The abundant use of olives and extra virgin olive oil truly defines the traditional Mediterranean Diet. In fact it is the principal fat source and the culinary foundation for Mediterranean cuisine.
Why?
For centuries, olive oil has been a major player in the low incidence of heart disease among Mediterranean populations. Extensive research has shown that olive oil not only prevents damage to your arteries, but it also reverses high levels of cholesterol in your blood and lowers blood pressure.
Here’s the proof…
Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an Irreplaceable Source of Fat When It Comes to Your Heart
In a study conducted by Montoya and associates, participants followed four types of diets for a five-week period:
1. One diet was rich in saturated fats
2. One in polyunsaturated fat (sunflower oil)
3. One in monounsaturated fat (extra virgin olive oil)
4. One in omega-3 fatty acids from fish.
The study showed that when people followed the diet rich in extra virgin olive oil, their levels of bad cholesterol went down and their blood pressure decreased 5 to 6 percent.
As you can see extra virgin olive oil is an irreplaceable source of fat when it comes to your heart because the main fat in olive oil is monounsaturated. This is the fat that does not get stuck in your arteries.
Now, I know you’re thinking, “All olive oils have about the same proportion of monounsaturated fat, why should I buy extra virgin olive oil when it is more expensive than refined olive oil?”
Two Major Reasons Why You Need to Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Not Refined Olive Oils
1) Refined olive oils are loaded with chemicals
Thousands of years ago, the olives were crushed by hand in spherical stone basins. Today, in a similar method, olives (with pits) are pounded and crushed using mechanical techniques. The oil produced in such a way (cold) is the extra virgin olive oil, the natural juice from the olives. It preserves the unique flavor, smell, and healthy properties of the fruit.
The solid residue that remains after the first extraction is sent back to the press to be beaten again and be exposed to different heat levels and chemical procedures. It is neutralized with sodium hydroxide, passed through charcoal filters, and extracted with hexane at low temperatures. With time, the use of oils that have been subjected to chemical agents may have a toxic effect on our bodies.
That’s why these second extractions are not recommended for consumption.
Extra virgin olive oil contains more antioxidants than their refined versions
Along with a loss of color and aroma, refined olive oils lose most of its antioxidant properties. Through countless studies of these abundant minor compounds Vitamin E, Polyphenols and major hydrocarbon Squalene found only in extra virgin olive oil, we have learned that these compounds are strong antioxidants and potent free radical scavengers.
Scavengers like the Polyphenol Hydroxytyrosol find free radicals that are highly unstable and destructive molecules. Free radicals subject our cells to oxidative stress and continuous damage that eventually kills the cells. When radicals kill or damage enough cells in an organism, the organism ages and eventually dies.
The more antioxidants found in your body, the more cells you can save. Plus consistent evidence shows that people with low levels of antioxidants like Vitamin E in their blood have more damage in the arteries than people with an adequate amount.
Closing Arguments for Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Buying extra virgin olive oil may be a little more expensive. But in the long run you may save a lot of money and a lot of grief.
A nine-month study at the University of Granada in Spain compared the effects of extra virgin and refined olive oils on the levels of LDL oxidation in men with decreased blood flow to the arms and legs due to the thickening and narrowing of the blood vessels. The participants consumed extra virgin olive oil for the first three months. During the next three months they did not consume any olive oil. For the final three months they were given refined oil. The results showed that the amount of LDL oxidation was significantly lower after the patients consumed the extra virgin olive oil than after they consumed refined olive oil.
Buying extra virgin olive oil is your decision. But remember, the wrong decision can put your heart and your health at risk.
With her new book, “Your Heart Needs the Mediterranean Diet”, Emilia Klapp has helped thousands of people just like you lower high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels and remove the risk of heart disease. For more information on the book and to receive a free
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Hallucinogenic Plants, take a trip
Hallucinogenic plants have been used by man for thousands of years, probably since he began gathering plants for food. The hallucinogens have continued to receive the attention of civilized man through the ages. Recently, we have gone through a period during which sophisticated Western society has “discovered” hallucinogens, and some sectors of that society have taken up, for one reason or another, the use of such plants. This trend may be destined to continue. No matter whether we believe that men’s intake of hallucinogens in primitive or sophisticated societies constitutes use, misuse, or abuse, hallucinogenic plants have undeniably played an extensive role in human culture and probably shall continue to do so. It follows that a clear understanding of these physically and socially potent agents should be a part of man’s general education.
What are hallucinogenic plants?
In his search for food, early man tried all kinds of plants. Some nourished him, some, he found, cured his ills, and some killed him. A few, to his surprise, had strange effects on his mind and body, seeming to carry him into other worlds. We call these plants hallucinogens, because they distort the senses and usually produce hallucinations - experiences that depart from reality. Although most hallucinations are visual, they may also involve the senses of hearing, touch, smell, or taste - and occasionally several senses simultaneously are involved.
The actual causes of such hallucinations are chemical substances in the plants. These substances are true narcotics. Contrary to popular opinion, not all narcotics are dangerous and addictive. Strictly and etymologicolly speaking, a narcotic is any substance that has a depressive effect, whether slight or great, on the central nervous system.
Narcotics that induce hallucinations are variously called hallucinogens (hallucination generators), psychotomimetics (psychosis mimickers), psychotaraxics (mind disturbers), and psychedelics (mind manifesters). No one term fully satisfies scientists, but hallucinogens comes closest. Psychedelic is most widely used in the United States, but it combines two Greek roots incorrectly, is biologically unsound, and has acquired popular meanings beyond the drugs or their effects.
In the history of mankind, hallucinogens have probably been the most important of all the narcotics. Their fantastic effects made them sacred to primitive man and may even have been responsible for suggesting to him the idea of deity.
Medical and religious uses
Hallucinogenic plants are particulaly important in primitive societies. Aboriginal people attribute sickness and health to the working of spirit forces. Consequently, any “medicine” that can transport man to the spirit world is considered by many aborigines to be better than one with purely physical effects.
Psychic powers have also been attributed to hallucinogens and have become an integral part of primitive religions. All over the world hallucinogenic plants are used as mediators between man and his gods. The prophecies of the oracle of Delphi, for example, are thought to have been induced through hallucinogens.
How hallucinogens are taken
Hallucinogenic plants are used in a variety of ways, depending on the kind of plant material, on the active chemicals involved, on cultural practices, and on other considerations. Man, in primitive societies everywhere, has shown great ingenuity and perspicacity in bending hallucinogenic plants to his uses.
