounts over a significant period of time caffeine can cause chronic insomnia, respiratory problems and heart palpitations. The increased production of stomach acid caffeine produces can cause ulcers or other stomach problems. Caffeine is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration if other liquids are not also consumed.
While it is a myth that caffeine can stunt the growth of children, too much caffeine is harmful to children. Foods and beverages containing caffeine, which has a slightly bitter taste, are often sugared leading to an increase in childhood obesity, hyperactivity, and behavior problems.

Children’s bodies experience the same level of adaptive tolerance as adults, making the withdrawal from caffeine very painful. As more energy drinks are marketing to children and young adults, an increase in caffeine dependency among those age groups is expected to rise.
No one who wakes up groggy and sleepy while needing to get ready for work would argue that caffeine is not without benefits. However important considerations must be taken to ensure the amount of caffeine introduced into the body is done in moderation. For millions of people each day as long as there is coffee in the pot or tea in the kettle, there will be something to talk about.

Mesothelioma Nutrition

2008-01-09T03:47:00.000-08:00

For those who don’t know what mesothelioma is, it is a rare cancer that affects the chest, abdominal cavity and the heart.

If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma there are some important steps one must take in order to get the best nutrition their body needs when they are stricken with mesothelioma. When it comes to mesothelioma nutrition it is key to know what your body needs before and after any type of treatment you decided to undergo. One must make decisions in making sure they are getting the essential and vital ingredients in a well balanced diet. They must make sure their diet consists of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, water and carbohydrates.

These all play a part in sustaining your well being when diagnosed and being treated for mesothelioma.Though one must remember when undergoing treatment for mesothelioma, having a mesothelioma nutrition diet is hard to keep. Especially when your body has gone through severe or moderate treatment. It makes it difficult for anyone to have an appetite let alone any energy to maintain any type of diet. Another factor that plays in, is the way your body reacts to any food intact.

As well your body starts to change due to the disease it self. From weight loss, fatigue hair loss, sickness and any other ailment. It is still important to up keep your body with key components of providing with your body with rich content food and vitamins. When it comes to mesothelioma nutrition one must make sure they getting twice the amount of protein and fatty acids. This due to the fact your body weight has decline and your energy intake has become low and you are more prone to sickness. One must continue to keep his or her body up to pare during treatment of mesothelioma. You do not want to face complications because of lack of nutritional intake. It is important to keep a list of foods and vitamins that you need to supply your body with. It is vital to keep a progress sheet of your intakes, how weight you gained and lost, as well as any other important factors. When dealing with mesothelioma, one must remember that their diet differs from others. Each food and any diet supplement they take will effect their body differently. One must also take into consideration is how their body will react to changes to their diet.

As each person is different when it comes to adjusting their meal intake. All this has to do with the treatment of mesothelioma and the progression of mesothelioma. One should have a nutritionist that deals with mesothelioma patients that way you will get the benefits and nutrition intake you need. By having a nutritionist on hand they will help you in the progress of having a mesothelioma nutrition diet plan that can benefit you in the long run.

Cancer Fighting Foods

2008-01-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

It is very important that everyone eats a healthy and balanced diet.

There’s no need to groan, it’s true! Even if you are in perfect health, eating a well balanced diet will be beneficial to you.If you suffer from cancer than it is even more important for you to make sure you’re getting the required daily intake of the important vitamins and minerals. There are actually certain foods that are thought to fight against cancer.

Some foods have been proven to effectively shrink the size of cancerous tumors and give your immune system a much needed boost.Amygdalin is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in apricots, peaches, cherries and most berries. This is one of the most talked about cancer fighting chemicals, it is found in well over 1200 foods, all of which are natural

Berries also contain substances that are known to slow down the growth of tumors and also prevent further cancerous development. Seeds of non citrus fruits contain the most amygdalin.Strawberries are what I like to call super berries! They contain all of the cancer fighting substances that the other ‘regular’ berries contain, but these super berries also contain vitamin C. If I could draw I’d draw a strawberry wearing a cape, but fortunately for you I can’t.Anyway back on topic, vitamin C is known to boost the body’s defenses by improving the immune system. It is also a known powerful anti-oxidant. It is thought that vitamin C can prevent any further spread of cancer. Foods other than strawberries high in vitamin c include:

1-Papaya
2-Raw Red bell peppers
3-Broccoli (Don’t boil it, steam if possible)
4-Brussel sprouts (See your mum wasn’t lying when she said they were good for you!)
5-Oranges
6-Kiwi Fruits
7-Cauliflower

Broccoli has high levels of vitamin C, and it is also rich in beta carotene.

This beta carotene is known to improve your body’s immune system, and it has also been suggested that it will slow down tumor growth.90% of cancers develop from epithelial tissue, beta carotene is very useful at treating these forms of cancer. Many green and yellow fruit and vegetables contain beta carotene.Olive leaves are a fairly new weapon in the fight against cancer. This is thought to contain a photochemical that is actually capable of killing off cancer cells. Olive leaves aren’t particularly tasty however they can be combined secretly in some dishes.There are loads of different foods that can help you fight against cancer, you should eat as many of these super foods as possible.

Trans Fat

2008-01-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fatty acid that can be monounsaturated fatty acid or polyunsaturated fatty acid.
Most of the trans fat we consume are industrially created, however small amounts of a particular type of trans fats are found in dairy products from ruminants and meat. Vegetable oils when are hardened into margarine or shortening, trans fats or trans fatty acids are formed.
Trans fat is present in foods like cookies, pastries, french fries, doughnuts, crackers and other processed foods. Trans fats help to extend the storage life of the products, reduce cost and improve flavor and texture, so they are very popular with food manufacturers.

Trans fats are neither beneficial for health nor required like other healthy fats. Trans fats consumption should be reduced to trace amounts in diet due to its adverse effects on health. Trance fats if taken in excess tend to lower the high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and increase low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). This imbalance in the lipoprotein level increases coronary heart disease risk. Many researches also show that in addition to heart diseases, trans fat also increases the risk of getting diabetes, obesity and cancer. It also negatively affects the process of reproduction and lactation as well as compromising the immunity of a person.

Ways to choose dietary fat wisely

Although there is no upper safety limit for trans fat consumption, FDA suggests that trans fat intake in diet should be as low as possible.

Keep in mind the following points while selecting fats – Read the nutritional label on the product carefully. Choose food products that are low in trans fats, cholesterol and saturated fats. Remember there is no daily value for trans fat and 20% or more daily value is on the higher side and 5% or less daily value is on the lower side. Monosaturated fats are healthier option than trans fats or saturated fats, as they don’t have any negative health effect if taken in recommended levels.Except soft margarine, coconut oil and palm kernel oil, vegetable oils are better to choose as compared to animal fats (including butter), hard margarine and solid shortening because vegetable oils have low amounts of trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol.Consider healthier options like fish especially mackerel, salmon, tuna, sardines because of their omega-3 content, skinless poultry, lean meat, pork and beef (visible fat trimmed off) to reduce the trans fats in diet. Also use healthy cooking methods; instead of deep frying, try grilling, baking or broiling.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids

2008-01-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

Omega 6 fatty acid also belongs to the family of polyunsaturated fats.
A fatty acid molecule has a methyl group at one end and carboxylic acid at the other. Carbon atoms in it are identified on the basis of their distance from the carboxylic acid.

The last atom in the Greek letters is omega and thus the carbon atom in the methyl group is named omega in the long fatty acid chain. As the name suggests Omega 6 fatty acid has double bond six carbons away from the methyl carbon.Linoleic acid (a short chain fatty acid) and arachidonic acid are the two main types of Omega 6 fatty acids.

Arachidonic acid is a physiologically significant type of Omega 6 fatty acid and is a precursor of prostaglandin and other physiologically active molecules. Dietary source of Omega 6 fatty acid include eggs, poultry, cereals, nuts, baked goods, whole grain breads and most vegetable oils. Bifurcation of these sources according to the type of Omega 6 fatty acid –
-Evening primrose oil, black current seed oil and borage oil – gamma-linolenic acid.
-Sunflower oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, cottonseed, wheat germ, soybeans and pumpkin seeds – linoleic acid.
-Conjugated linoleic acid is formed in the body by ingesting linoleic acid. Also found in animal sources and dairy produces like beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, cheese and yoghurt.
-Meat, poultry and eggs – arachidonic acid. There should be an appropriate balance between the ratio of omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acid in the diet.

The optimal ratio of Omega 6 to omega-3 should be 4:1 or lower. However in modern western diets the typical ratio found is 10:1 or even as high as 30:1.Any imbalance or excess of Omega 6 fatty acid in the body with low levels of omega-3 fatty acid, can lead to number of diseases. In a study Omega 6 fatty acid when consumed in excess amounts, promote the growth of prostate tumor cells. Omega 6 fatty acids (arachidonic acid) were also found to be higher in the brains of many rats that showed signs of depression.It is important to read the nutritional fact labels for they type of fat on the oils and foods that are consumed. Far less attention is paid to the importance of Omega 6 fatty acid, although an essential fatty acid and important for health, avoid excess consumption of Omega 6 fatty acid and try to strike a proper balance between Omega 6 and omega-3 fatty acid to gain maximum benefits from them.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

2008-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Omega-3 fatty acids belong to the family of polyunsaturated fats.
As the name suggests omega 3 fatty acids has double bond three carbons away from the methyl carbon or on the omega 3 position. Omega-3 fatty acid is an essential fatty acid as the body cannot synthesize it and it should be supplied by external dietary sources. Three main kinds of omega-3 fatty acids are – alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexanoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.
Food sources of alpha-linolenic acid are flaxseeds, green leafy vegetables, and various other vegetables. Food source of docosahexanoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are oily cold water fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel, bluefish, halibut and herring. Omega-3 fatty acid is also found in buffalo, walnuts and venison.
Commercially available fish oils in capsule form are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.It is very important to strike a balance between the essential fatty acids that is omega-3 and omegs-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are converted to eicosanoids (at a slower rate) that have anti-inflammatory functions. On the other hand omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation. The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega3 should be 4:1 or lower. However in modern western diets the typical ratio found is 10:1 or even as high as 30:1.Any imbalance or excess of omega-6 fatty acid in the body with low levels of omega-3 fatty acid, can lead to number of diseases. Omega-3 fatty acid offer many health benefits and help prevent some illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, weight loss, arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, eating disorders, skin disorders, burns, asthma, macular degeneration and cancer. The best way to pamper the heart is by eating a low fat diet, decreasing saturated fats and emphasizing more on monosaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats that are good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Many studies prove that the EPA and DHA found in fatty fish and fish oil helps to decrease serum cholesterol and blood pressure. It also helps improve HDL cholesterol or the good cholesterol and decrease serum triglycerides both of which are normally elevated in diabetics.
Thus in turn decreases the risk of atherosclerosis, development of clogged arteries, coronary artery diseases, heart attack and stroke. There is no set recommended daily value for omega-3 fatty acid; however a range of 1.1 to 1.6 gm has been established per day for adults.Although omega-3 fatty acid is important for maintaining a good health it should not be over used. If done so it may pose health risks; increases the risk of bleeding, hemorrhagic stroke, low glycemic control in diabetes, increased risk of forming biologically active oxidative products due to oxidation, decreased resistance to infection due to suppression of immune system and inflammatory responses.

