The Nutrition and Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have been used by mankind for their health benefits for centuries. Both the Mayans and Aztecs have used these seeds in their diets for generations, and today people all around the world are enjoying the various nutrition benefits of chia seeds. 

 

Small but powerful, chia seeds are chocked full of vitamins and minerals and are easy to add to an everyday diet. They’re being used in cooking, added to beverages, used in baked goods, salads, and so much more. These seeds are an excellent source nutrients and antioxidants, and they come with a long list of health benefits. 

Nutrition Value of Chia Seeds

 

To simply say chia seeds are good for you is a severe understatement. These little seeds come with a variety of superpowers that target different health problems people may be dealing with. They can help reduce certain discomforts, prevent problems, and even reduce the risk of certain health concerns when used correctly. The following are just some of the nutritional values of chia seeds:

 

Essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids

 

Chia seeds are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital polyunsaturated fats. Due to the chia seed’s lipid profile, which is composed of about 60% omega-3s, or 4915 mg per ounce, they are one of the richest plant sources of essential fatty acids. 

 

Specifically, they’re a great source of alpha linolenic acid, also known as ALA. The omega-3s in chia seeds are great for helping reduce inflammation and high cholesterol, and can greatly enhance ones’ cognitive abilities and performance. In fact, many students add these seeds to teas and water to help them stay focused and alert for their rigorous studies. 

 

They also contain 1620 mg Omega-6 fatty acids per ounce, a wallop of goodness for heart health.

 

Antioxidants

 

A good source of antioxidants, chia seeds help to protect the body from free radicals, cancer, and the negative effects of aging. Due to the volume of antioxidants found in chia seeds, they are incredibly durable and have a long shelf life. Chia seeds can last up to two years without refrigeration—but you’ll likely use them long before that! 

 

Fiber

 

Fiber is great for keeping the bowels regular, lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammation, and keeping you full after a healthy meal. Chia seeds contain a lot of fiber, coming in at about 10 grams in just 2 tablespoons of the seed. Many people find it hard to get the recommended amount of fiber into their daily diet, so chia seeds are an easy way to add this nutrient in healthy doses. 

 

Lots of Minerals

 

Just two tablespoons of chia seeds include up to 18% of the DRI for calcium, 24% for magnesium, 35% for phosphorous, and up to 50% for manganese. These nutrients are highly important for helping the body fight against hypertension as well as maintain a healthy weight. They are also imperative for a part of DNA synthesis and energy metabolism, ensuring that you have enough energy to get through your day. 

Chia Seed Health Benefits 

 

In addition to the nutritional value of chia seeds, they also come with a number of health benefits. These include the following: 

 

Regulating Blood Sugar

 

Blood sugar is responsible for one’s energy. When blood sugar is low, people can feel lightheaded, sluggish, and very weak. When blood sugar is high, it can lead to serious problems. Chia seeds are handy for regulating the body’s insulin levels by reducing insulin resistance as well as decreasing uncharacteristically high levels of insulin in the blood. This leaves you feeling alert and energized.

 

Easily Digestible

 

Chia seeds can be digested whole unlike other high fiber, high omega-3 seeds such as flaxseed. Due to this, chia seeds are much more versatile and can be added to different dishes a number of different ways. Flaxseeds and the like must be ground for the individual to experience their full health benefits, but chia seeds can be eaten, drunk, and digested entirely whole and still offer the same amount of nutrients and minerals. 

 

Keeps You Full

 

One of the main problems of dieting is not feeling full or satiated. Many people cheat on their diets or simply struggle because the foods they’re eating do not contain enough protein or fiber to keep them full and focused and they find themselves feeling hungry and experiencing cravings. Chia seeds offer satiety, which helps you lower food cravings between meals. Due to the “gelling” effect of chia seeds when mixed with water, tea, or other liquids, they help you to feel fuller for longer. 

 

Gluten-Free

 

For those who are on a strictly gluten-free diet, there’s no worry of cutting chia seeds and their amazing health benefits out of your routine. Chia seeds have absolutely no grains or gluten, so they can be added to your gluten-free diet without worry. 

 

Are All Calories Created Equal?

Interestingly, the calories your body takes in may not be the same as the calories your body uses. A 2500 calorie per day diet may cause some people to gain weight, while a 2500 calorie per day diet consisting of different foods may cause no weight gain or even a weight loss. It all depends on how the calories are counted and on how your body digests those calories.

