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Posts Tagged ‘Health Benefits’

winter equivalent of a smoothie?

August 27th, 2008
smoothie health benefits
geeky_mommy asked:


All through spring and summer I love smoothies both for taste and health value and have one nearly every day. Between fruit being out of season and not wanting to drink something so cold, I do not find them so appealing in the winter. Are there any warm drinks with similar health benefits and easily customizable taste so I can change things up if one gets boring? Thanks in advance

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Philosophy for Buying a Citrus Juicer

July 7th, 2008
fruit juicer recipes
gurpreet singh asked:


Oranges are not a new idea but they are definitely a proven source of healthful benefits. You can give orange slices to your children and then clean up the sticky mess that will result or you can consider buying a citrus juicer. It is often more efficient, pleasant and tidier to give your child a glass of fresh squeezed juice.

Benefits of Oranges

those oranges are high in vitamin C is common knowledge. Vitamin C, it seems, is an antioxidant which helps in the prevention of cancer and heart disease, it even prevents colds and the flu. It also boosts the immune system. Vitamin C also protects our nervous system which includes our eyes, our brain, and all the nerves in our body. So you can see that Vitamin C is absolutely essential to our well being.

Foliate is found in citrus which is very beneficial for pregnant women because it guards against birth defects. Fiber, niacin and thiamine are found in oranges. So when we use a citrus juicer we can ingest all these healthful benefits in a matter of moments, because Vitamin C has a half life of thirty minutes. That means its value as a vitamin disintegrates by one half every thirty minutes.

The human body does not manufacture vitamin C, we must get it from dietary sources and one of the best sources is fresh-squeezed orange juice. So one of the easiest things to do for our self and our family is the squeeze oranges every morning.

But who really cares about the health benefits? Let’s get real - the citrus juice from oranges just flat tastes better than anything out of a can or jar and the fragrance is out of this world.

Choosing a Citrus Juicer

Research and common sense will help you choose the citrus juicer that is perfect for you. One of the major considerations is whether you are getting one that will process the whole orange or one that will just extract the juice from the orange.

The pro of just getting the juice is, of course, they are cheaper. But perhaps more importantly they are usually easier to clean. You can also login to www.404self-improvement-tips.com. The con, depending on your esthetic preference, is that the juice has less extraneous fruit pulp in it.

There are more health benefits to a juicer which will process the entire fruit because there is high nutrient value in the pith or white parts. We suggest that this is a “con” to the simple juice only juicer. Preference to the esthetics in the end will usually determine the desire because if we don’t like the texture we probably won’t drink it regardless of how healthy it may be for us. Right?

Remember, although I talked about oranges here, there are a lot of other citrus fruits like lemons and grapefruits that have wonderfully tasting juice. So have fun shopping, choosing the perfect citrus juicer and enjoying a glass of nature at its best.

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What is the best form to consume flax seeds?

June 6th, 2008
smoothie health benefits
BaseballFan4Ever asked:


I want to gain the maximuim health benefits from Flax Seeds.

Should I buy the seeds and grind them myself?

Is it ok if I add them to a fruit smoothie?

Thanks!

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Does frozen fruit lose any of its nutritional benefits?

March 30th, 2008
smoothie health benefits
bada_bing2k4 asked:


I often make fruit smoothies, and it’s much more convenient to use frozen fruit because it lasts much longer, and tastes better in a smoothie (gives it more of an icy texture). So I usually buy bags of frozen fruit (a brand called Europe’s Best, it’s about $5 for a 1lb, 5 oz bag and it’s very good) and mix those fruits (usually strawberries, pineapple or blueberries) in along with a frozen banana, ice cubes, ground flax seed and orange juice.

I enjoy the smoothies but mostly drink them for the health benefits…so I’m wondering if using frozen fruit over fresh fruit has any effect on the fruits’ nutritional values, or if there are any negatives?
So frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh ones?

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Texas Runners Find Many Benefits From The Activity

March 8th, 2008
smoothie health benefits
Pat Carpenter asked:


Why do runners run?

