Category Archives: Foods & their Health Benefits

Health Benefits of ALMONDS

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“Compared to all other nuts, almonds are the most packed with nutrients and beneficial components.”

 –organicfacts.net

Here’s a neat infographic on the nutritional benefits and properties of almonds (from https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/health-benefits-of-almonds.html)

 

The Rundown

What almonds do, in short

  • Help maintain overall health of the nervous system
  • Keep your heart healthy
  • Help maintain a healthy amount of good cholesterol while reducing bad cholesterol (this also reduces your risk of getting heart disease)
  • Aid in the maintenance of healthy hair, skin, & teeth
  • Prevent colon cancer (due to their high fibre content)
  • Regulate blood sugar (as they contain potassium)
  • Help you lose weight
  • Alkalize your body
  • Keep your energy up and raise your metabolism

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Almonds help maintain heart health

          The monounsaturated fats, protein, potassium, and vitamin E that almonds have reduces the risk of heart diseases.

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Almonds help you lose weight

          You may think almonds will make you gain weight due to their fat content, but the fat they contain is unsaturated.  This is good, natural fat, which fills you, making you less likely to reach for a candy bar or something junky later.  The dietary fibre in almonds also contributes to a full-stomach feeling, and helps maintain consistent bowel movements and prevents constipation, leading to a good-working system that isn’t holding onto fat but is being consistently cleaned-out! 

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Almonds alkalize your body

                When your body is too acidic, you can experience low energy, weight gain, poor immune function, and develop osteoporosis.  Almonds counteract these symptoms because they are alkaline. 

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Almonds increase Energy & increase your Metabolism

         Almonds release energy slowly and keep you boosted throughout the day because they contain manganese, copper, and riboflavin.

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Vitamins, Minerals, and Nutrients

  • B vitamins
  • Vitamin E – eliminates free radicals.  Free radicals cause damage in your body.  Studies have shown that people are less likely to get heart disease if they consume high levels of vitamin E.
  • Calcium and Phosphorous – help keep your bones and teeth healthy.  Just make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D, which will allow your body to properly absorb these minerals.
  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Magnesium – can help your body avoid a heart attack
  • Zinc
  • Selenium
  • Niacin
  • Copper
  • FIBRE 🙂
  • Phytosterols
  • Unsaturated fat (aka good fat)
  • ANTIOXIDANTS
  • Folic acid – reduces homocysteine, which causes plaque buildup in arteries
  • Potassium – regulates blood pressure
  • Protein

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Fatty Acids

We need to get our fatty acids from food because our bodies can’t create them itself.  Almonds contain healthy fatty acids – linoleic and linolenic (see below, Anti-Inflammatory, for more info).

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Pregnancy

The folic acid almonds contain helps reduce birth defects and stimulates healthy cell growth and tissue formation.

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Properties

Food for your Brain – Protect against Alzheimer’s

          Almonds have 2 important nutrients your brain needs: riboflavin and L-carnitine

          These have been found to increase brain activity and fight Alzheimer’s

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Anti-inflammatory

          The linoleic and linolenic acids in almonds (which are fatty acids) reduce inflammation

 

Health Benefits of Bananas

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Banana Bunch

I love bananas.  That’s not to say that you have to love bananas just because I do, but once you find out more about this tropical delight you might enjoy eating them just a wee bit more.  So let’s peel away and get right down to the core of this yummy yellow fruit!

First of all, I want to mention something I’ve always found interesting about bananas.  Are you ready??

They grow upside down.  Okay, maybe that’s kind of a letdown.  Maybe you already knew that, or it doesn’t really do much for you, it’s just kind of like, ‘OK, whatever;’ but I find it interesting.  Of course, whether it grows upside down or right side up depends on what end of the banana you consider the top to begin with.  I’ve always considered the top to be the end that attaches to the rest of the bunch of bananas – the end with the long skinny nose.  So, if you think like me (and remember, great minds think alike!), then yes, bananas grow upside down, and yes, they grow on trees; banana trees, beautiful, luscious, tropical banana trees.  As seen in Hawaii.

Anyway, I guess it’s about time I get into the nutritional aspect of bananas.

#1 – High Potassium Content

Because of the level of potassium bananas contain, they are great for improving brain function and lowering blood pressure.  Since potassium increases brain function, it subsequently boosts alertness and learning.  Bananas have also been shown to protect against strokes and heart attacks because potassium lowers blood pressure.  Have you hit a brain block in your studies or at work?  Eat a banana.  Are you having a stroke?  Eat a banana.  Are you generally stressed?  Eat a banana…And that brings us to our next point…

#2 – Anti-Depression, Anti-Stress

When you eat a banana, a complex cycle of events occur within your body.  I’m not going to go into detail, but between the time a banana goes in and out of your body, the tryptophan contained in the banana is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter.  This makes you feel happy, much like endorphins (also neurotransmitters) that are produced when you exercise, experience excitement, etc.

#3 – General Health

There are so many great aspects of bananas that contribute to overall health.  They naturally protect against type 2 diabetes, macular degeneration, and kidney cancer, and help with weight loss.  This super spectacular fruit also acts as a digestive aid, removing toxins and heavy metals from the body due to its high pectin content.  The vitamin B-6 in bananas increases production of white blood cells, and the iron they contain strengthens blood and can help relieve anemia.   In addition, bananas help restore electrolytes after diarrhea and, since they are high in fibre (as are most fruits and vegetables), they promote bowel mobility.

