You are what you eat. You can make the difference.

Amazing health benefit of green tea

Green Tea

The major polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids. The four major flavonoids in green tea are the catechins, epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). (Sinija 2008). It is rich in health promoting flavonoids (Catechins). The most abundant Catechins is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). It also contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E and C as free radicals scavenger.

polyphenols in green tea are potent antioxidants with antimutagenic, antidiabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypocholesterolemic properties. (Cabrera 2006).

How much of Green Tea is efficient to exert its health benefits?
- 5 -6 cups of green tea per day (240 -320mg polyphenols and 200-300 mg EGCG).( Wolfram 2007).

Health Benefits of Green Tea
- Reduce risk of Cancer (Prostate, Ovarian, Colorectal, Brain, Lung Tumor), infection, cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, osteoporosis. (Schnerider 2009).

How It Is Works?
- Inhibits Atherosclerosis
- Help to prevent blood clot
- Reduce Blood Pressure
- Lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, lipid peroxides

The National Cancer Institute is actively exploring tea compounds as cancer-chemo preventive and adjuvant treatment agents in human trials.

References:
1. Wolfram, S. 2007. Effects of green tea and EGCG on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health. J Am Coll Nutr. 4 373S-388S.
2. Sinijia,V.R. et al. 2003. Green tea: Health Benefits. 4:232-242.
3. Schnerider, C. et al. 2009. Green Tea: Potential Health Benefits. American Family Physician. 79:7.
4. Cabrera C, Artacho R, Giménez R. 2006. Beneficial effects of green tea—a review. J Am Coll Nutr. 25(2):79-99.

Toxins are surrounding us!

How About Reduce Your Cholesterol Level with Foods?

Top Cholesterol Lowering Foods

 

1. Brown Rice

 The oil in whole brown rice has cholesterol lowering effect. It also supplies good amount of fiber, magnesium and B vitamins for healthy heart. (Gerhardt 1998).

2. Apples

Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids (Quercetin) in apples act as a powerful antioxidant that seems to short-circuit the process that leads “bad” LDL cholesterol to accumulate in the bloodstream. (Aprikian 2003).

3. Cinnamon

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in people with type-2 diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride, LDL, the bad cholesterol and the total cholesterol level. (Sambaiah 2006).

4. Beans

Beans and vegetables are an excellent source of soluble fiber and high in vegetable protein. By properly combing beans with brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat you can create a complete protein. Properly combined beans become an excellent substitute for red meat protein that is high in saturated fat.

5. Soy

The top health promoting components in soybeans are isoflavones and soluble fiber. Isoflavones act like human hormone that can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. All soy products (soybeans, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, etc.) are complete proteins. (Wong 1998).

6. Oats

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber — enough to lower your cholesterol. (Brown 1999).

7. Garlic

Garlic contains the chemical allicin, which has been shown to kill bacteria and fungi, and alleviate certain digestive disorders. It also lowers the blood-clotting properties of blood. But the most notable attention garlic has received over recent years is its possible usefulness in lowering cholesterol levels. (Yeh 2001).

8. Salmon

The major health components in salmon include: Omega-3 fatty-acids and protein. These components have a favorable cardiovascular effect. The American Heart Association recommends that people include at least two servings of fish/week, particularly fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring), in their diets.

9. Walnuts

Walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol because they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks. A cholesterol-lowering diet with a little less than 1/3 of a cup of walnuts a day may reduce LDL cholesterol by 12%. (Ros 2004).

10. Grapes

Flavonoids in grapes protect LDL cholesterol from free radical damage and reduce platelet clumping. The LDL lowering effect of grapes comes from a compound that grapes produce normally to resist mold. The darker the grape, the better.

Referrences:

1. Gerhardt, A.L. et al. 1998. Full-Fat Rice Bran and Oat Bran Similarly Reduce Hypercholesterolemia in Humans. J.Nutr.128:865-869.

2. Aprikian, O. et al. 2003. Apple Pectin and a Polyphenol-Rich Apple Concentrate Are More Effective Together Than Separately on Cecal Fermentations and Plasma Lipids in Rats. J Nutr. 133:1860-1865.

3. Sambaiah, K. et al. 2006. Effect of cumin, cinnamon, ginger, mustard and tamarind in induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Molecular Nutr. 35:47-51.

4. Brown, L. et al.1999. Cholesterol-Lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 69:30-42.

5. Wong, W.W. et al.1998. Cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic men. Am J Clin Nutr. 68:13855-13895.

6. Ros, E. et al. 2004. A Walnut Diet Improves Endothelial Function in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects. Circulation. 10.1161.

7. Yeh, Y.Y. et al. 2001. Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Garlic Extracts and Organosulfur Compounds: Human and Animal Studies. J. Nutr. 989S-993S.

