There is a rapidly changing paradigm in scientific circles. The most essential key to good health may very well be your gut microbiome which includes all the microbes living in your gut.

In general, the microbiome is a collection of 100 trillion microbial cells that each of us carries on and in our body.

Microbial cells outnumber human cells by a factor of 10. Moreover, the majority of the microbes live in our gut.

Collectively, the gut microbes are commonly called gut flora. But in the scientific community, they are often referred to as your gut microbiome.

Balancing out the good microbes over the bad one through your diet is more effective at restoring good health.

More effective than just about any health supplement or medication you can take.

The good microbes are beneficial ones. The bad microbes are the ones that can do you harm.

A paradigm change

Scientists also understand that regulating your gut flora may be the best way to treat common metabolic diseases.

Diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and fatty liver.

This type of revolutionary thinking is not just an assumption.

The old assumption was that eating less fat will make you less fat, which of course turned out to be mostly wrong!

Linking the microorganisms in your gut to the type of health you have, to how much you weigh, to how easy it is to lose weight, and how easy it is to cure disease naturally is backed up by really good science… and more data to support this is pouring in all the time!

This is why you may have heard that your gut bacteria is important to your immune function.

You may have also heard that your microbiome is part of your immune system.

Essentially, this turns out to be true. The healthier your gut microbe populations are, the easier you can ward off disease.

A profound statement

In 2014, a group of Belgium scientists published a review paper in the peer-reviewed and well-respected journal, Advances in Nutrition.

The title of this paper was “Modulation of the Gut Microbiota by Nutrients with Prebiotic and Probiotic Properties“.

In this paper, they made a profound statement that many other scientists have echoed and expounded upon.

It was a statement that all health conscious individuals would be wise to pay attention to and learn more about.

They said:

“The microbiome is now considered as a new therapeutic target against obesity and its linked diseases.”

Since this statement may sound like “geek speak,” let's break it down a bit.

As described above, the “microbiome” is the collection of bacteria which live in your gut.

You can think of them as a complex ecosystem. This ecosystem is as intricate and complicated in nature as a tropical rain forest or a sub-tidal kelp forest.

These scientists are using the term “therapeutic” to mean like a medicine or a natural cure.

They are saying that targeting your microbiome, i.e. modifying it through diet, can be “therapeutic”.

It means that it can cure or treat or heal “obesity and its linked diseases.”

This explains why the microbiome has become a hot topic in research but also in the press.

In March 2018, the British daily newspaper The Guardian published a great article on the microbiome.

The title was: “The human microbiome: why our microbes could be key to our health“.

What are some of the diseases “linked” to obesity?

Here are the more common examples: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver disease, leaky gut syndrome, and chronic inflammation.

We can also add to this list, diseases like depression, lethargy, insomnia, early onset Alzheimer, and even many forms of cancer.

Cardiovascular diseases include heart attacks, clogged arteries, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Often people who have “obesity-linked diseases” tend to have several of these diseases.

Molecular tools lead the way to better research on the microbiome

Many people have been asking questions like, “Why didn't scientists realize all this before?”

Scientists have had many clues for a long time that gut flora is immensely important to health.

But, it's been really difficult until recently to identify with any precision the actual bacterial species present in a person's gut.

It wasn't also possible to have a good idea of relative numbers of different types of bacteria.

The ability to rapidly sequence the DNA of different species of bacteria was of paramount importance. It became possible to identify many of them down to the species level.

Before that, one species looked like another for the most part under the microscope.

With this progress, scientists can now fairly accurately compare the microbiome between individuals.

These DNA tools allow scientists for the first time to actually see and study patterns and trends.

First, they see how different people's microbiomes are dramatically different.

Second, they can determine what these observed differences correlate to.

What they have found is absolutely amazing and will change how we treat disease forever!

They can get a really quick answer back on what they have termed “bacterial richness”.

Bacterial richness assesses bacterial diversity in someone's gut.

Scientists are also able to identify many individual bacterial species that they could not identify before.

Furthermore, they can more accurately identify the relative numbers of closely related bacterial species.

Patterns and trends in microbiome comparisons

Okay, let's look at some of the more exciting findings that scientists have made with their new DNA tools:

• Obese individuals tend to have a different and less diverse microbiome than individuals with normal weight
• Type 2 diabetics have a different and less diverse microbiome than non-diabetics
• Most people who suffer from cardiovascular disease (all types) have a remarkably different and less diverse microbiome than do people who seem almost “immune” from these types of disease.
• People that have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have a distinctly different microbiome and less diverse than people who do not have NAFLD.
• Obese individuals seem to have far fewer Bifidobacterium bacteria in their gut than do people of normal weight. Further, they seem to have a far fewer variety of Bifidobacterium bacteria in their gut than do people of normal weight.
• Bifidobacterium bacteria tend to run on the very low side in diabetics versus non-diabetics. They are also far less diverse, i.e. fewer Bifidobacterium species present in their microbiomes.
• Individuals who are prone to low grade “chronic” inflammation tend to have far fewer Bifidobacterium bacteria and far fewer Bifidobacterium species in their gut.

As you can see, the patterns that scientists are detecting with their new molecular tools is causing the dramatic shift in paradigm about these diseases.

It has become clear that the composition of gut bacteria, both the specific bacterial species present and the diversity of species present, can make a huge difference to one's health.

Further, scientists are beginning to find that changing the gut flora can dramatically improve diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation in a relatively short amount of time!

The best way to change your gut microbiome for the better

Many people turn to probiotics as their main dietary method to improve their gut biota. They take probiotic supplements or they eat foods high in helpful probiotics.

It's true that probiotic foods can help inoculate your stomach with friendly symbiotic bacteria.

Foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, raw milk, kimchi, and other lacto-fermented vegetables are full of symbiotic gut bacteria.

Prebiotics

But, the real key to a healthy microbiome is prebiotics.

Prebiotics are foods that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut exactly what they need to thrive, survive, and out-compete the bad bacteria.

While we could give you a long list of prebiotics, we're going to cut to the chase.

The best prebiotic for quickly changing your microbiome is INULIN.

Inulin is essentially long chains of fructose molecules. They act like fiber in the body. These molecules cannot be broken down by the enzymes in your mouth, stomach or small intestine.

They enter your colon (large intestine) undigested where the gut bacteria break them down.

This changes your gut “environment” to conditions which strongly favors the good bacteria over the bad bacteria!

Inulin essentially comes in two forms: short chain and long chain.

Short chain inulin is usually referred to as fructooligosaccharides, abbreviated FOS.

Long chain inulin is usually referred to as plain “inulin.”

Yacon

The best source of fructooligosaccharides is the yacon tuber. It grows in South America.

It is hard to get fresh yacon tubers outside of South America. But you can grow them in your garden in almost all growing zones.

Even people in Alaska and Sweden have been successful at growing yacon tubers. You can also eat the greens. They are delicious and therapeutic too.

However, the easiest way to consume the rich fructooligosaccharides found in the yacon tuber is to buy pure yacon syrup.

If you do so, make sure you are buying yacon syrup that has not been processed using too high a temperature.

Yacon syrup is quite sweet and has a “brown sugar” type taste so people tend to love the flavor.

Chicory root powder

The best source of long-chain inulin is chicory root powder. You can buy pure inulin powder and add it to your hot drinks, smoothies, and other foods like sauces and fruit salads.

Chicory powder is far less sweet than yacon syrup but it does have a pleasant and mild sweet taste.

For the full prebiotic effect, you'll need to consume both fructooligosaccharides and inulin.

The reason is that short-chain fructooligosaccharides will get fully broken down by your gut bacteria before it moves to the end of your long colon.

Thus, you need to consume long-chain inulin to reach the bacteria from about the middle of your colon to the end of your colon.

With all forms of inulin, start off slow for about the first week until your gut bacteria have fully adjusted. It can give you gas, and therefore upset stomach.

You may also want to start out on your days off work and when you can stay at home if needed.

Conclusion

Properly feeding your microbiome may be the most important change you make in your diet ever.

Many people find it much easier to lose weight when they have a balanced microbiome. Learn More Here!

They also find chronic illnesses improve dramatically or even completely disappear!

Good luck to you and go have a FOS/inulin chai tea!

The post A Balanced and Properly Fed Microbiome | A Key To Elite Health appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

As a woman goes through menopause, her body produces increasingly less estrogen and progesterone. This decrease in female hormones often causes many problems.

Hot flashes, mood swings, and night sweats are very common problems.

Other issues are vaginal dryness, labial itching, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Vaginal dryness causes discomfort during sexual intercourse.

Memory fog, heart palpitations, and brittle bones are also on the list of menopause issues.

Many women report a tremendous easing of these symptoms by adding more phytoestrogens to their diet.

In fact, phytoestrogens eliminate these life disrupting symptoms for many women.

What are phytoestrogens?

Phytoestrogens are sometimes called “dietary estrogens” or “xenoestrogens”. They are not produced internally by the endocrine system.

They are obtained by eating phytoestrogen rich foods or taking phytoestrogens supplements. Chemically, they are not identical to estrogen but they are very similar in structure.

There are four primary classes of phytoestrogens: isoflavones, lignans, flavones and coumestans.

They consist of aromatic rings of carbon atoms bonded to hydroxyl groups. A hydroxyl group contains an oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom.

Phenols that work as phytoestrogens are able to bind to the same receptors as estrogen. Thus, working the same magic!

Isoflavones are found in legumes, i.e. the bean family, including peanuts and soy sauce.

The three most common isoflavones are daidzein, genistein, and glycitin.

Lignans are found most abundantly in nuts, seeds, and grains. We are talking about real grains like wheat and rye, not pseudo-grains like quinoa.

The primary flavone that mimics estrogen is luteolin. This phytoestrogen is high in most green herbs. Luteolin is especially high in parsley, peppermint, basil, and thyme.

It is also abundant in black pepper, celery, bell peppers, broccoli, apples, blackberries, and blueberries.