The plants may be eaten…
…either fresh or dried, as are peyote and teononacatl, or juice from the crushed leaves may be drunk, as with Salvia divinorum (in Mexico). Occasionally a plant derivative may be eaten, as with hasheesh. More frequently, a beverage may be drunk: ayahuasca, caapi, or yajé from the bark of a vine; the San Pedro cactus; jurema wine; iboga; leaves of toloache; or crushed seeds from the Mexican morning glories. Originally peculiar to New World cultures, where it was one way of using tobacco, smoking is now a widespread method of taking cannabis. Narcotics other than tobacco, such as tupa, may also be srnoked.
Snuffing…
…is a preferred method for using several hallucinogens - yopo, epena, sébil, rapé dos indios. Like smoking, snuffing is a New World custom. A few New World Indians have taken hallucinogens rectally - as in the case of Anadenanthera.
One curious method of inducing narcotic effects is the African custom of incising the scalp and rubbing the juice from the onionlike bulb of a species of Pancratium across the incisions. This method is a kind of primitive counterpart of the modern hypodermic method.
Several methods may be used in the case of some hallucinogenic plants. Virola resin, for example, is licked unchanged, is usually prepared in snuff form, is occasionally made into pellets to be eaten, and may sometimes be smoked.
Plant additives…
…or admixtures to major hallucinogenic species are becoming increasingly important in research. Subsidiary plants are sometimes added to the preparation to alter, increase, or lengthen the narcotic effects of the main ingredients. Thus, in making the ayahuasca, caapi, or yajé drinks, prepared basically from Banisteriopsis caapi or B. inebrians, several additives are often thrown in: leaves of Psychotria viridis or Banisteriopsis rusbyana, which themselves contain hallucinogenic tryptamines; or Brunfelsia or Datura, both of which are hallucinogenic in their own right.
Hundreds of hallucinogenic substances are found in many species of plants. For example, a variety of mushrooms contain indole-type HALLUCINOGENS, the most publicized being the Mexican or “magic” mushroom, Psilocybe mexicana, which contains both the hallucinogenic compounds PSILOCYBIN and psilocin, as do some of the other Psilocybe and Conocybe species. The PEYOTE cactus (Lophophra williamsii or Anhalonium lewinii), which is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, contains MESCALINE. The seeds of the MORNING GLORY, Ipomoea, contain hallucinogenic LYSERGIC ACID derivatives, particularly lysergic acid amide. Many of these plants and plant by-products were and are used during religious ceremonies by Native Americans and other ethnic groups.
The fact that hallucinogenic substances are found in nature does not mean that they are safer or purer than compounds that have been synthesized in the laboratory. Some common edible mushrooms that can be purchased in any supermarket may be sprinkled with LSD or other hallucinogens to be misrepresented as magic mushrooms. In addition, serious problems—even death—may occur when species of hallucinogenic plants are misidentified and people mistakenly ingest highly toxic plants, such as poisonous mushrooms.
Use of salvia divinorum:
Salvia divinorum is a legal psychoactive plant that produces hallucinogen-like effects through a putative kappa opiate mechanism.
Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive mint, used in traditional spiritual practices by the Mazatec people of Mexico and is legal in both Mexico and the United States.
What are its short and long-term effects?
This drug is a psychoactive hallucinogen that can cause dramatic and sometimes frightening mind-states. Depending on dosage, a user’s reaction can vary from a subtle, just-off-baseline state to a full-blown psychedelic experience. It has been reported to induce an intense hallucinatory experience in humans (particularly when smoked) which typically persists from several minutes to an hour. It has been described as a “20-minute acid trip.”
Since not much is known, it can only be said that harm from Salvia divinorum most likely occurs from inadequate preparation or from using the drug in a setting in which it is dangerous to be intoxicated from any drug at all (i.e. driving).
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
Hallucinogenic fungi have been used in divinatory or religious contexts for at least 3000 years. However, not until the 1950s were the involved species of fungi identified and the chemical nature of active substances determined.
In general, 2 groups of mushrooms with significant psychoactive effects exist.
• Mushrooms containing ibotenic acid and muscimol (isoxazoles), including Amanita gemmata, Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), and Amanita pantherina (the panther), comprise the first group. These are not to be confused with deadly Amanita phalloides, Amanita verna, and Amanita virosa. For centuries, A muscaria has been consumed in central Asia as a hallucinogen. Some Siberian tribes report that 3 fresh A muscaria mushrooms can be lethal, while others claim that eating as many as 21 of these mushrooms is safe.
• Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, including Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe cubensis, Gymnopilus spectabilis, Panaeolus species (eg, Panaeolus foenisecii), and Psathyrella foenisecii, comprise the second group of mushrooms with psychoactive effects.
Mushrooms containing ibotenic acid and muscimol and those containing psilocybin are New World fungal hallucinogens. Reports of toxicity associated with this group of mushrooms have increased because of their growing popularity as hallucinogensbotenic acid is an agonist at central glutamic acid receptors; its decarboxylated derivative is an agonist at gamma-amino butyric acid receptors. Central effects of these hallucinogenic mushrooms are thought to be caused by these actions. Although muscarinic acid originally was isolated from A muscaria, the clinical syndrome does not suggest marked significance; in fact, anticholinergic findings may be observed.
The psilocybin group contains the indoles psilocybin and psilocin. Psilocin and its phosphate ester, psilocybin, are similar in structure to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). They are structural analogues of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine); thus, hallucinogenic effects probably are mediated through effects on serotonergic receptors.
What are hallucinogenic plants?
In his search for food, early man tried all kinds of plants. Some nourished him, some, he found, cured his ills, and some killed him. A few, to his surprise, had strange effects on his mind and body, seeming to carry him into other worlds. We call these plants hallucinogens, because they distort the senses and usually produce hallucinations - experiences that depart from reality. Although most hallucinations are visual, they may also involve the senses of hearing, touch, smell, or taste - and occasionally several senses simultaneously are involved.
The actual causes of such hallucinations are chemical substances in the plants. These substances are true narcotics. Contrary to popular opinion, not all narcotics are dangerous and addictive. Strictly and etymologicolly speaking, a narcotic is any substance that has a depressive effect, whether slight or great, on the central nervous system.
Narcotics that induce hallucinations are variously called hallucinogens (hallucination generators), psychotomimetics (psychosis mimickers), psychotaraxics (mind disturbers), and psychedelics (mind manifesters). No one term fully satisfies scientists, but hallucinogens comes closest. Psychedelic is most widely used in the United States, but it combines two Greek roots incorrectly, is biologically unsound, and has acquired popular meanings beyond the drugs or their effects.
In the history of mankind, hallucinogens have probably been the most important of all the narcotics. Their fantastic effects made them sacred to primitive man and may even have been responsible for suggesting to him the idea of deity.
