7 healthy foods to lower your cholesterol

Healthy and inexpensive, some judiciously chosen foods assure you a healthy heart. They reduce cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The apple and flavonoids

On a daily basis, this popular fruit is full of benefits for the body! The flavonoid it contains has an antioxidant power, which eliminates bad cholesterol from the blood. The pectin contained in its flesh would help eliminate blood cholesterol.
In addition, the apple would improve respiratory function and would have a preventive effect on cancer.

Good to know: apple juice and apple cider vinegar have the same effects on lowering cholesterol. Learn more here.

Eggplant and soluble fiber

The eggplant contains soluble fibers capable of naturally removing cholesterol. A diet composed of soluble fiber reduces blood levels by 15%.

Good to know: the eggplant can be replaced by the okra (or okro), a small green exotic vegetable that gives taste to sauces.

Nuts and Plant Sterols

The nut combines effectively: fibers (help the body to eliminate cholesterol), unsaturated fatty acids (good for the heart) and plant sterols that take the place of cholesterol. Some ideas for eating nuts: in a salad, with cheese, or as an appetizer (without salt).

Good to know: plant sterols are healthy substances that have a chemical structure similar to that of cholesterol. These substances use this resemblance to take its place in the body.

Oats and beta-glucans

Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan. This type of fiber traps cholesterol and trains it in the digestion process.
Some ideas for eating oats: in muesli, with dried fruits and shells (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), to decorate salads, in some desserts, or in a yogurt.

Asparagus and fructooligosaccharides

Asparagus contains fructooligosaccharides, a type of carbohydrate that tends to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Moreover, it would contain glutathione, a thiol that would contribute greatly to the elimination of oxidized cholesterol, very bad for the arteries. Asparagus is consumed: mashed, in soup, accompanied with a light dressing.

Tomato and lycopene

Cholesterol in the body may oxidize. This oxidation narrows the arteries but may be limited by a potent antioxidant contained in the tomato: lycopene. The latter succeeds in dissolving the free radicals when they form on the cells. It also helps fight against prostate cancer, osteoporosis or even diabetes. You will also find lycopene in melon and papaya.

Good to know: tomato sauce contains more lycopene than raw tomatoes

Blueberry and pterostilbene

Blueberry contains a high dose of pterostilbene. This antioxidant helps to metabolize cholesterol. Its regular consumption can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40%. In what else to find pterostilbene? in the grape, in cranberries and their juices.

Grapefruit and naringenin

Recommended by doctors, pink grapefruit remains the absolute weapon to reduce cholesterol by nearly a quarter. It contains a special flavonoid (like apple), naringenin, which gives it this bitter taste. It has cholesterol-lowering properties, ie it lowers the level of "bad" cholesterol.
Caution: certain components of grapefruit influence the effect of certain medications. Talk to your doctor.

10 major food sources of calories in the Americans diet

According to the advisory panel on Dietary Guidelines for Americans (a panel of nutrition experts), Americans eat a lot more calories than they need daily and than they used to consume time ago. Yes, it is true, it is not necessary to be an expert to arrive at these conclusions that as you imagine you could be extended to a certain extent to a good part of the population.

According to this commission, very few people follow dietary guidelines, including extensive consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Instead, they are stuffed with foods made from refined cereals and also from other foods that carry a lot of fat, sugar and therefore many calories.

Thus, the main sources of calories in the Americans diet are, in order:

1. Sweets and foods with an overabundance of simple carbohydrates such as sweet desserts, cakes, cookies, donuts, chips, and cereal bars.

2. Bread made with refined flour and yeast (note: this element could have also been contemplated to some extent in the previous point, I suppose it will be a "license" to get to make a "decalogue to use".

3. Prepared dishes based on chicken or in which chicken is an important ingredient (note: I want to understand that although the wording of this element is as it is, I suppose that the excess of calories is more for the rest of ingredients, sauces, etc. than by the chicken itself; also a person who exercises regularly 3 or more days a week should consume a portion of protein preferably white meat such as chicken).

4. Refreshing drinks with gas, energy and "for sportsmen".

5. Pizza.

6. Alcoholic beverages.

7. Pasta dishes (note: complex carbohydrates of slow absorption, such as pasta are not bad; pasta as well as rice, or wholemeal bread are foods that can get into the diet, preferably before or during the afternoon, but should not be avoided).

8. Prepared dishes of Mexican style.

9. Prepared meat dishes or meat products.

10. Dairy products, usually in the form of "desserts".

Are there any contraindications and side effects of coconut oil?

Coconut Oil is undoubtedly one of the most controversial foods among the medical and scientific community. A good part of the medical community directly recommends that it not be consumed, but, what is behind that recommendation? What are the contraindications and side effects of Coconut Oil? Are these doctors right to discourage its consumption?

The contraindications of coconut oil are nonexistent. There are no known side effects of virgin coconut oil in healthy people. Its use is absolutely safe both topical and oral. Naturally, people with coconut allergy are excluded, in which case, the contraindication, as with any other food, is obvious.

Like any other oil, coconut oil is a fat and therefore provides 9 calories per gram, so its consumption should be reasonable. However, thanks to its composition rich in medium chain fatty acids, coconut oil is metabolized directly into energy in the liver, so it is not easy to accumulate fat by its consumption but rather the opposite. Everything indicates that the intake of coconut oil can contribute to losing fat at the abdominal level, something that some authors have talked about in their books.

As for side effects, many doctors blame coconut oil for raising cholesterol and this is why they rush to exclude it from the diet of many of their patients. However, studies show that this oil favors the increase of HDL (good cholesterol) and therefore of total cholesterol. However, some doctors believe that total cholesterol should be low, although there is no scientific evidence to support this, even if the HDL / LDL ratio is adequate, something that the intake of coconut oil certainly contributes to.