Polyunsaturated Fat

2008-01-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have more than one double bond in its respective molecule and polyunsaturated fat is an abbreviation for polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFA.
Depending on the geometry of the double bond, polyunsaturated fatty acid can be of cis or trans conformation. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid at room temperature and do not solidify when refrigerated. The melting point of polyunsaturated fats is also very low compared to saturated fatty acid or monounsaturated fatty acid as the extra hydrogen atom on the surface is lacking that causes reduced strength of intermolecular forces.
Trans fats are very similar to saturated fatty acids, along with the fact that at low temperatures they solidify. A fatty acid molecule has a methyl group at one end and carboxylic acid at the other. Carbon atoms in it are identified on the basis of their distance from the carboxylic acid.
The first carbon atoms are identified by Greek letters, the carbon atom next to carboxylic acid is named alpha, and the one adjacent to alpha is beta and so on. The last atom in the Greek letters is omega and thus the carbon atom in the methyl group is named omega in the long fatty acid chain. As the name suggests omega-3 fatty acid has double bond three carbons away from the methyl carbon and omega-6 has double bond 6 carbons away from the methyl carbon.Along with monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids are also classified as healthy fats. But how much ever healthy a fat is, its consumption should not exceed beyond the recommended levels in the diet. The main food sources of PUFA are grain products, fish, seafood that include salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut, fish oil and soybeans. Soft margarine and mayonnaise are also good sources of PUFA but the amount will vary depending on the brand and style. Polyunsaturated fatty acid protects our body against many illnesses. Fish, fish oil and sea food that are good source of omega-3 fatty acid can help lower blood pressure, total amount of fat and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Safflower and sunflower oil that are good source of omega-6 fatty acid may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, but on the other hand can also contribute to inflammation and allergies.
Some studies show that the risk of developing cancer in healthy individuals increases with excess consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids. This may be due to the fact that polyunsaturated fatty acids are more prone to oxidation that leads to generation of free radicals in the body. Although the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids are more beneficial than harmful, it is necessary to regulate the amounts of total fats and PUFA in the diet.

Monounsaturated Fat

2008-01-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids are the main two type of unsaturated fatty acid.
In unsaturated fatty acid either one or more than one pair of hydrogen atom is missing. If there is one gap (one hydrogen atom missing) then it is called monounsaturated fatty acid and if there are many gaps (many hydrogen atoms missing) then it is called polyunsaturated fatty acid.
Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contains all single bonds and only one double bond in its carbon chain, while polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contains more than one double bond in its chain. The fluidity of fatty acids depends on the number of double bonds present in its chain.
Thus MUFA is liquid in room temperature but solidifies when refrigerated and has a melting temperature lower than saturated fatty acids, but higher than PUFA.Palmitoleic acid and oleic acid are the most common monosaturated fatty acid. Palmitoleic acid has a long chain of 16 carbon atoms and had double bond on the 7th carbon atom away from the methyl group. While oleic acid has 18 carbon atoms in its chain and has a double bond on the 9th carbon atom away from the methyl group.Avocadoes and nuts are good sources of monounsaturated fatty acid and it is also the main component of olive oil and tea-oil camellia. Olive oil has about 75% MUFA and tea-oil camellia has over 80% MUFA. Canola oil also has substantial amount of MUFA; 57-60%. Other oils with high MUFA content include grapeseed oil, peanut oil/groundnut oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil and corn oil.
Tea-oil camellia is a commonly used in cooking in parts of Asia and olive oil is believed to have a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and is a key component in the Mediterranean diet.Monounsaturated fatty acids are not as vulnerable as polyunsaturated fatty acids to lipid peroxidation that leads to fat rancidity. On the contrary monounsaturated fatty acid promote insulin resistance, where as polyunsaturated fatty acids are only protective against insulin resistance. Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fat is a trend, as there are researches that prove monounsaturated fatty acid might have protective effect against heart diseases. Monounsaturated fatty acid is also included as a main source of fat in patients with compromised liver function and other digestive issues, for a simple reason as they do not require many enzymes to get digested and are absorbed easily by the body to provide energy. The total fat in a healthy individual’s diet should not exceed beyond 30% of the total calories out of which MUFA can be as high as 15% of the total caloric intake.

Unsaturated Fat

2008-01-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Unsaturated fatty acids are gaining popularity these days, experts and health care professionals are advising sensible dose of unsaturated fatty acid in diet to decrease the dangers related to many diseases.
In unsaturated fatty acid either one or more than one pair of hydrogen atom is missing. If there is one gap (one hydrogen atom missing) then it is called monounsaturated fatty acid and if there are many gaps (many hydrogen atoms missing) then it is called polyunsaturated fatty acid.
Polysaturated and monosaturated fatty acids are mainly found in plant origin and some sea foods, while saturated fatty acids are found mainly in animal origin. Depending up on the site of missing hydrogen molecule polyunsaturated fatty acid is of two kind omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid.
Monosaturated fatty acid is liquid at room temperature but solidifies in the refrigerator, while polyunsaturated fatty acid is in liquid form at both room temperature and in the refrigerator. Unsaturated fatty acid is commonly derived from plant origin like vegetable oils and nuts and from oily fish like herring, salmon, tuna and sardines. The omega-3 and omega-6 (fatty acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and have to be supplied to the body externally through diet) is present in all these oil but the amount in all oils vary. These fatty acids when consumed in appropriate proportion helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases, improves memory and other cognitive functions (thus fish is often considered as a ‘brain food’). There are various ways through which unsaturated fatty acid can be incorporated in the diet; by eating more fish (baked not fried) and less meat, adding virgin and nut based oils in salad dressings, or by exchanging dairy product with soybeans and its products. However it is wise thought to avoid trans fatty acids completely.
These fats are very high in cholesterol and are produced by hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Trans fat content in a product is generally not mention on the nutritional label, avoid foods that contains hydrogenated vegetable oils in such case. Trans fats are generally found in industrially processed fast foods, cakes, cookies, biscuits, french fries, onion rings and margarine.All fats are high in calories and gives almost double the calories that we get form proteins or carbohydrates. So even though unsaturated fats are considered healthy they should be consumed in moderate amounts to avoid obesity or any other health related complication. The total fat intake should not exceed beyond 30% of the total caloric intake in a daily diet.

Interesterified Fat

2008-01-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Interesterified fats are less liable to rancidity and are oils such as soybean oil that are chemically modified to make their consistency more solid.
These oils are more stable and can be effectively used in applications such as deep frying. In the interesterification process to a polyunsaturated fat, one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids are esterified to a glycerol backbone. Some research indicate that interesterification process that is used as an alternative to partial hydrogenation process (which yields trans fats) may pose even a higher health risk than trans fats.
Stearic acid (a saturated fatty acid) is used to replace polyunsaturated fatty acid in the interesterification process. This process can be induced by enzymatic crystals or chemicals and can be applied to hydrogenated or fractionated oils and natural oils or fats. The end product of interesterification can be different than the natural oils, but it does not introduce trans fatty acids.
Controlled crystallization method can separate interesterified fats. Polyunsaturated fatty acid in polyunsaturated fat is usually found in the middle position on the glycerol (sn2), but stearic acid is not found usually in that position in vegetable oils that are used in human diets. Hydrogenation process hardens oils to get margarine and shortening, while interesterification process blends soft oils with hard fats to get a desired consistency and functionality. For example stearin (a hard fraction) blended with palm oil (soft oil) is one option for interesterified goods. Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid is not linked with elevation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) in the body. However scientific researches have raised a concern about interesterified fat consumption. Replacing polyunsaturated fatty acid molecule with stearic acid in any vegetable oil may pose a health risk as the resultant fat is not easily metabolized, if stearic acid is place in the middle fatty acid position of a fat molecule. Other researches also show that interesterified fat may lower the high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels that is the good cholesterol and may raise the blood sugar levels.Recently food and drug administration (FDA) has issued important labeling clarification, where interesterified fats should be appropriately labeled as ‘interesterified soybean oil’ or ‘stearate high’ or ‘stearate rich’ if the proportion of stearate is greater than 20%. This regulation by FDA will allow the oil companies to replace the term ‘hydrogenated’ with ‘interesterified’ where declaring the finished products ingredients will be a compulsion.
The most applied interesterification process is chemical or random interesterification as it is easier and cheaper compared to enzymatic or directed interesterification.

Saturated Fat

2008-01-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Although fat generally possesses a negative side, the fact is fat is also necessary for various vital functions in the body like providing essential fatty acids, it is important for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A,D,E,K, maintain a healthy lining between the bones (Cerebral vascular fluid and synovial fluid), protects body organs, keeps the body insulated and helps in the construction of skin and hair.
Fatty acid molecules are mostly composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Saturated fat is basically a fat containing saturated fatty acid. A saturated fatty acid is saturated with hydrogen atoms where each hydrogen atom is attached to every carbon atom.
Saturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are mainly found in food that are from animal origin like pork, beef, eggs, whole milk, cheese, butter and lard. Plant sources of saturated fats are coconut, coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often known as tropical oils).
Saturated fats also contribute to the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Saturated fatty acid is also associated with weight gain and possible increase in the risk of colorectal, lung, breast, uterine and prostate cancer with high consumption of animal fats or saturated fats. However more conclusive scientific studies are required to prove its direct co-relation with these disease conditions. Saturated fatty acid when consumed in excess tends to raise the blood cholesterol levels. Animal origin foods high in saturated fats are also high in cholesterol. High cholesterol levels in turn causes the arteries passing blood to heart to block leading to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and other heart diseases. On the contrary if a diet is low only in saturated fats it doesn’t lead any significant weight loss when compared with other standard diets. Saturated fats must be consumed in minimum amounts and if possible should be replaced with other healthy unsaturated fats. Saturated fat consumption should not exceed beyond 7 % of the total calories.
Switching to healthier options like lean meats, skimmed milk and skimmed milk products or dairy products consumption if switched to soy milk and soy products shall consciously reduce the amounts of saturated fats in diet. Also it is important to avoid deep fried/oily foods and other foods that are commonly made from margarine and butter that are high in saturated fat; these include biscuits, cookies, cakes and pastries. Before consuming any food product, ensure to read the nutritional label and choose foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol.

