What You Should Know About Dietary Supplements

Many of us take dietary supplements on a daily basis to be healthy. These supplements can range from multi-vitamins (natural or synthetic) to vitamin C or even fish oils. Are these dietary supplements providing the healthy benefits as they are claiming?

DSHEA, or Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, stated that "a dietary supplement is a product that is intended to supplement the diet. It contains one or more dietary ingredients, (including vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other botanicals, amino acids, and certain other substances) or their constituents. It is intended to be taken by mouth, in forms of tablets, capsules, powder, softgel, gelcap or liquid. These are labeled as being a dietary supplement."

Herbal supplements is part of the dietary supplements category. An herb refers to a plant or part of a plant, as in leaves, flowers, and/or seeds, that is used for its flavor, scents, and/or possible health benefits. Botanical and herb are interchangeable terms. Herbal supplements may contain one type of herb or multiple herbs. It is a law requirement that every herb be listed on the product label.

According to some research, dietary supplements have its health benefits. For instance, folic acid has been proven to prevent various birth defects. However, other studies has not proven any health benefits. An excellent example of this is echinacea, an herbal supplement; according to the study it has not proven that it is helpful for colds.

Dietary supplements are meant to be a health benefit for many people who eat a very poor diet--in this case, the foods are lacking the nutritional value. For example, there are the Stress B-Complex vitamins. These vitamins claim to be good for energy production and immune system support. In addition to containing B-complex vitamins, it also have vitamin C for the antioxidant support and zinc, which plays a vital role in growth and development. It also strengthens the body's natural defense system.

There is the 1200 mg fish oil dietary supplement, which are softgels. On the package, it states," supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega 3-fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." However, on both dietary supplement packages, it states, "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." If statements like these are put on packages, how are people suppose to know if it is really healthy to consume?

There are some safety concerns about the usage of dietary supplements. Many dietary supplement are derived from natural sources--there is no guarantee that natural is safe. Kava is a very good example of this. It can cause some damage to the liver. On some dietary supplements packages, the use of terms "standardized," "verified," or "certified" does not guarantee the quality of the product.

Herbal supplements may contain many substances that all of the ingredients may not be known. Also, think about the possibility that what may be listed on the label may not be the ingredients in the bottle. Here are a couple of examples of that:

• The quantity of ingredients could be lower or higher than what the label indicates. In essence, you may be consuming more or less of these supplements than you really think.
• The dietary supplement may have contamination along with other herbs, pesticides, illegal ingredients, etc.

To consume dietary supplements in a safe manner, read and follow the label directions, and take into consideration that natural does guarantee safety. There are some dietary supplements that are likely to interact with medications and/or be a likely risk if you have medical issues or will be having surgery.

If you want to find out more about the safety of dietary supplements, then you can read the "Dietary Supplement Alerts and Safety Information."

Food Additives: The Benefits and Its Side Effects

Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 5, Green 6, Blue 6. These are colors that are often seen in our foods. Most people do not question anything about what make the food the color that appears to be. This is known as food additives and there are its benefits and its side effects.

What are Food Additives? 

Food additives (or artificial flavors and artificial colors) refer to substances that become part of a food product when they are added during the food making process. There are two types of food additives--direct food additives and indirect food additives:

Direct Food Additives

Direct food additives are generally added during processing to add nutrients, help food preparation, keeping the product fresh, and enhancing the appearance of food. It can be man-made or natural. Natural additives include adding herbs or spices in foods, pickling foods in vinegar, and using salt to preserve meats.

Indirect Food Additives

Indirect food additives refer to substances that can be found in food during or after it is processed. They are not intentionally put in foods. In fact, the additives exist in small amounts in the final product.

How Does the Food Additives Work?

Food additives perform in the following ways:

• Gives the food its consistent and a smooth look:  Its emulsifiers avoid products from being separated from its stabilizers and its thickness gives a consistent look, anti-caking agents allow substances to flow without any problems.
• Improvement/preservation of the nutrient value: A large number of foods and drinks are fortified and enriched to supply vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to various foods, as in flour, margarine, milk, and cereal, just to name a few. This aids in making up for vitamins or minerals that may be lacking in a diet. Every product that consists of nutrients should be labeled.
• Keeping the food very wholesome: Microorganisms, as in bacteria, can cause foodborne illnesses. Preservatives can limit the spoilage in which air, fungi, bacteria, or yeast may cause. Some preservatives aid in preserving the flavor in baked goods by preventing the fats and oils from becoming rancid. They also keep fresh fruits from turning brown when the air exposes them.
• Controlling the acid-base food balance and giving leavening: Some additives aid in changing the acid-base food balance to achieve a specific flavor and/or color. Leavening agents that release acids during the heating process. This will react with baking soda to aid biscuits, cakes, and other baked goods to rise.
• Giving and enhancing color: Certain colors enhance the food appearance. In addition, a large number of spices as well as natural and man-made flavors, give the food their taste.