Coumestans are especially high in alfalfa sprouts and clover sprouts. But, they are also found in all legumes.

Hormone replacement therapy versus phytoestrogen-rich foods

Traditional doctors often prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal women. Unfortunately, this type of therapy can do far more harm than it does good!

It can put you at a much higher risk for many health issues or conditions. It can increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases. The risk of heart attack, hypertension, blood clot, stroke and high triglycerides is greater.

HRT can also increase the risk of breast cancer, gall bladder and liver disease, and dementia.

Additionally, getting the dosing right can be very difficult. This can cause a jolt to the system and wildly fluctuating side effects in the process.

Most woman taking hormone replacement therapy experience one or more side effects. These are headaches, fluid retention, sore breasts, hair loss, and vaginal yeast infections.

Consuming phytoestrogen rich foods is a MUCH gentler approach than hormone replacement therapy.

Another alternative is to take phytoestrogens supplements.

One of the benefits is that there is no jolt to your system by increasing phytoestrogens.

Furthermore, they do not cause the side effects that women so often get with hormone replacement therapy.

Moreover, phytoestrogens are better at reducing menopausal symptoms. They actually reduce many of the side effects that hormone replacement therapy causes. For example, phytoestrogens are very good for the cardiovascular system.

How to get more phytoestrogens into your diet?

Nuts and seeds

All nuts and seeds contain good amounts of phytoestrogens. But, flax seeds and sesame seeds are particularly high in phytoestrogens.

Of the commonly eaten nuts, walnuts contain the most phytoestrogens. Put this information to good use.

Walnuts are a delicious addition to almost any chicken dish.

There's nothing wrong with loading up your homemade brownies with extra walnuts.

When you eat corn chips with salsa, pick the organic corn chips with flax seeds.

Luckily, nuts are natural ingredients that you can buy in bulk. They add delicious flavor and more protein to many types of prepared meals. On the list are cereals, oatmeal, salads, stir fries, and spreads for bagels, crackers, and toasts.

They are also a convenient snack. You can take them to work or on trips to simply munch on when you get hungry. Or when you feel your hormones beginning to fluctuate.

Soy products

Soy products are another great way to get more phytoestrogens into your diet. Most people immediately think of tofu when they hear the word “soy”.

There are many other forms of delicious soy products you can enjoy (see below). Liquid soy can be used to make salad dressings and sauces. Or used as a mayonnaise substitute in dishes like potato salad or chicken salad.

Tempeh is a fermented soy bean product that has lots of good texture. It tastes great pan fried and or steamed.

You can serve it with vegetables over a bed of rice, noodles, or quinoa.

If you buy extra firm tempeh, you can brown it in a pan. Chop it up as you would ground beef.

Once you've made this base, you can make any dish you would normally make with ground beef.

You can make a quick spaghetti sauce, slowed cooked chili, or many stove top casserole dishes.

Tempeh is also sometimes used as a tasty cheese substitute on sandwiches or in salads.

Some people marinade tempeh just as they would strips of meat. You can cook it in stir fries with vegetables.

Basically, tempeh is so versatile and tasty. Hearty meat eaters often end up loving it.

Soy milk is an easy option to get more phytoestrogens into your diet since you can simply add it to coffee and tea.

You can also use soy milk to make other delicious hot drinks like cafe latte, spicy chai, and hot chocolate.

You can add soy milk to scrambled eggs before you cook them, just as you would do with dairy milk. Soy milk is also great in other favorite breakfast foods.

Breakfast smoothies, granola, cream of wheat, creamy grits, and pancakes are one of them. Soy based yogurts have also become very popular.

A note on soy products

Dr. Axe is not an advocate of soy products. He recommends the removal of all soy milk, soy protein and most other forms of soy.

In fact, most soy in the USA is genetically modified and should be avoided. This type of soy weeds out the good bacteria in your gut.

Dr. Axe recommends the use of fermented soy, especially soy lecithin. Unfermented soy should be avoided.

Soy is high in phytoestrogens. Therefore, soy will give more feminine characteristics to a male consuming extra estrogen.

Herbal teas

Drinking herbal teas is another easy way to add phytoestrogens to your diet. Black cohosh, dong quai, licorice, and anise are popular herbs known to ease menopausal symptoms.

There are also red clover, evening primrose, chaste tree berry, ginkgo, and ginseng. Clover is a legume like soy.

These herbs are also common ingredients in natural phytoestrogens supplements. They are designed to help ease menopause symptoms.

Taking supplements containing these herbs could become a morning and/or an evening ritual. It is probably the most convenient way to to ensure you get enough phytoestrogens into you diet to truly make a difference.

Vegetables and fruits

Increasing vegetables and fruits in your diet will provide more healthy phytoestrogens. You should make an effort to eat every color of the rainbow.

Yams, broccoli, apples, carrots, fennel, and pomegranate all contain good amounts of phytoestrogens.

Oats, wheat, rye, and barley contain good amounts of phytoestrogens too. Try making bean soups with a mixture of a variety of beans. The beans themselves will give good doses of phytoestrogens.

You can also add in celery, onion, and greens to give more variety of estrogens. Try roasting beets, turnips, and parsnips along with red potatoes!

If you eat more whole foods and less processed foods, you'll get more phytoestrogens too.

Brown rice has more phytoestrogens than white rice. This is because they are concentrated in the bran of the rice. Slow cooking oats, like steel cut oats, have more phytoestrogens than instant oats.

Make your own hummus. But leave the outer peel of the chickpeas on. There are more phytoestrogens in the peel. If you buy pre-made hummus, the outer peel is usually removed.

Eat fruit with the peel instead of buying fruit juices or jams. These latter lack the peel.

Dried apricots and prunes (plums) contain more phytoestrogens than many processed fruit products. The peel of these dried fruits was left on. If you eat a raw apple, don't peel it.

Research on using phytoestrogens to lessen menopausal symptoms

Since 2002, hundreds of well-designed research studies have proven the effectiveness of phytoestrogens. These studies showed a significant reduction of the worst symptoms of menopause.

Additionally, there have been several review papers published in the scientific literature.

They discuss and summarize the positive effect of phytoestrogens on alleviating menopausal symptoms.

Phytoestrogens reduce the symptoms of menopause. It's done without the harmful side effects of hormone replacement therapy.

They work well to smooth out the menopause symptoms.

This is well documented and proven. Some doctors are now recommending dietary changes instead of hormone replacement therapy.

But, the pharmaceutical industry continues to push hormone replacement therapy. It encourages doctors (starting in medical school) to prescribe it.

Few studies have reached the opposite conclusion about the use of phytoestrogens. Interestingly, they were largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry.

The importance of probiotics and prebiotics

To get the full benefit from phytoestrogens, you must have a well balanced gut flora. The symbiotic bacteria in your intestines make them more bioavailable.

Thus, you should increase both probiotics and prebiotics in your diet. This helps whether you are taking phytoestrogen supplements and/or phytoestrogen rich foods.

Many people turn to yogurt as their primary source of probiotics. But, American yogurts usually only have two to five strains of beneficial bacteria.

Eating lacto-fermented vegetables will actually get you a much higher diversity of probiotics. This will enhance the action of the phytoestrogens you consume.

These lacto-fermented vegetables include traditionally prepared kim chi, sauerkraut, pickles (cucumbers) and carrots. You can also find delicious lacto-fermented daikon radish, turnips, chard, and green tomatoes.

Lacto-fermented cauliflower, green beans, bell pepper, garlic, and onions are also recommended.

Lacto-fermented fruits are becoming increasingly popular. Among these are lacto-fermented apple chutney or lacto fermented cherries.

Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingrediens. They feed your friendly symbiotic gut bacteria. By doing so, they help them flourish. Prebiotics also help your good gut bacteria out-compete the bad gut bacteria.

This latter can actually prevent assimilation of phytoestrogens. Bad gut bacteria can slow your absorption of the nutrients you need during menopause.

Some of the best prebiotics are inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Foods high in these include jícama (very high), bananas, and onions. Other foods in this category are garlic, leeks, shallots, asparagus, and chicory root.

Jicama

Yacon syrup is extremely high in inulin and fructooligosaccharides. It is an excellent way to add sweetness without adding too many calories. Be sure to get it raw.

Conclusion

Menopause can cause a great deal of grief in a woman's life. The physical symptoms are difficult to deal with.

Moreover, having to adjust to menopause causes anxiety. This can put a great deal of strain on relationships. Menopause can even make it difficult to perform at work.

Hormone replacement therapy carries with it too many health risks. It usually doesn't work very well. It can cause a jolt to the system.

Adding phytoestrogens to your diet, along with probiotics and prebiotics, is very beneficial. It can ease menopausal symptoms without the side effects of hormone replacement therapy.

This can be accomplished through a combination of dietary changes and natural phytoestrogens supplements.

In fact, this is the secret to going through menopause relatively symptom-free for many woman.

And stress-free too!

Now, we've let you in on the secret.

The post Phytoestrogens Help Reduce Menopause Symptoms | A Natural Dietary Method appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

The good news is that it maintains many of its best health benefits in powder or pill form.

Nutrition facts

You may think of chlorella as being like a green “vegetable”. Why? Mainly because it's green in color and it's an alga. But, this alga is about 60% protein. It is considered a superfood.

This is a much higher percentage than for any of the vegetables you'll find at the supermarket. In fact, it has more protein ounce for ounce than a T-bone steak. And more iron by more than an order of magnitude.

Thus, putting chlorella powder in your morning smoothie is a great way to start your day. This big boost of high-quality protein will ensure your brain is functioning at top capacity.

Moreover, you'll be feeding your muscles what they need for peak performance.

During World War II, the Nazis fed this superfood to their troops. They wanted to reduce food shortages. It gave their soldiers a decided advantage in the field.

In 1951, the Carnegie Institute started studying the nutritional profile of chlorella. They wanted to know how to use it to feed a large number of people in the world. This would prevent world hunger.

Their pilot plant demonstrated the technical feasibility of large-scale culture of algae.

