For thousands of years, people throughout the world have used cinnamon for culinary and medicinal purposes. Native to Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka), cinnamon is mentioned in ancient Chinese texts nearly 5,000 years old.
As early as 2000 BC, cinnamon was exported from China to Egypt, where the Egyptians used it as a flavoring, a medicine and even an embalming agent. During the Middle Ages, Arab traders brought cinnamon into Egypt, where it was sold to Italian traders, who kept a tight grip on the cinnamon trade in Europe.
In medieval Europe, most meals were cooked in one pot, including both meat and fruit, and cinnamon helped combine the sweet and savory flavors. When the bubonic plague swept through Europe, sponges soaked in cinnamon and cloves were placed in the rooms of the sick.
Considered rare and precious for centuries, cinnamon has as times been seen as a symbol of power and prestige. Cinnamon was the most sough-after spice during the Age of Discovery and was the reason that many expeditions were launched. Portuguese traders arrived in Ceylon at the start of the sixteenth century and monopolized the trade of Ceylon cinnamon for over 100 years.
By the end of the eighteenth century, cinnamon production had spread to other countries, making the spice more accessible. Today, cinnamon is grown commercially in Java, Sumatra, Brazil, the West Indies, Vietnam, Madagascar and Egypt. The best cinnamon still comes from its birthplace, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), and is known as Ceylon cinnamon or “true cinnamon”.
High-quality cinnamon has a high yellowish-brown color and a fragrant smell. To produce the spice, the bark is stripped off the cinnamon tree and then dried. The thin inner bark is then separated from the woody outer bark and rolls into quills as it dries (the Italian word for cinnamon, canella, means “little tube”). Today, cinnamon is a key ingredient in treats such as apple pie and sweet rolls, and the scent of cinnamon is familiar in kitchen throughout the United States.
Most “cinnamon” in American grocery stores is in fact cassia (Cinnamomum cassia), a close cousin to cinnamon. Cassia is denser, coarser and less aromatic than cinnamon. Both come from the bark of small evergreen trees, but cassia is not separated from its hard outer bark before drying and does not form perfectly rolled quills like cinnamon. Cassia’s flavor is also less delicate than that of true cinnamon.
Cassia has a chemical composition similar to that of cinnamon, and it contains many of the same active ingredients. The United States Pharmacopeia recognizes cassia as cinnamon; therefore, most of the health claims made for cinnamon also apply to cassia.
Cinnamon Fast Facts
Uses and Benefits: Cinnamon may help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, fight bacteria and fungi, relieve intestinal distress, prevent colds and influenza, prevent blood clot and boost cognitive function.
Sources: Cinnamon is available in the spice section of any grocery store. Additionally, cinnamon supplements are available as capsules, powders and essential oils.
Special Considerations: Cinnamon is generally considered safe; however, because continued use may cause irritation, begin with small doses and increase as necessary. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should not take cinnamon in amounts greater than those typically found in food.
USANA Vitamins Chocolate Whey Nutrimeal™ is a soy-protein free alternative to the popular line of USANA® Nutrimeal shakes. Like the other flavors of Nutrimeal, it is a meal-replacement drink that is low glycemic and made with natural flavors and sweeteners.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Refined Sugars
Some nutritive sweeteners are not found naturally but instead are created commercially during refining, monosaccharides and disaccharides are extracted from plant foods to create sugars that can be added to foods, such as white table sugar, molasses, brown sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.
These sugars provide calories but few nutrients; they are often added to, or found in, foods and beverages that are high in calories but low in key nutrients. It’s important to keep your intake of added sugars low to leave room for more healthful foods and beverages.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the main calorie-containing sweetener used in American. Although the biggest dietary source is nondiet soda, HFCS is also found in many foods and beverages including salad dressing, pickled products, ketchup, baked foods such as breads, tabletop syrups, cadies, gums, deserts, and fruit drinks.
In recent years, HFCS has been singled out as a possible contributor to the current obesity epidemic in America. Some argue that increased availability of HFCS in our food supply has contributed significantly to an increased intake of sugar. Surveys have shown that obesity rates have climbed in both adults and children, in part due to increased daily intake, and many of those calories come from sugary soda and other foods and beverages made with added sugars including HFCS.
Although some researchers believe that, compared with equal calorie amounts of other sugars and sweeteners, consuming fructose (in the form of HFCS) affects hormones in a way that increases appetite and promotes body fat accumulation, recent research has failed to confirm this.