 

How Calorie Count Is Measured

 

Calories are the units of energy we use every day to measure the food intake we eat. One calorie is the amount of energy necessary to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius at normal atmospheric pressure. 

 

Calories In Food

 

When we talk about calories in food, we are actually talking about kilocalories. One scientific kilocalorie is equal to a thousand calories. When talking about food, one calorie is actually a kilocalorie.

 

Manufacturers of different types of food are measured using what is called a “bomb calorimeter.” The food is placed in a sealed container that is also filled with water at normal atmospheric pressure. Electrical energy is used to burn the food. When it is burned completely, the temperature of the water is measured and a calculation is made as to how many calories are in that food.  

 

How The Body Uses Calories

 

The problem with the bomb calorimeter is that it measures every available calorie the food contains and, in our diets, we don’t always use up every available calorie. 

 

Take fiber, for example. Fiber can be burned in a bomb calorimeter and its calories are measured as part of the total amount of calories in a specific food. In the gut, however, fiber is not digested (especially insoluble fiber) and it instead passes through the body to make up the bulky portion of stool. This means that the calories you ate from fiber aren’t absorbed and you are actually consuming fewer calories than you’d expect. This is a good reason to eat high fiber foods. 

 

The Atwater System

 

Another method of determining calories is called the Atwater system. In this system, the calories are broken down into the number of calories in the protein, fat, carbohydrates, and alcohol in each food. There are reference tables based on the energy density of the food. For protein, there are 4 kilocalories in each gram of protein. There are also 4 kilocalories in each gram of carbohydrate. Organic acids contain 3 kilocalories per gram and fats contain 9 kilocalories per gram. If you drink alcohol, it takes up 7 kilocalories per gram of alcohol. The food is broken down into the amount of each of these components and the calorie count is added up.  

 

Neither Method Is Truly Accurate

 

Neither method is a true measure of the digestibility of food and the degree of absorption of the digested products. The truth is that the food those calories come from greatly determines how they are processed in the body. 

 

Calories are NOT created equal as the exact same amount of calories from two different types of food can pose completely different biological effects in the body.

 

Soda Versus Mushrooms: A Case Study

 

Is 182 calories worth of soda the same as 182 calories worth of mushrooms? Let us see. 

 

The Soda

 

A 22-ounce serving of soda has 44 grams of sugar, 182 calories and nothing else. The stomach quickly absorbs the sugar causing a spike in blood glucose levels and a variety of bad chemical reactions in the body, including, but not limited to increases in storage of belly fat, increases in bad cholesterol and blood pressure, and may even contribute to infertility in women. 

 

The flood of insulin also blocks leptin, the hormone that controls appetite. As people become more resistant to leptin, they never register satiation, and this leads to overeating, out of control cravings and adds fuel to the sugar addiction fire. This domino effect leads to bad eating habits, and cravings for sugar that will never truly get satisfied.   

 

Additionally, the fructose in the soda does not send a signal to the brain that the body just received calories, so they are not registered as food, and this means that it will also effect ghrelin, the appetite hormone that is reduced when the body receives real food, leading to more hunger, more cravings, and over eating. 

The Mushrooms

 

Mushrooms are also carbohydrates, but instead of being simple sugars like the soda, they are complex carbs that digest slowly in the body. They will not cause blood sugar spikes, but instead be digested slowly and they provide essential nutrients, like potassium, fiber, protein, iron, vitamin D, and magnesium, healing the body instead of causing immense harm. 

 

The quality nutritional profile of the mushrooms supports numerous healthy results in the body, and also helps protect against chronic disease, including various cancers and heart disease.

 

The nutritional profile, slow digestion, and fiber found in mushrooms allow you to feel full and satisfied, eliminating out of control cravings and over eating. Will mushrooms contribute to weight gain? NO WAY! 

The difference between the calories in soda and mushrooms is marked. In fact, as opposed to the soda that is all harmful, there is not one thing in mushrooms that is.

 

One study that looked at the correlation of sugar and calories to risk of diabetes found that simply adding 150 calories a day to a diet barely raised the risk for diabetes, however when those calories were from soda the risk increased by 700%.

 

The Volume Is Impressive Too

 

By the way, 186 calories worth of mushrooms is almost 9 cups, which is a lot of mushrooms, especially in comparison to the 22 ounces of soda. 

