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Why Is Green Tea Also Called The Wonder Tonic

Why Is Green Tea Also Called The Wonder Tonic

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Tea is the second most popular drink in the world and the most beneficial drink. Green tea has more beneficial effects than black tea. Green tea is prepared by steaming first to prevent oxidation and thus the leaves remain green. Since the ancient times, the Chinese have been using this type of tea for curing all types of illness including a headache and depression. Japanese also consumes a high amount of green tea and their wellness is often linked to the green tea drinking habit. Of late green tea has been a favorite topic for researchers and the beneficial effects are being proved at a faster pace. Few of the beneficial effects are discussed below.

The antioxidants property of green tea is better than Vitamin C. Free radicals are generated in our bodies by ultraviolet rays of Sun, cigarette, smoke, air pollution etc. These free radicals lead to the aging process by altering cells, tampering with DNA, leading to cell death and a number of health problems like cancer and heart disease. Polyphenols present in the green tea neutralize free radicals and help prevent damages. In a 1997 study by the University of Kansas, it was proved that EGCG present in green tea is twice as powerful as resveratrol (a polyphenol found in red wine), which limits the negative effects of smoking and fatty acids. This also explains why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low even if more than 75 % are smokers.

Green tea leads to the increase of HDL (Good Cholesterol) and lowering of total Cholesterol. This is done by blocking of the intestinal absorption and promoting its excretion from the body.

Green tea has been found by various researchers to inhibit and stop progression in certain types of cancer. Breast cancer cell inhibition is a proven fact. However in certain cases like bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer the beneficial effects is yet to be accepted.

Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties and anti-cancer properties preventing the growth of skin tumor.

Green tea helps to regulate blood sugar in the body. Catechins present to suppress the production of Angiotensin II leading to the reduction of blood sugar.

It protects the liver from damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol. Catechins present in green tea has been found to help treat Viral Hepatitis.

It helps in reducing weight. Polyphenols help in metabolism and help burn fats.

Green tea has been proven to prevent dental decay due to its antibacterial properties.

It also helps in the treatment of Arthritis.

For colds and influenza, it helps to build up resistance.

L- Theanine an amino acids present helps in calming down of the nervous system.,

Green tea drinking is gaining popularity over the years. Those curious among you can find plenty of research papers written on the subject of the health benefits of green tea. This miracle drink has crossed the borders of the continent of Asia and is being increasingly consumed all around the world.

4 Reasons to Add an Egg to Your Breakfast

4 Reasons to Add An Egg To Your Breakfast

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Scrambled, boiled, fried, poached or folded into a hardy omelette; the truth is that the humble egg is an energy-packed way to start the day.

Once upon a time, this breakfast staple had a bad rap. Experts told us that eggs were loaded with cholesterol (a waxy substance in your cells which also has several useful functions in the blood) and shouldn’t be eaten more than once or twice a week for fear of increasing the likelihood of heart disease.

However, lately dieticians have changed the message on the health benefits of eggs.

Although it is true that eggs contain high amounts of cholesterol, many studies report that this actually has no role in raising cholesterol. This is because the liver, which produces cholesterol every day anyway, will simply produce less of the substance if needed. Still, other research suggests that only the egg yolk may adversely affect the levels of cholesterol in the body. However, it is widely agreed that a reasonable consumption of eggs, an egg per day, is unlikely to raise the risk of heart disease risk.

4 Reasons to Add an Egg to Your Breakfast

Whose egg is it anyway, chicken or duck?

Aside from chicken eggs, which are found most often in the usual grocery stores, duck eggs are also sometimes available on the shelves. So what are the differences between eating duck and chicken eggs?

According to this article, there are several differences between duck and chicken eggs:

  • Duck eggs stay fresher longer because they are encased in a thicker shell.
  • Duck eggs make for fluffier cakes because they contain more albumen
  • Although it is often believed that duck eggs are more nutrition that actually has more to do what the female has been eating.
  • People who are allergic to chicken eggs can usually tolerate duck eggs.

Nutritional Benefits of Eating Eggs

1. Counting calories

One large hard-boiled egg makes for the perfect breakfast food or snack later in the day; especially for those of us who are counting calories. At only 78 calories for a large egg, you will be left feeling fuller for longer and therefore, your energy level will be kept up while your weight is kept down.