A recent report by The American Medical Association (AMA) concluded it’s unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose. Still, the AMA, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid, and many health professionals urge Americans to significantly reduce their intake of added sugars from all sources to stay within recommended guidelines.
Because HFCS is found in a lot of high-calories, nutrient-poor foods and beverages, and because foods with added sugars tend to be easy to overconsume, reducing your intake of any foods high in HFCS or any added sugars and sweeteners can certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake and leave room for more healthful foods and beverages.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols, also known as polyols, are found naturally in a variety of fruits and vegetables. They’re also commercially made from sucrose and glucose (two simple sugars) and from starch (a polysaccharide).
Sugar alcohols add wetness, bulk, texture, and moisture to foods and are often used by manufacturers to create reduced or low-carbohydrate products that appeal to people with type 2 diabetes or who simply want to limit their dietary carbohydrate intake. In general, sugar alcohols differ from sugar in that they’re not as sweet (though sweetness varies), have less of an impact on blood sugar levels than simple sugars, are less likely to promote tooth decay, and provide only about half as many calories (about 2 calories per gram versus 4 in sucrose and other sugars) because they’re only partially digested and absorbed by the body. (Erythritol is unique in that it is virtually calorie-free).
Some examples of sugar alcohols commonly found in foods and beverages include erythritol, lactilol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.
Because sugar alcohols are incompletely digested and therefore fermented by bacteria, consuming too many products that contain them can cause diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain because they’re in the large intestine. Again, erythritol is an exception; it’s less likely to cause diarrhea than other polyols.
Fructose malabsorption is a condition in which fructose cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream and instead stays in the gastrointestinal tract unabsorbed; this can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Sugar alcohols are compounds that contain monosaccharides (simple sugars) and are often used as nutritive sweeteners in many processed foods.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or when preparing, cooking, or consuming foods at the table.
MyPyramid is a graphic representation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a set of science-based recommendations for how to eat well to promote health and prevent disease. MyPyramid replaced the previous Food Guide Pyramid; it recommends specific calorie levels and meal patterns using foods and beverages from several categories.
USANA Vitamins Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bar - With a chocolate coating and nutty center, USANA Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bars provide all of the benefits of soy protein with naturally occurring soy isoflavones. Soy protein contains all the essential amino acids for
building a healthy body in optimal ratios and a highly digestible form
These sugars provide calories but few nutrients; they are often added to, or found in, foods and beverages that are high in calories but low in key nutrients. It’s important to keep your intake of added sugars low to leave room for more healthful foods and beverages.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the main calorie-containing sweetener used in American. Although the biggest dietary source is nondiet soda, HFCS is also found in many foods and beverages including salad dressing, pickled products, ketchup, baked foods such as breads, tabletop syrups, cadies, gums, deserts, and fruit drinks.
In recent years, HFCS has been singled out as a possible contributor to the current obesity epidemic in America. Some argue that increased availability of HFCS in our food supply has contributed significantly to an increased intake of sugar. Surveys have shown that obesity rates have climbed in both adults and children, in part due to increased daily intake, and many of those calories come from sugary soda and other foods and beverages made with added sugars including HFCS.
Although some researchers believe that, compared with equal calorie amounts of other sugars and sweeteners, consuming fructose (in the form of HFCS) affects hormones in a way that increases appetite and promotes body fat accumulation, recent research has failed to confirm this.
A recent report by The American Medical Association (AMA) concluded it’s unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose. Still, the AMA, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid, and many health professionals urge Americans to significantly reduce their intake of added sugars from all sources to stay within recommended guidelines.
Because HFCS is found in a lot of high-calories, nutrient-poor foods and beverages, and because foods with added sugars tend to be easy to overconsume, reducing your intake of any foods high in HFCS or any added sugars and sweeteners can certainly help reduce your overall calorie intake and leave room for more healthful foods and beverages.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols, also known as polyols, are found naturally in a variety of fruits and vegetables. They’re also commercially made from sucrose and glucose (two simple sugars) and from starch (a polysaccharide).
Sugar alcohols add wetness, bulk, texture, and moisture to foods and are often used by manufacturers to create reduced or low-carbohydrate products that appeal to people with type 2 diabetes or who simply want to limit their dietary carbohydrate intake. In general, sugar alcohols differ from sugar in that they’re not as sweet (though sweetness varies), have less of an impact on blood sugar levels than simple sugars, are less likely to promote tooth decay, and provide only about half as many calories (about 2 calories per gram versus 4 in sucrose and other sugars) because they’re only partially digested and absorbed by the body. (Erythritol is unique in that it is virtually calorie-free).
