Tag Archives: Nutrition

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting – A Simpler Way to Eat

Most of us grew-up hearing ” breakfast is the most important meal of the day” but what if that isn’t the case?

Intermittent fasting has gained a great deal of attention in the past years for the benefits in weight loss, overall healthier-eating, and a way to simplify our lifestyles. Popularized by Martin Berkhan, a nutritional consultant from Leangains, the success of intermittent fasting lies in the fact that it is not a diet but a lifestyle change. Intermittent fasting is divided into two stages, fasting and feeding. The most common type of fasting is the 16:8 known as the Leangains method, consisting of a 16 hour fast followed by an eight hour feeding period with no dietary restrictions.

16:8 Intermittent Fasting Pattern Credit: StayWow

Fasting and Our Ancestors

Our ancestors did not have the luxuries we have today, they had to hunt their food and this could lead to not finding anything to eat for hours or days at a time. This is the basis of intermittent fasting, going back to our old roots. By allowing our bodies to function as they are intended to do. Studies have shown, intermittent fasting protects against diabetes, obesity, cancers, heart disease, hypertension, neurodegeneration, and many more benefits.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Credit: Fitness Junction

OUR BRAIN AND FASTING

One of the biggest misconceptions is that our brain can only use glucose for energy, but this could not be further away from the truth. In reality, while in the fasting state, our brains can utilize ketone bodies as a source of energy.

While fasting, brain proteins increase as the stress of fasting causes the body to preserve this very important organ. One of the most important brain proteins is a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF. This protein works by growing neurons and as a natural antidepressant. In addition, it has been shown to help neurons stay healthier and resist brain diseases like dementia.

A study conducted by Dr. Bredesen consisted of ten patients with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The patients started to fast for 12 hours a day and were tested for cognitive improvement or decline. Within 3-6 months, nine out of the ten patients had shown a reversal in cognitive decline. Studies on the cognitive benefits of fasting are booming and more research is being invested to show the benefits of fasting on the brain.

Video of What Intermittent Fasting Does to Your Brain Credit: Gravity Transformation – Fat Loss Experts

OVERALL BENEFITS OF FASTING

As we’ve seen, fasting is great for brain health, but the benefits do not end there. Fasting has been proven to increase levels of human-growth hormone, HGH, which is essential for cellular regeneration and decrease in body fat. It has also been shown to reduce insulin resistance and in this way decreases the chances of type-2 diabetes.

With all of the benefits of fasting, it is no wonder why this new lifestyle is gaining popularity so fast.

Podcast on Intermittent Fasting Credit: The ATP Project on SOUNDCLOUD

Maria-Fernanda Arcila

 

5 ways to eat eggs bad for your health

Why people need to eat eggs

Eggs are one of the healthiest and the most commonly consumed food in the world. 

They have a high nutritional value because they contain various trace elements and kinds of essential vitamins needed by the human body, such as protein, vitamin D, B vitamins, minerals, and so on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent news about eating eggs

With the improvement of living conditions, people’s requirements on diet have been gradually improved. In today’s society, people are more and more about their health. As part of a balanced diet, people like to eat eggs to supplement nutrition. However, recent news on newspapers shows eats eggs can cause heart disease because of the high protein. Therefore, whether eating eggs bad or good to human health has caused concern.

  High protein in eggs

The protein required for people is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight. According to the dietary reference intake for protein, we can find:

  1. 56g protein required by the average sedentary man per day
  2. 46g protein required by the average sedentary woman per day

One large egg can provide about 6g protein, which makes up over 10% of the average sedentary man required per day and 12.5% of the average sedentary woman required per day.

To prevent side effects of eating eggs, people should pay attention to the following ways of eating eggs.

1. Eating raw eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people think that if food is cooked, it would lose its nutritional value. Therefore, many people like to eat raw vegetables and seafood, and they think that raw eggs have a higher nutritional value than cooked eggs.