#4 – A Prebiotic

One consumed, bananas behave like prebiotics.  This basically means that they promote the growth of good flora in your gut, which aid digestion.  Bananas not only stimulate gut bacteria, but good bowel bacteria as well, and produce digestive enzymes that help you absorb nutrients, thus soothing the digestive tract.

#5 – Bone and Muscle Health

Not only are bananas great for preventing muscle cramps, they also contribute to bone health because they lessen calcium loss during urination.  This helps keep your bones strong and is especially important for children as they need enough calcium for their bones to grow properly.

 

Bananas also…

–          Strengthen the nervous system

–          Reduce swelling

–          Sustain blood sugar

–          And help relieve acid reflux and heartburn because they are a natural antacid

 

Health Benefits of Apples

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Apple Stack

With all the vital nutrients packed into the humble apple, there’s no doubt there’s at least some truth in the old saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away;’ but a lot of people don’t take the time to check out why they’re so healthy.  Let’s take a deeper look at what the apple has to offer…

Overall Health

The often overlooked immune system is an important part of our body that keeps us healthy.  So what keeps the immune system in check and helps it maintain its vital function?  What feeds it?  Apples, apparently.  Did you know that red apples, due to their quercetin content, boost your immune system, aiding in the resistance of infections and bacteria?  They help maintain red blood cells and are a great attribute to overall health, playing a role in the maintenance of not only the immune but also the nervous system.  These benefits can be attributed to the all-important vitamin C, a natural antioxidant which helps heal many things; and not only does vitamin C repair, it also aids in your body’s growth.

 

Why Eat an Apple?

Well, let’s see, apples are…

  • sodium free
  • cholesterol-free
  • fat-free
  • hydrating (did you know that the water content of an apple is 84%?)
  • full of fibre
  • And low in calories.
They’re also a good source of many minerals, including calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, and help provide protection from free radicals due to their phytonutrients.

So, basically, really healthy.  Do you need more convincing?

 

Disease Prevention

No one wants to get sick, so how do we prevent those diseases that, to some, are seemingly inevitable?  I think the answer lies at least partially in our diet.  The apparent life-giving properties of apples continue to abound as we explore various diseases apples have been shown to prevent and why they do so.  These include the following:

  1.  Alzheimer’s

Apples contain a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which both fights aging and improves memory.

  1. Parkinson’s

The high levels of antioxidents and fibre in apples resist the breakdown of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain.

  1. Cancer

Titerpenoids, which are found in the skin of apples, as well as flavonal, have been found to fight against cancer.

  1. Diabetes

The fibre apples contain contributes to maintaining steady blood sugar levels.  But make sure you eat the peel!  A medium apple with skin has about 3.3 grams of fibre, whereas a medium apple without skin only contains about 1.7 grams of fibre.

  1. Heart Disease + high cholesterol

By binding with fats in the intestine, the soluble fibre in apples fights against the buildup of plaque in arteries.   As well, a phenolic compound found in the skin prevents cholesterol from becoming solid in artery walls.  The reason cholesterol-rich plaque buildup is so bad for heart health is that it reduces blood flow to the heart.

The quercetin content found in apple peel is also a heart-healthy attribute due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

 

In addition to the diseases listed above, apples are said to help prevent and lessen gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, and cataracts. 

Now you might be wondering how apples can aid in lessening both diarrhea and constipation.  Well, the fibre in apples has the ability to either pull water out or absorb excess water according to your body’s needs.  So when in doubt, eat an apple!

 

Gallstones

Gallstones form when bile has too much cholesterol and therefore solidifies rather than remaining in liquid form.  Again, the winning amount of fibre in apples controls cholesterol levels as well as maintaining weight, preventing solidifying bile and, consequently, gallstones.  I’ve heard that many people drink apple juice – and lots of it – when doing a gallbladder cleanse because it helps soften gallstones so they can come out easier without causing internal damage to your body.  Gallbladder cleanses can be dangerous, and you need to know what you’re doing before you start.

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating, all of which can be controlled by adding good fibre to your diet.

The fibre continues to aid for those with hemorrhoids because it helps prevent strain during excretion.

 

Tooth Decay: bite into an apple to stimulate saliva and improve teeth and gum health.

 

Cataracts

In general, cataracts are not as likely to occur in people whose diet is high in fruit, because of all the antioxidants they’re getting through those fruits.

 

Fruit also helps detoxify your liver, a vital organ that affects many body functions.

 

Last but not least (I know, I know, so clichéd), apples are good for weight control.  As we know, the fibre in apples functions to aid many things.  This includes weight control, because fibre-rich foods can fill you up without excess calories.  Apples are also fat-free.

 

So next time you’re looking for a quick snack, grab an apple.  Whether gala or ambrosia, it’ll be a thirst-satisfying snack that you can feel good about eating.  With so many varieties to choose from, there’s no excuse not to find one you like and start chomping.  Just remember a couple key things – (1) leave the skin on to get the full fibre-content benefit and (2) wash it thoroughly as apples are usually sprayed with pesticides (I’m a fan of buying organic).  Happy munching! 🙂