After World War II, the Japanese people were literally starving to death. The Carnegie Institute offered this superfood to the Japanese people. This saved many Japanese lives in more ways than one (see below).

Amazing detoxifying abilities

The Japanese experience after World War II

As stated above, this superfood was used to feed the starving masses in Japan after World War II. This situation arose due to the devastation that followed the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

But, there was another major problem taking lives in Japan at that time. This was because of the massive radiation poisoning and the toxic fallout that followed.

Additionally, a very rapid industrial revolution occurred in Japan after World War II. It contaminated the environment with high levels of mercury and other heavy metals.

These are acutely toxic to the human body. Thus, the Japanese people were dying of both starvation and poisoning.

They began eating chlorella to survive. At the same time, a miraculous side effect began to be observed on a massive scale. In fact, consuming this superfood was efficient at eliminating radiation and heavy metal poisoning.

Thus, it was chlorella that saved the Japanese people. Not in one but TWO ways. They never forgot it. More than another other people on our planet, Japanese are obsessed with it.

More than ten million Japanese people now supplement with it every day. The Japanese take more chlorella supplements than Americans take multivitamins.

They are also quite dedicated to taking spirulina supplements. This may explain why the Japanese have longer lifespans than most other cultures.

The Carnegie Institute had developed culturing methods for chlorella in the late 1940s and the early 1950s. But they could never quite get it to work on the massive scale they wanted.

The benefits that the Japanese were seeing with their people made them believe in this green alga.

Japanese research contribution

The Japanese government took over the research on chlorella. They were motivated by the benefits they were seeing with their people, The Japanese perfected the culturing techniques over the next two decades.

Since then, Japan has led the world in chlorella research. First, they researched the best ways to culture it on a mass scale. Second, they tried to determine the health benefits of taking it, especially in detoxification.

In 1973, the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan confirmed the health benefits of chlorella. The report said that it was effective at removing cadmium from the body. Six grams of chlorella taken daily eliminated 3 times the cadmium in the feces. And it was 7 times the cadmium in the urine.

Toxins, mercury, and heavy metals

It is also very good at eliminating other environmental toxins. These toxins are polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), lead, aluminum, and pesticides.

In the modern world, we are constantly bombarded with toxins. Every new piece of furniture we bring into our homes frees up toxins. New carpet and paint are the main culprits. Household items like shower curtains and cookware do the same.

In fact, the very materials used to build our homes are in permanence filling the air we breathe with toxins. The materials used to make the cars we use to drive our kids to school frees up toxins too.

Taking chlorella on a regular basis is the most proactive action you can take. You will detoxify your body from the ongoing barrage of toxins you are exposed to.

Alcohol detoxification

It can help you detox from the poisons you consciously choose to put into your own body. For example, alcohol poisoning can be mediated by chlorella supplements.

Taking chlorella may prevent a hangover after an alcohol intoxication. A study has reported that it prevented a hangover more than 96% of the time.

Chlorella can also negate many of the ill effects of chemotherapy and radiation in cancer treatments.

Cilantro and chlorella

The first time a person takes chlorella, their tissues may release many toxins. Sometimes the body's detoxification system (liver, kidneys, and skin) can't flush the toxins out fast enough.

When this happens, the toxins that have become mobilized can end up relocating to other parts of the body. This can cause major problems. Measures should be taken to prevent this.

This is where cilantro can be a very helpful partner in detoxification. Cilantro has the enhanced ability to stimulate the liver to release extra bile.

Thus, make a nice cilantro tea. Steep fresh cilantro in hot water. Drink the tea along with chlorella supplements. The toxins released from your body will be swept out in your feces.

For this to work best, try not to eat anything with high levels of vitamin C the first few days you use chlorella. Vitamin C is known to cleave the heavy metals attached to chlorella. This prevents them from being eliminated from the body.

Importance of chlorophyll

Most people tend to think chlorophyll is just something plants need. But, chlorophyll is highly beneficial to people too.

Guess what food contains more chlorophyll than any other food you can consume? If you guessed chlorella, you'd be right!

In fact, this is why it is named after chlorophyll. Ounce for ounce, it has about 40 times more chlorophyll than wheat grass! Furthermore, chlorophyll makes up about 7% of the biomass of chlorella.

Most of the detoxification benefits of consuming this superfood come from its high chlorophyll content. There is another important fact worth mentioning. Its cell wall is great at snagging toxins. These toxins are then eliminated through the feces.

Chlorophyll is also very good at keeping your liver healthy. As you know, the liver is one of the most important organs in eliminating toxins from the body.

Chlorophyll is beneficial to the human body in many other ways as well. One of the best is that it helps build the blood in anemics. It helps also anyone who needs an energy boost.

The chlorophyll molecule is almost identical to the hemoglobin molecule. Chlorophyll has a magnesium atom where the hemoglobin molecule has an iron atom. Because chlorella is also very high in iron, it can give iron atoms too. Thus, it very quickly builds one's blood.

Men taking chlorella should check their blood iron levels regularly. It's important to monitor if the iron in your blood is within healthy levels. Women don't have this problem as long as they have menstruations during which they lose iron.

Chlorophyll is also good for healing wounds and reducing body odor. It even curbs food cravings. It also protects DNA, fights Candida infections and cancer.

That's an impressive list of benefits!

Dietary nucleic acids

Eating foods very high in nucleic acids is often called the “Anti-aging Diet”. Nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, are broken down in your gastrointestinal system. They become nucleotides. These nucleotides can then be used to repair your DNA. This is thought to be the key to anti-aging.

For decades, the best source of dietary nucleic acids were sardines and organ meats. But, in the 1980s, it was discovered that chlorella is about 10% to 15% RNA, and about 3% DNA.

This is by far the highest concentration of nucleic acids found in any food. This superfood also contains Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), made mostly of nucleotides and peptides.

This is the “secret sauce” that allows chlorella to grow so rapidly. It also slows down the aging process in humans at the cellular level. Many people find they look younger after taking chlorella supplements for a while. Chlorella also improves stamina.

What to look for in chlorella supplements?

Look for certified ORGANIC supplements from a highly-trusted source. As you now know, this green alga is so good at taking up toxins from its surroundings. Thus, if it is grown in water containing any toxins, it will concentrate those toxins.

Thus, this is what could happen if you take a low-quality chlorella supplement. You could ironically ingest a high dose of toxins rather than be detoxifying your body. So be careful!

Another thing to look for is “broken wall” chlorella. Many of the nutrients you need from chlorella are locked inside a tough three-layer cell wall.

So, get “broken wall” chlorella!

If you don't, your supplement could pass right through your gastrointestinal system undigested. In this scenario, you would not benefit much from taking it.

Final recommendations

Which is better chlorella or spirulina?

Many people today combine both chlorella and spirulina into the same smoothie. Spirulina is a blue-green alga that has many health benefits. Other people take both as supplements.

Spirulina and chlorella are both considered superfoods. They each have different strengths that complement each other well.

Side effects

There are common chlorella side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence. Some people have experienced stomach cramps and green stools. Serious allergic reactions have resulted in asthma and other dangerous breathing issues.

Is chlorella safe while breastfeeding? We recommend avoiding using chlorella while breastfeeding or during pregnancy.

Chlorella can have iodine. Thus, if you are sensitive to iodine you might have an allergic reaction if you consume it.

People with an autoimmune disease can experience more symptoms when they take chlorella. It is possible that the immune system begins to be more active when they take it. So, it is better to avoid it when you have an autoimmune disease.

Drug interactions

To end this post, we will talk about chlorella drug interactions.

As you now know, chlorella can have an impact on the immune system. It makes it more active. Thus, it can reduce the effectiveness of medications used to slow down the immune system.

Warfarin is a medicine that prevents the formation of blood clots in veins and arteries. These blood clots cause heart attacks and strokes. Warfarin is an anticoagulant or blood thinner. Some trade names of warfarin are Coumadin, Jantoven, and Marevan.

Warfarin hinders the production of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. Chlorella has a lot of vitamin K. Thus, it can decrease the effectiveness of warfarin.

It is advisable to measure your blood-clotting time on a regular basis. Your doctor might need to adjust your prescription (dosage) of Coumadin.

Are there other chlorella benefits besides nutrition?

Absolutely!

Chlorella has many other benefits apart from nutrition.

Because of its composition in vitamins, minerals, and specific nutrients, chlorella is being used more and more in beauty products designed for skin and hair care.

The main chlorella benefits for hair are the prevention of hair loss and the ability to promote hair growth.

As far as skin benefits, chlorella promotes the skin’s elasticity and has an anti-aging effect on the skin. It also has been reported that it has a positive effect on skin inflammation.

I invite you to read this excellent article on the top chlorella benefits for hair and skin. It provides insightful details on why chlorella can do wonders for your skin and hair.

Other useful resources on chlorella

– Dr. Axe

– WebMD

– Dr. Mercola

LAST UPDATED JULY 24, 2018

The post Chlorella | Exceptional Nutritional Benefits and Amazing Detoxifying Abilities appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

In fact, spirulina is nutrient dense. This is why NASA has been using spirulina for decades. They have been feeding spirulina to the astronauts during their missions.

After years of research, the European Space Agency and NASA have thoroughly investigated spirulina benefits.

They have both proposed spirulina as a primary food. Deep space missions and colonies established on other planets would cultivate this superfood.

In this post, we explore spirulina benefits for health. We answer basic questions such as what is spirulina good for, how to supplement with spirulina or how to use spirulina in powder or tablet form.

We also provide other interesting facts you need to know about this nutritional superstar.

What are the spirulina benefits?

Protein profile

Here's a spirulina fact that may astonish you.

Spirulina powder is more than 60% percent protein by weight. Moreover, spirulina has all nine essential amino acids. These include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

The human body needs essential amino acids to survive. Therefore, they are the most important by far to get into your diet.

The amino acids in spirulina are in good proportions. And in a more digestible state than what you find in animal protein. In fact, spirulina has a better protein profile than meat (beef, buffalo, chicken, turkey), eggs, or fish!

