Tag Archives: cancer protection

Health Advantages of Following a Low-Fat Diet

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Choosing a low-fat diet is another way to reduce weight. During the last few decades it has been shown that reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet is one of the best things you can do for your health.

You will significantly increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and many other conditions when you consume fatty foods. Today, 66% of Americans are overweight or obese and the rate of obesity has more than doubled to 32%, with most of the increase occurred during the past 20 years.

The key to losing weight is: reducing the total calorie intake. And the easiest way to do that is to eat less fat. One gram of fat delivers
9 calories, which is more than twice as many as the same amount of
protein or carbohydrate. Also, our body likes fat. It’s easier to store calories from fat than from other sources.

Danish researchers found that those who reduced the amount of fat in their diets from 39% to 28% of total calories and increased their carbohydrates intake were able to lose an average of 9 pounds
in just 12 weeks. In addition, people who followed lower-fat diets were able to keep the weight off long after the study ended.

Another advantage of reducing fat from your diet is that it can increase your general sense of well-being, according to research. In a study of more than 550 women, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, found that when the women cut their daily fat intake in half – from 40% to 20% of total calories – they felt more vigorous, less anxious, and less depressed than they had when they were eating their former diets.

Heart Health
Fat in your diet often goes to your arteries. There is a direct link between the amount of fat in your diet and your risk for heart disease. This is particularly true of saturated fat. The dangerous type that clog your arteries, can we find mainly in meats, full-fat dairy products, and snack foods. Eating a diet low in saturated fat is the best way to lower this risk, according to research.

There is no need to go on an extreme low fat diet to get the benefits. Even reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet just a little bit can lead to a reduction in cholesterol levels.

Cancer Protection
When you make the switch to a low fat diet, you get protection against many diseases, including cancer.
Researchers at the University of Benin in Nigeria found that when laboratory animals were fed high-fat diets, they began producing enzymes that led to cancerous changes in their colons in just
three weeks.

You can also apply in real live what works in the laboratory. In a study of 450 women, researchers in the department of epidemiology and public health at Yale University School of Medicine found that cutting just
10 grams of saturated fat a day – the equivalent of switching from two glasses of whole milk to the same amount of fat-free milk – could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20%.

A low-fat diet is protective not only because of what it doesn’t contain but also because of what it does. The result of cutting back on fats is that you generally eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains
and legumes. all of which have been shown to keep us healthier, says Jo Ann Manson, MD, professor of women’s health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Good for the Eyes
Finally, eating a low-fat diet may also protect you against macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older adults.
In a survey of more than 2000 people, researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison found that those who reported getting the most saturated fat increased the risk of getting macular degeneration by 80%.

Starting your Low-fat Diet
If you want to start reducing the amount of fat in your diet, to know where to begin is not always easy.
Firstly, you have to find out how much fat you’re actually getting each day. Ideally, you should get between 25% and 30% of your total calories from fat.

For example, suppose you normally get 2000 calories per day.
When you’re following a low-fat diet, no more than 600 of your total calories should come from fat. This will adds up to 67 gr of fat per day.

Don’t let lowering your fat intake to 30% discourage you! This is a reasonable amount of fat to go into your diet. According to Lalita Kaul, PhD, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and professor of nutrition at the Medical School of Howard University
in Washington D.C. Eating low fat means: avoiding fried foods, forgoing rich, fatty restaurant meals for home-cooked fare, and searching for tasty low-fat recipes with which to replace some of your higher-fat favorites. Reach for a Lean Cuisine meal or a Lean Pocket when
you’re looking for at-home convenience.

Keeping track of your daily fat intake by reading food labels is probably the easiest way.
They are based on a 2000-calorie diet. So you can look at foods which are 30% or below.
Look for a spread that says “zero trans fat” on the label, to avoid partially hydrogenated oils.
Also avoid cookies and other baked goods and snack foods that contain trans fats.

Trans fats are now required to be listed on nutrition labels along with total and saturated fat.
If you are dining out or buy foods that don’t have labels, you can buy a nutrition reference guide in a bookstore or supermarket.

As mentioned before, the most dangerous type of fat to watch out for is saturated fat, which is found in animal foods like meat, butter, cheese and eggs, and some plant sources such as coconut oil, palm oil, tropical oils and cocoa butter.The same foods that are high in saturated fat are also high in cholesterol. So when you decrease one, you automatically decrease the other.

The American Heart Association recommends that we should get less than 7% of our total calories from saturated fat,partly by choosing fat free or low-fat milk and leaner cuts of meat, like sirloin or top round.

Enjoy the Good Fats in Moderation
Generally, you should reduce all kind of fats in your diet. Although monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are not bad,you should eat them in moderation, because they contain as many calories as bad fats. They are found in vegetable and seed oils, such as olive,sesame,
and safflower oils, and in nuts and seeds. They have been shown to actually lower cholesterol and may help prevent it from sticking to artery walls.

The fat found in fish, omega-3 fatty acids, has been shown to reduce clotting and inflammation in the arteries, which can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
You don’t have to eat a lot of fish to get the benefits. When you’re following a low fat diet, having two fish meals a week will go a long way toward keeping your arteries in the swim.

Discovering 600 Carotenoids in Apricots.

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This tasty fruit originated from China more than 4,000 years ago and spread through the Middle East and Mediterranean in ancient times. Now it’s grown in Europe, Africa, Australia and America too.

This sweet and delicious treat is loaded with a variety of compounds that research has proved to fight infections, blindness and heart disease. Most of the health benefits of apricots are due to their
exceptionally diverse carotenoid content. Carotenoids are the pigments that color many of our favorite fruits and vegetables red, orange and yellow. They give a wide range of health protecting benefits in humans. Researchers have identified more than 600 different carotenoids, under which beta-carotene as one of the most powerful.

Support for the Heart
The unique mixture of healing compounds in apricots makes this fruit a powerful way to protect against heart disease.Apricots contain another carotenoid called hycopene, together with beta-carotene, they are potent in fighting against oxidation of low-density lypoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
This is important because experts consider oxidized LDL as being an important factor in atherosclerosis,
which stiffens and narrow arteries, like the ones taking care of your heart supply.