Boosting Your Body Metabolism is a Part of Weight Loss

Ways of Metabolism Boosting

The basic process of metabolism is the breakdown and delivery of nutrients from the food that we eat into every cell in our bodies. Body need burn more energy for these processes of digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients. What kinds of foods will need makes body need more energy to process the food into nutrients?

1. High protein food

It has been clinically shown its thermic effect on body. Body will burn more energy to produce body heat for every consumption of protein. Protein also increases the satiety than carbohydrate or fat. (Velasquez 2007). For example, lean meat of poultry.

2. Eat more fiber

Fiber is indigestible in our body. However, body will try hard effort to digest it. More energy burned in digesting and breakdown of the food.

3. Small and frequent meal consumption

Eating small portion of meals throughout the day frequently will increases metabolism than eating large portion of meals in once time if both diet also same in calorie. This is because large portion of food provides large amount of glucose which tend to stored as fat if excessive.

4. Don’t skip your meal

If you skip your meal, your body will be in starvation mode. To reduce energy wasted in body or body tend to reserve more energy, your body metabolism will decreased to reserve more energy.

5. Drink enough water

Water is needed in the metabolism process so as to help in converting the fat into the energy.

6. Exercise

When you do exercise frequently, your body will know that you need more energy for the daily activities or exercise. Thus, your metabolism rate will be increased to suit the increased energy need of body. Even you are in the resting mode, you body will burn more energy than other who less doing exercise.

Are ingest toxins or carcinogen in your food everyday? The Breaking News From FDA: Acrylamide found in our food!

What is the Acrylamide in the food?

Acrylamide is a carcinogen (agent causing cancer) or neurotoxin (toxin causing nerve damage). According to FDA 2012, Acrylamide is a chemical substance that can produced in certain foods during high-temperature cooking processes with 250° F such as frying, roasting, and baking. It doesn’t contain in raw food naturally. It is converted from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food; it does not come from food packaging or the environment.

Acrylamide should not exist in our human food; it is the material used to manufacture products such as plastics, grouts, water treatment products, and cosmetics. Acrylamide is also found in cigarette smoke. Acrylamide had been present in our daily food for a long time, but it was only first detected in April 2002.

Boiling and steaming do not typically form acrylamide. Acrylamide is found mainly in foods made from plants, such as potato products, grain products, or coffee. Generally, acrylamide is more likely to accumulate when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures.

FDA regulates the amount of residual acrylamide in a variety of materials that come in contact with food; The EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water. European governments permit 10 parts per million (ppb) of acrylamide in packaged foods, but U.S. standards are more lax. For example, Kellogg’s Rice Crispies contain 110 ppb and Pringles original crisps contain 1,480 ppb. Sugar-coated breakfast cereals have even higher levels than Rice Crispies.

Examples of Foods with Acrylamide Exposure

·         Plant foods such as potatoe (French fries, potato chips), grain products (breads and breakfast cereals, cookies, toast), and coffee. While, dairy, animal foods (poultry, meat) or seafood are excluded.

·         Various forms of these foods are typically fried, baked or roasted. Steaming or boiling cooking method are safe from Acrylamide production.

The average content in potato chips is approximately 1000 micrograms/kg and in French fries approximately 500 micrograms/kg. Other food groups which may contain low as well as high levels of acrylamide are fried bread products-such as doughnuts-breakfast cereals, fried potato products, biscuits, cookies and snacks, such as tortilla chips, bread crust and popcorn.

What Can I Do to Reduce Acrylamide?

· The cooking method affect the amount of Acrylamide form in the foods. Boiling/Microwaving doesn’t produce Acrylamide. The sequences of Acrylamide level following the cooking method : Frying > Roasting > Baking > Boiling/Microwaving.

·  Soaking raw potato slices in water for 15-30 minutes before frying or roasting helps reduce acrylamide formation during cooking.

·  Storing potatoes in the refrigerator can result in increased acrylamide during cooking. Hence, store potatoes outside the refrigerator, preferably in a dark, cool place, such as a closet or a pantry, to prevent sprouting.

·   Generally, more acrylamide accumulates when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures. Cooking cut potato products, such as frozen French fries or potato slices, to a golden yellow color rather than a brown color helps reduce acrylamide formation (see Picture A). Brown areas tend to contain more acrylamide.

·   Toasting bread to a light brown color, rather than a dark brown color, lowers the amount of acrylamide (see Picture B). Very brown areas should be avoided, since they contain the most acrylamide.

·   Acrylamide forms in coffee when coffee beans are roasted, not when coffee is brewed at home or in a restaurant. So far, scientists have not found good ways to reduce acrylamide formation in coffee.

Golden yellow: Less Acrylamide	Brown: More Acrylamide
Light brown: Less Acrylamide	Dark brown: More Acrylamide

References:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2012: Food Contaminants & Adulteration.

