5 Food Fats to Know for Heart Health

health reporter — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:55:09 +0000

1. Omega 6 Fats: This type of fat is found in corn oil and soybean oil and the amount we use has increased over the years because we eat more processed foods. Go check a few boxed foods in your kitchen cupboard and you will likely find soybean oil in the ingredient list. Too much omega-6 fat can increase inflammation.

2. Omega 3 Fats: There are 3 omega-3 fats – DHA, EPA and ALA. The first two are found in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, and herring. ALA is the plant source of omega-3 and is found in flax seed and walnuts. Omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation. If you can eat fish high in omega 3 twice a week you can get a good base amount for heart health. If you don’t like fish then you can take fish oil capsules. Remember to read the dosage directions on your supplement bottle. If your doctor recommends 1000mg or 1gram fish oil daily, that actually means 1000mg EPA/DHA. What you need to do is add the EPA and DHA amounts. Most bottles have about 300mg of these once you add them together so that means you need 3-4 pills to get 1000mg of omega-3. You also want to buy a brand you feel has good quality. Since supplements are not regulated you have no guarantee what is actually in the bottle. Flax seed is a grain and can be purchased as seed or milled. You need to eat the ground form to get the health benefits because the body can not break down the seed form. Once it is ground be sure to keep it refrigerated. Add 1-2 tablespoons to cereal, yogurt, or any dish you are having. You will get the benefit of the omega-3 and the fiber!

3. Monounsaturated fats are also anti-inflammatory and good for our heart and cholesterol. The Mediterranean Diet is high in monounsaturated fats and includes regular intake of foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados and nuts. Eating these good fats can lower blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce risk for diabetes.

4. Trans fats are not good for our health. Some trans fats are naturally found in animal foods but most of our excess trans fats are from processed fat in packaged foods. Stick margarine is the classic example of trans fats. When stick margarine is made, oil is processed to become solid. This process is called hydrogenation and you will often see the words “partially hydrogenated” on ingredient labels. The chemical process of making oil turn solid creates trans fats which have been found to raise artery clogging cholesterol (LDL) and lower artery cleaning cholesterol (HDL). Trans fat amounts are required to be on labels by FDA and you want to try to keep your intake as close to zero as possible. The simplest way to keep trans fat intake low is to eat less processed food.

5. Saturated fats can also raise cholesterol. Just think of saturated fat as solid fat like lard or butter. Whole and 2% milk, cheese and fatty meats are also high in saturated fat. Some snack foods and bakery products are high in saturated fats as well. Check the labels and try to keep saturated fat less than 20 grams daily. You do not need to quit eating cheese and eggs. My recommendation is to choose small portions of less processed cheese. I personally don’t like fat-free cheese for the taste or texture. Eggs have a little saturated fat but are also a very good protein source. They have gotten a bad reputation over the years due to their higher cholesterol content. Reducing processed foods will do much more for your health than cutting out the eggs.

Acai Berry Drink

health reporter — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:00:37 +0000

Priya Gill asked:

Nutritional Armor – It would be nice if you could put on armor everyday to protect your body from all those things which would harm it. Cell research has shown that free radical damage causes early aging, and free radicals come from the environment. The good news is that nature holds secrets like the Acai berry which can be consumed and become a natural armor against free radical damage.

When you read Acai facts, it’s hard to believe this amazing fruit has not been used in most health products. The berry contains an intense concentration of flavanoids called anthocyanins known to reduce the occurrence of heart disease. Acai also contains fatty acids which help the body absorb the fat soluble vitamins like A, D and E.

The nutritional armor you wear when using Acai also includes a variety of vitamins and other elements like phytochemicals. There is calcium, fiber and protein also packed into these little berries. You will find minerals like potassium and magnesium which are required by your body’s systems for efficient operation.

Knights on White Horses

When you read the facts about Acai, it’s easy to see that consumption of the berry will give you the ability to fight disease and increase your energy levels. When you put on Acai armor, it’s like having knights on white horses come to your defense. Except in this case the “knights” are essential nutrients and the “white horses” are the antioxidants.

Reading Acai facts presents an interesting story of a plant known to contain exceptional health benefits for years. In South America the Acai berry has been used in fruits drinks as a nutritional supplement. The fact is the berry has up to 30 times the number of anthocyanins as any other dark colored fruit.

Most people have read about the heart health benefits of drinking a glass of dark wine each day. It’s the anthocyanins in the wine which are protecting your cardiovascular system. It’s amazing to think this natural remedy has been hiding in the Amazon for thousands of years.

A summary of Acai facts shows you the tremendous nutritional value of the berry. The berry is turned into a delicious drink that can be used regularly in your daily diet. It makes it easy to insure you are getting the nutritional supplementation you need to stay as healthy as possible.

Acai Facts You Never Knew!

Before we dig into the amazing acai facts, let’s take a look at the famous acai story. Legend says that there lived an Amazon Indian girl called “Iaca.” Her father was the chief of the tribe. It so happened that their tribe faced acute shortage of food. Thus, the chief ordered every newborn to be killed in order to let the existing members survive. When the chief’s daughter, Iaca, gave birth to a baby, the tiny life had to be terminated too! Iaca couldn’t overcome her baby’s death and wailed for many days in her hut.

One day, she heard a cry outside. Curiosity got the better of her and she followed the baby’s cry that led her into the forest. She came across a tall, attractive palm tree loaded with dark purple tiny berries. This came as a rude shock to her. Here was so much food for the tribe and she had to kill her baby! This harsh truth struck her like a bolt of lightening and she died right there against the tree.

The next day, the tribesmen found Iaca’s body and the treasure of food too. The rule was removed and the tribe became healthier and stronger after eating the wonder fruit, which was named as “Acai” after the chief’s daughter. Actually, it’s “Iaca” spelled backwards!

Among all the interesting acai facts, one especially intriguing is that out of all the native Indian tribes, only those who consumed acai berries survived; the rest perished due to European germs!

Astounding Acai Facts!

Acai juice is known popularly as the “Wine of Amazon.”

Acai can’t be transported in its whole fruit form. It has to be processed into freeze dried powder or liquid form.

The amount of disease-combating antioxidants found in acai is higher than any other fruit found on the earth.

The ORAC value of acai berry is 1026 as compared to spinach’s 150 and broccoli’s 130!

Acai berry contains anthocyanins that are 30 times more than that present in red wine!

This fruit is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E; minerals like calcium, iron, and phosphorus; protein, dietary fiber, and essential fatty acids like Omega 3, 6, and 9 that are also present in virgin olive oil.

This fruit with abundant health benefits and loads of nutrients is dark purple in color and just one inch in diameter!

Brazilians have been relishing on acai fruit for decades. A cold bowl of these rejuvenating berries for breakfast daily is your way towards a healthy and youthful life in the future. Chomp Chomp!

The fact is that using the Acai berry will increase your energy, improve organ function, strengthen the immune system and fight free radicals. It’s hard to find a single product which can accomplish so much in one drink. Read the facts and see for yourself all of the health benefits.

Good Food Good Health » Heart Health

5 Food Fats to Know for Heart Health

Acai Berry Drink