A Japanese study by which 3,000 men and women were followed for nearly 12 years found that those with high levels of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and hycopene, were less susceptible to die of cardiovascular disease.

Another study by which 73,000 American women were followed for 12 years, found that those which diets containing the highest levels of beta- and alpha-carotene had significantly lower risk of coronary
artery disease.

Powerful cancer protection
Besides tomatoes, in particular processed tomato products, which provide nearly 85% of the lycopene in American diets, apricots are another source of this carotenoid. Lycopene is one of the most potent
antioxidants that experts know about. It could help prevent cancer by protecting the DNA of your cells
from free-radical attacks. The antioxidant properties are also responsible for preventing atherosclerosis
involved in cardiovascular disease.

Researchers looked at the role lycopene in tomatoes plays in the protection of prostate cancer.
A meta-analysis – which synthesizes research results from a number of studies – found that men who ate a lot of cooked tomato products had 19% less risk of prostate cancer than men who seldom ate any tomato products. So what, you may ask, have this to do with apricots?

Researchers explain that the protective effects from tomatoes may come from other compounds in them.
Nevertheless, if you like the taste of apricots, the knowledge that the lycopene inside of them might be
helpful for fighting cancer, makes them even sweeter.

Source of Vitamin A
Eating apricots also provide you with plenty of vitamin A. (The body convert the beta-carotene into
vitamin A ). This nutrient is good for the eyes, and as is generally known, the eyes need all the help
they can get. Light passing through the eyes triggers the release of tissue-damaging free radicals.
Uncontrolled, these destructive oxygen molecules attack and damage the lenses of the eyes, opening up the change of getting cataracts. Free radicals can also attack the blood vessels supplying the central portions of the retinas, called the maculas. If the blood supply gets cut off, the result can be macular degeneration, which is the main cause of vision loss in older adults.

Vitamin A has proved to be a powerful protection against the damaging effects of free-radicals.
A study with more than 50,000 nurses proved that women who consumed the most vitamin A in their diet, reduced their risk of getting cataracts by more than one-third.
Three apricots provide 2,769 IU of vitamin A, which is 55% of the daily value for this vitamin.

High fiber content
When eating apricots with the skin, you can be assured to get a substantial amount of fiber.
High-fiber foods can help you lose weight, control high blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels.
They are also essential for keeping your digestion healthy.

Three apricots contain 3 grams of fiber, or 12% of the Daily Value. Also, it’s at a minimal calorie cost of just 51 for all three.

To get the most out of apricots, eat them when they are still slightly firm. Apricots contain the most
nutrients when they are at their ripest. Once they get soft, these compounds quickly start to break down.

Watch the color.
Unlike most fruits, apricots can be yellow or orange and still be ripe.Both colors are acceptable when you’re trying to get the most healing benefits.

Store them carefully.
It’s important to keep apricots cool, to prevent them from getting overripe. Unless you’re going to eat them within a day or two, it’s best to store them in the fruit bin in the refrigerator, where you can keep them for about a week. It’s a good idea to store them in a plastic bag to avoid them picking up other smells from food or from the refrigerator itself.

According to Adel Kader, PhD, Professor of post-harvest physiology in the department of plant science at the University of California, you can also reap the benefits from apricots when they are dried or canned. According to the USDA, five fresh apricots contain 3,370 IU of vitamin A, and 1,915 micro grams of beta-carotene. A half cup of canned apricots contains 2,063 IU vitamin A, and 1,232 micro grams of beta-carotene.
And 10 dried apricots halves contain 1,261 IU of vitamin A and 757 micro grams of beta-carotene.

Make the Onion Family part of Your Family

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Onions and other members of the allium family – such as leeks,shallots, and scallions, contain dozens of compounds that provide protection from cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and asthma. Flavonoids are the first family in onions which promote a healthy heart. I have written about these in my previous articles. Flavonoids are compounds with potent antioxidant powers to prevent the harmful action of free radicals.

One particular flavonoid called quercetin has proved to prevent heart disease in two ways.
Firstly, it helps to keep the dangerous low-density lipoprotein (LDL) type of cholesterol from oxidizing, a process that makes it stick to the lining of artery walls.
Secondly, it helps to prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together and forming harmful clots.

The second group of protective compounds in onions are those that make you cry: they are called the sulfur compounds.
According to experts, these compounds can raise your level of beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which help plaque from sticking to artery walls. At the same time, they can lower levels of dangerous blood fats, called triglycerides, which help to make blood thinner, while keeping your blood pressure normal.
You don’t need to eat a lot of onions to benefit from these protective compounds. All you need is just one medium onion, raw or cooked, a day.

Protection from Cancer
According to experts, onions may be a key player in cancer protection, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.It’s the flavonoid called quercetin that stops the progression of tumors in the colons of animals, according to Michael J. Wargovich, PhD, professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
This means that onions perform a double task in surpressing tumors, because the sulfur compounds also fight cancer.

In the Netherlands,researcher in a large study observed the diets of nearly 121,000 men and women.
They found that the more odoriferous bulbs these onion loving Dutch people included in their daily diets,the lower their risk of stomach cancer.

According to scientists, onions prevent cancer not only by putting the brakes on the development of tumors, but also by killing harmful bacteria that may start stomach cancer.

Onions have proved to protect against other forms of cancer as well. Researcher found, after studying a group of 471 men in China, that men who ate the largest number of onions had a much lower risk of prostate cancer.

Also, eating onions has proved to reduce the risk of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and renal cell cancer in southern Europe.

The sulfur in onions helps protect against cancer by damaging cancer cells and slowing down their growth, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers at the University of Cornell have discovered that four types of onion: shallots, western yellow, pungent yellow, and northern red, are filled with more ant-cancer compounds than other varieties.

Another advantage of the sulfur compounds in onions is that they inhibit the allergic, inflammatory response like that seen in asthma.
Although we need more research about the ability of onions to attack asthma, you can check the anti-inflammatory effect for yourself. The next time you get an insect bite or other type of minor inflammation on your skin, rub a cut onion on it.
This should help reduce the inflammation.