Medical and religious uses
Hallucinogenic plants are particulaly important in primitive societies. Aboriginal people attribute sickness and health to the working of spirit forces. Consequently, any “medicine” that can transport man to the spirit world is considered by many aborigines to be better than one with purely physical effects.
Psychic powers have also been attributed to hallucinogens and have become an integral part of primitive religions. All over the world hallucinogenic plants are used as mediators between man and his gods. The prophecies of the oracle of Delphi, for example, are thought to have been induced through hallucinogens.
How hallucinogens are taken
Hallucinogenic plants are used in a variety of ways, depending on the kind of plant material, on the active chemicals involved, on cultural practices, and on other considerations. Man, in primitive societies everywhere, has shown great ingenuity and perspicacity in bending hallucinogenic plants to his uses.
The plants may be eaten…
…either fresh or dried, as are peyote and teononacatl, or juice from the crushed leaves may be drunk, as with Salvia divinorum (in Mexico). Occasionally a plant derivative may be eaten, as with hasheesh. More frequently, a beverage may be drunk: ayahuasca, caapi, or yajé from the bark of a vine; the San Pedro cactus; jurema wine; iboga; leaves of toloache; or crushed seeds from the Mexican morning glories. Originally peculiar to New World cultures, where it was one way of using tobacco, smoking is now a widespread method of taking cannabis. Narcotics other than tobacco, such as tupa, may also be srnoked.
Snuffing…
…is a preferred method for using several hallucinogens - yopo, epena, sébil, rapé dos indios. Like smoking, snuffing is a New World custom. A few New World Indians have taken hallucinogens rectally - as in the case of Anadenanthera.
One curious method of inducing narcotic effects is the African custom of incising the scalp and rubbing the juice from the onionlike bulb of a species of Pancratium across the incisions. This method is a kind of primitive counterpart of the modern hypodermic method.
Several methods may be used in the case of some hallucinogenic plants. Virola resin, for example, is licked unchanged, is usually prepared in snuff form, is occasionally made into pellets to be eaten, and may sometimes be smoked.
Plant additives…
…or admixtures to major hallucinogenic species are becoming increasingly important in research. Subsidiary plants are sometimes added to the preparation to alter, increase, or lengthen the narcotic effects of the main ingredients. Thus, in making the ayahuasca, caapi, or yajé drinks, prepared basically from Banisteriopsis caapi or B. inebrians, several additives are often thrown in: leaves of Psychotria viridis or Banisteriopsis rusbyana, which themselves contain hallucinogenic tryptamines; or Brunfelsia or Datura, both of which are hallucinogenic in their own right.
Hundreds of hallucinogenic substances are found in many species of plants. For example, a variety of mushrooms contain indole-type HALLUCINOGENS, the most publicized being the Mexican or “magic” mushroom, Psilocybe mexicana, which contains both the hallucinogenic compounds PSILOCYBIN and psilocin, as do some of the other Psilocybe and Conocybe species. The PEYOTE cactus (Lophophra williamsii or Anhalonium lewinii), which is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, contains MESCALINE. The seeds of the MORNING GLORY, Ipomoea, contain hallucinogenic LYSERGIC ACID derivatives, particularly lysergic acid amide. Many of these plants and plant by-products were and are used during religious ceremonies by Native Americans and other ethnic groups.
The fact that hallucinogenic substances are found in nature does not mean that they are safer or purer than compounds that have been synthesized in the laboratory. Some common edible mushrooms that can be purchased in any supermarket may be sprinkled with LSD or other hallucinogens to be misrepresented as magic mushrooms. In addition, serious problems—even death—may occur when species of hallucinogenic plants are misidentified and people mistakenly ingest highly toxic plants, such as poisonous mushrooms.
Use of salvia divinorum:
Salvia divinorum is a legal psychoactive plant that produces hallucinogen-like effects through a putative kappa opiate mechanism.
Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive mint, used in traditional spiritual practices by the Mazatec people of Mexico and is legal in both Mexico and the United States.
What are its short and long-term effects?
This drug is a psychoactive hallucinogen that can cause dramatic and sometimes frightening mind-states. Depending on dosage, a user’s reaction can vary from a subtle, just-off-baseline state to a full-blown psychedelic experience. It has been reported to induce an intense hallucinatory experience in humans (particularly when smoked) which typically persists from several minutes to an hour. It has been described as a “20-minute acid trip.”
Since not much is known, it can only be said that harm from Salvia divinorum most likely occurs from inadequate preparation or from using the drug in a setting in which it is dangerous to be intoxicated from any drug at all (i.e. driving).
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
Hallucinogenic fungi have been used in divinatory or religious contexts for at least 3000 years. However, not until the 1950s were the involved species of fungi identified and the chemical nature of active substances determined.
In general, 2 groups of mushrooms with significant psychoactive effects exist.
• Mushrooms containing ibotenic acid and muscimol (isoxazoles), including Amanita gemmata, Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), and Amanita pantherina (the panther), comprise the first group. These are not to be confused with deadly Amanita phalloides, Amanita verna, and Amanita virosa. For centuries, A muscaria has been consumed in central Asia as a hallucinogen. Some Siberian tribes report that 3 fresh A muscaria mushrooms can be lethal, while others claim that eating as many as 21 of these mushrooms is safe.
• Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, including Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe cubensis, Gymnopilus spectabilis, Panaeolus species (eg, Panaeolus foenisecii), and Psathyrella foenisecii, comprise the second group of mushrooms with psychoactive effects.
Mushrooms containing ibotenic acid and muscimol and those containing psilocybin are New World fungal hallucinogens. Reports of toxicity associated with this group of mushrooms have increased because of their growing popularity as hallucinogensbotenic acid is an agonist at central glutamic acid receptors; its decarboxylated derivative is an agonist at gamma-amino butyric acid receptors. Central effects of these hallucinogenic mushrooms are thought to be caused by these actions. Although muscarinic acid originally was isolated from A muscaria, the clinical syndrome does not suggest marked significance; in fact, anticholinergic findings may be observed.
The psilocybin group contains the indoles psilocybin and psilocin. Psilocin and its phosphate ester, psilocybin, are similar in structure to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). They are structural analogues of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine); thus, hallucinogenic effects probably are mediated through effects on serotonergic receptors.
Nutrition & Diets
INTRODUCTION
The two-carbon alcohol ethanol, CH3CH2OH, is a CNS depressant that is widely available to adults; its use is legal and accepted in many societies, and its abuse is a societal problem. The relevant pharmacological properties of ethanol include effects on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems, effects on disease processes, and effects on prenatal development. Ethanol disturbs the fine balance between excitatory and inhibitory influences in the brain, producing disinhibition, ataxia, and sedation. Tolerance to ethanol develops after chronic use, and physical dependence is demonstrated on alcohol withdrawal. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of these myriad effects of ethanol in vivo requires an integration of knowledge from multiple biomedical sciences.
