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All About Vitamins And Vitamin Supplements

By Pat | July 2, 2009

Multivitamin Supplements And Vitamin Information

What are Vitamins? Vitamins are substances that are needed by our body, in order to function properly and keep diseases at bay. They also help us to grow and develop in a healthy manner. Vitamins are in the form of tiny molecules and are found in the foods that we eat.

Types Of Vitamins And Vitamin Supplements

How many vitamins are there? There are 13 different vitamins that our body needs and each has its own special role to play.

Vitamins can be of two types – water soluble or fat soluble. Certain foods contain fat soluble vitamins. When we eat these foods, the body absorbs these vitamins and then stores them in the liver or in the fatty tissues of our body. Some of them stay there for only a few days, while others can stay for as long as 6 months. They are used by the body as and when required. The fat-soluble vitamins are Vitamins A, D, E and K.

We cannot store water-soluble vitamins in our body for long. They are soluble in water and hence also in our blood. The blood carries them to all parts of the body, where they are used immediately. Whatever is not used comes out in our urine. Since the body cannot store water-soluble vitamins, they have to be replaced more frequently. The water-soluble vitamins are Vitamin C and all the B Vitamins.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is very essential for good eyesight. Its major function is to produce retinal which helps our eyes to sense and see light and color. It also helps in growth and promotes healthy skin. The lack of Vitamin A can cause night-blindness. Vitamin A is found in milk, liver, eggs, fish-liver oil, yellow fruits and vegetables (carrots, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes), and green leafy vegetables (spinach, collards, kale).

Vitamins B: This is a big group of vitamins. They help our body to make red blood cells and also carry oxygen in our blood throughout our body. In this way they are very important for our metabolism, because they help increase the body’s energy levels. Vitamin B is also important for the health of the heart, digestion, muscles and nervous system. Adequate quantities of Vitamin B can be found in eggs, dairy products, liver, poultry, meats, fish, beans, peas, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains such as wheat and oats.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C strengthens our body’s immune system allowing it to effectively protect us from bacteria and viruses. It helps to heal wounds and cuts, and keeps our gums and muscles healthy. It reduces cholesterol and prevents scurvy. Foods that are rich in Vitamin C are all citrus fruits, cantaloupes, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables and peppers.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D strengthens our teeth and bones and helps our body to absorb more calcium. The foods rich in this vitamin are milk, eggs, fish, cod liver oil, liver and fortified cereal.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is rich in anti-oxidant properties and fights toxins in our body. It builds stronger muscles and helps to form red blood cells. Nuts, wheat germ, whole grains, sardines, eggs, sprouts, broccoli and leafy green vegetables are rich in Vitamin E.

Vitamin K: This vitamin is essential for clotting the blood when we get a cut. It also helps in building strong bones. You van get Vitamin E by eating green leafy vegetables, potatoes, broccoli, meat, liver, soybean oil and dairy products.

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Protein Carbohydrate Diet - Effective Weight Loss Diet

By Pat | July 2, 2009

Protein And Low Carbohydrate Diet For Weight Loss

We all are aware of the specific functions of proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins are instrumental in building body tissues and carbohydrates are an instant source of energy. Did you know that these nutrients can help you reduce weight?

Protein carbohydrate diet for weight loss is a high protein and low carbohydrate diet. This specific diet for weight loss reduces your extra fats by bringing down the level of cholesterol, triglycerides, and body fats to a healthy level.

The low intake of carbohydrates will lead your body to a state called ketosis whereby it burns stored fats to compensate for low carbohydrates, thereby supplementing the body with much required energy to carry out daily activities. While your body is in ketosis, you tend to feel less hungry and thereby, eat less. As a consequence, you burn your body fats to sustain your energy needs. Now, as the body burns its own fats in various tissues, proteins are required to supplement the body with body building nutrient.

Protein Carbohydrate Diet To Treat Diseases

The effectiveness of a high protein and low carbohydrates diet in weight reduction is a matter of speculation. Moreover, there are certain health risks associated with this kind of diet plans.