2. Pack a protein punch

A whole egg contains 6 grams of protein, which is 12% or the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) and double the amount of protein found in one slice of bacon (in addition, eggs have no preservatives or added salt).

3. Vitamins and minerals

Eggs really are little power packs of nutrients. They are an excellent source of choline which is essential for liver and nerve function, brain development, muscle movement, supporting energy levels, and to help retain a healthy metabolism.

In addition, eggs are also an exceptional source of selenium, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, molybdenum, and iodine. Eggs are also a good way of getting vitamin B5, protein, phosphorus, vitamin D, and vitamin A.

It’s important to note that what a laying hen eats will affect the nutritional benefit of the eggs she lays. For example, eggs that are high in omega-3 fatty acids may have been laid by a hen fed fish oil, chia or flax seeds. Hens which forage for their own food may also produce eggs that are relatively enriched in omega-3 fatty acids compared to cage-raised chickens.

4. Fantastic Fats

Did you know that not all cholesterol is bad? Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), “bad” cholesterol, can build up in the walls of your blood vessels and narrow the passageways. In advanced cases, this can lead to heart disease.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, helps to eliminate other types of cholesterol from the bloodstream, which is a positive activity because higher levels of HDL are related with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health issues.

In fact, one study reported that two eggs per day for six weeks increased HDL levels by as much as 10%.

5. Cook creatively

Like with most meals, how you cook the food determines how healthy the end result is (think boiled or baked potatoes versus French fries cooked in canola oil).

The same is true of eggs which can be as plain and simple as the modest boiled egg or as lavish as Eggs Benedict (a dish that consists of an English muffin topped with bacon or ham, a poached egg, and a sauce made of whipped egg yolk, butter, water, and lemon juice).

But the ingredients are not the only important factor when determining whether a meal is healthy. Traditional nonstick pans have been found to give off toxic fumes and adding oil or butter to the pan to prevent sticking suddenly changes the nutritional value of the eggs.

What’s a cook to do?

For egg lovers, marble frying pans need little or no added oil and will give the traditional omelette pan a run for the money.

After examining the numerous health benefits of adding eggs to your daily diet, the only question left to ask is; how would you like your eggs?

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

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Who wouldn’t love to be smarter?  Whether it’s a student feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of exams, or a businessman wanting to increase his powers of memory and concentration, most of us would like to sharpen our brain’s capabilities.  In order to do this, they may try to solve puzzles, practice math, or take some classes on how to get their mind working at full capacity.

Everyone agrees that workouts and healthy eating are essential in keeping our bodies fit, so that, among other advantages, growing old won’t take such a toll on us. Just like this, we also have to work on keeping our brains up and running so they won’t quit on us in our golden years.

In order to garner all these positive returns, one increasingly popular factor in boosting brain function has been to eat the right foods. That’s right! The saying “you are what you eat” is applicable to your gray matter as well. Read on below to find out the benefits of just some of the exciting ‘brain foods’ you could be consuming to keep your mind sharp, sound and steady.

These are full of antioxidants and reduce inflammation of your brain cells, making them an inexpensive yet efficient way to combat memory loss and even Alzheimer’s Disease.

  • Walnuts:

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

Ever notice how a whole walnut looks just like a human brain? It’s a miracle of nature that foods good for a certain organ of the body often mimic the organ itself. Walnuts have an anti-inflammatory effect on the brain, as well as an antioxidant capability.

Simply put this result in better, sharper, and faster thinking. It also prevents cell death, which is directly linked to dementia and other worrisome brain deterioration.

  • Coconut Oil:

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

This magic food has been venerated for its multi fold benefits, from controlling weight to removing makeup. Virgin coconut oil has been proved through lab tests to be instrumental in enhancing brain performance overall. It’s one of many healthy fats, which directly contribute to the brain’s optimal integration.

In fact, coconut oil is one of the very few substances with medium-chain triglycerides, which are an excellent source of energy for the brain, yet not easily stored as body fat. The only other major substance that even comes close to this especial benefit is human breast milk.

