|
There's nothing like a juicy steak
Most South Africans would rate a good steak as one of their top five favourite foods. Eating beef is part of our culture, and theres no denying that the taste and nutrition we get from it satisfy completely. Unfortunately beef also has the stigma of being linked to ailments such as heart disease and high cholesterol. But a 2004 report in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that lean red meat trimmed of all visible fat is low in saturated fat and does not raise cholesterol levels. Scientific research has shown that lean beef can be effectively incorporated into a balanced eating plan designed to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce ones risk of heart disease, says Johannesburg based registered dietician, Anne Till, in a recent study that compared lean beef and lean chicken as the main source of protein, it was found that they reduced cholesterol levels equally.
Getting Enough Fiber Is Important For Weight Loss
Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know it can help you in your weight loss efforts? Filling up on fiber can help you to feel full for longer, therefore causing you to eat less overall which will result in healthy weight loss. In addition to helping you lose weight, fiber also has many positive health effects. Fiber has been linked to managing diabetes, cutting cholesterol, and limiting heart damage. One Swiss study found that eating a high-fiber meal reduced hunger more than a meal which was low in fiber. How Much Fiber Do You Need? You should consume between 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. While that might not sound like a lot, most Americans only get about 15 grams and many much less. Fiber can be found in most fruits and vegetables including carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower.
Managing Your Cholesterol Naturally
Because of organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA), we've learned a lot about cholesterol and how it affects our health. Thanks to these educational organizations, we know that high cholesterol levels can increase our risk for heart attacks and strokes and, by lowering these levels; we reduce these risks as well as keep our hearts and blood vessels healthy. We also know that our cholesterol levels can be improved through exercise, diet, and weight loss. Although we've learned a lot through these educational organizations, there are still a few misconceptions about cholesterol. One of these being that not all cholesterol is harmful. There are both “good" and “bad" forms of cholesterol and a good balance between the two is what is needed for a healthy heart. Because so much emphasis is placed on lowering “bad" cholesterol levels, not enough attention is paid to the benefit of raising “good" cholesterol levels (HDL).
Nibbles: Phytosterol-enriched snacks help lower cholesterol
A study in the November Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that eating chocolates enriched with plant sterols significantly reduced cholesterol. Participants in the study ate two cocoa bars enriched with the plant compounds daily for six weeks and saw an average 4.7 percent reduction in total cholesterol and a 6 percent drop in LDL (aka "bad") cholesterol. The study was funded by Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars, which sells sterol-infused treats under the brand CocoaVia… The diet drug Accomplia is facing a difficult road in Germany, as the government tries to cut health-care costs. We told you yesterday that the pill is doing well in Britain, but in Germany it is being targeted for classification as a "lifestyle" drug, not necessary for treating a disease, meaning state health care plans wouldn't cover the cost.
|
