Beebleblog - Fitness, Diet & Health

The Health Benefits of Beta Carotene

hugo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:12:00 +0000

Carotene is the substance that gives carrots, pumpkins, peppers, sweet potatoes, apricots and other vegetables and fruits their distinctive colour, but it is also found in other coloured vegetables and fruits, not just the yellow and orange ones. It is also present in the orange and yellow leaves of Autumn, but we don't recommend that you eat those... It comes in two principle forms: alpha and beta carotene and both have a similar effect on the body but beta carotene is the more common and most active. What does it do?

The Health Benefits of Carbohydrates

hugo — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:12:11 +0000

We're all familiar with carbohydrates: the food group that provides the body with its main source of energy – e.g. potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, cereals, peas and beans. It is also one of the main sources of calories for many people which is why you need to be careful if you have a weight problem. Complex Carbohydrates Complex carbohydrates in their natural form, such as fibre-rich wholemeal bread, pasta, brown rice, potatoes and other veg, apples and nuts all release energy slowly. Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta and rice, are still a good source of energy but are less good for you as some nutrients such as the wheat germ have been removed during the refining process. They also release energy into the body more quickly than their natural form counterparts.

The Health Benefits of Campesterol

hugo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:43:58 +0000

Camp what? More silly names... but don't worry, it's only one of those nice little phytosterols: nutrients that we get from plants (also known as plant sterols) just like beta-sitosterol. And just like beta-sitosterol, campesterol is one of the more abundant of the 40 or so phytosterols found in plants. Does it reduce cholesterol?

Introducing Our New Calorie Counter

hugo — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:44:13 +0000

How do you use our Calorie Counter? It's simple to use: you input the type of food and quantities you have consumed in a day as accurately as you can and let the counter add up the total calories you have consumed. If you use our BMR calculator you can calculate how many calories your body needs in a day and therefore workout if you are consuming too many calories or not enough. Pretty simple and very useful I think you will agree? What makes our Calorie Counter different? We don't like the idea of calorie counting so you may wonder why we have developed a Calorie Counter. Counting calories is a good way to monitor your calorie intake but it is only a very small part of what your body requires. For example what about all the vitamins and minerals? What about your 5 a day? Wouldn't it be great if there was a counter for all nutrients? Wouldn't it be great if you could add up all the nutrients you consume in a day? That is exactly what we have done. Not only do you get the total of all your calorie consumption but also the total of all minerals, vitamins and other nutrients you have eaten. What is the point?

The Health Benefits of Caffeine

hugo — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:07:35 +0000

Caffeine is found in the leaves, fruit and beans of certain plants, e.g. coffee and cocoa beans and tea leaves. But isn't it one of those naughty substances that we shouldn't be having? Well, caffeine does act as a stimulant to the heart and the central nervous system and is known to increase blood pressure – but only for a short while and there is no conclusive evidence of long-term effects on blood pressure, so don't panic. It is mostly found in coffee, chocolate, tea and carbonated drinks and too much can cause headaches, stress and heart palpitations. What is a healthy amount?