Oil Facts

2008-01-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

Fats are essential and should be taken in recommended amounts for health.
A diet very low or high in fat may not be optimal for good health. It is very important to choose the correct type of fat. Emphasis should be laid on quality of fat rather than quantity.
The type of fat consumed will determine one’s risk of getting some diseases like cancer, heart diseases. It is very important to limit the consumption of fatty foods, especially those from animal origin and include moderate amounts of appropriate vegetable oils. Choose vegetable oils that have high monounsaturated fatty acid with minimum hydrogenation that includes canola and olive oil.
There is a direct co-relation between cancer and type of fat consumed. There is a possible increase in the risk of colorectal, lung, breast, uterine and prostate cancer with high consumption of animal fats or saturated fats. Saturated fats are mainly found in food that are from animal origin like pork, beef, eggs, whole milk, cheese, butter and lard. Saturated fats also contribute to the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Moderate consumption of monounsaturated fatty acid in the diet has a protective effect against heart diseases and cancer. Monounsaturated fats helps in increasing the good cholesterol levels and thus decreases the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Thus foods high in monounsaturated fatty acid like almonds, avocadoes, peanuts and other nuts and seeds consumption cannot be ignored completely. However moderation is the key as fats provides almost double calories compared to carbohydrates and proteins and if consumed in excess then will the weighing scale will creep upwards. Unsaturated vegetable oils such as olive and canola oils are better cooking oil options compared to other oils like sunflower, safflower and corn oil, as olive and canola oil have higher ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid.
A diet that is high in fat can lead to obesity as these diets are also high in calories. High consumption of total fats, both saturated and unsaturated fat is related to increased risk of colorectal, uterine, breast, lung and prostate cancer and higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases and stroke. 15-20% of the total calories should come from fat in a healthy individual’s diet, which means a person eating around 2000 calories per day can consume 33 to 67% grams of fat.Vegetable oils that are made stable and solid with the help of hydrogenation process should be minimized as these oils have significant amounts of trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acid is linked to development of many diseases, especially linked to the development of heart diseases. Thus it is wise to decrease the consumption of foods that are high in trans fats such as cookies, crackers, cakes, chips, doughnuts, french fries, margarine and shortening. Avoid overindulgence in any fat, cutting down fat completely is not necessary, but it is important to choose the correct type of fat and consume in moderate amounts.

Fats

2008-01-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

There was a time when fat was used liberally in all the food preparations for a simple reason that it made food tastier.

But ever since the darker shades of high fat consumption are discovered and related to disorders like diabetes, heart diseases, cancer and obesity, moderation is the key. Body stores energy in the adipose tissues in the form of fats. Fat are basically a group of chemical compounds containing fatty acids. A gram of fat provides 9 kilocalories.

Fats are essential to maintain vital functions in the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids, it is important for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A,D,E,K and to maintain a healthy lining between the bones (Cerebral vascular fluid and synovial fluid). Fats can be either saturated or unsaturated (polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids). But besides this there are also other types of fats like trans fats, triglycerides, omega-3 fatty acid, omega-6 fatty acid and cholesterol.

Fatty acid molecules are mostly composed of a carbon and hydrogen atoms. A saturated fatty acid is saturated with hydrogen atoms where each hydrogen atom is attached to every carbon atom. Saturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature. In unsaturated fatty acid either one or more than one pair of hydrogen atom is missing. If there is one gap (one hydrogen atom missing) then it is called monounsaturated fatty acid and if there are many gaps (many hydrogen atoms missing) then it is called polyunsaturated fatty acid. Polysaturated and monosaturated fatty acids are mainly found in plant origin and some sea foods, while saturated fatty acids are found mainly in animal origin. Depending up on the site of missing hydrogen molecule polyunsaturated fatty acid is of two kind omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid. Monosaturated fatty acid is liquid at room temperature but solidifies in the refrigerator, while polyunsaturated fatty acid is liquid at both room temperature and in the refrigerator. Trans fatty acids are byproducts of partial hydrogenation (a process in which missing hydrogen atoms are put back into polyunsaturated fatty acids). A straighter structure is taken by some of the hydrogenated fatty acids that allow the fatty acids to pack more tightly. This is the reason hydrogenated vegetable oils such as margarine and vegetable shortening are solid at room temperature.Fats and cholesterol come under the broad classification of ‘lipids’. Cholesterol is required for many functions in the body like processing food, bile acids for digestion and helps produce steroid hormones.

Most of the cholesterol required by the body is synthesized by liver. Cholesterol is only derived from animal origin, so one should be alert of the gimmick that Oil Company plays of ‘cholesterol free oil’. All the oil from plant origin is cholesterol free.

Protein

2008-01-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

Proteins supply the building material for the body and also help in the wear and tear of tissues.

Hence, they are called the “Body building foods.” Also they are important nutrients required for all living beings. In our body, many Enzymes, those are required to help in the digestion of food, and antibodies that form the defense mechanisms against infections are all protein in nature. Hence, Proteins are one of the most important nutrients that should constitute in a balanced diet. Proteins are mostly made up of essential amino acids. Therefore, the biological value i.e. the nutritional quality of the proteins is essential in a diet.Whey protein is a collection of globular proteins and is a by-product of Cheese making from cow’s milk. Cheese is made using either an enzyme named Rennet or acidifying milk by using lime or vinegar. On heating the milk gets curdled and when it is filtered the liquid thus acquired is Whey. This is high in Protein and contains many calories. It also has the highest biological value. Whey can be de-natured by prolonged heating. Whey protein is of 3 types: 1.Concentrates 2. Isolates 3.Hydrolysate.Concentrates are low in fat and cholesterol but is high in bioactive compounds. Isolates are processed to remove fat and lactose so lower in bioactive compounds. Hydrolysates are pre-digested i.e. partially hydrolyzed which are easily absorbed but are expensive. An excess amount of protein present in the urine is called as Proteinuria or Urine protein. In this the urine becomes foamy because of presence of proteins in it. It can be checked by a simple dipstick test but a better option is to undergo Protein Electrophoresis. Proteinuria is mainly caused because of renal/kidney failure. Generally serum products are readily reabsorbed from urine but the presence of these indicates insufficient absorption or impaired filtration. With severe proteinuria, hypoproteinuria can develop which results in less oncotic pressure. Foods containing high amounts of proteins are categorized as high protein foods. A few examples of high protein foods are chicken, beef, fish, pork and eggs in the non-vegetarian category and beans, nuts and seeds, whole pulses, soybean, milk and milk products in the vegetarian category. All the protein foods contain essential amino acids but their distribution is good in non-vegetarian category. So, they form good quality proteins where as in proteins of plant origin they are not well distributed in their amino acids pattern. For eg: In cereals lysine is poor and in pulses methionine is poor but is good in lysine. Hence, a judicious selection of the foods can contribute to the daily requirement of the proteins. Also, proteins should be easily digestible.

Therefore the nutritive value of any proteins depends on their essential amino aid composition and its digestibility. Many varieties of Protein Supplements are available in the market. Some of them are powders like soy powder, whey powder, proteinex, Megamas and biscuits like threptin and soymilk, tofu etc. Apart from these many more products are available in the market. One should choose according to their requirement.

Acidophilus and Probiotics

2008-01-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

Probiotics are often referred as friendly bacteria and are found naturally in the digestive tract and vagina.

These living organisms are believed to suppress the growth of other harmful bacteria, improve immune functioning, help the body to produce vitamin K and improve the barrier of digestive tract. Acidophilus is included under the large umbrella of beneficial microbes collectively known as probiotics. Acidophilus may also be referred as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus or L. acidophilus. Other types of probiotics include Saccharomyces boulardii, L.

casei, Lactobacillus LB, Bifidobacterium, S. salivarius, L.acidophilus, B. bifidus, L. reuteri, L. bulgaricus, L. plantarum, Lactobacillus GG and S. thermophilus. There are more than 400 species of microorganisms present in the human gut; out of these Bifidobacteria are the most common ones. It is very important to strike a balance between the harmful bacteria and the beneficial bacteria where the main role of probiotics comes in. This balance largely depends on the diet (poor intake of dietary fiber), lifestyle changes, environmental toxins, infant feeding formula and medical factors (oral antibiotics) in a person’s life. If this balance is disturbed (dysbiosis) then yeast and unhealthy bacteria may flourish in the gut and increase the risk of vaginal yeast infections and infectious diarrhea. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that help to improve probiotic balance in the human intestines.

Sources of probiotics

Probiotics can be found in cultured dairy products and fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut respectively. It can also be supplied to the body in the form of liquid, capsule, powder or tablet form. Some health drinks containing acidophilus can also be found in the health stores or grocery stores. After ingestion these probiotics can sustain themselves by colonizing in the intestines, provided they are not destroyed by some factors like antibiotics. Sources of prebiotics include inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides. Inulin can be found in asparagus, banana, chicory and onions. There are no daily recommended doses for probiotics as it is believed that they can be sustained under normal conditions in the human body.

Use of acidophilus

Acidophilus is commonly used in conditions like diarrhea, traveler’s diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, constipation, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, support immune function, prevention from colds and cancer, lactose intolerance, natural cures, pouchitis, canker sores, side effects of radiation therapy and vaginal yeast infections.

Side effects of probiotics

It is wise to use probiotics under the guidance and supervision of a health care professional. Some side effects of probiotics include mild gastrointestinal complains like bloating or flatulence (gas). Serious infections with administration of probiotics are also possible and they may even interact with immunosuppressant medications.

Organic food

2008-01-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

Organic foods are those that are produced without the usage of synthetic fertilizers or chemicals.

Genetically modified foods or irradiated foods do not fall under this category. Organic foods are developed, harvested, stored and moved to the market place in the absence of chemicals and fumigants. Organic farming also includes animal produce like eggs. Such hens are left free and not caged. Their diets are devoid of steroids, antibiotics, growth stimulating drugs and hormones.