However, eating raw eggs are more likely to carry bacteria, such as coli into the stomach, which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and Diarrhea. In addition, the raw egg white contains Avidin, which only can be destroyed by high temperature. The Avidin can affect the absorption of the biotin in food, and cause many unpleasant symptoms, such as inappetence, muscle ache, skin inflammation, eyebrow fell off, and so on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Cooking eggs for a long time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people think that more time used to cook eggs, it is better for human health. However, it is also wrong because if the egg is cooked for a long time, the ferrous ions in the yolk would combine with the sulfur ions in the egg white to form the insoluble ferrous sulfide, which is difficult to be absorbed. 

Also, fried eggs would be too old and the edges would be scorched when they are cooked for a long time. The polymer-protein in the egg white can form low molecular amino acid, which could form harmful chemicals to human health under high temperature.

 

3. Eating too many eggs in a day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If people eat too many eggs, the metabolites and the burden on the kidneys would increase, which can cause kidney failure symptoms. 

Here are a few effective tips:

For the elderly people, they can eat 1~2 eggs per day.

For the young and middle-aged people who engage in mental work or light manual labor, they can eat 2 eggs per day.

For people who engage in heavy manual labor, they need to consume more nutrition. So they can eat 2~3 eggs per day.

For young children, they can eat 2~3 eggs per day because of their fast metabolism.

For Pregnant women, lying-in women, breastfeeding women, individuals with weak immune systems and the patient that undertakes postoperative convalescence, they can eat 3 ~ 4 eggs per day because they need to get enough protein.

4. Eating eggs with sugar or soy milk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people like to cook eggs with sugar, but eggs can react with sugar under high temperature, and produce a substance called Glycolysis, which can destroy the amino acids in eggs. It is important to note that glycolysis has side effects on blood coagulation, which can harm human health. Therefore, people should leave eggs cool down before adding sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, many people like to have an egg, a bread, and a cup of soy milk for breakfast. In fact, the Trypsin in soy can combine with the egg pine protein in the egg white, which can cause nutrient loss and reduce their nutritional value.

5. Eating excess eggs on an empty stomach

If people consume excessive food with high protein, such as milk, soy milk, eggs and meat, the protein would be conversed forcedly into energy consumption, which cannot provide nutrition to people.

What’s more, when human body accumulates excess protein in a short period, the protein decomposition process can produce a variety of harmful substances that can bad for human health, such as urea, ammonia compounds, and so on.

In brief, if people pay attention to ways to eat eggs, eating eggs can help people meet their demand for protein, and it can bring many advantages to human health.

Information Attribute from

Denise Hill(n.d): https://www.lifehack.org/488728/10-foods-to-eat-and-avoid-on-an-empty-stomach-for-better-digestive-health

Estherjane13(Feb23,2017): http://www.thewholesomefork.com/2017/02/23/how-many-eggs-is-it-safe-to-eat-per-day/

Haley Hernandez(Sep 13,2018): https://www.click2houston.com/health/is-eating-eggs-good-or-bad-for-you-

Healthline(July23,2016): https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-raw-eggs#section3

Healthline(Aug26,2016): https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-healthy-eggs

GirlsTalkinSmack(n.d.): http://women.girlstalkinsmack.com/Food/foods-you-should-not-eat-with-eggs.aspx

JayneLeonard(Oct3,2018): https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323251.php    

Zhou LU

5 ways to eat eggs bad for your health

Why people need to eat eggs

Eggs are one of the healthiest and the most commonly consumed food in the world. 

They have a high nutritional value because they contain various trace elements and kinds of essential vitamins needed by the human body, such as protein, vitamin D, B vitamins, minerals, and so on. 

 

Recent news about eating eggs

With the improvement of living conditions, people’s requirements on diet have been gradually improved. In today’s society, people are more and more about their health. As part of a balanced diet, people like to eat eggs to supplement nutrition. However, recent news on newspapers shows eats eggs can cause heart disease because of the high protein. Therefore, whether eating eggs bad or good to human health has caused concern.