For those who haven’t taken up the activity, the question may seem to be imponderable, given the pain, boredom and exhausting nature that seem to be part and parcel of the activity.

The fact is, people living in Dallas, Houston and Austin, and throughout Texas, run for a variety of reasons, including simply to stay in shape and/or to maintain what they consider an ideal body weight.

Experts say that a combination of diet and exercise is the most effective way to lose weight, as it triggers a loss of body fat and an increase in the amount of lean tissue. Running can help a person burn an average of 100 calories per each mile while other popular activities, such as biking and walking, burn a fraction of those calories in the same amount of time. While the average human being may burn about 2,000-2,500 calories a day without exercise, they’ll burn an estimated 500 calories more through running.

Another reason for running is the accessibility of the activity. With a good pair of shoes, most people can run just about anywhere.

How fast does a runner need to run to benefit from the activity? Surprisingly, speed has little effect on the number of calories being burned. The most important factor, experts say, is weight. A 220-pound person running an eight-minute mile will burn 150 calories, while a 120-pound person running at the same pace burns only 82. As a runner’s weight goes down, they’ll burn fewer calories per mile, eventually stabilizing.

Most runners will lose weight quickly at first, but eventually, their weight stops declining and reaches a plateau. At this point, some serious runners will intensify the workouts but recreational runners can maintain their lower body weight by continuing to run consistently.

Health benefits are another motivation for runners. Running is said to help lower blood pressure by maintaining the elasticity of the arteries, expanding and contracting more than usual. Most serious runners have unusually low blood pressure. Running also helps maximize the potential of the lungs, as it keeps them strong and powerful. While deep breaths force the lungs to use more tissue, the 50% of normally unused lung potential is utilized.

Even smokers are said to sometimes recover full lung potential through running. Finally, running is said to help strengthen the heart and may help prevent heart attacks, the large muscle exercise helping to keep the cardio system efficient and strong. The heart of an inactive person beats an estimated 36,000 more times each day than that of a runner, as running keeps the arteries open and blood flowing smoothly.

Runners also say the intense exhilaration and euphoria that comes after a run is the biggest motivator. The physiological reason for the euphoria is a release of beta-endorphin, which is triggered by neurons in the nervous system. Intended to alleviate the pain after a run, it creates a feeling of extreme happiness and exhilaration. The intense high is said to sometimes replace other addictions, including drugs, alcohol, and even food. Runners claim to achieve more energy in daily life from running, but the activity also helps bring appetite, exercise and food into balance while also improving sleep, eating, and relaxation.

While some say running might increase appetite, exercise actually tends to diminish it, say experts. Runners typically pay close attention to their diets, as a means of maintaining a balanced diet that is low in fat. Carbohydrates are especially important for runners because muscles need the glycogen that comes from carbohydrates in order to produce energy. Fats, on the other hand, should not exceed 25% of a runner’s food intake, since muscles do not work well on a fatty diet.

Runners should make sure they drink enough fluids, as these are necessary in allowing blood to transfer glucose to muscles and in flushing out metabolic waste. Insufficient fluids inhibit one’s ability to sweat, necessary for a runner to cool down.

Experts say the most important and effective fluid is water, but others recommend sweetened caffeine drinks before a long race such as a marathon. These drinks are said to boost energy and stamina during a run.

Famous runners have been quoted as ingesting unusual substances as part of a training regimen. Frank Shorter, winner of the 1972 and 1976 Olympic marathons, said he had beer, ring dings, and pizza “topped liberally with mayonnaise” prior to the races. Portugal’s Carlos Lopes was said to have had a steak two hours before winning the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics.

Supplements, sports drinks and smoothies are more common for runners. Most runners are extremely careful about their diets with marathon runners claiming it is important for them to maintain an unusually low body weight in order to run their fastest and reduce the strain on their cartilage, joints, and muscles.

How you treat your body when you’re young will certainly affect your health when you get older. Eventually, it will also affect your wallet as well.

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Does anyone know the recipe for Dr. Oz smoothie from Oprah? Also, what were the health benefits again?

December 2nd, 2007
smoothie health benefits
COblonde asked:


for weight loss??

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