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The Truth About Healthy and Unhealthy Food

July 7, 2016 By Tom Hager Leave a Comment

A bowl of vegetables and fruits ready to be consumed.

What we need to know about healthy and unhealthy food.

There has always been a controversy regarding which food can be considered as healthy. The public opinion is also quite different compared with the nutritionists’ recommendations when it comes to an excellent diet.

But when it comes to diet soda, beer, and pizza, almost all people who were asked if these foods are healthy or not, agreed that they could not be considered as good for a person’s health.

Also, many other Americans believe that chocolate chip cookies, French fries, ice cream, and bacon cannot be considered as part of healthy diet.

Regarding healthier choices, the public and experts agree that olive oil, oranges, eggs, carrots, and almonds are all viable sources of nutrients that maintain and improve health status. Still, there is a contradiction between experts and the public regarding sushi, tofu, and quinoa.

Nutritionists regard these foods as quite healthy, but most people do not really resonate with them. The latest research has shown that granola bars are not as good as people thought.

Scientists discovered that the sugar content from these bars affects the balance of a diet.

Frozen yogurt was established as having the same effect. In other words, you might think that consuming frozen yogurt and granola bars is a wise choice for your diet, but according to nutritionists, it is the other way around.

Nevertheless, what concerns health officials most, is the fact that people keep eating junk food when they know that it might lead to severe consequences related to a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, strokes, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and cancer.

One of the reasons might be that they prefer satisfying their needs encouraging some kind of addiction to this type of food instead of improving their lifestyle by making better food choices which are even tastier than the illusion of junk food.

It is well known that 70 percent of the leading causes of any disease come from food. People with healthy diets have an improved life quality, and they are happier than people who stick to unhealthy foods.

Healthy eating combined with physical exercises and brain activity reduces the risk of developing many diseases later in life including brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s and even dementia.

Health officials have come to the conclusion that Mediterranean diets might represent one of the wisest choices when it comes to healthy food. These diets are rich in healthy fats found in olive oil, nuts, and fish.

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Food Safety Tips on 4th July

July 3, 2016 By John Cooper Leave a Comment

Food safety will prevent you from getting ill on the 4th of July.

Officials are taking active measures these days to inform people about food safety on the 4^th of July. Based on the statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, 48 million citizens, or 1 in 6 Americans, will develop a food-borne illness this year, which might result in 3,000 deaths and 128,000 hospitalizations.

Health officials also underline that food poisoning is a threat that may last for the whole summer period, so people need to be aware of what they eat. A healthy diet combined with physical exercises will improve the life quality of every individual.

Around 70 percent of the source of any disease comes from unhealthy foods. In others words, what we eat determines how healthy we are in most cases. This also applies on special occasions, such as the 4^th of July, when people tend to eat too much.

Food excess is never a good idea, and most people tend to ignore the real risks of food poisoning. According to Al Almanza, Deputy Under-Secretary for Food Safety, warm temperatures are the ideal environment for food-borne bacteria.

That is why summer is the most dangerous period for people who are oblivious of what they eat and how they eat. Plus, people spend more time outside where there are fewer hygiene sources.

It is hard to keep the food clean or preserve it if you are not in your kitchen. Almanza underlined that the most critical temperatures range from 40 t0 140 degrees.

In these temperatures, the bacteria from food multiply at a very fast rate. People usually leave their food out for too long, and that is why it becomes full with bacteria.

According to USDA food safety specialists, perishables can be left out for maximum two hours if the temperatures are below 90 degrees and only one hour if the temperatures increase above this limit.

Also, food should be separated into several pieces before putting it in the cooler. This way, the smaller parts will cool faster and preserve better. The same thing applies for leftovers, which should be packed and put as soon as possible in the cooler to make sure that they will be refrigerated fast.

A cooler thermometer will help people ensure that food is kept at 40 degrees. Experts underline that drinks should be put in a separate cooler, to avoid opening the food cooler too often and maintain food safety.

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Healthy Food Prevents Cancer

June 27, 2016 By Dean Lamori Leave a Comment

Fruits and vegetables on the table symbolizing health.

Eat healthy and prevent cancer.

Cancer has always been a reason for concern not only in the United States but throughout the whole world. Despite the developments in the medical field, eating healthy food plays the most crucial role in preventing the development of this disease and other health conditions.

There are many studies regarding healthy diets, and many of us wondered how these diets can be so efficient in tackling this disease. More precisely, fruits and vegetables are primary sources of vitamins and other nutrients that have a medicinal benefit on our health.

Scientists have recently made a top 10 list of the most efficient foods against this disease. First of all, cruciferous vegetables such as collards, kale, broccoli, and cabbage have important anti-cancer properties including selenium, sulforaphane, and diindolylmethane.

However, they should not be overcooked because they will lose most of their properties. On the other hand, turmeric and ginger are also excellent for your health, as they deal with cancer cells, slow their growth and even kill them thanks to an ingredient known as curcumin.

Another pair of healthy vegetables consists of lentils and beans because they are rich in fiber and phytochemicals. Furthermore, fiber concentration prevents the development of colon cancer.

Regarding other types of food, chocolate is surprisingly efficient in preventing this disease. However, not every kind of chocolate is healthy, but dark chocolate with 70 percent cocoa. Bitter chocolate is, in fact, the healthiest because the cocoa beans contain catechins, a type of chemicals also present in tea, which prevent not only cancer but also stroke and heart disease.

Continuing with the list, berries are known for the polyphenol antioxidants, such as ellagic acid, which are very efficient against tumors. They can be easily digested if we consume them with no-fat or healthy –fat yogurt.

It is also worth mentioning that garlic, carrots, and tomatoes are the other three vegetables that have something special against cancer development. For example, tomatoes contain lycopene, an ingredient which is efficient in front of prostate cancer, whereas garlic can be consumed every day in small quantities in everything you eat as it has various benefits.

For instance, scientists discovered that garlic consumption drops off the risk of breast, esophagus, stomach, and colon cancer. Last but not least, carrots contain unique antioxidants, known as carotenoids, very useful in preventing rectal cancer.

Furthermore, fibers and grains were found to be one of the most vital parts that should not miss from your diet. Fibers prevent colon cancer and can be found mostly in cereals. On the other hand, grains are rich in folic acid, which is excellent for women as it prevents birth defects and reduces the risk of colon cancer. Grains are found in pasta, flour, cereals, and bread.

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