Some examples of sugar alcohols commonly found in foods and beverages include erythritol, lactilol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.
Because sugar alcohols are incompletely digested and therefore fermented by bacteria, consuming too many products that contain them can cause diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain because they’re in the large intestine. Again, erythritol is an exception; it’s less likely to cause diarrhea than other polyols.
Fructose malabsorption is a condition in which fructose cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream and instead stays in the gastrointestinal tract unabsorbed; this can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Sugar alcohols are compounds that contain monosaccharides (simple sugars) and are often used as nutritive sweeteners in many processed foods.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or when preparing, cooking, or consuming foods at the table.
MyPyramid is a graphic representation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a set of science-based recommendations for how to eat well to promote health and prevent disease. MyPyramid replaced the previous Food Guide Pyramid; it recommends specific calorie levels and meal patterns using foods and beverages from several categories.
USANA Vitamins Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bar - With a chocolate coating and nutty center, USANA Peanut Butter Crunch Nutrition Bars provide all of the benefits of soy protein with naturally occurring soy isoflavones. Soy protein contains all the essential amino acids for
building a healthy body in optimal ratios and a highly digestible form
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Energy Balance
Energy Intake
Energy intake is the amount of energy, expressed as calories, supplied by the diet. When you consume foods and beverages, calories created by the digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide the body with energy to help it function optimally. Carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram, and fats contain 9 calories per gram.
Although alcohol is another dietary source of calories or energy for the body, it contains few key nutrients to keep us healthy. One gram of alcohol contains 7 calories.
Factors That Affect Energy Intake
How many calories we consume on any given day is affected by an interaction of our genetic makeup and the environment we are exposed to early in life and our adult years. Hunger is a basic sensation that drives us to eat. The foods and beverages we prefer to consume are determined by genes and exposure to foods and beverages early in life. The sight and smell of foods or beverages influence our appetite; highly palatable and appealing foods such as sweets or fried foods can increase appetite and lead us to eat (even if we’re not hungry), while the sight or smell of some foods can diminish appetite.
Other factors that affect our energy intake include: Nutrients in food, Portion sizes, Psychological factors and Social factors.
Foods that high in protein (for example, lean meats, poultry, fish, soy foods, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy foods), fiber (for example, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), or both (for example, beans) promote satiety, by filling us up more than foods that are lower in protein or fiber.
Portion sizes also influence how much we eat and drink. Often, we consume more when we’re served larger portions than when we are presented with smaller portions. Because many people eat many of their meals away from home and foods and beverages (whether from restaurants, food carts, or vending machines, for example) are offered in bloated portion sizes, it’s no surprise that many of us consume more than we intend to without even realizing it and subsequently gain weight.
Overweight and Obesity
Emotions such as stress or anxiety can also affect energy intake. Some people eat more when feeling down; others might shun or dramatically decrease food intake in response to negative emotions. Also, those who tend to eat more when they’re stressed often turn to high-calorie, high-fat, or high-sugar but nutrient-poor “comfort foods” to make themselves feel better (even though these foods actually may do the opposite and make them feel worse, promote swings in their blood sugar levels, increase hunger, or contribute to overeating and subsequent weight gain).
Dining with others can encourage people to eat more than they would if they were alone. However, eating in front of the television or computer monitor, while listening to music, while driving, or when otherwise distracted can lead to mindless munching.
Energy Expenditure
Energy expenditure is the amount of calories the body burns or uses up each day. Basal energy expenditure (BEE) counts the calories used just for breathing and other basic body functions. It accounts for a surprising 75% of the total calories you burn each day. Total daily energy expenditure additionally includes the energy used to
• Process food (this include digesting and absorbing food, moving nutrients around the body, and storing nutrients for later use; represents about 10% of total energy expenditure)
• Support physical activity and exercise (this include all body movements, varies from person to person and depends on the type of activities you choose and how often, how intensely, and for how long you engage in physical activity or exercise)
Factors That Affect Energy Expenditure
Although genes largely determine whether your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is high or low, several environmental factors affect how many calories you burn each day. RMR is relatively consistent in an individual but can vary widely from person to person; this accounts for the marked differences in individual daily calorie needs.