HISTORY AND OVERVIEW
Alcoholic beverages are so strongly associated with human society that fermentation is said to have developed in parallel with civilization. Indeed, there is speculation that human alcohol use is linked evolutionarily to a preference for fermenting fruit, where the presence of ethanol signals that the fruit is ripe but not yet rotten (Dudley, 2000) (the terms ethanol and alcohol are used interchangeably).
The Arabs developed distillation about 800 C.E., and the word alcohol is derived from the Arabic for “something subtle.” Alchemists of the Middle Ages were captivated by the invisible “spirit” that was distilled from wine and thought it to be a remedy for practically all diseases. The term whiskey is derived from usquebaugh, Gaelic for “water of life,” and alcohol became the major ingredient of widely marketed “tonics” and “elixirs.”
Although alcohol abuse and alcoholism are major health problems in many countries, the medical and social impacts of alcohol abuse have not always been appreciated. The economic burden to the U.S. economy is about $185 billion each year, and alcohol is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths annually. At least 14 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism, but medical diagnosis and treatment often are delayed until the disease is advanced and complicated by multiple social and health problems, making treatment difficult. Biological and genetic studies clearly place alcoholism among diseases with both genetic and environmental influences, but persistent stigmas and attribution to moral failure have impeded recognition and treatment of alcohol problems. A major challenge for physicians and researchers is to devise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches aimed at this major health problem.
The two-carbon alcohol ethanol, CH3CH2OH, is a CNS depressant that is widely available to adults; its use is legal and accepted in many societies, and its abuse is a societal problem. The relevant pharmacological properties of ethanol include effects on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems, effects on disease processes, and effects on prenatal development. Ethanol disturbs the fine balance between excitatory and inhibitory influences in the brain, producing disinhibition, ataxia, and sedation. Tolerance to ethanol develops after chronic use, and physical dependence is demonstrated on alcohol withdrawal. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of these myriad effects of ethanol in vivo requires an integration of knowledge from multiple biomedical sciences.
HISTORY AND OVERVIEW
Alcoholic beverages are so strongly associated with human society that fermentation is said to have developed in parallel with civilization. Indeed, there is speculation that human alcohol use is linked evolutionarily to a preference for fermenting fruit, where the presence of ethanol signals that the fruit is ripe but not yet rotten (Dudley, 2000) (the terms ethanol and alcohol are used interchangeably).
The Arabs developed distillation about 800 C.E., and the word alcohol is derived from the Arabic for “something subtle.” Alchemists of the Middle Ages were captivated by the invisible “spirit” that was distilled from wine and thought it to be a remedy for practically all diseases. The term whiskey is derived from usquebaugh, Gaelic for “water of life,” and alcohol became the major ingredient of widely marketed “tonics” and “elixirs.”
Although alcohol abuse and alcoholism are major health problems in many countries, the medical and social impacts of alcohol abuse have not always been appreciated. The economic burden to the U.S. economy is about $185 billion each year, and alcohol is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths annually. At least 14 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism, but medical diagnosis and treatment often are delayed until the disease is advanced and complicated by multiple social and health problems, making treatment difficult. Biological and genetic studies clearly place alcoholism among diseases with both genetic and environmental influences, but persistent stigmas and attribution to moral failure have impeded recognition and treatment of alcohol problems. A major challenge for physicians and researchers is to devise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches aimed at this major health problem.
Trans Fats and Nutrition
Trans fat is the common name for a type of unsaturated fat with trans isomer fatty acid (s). Trans fats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
Chemically, trans fats are made of the same building blocks as non-trans fats, but have a different arrangement. In trans fatty acid molecules, the hydrogen atoms bonded to pair(s) of doubly bonded carbon atoms (characteristic of all unsaturated fats) are in the trans rather than the cis arrangement. This results in a straight, rather than kinked, shape for the carbon chain, more like the straight chain of a fully saturated fat
Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil–a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.
Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.
Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.
Scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad cholesterol,” levels, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Trans fat and colesterol:
Doctors worry about trans fat because of its unhealthy effect on your cholesterol levels — increasing your LDL and decreasing your HDL cholesterol. There are two main types of cholesterol:
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol transports cholesterol throughout your body. LDL cholesterol, when elevated, builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL, or “good,” cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.
A high LDL cholesterol level is a major risk factor for heart disease. If your LDL is too high, over time, it can cause atherosclerosis, a dangerous accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls of your arteries. These deposits — called plaques — can reduce blood flow through your arteries. If the arteries that supply your heart with blood (coronary arteries) are affected, you may have chest pain and other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
If plaques tear or rupture, a blood clot may form — blocking the flow of blood or breaking free and plugging an artery downstream. If blood flow to part of your heart stops, you’ll have a heart attack. If blood flow to part of your brain stops, a stroke occurs.
Cholesterol levels are expressed as milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dL:
LDL targets
• 160 mg/dL is considered a high LDL.
• 130 mg/dL and lower is a good target for most healthy people.
• 100 mg/dL is the target if you have other risk factors for heart disease.
• 70 mg/dL is the target if you already have heart disease.
HDL targets
With HDL cholesterol, higher is better. HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from your body. Higher levels of HDL are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
• 40 to 50 mg/dL is normal for healthy men.
• 50 to 60 mg/dL is normal for healthy women.
• 40 mg/dL and lower for men or women is considered risky, and the lower the value, the greater the risk.
Trans fat and food:
Commercial baked goods — such as crackers, cookies and cakes — and many fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries — contain trans fats. Shortenings and some margarines also are high in trans fat.
Trans fat used to be more common, but in recent years food manufacturers have used it less. Since January 2006, manufacturers in the United States have been required to list trans fat content on nutrition labels. Manufacturers in other countries have taken similar steps. As a result, some companies have changed their manufacturing process to use little or no trans fat.
Don’t think a trans fat-free food is automatically good for you. Food manufacturers have begun substituting other ingredients for trans fat. However, some of these ingredients, such as tropical oils — coconut, palm kernel and palm oils — contain a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fat raises your LDL cholesterol. A healthy diet includes some fat, but there’s a limit.
Major food sources of trans fat for adults:
(Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories)
* 40% cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.
* 21% animal products
* 17% margarine
* 8% fried potatoes
* 5% potato chips, corn chips, popcorn
* 4% household shortening
* 3% salad dressing
* 1% breakfast cereal
* 1% candy
The Top 10 “Trans Fat” Foods:
1) Spreads. Margarine is a twisted sister — it’s loaded with trans fats and saturated fats, both of which can lead to heart disease. Other non-butter spreads and shortening also contain large amounts of trans fat and saturated fat:
* Stick margarine has 2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 2.1 grams of saturated fat.