Some of these diseases are listed as follows:

Osteoporosis And Kidney Stones: When the content of proteins is high in diet, there is excessive elimination of calcium from body through the excretory system of body. This makes you more prone to kidney stones and osteoporosis (feebleness of bones increasing susceptibility of fracture).

Kidney Failure: The kidney is the organ that filters blood, thereby removing impurities, wastes, and toxic substances from body. When the protein level of blood rises, the strain on the kidney increases and this may lead to diseases associated with the kidney and may lead to a failure of the entire excretory system of body, which is hazardous for life.

Cancer: This specific diet with low carbohydrates content hinders the supplementation of the body with essential vitamins, minerals, and fibers. This diet restricts the consumption of fruits and vegetables which are rich sources of antioxidants. This makes you prone to horrendous ailments like cancer.

Improper And Unhealthy State Of Metabolism: When the body is in ketosis, it forms some harmful organic substances like ketones which affect your body adversely. It may lead to kidney stones, gout, loss of appetite, nausea and sometimes, bad breath too.

As such, the diet may help you lose weight, but there is no substantial proof to support this hypothesis. Also, it is associated with health hazards. Hence, you must consult a doctor before taking up this dietary regime.

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Seitan Diet And Seitan Food Nutrition Facts

By Pat | July 2, 2009

Seitan Nutrition And Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Seitan is also called wheat meat and is actually a gluten rich food, which is an insoluble protein of wheat. Seitan is referred to by different names in different parts of the world. It is called Kofu in China, Gluten in the US, and Seitan in Japan. It is referred to as a substitute for meat on account of its high protein content and texture that resembles the texture of naturally available meats. As such, Seitan is a good food option for vegetarians, which can supplement their protein requirements.

Advantage Of Seitan Diet And Nutritional Benefits

The advantages of a Seitan diet in terms of nutritional content are as follows:

  • Seitan is a rich source of protein. Seitan contain thirty one grams of proteins per four ounces serving.
  • Seitan also provides nominal amounts of Vitamin B Complex.
  • Seitan is also a source of iron.
  • Seitan is very low in unsaturated fats or cholesterol.
  • A hundred gram serving of Seitan consists of one hundred and eighteen calories, eighteen percent proteins and less than one percent fats or cholesterol content.
  • Seitan is low in sodium content.

These nutritional benefits are attainable only when healthy cooking methods are applied for preparing Seitan. The use of salt must be restricted in preparation of Seitan as excessive salt may lead to a rise in the sodium content of Seitan to a considerable level of approximately one hundred milligrams per ounce, thereby nullifying the low sodium content benefit of Seitan.

Similarly, deep frying must be avoided while preparing or processing Seitan. This is because deep frying enhances the fat content of food, thereby negating the advantage of Seitan being a low fat food.

Seitan may be prepared at home or may be prepared commercially in restaurants. Commercially prepared Seitan may have more content of sodium and fats on account of the inclusion of unhealthy ingredients in excessive amounts. As such, it is advised to prepare Seitan at home to retain its nutritional value and advantages.

Seitan, other than forming a component of a healthy diet, has some commercial applications too. One of the commercial uses of Seitan is that it is used as a stabilizing agent or as thickener in ice creams and ketchups. It may also be used as food for pets.

Seitan is rich in proteins and some vitamins and minerals, and low in hazardous contents, yet it may lead to certain health problems. It may be harmful for people prone to Coeliac diseases (an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine).

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Simple Detox Diet Tips And Detox Diet Plan

By Pat | July 2, 2009

Detox Diet Secrets - How Effective They Are ?

What is a detox diet? Detox is the short form for detoxification. Our body becomes contaminated in various ways through tobacco, alcohol, drugs, additives in processed foods, or even from the air around us. Whether ingested through the air or from our intake of food, these chemicals or pollutants increase the levels of toxins in the body. While the body does rid itself of toxins on a daily basis, the levels of toxins may be far more than what it can handle. These increased levels of toxins lead to various problems or diseases such as migraines, joint pains, stomach troubles, heart diseases, obesity, colds and sometimes even cancer.

A detox diet is a systematic approach designed to help the body rid itself of these extra toxins in a more effective manner. The concept of a detox diet ranges back to 3,000 years, when it was adopted and practiced in various traditional Indian and Chinese medicines.