Estimating Your Daily Calorie Needs
Those who have more lean body mass have a higher RMR than those with a lower proportion of lean body mass, which means they burn more calories. Men often have a higher RMR than women because they tend to weight more and have more lean body mass. Younger people also tend to have a higher RMR than older people because getting older often causes a loss of muscle tissue and an increase in body fat. RMR might also increase during
• Growth (example: pregnancy, infancy, and childhood)
• Cold weather (RMR increases to warm the body)
• Physical stress, illness, or fever
Daily calorie expenditure can also vary tremendously among individuals because of body movements not related to exercise. Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended during daily activities such as sitting, standing, and fidgeting. Studies have shown that lean people expend more energy on these subtle body movements than obese people.
Hunger is a painful or unpleasant sensation in your stomach caused by the lack of food.
Appetite is a mental desire for food that might have nothing to do with hunger; it often results from pleasant sensations associated with foods or can even be triggered by the time of day or by smells.
Satiety is a feeling of fullness (satiation) that occurs after you have eaten enough; this sensation reduces the desire for more food.
Basal energy expenditure (BEE), also called resting energy expenditure (REE), is the energy or calories needed by the body to support basic physiological functions such as breathing, moving blood around the body, and building and repairing body cells. BEE accounts for most of the total energy used by the body each day and is fairly constant.
USANA Vitamins Rev3 Energy Surge™ Pack – USANA Rev3 Energy Surge Pack contains a natural source of caffeine derived from the leaves of three different types of teas. This caffeine helps to provide a feeling of increased energy and mental alertness.
Energy intake is the amount of energy, expressed as calories, supplied by the diet. When you consume foods and beverages, calories created by the digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide the body with energy to help it function optimally. Carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram, and fats contain 9 calories per gram.
Although alcohol is another dietary source of calories or energy for the body, it contains few key nutrients to keep us healthy. One gram of alcohol contains 7 calories.
Factors That Affect Energy Intake
How many calories we consume on any given day is affected by an interaction of our genetic makeup and the environment we are exposed to early in life and our adult years. Hunger is a basic sensation that drives us to eat. The foods and beverages we prefer to consume are determined by genes and exposure to foods and beverages early in life. The sight and smell of foods or beverages influence our appetite; highly palatable and appealing foods such as sweets or fried foods can increase appetite and lead us to eat (even if we’re not hungry), while the sight or smell of some foods can diminish appetite.
Other factors that affect our energy intake include: Nutrients in food, Portion sizes, Psychological factors and Social factors.
Foods that high in protein (for example, lean meats, poultry, fish, soy foods, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy foods), fiber (for example, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), or both (for example, beans) promote satiety, by filling us up more than foods that are lower in protein or fiber.
Portion sizes also influence how much we eat and drink. Often, we consume more when we’re served larger portions than when we are presented with smaller portions. Because many people eat many of their meals away from home and foods and beverages (whether from restaurants, food carts, or vending machines, for example) are offered in bloated portion sizes, it’s no surprise that many of us consume more than we intend to without even realizing it and subsequently gain weight.
Overweight and Obesity
Emotions such as stress or anxiety can also affect energy intake. Some people eat more when feeling down; others might shun or dramatically decrease food intake in response to negative emotions. Also, those who tend to eat more when they’re stressed often turn to high-calorie, high-fat, or high-sugar but nutrient-poor “comfort foods” to make themselves feel better (even though these foods actually may do the opposite and make them feel worse, promote swings in their blood sugar levels, increase hunger, or contribute to overeating and subsequent weight gain).
Dining with others can encourage people to eat more than they would if they were alone. However, eating in front of the television or computer monitor, while listening to music, while driving, or when otherwise distracted can lead to mindless munching.
Energy Expenditure
Energy expenditure is the amount of calories the body burns or uses up each day. Basal energy expenditure (BEE) counts the calories used just for breathing and other basic body functions. It accounts for a surprising 75% of the total calories you burn each day. Total daily energy expenditure additionally includes the energy used to
• Process food (this include digesting and absorbing food, moving nutrients around the body, and storing nutrients for later use; represents about 10% of total energy expenditure)
• Support physical activity and exercise (this include all body movements, varies from person to person and depends on the type of activities you choose and how often, how intensely, and for how long you engage in physical activity or exercise)
Factors That Affect Energy Expenditure
Although genes largely determine whether your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is high or low, several environmental factors affect how many calories you burn each day. RMR is relatively consistent in an individual but can vary widely from person to person; this accounts for the marked differences in individual daily calorie needs.