* Tub margarine has 0.6 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
* Shortening has 4.2 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.
* Butter has 0.3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 7.2 grams of saturated fat
2) Packaged foods. Cake mixes, Bisquick, and other mixes all have several grams of trans fat per serving.
3) Soups. Ramen noodles and soup cups contain very high levels of trans fat
4) Fast Food. Bad news here: Fries, chicken, and other foods are deep-fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Even if the chains use liquid oil, fries are sometimes partially fried in trans fat before they’re shipped to the restaurant. Pancakes and grilled sandwiches also have some trans fat, from margarine slathered on the grill.
Examples:
* Fries (a medium order) contain 14.5 grams.
* A KFC Original Recipe chicken dinner has 7 grams, mostly from the chicken and biscuit.
* Burger King Dutch Apple Pie has 2 grams.
5) Frozen Food. Those yummy frozen pies, pot pies, waffles, pizzas, even breaded fish sticks contain trans fat. Even if the label says it’s low-fat, it still has trans fat.
6) Baked Goods. Even worse news — more trans fats are used in commercially baked products than any other foods. Doughnuts contain shortening in the dough and are cooked in trans fat.
7) Cookies and cakes (with shortening-based frostings) from supermarket bakeries have plenty of trans fat. Some higher-quality baked goods use butter instead of margarine, so they contain less trans fat, but more saturated fat.
8) Donuts have about 5 grams of trans fat apiece, and nearly 5 grams of saturated fat.
9) Cream-filled cookies have 1.9 grams of trans fat, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
10) Pound cake has 4.3 grams of trans fat per slice, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.
Chemically, trans fats are made of the same building blocks as non-trans fats, but have a different arrangement. In trans fatty acid molecules, the hydrogen atoms bonded to pair(s) of doubly bonded carbon atoms (characteristic of all unsaturated fats) are in the trans rather than the cis arrangement. This results in a straight, rather than kinked, shape for the carbon chain, more like the straight chain of a fully saturated fat
Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil–a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.
Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.
Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.
Scientific evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad cholesterol,” levels, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Trans fat and colesterol:
Doctors worry about trans fat because of its unhealthy effect on your cholesterol levels — increasing your LDL and decreasing your HDL cholesterol. There are two main types of cholesterol:
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL). LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol transports cholesterol throughout your body. LDL cholesterol, when elevated, builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL, or “good,” cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.
A high LDL cholesterol level is a major risk factor for heart disease. If your LDL is too high, over time, it can cause atherosclerosis, a dangerous accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls of your arteries. These deposits — called plaques — can reduce blood flow through your arteries. If the arteries that supply your heart with blood (coronary arteries) are affected, you may have chest pain and other symptoms of coronary artery disease.
If plaques tear or rupture, a blood clot may form — blocking the flow of blood or breaking free and plugging an artery downstream. If blood flow to part of your heart stops, you’ll have a heart attack. If blood flow to part of your brain stops, a stroke occurs.
Cholesterol levels are expressed as milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dL:
LDL targets
• 160 mg/dL is considered a high LDL.
• 130 mg/dL and lower is a good target for most healthy people.
• 100 mg/dL is the target if you have other risk factors for heart disease.
• 70 mg/dL is the target if you already have heart disease.
HDL targets
With HDL cholesterol, higher is better. HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from your body. Higher levels of HDL are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
• 40 to 50 mg/dL is normal for healthy men.
• 50 to 60 mg/dL is normal for healthy women.
• 40 mg/dL and lower for men or women is considered risky, and the lower the value, the greater the risk.
Trans fat and food:
Commercial baked goods — such as crackers, cookies and cakes — and many fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries — contain trans fats. Shortenings and some margarines also are high in trans fat.
Trans fat used to be more common, but in recent years food manufacturers have used it less. Since January 2006, manufacturers in the United States have been required to list trans fat content on nutrition labels. Manufacturers in other countries have taken similar steps. As a result, some companies have changed their manufacturing process to use little or no trans fat.
Don’t think a trans fat-free food is automatically good for you. Food manufacturers have begun substituting other ingredients for trans fat. However, some of these ingredients, such as tropical oils — coconut, palm kernel and palm oils — contain a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fat raises your LDL cholesterol. A healthy diet includes some fat, but there’s a limit.
Major food sources of trans fat for adults:
(Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories)
* 40% cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.
* 21% animal products
* 17% margarine
* 8% fried potatoes
* 5% potato chips, corn chips, popcorn
* 4% household shortening
* 3% salad dressing
* 1% breakfast cereal
* 1% candy
The Top 10 “Trans Fat” Foods:
1) Spreads. Margarine is a twisted sister — it’s loaded with trans fats and saturated fats, both of which can lead to heart disease. Other non-butter spreads and shortening also contain large amounts of trans fat and saturated fat:
* Stick margarine has 2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 2.1 grams of saturated fat.
* Tub margarine has 0.6 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
* Shortening has 4.2 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.
* Butter has 0.3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 7.2 grams of saturated fat
2) Packaged foods. Cake mixes, Bisquick, and other mixes all have several grams of trans fat per serving.
3) Soups. Ramen noodles and soup cups contain very high levels of trans fat
4) Fast Food. Bad news here: Fries, chicken, and other foods are deep-fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Even if the chains use liquid oil, fries are sometimes partially fried in trans fat before they’re shipped to the restaurant. Pancakes and grilled sandwiches also have some trans fat, from margarine slathered on the grill.
Examples:
* Fries (a medium order) contain 14.5 grams.
* A KFC Original Recipe chicken dinner has 7 grams, mostly from the chicken and biscuit.
* Burger King Dutch Apple Pie has 2 grams.
5) Frozen Food. Those yummy frozen pies, pot pies, waffles, pizzas, even breaded fish sticks contain trans fat. Even if the label says it’s low-fat, it still has trans fat.
6) Baked Goods. Even worse news — more trans fats are used in commercially baked products than any other foods. Doughnuts contain shortening in the dough and are cooked in trans fat.
7) Cookies and cakes (with shortening-based frostings) from supermarket bakeries have plenty of trans fat. Some higher-quality baked goods use butter instead of margarine, so they contain less trans fat, but more saturated fat.
8) Donuts have about 5 grams of trans fat apiece, and nearly 5 grams of saturated fat.
9) Cream-filled cookies have 1.9 grams of trans fat, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
10) Pound cake has 4.3 grams of trans fat per slice, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.
Acai - The Secrets of an Exotic Juice
Acai (Euterpe oleracea) is a slender palm known to grow up to 50 to 100 feet high. Most of the world’s Acai grows wild in the Amazon Rainforest and It`s considered to be one of nature’s most complete and healthy foods.
