Archive for June, 2008
Apples contain large amounts of vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C, biotin and folic acid, they are also rich in minerals including iron, silicon, magnesium, chlorine, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur.
What’s in it for me?
Its high mineral content makes it a great choice for hair, skin and nails. Organic apples are the best because a lot of nutrition is in the skin and also the fruit pectin helps in peristalsis (movement of food through the digestive system).
Natural benefits of Apples
- Stimulation of muscles and nerves
- Eliminate uric acid
- Pectin helps to reduce cholesterol
- promote normal digestion and liver function
- The malic acid in apple does both cleansing and healing in cases of inflammation.
Granny Smith, McIntosh, Golden Delicious and Pippin are good choices as they are good juice producers. Select hard crispy ones as they contain more pectin than the softer and mushier ones.
Is this question ticking everyone’s mind? Let’s clear it right away.
No you don’t have to, it is essential for your body. Just control the intake. An average healthy diet should have half of your daily calories coming from carbohydrates.
The question actually is, are you eating the right carbs? Complex carbohydrates are better for your diet than others, for example a slice of bread is healthier than simple and refined carbohydrates such as candy, sodas and pastries. Complex carbohydrate sources such as wholegrain, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains have great amounts of nutrition including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fibre, all of which are vital to good health. Whereas simple and refined carbs like candy, sodas, pastries and other junk foods usually are poor sources of nutrients and sometimes we refer to these foods as having “empty calories.” This means the foods have lots of calories with little or no nutrition.
One gram of carbohydrate, whether is it is sugar or starch, contains four calories. For example if an average male needs 2,000 calories per day. This means that 1000 calories must c
ome from carbohydrates, so if 1 gm equals 4 calories then 250 gms of carbohydrates have to be consumed. Of those 250 grams, about 10 percent can come from added table sugar and sweeteners. That would be about 25 grams for a 2,000 calorie per day diet. That would equal about half of a candy bar, or less than one can of sugary soda. Unfortunately many people exceed that amount every day.
One slice of bread has about 12 gms of carbohydrates; one typical chocolate bar may have about 50 gms of carbohydrates, one serve of carbonated soft drink may have about 40 gms and a medium potato has about 35 gms of carbohydrates.
Weight gain and carbohydrates
Weight gain is caused by consuming too many calories, whether they are from carbohydrate, protein or fat. A diet high in good Read the rest of this entry »