Immunization or vaccination helps in boosting their immunity and protecting them from diseases. It is a positive step towards environmental protection.Meat and meat products, dried legumes, fruits and vegetables, honey, eggs, grains and dairy products are some of the commonly available organic foods. Organic farms are those that follow organic principles for a minimum period of three years. Organic foods are eco-friendly. They prevent environmental degradation and preserve water and energy. Crop rotation helps in conserving the nutrients of the soil.

Renewable resources are utilized. A certain extent of pesticides and its residues might be present. Contaminated water or previous farming methods give rise to such a situation. Pyrethrin, copper, sulfur and light oils are permitted pesticides,that occur naturally. Nutrition is an important aspect of consideration. Organic foods are considered healthy and this is attributed to the absence of antibiotics and chemicals. Rising concerns regarding genetically modified foods, puts forward the alternative of organic foods. Long term health issues related to genetic engineering force individuals to prefer organic foods. Organic foods are commercially available in supermarkets, organic retailers and health food shops. These foods are labeled and certified. Claims, such as ‘free from chemicals’ or ‘natural’ are not analogous to organic foods. Research reveals the non-existence of any difference in the vitamin and mineral content of organic foods, in comparison, to the conventionally grown plants. In spite of this fact, some organic foods are shown to have a higher vitamin C and selenium levels and reduced nitrate levels. Organic farming demands tremendous labour, due to abstinence from herbicides and pesticides. The products are synthesized in a small scale concept and undergo a separate processing technique. Thereby, the rates are triggered.

Soil fertility is lost due to fertilizers usage. Water salinity and growth of blue green algae increases. Green animal manure and physical weed techniques are used. Taste of organic foods depends on individual choice. Organic foods are safe to consume, due to the non-alteration of the nutrients.

Health Food

2008-01-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Health food are basically foods that help you to maintain health; physically and mentally both.

Good nutrition and safe food is very important for all people across the world and eating healthy foods and a balanced meal helps to protect and promote good health.This can be achieved with the help of a food pyramid which guides you how much to eat from a particular food group, how to make wise choices from that group and how to prepare to prevent any nutrient loss.

A healthy food pyramid also helps to plan meals, teach the serving or portion size and gives smart tips to maintain our ideal body weight.

To ensure that you are including a health food in diet remember these points

1-Include complex carbohydrates in the form of whole cereals, whole wheat and wheat products, brown rice and other millets in diet to get energy.

These are also rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
2-Whole pulses, sprouts and soy are very essential source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Soy protein is of more significance as besides being a very good source of protein it also supplies n-3 fatty acids which are necessary for various functions in the body.
3-Skimmed milk and skim milk products, lean meat, fish, egg and de skinned chicken also provides good quality protein and are healthy if consumed in recommended amounts.
4-Include at least 9-10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables out of which eat one dark green and one orange vegetable daily.
5-Take minimum amounts of ‘empty calories’ that comes from sugar and also concentrate not only on the quantity but also the quality of fat that is being consumed.

Health foods can also refer to the foods that are grown organically and are free from chemicals.

Certain vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, beta carotene, selenium, magnesium, calcium, chromium, boron and lithium are many times higher in organic foods compared to the normal counterparts. These foods are very expensive and not cost effective for a simple reason as their production is lower, more labor intensive and has lower yields compared to the commercial methods. Certain foods are also labeled as ‘health food’ as they are specially fortified with various nutrients. These fortified foods are often rich in vitamins and minerals, but it is very important to read the product label and decide according to ones requirement before its consumption. The need for any dietary supplements is nil if an individual is on a balanced diet and includes variety of healthy foods in meals.

Health Benefits of Dietary Supplements

2008-01-02T00:07:00.000-08:00

Dietary supplement is becoming a hot topic for discussion because of the health benefits it promises. People take vitamins and minerals supplement to improve over all health, as dietary supplements or in case of any deficiency of that particular vitamins or minerals.
Dietary supplements are products that intend to supplement a diet and contain vitamins, minerals, herbs and other substances to improve diet. Dietary supplements can be in the form of capsules, pills, powders or liquid form. All dietary supplement products are regulated by FDA before they are sold in market and action is taken by them against those products that make false claims and are not safe to use.
Dietary supplements are becoming a part of conventional medicine or complementary and alternative medicine. Some of the dietary supplements play important role in maintaining health. Folic acid vitamin when taken by a pregnant lady helps to prevent birth defects in her baby and a good regime of zinc and vitamins help to taper down the progression of age related macular degeneration (eye disease).

There are various dietary supplements available in the market that makes various claims like

-Health claim describing a relation between foods with dietary supplement ingredient and preventing or reducing risk of a particular health condition.

-
Structure or functional claims describes how the product can affect the organ/system of the body.

-
Nutrient claim describes the amount of nutrient or dietary substances like vitamins, minerals and herbs in the product.

Points to remember while taking a dietary supplement

-Inform your physician about any dietary supplement you use, and also talk to him if you are pregnant, lactating or have any health related problems.

This will help him to guide you in the right direction. Dietary supplements taken with weight loss diet should also be informed to your physician.

-Read the label for contents on the dietary supplement before taking it.
Always take recommended doses only and never take larger doses.
In case of any side effects, discontinue taking that supplement.

-
Remember that by law any dietary supplement product cannot claim that it can treat a condition or cure a disease.
Can the supplement interact with any food or drugs you are consumed.

-
Dietary supplements cannot be replaced with healthy foods in diet; they can just be products that can be added to a well balanced diet containing whole foods.

-Knowledge and affordability of that supplement.

The best way of taking your daily doses of vitamins, minerals and other essential components of food is including a healthy balanced meal in your daily diet.

Harmful Substances / Habits

2008-01-02T00:04:00.000-08:00

If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. This is fair warning for those who continue to indulge in harmful substances/habits. Excessive intake of alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and drug use claim thousands of lives everyday. Breaking the habit is a fierce struggle. Many have tried to quit. Some have failed and others succeeded. Yet many more continue to seesaw. Dependence on alcohol and tobacco are classified as drug addiction. The tar in cigarettes causes lung cancer and the carbon monoxide in smoke increase the risk of heart attacks. Alcohol damages the liver and other vital organs of the body. Drug use has seen the destruction of young lives, families, and careers.Alcohol addiction is a blot that cuts across sectors of society. As dependence increases, an alcoholic takes in larger quantities everyday. There is no end in sight. Smokers promise to quit every night before they sleep. Tobacco chomping machos also suffer the same agonies. The urge to use these harmful substances is so compelling they cannot quit. Breaking the habit is impossible. In all of these cases, professional help would be a big advantage. Desperate people think that quitting smoking, alcohol, and tobacco is difficult. It is expected. They have resorted to several gimmicks without any success. They deceive themselves into believing that they can stop tomorrow. The first thing do is seeking help. There are several smoking cessation programs and alcohol rehabilitation centers advertised on the net. There are many options to choose from. You could use nicotine patches, or get tips from streaming online. These options have eliminated the fuss of going to “classes”. One can do the routine at hope and learn the regimen to break the habit. One can get free programs on line. There are neither forms to fill up nor fees to pay. Several cessation strategies include visualization, deep relaxation, positive substation, deep breathing, and other proven helpful techniques. Behavior modification is incorporated into the program. How to break the habit programs can be ordered on line. You can get an MP3 CD for a nominal fee. However, people with drug abuse, smoking and alcohol problems cannot quit on their own. They need to undergo behavioral therapy or psychotherapy. These treatment strategies will help them cope with their cravings and prevent relapse. If a relapse does occur, they are guided along. Rate of recovery may vary. So seek help now. Free yourself from harmful substances/habits.

Diet for Professionals and Conditions

2008-01-01T23:53:00.000-08:00

Diets vary as there are different cultures and human beings. Dietary ways are individual decisions to suit their needs. But individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy.A particular diet may be chosen to seek weight gain or loss, sports training or whatever stature a person has in society. Let us take the professionals and laborers who have to gain more in following a diet plan. And so with pregnant women and school children who in an environment which can have a dramatic influence in how much they unknowingly eat.Whatever lifestyles professionals follow and in whatever conditions they are in, it is always best to have a diet regimen. In this way, you conditioned your body for better flexibility and for an extended life span. Whether they are holding white collar jobs or blue, it matters that a beneficial diet plan is being followed. Laborers working under the heat of the sun and lifting heavy objects should be the people who should have a diet formulated just for them. There is a need for a dietary system for persons engaged in hard physical work. Most favorable nutrition is necessary for securing the highest degree of physical fitness. And so with women who are pregnant. They are in a condition that is most delicate. It is a period during which a woman is carrying an unborn baby inside her body. Thus it is always advice that a pregnant woman should adhere to a pregnancy diet. Merely preventing deficiencies will not suffice. A healthy diet is very crucial to having a healthy pregnancy. This is just fair for the unborn baby. Pregnancy diet gives the unborn baby the nourishment the baby needs to develop and grow. In time the babies will become school children which require a whole dietary habit. There is nothing difficult about healthy eating. School children should be taught the right approach to eat food that is easy to live with. While most school children should not be put on a strict diet, a combined approach of sensible nutrition and regular exercise can help to control malnutrition as in obesity or the anorexic.

Diet in all walks of life spells out a nutritional value that would help people go on with their lives and probably happier than ever. It implies too that diet can help us fight free radicals damaging substances in our body. And most importantly it helps a dieter on track with healthy and nutritious eating habits.

Medicinal Therapies and Diet

2008-01-01T23:27:00.000-08:00

Man gets sick. That’s a fact! Whether physically, physiologically or psychologically, man seeks medicinal therapies intended to improve physical or emotional wellbeing and to extend his life span. There are countless of medicinal therapies man encounters in this world. As man seeks out what is best for him, he comes into contact with different medical remedies or treatments, ancient or modern, this world could offer. For a fact these treatments are associated with a certain degree of risk for adverse effects or side effects. Medicinal therapies are divided into traditional and modern medicines. Most traditional medicines are simple herbal preparations made from plants that can easily be grown around the home. Alternative medicines are not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the USA AND Britain. With proliferation of medical practices, licensed or not, probably the best medicinal therapies people are now imbibing are yoga and the strict adherence to a diet plan. In the United States alone yoga practitioners are more than a million and still growing in leaps and bounds. Yoga does not make use of pills or any oral and injectible medicines and so with following a diet regimen. They believe this would rid their bodies of any foreign element which could put their health at risk. There is also this fear of being misdiagnosed and subsequently given a medicine which does not suit their needs. Yoga has become an alternative medicine as medicinal therapy. Medicinal in the sense that yoga has greatly improved the flexibility of the human body, the mind more at ease and keeps a person looking and feeling youthful. Yoga enhances the immune system. Yoga has probably done more good for the human body than any one can realized.

