VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

Making Heart-Healthy Food Choices

Are you eating your share of fruits and veggies? Fruits and vegetables are important sources of fiber necessary for keeping your heart healthy. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble forms, every day.

Foods rich in soluble fiber include oat bran, nuts, barley, flax seed and psyllium husk. These foods help to lower LDL cholesterol levels (the bad stuff) and help to support blood sugar levels already in the normal range. Insoluble fiber food sources include whole wheat products, dried fruits, seeds and nuts. Insoluble fiber helps to promote regular bowel movements and assists in removing toxic wastes from the colon.

When regularly eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber may help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. To keep your heart healthy, make sure to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day, as well as at least 6 servings of grain products per day. Your heart will thank you for it!

Gluten Free is Amazing Grace

Going gluten free is a success story in my household, particularly for my wife who has suffered from stomach cramps, indigestion, migraines, nausea and occasional belching most of her life.

For years, doctors explained away her condition as a result of bouts with bulimia during her formative years. To be bulimic throughout adolescence often means permanent damage to the esophageal lining, stomach and healthy GI tract function. At least this is what we were led to believe. One day, after reading an article in a well-known nutrition magazine, Sabrina decided to stop eating bread, pasta and other ‘wheat-based foods' that contained gluten.

Voila! Her migraines all but disappeared. Cramps now only during her period and nausea only after eating something extremely distasteful like my mother in-laws cooking. Now this doesn't mean everyone will achieve the same result by going gluten-free, but it's surprising how gluten-free helps balance metabolism, bring order back to body functions, replace fatigue with needed energy and, in the case of Sabrina, lose weight.

Feel Good Gluten Free

Bob's Red Mill is a household name in stone ground whole grains, natural foods and baking mixes. Bob is also known for certified gluten free products, ideal for those suffering from celiac disease, gluten intolerance and wheat allergies.

Exclude gluten from your diet and amazing things can happen, say nutritionists. You may find yourself losing weight quickly, have more energy and even sleep better. Gluten is very tough on the body system, is difficult to digest and can wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal tract if you consume too much.

Dieticians agree that gluten has few health benefits – if any. Aside from its value as a wheat protein, gluten harbors little nutrition. Its negative impact on the body system outweighs the positive and, for those who overindulge in gluten-rich breads and pastas every day, too much gluten can make you fat, lazy, sleepy and unproductive.

Atkins Breakfast for $0.97

I think most people think "Atkins Diet" whenever someone says "Atkins" aloud. Me? I think of great-tasting, nutritious Atkins breakfast bars. Although that sounds like a gratuitous plug for the nutrition giant, there is a big difference between Atkins breakfast bars and some of the others.

Read the Atkins nutrition label to see that each bar contains good levels of essential vitamins and minerals, each is low in calories and carbohydrates and high in protein, so as a nutritious meal replacement, Atkins makes the grade. Another thing: price. Atkins bars are less than a dollar each and you can buy them in packs of five.

Let's just say, for instance, you were trying to lose weight and save money all at the same time. A five-pack of Atkins is enough breakfast for a week and, at $0.97 each, it's cheaper and more nutritious than the dollar menu.

Coconut Diet May Promote Weight Loss

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as good fat. It's not the fat in most fried food and it's not the marbling in ribeye or sirloin that results in the steaks sizzling flavor. Nope, it's the fat in coconut oil which, if you substitute in place of all other cooking and salad oils in your diet, may help you lose weight effortlessly – the main tenet of the coconut diet.

Unlike the long-chain triglycerides in other oils, the medium-chain triglycerides found in coconut oil are metabolized more quickly by the body and are less likely to be stored as fat, or so say promoters of the coconut diet and nutritionists who swear by it. So as not to be misled, understand that coconut oil is high in saturated fat and when consumed in excess will get your cholesterol cranking just like other oils do. In fact, ounce for ounce, coconut oil delivers more saturated fat than butter, lard or margarine, and feeding studies conducted on humans, monkeys and rabbits show that coconut oil substantially elevates LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Then there's the research that indicates, when followed closely, the coconut diet may keep blood lipid levels low and benefit your thyroid and metabolism by helping you manage weight better. Support for coconut diet benefits stem from the fact that coconut oil is non-hydrogenated, contains zero cholesterol (as is the case with all plant-based oils) and has no trans-fat. That being said, coconut oil may present fewer cardiovascular risks than animal-based fats, and oils such as peanut, canola, vegetable and sunflower when used in moderation.

