Food and Diet. Find daily health food tips and ideas from Dr. David Samadi. Discover healthy food for healthy living. Explore major food issues and debates related to health such as buying and cooking with organic food, genetically modified food (GMO versus Non-GMO), nutrition, dieting epidemic, obesity, disease prevention, best digestion foods.
Amaranth, teff, spelt, kamut, freekeh, farro – strange sounding words for grains most mainstream shoppers were unfamiliar with just a few years ago. But now, they are turning the grocery store grain aisle into a hotspot attracting consumers looking for healthier alternatives to wheat.
Read MoreTurmeric. Turmeric is an important spice for the liver. It supports enzymes in the liver which help rid the organ of harmful dietary toxins, such as carcinogens. Turmeric also promotes the production of bile in the liver, which helps our bodies digest fats in the small intestine.
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A new study says flavonoids can help with erectile dysfunction. By eating certain foods, like brightly colored fruits and vegetables, rich in flavonoids, men could be able to easily cut their risk for the common sexual disorder.
Read MoreAny food made from wheat, rice, oats, corn, or another cereal is a grain product. This includes bread, pasta, oatmeal and grits are all grain products. There are two main types of grain products: whole grains and refined grains.
Whole grains contain the entire grain (bran, germ and endosperm). Ex: whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, corn, popcorn, brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur, millet, quinoa, and sorghum. Refined grains have been ground into flour or meal which results in the bran and germ being removed. This gives grains a finer texture and improves their shelf life. This process removes some important nutrients, including B-vitamins, iron and dietary fiber. Ex: wheat flour, enriched bread and white rice.
Whole grains are nutritious because they have a lower glycemic index. They lead to a smaller rise and fall in blood-sugar levels after a meal than refined grains do. Including whole grains in your diet plan may help you reach or manage a healthy weight.
Whole grains contain important source of many nutrients:
· Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B9
· Folate (folic acid & B vitamin) helps the body form new cells and can prevent certain birth defects
· Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood
· Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in more than 300 processes in the body.
· Selenium is important for a healthy immune system and regulating thyroid hormone action
It is important to include a variety of grains in your eating plan because grains differ in their nutrient content. Whole grains can be a good source of fiber - refined grains usually are not
Choose whole grain foods that contain one of the following ingredients first on the label’s ingredient list:
· Whole wheat, graham flour
· Oatmeal
· Whole oats
· Brown rice
· Wild rice
· Whole-grain corn
· Popcorn
· Whole-grain barley
· Whole-wheat bulgur and whole rye
Men and women have one thing in common when it comes to weight loss – they will do whatever it takes to get the weight off fast. One method individuals commonly resort to for fast weight loss is fad diets. Fad diets promise dramatic weight loss results but their unfounded promises usually do not result in keeping the weight off long term and are not considered a healthy way to lose unwanted pounds.
Read MoreWhat did you have for breakfast today? If you’re trying to lose extra pounds or prevent them to begin with, consuming a high protein breakfast may be an answer. There’s more research than ever demonstrating how a high-protein breakfast is being used as a successful strategy in promoting weight loss and/or preventing weight gain both in teenagers and adults.
Read MoreThere are certain foods that simply stand out as a nutrient-rich, healthy food. But then, there are those more subtle, less charismatic foods that are just as beneficial in promoting your health but without all the fanfare. This is where allium vegetables come to mind. Forget about those other plant-based foods flashing bright, pretty colors or having a pleasing, sweet taste, these low-key vegetables may be humble but are nevertheless an important part of a healthy diet.
Read MoreYou may have been hearing a lot about kombucha, or seen it on the shelf at the supermarket or health food store. But do you actually know what this tea-like drink is? Kombucha is a fermented tea that is often marketed as a health drink. Because it is fermented, the tea has a distinct vinegary flavor.
Read MoreNo one likes to be sick, and one of the best ways to avoid this is to make sure our body is running in tip top shape. Making sure you keep your immune system strong can help you avoid getting sick, or get you back to your old self faster. Here are some of the best foods to keep you healthy all winter, and help your body become a disease fighting powerhouse:
Read MoreHave you ever started getting real snappy with people for no reason at all? Has it always been after not eating for a few hours? Do you feel instantly better once you have a meal? What you are experiencing is the feeling of being “hangry”, a real thing.
Read MoreWhile some diets say eating less fat is better for losing weight, other say eating less carbs is the key. According to a new study, it may not really matter which diet you choose. Researchers were trying to figure out which diet may be better than the other – a topic that has long been controversial. Many people who are looking for a new diet often wonder which diet is best or which one is better than another.
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Walnuts are a powerful antioxidant. They are most nutritious when consumed as a whole, including the skin. 90 percent of antioxidants are found in skin. Look for nuts that are organic and raw. Other healthy nuts include: macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds and pistachios.
Read Moreoy is a protein made from the soybean plant. It has garnered much attention and almost become somewhat trendy in the food and health industry as being a nutritiously edible bean with multiple uses. It is rich in omega-3 fats, B-vitamins, zinc, iron, polyunsaturated fat, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Soy is most popular among vegetarians as they use soy protein as a replacement for animal protein. Soy can be found in foods such as edamame, tofu, soy milk, and tempeh.
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