How Eggs Intake Shows No Negative Results

Dr Mercola writes: The latest study notes that people with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes ate a dozen eggs a week for a year, at which point a series of tests showed no negative results whatsoever. Study participants consumed high (12), medium and low (two) eggs per week for the first three months. Times Now News explains:

"This was aimed at maintaining optimal weight for the three months. In a bid to lose weight, the same members were asked to embark on a weight loss plan while consuming the same amount of eggs they were consuming earlier. For six months, the participants continued on their consumption of eggs while they were monitored by the researchers."

Prior to the study, Australian Men's Health observes, cardiovascular risk factors such as blood sugar and blood pressure levels were taken into account when the researchers gathered the results, as those are considered risk factors associated with egg consumption.

Interestingly, the study concluded that the 128 individuals in the study lost weight even on a high-egg diet and continued to lose when the study came to a close. Backing up the study results, the Australian Heart Foundation notes that "eggs are extremely nutritious (and) contain good quality protein and are a source of healthy fats including omega-3 fats." As for the cholesterol content:

"Eggs don't altercate the LDL levels in blood. An egg contains only 212 mg of cholesterol which is lesser than even the half recommended dietary allowance of cholesterol for a day. Since the liver already produces a large amount of cholesterol every day, consumption of eggs balances the ratio with the liver's production. In fact, eggs increase the HDL or good cholesterol levels in your body."

Cholesterol in your blood known as LDL is narrowed down to two subtypes: dense, small particles and large, fluffy particles. The dense small-particle LDL type is what can be identified as a risk factor for increasing your heart disease risk, while people with large LDL particles have a lower risk, but here's the kicker: Eggs convert small LDL particles to large particles.

Article Source: Dr Mercola at Mercola.com 

 

Why Eggs Are Good for Your Cholesterol

Dr Mercola writes: Chicken as the foundation of a delicious home-cooked meal has been an American mainstay for decades. Not centuries, you might ask? As a matter of fact, up until the 1920s, homesteaders filled chicken coops with chickens to fulfill one main purpose: to produce eggs.

Chickens weren't regarded as much beyond egg production until a new concept featuring chicken as a main course took flight in the late '40s. It was based, not surprisingly, on the food industry's initiative to find more uses for said chickens. Today we have a plethora of chicken recipes, from broth to casseroles to fried, not to mention nuggets. But what happened to eggs?

Eggs became a target based on the faulty premise of the medical establishment that eating too many yolks would drive up cholesterol and pack your carotid arteries with plaque. As recently as 2012, eggs were still being maligned and even deemed as health-damaging as smoking cigarettes, according to a Canadian journal. Many still believe this, and it's the misinformation that's damaging health, not egg consumption.

According to a recent study led by Nick Fuller at the University of Sydney, Australia, and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eggs, "despite conflicting evidence continuing around the world," are not responsible for heart disease or high cholesterol. In fact, they're one of the most nutritious foods in your kitchen. When he led the first portion of the study, Fuller wrote that eggs can support several aspects of health, including eye, blood vessel and heart health, healthy pregnancies and fat regulation, noting:

"Despite being vilified for decades, dietary cholesterol is understood to be far less detrimental to health than scientists originally thought. The effect of cholesterol in our food on the level of cholesterol in our blood is actually quite small."

Article Source: Dr Mercola at Mercola.com 

Health Wonders of Bitter Leaf

Bitter leaf is a common plant in tropical Africa and it is used mostly for food and medicinal purposes. Among the numerous properties the leaves contain, it is the bitter taste that is of enormous health benefits. Many herbal and medicinal experts copiously testify to this fact.

Bitter leaf is very cheap and easy to obtain. It is easy to grow around dwellings and local gardens particularly in rural areas. It is ingested either by chewing the stem or juicing the leaf to drink. Many families use it as leafy vegetable in local soups.

Among its numerous health benefits are:

It Soothes Body Itching: Bitter leaf juice when rubbed in the itching spots and left to dry off, it soothes the itching and gives relief. 

Helps to Treat Malaria: Bitter leaf comes in very handy to treat malaria which is a very common ailment in tropical climates particularly Africa and the Caribbean. Boiling some of the leaves in a few cups of water helps to juice it. Drinking that juice about three times a day helps to provide relief from malaria.

Helps to Improve Appetite: If you lose your appetite for food, bitter leaf can help. By simply chewing the stem of bitter leaf, there is a tendency to regain your appetite within a few minutes, and you will feel like eating again.
 

Helps to Cure Measles: In many rural dwellings in tropical Africa, women turn to bitter leaf to treat their children when they are afflicted with measles. They squeeze out the juice from the leaves then make a paste of it with palm oil. This they rub on the afflicted children’s skins and left for awhile before bathing the children.

Helps to Cure Ear Inflammation: By squeezing some quantity of bitter leaf you can get out some of the bitter juice. Applying some three drops of the juice into the affected ear helps to provide relief from inflammation. For quick results, you can repeat the process four or five times a day. 

Treatment of toothache: You can boil about 15g of bitter leaf in three cups of water. Taking ½ cup of the boiled juice two or times a day helps relieve toothaches. 