  • Dark Chocolate:

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

Are you a chocolate lover? If your tastes in chocolate can be veered towards the dark, pure kind, you’re in luck! Or, rather, your brain is. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate contain quite a few antioxidants and other ingredients which positively affect the brain by stimulating it all over.

Consequently, this uplifts your mood, which is probably why eating chocolates make emotional situations easier. Stimulating brain activity means the brain is getting more exercise, which leads to less risk of Alzheimer’s and even a lesser chance of stroke. It’s a win-win all around!

  • Oily Fish:

4 Foods You Should Include In Your Meal Plan To Boost The Brain Power!

Fishes like salmon, sardines, etc, are brimming with a fatty acid that’s absolutely indispensable for full-capacity brain power and strong memory retention. These fats oil up the brain cells so that associations and links can move easily among them. It’s best to eat fish at least a few times a week.

If you can’t manage that, a fish oil supplement from a reliable vendor would also help in stimulating the brain and keeping it healthy.

In addition to these fun options, there are several more amazing foods that one can use to stimulate their brain and lead a smart, capable, long life. These include olive oil, almonds, spinach, blueberries, turmeric, eggs, asparagus, kale, kimchi, broccoli avocado, and so, so much more. Eating the foods described here could be the difference between a lethargic stupor and an active, energetic, always ready disposition. The choice is yours to make, and yours to savor!

Author Bio:

Laura Davidson is Dietician and a Blogger who loves to write about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She shares her knowledge about with the readers through blogs and articles. In addition, she also writes essay writing service reviews for her exceptional knowledge and experience in the field.

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

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With more and more of our food in today’s world being pre-processed, it can be a challenging task to find healthy food – let alone food that promotes natural oral health. However, with a bit of research and willingness to spend more time scouring the shelves at your local supermarket, it’s easier than you’d think to find food that helps you naturally achieve optimal oral health.

There is a lot of information on this topic available on the internet, but the best place to go for answers about tooth-friendly food is your dentist. If you need to find a dentist, Opt In Dental Advantage is a great site where you can search a large database of dentists, read their reviews, and find one that suits your needs. Using Opt In’s search tool is a more effective way to find helpful dentists than simply typing “dentist near me” into Google.

If you have any specific questions about types of food and their correlation to tooth health, we highly recommend speaking with your dentist. With that in mind, however, we do want to point you in the right direction by discussing a few of the foods proven over time to be great for the promotion of natural oral health.

Let’s take a look at some of those foods now.

Cheese

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

You’ll definitely want to brush your teeth after eating this food, especially if you have a date any time soon, but cheese is a surprisingly great food to eat in order to make your mouth healthier. Buying organic cheese without added preservatives is obviously the way to go if you’re serious about natural oral health.

Cheese is such a great food for your oral health for a few reasons:

  • It’s full of calcium and protein, two ingredients that are key to strengthening enamel. Without healthy, strong enamel your teeth are at a much higher risk for decay, and loss of enamel can even lead to periodontal disease.
  • Cheese also requires your mouth to produce more saliva in order for your body to break it down. Saliva contains a bevy of minerals and proteins that naturally help your teeth stay strong. Nearly any food that forces your mouth to produce more saliva will be a great option to bolster your natural oral health.

Yogurt

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

Cheese and yogurt are very similar in terms of why they’re so great at promoting natural oral health, since they’re both dairy products. However, according to Colgate, yogurt contains a specific kind of bacteria that does wonders for your mouth’s health. Bad bacteria gathers on your teeth and settles in your gum line, and if left untreated, it will cause gum disease. However, yogurt contains a good bacteria that settles in and “pushes out” the bad bacteria, promoting better gum health and also ridding your mouth of the bacteria that cause cavities.

Tea

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

According to LiveScience, tea is another great item to add to your diet if you want a healthier mouth thanks to all-natural ingredients. Certain compounds found in black and green teas have been proven by researchers at the University of Illinois to slow the growth of bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

If you’re not the biggest tea drinker out there, you can reap its benefits other ways as well. Rinsing your teeth with black tea decreases the amount of plaque buildup on your tooth’s surface.