After yoga, the next best medicinal therapy any man can indulge in is diet. Diet has always been defined as the control of food intake. To control intake of food and drink is for health reasons, to improve a medical condition. Medicinal therapies may not only mean alternative medicine, modern medicine, traditional medicine, it could well mean also yoga and diet.But no matter what the healing method people take, the fact remains that the primitive urge to eat extends to the way in which we regard food as a medicine and take medicinal substances to heal ourselves. That could be ironic. With these different illnesses come the many medicinal therapies from the around the world. These medicinal therapies draw an experience from different parts of the planet.

Weight Loss Dietary Supplements

2008-01-01T23:23:00.000-08:00

The pressure to lose weight seems to be mounting these days due to the way Hollywood actors and actresses look. The waif thin figures of our favorite stars often prompt us to lose weight as well and the faster we lose weight, the better. This need for fast weight loss has had people looking towards other weight loss avenues and these fast avenues often come in the shape of dietary supplements. Weight loss dietary supplements are created to help people lose weight faster while they exercise. While it is still arguable whether these weight loss dietary supplements indeed help people lose weight faster and more efficiently, a lot of people who use them claim that they do help in decreasing weight fast. Taking these weight loss dietary supplements in conjunction with a healthy foods diet and exercise will indeed help a person lose weight.There are weight loss dietary supplements that state what they are supposed to do to help users lose weight. There is a supplement that is reportedly a fat blocker, others that are natural carb blockers, and even some that claim to be lipotropic or helps to break down the fat in a person's body. There are a huge number of weight loss dietary supplements that have gained popularity simply because of their ability to burn and dispose of fat. One such substance that is being used for such weight loss dietary supplements in carnitine or L-carnitine. The use of this compound in such weight loss dietary supplements has become quite common due to its fat dissolving quality. There are other weight loss dietary supplements that are popular not because of fat burning qualities but because of the effects these supplements have on the body in relation to fat burning activities. Ephedra is one such substance that is used in this capacity.

This substance is said to help suppress a person's appetite as well as stimulates them to exercise more. Ephedra has, however, exhibited some negative side effects like insomnia, cardiac problems and even acne. Other weight loss dietary supplements like green tea and dietary fiber are antioxidants that help flush toxins out of the body. These toxins are said to be one of the reasons why fatty deposits stay stuck in a person's body and flushing out these toxins by using these antioxidants and dietary fiber supplements is said to help expedite the burning and disposing of these fatty deposits in the body.

Mononucleosis

2008-01-01T23:12:00.000-08:00

What is Mononucleosis? Mononucleosis is viral disease transmitted through spread of virus infected saliva. Epstein-Barr Virus or EBV is the virus that causes mononucleosis. This disease commonly occurs between teenagers and young adults aged 15-35 years. Mononucleosis is a highly contagious disease and contact with infected people or sharing saliva infected glasses or personal items can cause the disease.

Symptoms of Mononucleosis

The key symptoms are : weakness and fatigue, minimal or sever sore throat, occasional vomiting and nausea, swollen lymph glands around the neck, armpits and groin area, fever, jaundice, skin rash and loss of appetite.

Causes of Mononucleosis

The main cause of this disease is sharing personal items such as toothbrush, glasses or lip gloss with persons infected with mononucleosis. Physical contact causing spread of saliva such as: coughing, sneezing or kissing can also lead to the infectious disease.

Effects of Mononucleosis

The health impacts of harboring a viral infection like EBV are:

-Neurological problems may affect the central nervous system and cause weakening or paralysis of facial muscles.

-Inflammation of muscles of the heart

-Reduction in red blood and white blood cells

What is a good diet to be followed to combat Mononucleosis?

Adequate rest and a good intake of fluids can help those infected with mononucleosis. Practice of good hygiene, avoiding sharing personal items and washing hands regularly can minimize the chances of attracting such infections

A good dietary system can also help build a strong immune system which will help keep diseases at bay. Here is a list of dos and don’ts:

Do’s

-Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for health – so eat healthy and avoid junk foods.

-Have at least 6-8 glasses of water every day

-Have four to six small meals comprising healthy foods

-Intake of required supplements such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium can help boost the immune system.

Dont's

-Excessive consumption of aerated and caffeine beverages, alcohol, smoking, accompanied by a sedentary and stressed lifestyle is best avoidable.

-Excessive sports activity, fatigue or overwork is also best avoided.

Herbs and Alternative Cures

2008-01-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

Benefits have been derived from various herbs and alternative cures from centuries, but lately a lot of light has been thrown on this topic. Herbs in the recent years are often looked up on as the lost treasure. More and more people are turning to herbal treatments and alternative cures as a first option with an intention of preventing a disease, relieving the symptoms, or curing the diseases. Being healthy can not be judged by the external appearance alone, a person who is visibly fit can have multiple nutritional deficiencies or some health issues, so it is necessary to be internally fit, by keeping all the internal organs healthy. Herbs are unlikely to cause any side effects and are generally safe to consume if used knowledgeably, however they should be used with a word of caution and prescription especially for pregnant, lactating women, children, people with allergic reactions and people with certain health condition or on medications. As all herbs might not be suitable for all people and all the disease condition, and the ones that are appropriate needs to be taken in a particular dose, excess or less of them might just not help. Do not alter your medical regime while taking any herbs and do keep your doctor informed as an interaction of herbs with medicines is common. Numerous herbs have various medical value and many medical drugs are derived form these compounds found in these herbs. Some conditions can be completely cured by bypassing the bombardment of strong drugs on the body, simply by using certain herbs and alternative cures. Moreover it is a very cost effective way to treat an illness.There are various alternative cures which include meditation, aroma therapy, music therapy, massage therapy, water therapy, yoga, color therapy, acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, faith and healing the list can be endless and is gaining lot of popularity among people in various countries of the world. Any alternative cures should be practiced under the guidance of a trained professional according to ones necessity to drain maximum benefits out of them.Complete cure might not be possible by just using herbs and alternative cures but they will definitely help to safely heal the body to much extent with out causing any side effects, if practiced appropriately.

Alternative cures and herbs are embraced in many countries worldwide and also promoted by many health care professionals as complimentary medicine to treat an illness and for general well being of a person.

Nutritional Facts of Common Foods

2007-12-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

Common food elements and diet facts that contribute to the nutritional requirements in the body are discussed below. Common food elements include the macronutrients and the micronutrients consisting carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, photochemical and water.

The foundation of the diet should be build by including cereals and millets in the diet. This provides complex carbohydrates which is the body’s preferred fuel source. Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4calories. Carbohydrates can be simple or complex, prefer complex carbohydrates for a simple reason that they are high in dietary fiber and low in fat. Complex carbohydrate sources include whole wheat and its products, unpolished rice and millets.

Fruits and vegetables
Include at least 8-9 servings of variety of fruits and vegetables daily to get essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the diet. Consumption of the recommended amounts in daily diet reduces the risk for heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, diverticulitis, certain cancers and improves bowel movements.

Dairy foods
Milk and milk products are rich in proteins, and also a good source of calcium and vitamin D which is essential to maintain healthy bones.Like carbohydrates proteins also provides 4 calories per gram. A normal diet should comprise 15% protein of daily energy intake. Include low fat options like skimmed yoghurt and milk over ice cream.

Pulses, meat, fish, poultry and eggs
This group also provides handful amounts of proteins. Eat 2 servings of oily fish, soy beans and flaxseeds in diet to meet the requirements of omega 3 fatty acids which is essential for heart health. Sprouts and pulses are the vegan source of proteins. Along with proteins a cup of sprouted pulse has 6 times more vitamin C, and other B-complex vitamin graph is also increased.

Fat and sugars
A gram of fat provides 9 calories. Fat is essential for absorption of fat soluble vitamins which are required for various functions in the body and it also provides essential fatty acids. Limited amounts are required for good health, but when consumed in excess then problem arises gradually (obesity, heart attack, diabetes, stroke and cancer). Type of fat that is being consumed is also of importance. Plant sources contains zero cholesterol, cholesterol is present in animal sources. 80% of cholesterol is synthesized in our body by liver.
Excessive consumption of saturated fats and foods high in cholesterol also contributes to high lipid cholesterol.
It is wise to consume sugar in minimum amounts. Sugar contributes to “empty calories” without giving any other nutrients to the body.

Water
Water is the most important, but many a times most forgotten element in the diet. Include adequate water daily for proper metabolism of the body.

Vitamin, minerals and Antioxidants
A balanced meal provides all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants required for a healthy living. The need for supplements is nil when you consume a healthy diet daily.

100 Best Weight-Loss Tips

2007-12-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

In 100 Best Weight-Loss tips there are no strenuous exercises, no formal diet plans to follow and no horrible-tasting things to gulp. And it helps in losing weight in a quick and safe manner. It also suggests healthy eating habits for permanent weight-loss.

Avoid unhealthy, commercial (expensive) low-carbohydrate diet, wherein there is accumulation of fats in the body leading to heart attack and stroke, and even damages liver and kidney. And you gain weight on a rebound if you stop the diet.

Tips have to be followed regularly to lose weight easily and safely. Gradually your health will improve. You will feel better, be thinner, look younger and gain firmness and will lose weight forever.

Allergy Relief

2007-12-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

What is allergy?

Allergy is a condition where any exposure to substances known as “allergens” causes a reaction in the body called an allergic reaction.

Causes of allergies

When the body of allergy sufferers meets some substances for the first time, a record of that substance is stored in the allergy cells. Whenever these “allergens” are encountered again, the allergy cells respond by releasing chemicals (like histamine) into the blood stream, resulting in an “allergy attack “.

Symptoms of allergy:

Symptoms vary greatly from sneezing and itching to the most dangerous allergic reaction: anaphylactic shock.

-Mild reaction: Exposure to allergens causes sneezing, wheezing, red itchy eyes, wheals on the skin, sometimes diarrhea.

-Anaphylaxis: If an allergy sufferer is exposed to even small quantities of the allergen, dramatic reactions occur, like hypotension, swelling tongue, rash over the skin, swelling and spasm of the throat causing difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis is a life threatening condition.

Treatment of allergy:

-Mild allergies are best treated by avoiding the allergens, for example someone who is allergic to milk might never have the symptoms if they never drink milk.

-Drug treatment: For a mild allergic reaction, the mainstay of treatment is a type of drugs called antihistamines.