You only need to eat a few servings of onions a day to keep your breathing passages free and clear.Unlike some foods, where it’s just not conceivable that you could eat enough to produce a significant effect, you can with onions. If you like onions, you can consume them in pretty large quantities. And there is good evidence that you should.

A bundle of Benefits
Either you eat onions for good health or good taste, use onions plentiful. Scallions, shallots, and other allium vegetables not only contain the same sulfur compounds and flavonoids as there bigger brother, they also have a few of their own typical nutrients that can help protect against disease and boost your immunity.

Scallions, also called spring or green onions, are basicly just underdeveloped onions. But they contain more nutrients, in particular the B vitamin folate and vitamin C, than the adult ones.
Folate is essential for normal tissue growth and may protect against cancer, heart disease and birth defects.

Shallots, another member of the allium family, have their own benefits. Just one tablespoon of chopped shallots contains 600 IU of vitamin A, or 12% of the DV. This essential nutrient helps to keep your immune system strong and also guards against vision problems associated with aging, like cataracts and night blindness.

In order to get most nutrients from the onions, eat a variety of onions, like red and yellow onions and shallots, which contain more flavonoids than the white onions.

To keep your breath fresh, eat a spring of fresh parsley. This will help to neutralize the sulfur compounds before they turn bad breath.

A kitchen note.
A delicious way to enjoy onions is to put them on the grill. Put chunks of sweet onions on a skewer along with other vegetables, such as eggplant and squash, and grill them till they’re lightly browned and tender. Brush the onions and veggies with heart-healthy olive oil before putting them on the grill.

Protection against Cancer with Olive Oil

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When researchers started studying Greeks living on the island of Crete more than 40 years ago, they were amazed to find that although the traditional Greek diet is very high in fat, people had exceptional low rates of heart disease.
Olive oil plays a critical part in their diet and we would do well if we follow their example. Olive oil, which is made of crushed olives, not only appears to lower the risk of heart disease, it may reduce the risk of various forms of cancer as well.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), long-known for its heart health benefits, has now been identified for its rapid destruction of cancer cells. While scientists have proven that the oleocanthal compound found in EVOO causes cell death in cancer cells, they have been unable to provide an explanation for this phenomenon until now. Paul Breslin, David Foster, and Onica LeGendre offer answers in their paper “(-)-Oleocanthal Rapidly and Selectively Induces Cancer Cell Death Via Lysosomal Membrane Permeabilization (LMP),” published in Molecular & Cellular Oncology.

In their recent study, the researchers discovered that the key to understanding the toxic effect of oleocantha in cancerous cells lies in its reaction with the lysosomes of the cell, where the cells store waste: the oleocantha ruptures the cancer cell lysosomes causing cell death within 30 minutes to an hour while leaving un-cancerous cells unharmed. This suggests that the lysosomal membranes of cancerous cells are weaker than those of uncancerous cells. Because of oleocantha’s targeted damage to cancer cells, it may prove an ideal option for therapeutic cancer treatment. Paul Breslin, co-author of the study, said “The mechanism of killing cancer cells and sparing healthy cells, lysosomal membrane permeabilization, has been hypothesized as a possible mechanism of effectively killing cancer cells and sparing healthy tissues but has never been realized before. Our realization of this makes this paper of particular therapeutic interest for cancer treatment.”

The study’s focus on the effect of oleocantha on cancerous and un-cancerous cells leads to larger implications about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in EVOO. Breslin stated, “the Mediterranean diet is known to be associated with a reduced risk of many different kinds of cancer. Whereas the entire diet likely has many benefits, this study points directly to the olive oil phenolic, oleocanthal, as playing an especially important role in these observations. As more people turn to the Mediterranean diet as a healthy life option, oleocanthal is growing in its significance as a key active component of this diet.”

All fats, from butter and margarine to olive oil, contain almost the same number of calories. But they behave quite differently inside the body. Saturated fats, for example, which are found mainly in meats and dairy foods, are incredibly destructive, because the body can’t rid itself easily of harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The kind that blocks arteries and raises the risk of heart disease.

Olive oil. However, is a monounsaturated fat, with no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. Olive oil is recommended by the American Heart Association for your food preparation. When you replace saturated fats in your diet with olive oil lowers LDL cholesterol while leaving the beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol alone.
Compared with butter, olive oil also gives us a feeling of being more satisfied. The olive oil-loving Greeks eat very little butter or margarine. Additionally, their main meals usually consists of vegetables and legumes instead of meats.
So even though they use a lot of olive oil, they get very little saturated fat. Olive oil helps to prevent many cancers by protecting the cells in your body from oxidation.

Extra-virgin olive oil may also help lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a Greek study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Experts believe extra-virgin olive oil reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory effects. One study found that olive oil is similar to ibuprofen in reducing inflammation.
Besides the monounsaturated fat in olive oil , it also contains other disease-fighting compounds that can prevent damage in the arteries before it starts.

Several of the compounds in olive oil , like polyphenols, are powerful antioxidants. This means that they are able to destroy free radicals before they can do damage.This results in keeping your arteries clear when you use olive oil.
Although olive oil is best known for protecting the heart, research suggests that it may also protect the breasts as well . In a study involving more than 2,300 women, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Greece found that women who used olive oil more than once a day, had 25% lower risk of breast cancer compared with those who use it less often.
As a matter of fact, Greece women are much less likely to die from breast cancer than are American women.

Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, which has proved to stop cellular damage that can lead to cancer.And of course, the same polyphenols that help prevent free radicals from damaging the heart may play a role in preventing cancer as well. All types of olive oils are rich in monounsaturated fats, but not all have equal amounts of disease fighting polyphenols.
Some olive oils are quite rare and exquisitely flavored and priced. Others are much more affordable. Many cooks keep two (or more) kinds of olive oil in the kitchen – a gourmet oil for drizzling on salads or pastas and a heartier oil to use for cooking.