It can be found growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. The Acai fruit is a small, deep purple colored berry comparable to the size of a blueberry. Acai berries usually hang in clusters of about 700 to 900 fruits.
The berry has a large seed and small amount of pulp. An Acai palm typically produces two crops of fruit per year.
Since Acai berries oxidize 24 hours after collection, freshly harvested berries must be processed quickly to avoid spoilage.
Acai tastes so good - if we lived in the Amazon we would probably eat it fresh just to enjoy the taste. However, from a nutrition stand point the freeze dried Acai powder does maintain the same nutrition profile as fresh Acai. In fact, because freeze dried Acai removes the water from the Acai - ounce for ounce freeze dried Acai has a much higher concentration of nutrients than fresh Acai.
Health Benefits
Acai is jam packed with antioxidants, which helps boost the immune system, increase resistance to disease and aid the body’s natural defences.
Acai has been used for centuries as a natural energy booster and to increase stamina. More recently it has been discovered that Acai may be helpful in discouraging growth of tumors and cancer cells as well as being helpful for the cardivasculor system, improving blood circulation
Acai berries have essential minerals like potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium. Also, Acai has Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.
Acai is also known to protect the nervous system and has been used extensively for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.The Acai berry is rich in fibers, thus making it an aid for digestive problems.
Acai berries have fatty acids called Omega 6 and Omega 9. Research studies prove that these two fatty acids help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Acai helps to protect connective tissues like collagen and may reduce the stresses of aging on the skin. Improved mental focus, better sleep and being of help in cleansing and detoxing your body are other reported benefits, as well as contributing to healthy heart function.
Because of the berry’s amino acid complex and valuable trace minerals, it contributes to proper muscle regeneration and contractions.
Nutritional Information
Acai has 10 times more antioxidant activity than grapes and double that of blueberries. Acai has up to 33 times the Anticyanin ( a powerful antioxidant helpful for combatting free radicals and cholesterol) than red wine grapes, more protein than a regular egg and has one of the highest ORAC ( Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) values in the world.
The small berry is a powerhouse of nutrients and has an almost perfect composition of essential amino acids with an abundance of valuable trace minerals and micronutrients. Acai is packed with vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin C and vitamin E (tocopherol) and is known to be one of the world’s most iron rich foods. Acai also provides minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids and omegas. High in phytosterols, Acai also contains glucosamine and celadrin. These are helpful for building cartilage, cushion joints and maintaining many of the body’s tissues.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated studies to look at the link between antioxidant rich food and aging. Here are some direct quotes from the USDA website
“Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain.”
Ronald L. Prior, the researcher for the USDA study went on to suggest that “the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage.”
“Science has long held that damage by oxygen free radicals is behind many of the maladies that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There’s firm evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of cancer and that a low intake raises risk. And recent evidence suggests that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals, says Joseph, a neuroscientist. ”
It can be found growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. The Acai fruit is a small, deep purple colored berry comparable to the size of a blueberry. Acai berries usually hang in clusters of about 700 to 900 fruits.
The berry has a large seed and small amount of pulp. An Acai palm typically produces two crops of fruit per year.
Since Acai berries oxidize 24 hours after collection, freshly harvested berries must be processed quickly to avoid spoilage.
Acai tastes so good - if we lived in the Amazon we would probably eat it fresh just to enjoy the taste. However, from a nutrition stand point the freeze dried Acai powder does maintain the same nutrition profile as fresh Acai. In fact, because freeze dried Acai removes the water from the Acai - ounce for ounce freeze dried Acai has a much higher concentration of nutrients than fresh Acai.
Health Benefits
Acai is jam packed with antioxidants, which helps boost the immune system, increase resistance to disease and aid the body’s natural defences.
Acai has been used for centuries as a natural energy booster and to increase stamina. More recently it has been discovered that Acai may be helpful in discouraging growth of tumors and cancer cells as well as being helpful for the cardivasculor system, improving blood circulation
Acai berries have essential minerals like potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium. Also, Acai has Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.
Acai is also known to protect the nervous system and has been used extensively for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.The Acai berry is rich in fibers, thus making it an aid for digestive problems.
Acai berries have fatty acids called Omega 6 and Omega 9. Research studies prove that these two fatty acids help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Acai helps to protect connective tissues like collagen and may reduce the stresses of aging on the skin. Improved mental focus, better sleep and being of help in cleansing and detoxing your body are other reported benefits, as well as contributing to healthy heart function.
Because of the berry’s amino acid complex and valuable trace minerals, it contributes to proper muscle regeneration and contractions.
Nutritional Information
Acai has 10 times more antioxidant activity than grapes and double that of blueberries. Acai has up to 33 times the Anticyanin ( a powerful antioxidant helpful for combatting free radicals and cholesterol) than red wine grapes, more protein than a regular egg and has one of the highest ORAC ( Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) values in the world.
The small berry is a powerhouse of nutrients and has an almost perfect composition of essential amino acids with an abundance of valuable trace minerals and micronutrients. Acai is packed with vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin C and vitamin E (tocopherol) and is known to be one of the world’s most iron rich foods. Acai also provides minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids and omegas. High in phytosterols, Acai also contains glucosamine and celadrin. These are helpful for building cartilage, cushion joints and maintaining many of the body’s tissues.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated studies to look at the link between antioxidant rich food and aging. Here are some direct quotes from the USDA website
“Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain.”
Ronald L. Prior, the researcher for the USDA study went on to suggest that “the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage.”
“Science has long held that damage by oxygen free radicals is behind many of the maladies that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There’s firm evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of cancer and that a low intake raises risk. And recent evidence suggests that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals, says Joseph, a neuroscientist. ”
Good cholesterol versus bad colesterol
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like compound that belongs to a class of molecules called steroids. It’s found in many foods, in your bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. If you had a handful of cholesterol, it might feel like a soft, melted candle. Cholesterol is essential for:
* Formation and maintenance of cell membranes (helps the cell to resist changes in temperature and protects and insulates nerve fibers)
* Formation of sex hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, cortisol)
* Production of bile salts, which help to digest food
* Conversion into vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight.
Cholesterol is a blood fat needed by the body in moderate amounts. However, high cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina is chest pain caused by the restriction of blood flow to the heart (cardiac ischemia). Nitrates may be used to relieve angina.
Most people will have cholesterol blood tests regularly, including triglycerides, HDL, LDL and total cholesterol. Methods for increasing good cholesterol or lowering cholesterol levels may include cholesterol reducing drugs, such as statins, fibrates, niacin (nicotinic acid) and bile acid resins. However, these drugs do not reverse calcification. A heart attack occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked.