Estimating Your Daily Calorie Needs
Those who have more lean body mass have a higher RMR than those with a lower proportion of lean body mass, which means they burn more calories. Men often have a higher RMR than women because they tend to weight more and have more lean body mass. Younger people also tend to have a higher RMR than older people because getting older often causes a loss of muscle tissue and an increase in body fat. RMR might also increase during
• Growth (example: pregnancy, infancy, and childhood)
• Cold weather (RMR increases to warm the body)
• Physical stress, illness, or fever
Daily calorie expenditure can also vary tremendously among individuals because of body movements not related to exercise. Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended during daily activities such as sitting, standing, and fidgeting. Studies have shown that lean people expend more energy on these subtle body movements than obese people.
Hunger is a painful or unpleasant sensation in your stomach caused by the lack of food.
Appetite is a mental desire for food that might have nothing to do with hunger; it often results from pleasant sensations associated with foods or can even be triggered by the time of day or by smells.
Satiety is a feeling of fullness (satiation) that occurs after you have eaten enough; this sensation reduces the desire for more food.
Basal energy expenditure (BEE), also called resting energy expenditure (REE), is the energy or calories needed by the body to support basic physiological functions such as breathing, moving blood around the body, and building and repairing body cells. BEE accounts for most of the total energy used by the body each day and is fairly constant.
USANA Vitamins Rev3 Energy Surge™ Pack – USANA Rev3 Energy Surge Pack contains a natural source of caffeine derived from the leaves of three different types of teas. This caffeine helps to provide a feeling of increased energy and mental alertness.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sodium Functions
Sodium is a major mineral our bodies depend on to function optimally. It works with two other minerals – potassium and chloride – to maintain water balance and regulate blood pressure. Sodium also helps maintain acid/base balance, carry carbon dioxide, transmit nerve impulses, and contact muscles.
About 75 percent of ht sodium we consume each day comes from packaged, processed foods and beverages and restaurant foods (including fast food). Only about 25 percent comes from table salt (sodium chloride) that’s added while preparing, cooking, or eating food and from sodium found naturally in foods and beverages such as eggs, fish and shellfish, meats, poultry, milk and milk products, and softened water. One teaspoon of table salt contains 2,325 mg of sodium, more than the 2,300 mg upper limit (UL), the tolerable upper intake level per day set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.
Salt is made of sodium and chloride. Because 40% of salt is sodium, you can figure out how much salt a product contains by multiplying the milligrams of sodium listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel by 2.5. For example, if a can of soup contains 500 milligrams of sodium, 500 multiplied by 2.5 equals 1,250 milligrams of salt.
Consuming less than 500 milligrams o sodium each day can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and fainting.
Consuming too much sodium can contribute to the development of a number of health problems, including hypertension (high blood pressure), in those who are salt-sensitive. High blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. Experts believe that about half of those with hypertension and about one in four who have so-called normal blood pressure can be salt-sensitive. Salt sensitivity also increases conditions such as left ventricular hypertrophy in which the heart’s main pumping chamber is enlarged and does not function properly. It also raises the risk of kidney problems. Researchers believe that the following people are more likely to be salt-sensitive than their counterparts:
• People with hypertension, diabetes, or kidney disease
• People who have a family member with hypertension
• Middle-aged and older adults
• African Americans
Genetic factors can also play a role in how salt intake affects blood pressure. Unfortunately, there are currently no tests you can take to determine if you’re salt sensitive.
A high sodium intake can also have other harmful effects. If you consume too much sodium and at the same time don’t get enough dietary calcium, the excess sodium can promote calcium loss from bones, resulting in bone fractures and osteoporosis.
Too much sodium without enough water can also promote dehydration, which is a concern for athletes in particular. Although the kidney of healthy people can usually excrete excessive sodium from the body, those with impaired kidney function who overconsume sodium might not be able to and instead, can store excess sodium. That can lead to edema, or selling in the face, legs, and feet.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is persistently elevated blood pressure greater than 14/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).
About 75 percent of ht sodium we consume each day comes from packaged, processed foods and beverages and restaurant foods (including fast food). Only about 25 percent comes from table salt (sodium chloride) that’s added while preparing, cooking, or eating food and from sodium found naturally in foods and beverages such as eggs, fish and shellfish, meats, poultry, milk and milk products, and softened water. One teaspoon of table salt contains 2,325 mg of sodium, more than the 2,300 mg upper limit (UL), the tolerable upper intake level per day set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.
