Striving4Zen

Calcium is a mineral found in a wide variety of foods besides dairy products. Virtually all greens contain calcium. By "greens," I mean all the dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, and collard greens as well as lettuces, like romaine. Shredded cabbage is also a source of calcium.

Virtually all nuts and seeds - and especially sesame seeds - contain calcium. So do most beans, including navy, pinto, kidney, and black and others. Additionally, tofu can also be an important source of calcium, particularly when the tofu has been calcium-precipitated (meaning that calcium was used to help convert the soy milk into tofu) it can provide a significant amount of calcium.

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Labels: beans, calcium, green leafy vegetables, healthy diet, Nuts, plant foods, seeds, tofu, vegetarian

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Twelve are manufactured by the human body, and 9, called essential amino acids, we must get from our diet.

Can we get them all from plant sources?

A complete protein is a food that contains all the essential amino acids. Animal protein like meat and dairy products are complete proteins, but it's also possible to get all your essential amino acids from plant sources. In order to get a vegetarian complete protein, you need to combine foods to make one. Beans and rice are a popular complete protein, but so is nut butter on whole grain bread, and hummus on pita. Recent research shows that you don't need to combine these foods all in one meal. You can combine them over a 2-day period.

So it doesn't really matter where you get these essential amino acids, as long as you get them. Your weight will determine just how much protein you need. A 120 lb woman needs to eat about 43g of protein a day. A 130 lb woman needs to eat about 47g of protein a day, and a 150 lb woman needs to eat about 50g of protein a day.

There are so many plant sources of protein and meat alternatives. As long as vegetarians eats a wide variety of foods they'll be able to get all the amino acids they need, and they don't need to eat extra plant protein to get them.

Thanks FitSugar!

Labels: amino acids, beans, complete protein, Dairy, meat, protein, vegetarian

A kind of dietary fiber known as "resistant starch" is emerging as a new weight loss powerhouse.

A 2008 Swedish study found that people who ate a resistant starch at supper (in the form of barley bread) felt much less hungry than those who munched on plain white bread — and the hunger-quenching effect lasted past breakfast the next day. Found in beans, slightly green bananas, and potatoes (white and sweet), among other foods, this kind of fiber "resists" being digested. Because the starch doesn't enter your bloodstream, it stabilizes blood sugar levels and may lower diabetes risk. It also boosts levels of healthful bacteria that nurture the immune system.


Stay healthy
Load up your diet with these indigestible carbohydrates, also found in brown rice and corn, says Leslie Bonci, RD, author of the American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion. Because the starch becomes resistant during cooling, serve these foods at room temperature or from the fridge — think three-bean or (low-fat mayo) potato salad. You can find foods fortified with a resistant starch made from corn under the brand name Hi-maize (see our picks). "If you're eliminating carbs to watch your weight, you're not doing yourself any favors," Bonci says. "Adding these starches is an easy way to control both hunger and blood sugar."

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Labels: bananas, beans, fiber, healthy diet, resistant starch, study, Sweet potato

If you are tense or tight, anxious or irritable, then you might be magnesium deficient.

You also might be magnesium deficient if you have:

Anxiety, autism, ADD, headaches, migraines, chronic fatigue, irritability, muscle cramps or twitches, insomnia, sensitivity to loud noises, palpitations, angina, constipation, anal spasms, fibromyalgia, asthma, kidney stones, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, PMS, menstrual cramps, irritable bladder, irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, trouble swallowing, and more.

We eat a diet that has practically no magnesium -- a highly processed, refined diet that is based mostly on white flour, meat, and dairy, none of which contain magnesium.

This is compounded by the fact that magnesium levels are decreased by excess alcohol, salt, coffee, sugar, phosphoric acid in colas, profuse sweating, prolonged or intense stress, chronic diarrhea, excessive menstruation, and by diuretics (water pills), antibiotics and other drugs and some intestinal parasites.

We live lifestyles that cause us to lose whatever magnesium we have from our bodies, and we never replace it.

When was the last time you had a good dose of sea vegetables (seaweed), nuts, greens, and beans?