Spirulina is the ONLY non-animal food that contains all nine essential amino acids. Beans, lentils, nuts, and soy are all good vegetarian sources of protein.

But you could not survive on any of these alone. None of them contain all nine essential amino acids. Thus, vegans often have so much trouble getting all the amino acids they need.

To get a healthy serving of protein, you would only need to take 2 tablespoons of spirulina powder. Thus, it is the perfect supplement for vegans.

It's also a good choice for others who want to limit their meat consumption, in terms of protein profile.

Vitamin and mineral profile

This blue-green wonder food contains more than 40 vitamins and minerals. Thus, some people replace their multivitamins and mineral supplements with spirulina supplements.

Spirulina contains all the B vitamins and is especially high in riboflavin and thiamin.

It also contains healthy quantities of vitamins A, C, E, and K.

It contains trace amounts of vitamin D. Thus, you shouldn't rely on spirulina as a source for this important vitamin.

Mineral wise, Spirulina is a rock star!

It contains 26 times more calcium than cow's milk. It contains 48 times more iron than green leafy spinach (or other greens).

And 28 times more iron than cow's liver.

Spirulina also contains healthy doses of magnesium and manganese. As we know, many people don't get enough of these two important minerals.

Finally, spirulina contains many trace elements. These elements are becoming more difficult to get into our diet. This is due to the depleted soils that so many of our vegetables and fruits are grown in.

Omega-3 and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)

This is a biggie, especially if you don't eat enough fish and seafood, so pay close attention.

Spirulina is LOADED with omega-3. Plant based sources of omega-3 such as walnuts and flax seeds contain the ALA version of omega-3. Yet, spirulina contains also the DHA and EPA versions of omega-3.

A healthy 21-year-old athlete can only convert about 15% to 20% of ALA into a usable form of omega-3 in the body. As we get older (and sicker), that conversion rate drops to less than 10%.

Thus, it is far better that you get the DHA and EPA versions of omega-3. By doing so, your body will less likely incur any loss due to failure to convert it.

Spirulina is also loaded with GLA. GLA is the only omega-6 fatty acid that is hugely beneficial to the body. It is an anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and highly beneficial fat.

It's even touted as helping to reduce the ill effects of asthma, Type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Some scientists believe it helps prevent cancer.

Other spirulina benefits for health

Antioxidants

You've likely heard about how good antioxidants are. They roam around the body getting rid of free radicals. These free radicals seem to be at the root of many diseases, including cancer.

Guess what?

Spirulina has 25 times more antioxidants than blueberries. This is one of the exceptional spirulina benefits as blueberries are one of the best sources for antioxidants.

Spirulina even has more antioxidants than goji berries. Many consider these berries as the ultimate source of antioxidants.

Spirulina also contains copious amounts of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is known to build up the blood in people who are anemic or just need more energy and oxygen.

This is because chlorophyll is so similar to hemoglobin. The rich iron and porphyrin content in spirulina allow the conversion of chlorophyll into hemoglobin. Chlorophyll also dilates blood vessels and aids in liver function.

Unique to spirulina is a pigment called phycocyanin. This pigment is closely related to bilirubin, found in the liver. It is one of the reasons that the amino acids found in spirulina can be digested and utilized by the body so quickly.

Weight loss/management

Spirulina is densely packed with nutrients. Then, when you consume some, it really feels you up.

Even better, it also curbs your appetite for the rest of the day. It makes it easier to not think about food. Or be tempted to eat unhealthy snacks.

Spirulina is also a good detoxifier. It's not quite as good at detoxifying as chlorella. But it works very well in conjunction with this green algae.

How nutritious is spirulina?

First, let's put things in perspective.

Researchers at NASA have determined that 1 kilogram of spirulina powder (about 2.2 pounds) is as nutritious as 1,000 kilograms of vegetables. That's about 2200 pounds of vegetables!

Plus, there is no vegetable that has the same amount of protein, or even close to it. Remember too, no vegetable has all nine essential amino acids!

How to incorporate spirulina into your diet?

At this point, it is a legitimate question to ask yourself if you really want to enjoy spirulina benefits.

How to take spirulina powder?

The easiest way to buy Spirulina for adding to recipes is in powder form. You can buy it now at almost all health food stores or natural food stores.

But, you'll likely save money if you buy Spirulina online from a reputable dealer. You'll also be able to judge better if it's a pristine source of spirulina.

Many people use spirulina powder in their smoothies. They replace other common protein sources such as whey protein or peanut butter.

It has a sort of grassy earthy flavor. It pairs well with popular smoothie fruits such as banana and mango.

Spirulina also tastes great with yogurt if you use that for your smoothie bases. It blends well with kale or spinach smoothies too.

Any recipe you add spirulina powder to will end up being blue-green in color. Luckily, it's a beautiful shade of blue-green! While this may be a little weird at first, it can also be incredibly fun, especially for kids.

You can turn your hummus dip into a blue-green “Martian” dip. And you can give your guacamole some blue-green dazzling style).

How about some blue-green chicken noodle soup to cheer up your child when she's home sick with the flu?

You can also make Martian pancakes and Martian pasta. Hey, if you can eat pasta made with spinach, surely you can get into blue-green spirulina pasta.

How to take spirulina tablets?

You can also buy spirulina in tablet form to take as health supplements. Many health conscience people are taking spirulina tablets instead of coffee in the morning to perk them up.

They are also a great supplement on days where your nutrition has not been the best.

So, if you ate a granola bar for breakfast (you do know these are just like candy bars, right?) and pizza for dinner, you might want to pop a few extra spirulina tablets that night.

If you buy spirulina in tablet form, you can conveniently use it as a meal substitute when you get busy.

Wake up late and can't fix breakfast? Grab some spirulina tablets as you head out the door.

Get caught in a late meeting at work and don't have time for lunch? Keep some spirulina tablets in your desk drawer for just such emergencies.

Need a pick me up when you get brain fog or feel low on energy? Pop in a few spirulina tablets for a natural mental and physical boost.

Why professional athletes love spirulina so much?

Spirulina is becoming the favorite food of hard training professional athletes. They take it before intense workouts. It gives them more energy.

Unlike other foods, spirulina gets absorbed almost immediately. It can give you a significant energy boost in less than five minutes. Athletes also consume it after their workouts. It helps them recover faster.

Spirulina creates nitric oxide which dilates the blood vessels. This sends more blood to the muscles and organs. It helps athletes recover faster.

Luckily, you can get all these spirulina benefits when you exercise.

What are the side effects of spirulina?

People generally don't experience side effects from consuming spirulina.

The World Health Organization has determined that spirulina could help to eradicate world hunger. This is in large part because they think it is safe to feed to children.

However, there will always be a few people who find they react in a negative way to a new food.

Some people consuming spirulina, especially in large quantities, have reported flatulence and stomach bloating.

Even fewer people report having bouts of diarrhea and swelling in their legs. Mild allergic reactions (rash, redness, itchiness, or hives) have been reported.

If you have an adverse reaction to spirulina, your batch may be contaminated with toxins. These toxins could be heavy metals or pathogenic bacteria.

Ensure that your source cultivate spirulina in pristine conditions. Make sure that uncontaminated water was not used.

If you take prescription drugs, check with your doctor if you can use spirulina. As you know, you should always check with your doctor before making any radical dietary changes.

This is especially true if you should decide to drink spirulina smoothies every morning. Or, substitute spirulina tablets for your lunch every day.

If you have phenylketonuria (PKU), an inherited genetic disorder, you will not be able to consume spirulina. The reason is the fact that it contains phenylalanine. People with PKU cannot metabolize phenylalanine.

You may proceed slowly with spirulina, if you have an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Spirulina indeed stimulates the immune system.

This is normally a good thing but not if your immune system is already in hyper drive and attacking your own body.

Conclusion

Spirulina benefits are very important. The health benefits are obvious. It definitely improves your health.

If you have not tried spirulina yet, it's time to do it. It is a food that packs a very powerful nutritional punch. This superfood is also extremely convenient for anyone with a busy lifestyle, especially in tablet form.

The post Spirulina Benefits for Health and How to Get It in Your Diet appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

A follow-up question would be following.

Is Nutella a product that we want to feed our kids for breakfast on a regular basis?

Nutella ingredients list

Let's have a close look at the ingredients.

In fact, Nutella has about 55% of its content as sugar. So more than half of every serving you eat is pure sugar.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that every packaged product list the ingredients. The label should give certain nutritional information.

A company should list the ingredients in “descending order of predominance by weight”. This rule was established by the FDA.

This means that the first ingredient listed is the most abundant ingredient. The second ingredient on the list is the second most abundant ingredient, and so on.

The current ingredients list for Nutella sold in the United States is:

• sugar;
• palm oil;
• hazelnuts;
• cocoa;
• skim milk;
• reduced minerals whey (milk);
• lecithin as emulsifier (soy);
• vanillin (an artificial flavor).

Sugar

Sugar is the most abundant ingredient in Nutella.

There is another important note about the amount of sugar in Nutella. About 75% of the sugar used comes from beets (depending on geography), not sugar cane. It is likely that this sugar will come from genetically modified beets.

Thus, in most locations, Nutella would be a genetically modified food. But it is near impossible to determine if the Nutella on your store shelf has the GMO sugar or not. If you are trying to avoid eating GMO foods, Nutella is not an option.

There is a lot of fuss about Nutella glycemic index being 33, a relatively low glycemic index. In fact, the copious amounts of sugar in Nutella are mixed with so much fat that the fat brings down the glycemic index.

However, keep this in mind when you read articles that tout the low GI. A Snicker's bar has about the same GI.

Palm oil

Palm oil is the second most abundant ingredient in Nutella.

Then, there is considerable fat in each serving. To be exact, there are 11 grams of fat in every two tablespoon servings. The saturated fat accounts for 3.5 grams of the total fat.

Even though it is quite a lot, the amount of fat is not the most important fact to know about the oil found in each serving. It is more important to know that the palm oil found in Nutella is highly processed.