Salt is made of sodium and chloride. Because 40% of salt is sodium, you can figure out how much salt a product contains by multiplying the milligrams of sodium listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel by 2.5. For example, if a can of soup contains 500 milligrams of sodium, 500 multiplied by 2.5 equals 1,250 milligrams of salt.
Consuming less than 500 milligrams o sodium each day can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and fainting.
Consuming too much sodium can contribute to the development of a number of health problems, including hypertension (high blood pressure), in those who are salt-sensitive. High blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. Experts believe that about half of those with hypertension and about one in four who have so-called normal blood pressure can be salt-sensitive. Salt sensitivity also increases conditions such as left ventricular hypertrophy in which the heart’s main pumping chamber is enlarged and does not function properly. It also raises the risk of kidney problems. Researchers believe that the following people are more likely to be salt-sensitive than their counterparts:
• People with hypertension, diabetes, or kidney disease
• People who have a family member with hypertension
• Middle-aged and older adults
• African Americans
Genetic factors can also play a role in how salt intake affects blood pressure. Unfortunately, there are currently no tests you can take to determine if you’re salt sensitive.
A high sodium intake can also have other harmful effects. If you consume too much sodium and at the same time don’t get enough dietary calcium, the excess sodium can promote calcium loss from bones, resulting in bone fractures and osteoporosis.
Too much sodium without enough water can also promote dehydration, which is a concern for athletes in particular. Although the kidney of healthy people can usually excrete excessive sodium from the body, those with impaired kidney function who overconsume sodium might not be able to and instead, can store excess sodium. That can lead to edema, or selling in the face, legs, and feet.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is persistently elevated blood pressure greater than 14/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Vitamin E Functions
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role as an antioxidant. It protects vitamins A and C, red blood cells, and essential fatty acids from being destroyed by free radicals, which are unstable substances in the environment and in the body. Vitamin E also helps form red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K.
Vitamin E has also been shown to play a role in immune function and repair of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a set of instructions for our genes.
Vitamin E might also play a role in heart healthy by preventing oxidation of bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and unhealthy plaque buildup in coronary arteries.
Dietary Sources
Vitamin E is not found abundantly in the diet, although some foods, including vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables, and nuts are natural sources. Some foods are also fortified with vitamin E.
Vitamin E is listed as IUs on food labels and dietary supplement packages. One milligram (mg) of alpha-tocopherol, the form of vitamin E found abundantly in the body, equals 1.49 IUs.
Vitamin E deficiency is rare, mostly only among premature infants and people who cannot absorb dietary fat (such as those with cystic fibrosis). They can experience symptoms such as muscle weakness, balance problems, and impaired vision.
Too much vitamin E can decrease the availability of or interfere with the body’s use of other fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and K). Symptoms can include nausea and problems with the digestive tract.
Although the upper limit for vitamin E is 1,000 IU, in 2004, the American Heart Association warned that consuming more than 400 IU of vitamin E from supplements can cause harm and increase death risk.
Those who take blood-thinning medications or statins such as Coumadin should speak with their physician before taking vitamin E supplements because they can interfere with the effectiveness of their medications or be harmful.
Essential fatty acids are fatty acids the body needs to obtain from the diet because it cannot make any or enough of them to meet the body’s needs.
Vitamin E has also been shown to play a role in immune function and repair of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a set of instructions for our genes.
Vitamin E might also play a role in heart healthy by preventing oxidation of bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and unhealthy plaque buildup in coronary arteries.
Dietary Sources
Vitamin E is not found abundantly in the diet, although some foods, including vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables, and nuts are natural sources. Some foods are also fortified with vitamin E.
Vitamin E is listed as IUs on food labels and dietary supplement packages. One milligram (mg) of alpha-tocopherol, the form of vitamin E found abundantly in the body, equals 1.49 IUs.
Vitamin E deficiency is rare, mostly only among premature infants and people who cannot absorb dietary fat (such as those with cystic fibrosis). They can experience symptoms such as muscle weakness, balance problems, and impaired vision.
Too much vitamin E can decrease the availability of or interfere with the body’s use of other fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and K). Symptoms can include nausea and problems with the digestive tract.
Although the upper limit for vitamin E is 1,000 IU, in 2004, the American Heart Association warned that consuming more than 400 IU of vitamin E from supplements can cause harm and increase death risk.
Those who take blood-thinning medications or statins such as Coumadin should speak with their physician before taking vitamin E supplements because they can interfere with the effectiveness of their medications or be harmful.
Essential fatty acids are fatty acids the body needs to obtain from the diet because it cannot make any or enough of them to meet the body’s needs.
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