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If temperate countries are famous for their apples and grapes, tropical countries are famous for their mangoes. Your trip to tropical lands would not be complete if you do not taste sweet ripe mangoes, delicious dried mangoes, and cool mango shakes. And if there is a top ten list of fruits you need to eat before you die, mango is surely found on that list. If you ever visit places like India and the Philippines, don’t forget to visit their local markets and buy some mangoes. You will forget your name if you taste their mouthwatering ripe mangoes.

Mango, Mangifera indica, is a member of Anacardiaceae family in which cashew, pistachio, gandaria, and mombin belong. It has a kidney-shaped seed and an edible flesh. Depending on variety, the fruit’s skin can be green, red, orange, or yellow. The flesh can be yellow or orange when ripe depending again on the variety. Unripe mangoes are usually sour while the ripe ones are sweet but can be slightly acidic in taste. Moreover, the ripe mangoes have unique and relaxing aroma or fragrance. Although native to South Asia, mango is now cultivated around the world including Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Today, over 1000 varieties are cultivated worldwide and all them are edible but with different taste, texture, and color.

In the “fruit kingdom”, mango is definitely a super star. It is not only delicious but also highly nutritious. Our body will benefit a lot from eating mango regularly. Don’t leave this page until you finished reading the nutrition facts of mango below.
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Mango Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Mango is rich in powerful antioxidants in the form of vitamins and polyphenols. One hundred sixty five grams of mango contains antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E that compose 25%, 76%, and 9% of the dietary reference intake respectively. On the other hand, mango contains various polyphenols such as quercetin, caffeic acid, gallic acid, kaempferol, catechins, tannins, and mangiferin (unique to mango). These vitamins and polyphenols counteract free radicals that can damage cells and cause cancer, premature aging, and degenerative diseases. They also boost our immune system to fight infection and inflammation.

Vitamin A specifically promotes good eyesight. Deficiency with this vitamin can result to night blindness, refractive errors, dryness of the eyes, softening of the cornea, and itching and burning in the eyes.

Mango has also trace amount of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9. Each of these B vitamins has significant roles in our body. Some of them act as co-factosr of various enzymes in our body. Deficiency with these vitamins is associated to a variety of diseases.

Essential minerals such as potassium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and calcium are also found in mango fruit.  With these minerals, potassium has the highest concentration (156 mg per 100 g mango). It is important in blood pressure regulation, heart function, and muscle contraction. Iron is needed in red blood cell production and anemia prevention. Calcium is needed for bone development and regeneration.

One hundred grams of mango contains 1.8 grams of fiber including the soluble fiber pectin. Fibers help food move more easily through the digestive tract. They help prevent constipation by absorbing water that will keep the stool soft. They also help remove the toxins in the digestive tract contributing to the prevention of a variety of gastrointestinal diseases such as colon cancer. The soluble fiber pectin found in mango helps lower blood cholesterol according to studies. Moreover, this fiber has been discovered to release fragments that bind to the protein gallectin 3 which is found in all stages of cancer. Thus, supplying our body with adequate pectin may help prevent cancer.

If you are striving to gain extra weight, mango is healthier to eat than greasy burgers and carbonated drinks. There is 17 grams of carbohydrates (75 calories) in 100 grams or 3.5 oz of mango. If you are bored eating plain ripe mango, try mango shake, mango pie, mango cake, dried mango, mango ice cream, etc. There are lots of mango products out there that you can surely enjoy.

 

Knowing all these mango health benefits, visit the nearest supermarket and buy ripe mangoes now. Enjoy the fruit’s sweet juicy pulp and its wonderful nutritional benefits.[ad#afterpost]

Arugula, Eruca sativa, is a green leafy vegetable native to the Mediterranean region but now cultivated in many parts of the world. It is also known as rocket, garden rocket, roquette, Italian cress, and eruca.  It has been grown since the Roman times in the Mediterranean region where the vegetable was a popular aphrodisiac. It has long elongated dark green leaves that are lobed like oak leaves.  These leaves have unique peppery flavor.