Cholesterol and blood do not mix well. So, for cholesterol to travel through your blood, it is coated with a layer of protein to make lipoprotein Two lipoproteins you may have heard about are high density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein , or LDL cholesterol.
Why is LDL cholesterol considered “bad”?
A high level of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That’s why LDL cholesterol is often called “bad” cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease. When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot (thrombus) forms where a plaque is, the blood flow can be blocked to part of the heart muscle, causing a heart attack. If a clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results.
Bad” cholesterol – (LDL) cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is known as “bad cholesterol.” Excess LDL builds up in your arteries and may lead toheart disease. The higher the level of LDL, the higher your risk for heart disease. Lowering elevated LDL cholesterol can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Why is HDL cholesterol considered “good”?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as the “good” cholesterol because a high level of HDL cholesterol seems to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body. Some experts believe that excess cholesterol is removed from atherosclerotic plaque by HDL, thus slowing the build-up. However, low HDL cholesterol levels (lower than 35 mg/dL) may result in a greater risk for heart disease.
Good” cholesterol – (HDL) cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, is called “good cholesterol” because it is believed to remove cholesterol from the blood. High levels of HDL in your blood may help to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. A low HDL level can increase your risk.
Triglycerides
Another type of fat carried in your blood that maybe you haven’t heard of is known as triglycerides. Most of the body’s fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides, stored for use as energy. Triglycerides are obtained primarily from fat in foods. High triglyceride levels may increase your risk of heart disease.
Like choresterol triglycerides are common types of fats (lipids) that are essential for good health when present in normal amounts. They account for about 95 percent of the body’s fatty tissue. Triglycerides are present in food as well as manufactured by the body.Abnormally high triglyceride levels are associated with a number of diseases and conditions, such as cirrhosis (a disease of the liver), underactive thyroid gland diabetes and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
High triglyceride levels are also associated with known risk factories for heart disease such as low levels of HDL (“good”)cholesterol , high levels of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol and obesity Additionally, triglycerides may contribute to a type of thickening of artery walls, a physical change believed to be a predictor of hardening of the arteries .
Blood Colesterol and Dietary Colesterol
It may surprise you to know that our bodies make all the cholesterol we need. When your doctor takes a blood test to measure your cholesterol level, the doctor is actually measuring the amount of circulating cholesterol in your blood, or your blood cholesterol level. About 85 percent of your blood cholesterol level is endogenous, which means it is produced by your body. The other 15 percent or so comes from an external source — your diet. Your dietary cholesterol originates from meat, poultry, fish, seafood and dairy products. It’s possible for some people to eat foods high in cholesterol and still have low blood cholesterol levels. Likewise, it’s possible to eat foods low in cholesterol and have a high blood cholesterol level.
So, why is there so much talk about cholesterol in our diet? It’s because the level of cholesterol already present in your blood can be increased by high consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet. This increase in dietary cholesterol has been associated with atherosclerosis ; the build-up of plaques that can narrow or block blood vessels. (Think about what happens to your kitchen drain pipes when you pour chicken fat down the sink.) If the coronary arteries of the heart become blocked, a heart attack can occur. The blocked artery can also develop rough edges. This can cause plaques to break off and travel, obstructing blood vessels elsewhere in the body. A blocked blood vessel in the brain can trigger a stroke.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like compound that belongs to a class of molecules called steroids. It’s found in many foods, in your bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. If you had a handful of cholesterol, it might feel like a soft, melted candle. Cholesterol is essential for:
* Formation and maintenance of cell membranes (helps the cell to resist changes in temperature and protects and insulates nerve fibers)
* Formation of sex hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, cortisol)
* Production of bile salts, which help to digest food
* Conversion into vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight.
Cholesterol is a blood fat needed by the body in moderate amounts. However, high cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina is chest pain caused by the restriction of blood flow to the heart (cardiac ischemia). Nitrates may be used to relieve angina.
Most people will have cholesterol blood tests regularly, including triglycerides, HDL, LDL and total cholesterol. Methods for increasing good cholesterol or lowering cholesterol levels may include cholesterol reducing drugs, such as statins, fibrates, niacin (nicotinic acid) and bile acid resins. However, these drugs do not reverse calcification. A heart attack occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked.
Cholesterol and blood do not mix well. So, for cholesterol to travel through your blood, it is coated with a layer of protein to make lipoprotein Two lipoproteins you may have heard about are high density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein , or LDL cholesterol.
Why is LDL cholesterol considered “bad”?
A high level of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That’s why LDL cholesterol is often called “bad” cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease. When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot (thrombus) forms where a plaque is, the blood flow can be blocked to part of the heart muscle, causing a heart attack. If a clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results.
Bad” cholesterol – (LDL) cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is known as “bad cholesterol.” Excess LDL builds up in your arteries and may lead toheart disease. The higher the level of LDL, the higher your risk for heart disease. Lowering elevated LDL cholesterol can reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Why is HDL cholesterol considered “good”?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as the “good” cholesterol because a high level of HDL cholesterol seems to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body. Some experts believe that excess cholesterol is removed from atherosclerotic plaque by HDL, thus slowing the build-up. However, low HDL cholesterol levels (lower than 35 mg/dL) may result in a greater risk for heart disease.
Good” cholesterol – (HDL) cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, is called “good cholesterol” because it is believed to remove cholesterol from the blood. High levels of HDL in your blood may help to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. A low HDL level can increase your risk.
Triglycerides
Another type of fat carried in your blood that maybe you haven’t heard of is known as triglycerides. Most of the body’s fat tissue is in the form of triglycerides, stored for use as energy. Triglycerides are obtained primarily from fat in foods. High triglyceride levels may increase your risk of heart disease.
Like choresterol triglycerides are common types of fats (lipids) that are essential for good health when present in normal amounts. They account for about 95 percent of the body’s fatty tissue. Triglycerides are present in food as well as manufactured by the body.Abnormally high triglyceride levels are associated with a number of diseases and conditions, such as cirrhosis (a disease of the liver), underactive thyroid gland diabetes and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
High triglyceride levels are also associated with known risk factories for heart disease such as low levels of HDL (“good”)cholesterol , high levels of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol and obesity Additionally, triglycerides may contribute to a type of thickening of artery walls, a physical change believed to be a predictor of hardening of the arteries .
Blood Colesterol and Dietary Colesterol
It may surprise you to know that our bodies make all the cholesterol we need. When your doctor takes a blood test to measure your cholesterol level, the doctor is actually measuring the amount of circulating cholesterol in your blood, or your blood cholesterol level. About 85 percent of your blood cholesterol level is endogenous, which means it is produced by your body. The other 15 percent or so comes from an external source — your diet. Your dietary cholesterol originates from meat, poultry, fish, seafood and dairy products. It’s possible for some people to eat foods high in cholesterol and still have low blood cholesterol levels. Likewise, it’s possible to eat foods low in cholesterol and have a high blood cholesterol level.