A detox diet recommends certain foods to be cut out of the daily diet, and includes certain foods which help flush toxins away. A detox diet is accompanied by a range of holistic techniques such as hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, skin brushing, salt baths, intake of certain essential nutritional supplements, physical activity, meditation and improving the environment (using non-toxic cosmetics, etc), in order to be completely effective.

In short, a detox program is the application of plain and simple commonsense regarding proper diet, adequate rest, judicious supplements of nutrients, exercise and stress-relieving techniques.

Effects Detox Diets Tips And Tactics

Effects of a detox diet: The positive effects of a detox diet are immediately noticeable in better bowel movements, which in turn leads to better skin, enhanced energy and easier digestion. The stress relieving techniques also lead to a calmer mind, a clearer thinking process and increased levels of concentration. It has also proved helpful in shedding weight.

How a detox diet works: A detox diet requires you to give up certain foods which cause higher levels of toxins to build up in the body. These include gluten, wheat products, eggs, milk, sugar, beverages with caffeine, foods which contain preservatives, chocolate, yeast and foods which have a high fat content.

The foods recommended in a detox diet are vegetables, fruits, rice, fish and herbal teas. These foods are high in vitamins, minerals salts and fiber. You are also required to drink plenty of water, at least two liters in a day. You are also advised to eat your food slowly and chew it thoroughly. All this helps better digestion, better absorption of nutrients, and helps the body flush out waste from the blood.

Tips to make a detox diet effective: While a detox program is basically about a sensible pattern of eating and exercising, it is always better to follow the advice of your healthcare provider.

A detox diet is usually followed for a limited and fixed period of time, after which the body needs to go back to its normal schedule, while still adhering to less rigorous but proper eating and exercising habits.

Contraindications: There are some people, however, who should not undergo a detox diet. These include children, pregnant women, and those with eating disorders, cancer, diabetes, thyroid, kidney or auto-immune diseases.

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Simple Ways On How To Cook Vegetables

By Pat | July 1, 2009

Healthy Methods To Cook Vegetables

Vegetables are cooked to enhance taste without paying attention to the loss or retention of nutrients. Vegetables are the major sources of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants. Some nutrients are found specifically in some particular vegetables and cannot be supplemented by other foods. The essentials nutrients of vegetables may get lost by faulty cooking habits like frying. The nutrients either evaporate with water or are burnt by overheating, thereby depleting the nutritional content of vegetables.

Healthy Cooking Methods For Vegetarian Recipes

As such, it is essential to not only include vegetables in your diet, but also to employ healthy ways of cooking vegetables so as to retain their nutritional content.

Some of the most popular and healthy ways of cooking vegetables are:

Steaming: Steaming is a quick and easy technique of healthy cooking. It is not essential to have a steaming basket to employ this technique. Any vessel with a lid can be used for steaming, provided the quantity of water and salt is appropriate. The vegetables that can be cooked by steaming are carrot, broccoli, spinach, beet, peas, and parsnip.

Panning: Steaming doesn’t necessarily require water and salt. Rather, vegetables can be steamed in their own juices. The method of panning includes olive oil and vegetables being cooked in a pan, with the required seasonings and constant stirring. The vegetables that can be panned are carrot, beans, cabbage, and summer squash.

Roasting: The process of roasting involves covering cut vegetables in olive oil in a pan and adding garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt. This bowl must be placed on a cookie sheet and roasted as required. This method of cooking food preserves minerals, vitamins, and also favors. As such, it is not only quick, but very healthy too.

Stir-Frying: In this method of cooking, a frying pan is taken and is generally greased with oil or any cooking liquid and chicken broth and cut vegetables are put in the pan. The vegetables are to be stirred continuously till they become tender.

Grilling: Though not an easy method, it is a healthy cooking technique which includes charcoal grilling, smoking, and other similar techniques.

There are many other ways for healthy cooking as well. All these techniques for healthy cooking not only preserve the nutritional content, color, and flavor of food, they also reduce the cooking time as most of these methods do not employ the use of water for cooking. So what are you waiting for? Cook your veggies the right way and open your eyes to enhanced taste and better nutrition.

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