Sugarless Gum

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

Gum is rarely associated with good oral health, but there are some great benefits to gum if you choose the right kind. Sugarless gum does the same thing as cheese and yogurt – it promotes the production of saliva in your mouth, almost cleaning your teeth for you. While gum isn’t the most natural of all foods out there, and hardly counts as a food anyways, it’s great to use between meals in order to keep your mouth feeling fresh and healthy all day long.

Cranberries

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

Cranberry juice has already long been proven to help your urinary system health, but cranberries themselves are great for your teeth. They contain the same compounds black and green teas do which prevent plaque buildup on your teeth. Once again, this reduces the chance of cavities and other tooth-decay issues caused by excessive plaque buildup.

Apples

Top Foods To Eat For Natural Oral Health

An apple a day may not be all you need to keep the doctor away, but it does keep your dentist happy. While most dentists will advise their patients to steer clear of sweet foods, certain fruits (like cranberries and apples) are great for the promotion of natural oral health.

Eating an apple has nearly the same effect on your teeth as brushing does. Apples force your mouth to produce more saliva, which helps restore enamel to your teeth and rinses away food particles and plaque. Additionally, the fibrous texture of apples stimulates your gums, making sure they’re working to rid your mouth of the bad bacteria that can cause gum disease.

Now, don’t think that you can replace brushing your teeth with apple eating. But if you can’t brush your teeth for a while and need to clean your mouth out, an apple is a great option.

Eating a healthy diet has many impacts on your life, but eating the above foods will not only help your body stay healthy and keep you in shape, but they’ll also promote natural oral health. If you have any questions about other tooth-friendly foods, contact your dentist today.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals

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Our body needs many vitamins and minerals for health and growth.

Vitamins work as enzymes or catalysts to biochemical reactions in the body, releasing energy from food and speeding up chemical reactions. Minerals form the hard bony structure of the body, and are vitally important in chemical reactions and in regulating water balance, nerve response and muscle contraction

Some vitamins also act as antioxidants and form an integral part of the structure of proteins, hormones and blood.

With the exception of Vitamin D, which is made by sunlight on the skin, and Vitamin K, which is synthesized by bacteria in our intestine, vitamins must be derived from our diet.

Vitamins are usually classified as fat soluble or water soluble. Fat Soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are stored in the body, so excess of these vitamins can cause unpleasant side effects. They occur in association with fat and are fairly stable during cooking and processing. Water Soluble Vitamins (B group and C) dissolve in the body fluids, therefore excess intake is mostly excreted in urine. They are distributed in many foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains and meat and are often sensitive to heat.

Vitamins and Minerals

Minerals are usually classified as major or trace. Major minerals are needed in large amounts, and include calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron. Trace minerals include zinc, copper, iodine, fluorine, manganese, selenium, chromium and molybdenum. They are found in many different foods, including meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy, grains, fruits and vegetables.

Ideally, it is best to get your vitamins and minerals from food, not tablets, however sometimes this isn’t possible. At Vibrant Health and Nutrition we aim to stock the best brands with the best formulations to make sure you are supporting your health with the best supplements and getting the best value for money.

It is important to remember, with any supplement, that more is not always better, and it is always best to seek guidance about your health and how to support it naturally. At Vibrant Health and Nutrition, you can be assured that there will be a professional in store at all times, to help you make the best choice for you.

For more info about health and nutrition or apple juice health benefits visit Karen H. Cole blog.

Are There Healthier Ways To Bring Pre-Prepared Foods Into The Home?

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Modern families are always on the go. Forget about home-cooked meals and dinnertime around the table; sometimes it’s difficult even making the time to microwave a frozen dinner, or even run through a drive thru. Perhaps the worst part is that pre-prepared options like the aforementioned aren’t exactly what the body needs in terms of nutritional content. Are there healthier ways to bring pre-prepared foods into the home? The fortunate answer is, “yes!” Here are some great options you should consider next time you’re tempted by the fast food convenience trap:

Meal Planning

Sure, this will take you some time and energy, but it can also save you a lot more than that down the road. Sit down over the weekend and plan the upcoming week’s meals out. Grocery shop for everything on your list and pre-prepare what you can, to be stored in your fridge or freezer for a quick, easy, and healthy dinner later in the busy week. Read More