Arugula belongs to the Brassica family, the family of cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, turnip, and bok choy. The same with these vegetables, arugula has many health benefits which are briefly discussed below.

Arugula Nutritional Benefits

Studies show that cruciferous vegetables like arugula have anti-cancer properties. These vegetables contain glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds that help in the detoxification of the body.  They help remove carcinogens or cancer-causing agents in the body.

As a green vegetable, arugula contains chlorophyll, the pigment that makes it green. Chlorophyll has amazing health benefits including its ability to increase red blood cell production in the body. The pigment contains the compound used in the production of hemoglobin, the compound in the blood that carries oxygen to all cells of the body. Since chlorophyll increases red blood cell count, it help prevents anemia and brings large amounts of oxygen to our body making us more energetic.

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Arugula also contains carotenoids like carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These are powerful antioxidants that help the body neutralize free radicals that can damage our body cells and cause cancer, macular degeneration, and other disorders.

Arugula is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It has vitamin A, C, and K, as well as folic acid and choline. Minerals found in the vegetable include calcium magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. We all know that vitamins and minerals are needed to make our body strong and healthy.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are also found in arugula. These fatty acids are helpful in making our heart and cardiovascular system healthy. Arugula is an excellent alternative to fish products as dietary source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Arugula contains fibers which are coarse fibrous substances that aid in digestion. Studies show that fibers help in the prevention of many diseases in the digestive tract.

How to Use Arugula?

You can use arugula in many ways. You can put it in your hamburger or sandwich like lettuce. You can stir fry it with olive oil and garlic. You can add it to your favorite soups or stews. You can use it as topping to your homemade pizza. There are other ways on how to use arugula in cooking, just be creative and try to experiment.

The ideal way to use arugula is to make salad green. You can mix it with other green vegetables that can be eaten raw. Arugula salad with your favorite vinaigrette is a perfect lunch which is not only delicious but also very healthy.

Eating arugula raw (as salad) is better than eating it cooked. It is because many nutrients in arugula can be lost if it is cooked especially when overcooked.[ad#afterpost]

The liver is the largest organ in our body. No doubt that it is one of our busiest organs working 24/7 just to keep our whole body running.  It is involved in many metabolic reactions and vital life functions. The primary functions of our liver include:

• Detoxification and purification of blood
• Storage of glycogen, vitamins, and minerals for future use
• Metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Activation of important enzymes
• Red blood cell production during fetal development
• Decomposition or breakdown of red blood cells
• Production and breakdown of insulin and other hormones
• Metabolism and detoxification of drugs
• Synthesis and excretion of bile, an important digestive fluid that emulsifies fat for easier digestion
• Production of plasma proteins such as albumin and coagulation or clotting factors

With all these functions of our liver, we should do everything to protect it and keep it healthy because like any of our organs it is highly susceptible to damage. Take note that liver damage is a serious medical condition that could lead to death. Many people worldwide die every day due to liver damages which could have been avoided if people just know the things that are good and bad to the liver.

Viruses, toxic drugs, narcotics, high cholesterol food, smoking, and excessive alcohol drinking are some of factors that could damage our liver. We are always told to avoid those things to keep our liver strong and healthy. However, we are rarely told about ways that we should do to make our liver healthy like eating foods good to our liver. There are many foods that we could eat to keep our liver in good condition. Below are some of the foods that are not only affordable and delicious but also good to our liver.
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Foods Good to the Liver

Cruciferous vegetables

• Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, turnip, and cauliflower. These vegetables are rich in glucosinolates which are sulfur-containing substances that help the liver produce necessary enzymes required in detoxification process. Toxins, carcinogens, and drugs are among the compounds detoxified by the liver.

