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Understanding Trans Fats

Understanding Trans Fats

Trans fat or trans fatty acids is a type of unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acids. Trans fat can either be mono-unsaturated fat or polyunsaturated fat. Trans fat can come from adding another hydrogen molecule to vegetable oil in a process called hydrogenation. Advantages of Trans FatsThis type of saturated fats have a higher melting point, which makes them less likely to spoil. And since trans fats are more solid than oil, they can be stored for longer periods without spoiling. Using tra…

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia that can affect people with a deficiency of the mineral iron. This condition can cause red blood cells to take in less oxygen. The element iron is needed by the body in order to create hemoglobin, the substance found in red blood cells that allow them to carry oxygen. Causes of iron defiencyThe primary cause of iron deficiency anemia is a continuously insufficient supply of iron in the body. This in turn affects the body’s ability to create hemog…

Wasabi Helps Fight Cancer

Wasabi Helps Fight Cancer

Wasabi, that über spicy green paste not only makes sushi yummy, it’s also healthy. But what is wasabi? Wasabi is a Japanese condiment that comes from wasabi root. It belongs to the Brassicaceae family whose members also include cabbages, horseradish and mustard. Health benefits of wasabiAs far back as the 10th century, wasabi was thought to be a cure for food poisoning. Recent studies have found that wasabi contains Isothiocyanates. These are powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from the…

Five Food Myths

Five Food Myths

There are certain things in life that we try to stay clear of, for the simple reason that these things are bad for us. It may be bad for our health or even for our sense of sell-being. Modern living has made a turn and new discoveries are prompting us to forget the old beliefs and stick to the new ones as it tells us that not all “bad things” are indeed bad.BeerWe have been warned that beer is bad for our health as it induces hypertension and increases the glucose levels in our blood. In additio…

Reasons to Take L-Carnitine

Reasons to Take L-Carnitine

With the upsurge of the reported cases of illnesses that may cause serious health problems to the public, many manufacturers of food and health drinks are promoting the use of ingredients that are high in essential nutrients. One of the nutrients that seems to hit it off with the consumers is L-carnitine. What exactly is L-carnitine and how can it be beneficial to our health?L-carnitine is an amino acid that is created by the kidney and the liver. It is a water-soluble nutrient that plays a vita…

Stay Hydrated During Anaerobic Performance

Stay Hydrated During Anaerobic Performance

Drinking water when doing anaerobic activities is a good thing to stay hydrated. Getting dehydrated usually impairs our endurance, most particularly in aerobic activities. Getting hydratedStaying hydrated usually is a common thing when the summer season has arrived, especially on onsets of heat waves. For athletes, it is best to know how to combat heat exhaustion. Several people have succumbed to this. Most of these people are marathon runners. Concerning the general public, many have died becau…

Facts About Caffeine

Facts About Caffeine

More than ever, humanity is a lot busier now. The busier we get, the more we become dependent on stuff that can make us function for another extra hour or so. One of these things is caffeine. Look back about two decade or so ago. Remember, there was only coffee which you can have either black or with creamer and sweetener? Fast forward to about a little over a decade ago; notice how many Starbucks and Seattle’s Bests and whatever coffee shops have sprung up? Now you have coffee from Sumatra or w…

What is a Serving of Fruits and Vegetables?

What is a Serving of Fruits and Vegetables?

Ideally, we should be eating five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. However, how do we know what a serving size is? Is a whole apple counted as one serving, or a quarter slice would do? Would five whole carrots equal to five serving?Measuring a serving sizeA serving size of fruit or vegetables is equivalent to about one-half cup. Greens such as lettuce and spinach have a serving size equal to one full cup, while a slice of fruit is equivalent to one-half cup. However, a single p…

Are Chocolates Bad for You?

Are Chocolates Bad for You?

Different people have different opinions about the temptation that is called chocolate. Some say it is good for you, while others claim that too much chocolate can be bad for you, whether in form of a tooth decay or even joint pains.How chocolate is good for you?A 3.5-ounce serving of chocolate a day may be good for your health, especially the dark varieties. Dark chocolate-the bitter, close-to-pure chocolate-contains antioxidants that fight cell aging. However, many types of chocolate treats an…

Making a Healthy Recipe

Making a Healthy Recipe

As a mom, you are concerned about the nutrition your children get. You try to cook meals to your family that you think are healthy, but are you really sure that what you are serving is indeed nutritious? There are important factors that you need to look for when researching for recipes to make sure that you are providing the best for your family. Healthy ingredients The only way to assure yourself that you are preparing healthy dishes is to cook it from scratch using whole fresh or frozen fruits…