The oil is raised to extremely high temperatures to “deodorize”. It makes the oil more stable to prolong shelf life. At the same time, it keeps the ingredients from separating out as it sits on the shelf.

This process strips the palm oil of its natural nutrients. They are tocotrienol, beta carotene, CoQ10, vitamin K, and lycopene. Tocotrienol is a potent form of Vitamin E.

After going through this process, the palm oil has an artificial chemical structure. This chemical structure interferes with important biological processes in the body.

It raises blood sugar and increases insulin resistance. It also increases cholesterol and heart disease (Center for Science in the Public Interest). In fact, modified palm oil is as bad for your health as trans-fat (World Health Organization).

The oil also undergoes a process called “fractionation”. This process separates out the liquid part (olein) from the solid part (stearin). These two parts are then mixed together in ratios that makes Nutella more spreadable.

Dr. Freedhoff puts things in perspective

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff is a professor and physician at the University of Ottawa.  He is the medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute. Dr. Freedhoff is a leading expert on obesity. Dr. Freedhoff has spoken out emphatically about how unhealthy he deems Nutella to be.

In doing so, he has put together a video to give you a better mental image of what's actually in a serving of Nutella.

In the video, he puts the separate ingredients of Nutella on a piece of toast. At the end, he opens up several packets of sugar to prove how much sugar is in one serving of Nutella. Then, to get the same amount of sugar in one serving, he stacks FIVE Oreo cookies on top of a piece of toast.

You can watch Dr. Freedhoff's video below.

To account for the American serving size of two tablespoons, he should have put TWICE as much sugar. In his video, he put the amount for ONE tablespoon. This latter is the serving size listed on the Canadian version of Nutella.

So, when you watch that video as an American, double the packets of sugar Dr. Freedhoff uses.

A closer look at serving size

Food companies use a sneaky thing to make their product look healthier (or not as unhealthy). They change the serving size listed on the nutrition label. By doing so, they can list less of an unhealthy ingredient per serving, like sugar and saturated fat.

Food manufacturers used this trick to list crackers, cookies, or cereals as “zero trans-fat”. They would reduce the serving size until the number of grams of trans-fat fell below 1 gram. Then, they could legally print “zero grams of trans fat per serving” on the box.

But, the serving size was often so small that nobody would eat such a small quantity as a single serving.

Currently, the listed serving size in the USA version of Nutella  is two tablespoons or 37 grams. By using a serving size smaller than most people eat, they have low amounts of sugar and fat on the label.

Then, it doesn't look outlandish. And any parent would consider feeding their child Nutella for breakfast. Keep in mind too, in other countries, the serving size listed for Nutella is only ONE tablespoon.

To put this in better perspective, take a look at a tablespoon in a measuring spoon set. Measure out a LEVEL tablespoon, not a heaping tablespoon, or a rounded tablespoon. You can use a butter knife to scrape across the top to make it level.

A tablespoon in a measuring spoon set is smaller than the one in most kitchen utensil sets. If you are honest with yourself, you eat far more than two level tablespoons of Nutella in one serving.

It is easy to get 50% to 100% more by using a larger tablespoon than a true tablespoon and/or a rounded tablespoon.

So, it's not the equivalent of 5 Oreo cookies that you have on your toast. It is the equivalent of 7 to 10 Oreos. This represents 30 to 42 grams of sugar. Instead of eating 11 grams of fat (3.5 grams of saturated fat), you could be eating 16 to 22 grams of fat.

Always be wary of serving size!

What a little detective work reveals

Ferrero is the Italian company that makes Nutella. They have changed Nutella's ingredients in different countries, especially in the United States. They operate these changes over time.

Ferrero has also changed its marketing strategy. This was in response to criticisms about its often misleading marketing message. The marketing message portrayed Nutella as a healthy product.

Many commercials in the US stated: “Nutella is made with simple quality ingredients like hazelnuts, skim milk, and a hint of cocoa”.

Of course, they failed to mention that more than half of the product was pure sugar. Moreover, the second most abundant ingredient was fat.

They also gave “an example of a tasty yet balanced breakfast”. This breakfast was Nutella spread on whole wheat bread, a glass of skim milk, and a glass of orange juice. Honestly, this wouldn't even be a balanced breakfast if you left off the Nutella.

When the product or its marketing change, it is difficult to find the various iterations.

To help us, we will use the Wayback Machine. It is an Internet site that takes snapshots of websites at various times in history and archives them.

It is possible to determine what has changed. And how the company reacted to pressures from consumers and lawsuits, over time.

We concentrated on the USA version of the product. We were able to identify changes made to the nutellausa.com website.

From 2000 to 2006

For a long time, the USA version of Nutella contained trans-fat. More specifically, it was trans-fat from partially hydrogenated peanut oil.

On April 6, 2001, the company listed peanut oil and partially hydrogenated peanut oil as fats. NOT palm oil.

Furthermore, they listed the  following question and answer in their frequently asked questions.

“Nutella contains peanut oil and I'm allergic to peanuts.”

“The peanut oil that Nutella contains goes through a hot-solvent extraction process which takes out all the proteins and you are left with pure peanut oil which is generally non-allergenic. Only oil prepared by the hot solvent extraction process that is commonly used in the United States is known to be free of protein. But, of course, please consult your doctor about any health concerns you may have.”

In other words, it was highly processed and contained loads of trans-fats. Furthermore, there was little to none of the original nutrients of the raw peanut oil left in it. It was an industrial product that should not be in the human body.

The website graphics displayed soccer kids happily eating Nutella spread on various breakfast items. The website also featured several animated graphics. These graphics were showing loads of hazelnuts pouring into a jar of Nutella.

The issue of sugar and fat were not addressed at all!

The marketing was misleading to say the least.

From 2007 to 2009

In 2007, the company changed the “Nutritional Information” tab on their navigation menu. It became “Delicious Fact”.  The change occurred between April 8 and May 9.

They no longer disclosed the ingredients of Nutella on their website. The company stopped showing a picture of their nutritional information panel.

At the same time, they added this question and the corresponding answer to their FAQ.

“I like to eat Nutella out of the jar with a spoon. Is that OK?“

“While we agree that the creamy, chocolaty, hazelnut taste of Nutella is delicious all by itself, we suggest not to “double dip,” as it reduces the shelf life of the product.”

In 2008, all the snapshots of the Nutella USA website showed no nutritional information. Many of the misleading marketing statements used in previous years were gone.

For example, this one below was missing. In fact it disappeared from their website in August-September, 2002.

“Tell me about the ingredients found in Nutella.“

“Nutella is made with over 50 hazelnuts in a 13 oz. jar. Most dieticians agree that nuts provide essential vitamins and minerals to the daily diet. Nutella contains 1½ cups skim milk in every 13 oz. jar. Not only is skim milk lower in fat than regular milk but it contains the same amount of calcium, protein and vitamins A & D to build strong bones. The cocoa in Nutella is naturally low in fat and just a touch of it gives Nutella its creamy, smooth chocolaty taste.”

The word “modified” as in “modified palm oil” did not escape consumers' attention. Thus, they added a FAQ question.

“Is the modified palm oil in Nutella hydrogenated?“

The answer they gave initially was the following.

“No. The modified palm oil is a mix of the liquid and solid oil naturally extracted from the fruit of the palm. The mix is adjusted to assure the best consistency for easy spreading. The process also reduces the level of saturated fat.”

From 2010 to 2016

In 2010, they changed this answer to this one.

“No. The palm oil is naturally extracted from the fruit of the palm. This palm oil is adjusted to assure the best consistency for easy spreading by reducing the level of saturated fat.”

The second answer softens the fact that it is highly processed.

Between January 8 and February 25, 2009, the company added a “Nutrition” link back to their navigational menu. They changed “modified palm oil” to “peanut oil and partially hydrogenated peanut oil”. So, they got rid of the word “hydrogenated” because people had caught on by then that it meant trans-fat. They were required to list trans-fat on the label if it contained more than 1 gram of hydrogenated oil.

Consumers have still not caught onto to the fact that “modified palm oil,” was as bad as trans-fat. It is highly processed which removes virtually almost all the nutrients from palm oil.

In 2011, the company did their best to hide their nutritional details on their website. They started an elaborate campaign to talk about how important breakfast was for kids.

This campaign showed how helpful Nutella was to moms.  It was so difficult to get kids to eat healthy foods and Nutella could get them to eat them.

They quoted research studies and what dietitians said about breakfast. They concluded with this sentence.

“After all, the ‘best' breakfast is the one that will be eaten!”

They added another question to their FAQ.

“How can Nutella help moms at breakfast time?“

The answer they gave was.

“It can be difficult to persuade children to eat breakfast. When used in moderation with complementary foods, Nutella® is a quick and easy tool to encourage kids to eat whole grains, such as whole wheat toast, English muffins, toaster waffles and bagels.”

“So why not use Nutella® hazelnut spread to turn a balanced breakfast into a tasty one!”

This sentence concluded the section on Nutella and Family.

Is Nutella healthier than peanut butter?

Most supermarkets sell Nutella on the same isle as peanut butter. This is clever marketing.

Product placement on the shelves of a grocery store is a large part of the bargaining. This bargaining takes place when companies grant distribution rights.

Nutella's marketing campaigns emphasize the hazelnuts. On their pictures, hazelnuts are poured into the jar. The marketing message portrays Nutella as a “hazelnut spread.”

People think of Nutella as a product that is just as healthy as peanut butter. Why? Because they see Nutella on the shelf right next to peanut butter.  But, they are DEAD WRONG in making this assumption.

All natural peanut butter is 100% ground up peanuts, sometimes with a little salt added.

A jar of Adams (a product of Smucker) contains 8 grams of protein in two tablespoons. Adams is 100% natural peanut butter and made with peanuts as the only ingredient listed.

In Nutella's current formula, there are 3 grams of protein. It used to have only 2 grams per serving.

Sugar

The sugar in the natural peanut butter is the natural form of sugar. It is not added sugar. Moreover, there is only 1 gram of sugar in the natural peanut butter compared to 21 grams of sugar in Nutella.