Amazing Natural Medicine for Health

Purple Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is the 6^th most important food crop in the world. It is the important food to solve global shortage of food. Studies show that sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins (B1, B2, C and E), minerals (calcium,magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus and zinc), dietary fiber, and nonfibrous carbohydrates. Purple sweet potato is high in anthocyanin compared to white, yellow, and orange-fleshed sweet potato. The purple pigments of sweet potato is due to its high content of anthocyanin. 

Benefits of Purple Sweet Potato

1.    Enhance memory, prevent inflammatory health problems like asthma, arthritis, gout and others. Because it contains Anthocyanin that has antioxidant properties or radical scavengers. It also rich in Vitamins with antioxidant property such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E.

2.    Prevent lower health risk posed by heavy metals (mercury, cadmium or arsenic) and oxygen radicals such as irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis because It is rich in phytonutrients such as Anthocyanin (Cyanidins and Peonidins).

3.    People may have misconception of sweet potato “ It is starchy food which contains Carbohydrate and diabetic should not take carbohydrate from sweet potato”. By the way, it is the excellent source of complex carbohydrate for diabetic because it regulates the blood sugar levels and prevent insulin resistance. It is also low in glycemic index which is only 17. Sweet potatoes can significantly increase blood levels of adiponectin in diabetic. Adiponectin is a protein hormone produced by our fat cells which help to regulate insulin metabolism. Among overweight/obese people, their fat cells will produce less adiponectin and thus less control insulin well.

4.    It is high in fiber which help to prevent constipation, promote detoxification and reduce cholesterol absorption in body.

5.    It is also high in potassium which able to reduce sodium level in body due to excessive salt consumption. Thus, it reduces risk of hypertension and heart disease. It helps to regulate the balance of electrolyte and water. Hence, it prevent the weight gain due to water retention.

6.    Enhance immunity because it is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C and B-complex. Sweet potato is the immune booster.

7.    It reduce the chance of bacterial invasion into body or infection. It contains polysaccharide-related molecules called batatins and batatosides.

8.    It prevent cancer.  It is antimutagenic that prevent mutagen cells development in our body.

Why do I just can’t stop eating?

Poor Brain Control lead to Weight Gain

 

There are four major brain chemical systems; the Catecholamine system, the Cholinergic system, the GABAergic system and the Serotonergic system. The primary brain chemicals in each of these systems are:

• Dopamine

• Acetylcholine

• GABA

• Serotonin

Let’s us talk about the GABA:

1.     Do you eat your food quickly?

2.     Do you feel moody when hungry?

3. Do you always snacking after having main meals?

4.     Do you found that you eat more than your friends?

These are the signs of food cravings. If yes, your brain may lack of GABA. Lacking of GABA prompt you to take more foods.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

It is non-essential amino acid which naturally produced by our brain to control eating, relax mind and mood. It acts as neurotransmitter to transfer the brain electrical signal of stomach fullness between neurons to reach our brains which control satiety.

·It increases the fat metabolism or fat burning.

·Reduce anxiety induced-food craving/Overeating by control
satiety-controlling areas of brain.

·It tells you when to stop eating & recognize when you are
full.

Your increasing waistline is the main indicator of deficiency of GABA!

Deficiency of GABA will leading to food addiction and weight gain. You don’t know when to stop eating as your food consumption is enough for your body.

When GABA is low, we feel emotional such irritable, nervous, tense and etc. We resolve our anxiety by eating excessive food. That’s called emotional eating.

1. Caffeine is less effective on me                                            True/False
2. I always have to take dessert after dinner or lunch.                 True/False
3. I always eat the same types of food repeatedly.                      True/False
4. I have food craving for bitter food.                                       True/False
5. I lose my temper easily.                                                      True/False
6. I feel nervous or irritated easily.                                             True/False
7. I always unable to manage stress well.                                      True/False
8. I often feel fatigued even when I have a good sleep.                  True/False
9. I always overeating.                                                               True/False
10. My friends always said I have a big appetite.                             True/False
11. I don’t feel full if I eat same amount of food as my friends do.  True/False
12. I eat food quickly.                                                              True/False
13. I am easily irritated.                                                           True/False
14. I am very suspicious.                                                           True/False
15. I always believe my idea or thinking is superior.                       True/False
16. I crave for carbohydrate foods.                                            True/False
17. I crave for salty foods.                                                        True/False
18. I don’t have other interest on any activities except eating.       True/False
19. I find myself thinking same things over and over again.            True/False
20. I have little energy to exercise.                                            True/False
21. I have a thought of suicide.                                                 True/False
22. I don’t feel meaning of life.                                                 True/False
23. I found that I am not strong as I used to be.                           True/False

The most your answer is “yes”, the most probably you are deficient of GABA.

What you can do now is to take proper supplementation with GABA to balance your brain system. The suggested daily dose is 500 – 3000 mg GABA. Please take it within the suggested dosage to avoid any side effect of excessive supplementation.