The medical community is heavily influenced by the bad reputation of coconut oil. This reputation comes from a variety of sources. On the one hand, commercial interests in seed oils such as sunflower oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil or peanut oil. On the other hand, a few decades ago, in studies on saturated fats, hydrogenated coconut oil was used and the results extracted from the study were extrapolated to virgin coconut oil, which has nothing to do with hydrogenated coconut Oil.

In general, hydrogenated oils produce negative side effects in the short term and are therefore contraindicated for human consumption. However, we must make it clear that hydrogenated fats and saturated fats are not the same. 

Saturated fats, such as coconut oil, have no contraindications or known negative side effects. In contrast, hydrogenated fats, including hydrogenated coconut oil, do have side effects to the body, including various cardiovascular problems, and therefore this is its main contraindication.

The prestigious website of medical information WebMD catalogs Virgin Coconut Oil as a healthy food, without contraindications or side effects. Moreover, it confers the following uses:

- Head lice: some studies have shown that a spray that carries virgin coconut oil among other components is effective against head lice in children.

- Obesity: some studies show that taking 10ml of virgin coconut oil a day can reduce the belly fat in a period ranging from 6 to 10 weeks.

- Newborns: studies show that massaging newborns with coconut oil can improve their growth and body weight.

- Cholesterol: some studies suggest that consumption of coconut oil can raise good cholesterol (HDL) without raising much bad cholesterol (LDL).

- Dry skin: studies show that applying a massage with coconut oil twice a day can significantly improve dry skin in people with chronic dry skin.

- Coconut Oil is also useful in patients with:

* Alzheimer's

* Diabetes

* Chronic Fatigue

* Irritable bowel syndrome

* Thyroid Problems

* Other medical problems.

Likewise, WebMD does not report any type of interaction known with other foods or medicines.

Therefore, we can conclude with some certainty that the use of virgin coconut oil, both orally and topically, is absolutely safe. There are no known contraindications or side effects of coconut oil to date, and considering that, we can say without risk to make a mistake, that its consumption is also highly recommended.

After all, is shrimp healthy or not?

From starters to more elaborate dishes, shrimp has a regular presence at festive tables. But, after all, is it good or bad for your health? Here are the pros and some cons.

LOW CALORIE

An average shrimp contains about seven calories, which in practical terms means that a dozen have less than 85 calories (for example 15 calories less than a chicken breast). A jumbo-sized shrimp has about 14 calories and a teaspoon of sauce has five calories, meaning three 'jumbo' shrimp, each with a tablespoon of sauce as an appetizer, contains about 60 calories (less 20 calories than two mini pies or two mini quiches).

RICH IN PROTEINS

The shrimp, in addition to the amount of water it has, is essentially composed of protein: 85 grams of shrimp contain about 20 grams of protein, only three grams less than the same amount of chicken breast. In the case of 'jumbo' shrimp, this contains three grams of protein and little fat and carbohydrates.

PROVIDES ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

In addition to protein, shrimp provides an impressive amount of nutrients. 113 grams of cooked shrimp contain more than 100% of the recommended daily value of selenium, more than 75% of B12 vitamins, more than 50% of phosphorus and more than 30% of Choline (an essential nutrient that is part of the B complex Vitamins), copper and iodine. Selenium plays an important role in important thyroid function, it helps fight against damaged particles called free radicals, which affect the membranes of cells and DNA, leading to premature aging and various diseases. Another antioxidant in shrimp is astaxanthin, a carotenoid that unlike the rest does not convert to vitamin A (a substance that can be toxic to the human body). This antioxidant provides shrimp primary color and has been shown to help reduce inflammation.

VERY COMMON ALLERGEN

As a member of the seafood family, shrimp is on top of the allergens, alongside milk, eggs, fish, nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy. Exposure to shellfish can cause severe reactions, including the risk of death from anaphylactic shock. Other reactions may include nasal congestion, itching, abdominal pain, and nausea. This type of allergies can arise at any age. A specialist should be consulted in the event of adverse effects on any part of the food chain.

RICH IN CHOLESTEROL, BUT ...

Some associations specializing in diseases caused by cholesterol indicate that the daily value of cholesterol should not exceed 300 mg, which means that 85 grams of shrimp represent half of that value. However, it is important to remember that there are two types of cholesterol. The first type is cholesterol found in food. Only food from animals contains cholesterol, as their body produces cholesterol. The second type is cholesterol that is found in the blood and is produced by the liver.

If our diet is animal based, absorbed cholesterol can also contribute to the cholesterol that is naturally found in our blood. However, its impact on cholesterol produced by the liver remains a subject of debate. Studies have shown that saturated fats and artificially created fats (trans fats) have a greater impact on blood cholesterol. Therefore, as shrimp has very low levels of saturated fat and do not contain artificial fats (unless transgenic elements are added during the cooking process), it should not impact blood cholesterol levels. Learn more by reading this article.

BUY A PIG IN A POKE

A recent study reports that 30% of the 143 tested products (in more than 100 companies that sell products that claim to contain shrimp or seafood) are not significant in terms of the use of this ingredient. For example, aquaculture shrimp sold as wild shrimp. This means that the consumer may be eating shrimp produced in a space where antibiotics, fungicides and other chemicals are used. Unfortunately, as a consumer, there is not much to do.

ANTIBIOTICS

In an investigation conducted by the University of Arizona, 27 samples of seafood, including shrimp, were analyzed from 11 countries. The researchers detected the presence of five different antibiotics, including wild shrimp. The use of antibiotics in food production has been singled out for the rise of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, a public health problem.