That's right. There is TWENTY-ONE TIMES MORE SUGAR IN NUTELLA THAN NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER!!!

Jif and Skippy add sugar to their peanut butter. These less healthy brands have less than 12% of the sugar put in Nutella.

Natural peanut butter also has a lot more fiber than Nutella per serving.

Fat

The fat content in natural peanut butter is a little higher than Nutella. But we're comparing apples to oranges.

The fat content in natural peanut butter is about 30% less saturated fat than in Nutella. It is NOT modified and only minimally processed when the peanuts are ground up.

The fat in peanut butter still retains its natural nutrients in a bioavailable form. It does not interfere with normal biological processes such as the cell membrane permeability.

Vitamins and minerals

More than 30 essential vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients are in natural peanut butter. They exist in large quantities in natural peanut butter.

These include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B4 (choline), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin E, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium, resveratrol, and p-coumaric acid.

It is also important to note that natural oils promote satiety. This means that it serves as an appetite suppressor, especially when there is little sugar in a meal.

But the large amount of sugar in Nutella combined with modified oils increase appetite.

Final conclusion

Is Nutella healthy and nutritious?

Well, it's about as nutritious as birthday cake icing or a melted candy bar. As a special treat on occasion, it would certainly fit the bill because most people do find it to be delicious.

But, serving it up as part of a regular school day or work day breakfast, it's definitely not the best choice!

After studying Nutella's ingredients, Dr. Freedhoff's concluded that it is a “spreadable candy“.

Thus, would you eat candy for breakfast or serve candy to your family for breakfast? If you are honest with yourself, you know the answer.

Give your child a smear of natural peanut butter on whole grain toast for breakfast. It is far healthier than a smear of Nutella!

For variety, you could also opt for other natural nut butters. You have almond butter or hazelnut butter.

You could add a bit of cocoa for chocolatey goodness. Or a drizzle of honey for sweetness. Even so, it would still be far healthier than Nutella.

Finally, why not make your own hazelnut spread?

There are quite a few options available online. I have selected this one below that needs only 3 ingredients: hazelnuts, maple syrup and raw cacao powder.

Enjoy!

The post Does it Taste Great? Absolutely! But is Nutella Healthy to Eat? appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

This is one of the reasons there has been such a flurry of research on pomegranate. 

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a trendy modern-day superfood. It is well known to promote heart health.

First of all, it decreases plaque build-up. It also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. Pomegranate even prevents the growth of cancerous tumors.

However, in some ways, this is old news.

Pomegranates were the earliest cultivated fruits. They have been used medicinally for thousands of years, going back to the time of the early Phoenicians and Greeks.

We've only rediscovered their amazing healing properties recently.

Recent research studies confirm pomegranate juice health benefits

Several peer-reviewed research studies published in scientific journals clearly show the potent medicinal powers of pomegranate juice.

We review three of these studies below.

1. Clinical Nutrition Journal (2004)

This particular study gave very impressive clear cut results on pomegranate juice benefits.

The effect of this healthy juice in reducing plaque was tested on 14 men and 5 women. These 19 individuals all had a 70% to 90% blockage of their carotid arteries.

All participants were on similar dosages (for their weight) of the same prescription medications. These medications included beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and statin drugs for lowering cholesterol.

Ten of the 19 participants received about 8 ounces (240 ml) of pomegranate juice per day for one year.

Five of these participants continued doing so for two additional years.

Nine of the 19 participants served as the control group and did not receive pomegranate juice.

After only three months, the participants drinking the pomegranate juice showed a 13% decrease in their plaque thickness.

Six months later, the reduction in plaque thickness had risen to 22%.

After a year, drinking the juice reduced the plaque thickness in this group by 35%. It also lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of twelve points.

Prescription drugs alone almost never cause this remarkable decrease in plaque thickness.

Furthermore, the control group did not experience the same reduction in either their plaque build-up or their systolic blood pressure.

The results of this study are highly significant to the point it probably should have been front page news.

Drinking pomegranate juice gives no profit to pharmaceutical companies. Therefore, the news of this remarkable study has only quietly spread through the natural health community.

2. ARYA Atherosclerosis Journal (2013)

In 2013, ARYA Atherosclerosis published a clinical investigation of the acute effects of pomegranate study on blood pressure and endothelial function in hypertensive individuals.

This study demonstrated how fast acting drinking pomegranate juice can be. In other words, you can gain an immediate benefit from drinking just one small serving. The immediate benefit of drinking this juice comes with its proven long-term positive effects.

Thirteen men aged 39 to 68 participated in this study.

Each man was asked to fast for twelve hours before the study. They were then asked to drink about five ounces (150 ml) of pomegranate juice. Their blood pressure was checked twice. First, before they drank the juice. Second, about six hours later.

The systolic blood pressure dropped on average seven points. The diastolic blood pressure dropped on average about six points. Drinking just a little more than half a cup of pomegranate juice produced such effect.

Drinking pomegranate juice is a natural way to lower blood pressure. This juice is truly an elixir for heart health.

3. Nutrition Journal (2014)

The Nutrition Journal published this study in March 2014.

It involved more people compared to the first two studies. The participants to this study were patients who had to undergo kidney dialysis. In addition to blood pressure, this research also investigated the effects of pomegranate juice on triglyceride level and cholesterol.

One hundred and one male patients were selected. About three and one-third ounces (100 ml) of pomegranate juice were given to half of them three times per week for one year. The other half were given a placebo fluid.

Across the board, the men who received the pomegranate juice had marked improvements in their systolic blood pressure. Their pulse pressure, triglycerides levels, and HDL cholesterol levels also improved.

Furthermore, men who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and high triglyceride and low HDL levels showed more pronounced improvements. HDL is the good cholesterol that scavenges for and removes bad cholesterol.

What makes the results of this study most remarkable is the following. It took only a small amount of juice to see a marked improvement. Less than a half cup three times a week. It can easily be worked into anyone's routine.

The small amount required puts it within almost everyone's budget. Even though pure pomegranate juice concentrate with nothing added can be a bit pricey.

Why does pomegranate juice produce such amazing health benefits?

As we said above, pomegranate juice has one of the most powerful antioxidants known ( punicalagin). Punicalagin prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Once LDL cholesterol become oxidized, it causes the formation of plaque. This leads to various health conditions such as coronary heart disease or peripheral vascular disease.

Not only does punicalagin have antioxidant properties, it is also strongly anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.

Pomegranate juice will have a more powerful influence on your system if you have a well-balanced healthy intestinal biota.

Good bacteria in your gut break down the punicalagin into other antioxidants like ellagic acid and urolithins. Gut flora also helps the punicalagin work more efficiently.

Therefore, you may want to add probiotics or foods containing probiotics to your diet in addition to pomegranate juice.

Is pomegranate juice good for you?

Pomegranate juice works on the underlying problem of the constant oxidation of lipid molecules. It very significantly reduces this problem. This allows your body to heal itself and not continue down the path of rapid deterioration.

Many people who drink pomegranate juice are able to prevent their plaque and cholesterol levels from becoming bad enough to take prescription drugs. Furthermore, some of those who do take these drugs are able to wean off of them once they add pomegranate juice to their diet.

Millions of people take blood pressure lowering and statin drugs. This number is growing every year. Unfortunately, these drugs often cause debilitating side effects like joint pain and limited mobility. Moreover, these drugs do little to address the underlying causes of these common diseases.

However, if you decide to wean off your prescription drugs, be sure to do so under the supervision of your doctor. He can ensure you are doing it safely.

The post Pomegranate Juice Lowers Blood Pressure and Reduces Plaque Build-up appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

Below, you will find practical information on the best omega-3 fatty acid foods.

This article is the second one of our series on foods that lower blood pressure.

In a previous post, we talked about beets and nitrate-rich foods. The omega-3 fatty acid foods provided below are not listed by importance or priority.

In fact, they are all equally important in a general sense. We include many details that you may not find elsewhere.

Top 8 omega-3 fatty acid foods

1. Wild fish

In general, fish is one of the best omega-3 fatty acid foods you can eat. Unless you are a strict vegetarian, you should aim to eat fish at least twice a week.

If you are prone to high blood pressure, and you are attempting to control it through diet alone without taking prescription medication, you should either supplement with fish oil on days you do not eat fish or eat fish more frequently than twice a week.

All types of fish contain a substantial amount of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the types of omega-3 that your body can readily use. So, you really can't go wrong with eating any variety of fish.

However, certain types of fish do contain more omega-3 than others. The most important thing you need to remember is that wild fish always contain more omega-3 than farmed fish. There are no exceptions to this. So, do not be fooled by marketing claims that say otherwise.

Fish get their omega-3 from what they eat. Farmed fishes are fed unnatural foods like genetically modified soy and corn. Therefore, they do not have as much omega-3.

Darker oily fish contain substantially more omega-3 than white flakey fish.

Sockeye salmon has more omega-3 per gram than any other fish. This is followed closely by other types of salmon (Chinook, Coho, Chum, etc.), sardines, and herring.

This is followed by mackerel, lake trout, swordfish, and albacore tuna. Note too, darker tuna, i.e. the cheap stuff, has more omega-3 than the lighter tuna.

It should also be mentioned that canned fish, tuna or salmon for example, contains less omega-3 than fresh fish. Another interesting fact is that the omega-3 levels in some bottom feeding white fish like halibut and flounder varies a lot in omega-3 levels depending on where they are caught and the season.

Scientists are still trying to figure this out. They are investigating precisely what makes the difference. Hopefully we will have more information to share on this soon that could be helpful to the shopper.

2. Wild seafood

Wild seafood is one of the top omega-3 fatty acid foods. All wild seafood contains good amounts of EPA and DHA omega-3.

In fact, wild seafood contains about as much omega-3 as white flakey fish. Thus, you can enjoy eating crab, shrimp, lobster, scallops, mussels, oysters, abalone, sea snails, limpets, squid, tunicates (sea squirts), uni (sea urchin gonads), and sea cucumbers. Even more knowing that these delicious foods will help to lower your blood pressure!