Extra-virgin is the Cadillac of olive oils. It’s usually used as a flavoring oil and not for cooking. When you buy extra-virgin olive oil, look at the color. The deeper the color, the more intense the flavor. This type of oil is made from the first pressing of perfectly ripe olives, which leaves the polyphenols in and the bitter acids out.
Although it’s a little bit more expensive, studies have shown that it’s worth your money to buy extra-virgin olive oil. Researchers in Spain asked 24 men to use refined olive oil for 3 months and extra-virgin olive oil for 3 months.
They found that the antioxidants in extra-virgin olive oil kept their LDL or bad cholesterol from oxidizing and slowed the
formation of plaque in the arteries, but the refined oil didn’t offer this protection.
Pure (also called virgin) olive oil is paler than extra-virgin and has a milder flavor. It’s usually used for low- to medium heat frying.

Light olive oil is often used by people who wants the heart-healthy benefits of mono- unsaturated fats but don’t want the strong olive taste. It endures heat well, so you can use it for high-heat frying.

Store it cool.
If you don’t use a lot of olive oil, it tends to go bad on the shelf. It gives up both its good taste and also its protective compounds. To keep olive oil fresh, store it in the refrigerator or another dark, cool place. When you bring it back to room temperature, it will quickly restore it’s nature. Or look for an olive oil that comes in a dark bottle to keep the light from damaging it’s benefits. And buy only what you need within 2 months to prevent the oil of deterioration and tasting stale.

Following a Low-Fat Diet for Good Health

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The subject of my last article was: low-carb diets. Another way to reduce weight is to follow a low-fat diet. It has been proven during the last few decades that reducing the amount of saturated fat in your body is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Fatty foods will significantly increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and many other conditions. Today,66% of Americans are overweight or obese and the rate of obesity has more than doubled to 32%, with most of the increase did happen during the past
20 years.

Reducing the total calorie intake is the key to losing weight. And to eat less fat is the easiest way to do that. One gram of fat delivers 9 calories, which is more than twice as many as the same amount of protein or carbohydrate. Also, our body likes fat. It’s easier to store calories from fat than from other sources.

In one study, Danish researchers found that those who reduced the amount of fat in their diets from 39% to 28% of total calories and increased their intake of carbohydrates were able to lose an average of 9 pounds in just 12 weeks. In addition, people who stuck to lower-fat diets were able to keep the weight off long after the study ended.

According to research, another advantage of reducing fat from your diet is that it can increase your general sense of well-being. In a study of more than 550 women, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, found that when the women cut their daily fat intake in half from 40% to 20% of total calories – they felt more vigorous, less anxious, and less depressed than they had when they were eating their former diets.

Heart Health
Fat in your diet often goes to your arteries. There is a direct link between the amount of fat in your diet and your risk for heart disease. This is particularly true of saturated fat. The dangerous type that can clog your arteries and we find mainly in meats, full-fat dairy products,, and snack foods. Research has shown that eating a diet low in saturated fat is the best way to lower this risk.

You don’t have to go on an extremely low fat diet to get the benefits. Even reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet just a little bit can lead to a reduction in cholesterol levels.

Cancer Protection
Making the switch to a low-fat diet offers great protection against many diseases, including cancer. Researchers at the University of Benin in Nigeria found that when laboratory animals were fed high-fat diets, they began producing enzymes that led to cancerous changes in their colons in just three weeks.

What works in the laboratory can also be applied in real life.In a study of 450 women, researchers in the department of epidemiology and public health at Yale University School of Medicine found that cutting just 10 grams off saturated fat a day – the equivalent of switching from two glasses of whole milk to the same amount of fat-free milk – could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 20%.

A low-fat diet is protective not only because of what it doesn’t contain but also because of what it does. When you cut back on fats, you generally eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. all of which have been shown to keep us healthier, says JoAnn Manson, MD, professor of women’s health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Good for the Eyes
To close it of, eating a low-fat diet may also protect you against macular degeneration. Which is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. In a survey of more than 2000 people, researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison found that those who reported getting the most saturated fat had 80% higher risk of getting macular degeneration than those getting the least.

Starting your Low-fat Diet
If you want to start reducing the amount of fat in your diet, it’s not always easy to know where to begin. Firstly, you have to find out how much fat you’re actually getting each day. Ideally, you should get between 25% and 30% of your total calories from fat.

For example, suppose you normally get 2000 calories per day. When you’re following a low-fat diet, no more than 600 of your total calories should come from fat. This will adds up to 67 grams of fat per day.

Don’t let lowering your fat intake to 30% discourage you! This is a reasonable amount of fat to go into your diet. According to Lalita Kaul, PhD, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and professor of nutrition at the Medical School of Howard University in Washington D.C. Eating low fat means: avoiding fried foods, forgoing rich, fatty restaurant meals for home-cooked fare, and searching for tasty low-fat recipes with which to replace
some of your higher-fat favorites. Reach for a Lean Cuisine meal or a Lean Pocket when you’re looking for at-home convenience.

Probably the easiest way to keep track of your daily fat intake is reading food labels.They are based on a 2000-calorie diet. So you can look at foods which are 30% or below. To avoid partially hydrogenated oils, look for a spread that says “zero trans fat” on the label. And avoid cookies and other baked goods and snack foods that contain trans fats.Trans fats are now required to be listed on nutrition labels along with total and saturated fat.If you are dining out or buy foods that don’t have labels, you can buy a nutrition reference guide in a bookstore or supermarket.

As mentioned before, the most dangerous type of fat to watch out for is saturated fat, which is found in animal foods like meat, butter, cheese and eggs, and some plant sources such as coconut oil, palm oil, tropical oils and cocoa butter.The same foods that are high in saturated fat are also high in cholesterol. So when you decrease one, you automatically decrease the other.

The American Heart Association recommends that we should get less than 7% of our total calories from saturated fat,partly by choosing fat free or low-fat milk and leaner cuts of meat, like sirloin or top round.