 

Now, most people will not consume 9 cups of mushrooms in one sitting (mainly because they are so filling), but think about how much more food you can actually eat when choosing quality food?

 

What Does This Mean For Eating And Counting Calories? 

 

Eat slow digesting foods and skip the simple sugars!

 

Eat real whole food! 

 

Very Little Or No count

 

Look at food labels for foods that contain a high amount of fiber. Plant foods naturally contain a great deal of indigestible fiber that will bulk up the stool and won’t be counted as “real” calories because they are not digested or absorbed in the body. Vegetables are always your best choices, as are low sugar fruits like berries.

 

More Count

 

Meats, proteins, and other low fiber foods are more fully digested and absorbed, so those foods will count more than vegetables. 

 

Highest Count

 

Empty calorie foods, like cake, donuts, cookies, potato chips, soda and other junky foods are your worst choices that will do nothing good for your body and will cause serious harm.

 

Stock up on high fiber real food for your health!

 

B Vitamins 101

B Vitamins are water soluble and essential for many functions within the body; it is vital that we have a sufficient quantity of each of them. These vitamins are essential for many internal body functions including the nervous system, immune system, healthy blood cells, and cell division.  

 

Furthermore, B vitamins help to steadily release energy from the food we eat so we do not have to rely on sugary and unhealthy snacks between meals. 

 

B Vitamins can be easily destroyed through alcohol, cooking and certain food processing techniques; it is for this reason that white flour products are less nutritious than wholegrain products.  

 

The Different Types Of B Vitamins

 

It is a fact that B vitamins are a group that consists of eight different types of vitamins; the most commonly known varieties include folic acid, B12 and thiamine. While they all have slightly different functions, there are physical illnesses that are linked to a deficiency of such vitamins. Some of the key vitamins are discussed below.

 

Folic Acid

 

Folic acid is supplement that turns into folate once in the body. Folates are essential for DNA repair, and cell growth; this is particularly important at life stages such as infancy and pregnancy. It is important for women of childbearing age to ensure they take sufficient folic acid supplements; benefits for the unborn child and women are abundant. 

 

It is important for pregnant women to not only consume foods high in folic acid, but to take folic acid supplements. While the body has some in reserve, if there is a lack of supplements for a reasonable amount of time, a deficiency will occur. A deficiency can lead to depression, confusion, anemia, and ultimately, during pregnancy, fetal defects. Folic acid also appears to have benefits in reducing the likelihood and seriousness of other health conditions, including strokes and fertility.

 

Food sources include: As the name implies, foliage foods are high in folate, including, green leafy vegetables, such as turnip greens, and spinach, along with various fresh fruits. Folate fortified foods include various pastas, breads and other grains.

 

Vitamin B12

 

Vitamin B12 is important for essential brain and nervous system functioning. Vitamin B12 can be obtained through animal-based products such as eggs, milk, and shellfish. Vitamin B12 is also available as a supplement at many health-food shops and via your doctor. 

 

A lack of B12 in the body can have serious consequences on both the brain and nervous system; at even minor levels of deficiency, symptoms such as memory loss, fatigue, and depression can occur.  

 

Food sources include: Animal foods, like beef are the only natural source of vitamin B12, along with shellfish, clams, crab, and mussels. Many products are also fortified with it including, cereals, and soy foods.

 

Niacin

 

Niacin is also known as B3 and is important for many reactions within the body, including cell synthesis. Niacin has been shown to be beneficial in the cardiovascular system and associated health conditions.

 

Food sources include: It is relatively easy to get enough niacin, as it is present in foods such as peanuts, lentils, fish, and meat. 

 

Riboflavin

 

Riboflavin, also known as B2, is essential to create and maintain the body’s basic building blocks. A deficiency leads to symptoms including sore throat, birth defects if a woman is deficient during pregnancy, anemia, and oily skin. 

 

Food sources include:  Riboflavin is found in many food sources including milk, cheese, yeast, mushrooms, and almonds.

 

Pantothenic Acid

 

More commonly known as B5, pantothenic acid is vital for metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol. Additionally, it produces red blood cells and hormones such as steroids. B5 is widely available in many different forms, but are most often found in milk, eggs, and peanuts. It is exceptionally unusual but is characterized by fatigue, vomiting, and constipation.  

 

Food sources include: cheese, yogurt, asparagus, spinach, fish, eggs, chicken and fortified cereals.