Note that the last three seafoods in this list are more popular in Japan and the South Pacific region of the world. But you can find them in Asian stores in the United States as well as many Asian restaurants.

Please also note that many of the omega-3 food charts found on the Internet significantly underestimate the omega-3 levels in seafood. The main reason is the fact that the assays that produced the numbers they post used FARMED or cultured seafood! Just like with fish, farmed and cultured seafood has less omega-3 than their wild counterparts.

3. Grass-fed beef

Third on our list of omega-3 fatty acid foods is beef. However, the vast majority of beef sold in the United States comes from cows that are fed grains, predominantly genetically modified soy and corn. Hoofed animals normally forage on wild grasses, not grains!

Furthermore, they obtain EPA and DHA omega-3 from eating grass and this is passed to other animals. Including humans, who eat hoofed animals who fed on grasses all or most of their lives.

So, while grass-fed beef is a good source of omega-3, the vast majority of beef sold in grocery stores is not a good source of omega-3 because of the artificial grain diet the cows were fed.

4. Venison

Like grass-fed beef, wild deer meat is high in omega-3 due to the natural diet that deer consume.

If you are unable to obtain your own deer meat, you may want to consider bartering with your friends and neighbors who get deer. For example, if you grow a garden, you could offer them some fresh vegetables in exchange for fresh deer meat.

5. Buffalo

Almost all buffalo raised in the United States is grass-fed. It is an excellent source for omega-3.

It can be tough to get buffalo steaks and other cuts at your local markets. However, ground buffalo meat is becoming more readily available. In this form, it is highly versatile and can be incorporated into many dishes.

Also available on the market now in many health stores and natural food stores are buffalo jerky and buffalo bars. The latter is often blended with other healthy ingredients like cranberries. These are great grab and go snacks loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

6. Eggs from free roaming chickens

If chickens are allowed to roam around and eat as ground birds naturally would, their diet consists mostly of wild grasses and insects!

Both grasses and insects are loaded with omega-3. This becomes incorporated into the eggs of free roaming chickens. However, most commercially raised chickens are never allowed to forage naturally. They are fed mostly genetically modified grains and fish mill from farmed fish fed genetically modified grains.

So, if you want to eat eggs high in omega-3 to help control your blood pressure, it is best to find a local source such as a farmer at a farmer's market. Or you can buy eggs sold in a natural food store where you can be sure the eggs are from free-roaming chickens.

In many cases, you can even visit the farm to see the chickens roaming around eating bugs and grass for yourself! This is, in fact, the best way to verify your source of eggs.

7. Vegetarian foods

It is much harder to get adequate levels of omega-3 from a vegetarian diet, especially if you are trying to get enough to help control high blood pressure.

In fact, the form of omega-3 in plant sources is Alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA), not EPA and DHA. The human body is unable to utilize ALA directly and must convert it first to EPA or DHA. The problem is the conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA is not very high.

In a healthy young person, the best conversion rate is only about twenty percent! Moreover, as you get older, the conversion rate drops considerably. It also drops if you have any health issues such as type 2 diabetes or autoimmune diseases.

Even though vegetarian foods are not the best sources of omega-3, you should still add them to your diet. They are healthy foods in their own right. You will get a nice supplemental boost of omega-3 from them.

Vegetarian foods highest in ALA include flax seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sea vegetables like kelp. You can also get smaller amounts of ALA from cruciferous vegetables, oatmeal, non-GMO soy, and natural peanut butter.

There is one exception for a non-animal source of DHA and EPA, although it is not technically a vegetable. This is spirulina, often called “blue green algae”. It's actually a cyanobacteria, a singled celled organism that is closely related to bacteria but photosynthesizes like algae.

You can buy spirulina in powder form and easily mix it into your smoothies for a good boost of EPA and DHA. And many other micronutrients, including trace nutrients that are hard to get otherwise.

8. Insects

While many Americans repel at the very idea of eating insects, they are consumed as a dietary staple all over the world. Furthermore, they are sky high in omega-3!

If you are an adventurous eater, you can now find insects sold in many health stores, gourmet food stores, and natural food stores.

One easy way to add insects to your diet is to buy insect flour and add this to your baked goods and sauces.

Practical considerations regarding omega-3 fatty acid foods

1. How to know you're getting wild fish and seafood

First, you need to know that if fish or seafood is not labeled as “wild,” you should assume it is farmed.

Second, you have to be on the lookout for false labeling as several investigative reporters have uncovered that much of the fish and seafood being sold as “wild” is actually farmed!

If you are buying salmon, if the color is very subdued, this is a sign it is likely farmed. Grocery store chains are not the best source for buying wild fish and seafood as there are so many middlemen they often sell fish labeled as “wild” that is not really wild.

Try to buy from a seafood market or a natural food store that has a more direct relationship with the source of the fish. Of course the best way to get wild fish and seafood is to go out and collect your own or barter with someone else who does!

2. The practical matter of price

If you're on a tight budget, you may not be able to afford to eat high omega-3 fatty acid foods like salmon and grass-fed beef twice a week or more. We suggest you incorporate more of the small oil fish like sardines and herring into your diet if this is the case.

If you live near a local fish shop, ask them if they carry fresh sardines or herring at any point during the year. These taste nothing like the canned variety and are absolutely delicious grilled. However, if all you can get is the canned variety, we suggest looking for recipes online using these cheap high omega-3 ingredients.

3. A special note about toxins in fish and seafood

Wild fish and seafood contain far fewer contaminants (PBCs and heavy metals) than farmed fish. This is because wild fish eat a very different diet than farmed fish. Moreover, they are not contained in water than becomes highly contaminated.

This is an important consideration when adding more fish to your diet as you want to minimize the accumulation of these toxins in your system.

Conclusion

It’s time to enjoy these omega-3 fatty acid foods on a regular basis. As a result, you should see your high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol levels go down naturally if you are affected by these cardiovascular diseases.

In this way, you may be able to avoid taking the prescription drugs that commonly cause unwanted side effects.

The post Foods That Lower Blood Pressure | Omega-3 Fatty Acid Foods appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in every three American adults has higher than normal blood pressure.

This translates to about seventy million Americans having high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure often leads to heart attacks, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.

In fact, high blood pressure contributed to the death of more than 360,000 Americans in 2013.

The good news is that many people can control their blood pressure through diet and exercise, thereby eliminating the need to take blood pressure medicine that so often leads to unwanted side effects.

These side effects include dehydration, gout, erectile dysfunction, weakness, fatigue, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and critical potassium loss (hypokalemia) leading to muscular function.

Some blood pressure medications, including diuretics and beta-blockers, can lead to elevated blood sugar which is especially problematic for diabetics.

Additionally, angiotensin II receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors can cause serious problems for pregnant women and can lead to developmental issues for the baby.

Beets lower blood pressure

Beets contain exceptionally high levels of inorganic nitrate. This is the key to why beets are so good at lowering blood pressure.

When you eat beets, the inorganic nitrates they contain are converted to nitric oxide and this enters your bloodstream.

Nitric oxide in the bloodstream has a three-pronged effect in lowering blood pressure.

First, the nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscles lining your blood vessels.

Second, nitric oxide has an antiplatelet effect, i.e. an anticoagulant effect. This prevents your blood from thickening and clotting.

Third, beets are a good source of potassium which lessens the effect of sodium. Potassium is also a good vasodilator and has the effect relaxing the small blood vessels in your muscles and brain.

All of these effects reduce the amount of energy your heart needs to pump blood throughout your body, thus lowering blood pressure.

Research proving the effectiveness of beets

1. Queen Mary University of London study

One of the best research studies showing that raw beet juice is effective at lowering blood pressure was conducted by researchers at the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. The results were published in February 2015 in the peer-reviewed journal, “Hypertension.”

Each of sixty-eight participants was given 250 milliliters of beet juice each day for two weeks. For American readers, this is about 8 1/2 ounces of beet juice (just over one cup).

Half of the participants were given regular beet juice that contained nitrate. The other half were given nitrate-free beet juice as a control.

The results of this study were quite convincing!

The blood pressure in those individuals who drank the normal beet juice with nitrate was lower by an average of around eight points in just two weeks.

Participants ranged from 18 to 85 years old and every participant had high blood pressure.

2. University of Reading study

This study was published in the peer-reviewed journal, “British Journal of Nutrition,” in December 2012.

In this study, three types of beetroot-enriched bread were given to men with high blood pressure, plus a control where water was substituted for beet juice.

The men were split into four groups eating a total of 0, 100, 250 and 500 grams of beetroot-enriched bread.

Blood pressure was measured after two hours, four hours, and 24 hours of eating.

There was a significant lowering of blood pressure in those men who ate this novel beetroot-enriched bread product compared to the control.

The blood pressure was lowered more as the amount of beet juice in the bread increased. There were no significant differences between bread varieties.

This study is especially intriguing for one very important reason: the beetroot was not raw but rather cooked into the bread. Keep in mind too that bread is baked at high temperatures for a long time.

This shows that COOKED beets can be very effective at lowering blood pressure, contrary to what some sources that insist the beets be raw would have you believe.

In other words, you can lower your blood pressure with both raw and cooked beets. The taste of each is quite different.

How to incorporate beets into your diet?

Fresh beet juice

You can add variety to your beet juice by mixing it with celery juice (also lowers blood pressure), apple juice, or carrot juice.

Add a bit of fresh ginger for a little kick and to improve your circulation.

Delicious salads

Thick grated raw beets taste great mixed in green lettuce and raw vegetable salads. Add radishes to lower your blood pressure too.

You can also make a shredded beet salad by adding extra virgin olive oil plus rice vinegar and or lemon or lime (in the typical three parts oil to one part acid ratio). You can add a pinch of salt and or sugar to taste.

Shredded carrots compliment this salad well and add a nice color contrast that will impress your family and friends and make your beet salad a feast for your own eyes. Fresh basil or other herbs can make this delicious salad even more special.