Enjoy the Good Fats in Moderation
Generally, you should reduce all kind of fats in your diet. Although monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are not bad,you should eat them in moderation, because they contain as many calories as bad fats. They are found in vegetable and seed oils, such as olive,sesame, and safflower oils, and in nuts and seeds. They have been shown to actually lower cholesterol and may help prevent it from sticking to artery walls.

The fat found in fish, omega-3 fatty acids, has been shown to reduce clotting and inflammation in the arteries, which can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. You don’t have to eat a lot of fish to get the benefits.
When you’re following a low fat diet, having two fish meals a week will go a long way toward keeping your arteries in the swim.

Health benefits from the Deep Waters

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Americans have wisely reduced their fat intake for many years, but there is one type of fat you do well to get more off and that’s the fat from fish: omega-3 fatty acids. This omega-3 benefits the fish to keep warm when it comes in cold water and humans benefit from it because it promotes better health.

Eskimo’s diet consists mainly of fish and this is the reason why only a few have heart disease.
Similar benefits have been noticed by fish eaters around the world, they simply have less change to die from heart disease.
However, there is compelling evidence from research that the oils in fish may do far more than protecting the heart.

A team of scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that overall mortality was 17% lower among people, who ate fish twice a week, than people who ate little or no seafood.

The main reason for these protective effects is the ability of omega-3 to reduce inflammation. When we eat lots of processed foods, like cookies, crackers, and fast food, we get a lot of omega-6 fatty acids, which increase inflammation. If we don’t get enough omega-3 in our diet to counteract the effects of omega-6, we’re in a constant state of inflammation.
And inflammation put us at risk for a whole host of conditions, including heart disease, overweight, and even depression We should get a ratio of 4:1 omega-6 to omega-3, but most people get an estimated 15 to 20:1. So we are way out of balance with omega-3.

The omega-3’s in fish seems to work by reducing the body’s production of inflammatory prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxane, naturally occurring compounds, that in large amounts, may cause blood vessels to constrict, while elevating blood pressure. These compounds also may promote unwanted blood clotting in the bloodstream, which can lead to heart disease.

The ability of omega-3 to prevent clotting is very important. Clots that form in the bloodstream can block the flow of blood to the heart and brain, possibly causing heart attacks or strokes. Also, the oil in fish appears to raise levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, that helps to keep fatty sludge from depositing in the arteries.

Research shows that fish can offer particular benefits to people who have already had one heart attack. When they have two fish meals per week they may reduce their chances of getting a second, more severe heart attack.

The oil in fish also appears to help keeping the heart beating in a healthy rhythm. This is important because potentially serious heartbeat irragularitise, called arrhythmias, may lead to cardiac arrest, in which the heart stops beating totally.
There is increasing evidence that omega-3 in fish somehow fortify the heart muscle and keep it beating regularly.

The American Heart Association recommends that all adults eat fish at least twice a week. However, the AHA also notes that some fish, specially big and older types, may contain mercury, PCB’s, dioxins and other environmental contaminants.

The benefits and risks of eating fish depends on a person’s stage of life. Children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should follow FDA guidelines to avoid mercury contaminated fish. Fish with the highest possibility of having mercury contamination are sharks, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Eating a variety of types of fish will help minimize any potentially adverse effects due to environmental pollutants.

Cancer Protection
Nutritionist have been advising us for a long time to eat less fat from meat and dairy products, to minimize the risk of certain type of cancers. But the fat in fish is a healthy exception. There is strong evidence that the omega-3 in fish protects against breast and colorectal cancers.

Fish protects against cancer the same way as it helps to prevent heart disease – by reducing the body’s production of prostaglandins. In large amounts, prostaglandins act as tumor promoters – that means, they encourage cancer tumors to grow.

Improved lung function
You wouldn’t think that eating fish could improve breathing difficulties caused by smoking, but that’s exactly what researchers have found. Fish consumption have been linked to better lung function in adults.

There is only so much that the occasional tuna steak can do to protect you from developing lung disease if you smoke. But if you’re trying to quit or if you live with someone who smokes, eating fish is a good way to reduce the damage.
If you smoke, you’re under big time oxidative stress, which will increase inflammation. Omega-3 in fish helps to protect cell walls, which will reduce oxidative stress. Plus, omega-3 will help your nerves and therefore lower your anxiety level, a big thing for people who are trying to quite smoking.

Multiple Protection
There are two more reasons why you should get more fish in your diet. In one study, researchers looked at the fish eating habits of more than 8,700 expectant moms in Denmark. They found that the more fish the women ate, the less likely they were
to deliver pre-mature babies, and babies with a low birth weight.

Researchers speculate that the omega-3’s in fish prevent preterm delivery by helping to promote blood flow through the placenta, allowing the fetus to get more nutrients. In addition, by blocking the effect of protaglandins, which are responsible for initiating uterine contractions, omega-3’s may help prevent early labors and deliveries.

The omega-3 in fish also protects against autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, two studies have shown that taking fish oil in addition to 45 minutes exercising, 3 times per week, lead to a less body fat, suggesting that fish oil may also promote weight loss.

Choose Salmon
All fish provide some omega-3, but salmon is without doubt the best choice. A 3-ounce serving of king salmon provides 3 gram of omega-3. The more deeply colored the salmon, the more omega-3 it provides. As a rule of thumb, the more expensive varieties of salmon usually have the most omega-3

Ignore farm-raised varieties.
Farm-raised fish are often fed with grains, instead of their natural diets, which effects their body fat. When they are fat omega-6 in the grains, they become sources of omega-6 fats.

Shop for variety.
Besides salmon, spanish mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, fresh whitefish and herring also are good sources.

Buy in cans
One of the easiest way to get more omega-3 is to buy a can of water-packed chunk light tuna (avoid albacore, which has been linked to mercury ).

Save microwaving
When using conventional methods, the high cooking temperatures can destroy nearly half the omega-3 in fish. Microwaving has little effect on these beneficial oils and is therefore a good cooking choice to get the most benefits from your fish.

Chile Peppers are Potent Red Hot Healers

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Hot chilies have long been used as natural remedies for coughs, colds, sinusitis, and bronchitis. There is some evidence that they can lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the type associated with stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease. There is also some evidence that chilies can help prevent stomach ulcers. And research suggests that chilies might prevent cancer.