If you are like most Americans, your nut consumption mostly comes from peanut butter, and mostly in chocolate peanut butter cups. As for seaweed, greens, and beans—well, most Americans don’t eat many of these at all.

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Labels: beans, healthy diet, magnesium, minerals, sea vegetables, Whole grains

As more and more people begin to discover how uniquely delicious and nutritious black beans are, their popularity has begun to soar.

Black bean nutrition - focus on protein and fiber

When it comes to three basic categories of nourishment-protein, fiber and antioxidant related substances- black beans have an especially solid nutritional profile. Black beans, like other beans, really pack a punch when it comes to protein and fiber. On average, each cup features about 15 grams of both protein and fiber.

Black bean nutrition - focus on flavonoid anti-oxidants

While all beans are exceptionally healthy foods when it comes to their protein and fiber content, it's the color coat on black beans that makes them particularly interesting. Researchers have found at least 8 different flavonoids in the black bean's color coat. Flavonoids are typically color-producing phytonutrients pigments that have great antioxidant potential. They can also be responsible for some of the unique flavors found in foods. Flavonoids work together with vitamins to help the body avoid oxygen-related damage.

Many other foods have been studied for their flavonoid content, and foods like red grapes or red wines are famous for their rich supplies of one flavonoid family, called anthocyanins. As it turns out black beans are an equally rich source of this flavonoid family, containing about 2.37 grams of anthocyanins per 100 grams of seed coat.

Black bean nutrition - focus on omega 3 fatty acids

Black beans also contain small amounts (about 180 mg per cup) of omega-3 fatty acids. This amount is about three times the amount available from many other beans, including kidney beans. While the amount of omega-3 fats in one cup of black beans is roughly equal to the amount in one ounce of a cold water fish like halibut, it can still be a valuable addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating since omega-3 fats are essential to protecting your health.

Black bean nutrition - focus on vitamins and minerals

In addition to the nutrients already discussed, black beans also feature concentrated amounts of other important vitamins and minerals. Based upon our nutrient rating system, black beans are an excellent source of one nutrient (molybdenum), a very good source of three nutrients (folate, fiber, and tryptophan) and a good source of five nutrients (manganese, protein, magnesium, vitamin B1, and phosphorus).

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Labels: anthocyanins, beans, black beans, flavonoids, health food, healthy diet, legumes, nutrition

Olives - In 2001 Australian scientists discovered that the more olive oil people had in their diets, the less wrinkles they had. The oleic acid found in olives and virgin olive oil is the key here. Oleic acid actually soaks through the membranes of skin cells plumping them up, which then makes fine lines and wrinkles less noticeable. Organic extra virgin olive oil contains high levels of antioxidants like phenols, and vitamins E and A, which fight free radicals and thus prevent premature aging. Those antioxidants help neutralize the oxidation process, which is common to all fats, and preserve the properties of olive oil too. I know this may sound crazy but I take a teaspoon of extra virgin oil everyday. Make sure it is the extra virgin olive oil as it is the best for the skin.

Labels: anti-aging, Anti-oxidant, beans, berries, eating for good skin, wrinkles

Beans have the highest antioxidant content, period.

One cup of beans provides a whopping 13 g of fiber-- half of what we need daily--with no saturated fat. Beans are loaded with protein (about 15 g per cup) and dozens of key nutrients, including a few most women fall short on--calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Studies also tie beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. And surprisingly, red, pinto, and kidney beans are the highest antioxidant food, beating out both blueberries and cranberries.

Health benefits : Bean by bean

Black
Rich in anthocyanins, the same heart disease– and cancer-fighting antioxidants that are found in grapes and cranberries.

Garbanzo (chickpeas)
A recent study found that a chickpea-fortified diet slashed “bad” LDL cholesterol levels by almost 5%.

Kidney
The thiamin (vitamin B1) in this bean protects memory and brain function; a deficiency has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Navy
Potassium regulates blood pressure and normal heart contractions.

Pinto
Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

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Labels: beans, eating healthy, health food, healthy diet, nutrition