Foods Rich in Beta-Carotene

• Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid that gives orange or red pigmentation to plants. It is abundant in carrots, squash, beets, and other vegetables with similar pigmentation or color. Beta-carotene and other carotenoids are good for the liver because they act as antioxidants that get rid of free radicals that can damage liver cells. Free radicals should be removed from the liver because they are associated to a variety of diseases like cancer.

Foods Rich in Vitamins C and E

• Vitamins C and E are also powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals in the liver. Good sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, papaya, peppers, broccoli, mustard greens, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, carambola, and all green leafy vegetables. Foods that are rich in Vitamin E include asparagus, avocado, walnuts, almonds, and tomatoes.

Foods Rich in Vitamin B

• Vitamin B acts as coenzyme in many liver enzymes that perform important biochemical reactions. Foods rich in this water-soluble vitamin include grains, fishes, eggs, meat (especially liver), and milk.

Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Omega-3 fatty acids were found to be helpful to the liver. Foods that are rich with omega-3 fatty acids include tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and chia seeds.

Garlic and Onion

• Garlic contains the sulfur-based compound allicin which is also involved in detoxification reactions in the liver. This popular spice also contains minerals and vitamins that keep the liver healthy. Onion on the other hand contains glutathione, another sulfur-based compound that perform the same function as allicin.

Prunes

• According to a USDA study, prunes contain some of the highest levels of antioxidants in fruits. We just learned that antioxidants protect the liver from the damaging effects of the liver.

Apples

• Apples contain pectin that aids in the excretion of heavy metals from the body. Pectin acts as a chelating agent that binds to heavy metals so that they would not be absorbed in the intestine. This will result to a reduced toxic load in the liver.  Apples also contain essential vitamins and minerals that keep our liver and whole body healthy.

Lecithin

• Lecithin is a healthy additive to food as it is good to liver cells. Lecithin is a phospholipid found in the cell membrane that plays a role in fat metabolism. Use lecithin granules in preparing foods where they are appropriate to add including salads and smoothies.

Conclusion

You don’t need to buy expensive supplements just to protect your liver, there are many foods out there that are affordable, easy to find, and most importantly good to your liver.

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Iron, one of the most abundant metal in the planet, is important in human physiology. It is an integral component of hemoglobin, a metalloprotein found in blood that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide to their proper destination within the body. Without iron, the hemoglobin cannot perform its functions.

Most iron in our body are found in blood but it can also be found in other parts of the body doing different roles. For example, iron is found in myoglobin, the oxygen-binding protein found in muscle tissue. This protein plays a role in oxygen metabolism in the muscle.

When our body is getting insufficient amount of iron or losing too much iron through intestinal bleeding or menses, we will develop iron deficiency anemia with symptoms including fatigue, headache, dizziness, palpitations, weakness, pale skin color, and breathing difficulty. This number one nutritional disorder in the world is treated by iron supplementation.

Iron supplements are prescribed by a doctor to a patient diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. The common forms of iron supplements (oral iron) are ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate, and sodium feredetate. These are available as tablets, capsules, and oral liquid. Popular brands include Ironorm®, Feospan®, Ferrograd®, Fersaday®, Fersamal®, Galfer®, Niferex®, and Sytron®.

Like any other medicine, iron supplements could cause side effects which are discussed below.
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Iron Supplement Side Effects

The common iron supplement side effects include stomach cramps, upset stomach, constipation, and diarrhea. Iron can also turn your stool into black but don’t worry because it is not harmful. These side effects are usually temporary and may disappear as your body adjusts to the supplement. In case the side effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor immediately.

Although rare, allergic reaction to iron supplement may occur. Noticeable symptoms include rash, itching, swelling, dizziness, and trouble breathing. Seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms after taking iron supplement.

Minimize Side Effects and Improve Iron Absorption

Don’t take iron supplements beyond what your doctor prescribed you to take. Your anemia cannot be treated overnight by doubling or tripling your intake of iron supplement. Take it slow and always follow your doctor’s advice.