-They counteract the allergic reaction and produce allergy relief.
For anaphylaxis, the single most important medicine is “epinephrine” or “adrenaline”, it is life-saving, that is why an allergy-sufferer who is prone to anaphylaxis must carry an adrenaline shot with them at all times.

Prevention of allergy:

-Allergen identification and avoidance: examples of allergens include animal fur, pollen, house dust, foods like shellfish or eggs, aerosols like perfumes and insecticides, certain materials like rubber (latex) etc Allergens are identified by the doctor and subsequently avoided.

-Immunotherapy and hyposensitization: consists of exposing the allergy sufferer to gradually increasing doses of the allergen until the body gets used to it and there is no more allergic reaction.

Home remedies for allergies:

-Vit C for example from tomatoes (not from citrus fruits) is very helpful for allergy relief.

-Honey from local apiaries helps with pollen allergy and bee-sting allergy.

When to call the doctor?

Whenever the drugs are not effective in relieving the attack, or when allergic attacks persist in spite of avoiding known allergens.

Fibromyalgia Treatment – A Nutritional Approach

2007-12-27T09:50:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome that affects middle-aged women predominantly. It is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain; there is tenderness at specified sites accompanied by disturbed sleep and tiredness. The relaxation rate is reduced, there is decrease in Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Phosphocreatine, and the painful muscles exhibit disturbed microcirculation. The pain-sensitivity is abnormally high (indicated by pain analysis).

The cause for Fibromyalgia varies from patient to patient.

And though the exact cause remains unknown, physiological sleep disturbances is considered as one of the main symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is not regarded a disease, but is classified as a syndrome.

A disease is a condition where the main cause is identifiable clearly and it remains the same in all patients. Whereas a syndrome is a condition where there are a set of symptoms responsible for the condition and no single causative agent is detectable. Fibromyalgia symptoms vary from patient to patient.

The human body is a complex system and for the body to work efficiently all the functions must work properly. But the body can heal itself and compensate on certain mechanisms, through appropriate instructions, right tools and sufficient time.

Fibromyalgia Comorbidities

Fibromyalgia is also found related with a number of other conditions like migraine and tension headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFIDS), micro-trauma and de-conditioning of muscles, major depressive disorder, mitral valve prolapse, ischemia and muscle spasm, myofascial pain syndrome, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), primary dysmenorrhea, Sjogrens syndrome, sympathetic hypersensitivity, sexual abuse and temporamandibular joint syndrome (TMJ).

Weight Management: Underweight

2007-12-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

Most often, being underweight is a sign of an accompanying disorder. This disorder must first be dealt with in order to bring your weight back to normal. In addition, to this treatment, physical activity may need to be modified and psychological counseling may be required. After the treatment of the primary disorder is successful, nutritional support may be provided along with dietary changes.

Dietary management

The objectives of dietary modification are to restore the body to its normal weight, rebuild tissue and store nutrients, and maintain the desirable body weight.

Energy:

A nutritious high energy diet providing calories over and above the body's requirement will result in weight gain. An increase of about 500 -1000 Cal per day can result in a weight gain of approximately one kilogram per week.

Protein:

A liberal intake of high quality protein will help in building up of muscle tissue. A daily protein intake of two grams per kilogram of body weight will be required. For example, if your body weight is 60 kg, you require 75-120 g protein

Carbohydrates:

A high carbohydrate intake is also necessary to meet the energy requirements of a malnourished body. The bulk of the diet, however, should not be increased as it cuts down food intake. Avoid taking more fiber than is necessary for regular bowel movement.

Fats:

Fats aid in the weight gain process, but they should only be used in amounts that can be tolerated. Emulsified fats like butter, cream etc. are better tolerated by the body.

Minerals and vitamins:

These must be provided in sufficient amounts in order to counter for nutritional deficiencies.

Diet and feeding pattern:

The amount of food intake cannot be substantially increased all of a sudden. The amount of food at each meal and the frequency of meals should be increased gradually. The calorie density of the foods can be increased, without increasing bulk, by using more sugar, jam, butter, cream, oil, and nuts. To increase the protein content of the diet, milk powder, cheese, cottage cheese, and protein concentrates can be added to liquid milk, and other beverages and soups.

Fiber - The Wonder Non-nutrient

2007-12-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

Dietary fibers are constituents of plants that are resistant to digestion in the human digestive tract. The types of fiber - soluble and insoluble, their functions and sources have been discussed earlier in this book. The table below gives fibre content of common foods.
A fiber rich diet helps in weight management in many ways. Fiber rich foods are generally 'calorie poor'. They also contribute bulk to our diet and hence give a sensation of fullness of stomach, early satiety and very few calories. They also delay gastric emptying and hunger sensation and increase inter-meal hunger interval besides decreasing insulin (appetite-stimulant) levels.
Hence, a high-fiber, low-fat diet is ideal for sustained weight loss. Along with a regular exercise schedule, a high-fiber, low-fat diet provides the key to weight reduction and positive health. Given below are some high-fiber recipes containing bran.

1. Wheat bran biscuits (sweet)
Number of serving: 8

Size of serving: 3 biscuits

Ingredients:
Wheat bran 100 g

Wheat flour refined (Maida) 100 g

Oil/ghee 50 g

Jaggery 100 g

Procedure:
-Beat fat till creamy.
-Add flour, wheat bran, crushed caramelized jaggery and make dough. Keep it for 4-5 hours.
-Roll out and cut into required shapes
-Bake at 3500 F for 25-30 minutes or until done.
-Nutritive value per serving: 120 Cat 4 g fiber.

2. Wheat bran biscuits (salty)
Number of serving: 8

Size of serving: 3 biscuits

Ingredients:
Wheat bran : 100 g

Wheat flour refined (Maida) : 100 g

Oil/ ghee : 50 g

Curd : 100 g

Thyme and salt to taste

Procedure:
-Beat fat till creamy.
-Add curd and mix well.
-Add flour, wheat bran, salt and thyme and knead to make dough. Keep it for 4-5 hours.
-Roll out and cut into required shapes
-Bake at 3500 F for 25-30 minutes or until done.
-Nutritive value per serving: 95 Cal, 4 g fiber.

3. Yogurt and Lentil Patties (Dahl vada)
Number of serving: 6

Size of serving: 2 vadas

Ingredients:
Black gram dal (washed) :25 g

Curd : 250 g Wheat bran : 100 g

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste Roasted cumin seeds

(jeera) : 1 tsp

Ginger : 1" piece

Procedure:
-Soak dal overnight.
-Grind dal, bran and ginger together to thick batter consistency.
-Make balls and fry them.
-Beat curd, add roasted jeera powder and salt and pepper to taste.
-Soak vadas in water, squeeze and soak them in curd. Nutritive value per serving: 125 Cal.

Artificial sweeteners
There are a number of low calorie artificial sweeteners that are available in the market as a sugar substitute. They are mainly of two types: nutritive, and non-nutritive.
Nutritive sweeteners include sorbitol and fructose. These sweeteners provide calories and should be used with discretion.
Non-nutritive sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, acesulfame K etc. Aspartame is a low calorie sweetener, about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is virtually calorie-free and can be consumed in amounts up to 40 mg per kilogram of body weight. It is considered safe for consumption by all individuals except for persons suffering from phenylketonuria. Saccharin is a calorie-free sweetener which is 300-500 times sweeter than sugar. The acceptable daily intake for saccharin is 5.0 mg per kilogram of body weight. Cyclamate is also a calorie-free sweetener 30 times sweeter than sugar. It can be consumed in amounts up to 11 mg per kilogram of body weight. Acesulfame K is 130-200 times sweeter than sugar and is calorie-free. The acceptable daily intake for acesulfame K has been set at 15 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Fat Replacers
Fat replacers are substances that can be used to replace some or all of the fat in food products. They have the potential to help reduce total fat consumption and hence, indirectly reduce total calorie consumption. Because fat replacers can improve both the taste and texture of lower-fat foods, they can help alleviate the sense of deprivation that can impede compliance with a low-fat, low-calorie diet. Fat replacers are of three types:

These include cellulose, maltodextrins, gums, starches, fibres, polydextrose, etc. Carbohydrate based fat replacers have lower calories than fat.

Although they are heat stable for baking, they do not melt and so cannot be used for sautéing or frying.

Protein based fat replacers:
These are generally based on egg whites, whey, protein or soy. Their texture and appearance make them particularly suited for use in dairy products. Although they are suitable for baking, they cannot be used for frying.

Fat based fat replacers:
These are based on fat, usually vegetable oils. The fatty acids in the vegetable oils are chemically treated so that they provide few or no calories. Fat based fat replacers have the advantage of heat stability and can be used in frying.

Tips for Controlling Calorie Intake

2007-12-23T14:33:00.000-08:00

Controlling your body’s calorie intake is the most crucial aspect of any weight reduction program. However, you do not have to resort to a bland and tasteless diet in order to do so. Studies show that you will be more likely to stick to your low-calorie diet if it is palatable to the taste buds. You can limit your calories without compromising on taste. Here are some cooking methods, and diet tips and recipes that will ensure that you are able to restricts your calorie intake without losing out on the essential flavor of food.

Weight Management: Obesity

2007-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

An ideal body weight is most conducive to good health. This ideal body weight varies for each individual. It is up to every individual to take the initiative to ensure that his or her body weight does not vary more than 2 kilograms of the ideal body weight.
The objective of any weight management program is to bring a person’s body weight within the ideal body weight range, and to maintain it there. The program revolves around ensuring a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. This sort of a weight management program is equally applicable to the underweight, and the obese.

Obesity management

Successful weight loss can be brought about through a combined nutritional and behavioral approach. The diet of the person should be well balanced and suited to his or her needs. This should be combined with an exercise program for effective results.

Dietary management

The objectives of diet modification in a weight reduction program are:

-To bring about a gradual weight loss.

-To maintain desirable weight and good nutritional status.

-To correct faulty food habits.

In order to achieve these objectives, suitable diet modifications must be made.

Energy:The energy intake must be reduced suitably to meet individual weight loss targets. A decrease of 1000 Cal daily is required to lose about one kilogram weight per week.
On an average, a 1000-1200 Cal diet is used for weight reduction in women and 1500-1800 Cal diet is prescribed for weight reduction in men.
Generally speaking, if you are overweight then reduce 500 Cal per day in your actual daily intake. If you are obese then you should reduce 1000 Cal per day in your actual daily intake. Another approach for determining energy requirement is based on body weight and activity.