Treatment of Diabetes: There is research evidence that the bitterness in bitter leaf has the ability to lower blood glucose. If you pour boiled water in fresh bitter leaves, just allow it to cool down for some minutes. Take at least one cup of the bitter juice therefrom after meals at least twice a day. It helps to lower the blood glucose of diabetics. 

Helps to treat Typhoid: Bitter leaf has been found to contain properties which help to check disease-causing bacteria in the body. That is why it can be used to treat typhoid.  You can boil about 10-15 leaves of bitter leaf in water. Allow it to be cool then filter it. You may choose to add honey to improve the taste of the boiled juice then drink a cup of it about three times a day.

Helps to Treat Diarrhea: If you boil dried bitter leaf in three cups of water then filter it, you can drink ½ cup twice a day. It helps provide relief from diarrhea.

Cancer Prevention: It has been found that bitter leaf contains properties that can stop tumor growth in the body. Regular consumption of the juice from bitter leaf helps the body to develop a strong immune system which resists tumor growth in the body.

Helps to Reduce Hypertension: Suppression of sodium with potassium in the blood helps to reduce hypertension. It is a known fact that bitter leaf contains a high amount of potassium which helps to reduce the sodium in the blood. Lowering the sodium in the blood helps reduce hypertension.

Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are so common in the US that it's easy to overlook their potentially powerful benefits to your health. It is now a popular snack food to eat with dips or add to fresh vegetable juice, or as an addition to soups and stews. Carrots have been valued since ancient times for their medicinal properties.

According to the US Department of Agriculture:

"Thought to be native to central or western Asia (likely Afghanistan), cultivated carrots first arrived in North America with the early Virginia colonists. Carrots are an important member of the parsley family, which also includes celery, anise, and dill.



Like many vegetables, the early history of carrots centered on various medicinal attributes thought suitable for curing a wide range of conditions and maladies."

Beta-Carotene and More: What Nutrients Are Found in Carrots?

A serving of carrots (one medium carrot or ½ cup chopped) will provide about:
210% of the average daily recommended amount of vitamin A
10% vitamin K
6% vitamin C
2% calcium

The high vitamin A content, for which carrots are best known, comes from beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in your liver. Interestingly, there's a reason why 'carrot' and 'carotene' sound so alike. The word carotene was devised in the early 19th century by a German scientist after he crystallized the compound from carrot roots.

Carrot seed oil also contains potassium, vitamin B6, copper, folic acid, thiamine and magnesium. I generally recommend eating carrots in moderation because they contain more sugar than any other vegetable aside from beets,

However, when eaten as part of an overall healthy diet, the nutrients in carrots may provide you with protection against heart disease and stroke while helping you to build strong bones and a healthy nervous system.

From Heart Disease to Cancer: What Does the Research Say About Carrots?

There's good reason to include carrots in your regular diet, as the science is very strong that they may help reduce your risk of chronic disease.

Heart Disease

Eating more deep-orange-colored fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In particular, carrots are associated with a 32 percent lower risk of CHD, leading researchers to conclude:

"… a higher intake of deep orange fruit and vegetables and especially carrots may protect against CHD."

The consumption of carrots has also been associated with a lower risk of heart attacks in women.

Cancer

Antioxidants in carrots, including beta-carotene, may play a role in cancer prevention. Research has shown that smokers who eat carrots more than once a week have a lower risk of lung cancer, while a beta-carotene-rich diet may also protect against prostate cancer.

The consumption of beta-carotene is also associated with a lower risk of colon cancer while carrot juice extract may kill leukemia cells and inhibit their progression.

Carrots also contain falcarinol, a natural toxin that protects carrots against fungal disease. It's thought that this compound may stimulate cancer-fighting mechanisms in the body, as it's been shown to cut the risk of tumor development in rats.

Vision

A deficiency in vitamin A can cause your eye's photoreceptors to deteriorate, which leads to vision problems. Eating foods rich in beta-carotene may restore vision, lending truth to the old adage that carrots are good for your eyes.

Brain Health

Carrot extract has been found to be useful for the management of cognitive dysfunctions and may offer memory improvement and cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Liver Protection

Carrot extract may help to protect your liver from the toxic effects of environmental chemicals.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Carrot extract also has anti-inflammatory properties and provided anti-inflammatory benefits that were significant even when compared to anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen and Celebrex.

Cooking May Increase the Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots eaten raw are an excellent food, but there is some research showing that cooking them may actually help to boost their nutritional content. Interestingly, one study found that cooked carrots had higher levels of beta-carotene and phenolic acids than raw carrots, and the antioxidant activity continued to increase over a period of four weeks. Adding carrot peels to a carrot puree also boosted antioxidant levels.

So while I generally recommend eating your vegetables raw or fermented for the most nutrition, carrots may be one case where gentle cooking, such as steaming, is preferred.

As for storage, keep them in the coolest part of your refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel, which should keep them fresh for about two weeks. Avoiding storing them near apples, pears or potatoes, as the ethylene gas they release may turn your carrots bitter.

Facts Source: mercola .com