Weight loss
In the past, Chile peppers were used to stimulate appetite. But ironically, they may do just the opposite.In fact, Chile peppers seem to provide a three-pronged attack against obesity.Eating Chile peppers may help fight off cravings.According to some experts, eating sharp-tasting foods like hot peppers, pickles and tomato juice can overwhelm taste buds, cutting off cravings.

Also, Chile peppers may help you to eat less. Researchers in the Netherlands gave 12 men 0.9 gram of ground Chile pepper, either as a pill or mixed into a tomato juice beverage. Thirty minutes later they turned the men loose at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Compared with men who were given a placebo, the men who had Chile pepper reduced their food intake by 10 to 16%.

Thirdly, it actually requires energy to eat Chile peppers.That’s right! It burns calories to eat them. That’s because the heat you feel when you eat Chile peppers takes energy to produce.

Cancer protection
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh discovered that the capsaicin, the compound that gives Chile peppers their heat, caused pancreatic cancer cells that had been implanted in mice, to die through a process called apoptosis. Pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive cancers, is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Another study, this one by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that capsaicin stops the spread of prostate cancer cells. It does that in several ways, including causing cancer cells to commit suicide. Researchers gave animals capsaicin three times a week. After a month, the animals’ prostate cancer tumor growth and seize had decreased significantly

Decongestants
Hot peppers are the ultimate decongestant to clear up a stuffy nose. “A hot chili can work as well as over-the-counter cold remedies”, says Dr. Ziment,”Some of the foods used to fight respiratory diseases for centuries, including hot peppers, are very similar to the drugs we use now.”
The plant chemical that gives hot peppers their sting and makes them so nose-clearing good is capsaicin. It is similar to a drug called guaifenesin, which is used in many over-the-counter and prescription cold remedies, says Dr. Ziment.

Of course, eating a Chile pepper has more of an immediate impact than taking a spoonful of medicine. When you get a hot pepper on your tongue, your brain is slammed with an onslaught of nerve messages. The brain respond to this “Ow!” message by stimulating secretion-producing glands that line the airways. The result is a flood of fluids that make your eyes water,your nose run, and the mucus in your lungs loosen. In other words, Chile peppers are a natural decongestant and expectorant.

Support for heart and stomach
Consuming peppers may lower your risk for heart disease. Capsaicin not only improves circulation, it also decreases the clotting potential of your blood, preventing blockages in the arteries of the heart and brain that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

In experiments at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, capsaicin was found to reduce the occurrence of dangerous heart-rhythm disturbances, lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow to the heart. It seems to function in these roles as a natural calcium channel blocker, analogue to some prescription heart drugs,says Dr. McAllister

Interestingly, capsaicin has been shown to lower cholesterol levels in turkeys, eating high-cholesterol diets. Like humans, turkeys are known to develop hardening of the arteries that can lead to heart disease.

For years, doctors advised people prone to ulcers to abstain from spicy foods. Research now suggests the opposite -that Chile peppers may help prevent occurring ulcers. Capcaicin seems to shield the stomach lining from ulcer-causing bacteria by stimulating the flow of protective digestive juices.

Red-Hot Vitamins
Getting more hot Chiles into your diet may strengthen your personal anti aging arsenal, because they are a rich source of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A in the body).Increasing your intake of antioxidant vitamins, researchers believe, may help prevent damage that can lead to cancer, heart disease and stroke, as well as arthritis and a weakened immune system.

One red Chile packs 3 milligrams of beta-carotene, between 30 and 50% of the amount recommended by most experts. Studies show that people who consume more beta-carotene rich foods are not as prone to cancer and heart disease.

Eating the entire pepper-seeds and all-gives you the highest concentration of the healing compound capsaicin and most heat.

Buy fresh Chile peppers that have vivid, deep colors. Their skin should be glossy, firm and taut, and their stems should be hardy and fresh.

Store them in paper bags, instead of plastic. Enjoy them raw, that’s the best way to get the most vitamin C.

The hottest Chile pepper is not necessarily the most healing, so don’t make yourself suffer. Here are a few different type of Chiles, from hot to mild, you may like to try:

* Habanero pepper and Scotch bonnet are among the most mouth-blistering peppers.
* Jalapeno and Fresno peppers weigh in at 50% firepower, compared to the Habanero.
* Hungarian cherry and Anaheim emit more of a glow than a flame and are a good
choice for tamer palates.

The Superior Protection from Buckweat

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Buckweat has been an under appreciated food in America. In the past, if you had a diet rich in buckweat, you would probably be a farm animal. Until recent years, it was primarily grown as feed for livestock. The name may confuse you. It’s not a grain, but a seed from a plant related to rhubarb.

However, buckweat is popular in Japan and some researchers suspect that this may be the reason for the remarkable low cancer rates in Japan. If you’re familiar with Japanese cuisine, you might recognize soba noodles, which contain buckweat. It’s also commonly available in pancake mixes.

Wide protection
Buckweat contains a variety of compounds called flavonoids that have been shown in studies to help block the spread of cancer. Two compounds in particular, quercetin and rutin, are especially promising because they appear to thwart cancer in two ways.

These substances make it difficult for cancer promoting hormones to attach to healthy cells.
They can literally stop cancers before they start. Should cancer-causing substances get into cells, these compounds may be able to reduce damage to the DNA, the body’s chemical blueprint for normal cell division.

Japanese researchers have found that buckweat extract can help interfere with colon and breast cancer in rats.

Keeping blood flowing
The rutin in buckweat plays yet another protective role. Working in conjunction with other compounds, it helps prevent platelets – the components in blood that assist in clotting – from clumping together.
By helping to keep blood fluid, buckweat can play an important role in any heart-protection plan. Rutin has also proved to stabilize blood vessels and help lower blood pressure, thus helping to protect against heart disease. And it act as an antioxidant, protecting your cells from the damaging attacks from free radicals.