Proteins:It is advisable to eat slightly more protein than the normal amounts, as protein makes you feel full, and helps to maintain a good nutritional status. Approximately twenty per cent of the total energy must be obtained from proteins. If you are taking a 1500 Cal diet, 300 Cal must come from proteins. To obtain 300 Cal from proteins, you need to consume 75 g proteins.

Fats:Unlike protein, fat intake needs to be reduced for weight reduction. A total of twenty per cent or less calories should come from fat. In a 1500 Cal diet, 300 Cal from fat will be obtained by consuming 33 g fat. The type of fat that is consumed should also be kept in mind.

Carbohydrates:Carbohydrates should provide the remaining sixty per cent of energy. In a 1500 Cal diet, 900 Cal from carbohydrates will be obtained by consuming 225 g carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should mainly be in complex form like starches and dietary fiber. Simple forms like sugars should be limited. Minerals and vitamins: Weight reducing diets should provide adequate amounts of essential nutrients like minerals and vitamins, while being low in calories at the same time. Fruit and vegetables, therefore, should be amply included in meals as they are low in calories and a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers.

Alcohol:Alcohol must always be consumed in moderation. While a glass of red wine everyday is good for your heart, more than that could lead to serious complications.

Diet and feeding pattern:A proper diet should also leave you feeling full. If you feel hungry all the time it is an indication that your diet is not adequate. This will also cause you to eat additional food not prescribed in the diet. Adequate amounts of protein foods, fibrous fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals and pulses provide satiety and thus help to cut down food intake. You should also drink plenty of unsweetened fluids.

Foods to be avoided,

-High fat foods like butter, processed cheese, chocolates, cream, ice-creams, fatty meats, pastries, cream soups, salad dressings, mayonnaise and white sauce.

-Fried foods like French fries, potato chips, etc.

-High carbohydrate foods such as breads, cakes, cookies, dried fruits, potatoes, sweet potatoes, honey, syrups, jams, rich puddings and preserves.

-Carbonated and malted beverages, alcoholic drinks and sweetened fruit juices.

Physical Activity:

Regular physical activity plays a major role in effective weight loss and weight management. It can also help prevent several diseases and improve your overall health. It does not matter what type of physical activity you perform - sports, planned exercise, household chores, or work-related tasks, all are beneficial. Studies show that even the most inactive people can gain significant health benefits if they accumulate thirty minutes or more of physical activity per day.

How can physical activity help control your weight?

Physical activity helps your body to burn excess calories, that would otherwise have been stored as fat. Since body weight is regulated by the number of calories you eat and use each day, any physical activity in addition to what you normally do, will use up extra calories. The basic idea behind any such program is to balance your body’s calorie intake and output. When you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body uses the stored calories and you lose weight. Any type of physical activity, whether light, moderate or strenuous, will increase the number of calories your body burns. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is to make some sort of physical activity a part of your daily routine.

What are the health benefits of physical activity?

In addition to helping control your weight, research shows that regular physical activity can reduce your risk for several diseases and conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular physical activity can help protect you from health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, back pain, and osteoporosis. In addition, when you exercise, the brain releases chemicals that lighten your mood and give you positive outlook on life.

How much should you exercise?

Experts recommend that you should do twenty to thirty minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week, and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week. If you are unable to sustain this level of activity, you should try to engage in thirty minutes of moderate intensity at least five days in a week. However, if you are unable to sustain this level of activity, you can gain substantial health benefits by accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, at least five times a week. While choosing physical activities to include in your weight loss program, ensure that you pick a variety of activities that you will enjoy doing on a regular basis. Remember, if you are not having fun, you will be less likely to stick to your exercise routine.
If you have been inactive for a while, you should start with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Begin at a slow pace so that you do not overstrain yourself. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.

Moderate-intensity activity,

Moderate-intensity activities include gardening and housework. These activities can be done in short spurts; accumulating 30 minutes of activity over the course of the day can result in substantial health benefits

Aerobic activity,

Aerobic activity is an important component of any exercise program. Aerobic exercise is any extended activity that makes you breathe harder while using the large muscles at a regular and even pace. Aerobic activities are very good for your heart and help make to make it stronger and more efficient. They also burn more calories than other activities. Some examples of aerobic activities include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobic dancing, ice or roller skating, skiing, and using aerobic equipment such as a treadmill, or stationary bike. Any exercise program should include time for warming up and cooling down, each lasting 5 minutes.

Behavior modification,

Behavior modification is an important component of a weight management program. Behavior modification consists of three components: self-monitoring, stimulus control and self-¬reward.
Self-monitoring involves a daily record of place and time of food intake, as well as accompanying thoughts and feelings. It helps to identify the physical and emotional conditions under which the person craves food. Once these conditions have been identified, they must be modified and controlled. This is called Stimulus control. Successful stimulus control should be rewarded. Self-reward includes techniques of rewarding self for eating control.

Extreme approaches to weight loss

A desperate desire to lose weight may cause some obese people to resort to extreme approaches of weight loss, which may be undesirable. Some of these extreme approaches include:

-Fasting:Fasting is a drastic measure and is seldom prescribed as a treatment for obesity. However, individuals often invoke fasting for religious reasons or in a personal effort to lose weight. Prolonged fasting can lead to acidosis, hypertension, lowered BMR, neurological and hormonal side-effects.

-Fad diets:Weight loss foods available in the market are often based on scientific inaccuracies and may be nutritionally inadequate too. They may in fact, make weight loss more difficult each time as they may not be practical and may not bring about behavioral changes.

-Drugs:Drugs such as amphetamines are commonly used to suppress appetite and may cause many side effects such as confusion, stroke, hallucinations and psychotic behavior.

-Special clothing and body wraps:These help weight loss in specific spots of the body so as to reduce body size. The small weight loss that occurs is the result of temporary water loss due to application of heat and vibrations.

-Surgery:Surgical techniques such as jaw wiring, liposuction and intestinal bypass are used for severely obese persons and may result in some side effects.

These should only be resorted to if all else fails and your obesity severely limits your good health.

Obesity management: Strategies for success

Successful weight management requires perseverance and discipline. Do not expect fat that has accumulated over the years to disappear overnight. Some strategies that you should keep in mind to aid your weight management program are:

-Do not set very high goals. Target a reasonable weight loss of one kilogram per week.

-Adapt family meals to specific needs by adjusting the method of preparation and reducing consumption of fats.

-Avoid binging. If you overeat due to social pressure, adjust other meals of the day or of the next day.

-While eating outside home, select simply prepared items rather than combination dishes. Avoid fried foods, use fruit as desserts as opposed to ice-creams, puddings, etc.

-Spread food throughout the day to meet your body’s energy requirements.

-Follow a gradual approach to exercise in order to get the most benefits.

-Exercise regularly at a comfortable pace.

-Select varied exercises that you enjoy and those that fit your personality, your work schedule, and your fitness level.

-Encourage your family and friends to support you and join you in your activities. This will ensure that you stick to your program and will also prove beneficial for your family’s health.

-Any exercise program invariably hits a plateau. Do not be discouraged. Circumvent them by increasing your exercise or varying the activity.

Calories

2007-12-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

Food is an integral part of the human civilization. Different regions and cultures are characterized by their cuisines. The food industry is a multi million dollar industry. Today’s generation has access to a variety of cuisines from all over the world, prepared at their friendly neighborhood restaurant.
It is important, not to forget, in the midst of this gastronomical orgy, the main reason why we consume food. Food tastes good, but that is not why we eat it. We eat food because our body extracts all the nutrients that it requires from this food. These nutrients are essential for survival, growth, reproduction and for maintaining good health.
The daily activities of the body require energy, which is also supplied by the food we eat. The energy value of food is measured in units called calories. Food also supplies our body with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber. It must be kept in mind that the body requires these nutrients in a specific amount. Any deficiency or excess of these nutrients can lead to ill-health.

What is a calorie?

The human body requires energy for a variety of activities such as breathing, pumping blood, walking, sitting, thinking, etc. Every action that you perform requires a certain amount of energy.

What calories do?

The human body requires energy for a variety of activities such as breathing, pumping blood, walking, sitting, thinking, etc. Every action that you perform requires a certain amount of energy.

Even when the body is at rest, it still requires energy, albeit at a lower amount, to ensure that circulation and respiration is maintained. Energy is also expended to maintain the body at the optimum temperature for survival. Young children and infants also require energy to aid their body’s growth process.

HOW RAW JUICE THERAPY WORKS

2007-12-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

A regular intake of fruit and vegetables is essential for maintaining good health and keeping fit. Fresh juices from fruit and vegetables are pure and vital liquids of great healing power. Raw juices have none of the dangerous side effects associated with many allopathic drugs and they can eliminate many health problems caused by the fast pace of modern life. Regular consumption of juice also strengthens the body and prevents degeneration of skin, flesh, glands and organs. Here we shall look at the various types of fruit and vegetable juices and find out how they benefit the human body.
Juices are readily available and easy to digest and are juice therapy is a historically proven method of maintaining good health.

Juices also contain a number of nutrients that make them excellent dietary supplements. Even the ancient Romans used honey, crushed fruit, fruit juices, aromatic plants and scented flowers in their drinks.
The composition of juices is very complex and science has still not fully grasped the full impact of these natural energy boosters. For example, a liter of grape juice contains almost eight hundred calories, which is equivalent to one and a half liters of milk, a dozen eggs, three pounds of potatoes, or one and half pounds of meat.

Healthy Weight Control

2007-12-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

Healthy weight makes one look and feel better, whereas excess weight can be associated with lots of life-threatening diseases. Earlier excess weight gain was considered a disease of the wealthy. But nowadays even developing and poor countries are facing similar problems. Over the years our eating habits have changed drastically. Most of us prefer fast foods that are unhealthy and reasons for weight gain. Fortunately there are solutions to control our weight.
There are plenty of reasons for overweight or obese people to lose weight - to become healthier, look better, feel better or to be more energetic. Regardless of the reason, successful weight control and healthy weight management depends on reasonable goals and expectations. If you set wise goals for yourself, the chances are you will be more likely to meet them and succeed in keeping the weight off. As a matter of fact, shedding even 5 to 10% of your weight is the sort of goal that will certainly help you improve your health.
Most obese or overweight people ought to lose weight gradually. For safe and healthy weight loss, try not to shed more than two pounds a week. Oftentimes, people with serious health problems associated with obesity could have genuine reasons for losing weight fast. If this is the case, a physician's supervision is called for.
Successful weight control should take into account all these factors. That is the reason why you should ignore products and programs that promise fast and easy results. Likewise, avoid those that promise permanent results without necessitating permanent changes in your lifestyle.

