Phytochemicals – Multi Talented

Eat Raw Fruit and Vegetables

Eat Your 5 serving of fruit and vegetables daily

- if not think about a supplement

If you ever feel tempted to go for a burger, fries and a soft drink, consider this: along with the fast food, you are ordering up an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. But the opposite is true, too. According to a new University of Florida (UF) study, if you stay away from processed and fast foods and instead eat a lot of veggies, nuts and fruits, you will actively be helping to prevent or reverse harmful metabolic processes in your body. The result? Better health and a slimmer body.

An important advantage to having plant-based foods as an abundant part of your daily diet appears to result from the phytochemicals they contain. As noted in the UF findings recently published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, these natural substances prevent oxidative stress — a process linked to being overweight and to the onset of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Phytochemicals include lycopene from tomatoes, isoflavones from soy, beta carotene from carrots, anthocyanins from blueberries, allicin from garlic, and many more.

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Hot Coffee

We often get questions about coffee. It is okay for you? How much can I drink? The following article explores this topic.

One of the best ways to ward off chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, is to eat a diet rich in antioxidants. But many of us do not eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables considered superior sources of antioxidants.

So, guess where many people are getting their antioxidants instead? Recent studies reveal coffee may be a surprising source. In fact, it is the top dietary source of antioxidants in many populations, including in the United States . Moreover, roasted coffee residues retain their antioxidant ability; it isn’t lost in processing.

And there may be related benefits to this brew. Although most of the research is in the early stages, studies show that drinking coffee may be linked to some desirable health outcomes, such as:

Decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease: A study revealed that men may experience up to a 40% reduction in risk by drinking as little as one cup per day. However, the effects were not observed in postmenopausal women who take estrogen replacement. In this case, coffee drinking may actually increase Parkinson’s risk.

Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes: However, this reduced risk is only linked to people who drink excess amounts of coffee, which is not recommended; the risks of drinking too much coffee outweigh this possible benefit.

Decreased risk of liver cancer: Drinking coffee may be especially helpful reducing the risk of liver cancer caused by cirrhosis, a type of liver disease that causes scarring of the liver.

If coffee does have health benefits, it’s not clear what they are from. Coffee contains not only antioxidants, but also caffeine and other yet-to-be researched compounds.

But even if there are clear health benefits to the brew, there are caveats. Although coffee consumption does not seem to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, research shows that chronic consumption may increase aortic stiffness. Plus, unfiltered coffee can raise levels of blood fats, and excessive caffeine intake may be bad for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Coffee can contain anywhere from 72 to 130 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving, depending on the bean source and the brewing methods.

So there is give and take with coffee. If you don’t already drink it, the recent news about antioxidants is not necessarily a reason to pick up the habit. And for people who already drink it, it’s no excuse to stop eating fruits and veggies. Finally, because of the caffeine content, moderation is still the key to enjoying it healthfully.

Your best bet is to eat your fruits and veggies, and try to limit yourself to about one or two small cups about 8-ounces of coffee per day. That way you stay within the recommended limit of no more than 250 milligrams of caffeine per day.