So, why is there so much talk about cholesterol in our diet? It’s because the level of cholesterol already present in your blood can be increased by high consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet. This increase in dietary cholesterol has been associated with atherosclerosis ; the build-up of plaques that can narrow or block blood vessels. (Think about what happens to your kitchen drain pipes when you pour chicken fat down the sink.) If the coronary arteries of the heart become blocked, a heart attack can occur. The blocked artery can also develop rough edges. This can cause plaques to break off and travel, obstructing blood vessels elsewhere in the body. A blocked blood vessel in the brain can trigger a stroke.
Brown Sugar, ideal for cooking
Brown Sugar is good for gingerbread, mincemeat, baked beans, pudding and flans. It imparts depth of treacle flavor to fruitcakes, Christmas puddings and treacle biscuits and a crunchy caramel tone to chutneys, barbecue sauces and hot cereals such as porridge.
Its natural moistness and deep, rich molasses flavor makes it ideal for full-flavored or savory recipes. Use it in brownies, coffee or chocolate cakes, fudge, BBQ sauce, marinades, sweet and sour sauce, and pancake syrups. It adds an interesting flavor when stirred into coffee, espresso or tea!
It is the natural substitute to white sugar. It is just the thing for everyday use every time you would use an ordinary white sugar. Just a dash of this sugar can make good food taste even better.
The Brown Sugar Range
Soft Light Brown Sugar
The ideal ingredient for cake manufacture. Based on Caster sugar, a fine crumb texture in pre-production and excellent cake volume in the finished product is achieved.
The molasses will provide color and delicate flavor.
The moistness of the sugar gives an extra tenderness to baked products eg. cookies.
The fine particle size ensures rapid dissolving for syrups, sauces, caramels and toffees. The color and flavor of cakes, desserts and flapjacks are all enhanced by this sugar. Biscuits, including ginger biscuits, benefit from excellent golden color and flavor balance.
Soft Dark Brown Sugar
Provides depth of molasses and black treacle flavor without bitterness, giving a dark golden color and moistness to rich fruit cakes, Christmas puddings and cookies. This sugar imparts a balanced sweetness to ginger or spiced caked.
In toffee and fudge production Soft Dark Brown can enrich the color and enhance the flavor. The fine particle size ensures excellent performance in cakes, toffees, fudge and sauces. In addition, Soft Dark Brown Sugar fulfills your recipe requirements for savory sauces, pickles and marinades.
Demerara Sugar
The ideal choice for toppings, this crunchy brown sugar provides that extra flavor, color and texture to the finished product. Demerara is ideally suited for use in crumbles, cheesecake bases and cake toppings where its traditional flavor and color give perfect results every time.
Organic Demerara Sugar
Soil Association approved this free-flowing Demerara has bold crystals and a traditional molasses flavor. It will give flavor and color when used in fruit cakes and crumbles. It is ideal as a surface decoration on cakes and biscuits.
Brown sugar can be made in two ways.
One is to sell it at the partially processed brown stage, before you get to the white sugar stage. The other way is to add molasses back to the pure white sugar - the advantage of this being that the consistency of the “brown sugar” can be more tightly controlled.
As for nutrition? Well, white sugar is 99.9 per cent sucrose, while brown sugar is about 97 per cent sucrose, 2 per cent water and 1 per cent other stuff. The United Nations health bodies recommend that sugars should make up no more than 10 per cent of your daily energy.
Even if brown sugar made up 10 per cent of your daily energy, it would contribute less than 10 per cent of your daily calcium, magnesium and potassium. There are simply not many nutrients in sugar-cane juice.
Brown sugar is only marginally different from white sugar - and they are both sweet nothings.
Its natural moistness and deep, rich molasses flavor makes it ideal for full-flavored or savory recipes. Use it in brownies, coffee or chocolate cakes, fudge, BBQ sauce, marinades, sweet and sour sauce, and pancake syrups. It adds an interesting flavor when stirred into coffee, espresso or tea!
It is the natural substitute to white sugar. It is just the thing for everyday use every time you would use an ordinary white sugar. Just a dash of this sugar can make good food taste even better.
The Brown Sugar Range
Soft Light Brown Sugar
The ideal ingredient for cake manufacture. Based on Caster sugar, a fine crumb texture in pre-production and excellent cake volume in the finished product is achieved.
The molasses will provide color and delicate flavor.
The moistness of the sugar gives an extra tenderness to baked products eg. cookies.
The fine particle size ensures rapid dissolving for syrups, sauces, caramels and toffees. The color and flavor of cakes, desserts and flapjacks are all enhanced by this sugar. Biscuits, including ginger biscuits, benefit from excellent golden color and flavor balance.
Soft Dark Brown Sugar
Provides depth of molasses and black treacle flavor without bitterness, giving a dark golden color and moistness to rich fruit cakes, Christmas puddings and cookies. This sugar imparts a balanced sweetness to ginger or spiced caked.
In toffee and fudge production Soft Dark Brown can enrich the color and enhance the flavor. The fine particle size ensures excellent performance in cakes, toffees, fudge and sauces. In addition, Soft Dark Brown Sugar fulfills your recipe requirements for savory sauces, pickles and marinades.
Demerara Sugar
The ideal choice for toppings, this crunchy brown sugar provides that extra flavor, color and texture to the finished product. Demerara is ideally suited for use in crumbles, cheesecake bases and cake toppings where its traditional flavor and color give perfect results every time.
Organic Demerara Sugar
Soil Association approved this free-flowing Demerara has bold crystals and a traditional molasses flavor. It will give flavor and color when used in fruit cakes and crumbles. It is ideal as a surface decoration on cakes and biscuits.
Brown sugar can be made in two ways.
One is to sell it at the partially processed brown stage, before you get to the white sugar stage. The other way is to add molasses back to the pure white sugar - the advantage of this being that the consistency of the “brown sugar” can be more tightly controlled.
As for nutrition? Well, white sugar is 99.9 per cent sucrose, while brown sugar is about 97 per cent sucrose, 2 per cent water and 1 per cent other stuff. The United Nations health bodies recommend that sugars should make up no more than 10 per cent of your daily energy.
Even if brown sugar made up 10 per cent of your daily energy, it would contribute less than 10 per cent of your daily calcium, magnesium and potassium. There are simply not many nutrients in sugar-cane juice.
Brown sugar is only marginally different from white sugar - and they are both sweet nothings.
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