Any ads that tell you that you can shed pounds without lowering your caloric intake or without increasing your physical activity are selling fantasies and false hopes. As a matter of fact, a lot of people would call them highly fraudulent. Further, the use of some products may also not be safe in the long run.

Food therapy

2007-12-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

Foods can heal a diseased body and act as a medicine to nourish and restore the body to wholeness of health. Healthy eating can reduce the symptoms as well as reverse various chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer, TB, arthritis and asthma. While several diseases cannot be totally cured but at the most alleviated, a healthy diet and lifestyle can prevent them. In fact food therapy where a combination of foods and herbs is used, forms the basis of the healing system of various cultures. While no single perfect food exists, certain foods are known to allay certain diseases as well as reverse them.

For instance:

-Onion and garlic contain allyl sulfides, chemicals that inhibit the production of cancer causing chemicals and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

-Bitter vegetables like bitter gourd and fenugreek are proven to control diabetes.

-Iron-rich vegetables like spinach, beets, bananas and tomatoes prevent and cure anemia.

-Dried black raisins have high alkaline content, excellent for acidosis.Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables like amla (Indian gooseberry), lime and sprouted mung beans prevent and cure colds

Eating food should be an enjoyable experience and maintaining fixed food time regularities is important. However, caution must be observed while selecting a particular diet as some diets target specific foods like carbohydrate-rich foods, high-fat foods and low protein foods, as being responsible for weak health. Following simple diet guidelines while addressing your health issues will go a long way in enhancing the quality of your life.

-Enjoy variety in fruits and vegetables.

-Include vegetarian protein sources like beans, nuts, low-fat milk and less animal protein.

-Incorporate beneficial unsaturated fat from olive oil in your diet.

-Use whole grains and not refined foodstuff.

Diet and Health Issues

2007-12-23T09:46:00.001-08:00

Eating healthy food goes a long way in promoting good health. An unhealthy diet along with genetic, behavioral and social factors is associated with the majority of health problems. Several research studies prove that what we eat affects our health in the long run.

Healthy Daily Menu

2007-12-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Eating disorders that can range from binge eating to compulsive eating to anorexia, as well as eating the wrong types of foods are detrimental to the functioning of a healthy body. Thus it is essential that our daily menu consist of food that nourishes us with the daily essential requirements of vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fat.A healthy balance of different food groups must form the basis of a well-planned daily menu. While there is a range of healthy daily menu plans available, nutritional variety in food is vital to a vitalized body. Especially since every individual’s nutritional requirements vary at various stages in life. Besides chronic ailments and debilitating diseases can drastically alter your daily vitamin and mineral needs. In addition, pregnancy, food allergies, cultural background, religious and personal preferences also restrict one’s food choices.You must be aware of your body’s vitamin and mineral requirements as well as the nutritional values of the food choices you make prior to selecting a daily food menu. To ensure that you are following a balanced diet, make sure that:
1.
Your food choices originate from the five main food groups viz. fruits, vegetables, cereals and pulses, dairy, poultry, fish and meat products.
2.
Since our body requires over 40 nutrients including vitamins, minerals, water, protein, carbohydrates and fats; it is important that we eat a variety of foods especially within vegetables and across the food groups. For example while vegetables like capsicum provide us with Vitamin C, spinach is rich in iron; both foods from the same food group but catering to different nutritional needs.
3.
Your diet ensures that your Body Mass Index (BMI) is within the recommended range.
4.
You follow low fat recipes, eating foods that are low in saturated and trans fat.
5.
Sugar, oil and alcoholic beverage consumption is restricted.
6.
Your food has low sodium content
The means used to grow, store and prepare food also plays an important in enhancing or depleting the nutritional value of the food. For instance overcooking and frying negate the sustaining power of food.

Different Types of Diet

2007-12-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

A nutritious diet is key to maintaining good health. The food that we eat or drink on any given day refers to a diet. However the foods that we eat should supply the vitamins and calories our bodies need to be nourished with for optimum function. Unlike in the past where one only heard of a weight loss diet, today there are a variety of diet types. The diet types range from the Atkins diet, South Beach diet, Mediterranean diet, blood type diet, Zone diet, low calorie diet, detoxification diet, GI diet, Gluten-free diet, juice diet and a plethora of others.
People follow various types of diets for a variety of reasons like weight loss and weight gain, religious and personal preferences, to recuperate from illnesses, as well as to combat diseases like diabetes, cancer, hyperthyroidism and other chronic conditions. Most of the popular diets have been thoroughly researched and tested for their effectiveness. However prior to embarking upon a diet, it would be prudent for you to assess whether the nutrition objectives of these diets are in sync with your dieting requirements. Personal considerations like your age, activity levels, health condition, daily calories and vitamin recommendations needs must be kept in mind.Caution must be taken to ensure that your ideal diet contains all the essential nutrition needs your body needs. A food guide pyramid and nutrition facts label on packaged foodstuff will help in selecting the right diet for you.
Several popular diets can actually harm instead of heal you. Especially those diets, which totally exclude vital food groups and restrict variations in food. For instance some diets advocate that one greatly reduce the amount of carbohydrates, while others advice an overly excessive consumption of fruits.
They make unfound and false claims that the human body cannot digest protein and carbohydrates simultaneously. The fact is that different parts of our digestive tract caters to varied nutrients and absorb those nutrients. However, most of our food like beans (which contain 50% protein and 50% carbohydrate) is a combination of both proteins and carbohydrates.
Whatever diet you choose to adopt, make sure that it contains the average recommended vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fat your body needs.

Healthy Food Groups

2007-12-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

Since no single food group can nourish the body with all the vital ingredients it requires, it is important that we consume a variety of healthy foods to derive the nutrition our body needs. There are five main food groups, they are:
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products
A healthy balance of these five food groups ensures essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. The food group serving size will depend upon various factors like age, activity level, body size and gender. It is also important that one eat a variety of foods from within and across the food groups. As some foods from within a food group provide more nutrients than others.

This will ensure that one gets the maximum recommended nutrition from the food group; besides the food variety will make for an interesting meal.
In conclusion, it must be noted that allopathic medicine treats the symptoms rather than the root cause of the disease, which is usually caused by wrong eating habits leading to an accumulation of toxins within the system. Whereas a nutritious diet can rectify underlying causes of diseases and restore one to wholeness of mind and body. Once we realise the connection between a wholesome diet and good health, our food will be our medicine and maintaining good health will be a matter of making the right food choices and leading a healthy lifestyle.

human

2007-12-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Diet and Health

2007-12-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

A balanced diet comprising of healthy and diverse foods is key to promoting good health. After all, we are what we eat - Research continues to prove that eating healthy food promotes good health and unhealthy food habits lead to a diseased body. Foods contain vital nutrients that aid our body’s metabolic function. However, a lack of consumption of these nutrients or feeding upon the wrong kinds of food leads to an accumulation of toxins within the body, resulting in chronic diseases in the long run. A nutritious diet while ensuring overall well being, helps to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), reduces the risk of several debilitating diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. Thus a nutritious diet is important in the prevention and cure of various diseases.

Reduce your risk

2007-12-22T13:02:00.001-08:00

To reduce your risk of getting a cold or flu, here are some useful tips:
Wash your hands regularly - the tiny droplets sneezed or coughed out by someone with a cold or flu can be passed on through hands and other surfaces.
Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth, as the infection can spread particularly easy through these areas.
Dispose of any used tissues immediately - never leave dirty handkerchiefs lying around.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze if you have the virus.
Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu symptoms.

Flu

2007-12-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Flu carries an increased risk of complications and serious illness for older people (aged 65 and over), and people with long-term medical conditions.
Having the flu is more severe than a when you have a cold, and symptoms often develop more quickly. The symptoms of the flu include:
a fever that comes on quickly
severe aches and pains,
exhaustion, and
having difficulty sleeping.
While recovery from the common cold usually occurs within a week, the severe stage of flu usually lasts 3 - 5 days. It can then be followed by up to three weeks of post-viral fatigue (tiredness). If your symptoms persist for longer than a week or become very severe, see your GP.
Older people and those with long-term medical conditions may need medical attention earlier.

Self help

2007-12-22T12:50:00.000-08:00

You can also take care of yourself by:
-Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, such as water or fruit juice. Also, avoid drinking alcohol while taking medicines containing paracetamol
-Wrapping up and keep warm - layers are the best way to keep warm outdoors.
-Taking paracetamol to relieve any pain-aspirin and ibuprofen can also be used but are
more likely to cause stomach upset. (Aspirin should not be given to children under the age of 16.)
**Wearing layers is the best way to keep warm outdoors**

Usually it's only necessary to see your GP if:
-you have a cough that lasts more than three weeks,
-you begin to experience a shortness of breath
-you develop chest pains, or
-you already have a chest condition.

Home care

2007-12-22T12:46:00.000-08:00

If you're a fit and healthy person, a cold or flu is unlikely to be serious, or cause you any complications. It will disappear without treatment, but there are plenty of over-the-counter medicines you can use to help relieve your symptoms.
Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine can be taken for congested nasal passages and sinuses (stuffy nose).
Anti-histamine tablets and nasal sprays, also used to treat allergies, are an alternative treatment, but can make you feel drowsy.
Coughs and sore throats can be relieved with cough medicines and lozenges.
You can also use antiseptic or local anaesthetic throat sprays, which will help soothe
sore throats and ease pain.

Antibiotics can only be prescribed by your GP, but don't often work on the majority of coughs and sore throats.
If you are taking over-the-counter medicines, it is important to check with your pharmacist (chemist) that they will not interact with other medicines you are currently taking.
In particular, always check the packaging and enclosed patient information leaflet to make
sure you don't take more than the recommended dose.If you're unsure, always ask your pharmacist.

Cold and flu advice

2007-12-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

As the nights begin to draw in, there seems to be a definite chill in the air. Winter has arrived and it's time to wrap up warm to protect yourself against the dreaded cold and flu (influenza).
Colds and flu occur all year round, but seem to be most common in the winter months. No-one is quite sure why, but it may be because many people spend more time indoors, with closer contact between other people and are getting less fresh air.
Unsurprisingly, colds are the most common upper respiratory illness in the UK. Both colds and flu are caused by viruses, which are highly contagious. They spread when people who are infected sneeze or cough, sending tiny droplets of infected saliva into the air.

The main symptoms of a cold are:
-sneezing
-a sore throat, and
-a blocked or runny nose.

**Colds are the most common upper respiratory illness in the UK**

You may also have a high temperature, feel tired, or have regular headaches.