Research believe that when flavonoids are combined with vitamin E, which is also found in buckweat, the benefits are even more significant. Fat-soluble vitamin E can neutralize dangerous free radicals, that can damage cells, in the fatty portion of cells. Flavonoids, on the other hand, are water soluble; they attack free radicals in the watery parts of cells.”That puts an antioxidant in both the watery and fatty portions of cells,” says Timothy Johns, PhD, professor at the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at McGill University in Montreal.

An Italian Study tested the antioxidant capacity of a number of spices, fruits, cereal products, and other foods. It found that among the 18 cereal products tested, whole-meal buckweat and wheat bran had the highest total antioxidant capacity.

Protein Power
Buckweat is the best known non-animal source of high-quality protein. That’s good news if you are vegetarian or trying to cut back on meat. It also helps to lower cholesterol as well.
We need protein for everything, from healing wounds to producing brain power.

In laboratory experiments, animals that were fed extracts of buckweat protein had significantly lower cholesterol levels than there non-buckweat-eating companions. Levels in the buckweat-fed animals, in fact, were even lower than in animals given soy protein extract, one of the most cholesterol-busting foods.

In addition, buckweat is an excellent source of essential nutrients. “It’s rich in several minerals, most especially magnesium and manganese, but also zinc and copper,” says Dr. Eskin.

One cup of buckweat flour made from whole groats (the grain with the hull removed ) contains 301 mg of magnesium, or 75% of the Daily Value (DV) for this mineral. It also contains 25% of the DV for zinc, 40% of the DV for phosphorus, 27% of the DV for iron, and 20% of the DV for potassium.

Blood Sugar Control
One of the most valuable aspects of buckweat is its ability to help control blood sugar levels in people with adult-onset, or type-2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

The carbohydrates in buckweat, amylose and amylopectin are digested more slowly than other types of carbohydrates. This causes blood sugar levels to rise more evenly. While this good for everyone, it’s especially important for people with diabetes, whose blood sugar levels tend to rise steeply and stay high too long. Keeping blood sugar under control has been shown to reduce or prevent many of the serious complications of diabetes, including kidney damage.

Because buckweat is absorbed more slowly than grains, it leaves you feeling full longer. This makes it easier to eat less and thus control your weight.

British researchers found that using buckweat flour in pasta made it more filling. One easy way to get buckweat into your diet is in pancake mixes that contain buckweat flour. You may find that buckweat pancakes “stick with you” than those made with regular flour.

People who are sensitive to gluten who have celiac disease, a serious intestinal problem, caused by gluten found in wheat and other grain products will have no problem with buckweat, because it is free of gluten.

Excellent Source of Vitamin B
Buckweat is also an excellent source of several B vitamins. One cup of buckweat flour contains 37% of the DV for niacin, 35% of the DV for vitamin B6 and 33% of the DV for thiamin.

Niacin helps to transform the food your body uses into energy.Vitamin B6 is needed because it helps the hemoglobin in your red blood cells to carry oxygen, and it plays a role in maintaining a healthy immune system and a healthy nervous system.
Like niacin, thiamin also helps to transform fuel into energy and helps your nervous system.

If you have a sweet taste, some honey producers bottle honey that is made by bees that harvest nectar from buckweat fields. This honey is rich in antioxidants, like phenolic acid, and flavonoids. This honey seems to be particularly powerful. Researchers found that buckweat honey has 20 times more antioxidant activity then any light-colored honey.

However, buckweat honey has a strong flavor that some people call “full body”, but it’s taste is not for everyone.

How to use buckwheat in the kitchen
As already mentioned, buckweat contains no gluten like rice and wheat. Without gluten to hold the grain together, it will turn to mush unless you precook it.

Here is what you can do. Put the buckweat in a hot skillet, and toss gently for 3 to 5 minutes. This expands and strenghtens the outer skin, which will help it stay in tact during the simmering process.

If you’re using kasha (the roasted form of buckweat) that’s been cracked, toss it with an egg white before before adding it to the pan. The albumen in the egg will help to keep it firm. Uncracked kasha however, can be cooked without an egg.

Put the buckweat in a saucepan. Cook it the same way as brown rice.Add two cups of boiling water for each cup of buckweat.
Boiling water will seal the outer shell and keeps the buckweat together during cooking.

Simmer the buckweat, covered, untill all the water is absorbed and the kernels are tender. Cracked kasha will take 8 to 10 minutes, and whole kasha 10 to 12 minutes.

The Healing Power of Currants

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Currants are a favorite fruit in various countries.
The British love currant jams and jellies. The French consider black currant liquor
as their favorite. Until the turn of the previous century, Americans enjoyed fresh currants,
as well as currant jellies and sauces.

Today, fresh currants are hard to find in the US. (Don’t be fooled by the black “currants”
sold in supermarkets, they are really zante grapes.
What caused the end of our craving for currants? In the early 1900s, the USDA banned
the cultivation of currants because the shrubs harbored a fungus that was destroying
white pines. Even though the ban was lifted in the 1960s, currants never really made
a comeback. This is unfortunate, because currants, the forgotten fruit are a superb source
of vitamin C and fiber. What’s more, they contain a compound that present a powerful
cancer fighting potential.

Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
It’s ironic that the forgotten fruit might prove to be helpful in keeping your memory sharp.
Researchers in New Zealand found that substances in currants could help prevent
Alzheimer’s disease. Two compounds in the currants, anthocyanins (which give them
their deep red color) and polyphenolics ( which is also abundant in red wine and chocolate),
where found to protect the brain cells of rats against the kind of damage that occurs in
people’s brains afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease.

Anthocyanins as well as polyphenolics are powerful antioxidants that provide protection
against free radicals.These highly reactive oxygen molecules can damage the brain and
other tissues if left to run amok. Much more research is needed to see if these results
would actually translate to people too.

Cancer Protection
Besides the fact that currants are extremely high in vitamin C content – a half cup of black
currants for example, has 101 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 168% of the Daily Value
and three times that of oranges – there is another thing that gets researches excited.
It’s the fact that berries contain a compound called ellagic acid, which has the ability
to prevent cancer from starting.