Scrumptious roasted beets

Roasted beets are sweet and delicious soul food! Plus, they are one of the most simple things you can make for dinner!

Simply wash them and pop them into the oven to roast for 40-60 minutes (test them for softness like you would a potato).

Cool, peel, and drizzle a little virgin coconut oil on them. The first time you try roasted beets, you'll be hooked!

Other foods high in nitrate

You don't have to eat beets or drink beet juice every day to benefit from a blood pressure lowering diet!

Other vegetables that have high nitrate levels include radishes, spinach, celery, lettuce, and all the Brassica greens such as kale, cabbage, mustard greens, and collards.

Final thoughts

Make a point of incorporating a variety of beets and other nitrate-rich foods into your diet on a regular basis and you should see your blood pressure go down.

It can be a really fun experiment (get the kids involved, they'll love it!) to keep a food diary and list your blood pressure every day in this journal.

This way, you can go back and determine what specific nitrate-rich foods, and in what quantity, help the most.

You may also want to record exercise in the same journal to see how exercise combines with diet to lower blood pressure.

Yellow and rainbow beets have just as many nitrates as the more common red beets so enjoy a wide variety of tastes, colors, and antioxidants!

LAST UPDATED FEBRUARY 1, 2019

The post Foods That Lower Blood Pressure | Beets and Nitrate-Rich Foods appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

If you’re planning to start a paleo diet, having the best paleo recipes handy is a must.

Many paleo diet beginners don’t get started right. They fail to stay on this diet because they get bored eating the same foods everyday.

To thrive on a paleo diet, I recommend you get one of the paleo recipes collections described in this post.

The main paleo cookbook in each offer come with great bonuses. Then, depending on your personal interests, you get a paleo recipes collection that will help you stay on course, thrive on a paleo diet and enjoy the health benefits of eating paleo.

A paleo diet is also linked to a different way of living. Many users around the world have reported the following benefits to name a few:

• Weight loss
• Stronger immune system
• Increased levels of energy and stamina
• Better athletic performance and recovery
• Less hunger and cravings
• Enhanced mental clarity and libido.

Best Paleo Recipes Collections

1. Paleo Hacks Cookbook

Paleo Hacks Cookbook will enable you to make delicious paleo food, FAST.

Two fundamental principles have guided the elaboration of the recipes: (1) put maximum nutrition into your body and (2) reduce or eliminate toxins to ease the detoxification process.

This cookbook is for you if you are serious about thriving on the paleo diet.

Be ready to be shown how to prepare over 200 juicy and mouth-watering paleo recipes.

That’s not all.

If you buy Paleo Hacks cookbook, you get 5 bonus gifts worth $135 absolutely FREE!

These 5 powerful bonus manuals will get you started the right way and help you get the health results you want:

Bonus #1: Paleo Hacks 30-Day Jumpstart

Bonus #2: The Paleo Food Guide

Bonus #3: Eating Paleo at Restaurants

Bonus #4: The Paleo 4x Cookbook

Bonus #5: One-Month Paleo Meal Plan

2. Paleo Eats

Professional Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Peter Servold just released a new Paleo recipe book. As you know, Le Cordon Bleu is a prestigious designation in the field of gastronomy.

Peter Servold is also the co-founder of one of the most popular paleo meal delivery services on the Internet.

Paleo Eats is a nice hard copy color book. It contains 80 great-tasting gourmet paleo recipes.

All the recipes are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, sugar free and have no processed ingredients.

Actually, you can get your promotional copy for just the cost of shipping while supplies last.

There are only 500 promotional copies.

So, don’t delay, act fast. When the promotion ends, you will pay the full retail price of $19.95.

3. Paleo Breakfast Bible

Are you tired of the same old same old bacon and eggs for breakfast?

It becomes so boring that it feels easier to just avoid breakfast.

You’re definitely up for a treat with Paleo Breakfast Bible.

If you’re still on the fence about the paleo diet, you can get started and experiment the power of a paleo breakfast. As you know, breakfast is an important meal. It gives you the fuel you need to jumpstart your day.

This cookbook delivers 105 great tasting and mouth-watering recipes to start your day.

Your paleo breakfast will be delicious, nutritious, fun, easy and fast to prepare.

When you get your copy of Paleo Breakfast Bible, you receive a bonus: Paleo Granola Recipes.

Why not add a little crunchiness to your diet while enjoying these exclusive 100% grain-free Paleo Granola Recipes?

Bonus: Paleo Granola Recipes

The post Paleo Recipes | Cookbooks, Meal Plans and Shopping Lists appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.

Below, you will find an explanation that distils down the most important facts you need to know.

Summary of the basic science involved

Without a constant supply of oxygen, you would not survive. However, there is also a dark side to oxygen. Inside the human body, oxygen is a highly reactive chemical molecule.

This means it readily seeks out and combines with other molecules in our tissues and DNA. As it does so, it causes what scientists call “oxidative stress” by capturing electrons from other molecules.

This creates what is known as “free radicals“. These are molecules that are missing electrons. They can do a great deal of damage in your body.

What do free radicals do?

Free radicals are known to be the principle reason you age. In fact, the more free radicals your body has, the faster you will age!

Related to the aging process, free radicals in the body also cause a whole host of serious diseases.

These include most types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, macular degeneration, and autoimmune diseases.

We can also add to this list, diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, memory loss, and other cognitive diseases.

Thus, free radicals are enemy #1!

What do antioxidants do?

Antioxidants are the superheroes that fight free radicals. When you envision antioxidants, it is instructive to think of them as tiny sized superheroes, yellow cape and all!

They travel throughout your body giving free radicals back their missing electrons. They also prevent oxidation and repair your DNA and tissues that have been damaged by free radicals.

Given the fact that new free radicals are forming with every breath you take, the more antioxidant superheroes you have working for you the better! Plus, you need a never-ending constant supply of them!

People who don't eat enough vegetables, fruits, and seafood have low levels of antioxidants. Likewise, people who eat mostly processed food (and/or eat out a lot) also have lower levels of antioxidants.

This is a fact that escapes most people when reading the “nutrition label” on processed food containers! This is because there is no legal requirement that food companies list the paltry amount of antioxidants that are left in food after the processing removes or denatures them.

When your diet is too low in antioxidants, something really tragic starts to happen. Free radicals start to build up to toxic proportions. As this happens, they quite literally break down your body one molecule at a time.

What's worse is that free radicals spawn more free radicals causing a cascading effect where the number of free radicals rises exponentially!

Aim to get more variety

There are literally thousands of different types of antioxidants. Each one of them helps scavenge for free radicals and repair tissues in a different way. Don't focus on any one particular antioxidant.

This happens to be all the rage in the health community at the moment. You should concentrate instead on getting as wide a variety of antioxidants as you can.

Keep in mind that new antioxidants are being discovered and named by scientists all the time. Instead of trying to consume the BEST antioxidant, it is better to consume antioxidant-rich foods.

Select them in a way that will give you the best chance of getting a wider variety of antioxidants into your system; including the ones that haven't yet been discovered and named! Sensible eating is always ahead of the best available science.

You may have heard the phrase, “Eat the rainbow!” This means eating vegetables and fruits of every color! This is very good advice on how to get the whole gamut of antioxidants that Mother Nature provides us into your system.

When you eat peppers, eat peppers of every color! If you eat beets, eat the yellow ones too! When selecting salad fixings at the farmers’ market or your local food coop, pick up some brightly colored edible flowers.

When buying “leafy greens,” select some of the purple varieties too. And eat some rainbow chard when it's in season!

Eat berries of every color you can find!

Branch out and try eating purple potatoes and purple cabbage.

Cook up a big stir-fry or soup with every color of the rainbow! Don't forget to include your white vegetables like onion, garlic, and water chestnuts too”. They are also full of antioxidants!

Very important tip

Herbs and spices have the densest concentration of antioxidants of any food you eat! Therefore, one very simple way to get a lot more antioxidants into your diet is to use more herbs and spices!

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, oregano has the highest antioxidant content of all the common herbs you use in cooking. However, dill, thyme, peppermint, and rosemary are also extremely high in antioxidants.

When you cook your scrambled eggs, don't just add salt. Try adding a little black pepper. It is very high in antioxidants.

Add also some herbs like thyme, chives, and rosemary. For a good supply of antioxidants on the go, sprinkle various spices on your sandwiches.

You can add cinnamon, allspice, or cardamom to your oatmeal.

Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and or dill to your chicken salad or tuna salad.

Throw some crushed sage on your oven roasted potatoes.

Add mint to your curry stir-fry.

If you eat pizza, sprinkle some extra oregano over your pizza.

Add extra herbs to your soups, casseroles, dressings, and sauces. Even if you get a cup of take-out soup from the deli, you can always sprinkle over some extra herbs and black pepper. You can even keep a few spice jars in your desk at work.

Antioxidant supplements

You do not need antioxidant supplements if you have a healthy balanced diet. It means that you eat a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits daily, eat fish and seafood, and add herbs and spices to your food.

Moreover, the bulk of your diet does not consist of processed foods. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who eats mostly processed foods and only rarely or sporadically eats vegetables and fruits, taking antioxidant supplements daily is a good idea.

Just keep in mind that antioxidants supplements will never give you the variety or quality of antioxidants you would get if you improved your diet.

Most antioxidant supplements on the market are synthetically produced. They are produced artificially in the lab. Like synthetically produced vitamins, synthetic antioxidants do not take on exactly the same form as the natural antioxidants found in food.

Therefore, your body does not recognize them. Your body often treats them as a foreign substance that needs to be eradicated. Because of this, synthetic antioxidants can actually cause more harm than good.

Therefore, if you do decide to take antioxidant supplements, be sure to find antioxidant supplements that are derived from whole foods such as dehydrated berries, leafy vegetables, sea algae, and spirulina.

The post Why You Need More Antioxidants? | Basic Science & Benefits appeared first on HealthyDietHouse.com.