 

Thiamin

 

The body uses thiamin to regulate appetite and supports metabolism. 

 

Food sources include: dark green leafy vegetables, pork, fortified cereals, wheat germ, green peas, lentils, almonds, and enriched rice.

 

Symptoms Of B Vitamin Deficiency

 

The symptoms of any of B vitamin deficiency are very similar to a large number of other health conditions so it is important to not self-diagnose any particular vitamin deficiency. 

 

Moreover, it is always a good idea to speak to your health professional before making any substantial changes to your diet. By eating a balanced diet on a daily basis, you will probably find you are consuming an adequate amount of B vitamins already.

 

Nature’s Superfood: The Nutrition And Health Benefits Of Buckwheat

Time and again nature reminds us just how good it is at creating nutritious and healthful food for humans to consume. Why so many of us reach for factory made junk is a mystery, when we have at our disposable nature’s perfect plant food gems, and buckwheat is a perfect example.

 

What is Buckwheat?

 

Agriculturists refer to it as a pseudo cereal. While the name leads one to believe the buckwheat plant yields a grain, the fruit of a grass plant with a hard exterior or hull, it does not. It is actually a type of shrub-like plant native to the temperate regions of East Asia. The buckwheat plant is bright green, having broad heart-shape leaves and white flowers, and its seeds are harvested for use. 

 

The plant tends to be short and broad, easily forming a notable level of ground coverage. Its cultivation in China dates back to 1000 AD. 

 

Currently, buckwheat is cultivated worldwide with most of it growing in China, Japan, and North America. Over 14 species of the plant exist with two of them being cultivated species and the remaining existing in the wild. 

 

Nutritional Content

 

Buckwheat contains a rich nutritional profile of protein, minerals, and fiber. 

 

• The levels of copper, zinc, and manganese exceed the levels found in other cereal grains. The significant bioavailability of copper, zinc, and potassium also makes buckwheat a desirable addition to any diet. In addition, buckwheat does not contain gluten so people with gluten sensitivities or intolerance may safely consume pure buckwheat flour, groats, and grits. 
• The protein content of buckwheat exceeds that of oats, one of the best plant sources for protein. Its protein content includes all eight essential amino acids with a strong concentration of lysine at six percent of its nutritional profile.
• Buckwheat grains contain high quantities B-complex vitamins, especially riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3).
• The grains contain high levels of soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps with digestion and elimination. 
• Gluten free so ideal for those with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity.

 

Health Benefits

 

People derive many health benefits from adding buckwheat to their diet. 

• It is good for diabetics. The high fiber content slows the absorption of glucose in the bloodstream, helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and possibly lowering A1C.
• It supports the immune system. Copper, zinc and potassium are key minerals for establishing and maintaining a healthy immune system. Copper also supports the production of red blood cells.
• It helps heart health. The magnesium content of buckwheat assists with lowering blood pressure building balanced cholesterol levels.
• Buckwheat fights inflammation a precursor and symptom of many systemic diseases. The polyphenols, water-soluble plant pigments with antioxidant properties, found in buckwheat combat inflammation and dysfunctional clotting in blood vessels. 

Purchasing And Preparing 

 

The seeds of the plant are harvested and processed in a variety of ways to make them available for various uses. After removing the hull from the three-sided triangular shaped seeds, they may be added to cereals, coarsely ground into grits, finely ground into flour or roasted to make kasha. 

 

Preparation methods for buckwheat groats and kasha include boiling, steaming and baking. The dishes serve the same role in meals as potatoes or rice. Buckwheat flour may also be added to sauces and gravies to give thicken them and give them additional color.

 

Other uses for buckwheat include:

 

• Providing honey bees with nectar which they transform into a dark strongly flavored honey
• A component of livestock feed to be used in combination with corn, barley or oats
• As a cover crop to prevent weeds before planting another crop
• As a fertilizer crop to be plowed under to return nutrients and moisture to the soil prior to the next planting
• Buckwheat is a versatile and nutritious plant. This gluten free and nutrient dense food grows quickly making it a plentiful food source. Some people get a skin rash when they eat buckwheat so monitor yourself for sensitivity.  
• Buckwheat is widely available and lends itself to a variety of preparations such as breakfast cereal, porridge pancakes as well as grain salads, pilafs, Asian Soba noodles, snacks and in baked goods. 

