A Daily Serving of Nuts May Help You Live Longer

Many of us have been told to limit nut consumption because of the high fat content, but now a study from Harvard indicates that eating nuts may actually help people live longer. The study’s results, which were published in the November 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, stretched from the 1980s until 2010 and analyzed data from 76,000 women and 42,000 men.

Researchers found that those people who ate 1 ounce (28 grams) of nuts daily, seven days a week, were 20 percent less likely to die over a 30-year period compared with those who did not eat nuts. They were also 29 percent less likely to die of heart disease, 11 percent less likely to die from cancer, and 24 percent less likely to die from respiratory disease. Eating nuts was also connected to a reduced risk of death: people who ate nuts daily were 20 percent less likely to die than those who never ate nuts.

Nuts are nutritional powerhouses, rich in minerals, vitamins, protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants. Past studies have shown that nuts improve blood vessel function, blood sugar control, and may help with losing weight – all factors that contribute to better cardiovascular health. They can reduce the risk of colon cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. That being said, not all nuts are created equally. It’s a good idea to avoid fried, salted, or sweetened nuts and stick with the plain, unsalted variety.

Almonds: These are an excellent source of antioxidant Vitamin E. 

Walnuts: These contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids that may protect against irregular heart rhythms.

Pecans: They are higher in fat than other nuts, but contain important B-complex vitamins.

Macadamia nuts: They have lots of Vitamin E and selenium.

Pine nuts: They contain lutein, monosaturated fats, and vitamins A, C, and D.

Hazelnuts (filberts): These are rich in magnesium, which keeps the heart from overexerting itself, unsaturated fats, and vitamin E. 

Peanuts: While they’re not officially nuts, their nutritional properties make them part of the nut family. These are rich in potassium, protein, and vitamin B. 

Brazil nuts: While these contain mostly unsaturated fat, they do have the highest amount of saturated fat among the other nuts. They’re also provide selenium, magnesium, and copper.

Pistachios: These contain vitamin E, oleic avid, and many healthy minerals and antioxidants.

The study was paid for by the National Institutes of Health and the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation, but the Council had no say in how the study was done or how its results were eventually reported.

The study relied on self-reported information from the participants, and does not prove that nuts caused the participants to live longer. While the researchers did account for several factors that may impact a person's longevity, such as weight and vegetable consumption, there may be other confounding variables.

The good news is now you don’t need to avoid the holiday nut plate – just choose wisely.

Article thanks to TreeHugger

Have a nutty and productive day! :) 

MJ 

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Antioxidant Benefits of Blueberries

Packed with vitamin C, manganese and nutritional fiber, blueberries are a dietary giant. On top of that, they include potent antioxidants called polyphenols, which are responsible for its color in addition to its results. Proof recommends that polyphenols discovered in blueberries can offer a wide range of health perks.

Combat Obesity and Diabetes
Antioxidants found in blueberries might help fight excessive weight and lower the danger for diabetic issues, according to lead author E. Mitchell Seymour and fellow researchers from the University of Michigan. They found that rats following a low- or high-fat diet plan with blueberry beverages for 90 days experienced lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides, less belly fat and increased the hormone insulin level of sensitivity compared to rats following the same diets without blueberry drinks. The research connected these lead to naturally taking place antioxidants discovered in blueberries, which modify genes related to fat-burning and glucose uptake by cells, according to the Science Daily internet site.

Improve Cognitive Performance
Researchers from the College of Patras in Greece examined the impacts of polyphenol-rich blueberry extract on cognitive performance and brain antioxidant markers in mice. Subjects were given blueberry remove for 7 days and done learning and memory tests. At the end of the study, which was published in the March 2009 concern of the journal ‘Behavioral Brain Research,’ researchers observed that subjects experienced enhancements in both discovering and memory. On top of that, analysts also discovered that polyphenols found in blueberry remove raised antioxidant levels in the brain, which may discuss the results of the study.

Protect Versus Intestinal Inflammation
Polyphenols discovered in blueberries might combat intestinal disease such as ulcerative colitis, particularly when incorporated with probotics, according to lead author Camilla Branning and colleagues from the Lund College Faculty of Engineering in Sweden. They found that blueberries can minimize and secure against intestinal tract inflammation. Additionally, incorporating blueberries with probotics improves this safety effect, according to the Science Daily site.

Info thanks to Diet Nutrition Advisor

Have a healthy and productive day!

MJ

Shaklee, creating healthier lives since 1957. http://mjshealthyway.com 

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MJ 

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What Are The Benefits of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juices?

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices provide you with vitamins and anti-oxidants to help keep your overall wellness and prevent disease. Drinking fresh juice also assists you satisfy your daily requirements for fruits and vegetables. Try integrating fresh juices as a snack or with meals to increase your nutrient intake.

Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Needs

Drinking fresh vegetables and fruit juices is a fast and easy way to satisfy your day-to-day requirements for these meals. According to ChooseMyPlate. gov, an adult following a 2,000-calorie per day diet plan requires 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day. Consuming 1 cup of fresh fruit or vegetable juice counts as consuming 1 cup of the raw food. If you struggle to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your day-to-day diet plan, consider adding fresh juices as a means to fulfill the suggested daily servings.

Vitamins and Minerals

Fruit and vegetable juices also help you meet your needs for vitamins and minerals that play a crucial role in your total wellness. By consuming fresh fruit and vegetable juices, in contrast to canned, bottled or from-concentrate juices, you’ll get the most vitamins the juice has to provide because some nutrients decrease when juices are processed, pasteurized and packaged. According to the UNITED STATE Department of Farming, 1 cup of fresh, raw orange juice has 124 milligrams of vitamin C and 74 micrograms of folate, while 1 cup of bottled or from-concentrate orange juice just has about 84 milligrams of vitamin C and 47 micrograms of folate.

Antioxidants

Your body depends on antioxidants to assist prevent molecules called complimentary radicals from triggering damage to cells. Numerous phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, found in fresh vegetables and fruit juices operate as anti-oxidants. According to the American Cancer Society, consuming more phytochemicals from vegetables and fruits may help to avoid or treat cancer, heart problem, hypertension and diabetic issues. Some examples of these phytochemicals consist of anthocyanidins from grapes and radishes, quercetin from apple juice, ellagic acid from strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, carotenoids from carrots and cantaloupes and lutein and zeaxanthin from kale and spinach.

Suggestions

While fresh fruit and vegetable juices do offer a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they don’t have the fiber that the whole meals offer. If you have ever before made use of a juicer, you understand that a huge quantity of fiber, or pulp, is left as waste when a stream of smooth juice is produced. Juice from a whole white grapefruit, for instance, has about 0.2 gram of fiber while the entire fruit itself has about 2.6 grams. If you constantly consume vegetables and fruit juices rather of eating the entire food, you might lack fiber in your diet plan.

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

Shaklee, America’s number one nutrition company! 

http://mjshealthyway.com  

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