Nutrients

GI A "GI" rating of 70 or more is considered HIGH while 50 or less is LOW and better for you. This index is based on the rate at which carbs break down in the body and ranks a food's ability to raise blood glucose: High Glycemic These include all highly processed foods which contain carbs that give up their sugars the quickest and should be avoided as much as possible as they will spike your blood sugar.  You then experience a crash in energy, mood and focus which causes you to crave more fast carbs. the more sugar (carbs) you consume, the more insulin is secreted to clear the sugar from the bloodstream and excess insulin stimulates LPL (the fat storage enzyme) this can [...]

Dietary fiber is found naturally in foods Women need 35 grams per day while men need 40 grams lowers total & LDL cholesterol regulates blood sugar balances intestinal pH speeds passage of food through the digestive system reduces the risk of colon cancer By eating more plant-based foods, you'll naturally increase your fiber intake. But doing this can cause some discomfort as your gut bacteria adjust to the naturally high fiber in plant foods. Don't let that deter you. Your body just needs some time to adjust. Learn more about the possible side-effects and what to do to alleviate them: Fiber & Tummy Discomfort Insoluble Fiber This gives stool its bulk and speeds its passage through the gut, therefore regulating bowel function does not dissolve [...]

Natural Product Numbers In 2011, Health Canada implemented a system to control the sale of Natural Health Products by requiring producers to submit their products for testing to verify the validity of the claims made on the container.  If the product passed the test, they got issued an NPN (Natural Product Number) which then made it legal to sell.  This is an expensive and tedious process considering the many & diverse healing properties of various products which would each require its own test. Some producers could not afford or chose not to pay for this by the deadline, which meant that all stock of these untested products were removed from shelves, including those that did not pass these questionable "tests". Harmless health supplements are banished [...]

Fat is nature's most efficient form of energy storage The misconception that we should cut back on fat means we are consuming more carbs like pasta, grains, fruit and starchy veggies like potatoes.  Many packaged low-fat foods contain fillers like fruit puree, fruit juice, dextrin, syrup, sucrose or glucose-fructose (which are all carbs) to compensate for texture and flavour lost without the fat.  However, carbs break down into glucose, and excess carbs, protein & fat will make you fat. You need good fat & protein So it's important to choose quality fat from organic meat and plant sources as they have different biological effects than artificially saturated fats.  Saturated fats are essential to normal human functioning and are manufactured by the liver.  They influence gene [...]

Protein Molecules Enzymes are large protein molecules that play a main role in every chemical reaction in the body.  They are complex and powerful so they can deal with digestion of food and construction of cells.  They lower the amount of energy required to perform these tasks as they convert substrates into products.  In other words, they'll turn a sugar molecule from food into a chemical that synthesizes fat. You would naturally consume enough enzymes from the protein contained in whole foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains and nuts. However, keep in mind that plants create compounds called antioxidants to neutralize harmful free radicals that occur during photosynthesis.  When we ingest plants, we consume these antioxidants that also protect us from those free radicals.  In [...]

Bananas are rich in the electrolyte Potassium.

These are the body's preferred source of fuel for the brain, muscles and central nervous system.  Limited amounts get converted to glycogen to be used for energy while the excess breaks down into glucose.  Excess carbs, protein & fat will make you fat Many packaged low-fat foods contain fillers like fruit puree, fruit juice, dextrin, syrup, sucrose or glucose-fructose to compensate for texture and flavour lost without the fat.  These simple carbs are high glycemic sugars that enhance fat storage of excess carbs glucose, fructose and galactose are naturally found in fruits and vegetables and OK to consume from these sources as they also provide dietary fibre which slows sugar absorption while also providing valuable vitamins and minerals Concentrated sugars are also in soft drinks, processed [...]

Berries are a great source to fight disease Beta carotenes are found in orange, yellow & leafy green vegetables that convert to Vit. A: they are fat-soluble and should be taken with at least 3g of fat for best absorption CoQ10 is good for cardiovascular support and also stimulates the production of hair keratin which is an essential component of strong & healthy hair Dark Chocolate that has at least 70% Cocoa and low sugar content can inhibit growth of colonic, prostate & breast cancers Green Tea is great for cardio health, skin and as an anti-cancer agent Lutein which helps with vision & eye health is found in dark leafy greens like kale, collards & spinach Lycopene which helps with prostate & lung health [...]

These can supply protein in a form readily available for use by the body. L-Arginine, under conditions with normal oxygen and a neutral to high (alkaline) pH, will be oxydized by enzymes to become Nitric Oxide

There is more protein than any other substance in our bodies except water Protein satisfies appetite more than carbs and fats, therefore higher protein diets increase fat-burning (thermogenesis) and encourage fat loss. It was commonly accepted for many years that meat should be our primary source of protein.  Well, truth is, it's not.  Meat does more harm than good due to high saturated fat content, cholesterol and toxins.  If you can't bear to give up dairy, eggs, fish, poultry & meat, then make sure you at least choose organic options. Animal protein is hard on the kidneys and digestive system:  we only need 55g of protein per day and excess protein interferes with calcium metabolism Environmentaly, producing legumes is less resource intensive than animal farming [...]