Ellagic acid belongs to a disease-fighting family of compounds known as polyphenols.
(Cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and grapes also contain polyphenols).
It has been shown in laboratory studies to be a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralizing
free radicals, according to Gary Stoner, PhD, professor and cancer researcher at Ohio
State University in Columbus.
Free radicals try to replace their missing electrons by stealing electrons from healthy cells,
causing cellular changes that can lead to cancer.

It may surprise you that researchers found that currants are a much higher source of
antioxidants than blueberries, long regarded as the antioxidant champ.

Ellagic acid also has the ability to block the effects of cancer-causing chemicals in the body
at the same time that it stimulates the activity of enzymes that fight cancer growth.
This two-pronged approach makes this compound a powerful alley for blocking cancer.

Another antioxidant that has been found in currants is quercetin. In general, the most
common sources of quercetin are onions, tea, apples and red wine.
That’s for most of us anyway. The Finns, however, commonly eat certain types of berries
that contain quercetin – currants, lingonberries, and bilberries.
Researchers in Finland reasoned that these berries may be an important source of quercetin
in that country. The scientists divided 40 healthy men into two groups.
Half of the men ate their usual diets, but the other half 100 grams of black currants,
lingonberries and bilberries every day. After 8 weeks, the researchers found that the men
who ate the berries had blood levels of quercetin 32 to 51% higher than the men who ate
their regular diets. So the researchers concluded that these berries are a good source of
quercetin.

Like ellagic acid, quercetin has long been considered important in possibly helping to
prevent cancer. In test tube studies, it inhibits the growth of cancer cells, including those
from breast, colon, prostate, and lung tumors.

Protection against Digestion and Heart disease
Like most berries, currants are also high in fiber. The black, red, and white types all provide
about 2 grams, or 8% of the Daily Value. Apart from controlling digestive problems like
constipation and hemorrhoids, fiber also helps to deal with more serious health problems,
like high cholesterol and heart disease.

From a study of 21,930 Finnish men it showed that those who got just 10 extra grams of
fiber a day were able to reduce their risk of dying from heart disease by 17%.
Eating one or two servings of currants a day , along with extra fruits and vegetables,
will provide all the fiber you need to help keep your circulation in optimum form.

The only problem with fresh currants is that they are hard to find, since most supermarkets
don’t stock them. Your best change to find them is to check out roadside stands or farmers’
markets, as growers sometimes sell small amounts of these homegrown favorites.

When you are lucky enough to get your hands on fresh currants, you will get the most
out of them by storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That way you will
be able to keep them fresh for 2 to 3 days. Or you can freeze them for use throughout
the year.

Benefits of Apples are Skin Deep

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Apples are more than just a wholesome snack. Research have shown that eating apples can help reduce the risk of heart disease, and they may also help protect you from lung cancer. In addition, they may lower your risk of asthma and improve your overall long function.
Antioxidant Protection Phenolics are some of the most powerful disease-fighting components in apples, and they have been getting a lot of research attention lately. Phenolics are a type of phytochemicals that can act as powerful antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals before they can get a change to damage your DNA and other important components within your body.

Researchers at the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and Seoul University in South Korea found that these phenolics may provide the bulk of the antioxidant power in apples, rather than the vitamin C. Other research from Cornell set out to rank the total phenolic content in many popular fruits. Apples came in second place behind the cranberries, and beat out other favorites such as the red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach lemon, orange, pear, and grapefruit.

This study also found that apples have the second highest total antioxidant activity of these fruits, again beaten by the cranberry. If you take into account their tastiness, easy preparation time and versatility, apples are hard to beat as an easy way to get a quick dose of antioxidants.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter
The phytochemicals in apples may make them useful tools in warding off heart disease. A study that followed almost 40,000 women for about seven years associated apples with a 13% to 22% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research in Finland has found that intake of flavonoids – a type of phenolics found in apples – was inversely associated with death from heart disease in women.

Another study, involving more than 30,000 older Iowa women found that, consuming catechin and epicatechin – both flavonoids found in apples – was associated with a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease.

Even though, many people favor the flesh, much of an apple’s healing power can be found in the skin, which ccontains large amounts – about 4 milligrams – of an antioxidant compound called quercetin. Like vitamin C and beta-carotene, quercetin can help prevent harmful oxygen molecules from damaging individual cells.

Even in the healing world of antioxidants, quercetin is thought to be exceptional. Another Finnish study, this one following more than 10,000 men and women, found that the people who ate the most quercetin had a 20% lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease than those who ate the least.

Cancer Protection
A study involving more than 120,000 men and women found that women who ate at least one serving of apples daily had a lower risk of lung cancer. A Hawaiian study looked at the diet history of 582 people who had lung cancer and 582 without the disease found that the people who consumed the most apples and onions and white grapefruit had nearly half the risk of lung cancer than those who ate the least amounts of these foods.

Effect of Apples on Lung Problems Apples may also help reduce your risk of asthma and improve your lung health. An Australian study involving 1,600 adults associated apple and pear consumption with a lower risk of asthma. And a study of more than 13,000 adults in the Netherlands found that those who consumed more apples and pears had a better lung function and less chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Apple Fiber for Digestive Health
Apples are also a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. A 5-ounce apple including the skin has about 3 grams of fiber. Insoluble fiber, found in the skin, has long been recommended to relieve constipation. Studies show that a smoothly operating digestive tract can help prevent colon cancer. Also, insoluble fiber is filling which make apples an excellent weight control food for people who want to lose weight without feeling hungry.

The soluble fiber in apples, which is the same kind that is found in oat bran, acts differently from the insoluble kind. In stead of passing through the digestive tract more or less unchanged, soluble fiber forms a gel-like material in the digestive tract that helps lower cholesterol and with it, the risk of heart disease and stroke.

A particular form of soluble fiber called pectin is very helpful to reduce the amount of cholesterol produced in the liver. An average-seize apple contains 0.7 gram of pectin, more than the amount in strawberries and bananas.

Indeed, it appears that having an apple or two a day really can help to keep the doctor away.