 

If you find the flavor of buckwheat too heavy or bitter, try blending it with other grains.

 

5 Ways To Improve Blood Circulation And Why You Should

Your circulation involves your heart, the arteries, the tiny arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins, and even the lungs that exchange de-oxygenated blood for oxygenated blood, which is what every cell needs in order to have normal cellular processes.  

 

Circulation Is Necessary For Life

 

• Some parts of the body have what’s called “dual circulation,” which means that the arteries have doubled up so that if one is blocked, other arteries can provide circulation to the same area so no cell death occurs. 
• Some areas of the body aren’t so lucky. The heart, for example, has little duplication of arterial supply so that, when an artery gets blocked, cell death occurs and you have a heart attack. 
• The brain also has very little duplication of arterial supply so that strokes can happen when arteries are blocked.

 

Blood circulation is necessary for the body to function and remain healthy. Your heart pumps blood through blood vessels throughout the circulatory system. Red blood cells carry oxygen to vital organs, which provides you with energy and vitality. Together, your vital organs and circulatory system form a unit that works constantly to make sure the body has adequate blood flow. Certain diseases inhibit this flow. 

 

Causes Of Poor Blood Circulation

 

Blood clots can slow or block blood circulation, and when this happens either a stroke or severe arterial damage can occur. Raynaud's Disease can cause poor blood circulation along with heart disease and deep vein thrombosis.

 

5 Ways To Improve Your Blood Circulation

 

1.    Exercise aerobically. When you do aerobic exercise, the blood flows to all the parts of the body, and the arteries circulate. Exercise is part of a heart-healthy program that gets the blood pumping through the heart and through the arteries of the heart. Exercise is known to decrease your risk of common circulatory disorders, such as heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

2.    Eat low cholesterol foods. Cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in the inner lining of the arteries. They gradually narrow and eventually narrow so much that the flow of blood through the arteries is so sluggish that blood clots form (these are called thrombi). If thrombi happen in the brain, you can get a stroke. If thrombi happen in the heart, you can get a heart attack. If thrombi develop in the arteries of the legs, you get peripheral vascular disease. Low cholesterol foods don’t contribute to getting cholesterol plaques.

3.    Eat soluble fiber. Soluble fiber soaks up cholesterol in the gut so that less cholesterol is absorbed by the GI tract. Common sources of soluble fiber include:

 

o   Oatmeal and oat cereal

o   Blueberries

o   Psyllium

o   Oranges

o   Apples

o   Nuts

o   Strawberries

o   Beans

o   Dried peas

o   Flaxseeds

o   Carrots

o   Celery

o   Cucumbers

 

Soluble fiber, in particular decrease the amount of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, which is the kind of cholesterol that makes arterial plaques.

4.    Build strong leg muscles. Circulation is more than just about arteries. In order to keep blood flowing, you need to have your veins bring the blood back from the periphery of your body. Veins that aren’t supported by strong valves and strong muscles can be sluggish and the flow can stagnate in the legs. This leads to venous dilation called varicose veins. You can prevent varicose veins and improve your circulation by keeping the muscles of your legs strong, avoiding standing for long periods of time, and by wearing compression stockings, especially if you don’t exercise much or if your job requires long periods of standing. If the veins become sluggish and dilate, you can get leakage of blood from the veins so that the veins become irritated, creating a condition called superficial thrombophlebitis, a painful condition involving inflammation in veins that have poor circulation.

5.    Stop smoking. Good circulation requires excellent air exchange between the de-oxygenated blood and the oxygenated blood taken in when we breathe fresh, oxygenated air. Smoking can do damage to the small bubble-like alveoli that are where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange places within the lungs. You need healthy lungs for good circulation and for good air exchange that will provide enough oxygen to tissues in the rest of the body. Smoking also contributes to vascular disease and increases the risk of various types of heart disease.  

 

Diabetes and Blood Circulation

 

Those who have diabetes need to pay special attention to overall health and blood circulation by getting regular medical checkups. Diabetes can cause poor blood circulation throughout the whole body, and especially in the feet and legs. According to the American Diabetes Association, exercise is very important to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of serious complications that poor blood circulation poses in those who have the disease. 

 

Bottom Line

 

Healthy blood circulation not only makes you healthy, it improves how you look by promoting a healthy skin color and glow. 

 

It also supports and promotes healthy brain function by keeping your mind focused and sharp.