Slendesta Spud-Pill Promotes Weight Management

Of the long list of dietary supplements and alternative solutions to weight loss that you've considered in the past, Slendesta probably isn't one of them. That being said, it's time for a change. Slendesta contains Proteinase Inhibitor II (PI2), a compound in potatoes that catapults the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the bloodstream, a naturally occurring peptide that simulates a feeling of fullness.

Is this why you feel full after eating potatoes? Quite possibly yes. But because potatoes are high in complex carbohydrates and can abruptly raise your glycemic index (GI), eating too many too often can result in unhealthy weight gain, especially in the form of French fries or baked potatoes mounded with butter and sour cream. 

Slendesta is safe and is quickly gaining in popularity among weight management enthusiasts. Is there competition in the potato protein supplement ranks? Yes. But you'll find Slendesta to be most effective in helping you manage weight, and in just a short time after beginning a Slendesta regimen, you'll feel lighter, stronger and more self-assured. 

L-Carnitine for Weight Management

A form of carnitine, L-carnitine is an amino-acid-like substance found in the brain, neural tissue, muscle and heart. This naturally-occurring nutrient has been the center of much attention lately for its potential in burning fat and building lean muscle, as carnitine appears to transport fat to the part of the cell which burns fat rather than storing it.

Because carnitine acts on fat the way it does, increasing carnitine levels in the body with L-carnitine supplements may boost metabolism, increase energy levels and help regulate cholesterol and blood sugar - all things that aid weight management.

You'll hear a lot good things about carnitine from bodybuilders and athletes. They use it primarily as an endurance-enhancing supplement and to more efficiently burn fat during workouts. In fact, scientists have found that body fat cannot be burned without carnitine, and since the heart derives roughly 70 percent of its energy from fat, nutritionists believe that an L-carnitine supplement taken daily may be good for both active and inactive lifestyles.

Hoodia May Benefit Weight Loss

Appearing on store shelves and offered by Internet retailers around the globe, hoodia supplements are derived from the succulent hoodia plant found mainly in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. The herbs reputed reputation is one for staving off hunger and quenching thirst during long journeys across the sand basin, as this powerful herb is said to possess appetite suppressing qualities.

Acting as a weight loss supplement, hoodia works by reducing the frequency of your cravings, cutting back on your fat and carbohydrate intake and giving your body more time between meals to access fat stores and burn excess body fat. It may even do this for you. A molecule dubbed P57 in hoodia is presumed to act on the hypothalamus, the portion of your brain that triggers cravings and determines satiety. In essence, P57 tricks the brain into thinking the stomach is full.

Are there any harmful side effects to this miracle weight loss herb? Yes, the worse side effect of all - hoodia may do nothing for you. Researchers have determined that, although hoodia supplements may promote effective weight loss in some people, they may do nothing for others, rendering it almost useless as a dietary supplement.

Glucomannan for Weight Loss

Americans don't eat enough fiber. The end result is high cholesterol and triglycerides, constipation and ultimately weight gain. Although most fiber contains few nutrients or calories for energy, it naturally cleanses the body system and eliminates toxins.

Glucomannan, a soluble fiber derived from the Japanese konjac plant, is a healthy fiber source shown to possess weight loss benefits. Similar to pectin, glucomannan absorbs up to 50 times its weight in liquid, creating the effect of feeling full in the stomach and helping to suppress appetite and curb cravings.

The price of glucomannan supplements has come down significantly in recent years and is now within reach of most everyone's budget. Aside from its weight loss potential, glucomannan is an excellent alternative to keeping cholesterol and blood sugar in check and is a powerful laxative in particular doses. 

Garden of Life FucoTHIN Burns Belly Fat Safely

Garden of Life FucoTHIN almost seemed too good to be true. A thermogenic fat-burning supplement that increases metabolism without stimulates is enough to make anyone skeptical.

FucoTHIN's main ingredient, fucoxanthin is a compound found in different types of seaweed. Characteristically, fucoxanthin is a carotenoid with powerful antioxidant properties to protect cells, but as scientists looked more closely, the substance revealed unique, fat burning qualities. Low and behold, fucoxanthin creates a thermogenic effect in the body without stimulating the central nervous system.

Thermogenesis is the process through which the body generates heat by increasing metabolism beyond normal levels. While it's a widely accepted method among fat burning enthusiasts and athletes, the use of stimulates to impact the central nervous system can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Fucoxanthin specifically targets the fat in the white adipose tissue around the belly, making Garden of Life FucoTHIN a safe and effective weight loss solution.