Even with food additives having its benefits, it also have its side effects. Many people's concern about artificial coloring have to do with man-made ingredients that are added to foods. These include benzoic acid in fruit juices, artificial sweeteners, as in aspartame and saccharine, nitrates and nitrites in hot dogs and other meat products, sulfites in beer, wine and packaged vegetables, just to name a few.

U.S. Food and Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has a food additive list that are deemed to be safe. Although many of these food additives that have not been tested, they are deemed to be safe by the majority of researchers. The substances that are featured on the "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS, list has seven-hundred items, which is checked on a regular basis.

Food additives in products that are sold are regulated and supervised in the United States. However, people that have specialized diets and/or food intolerances should be cautious in choosing products in their local supermarkets and/or grocery stores.

Rule of Thumb: Always read the nutritional facts label so you will know what is exactly in your food and which ingredients that you are putting in your body.

Nuts and Seeds: Are They Really Healthy For You?

Sweet. Savory. Salty....or somewhere in the middle....

Many people think that nuts and seeds are very unhealthy. Really?

In facts, nuts and seeds are high in nutrition, which includes

• Protein
• Essential vitamins (such as vitamin A and vitamin E)
• Minerals (such as phosphorous, potassium, and fiber)

They have high carbohydrates and oils--it should be eaten in moderation. Nuts and seeds provide many health benefits. Here are a few examples:

Almonds

• A 100-gram bag contains 16.9 g protein, 4.2 mg iron, 250 mg calcium, 20 mg vitamin E, 3.1 mg zinc, and 0.92 mg vitamin B2
• Almond oil is used for enhancing flavor and skin care preparations; extracted from the kernel of the butter almond

Cashews

• High in protein and carbohydrates
• A 100-gram bag contains 17.2 g protein, 60 mcg vitamin A, and 3.8 g iron

Coconut

• Unripe coconut contains coconut milk
• The nutmeat of the coconut can be eaten dried or fresh
• 100-grams of fresh coconut contains 3.2 g protein and 36 g fat; coconut flakes have 56 g protein and 62 g fat
• Coconut oil comes from the nutmeat; used for cooking and in margarine. NOTE: Coconut oil is high in saturated fat.

Peanuts

• High in protein; contains approximately forty to fifty percent oil.
• Peanuts in a 100-gram bag contain 24.3 g protein, 2 mg iron, and 3 mg zinc
• Are usually inexpensive; are a mixture of other types of nuts for cost reduction at the same time retaining the flavor and good nutrition. NOTE: Always look for the brands that hydrogenated oils are excluded, Hydrogenated oils are high in saturated fats.

Pumpkin

• High in protein, iron, zinc, and phosphorous
• Pumpkin seeds contain 29 g protein, 11.2 mg iron, and 1144 mg phosphorous

Sesame

• Sesame seeds contain 26.4 g protein, 12.6 mg vitamin B3, 7.8 mg iron, 131 mg calcium, and 10.3 mg zinc
• Used in many dishes, as in hummus

Sunflower

• Sunflower seeds contain 24 g protein, 7.1 mg iron, and 120 mg calcium
• An excellent source of potassium and phosphorous

Now you know that there are health benefits in nuts and seeds, you can eat them--for your health, but in moderation!

Benefits of Sports Nutrition

Whether you go to live sporting events or watch them on TV, these sports talents look so healthy and vibrant. But what is their secret to having vibrant bodies? Most people can agree that it takes some exercising and healthy eating.

What are the benefits of sports nutrition?
As many sports-oriented people know, one of the requirements of sports nutrition is having a substantial amount of nutrients to boost up your energy while doing many sports activities. Sports people's energy level decreases much faster than the average person does; therefore additional nutrients are needed.

If you are an athlete and/or sports-oriented, then you will lose a massive amount of fluids during the period of exertion and as a result, dehydration often occurs. You may also experience being very tired and thirsty, which may be impossible (or almost impossible) to perform physically. If you are unable to perform physically, then it may have a negative impact on your daily activities.

In the world of sports nutrition, your diet should be based on variations, as in age, size, fitness level, and the type of sport that is being performed. Before going on any type of diet, as with anything else, if you are involved in sports, you should consult the doctor about the type of foods that should be consumed.