Iron is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach but it may cause stomach problems as iron irritates the lining of the stomach. If you experience stomach upset and other side effects (e.g nausea), try taking the supplement on a full stomach and see if the side effects disappear. The drawback in taking iron supplement on a full stomach is the reduction of iron absorption by 40%.

Do not take your iron supplement with dairy products at the same time. The calcium in milk, cheese, and other dairy products reduces iron absorption.

Also avoid tea, soy products, wine, and coffee when taking your iron supplement as they also decrease iron absorption.

To improve iron absorption, take Vitamin C supplements or increase your consumption of foods rich in Vitamin C or ascorbic acid.

Taking folic acid with oral iron can help increase red blood cell production (RBC). The body needs folic acid to produce new cells like RBC. Pregnant women need folic acid and iron to

Don’t be too dependent with iron supplements to treat your anemia. Increase your consumption of food rich in iron including liver, artichokes, beans, turkey, chicken giblets, mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops), iron-fortified cereals and grains, dried fruits (prunes, raisins), red meat, and egg yolk.

Image by Thirteen of Clubs (Flickr.com)

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Many people mistakenly identify coconut milk as the water inside the coconut. But coconut water is completely different to coconut milk. Coconut water is the clear fluid that you can see when you open a coconut while coconut milk is the substance  extracted in the thick white flesh (meat) inside a ripe coconut. The milk can be extracted by finely grating the meat, soaking it to hot water, and then squeezing (straining) it through cheese cloth or mesh. Thick coconut milk is produced when the coconut meat is squeezed only once while a thinner milk is produced when it is squeezed more than once. The more the flesh is squeezed, the thinner the milk produced.

Coconut milk has many culinary uses especially in tropical countries where coconut is abundant.  The thick coconut milk is commonly used to make sauces and desserts while the thin coconut milk is used in general cooking (e.g. soup cooking). In tropical countries, coconut milk is widely used in making rice cakes and cooking vegetable and meat.

You don’t need to buy ripe coconut to produce coconut milk as there are already canned and bottled coconut milk in supermarkets. Coconut milk in powdered form is also available. However, nothing can beat the freshness, taste, and texture of coconut milk directly squeezed from coconut meat.

Foods with coconut milk are not only delicious but also beneficial to our body. Coconut milk contains nutrients that make our body healthy and stronger. Let us look at some of the health benefits of coconut milk.
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Health Benefits of Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is a good source of vitamins and minerals including calcium which keeps our bones and teeth stronger.

Coconut oil, a white colorless fatty oil, is derived from coconut milk. This oil has many uses including the production of food, soaps, cosmetics, and candles.

Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid which boosts our immune system to prevent infection. This acid helps our body fight viruses, microbes, and fungi that may cause disease.

Coconut oil is a good home remedy for dryness and flaking of skin. Just apply the oil in your skin and observe how it will make your skin softer. The oil can also be used in treating other skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. It can also be used as natural solution to dry hair; it is an effective alternative to expensive hot oil treatment. Women in the tropics have been traditionally using coconut oil to make their hair smoother and shinier.

Coconut oil can improve the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion-related diseases like irritable bowel syndrome.

The fatty acids found in coconut oil can help prevent heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

Coconut oil is highly recommended to people with diabetes as it was found to help control blood sugar level and improve insulin secretion.

Coconut oil cannot only help dissolve kidney stones but can also improve the general health of our kidneys and gall bladder.

Antioxidants are also found in coconut oil. These compounds get rid of free radicals that damages our cells and cause cancer.

Conclusion

Start using coconut milk now and enjoy its many health benefits. Start by cooking these coconut milk recipes. Happy cooking![ad#afterpost]

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a medical condition marked by a rise in pressure on the walls of arteries. People with this condition are at higher risk of developing life-threatening cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack. These cardiovascular diseases claim 2,600 American lives every day or one cardiovascular death every 33 seconds. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in America.