High protein in eggs

The protein required for people is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight.

According to the dietary reference intake for protein, we can find:

  1. 56g protein required by the average sedentary man per day
  2. 46g protein required by the average sedentary woman per day

One large egg can provide about 6g protein, which makes up over 10% of the average sedentary man required per day and 12.5% of the average sedentary woman required per day.

To prevent side effects of eating eggs, people should pay attention to the following ways of eating eggs.

1. Eating raw eggs

Some people think that if food is cooked, it would lose its nutritional value. Therefore, many people like to eat raw vegetables and seafood, and they think that raw eggs have a higher nutritional value than cooked eggs.

However, eating raw eggs are more likely to carry bacteria, such as coli into the stomach, which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and Diarrhea. In addition, the raw egg white contains Avidin, which only can be destroyed by high temperature. The Avidin can affect the absorption of the biotin in food, and cause many unpleasant symptoms, such as inappetence, muscle ache, skin inflammation, eyebrow fell off, and so on.

2. Cooking eggs for a long time

Some people think that more time used to cook eggs, it is better for human health. However, it is also wrong because if the egg is cooked for a long time, the ferrous ions in the yolk would combine with the sulfur ions in the egg white to form the insoluble ferrous sulfide, which is difficult to be absorbed. 

Also, fried eggs would be too old and the edges would be scorched when they are cooked for a long time. The polymer-protein in the egg white can form low molecular amino acid, which could form harmful chemicals to human health under high temperature.

3. Eating too many eggs in a day

If people eat too many eggs, the metabolites and the burden on the kidneys would increase, which can cause kidney failure symptoms. 

Here are a few effective tips:

For the elderly people, they can eat 1~2 eggs per day.

For the young and middle-aged people who engage in mental work or light manual labor, they can eat 2 eggs per day.

For people who engage in heavy manual labor, they need to consume more nutrition. So they can eat 2~3 eggs per day.

For young children, they can eat 2~3 eggs per day because of their fast metabolism.

For Pregnant women, lying-in women, breastfeeding women, individuals with weak immune systems and the patient that undertakes postoperative convalescence, they can eat 3 ~ 4 eggs per day because they need to get enough protein.

4. Eating eggs with sugar or soy milk

Many people like to cook eggs with sugar, but eggs can react with sugar under high temperature, and produce a substance called Glycolysis, which can destroy the amino acids in eggs. It is important to note that glycolysis has side effects on blood coagulation, which can harm human health. Therefore, people should leave eggs cool down before adding sugar.

In addition, many people like to have an egg, a bread, and a cup of soy milk for breakfast. In fact, the Trypsin in soy can combine with the egg pine protein in the egg white, which can cause nutrient loss and reduce their nutritional value.

5. Eating excess eggs on an empty stomach

If people consume excessive food with high protein, such as milk, soy milk, eggs and meat, the protein would be conversed forcedly into energy consumption, which cannot provide nutrition to people.

What’s more, when human body accumulates excess protein in a short period, the protein decomposition process can produce a variety of harmful substances that can bad for human health, such as urea, ammonia compounds, and so on.

In brief, if people pay attention to ways to eat eggs, eating eggs can help people meet their demand for protein, and it can bring many advantages to human health.

Information Attribute from:

Denise Hill: https://www.lifehack.org/488728/10-foods-to-eat-and-avoid-on-an-empty-stomach-for-better-digestive-health

Estherjane13: http://www.thewholesomefork.com/2017/02/23/how-many-eggs-is-it-safe-to-eat-per-day/

Haley Hernandez: https://www.click2houston.com/health/is-eating-eggs-good-or-bad-for-you-

Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-raw-eggs#section3

Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-healthy-eggs

GirlsTalkinSmack: http://women.girlstalkinsmack.com/Food/foods-you-should-not-eat-with-eggs.aspx

Jayne Leonard: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323251.php

 

 

Zhou LU