Over time, when you visit a fitness club and perform a workout, massive amounts of fluid are lost. For example, when you are sweating quite a bit, you will lose the water that was in the body. This is the reason that water plays a very essential role in sports nutrition. Water makes up approximately sixty percent of body weight.

Since the body cannot produce or collect a large amount of water, fluids must be replaced that was lost during the workout or practicing session, which usually exceeds the typical eight glasses of water a day. Otherwise, the body will become dehydrated.

You should maintain a diet that is well proportioned and well-balanced. The proper blending nutrients should include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats play a pivotal role in terms of energy and sports performance. Many people know that carbohydrates are the most important nutrient, which makes up approximately sixty to seventy percent of the calories that are in the body. A few examples of foods with carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, breads, and cereals.

Protein is another important part of sports nutrition. This nutrient gives nearly a minimum amount of fifteen to twenty percent of everyday energy, which is also for muscle and tissue building. Foods that contain proteins are dairy products, eggs, poultry, beans, nuts, among other foods.

If you decide to participate in sports-related activities, in addition to exercising, you should consider the regimen that comes with sports. These include drinking a large quantity of water, which is the most important and have a proper diet, as in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. (In terms of drinks, Gatorade will also work) With the proper regimen, you are more likely to become healthier, better sports performers, and more likely a happier life.

Knowing Your Nutrients' Colors: Six Colors You Should Know

During the spring and summer, it is the perfect time to pick up fresh produce. The good news: you can select them by color!

What is the significance of color to our delicious fruits and vegetables? It's healthier than you think!

The following are the fruits/vegetables' nutrient colors:

Dark Green

• Contains many beneficial nutrients (i.e. folic acid, minerals, and fiber)
• Vegetables (i.e. kale, spinach, and broccoli) contain antioxidants. Antioxidants may assist in cataract prevention, macular degeneration in the eyes, and artery clogging in the neck.

NOTE: If the green vegetable is darker, then it is much more nutritious.

Red/Pink

• Contains lycopene, an antioxidant that aids in fighting heart disease and some forms of cancer
• Watermelon, papaya, and tomatoes have a variety of tastes--they share a common goal!

Blue/Dark Purple

• Fruits and vegetables in this color category consists of anthocyanins, a pytonurtrients (plant nutrients)
• Aids in protecting against carcinogen (cancer cells) and may aid in preventing heart disease
• Examples of blue/dark purple fruits and vegetables: plums, purple grapes, beets, and blueberries

White

• A variation of white-colored vegetables (i.e. garlic and onions) are rich in allicin (a phytonutrient that may aid in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol
• Light green fruits (i.e. grapes and pears) contain polyphenols, which may reduce the risk of some forms of cancers

Black/Dark Red

What does black beans, red beans, and kidney beans have in common?

• They all contain protein, iron, and calcium
• Although black beans provide more fiber and calcium, red beans have more iron

Orange/Deep Yellow

• Contain Vitamin C, minerals, and beta-carotene, an antioxidant which aids in boosting the immune system.
• Orange fruits contain folate, which may aid in reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Examples: oranges and sweet potatoes

Coconut Water: Its Healthy Benefits

Want to indulge something that is tastier than 100% pure water? Not Sierra Mist or Dr. Pepper! It is water with an exotic twist--coconut water.

What is coconut water? It is water that comes from the coconut (not to be confused with coconut milk), the green coconut (the center of the fruit). It has less calories, less sodium, and more potassium than the Red Bull drink that many people consume.

Consuming coconut water has various health benefits:

• Low carbohydrates
• Low in sugar
• 99% fat-free

Many people consider coconut water as being one of the quintessential drinks to hydrate the body in addition to regular H2O and sports/energy drinks.

This water has a very appealing and light taste; it can also be beneficial in cooling the body as its normal temperature. It boosts the metabolism and weight loss; coconut water assists cells in building oxygen and nutrients.

Unfortunately, the majority of Americans do not receive the potassium amount needed in their daily diets. This is the result of not consuming enough fruits, vegetables, and/or dairy. Coconut water can often be a substitute for these nutrition deficiencies.

Although not many people know about coconut water, it is much healthier than a whole gallon of milk because it does not contain fat or cholesterol. It contains nutrients with having low calories.

This is a great way of adding potassium to your daily diet. This way--you can enjoy the light, tropical flavor, and be hydrated and healthy!

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This is my writing portfolio site. I will be posting my writing works, especially on nutrition and nutraceuticals on here. Look for me to post things on here on a frequent basis!

Until then, I will "see" you later!


Bettina