High blood pressure is often considered as the silent killer because it has few early symptoms and many people are not aware that they have it. Statistics show that only about half of people with high blood pressure in the United States know they have it. Of those who know they have high blood pressure, only about half are receiving treatment. Of these people receiving treatment, only 25% of them are actually controlling their blood pressure (University of Maryland Medical Center).

High blood pressure is caused by different factors such as lifestyle, genetics, race, and diet.

Sedentary lifestyle or lack of physical activity is associated with rise in blood pressure. Smoking and heavy alcohol drinking can also raise blood pressure to dangerous level.

Preliminary studies show that certain genes can predispose an individual to develop high blood pressure.  This might be the reason why the disease runs in families.

Race is also linked to hypertension. According to statistics, African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure than their white counterparts. In addition, the statistics show that African Americans develop high blood pressure at younger age than whites and die at much higher rates.

Diet is a very important factor in the development of hypertension. Too much intake of food with too much sodium, fats, cholesterol, or carbohydrates as well as heavy alcohol drinking can contribute in development of hypertension. Continue reading to learn why avoiding or reducing the intake of these foods can help you control or prevent your high blood pressure.

Control Sodium Intake

Sodium is the element found in table salt (NaCl), a common food additive. This element is very important in regulating body fluid. However, it becomes detrimental to health when it is present in excess amount in the body. Research shows that high intake of sodium is linked to high blood pressure. It is believed that sodium causes the constriction or narrowing of blood vessels. As a result, the amount of space the blood has to travel decreases, increasing the resistance it needs to overcome. Increased resistance results to increased blood pressure which is not good to the heart and blood vessels.

Sodium, together with other compounds, enters our body through the food we eat.  There is a long list of foods that contain sodium. Listing all of them is not the scope of this article but typical examples include processed foods (e.g. sausage, bacon, ham, etc.), canned soups, deli meats, condiments (e.g. catsup, soy sauce, salad dressings, etc.), snack foods (e.g. corn chips, potato chips, peanuts, pretzels, etc.), and marinated or pickled food. Generally, salty foods contain high amount of sodium. Reducing the intake of these foods can greatly help in reducing high blood pressure.

An average American ingests 6,900 to 9,000 mg of sodium a day even though the human body only needs 500 mg of it.  The accumulation of too much salt in the body can be risky especially to people who are sensitive to sodium including those who have family history of hypertension, elderly, African Americans, and diabetics.

There are ways to reduce sodium intake. Doctors advise that you pay attention to the amount of sodium listed in food labels. In this way, you can control the amount of sodium you take. You should also consider substituting salt with various condiments and seasonings with less sodium. In this way, you still enjoy your food but with less salt or sodium.
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Control of Alcohol Intake

Heavy alcohol drinking has been shown to raise blood pressure by interfering blood flow to and from the heart. Doctors advise moderate alcohol drinking (less than 3 drinks a day) because it doesn’t have much impact on the heart. In fact, numerous studies show that moderate alcohol drinking can have protective effects to the heart. However, doctors recommend that those who already have hypertension should avoid alcohol consumption as it worsens their conditions.

Avoid Foods High in Fat

People with high blood pressure should avoid foods high in saturated or trans fats as these can worsen their condition leading to serious complications. High intake of saturated fats increase the level of low density lipoproteins (LDL) that tend to stick on the walls of arteries, narrowing the amount of space blood has to travel. This causes blood pressure to increase.

Control Consumption of Carbohydrates

Too much intake of carbohydrates or sugar without adequate physical activity can cause weight gain or obesity. Obesity is an important determinant for hypertension. The extra weight puts additional strain on the heart and slows down blood flow. Controlling carbohydrate intake combined with physical activity can help prevent weight gain and high blood pressure.

Conclusion

Monitoring your intake of sodium, fats, carbohydrates, and alcohol can contribute a lot in controlling your high blood pressure.[ad#afterpost]