Besides, you also can have more GABA in your diet, instead of taking supplementation. The examples of GABA food sources are almonds, rice bran, lentils, broccoli, spinach, citrus fruits, tree nuts, banana, brown rice, oat, whole wheat and green tea. Eating complex carbohydrates food sources increase glutamic acid which form glutamine which is the amino acid for production of GABA. Some bacteria in lactobacillus family synthesis GABA as byproduct when fermentating milk or soy such as tempeh (fermented soy).

烹煮菜肴，也有大学问？Big knowledge in cooking

选对食用油,决定你的健康!
Choosing right Cooking oil, Decide your health

市场上摆买着不同的食用油,不管是便宜或昂贵的食用油, 只要食用油的用法错了,再昂贵的食用油业不保证你的健康. 不同的食用油对不同的烹饪温度也有不同的化学反映. 冒烟度就是当油开始冒烟的温度.当烹饪时, 任何的油只要超过冒烟度, 油就会被分解和变质而开始冒烟然后开始起火燃烧.

在错的时候，食用错的油！后果可大呢。

当食用油无法承受烹煮的高温度，而慢慢地分解，变质和冒烟。这是，它会产生毒性的物质和自由基因。 毒素减低身体的免疫力系统和增加癌症的风险。

因此, 如果想要以煎,炒,炸的烹煮方式准备菜肴,请选择高冒烟度的食用油. 大多数的油的冒烟度都超过一百度以上, 所以也可以加入一点水来炒, 因为水分能将温度降低至一百度以内或低于一般上的冒烟度, 这也是所谓的水炒.

影响冒烟度的因素:

1. 一般上,植物油比动物油拥有较底的冒烟度除了橄榄油.

2. 提纯过的油比没被提纯过的油来得较高的冒烟度. 食用油提纯度越高,冒烟度也越高.这是因为食用油在提纯的过程中,将杂物去处掉以减低冒烟度. 这些杂物是造成食用油容易冒烟的因素.  此外, 食用油提纯度越高,颜色也更加的清晰. 提纯过程使用高温摄取油；非提纯过程使用低温摄取油。

3. 食用油在烹煮过程中的冒烟度并固定. 当烹煮的时间越久, 冒烟度也慢慢地变低.

4. 掉落进食用油的食物渣，例如面糊将加速食用油分解和变质, 从而减低冒烟度.

5. 储存食用油的方式错误： 暴露于空气， 光线和温度。

食用油 (Cooking oil)	冒烟度 (Smoking Point)	烹煮方式 (Cooking Method)
酪梨油 Avocado Oil	271 ºc	高冒烟度的油 适合快炒,水炒,中火炒,煎炸或任何的高温烹煮方法. 图片1: 火候控制(高)
鳄梨油	270 ºc
米糠油Rice Bran Oil	254 ºc
Canola oil – 提纯过/Refined	243 ºc
橄榄油 Olive oil – 超清晰/Extra light	243 ºc
Canola oil – 半提纯过/Semi Refined	240 ºc
椰子油 Coconut oil	232 ºc
葵花油 Sunflower oil - 提纯过/Refined	232 ºc
红花油 Safflower oil - 提纯过/Refined	232 ºc
花生油Peanut oil - 提纯过/Refined	232 ºc
玉米油 Corn oil - 提纯过/Refined	232 ºc
榛子油 Hazelnut oil	221 ºc	中等高冒烟度的油 涼拌、水炒、中火炒 图片2: 火候控制(中等高)
棉花籽油 Cottonseed oil	216 ºc
葡萄籽油 Grapeseed oil	216 ºc
杏仁油 Almond oil	216 ºc
橄榄油 Olive oil - 超冷压过/Extra virgin	215 ºc
橄榄油 Olive oil - 超冷压过/Extra virgin	206 ºc
酥油 Vegetable shortening	182 ºc
猪油 Lard	182 ºc
芝麻油 Sesame oil	177 ºc	中等冒烟度的油 涼拌、水炒、中火炒 图片3: 火候控制(中等)
奶油	177 ºc
大豆油 Soybean oil	160 ºc
红花油 Safflower - 半提纯过/Semi Refined	160 ºc
胡桃油 Walnut oil	160 ºc
橄榄油 Olive oil - 冷压过/ Virgin	160 ºc
花生油 Peanut oil - 无提纯过/ Unrefined	160 ºc
玉米油 Corn oil - 无提纯过/ Unrefined	160 ºc
葵花油 Sunflower oil - 无提纯过/ Unrefined	107 ºc	超底冒烟度的油 涼拌、水炒 图片4: 火候控制(低)
红花油 Safflowwer oil - 无提纯过/ Unrefined	107 ºc
Canola oil -无提纯过/ Unrefined	107 ºc