Beta Carotene-related stories
This orange veggie will smooth your skin
Butternut squash is the way to go if you want to nourish your body -- and your face. It works from the inside out, suppling pH-balancing compounds and vitamin A, a must-have for healthy skin.
Butternut nutrients work wonders: They keep the skin's balance on the acidic side (this keeps bacteria away) and promote cell turnover -- no dry, rough, scaly skin for butternut eaters. This squash also protects from the sun and fights wrinkles with beta carotene and vitamin C.
Got a feast coming up? Go butternut squash. Want smooth skin? Ditto.
You Are What You Eat: Gaga for Goji Berries?
Ever heard of goji berries? You should have -- they're the new kids on the superfoods block, the health food that everyone seems to be talking about these days (including us -- we wrote about them here, here , here and here.) Still not sure what all the hype is about? Here are some health benefits that have been attributed to goji berries:
- Boosted liver protection and immune function
- Improved eyesight
- increased sexual function and fertility
- Increased muscle strength
- Improved circulation
- Greater longevity
Get ready for a healthy Cinco de Mayo
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Cinco de Mayo is less than two weeks away, so get ready for the celebration. There's a cool restaurant called Tortilla Flats that I usually visit on Cinco de Mayo, but I'm not sure if I'll be making it there this year. Either way, I'll still be sure to sip on a few Coronas and enjoy some salsa and guacamole. These foods, at first blush, may not exactly seem like the most appropriate choices for someone who writes about health and fitness. However, thanks to some research from The Journal of Nutrition and Penn State University, I feel I can enjoy this fare without feeling like a hypocrite.
Staring first with the beer; Penn State researchers found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can help thin the blood, thus preventing against the formation of heart attack-causing clots. So, barkeep, crack me open another one of those Coronas, if you don't mind. And yes, I'd like to run a tab.
As for the salsa and guacamole, eating these two foods together actually makes for a healthier meal than eating each separately. Allow me to explain. In order to fully benefit from the beta-carotene, leutin, and lycopene found in abundance in salsa, you should eat a good source of fat at the same time. According to the journal article, fatty acids help dissolve these cancer and heart disease-fighting components in your intestines, increasing their rate of absorption. And, since avocados (the primary ingredient in guacamole) contains a high amount of healthy fat, it's the perfect compliment to this spicy topping.
More beta carotene = less dementia later
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
The antioxidant known as beta carotene is a staple in the daily supplement ritual for many people (myself included). A study published this week stated that taking beta carotene for 15 years or more will dampen future dementia.If you have a history of Alzheimer's disease, this study seems to suggest that you may want to read up on and begin taking beta carotene as part of your daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are full of this antioxidant, but many of us don't get enough fruits and veggies anyway.
The impact here from the researchers was the length of time taking beta carotene, not the simple act of taking it every day. Study lead author Francine Grodstein stated "my hypothesis is that it's how long you take it."
The vitamin hoax: 10 vitamins RD says not to take
Vitamins and Supplements, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
For everyone who's been popping vitamins to keep them healthy and strong, Reader's Digest recently published 'The Vitamin Hoax - What Not to Take' in their November 2007 issue.To my friends (myself included), who have been popping pills like Vitamin A and E everyday by only following a beauty columnist's advice on how to make your skin glow (yes, I'm trying to get rid of wrinkles), the Reader's Digest article claims that studies show:
- Taking antioxidant vitamins increases a person's risk of dying by 16%.
- High doses of Vitamin E taken over 10 years slightly elevated cancer risk in smokers.
- Too much Vitamin A increases the risk of liver and lung cancer.
If you are wondering, yes, I take vitamins (as do my children), and will continue to do so -- but that said -- people should stop depending on supplements and instead get their vitamins from a balanced diet consisting of real food (rather than processed). The problem: Only 3 percent of us actually eat that well, so it's much easier said than done ... and supplements can be a good option if you're not getting what you need from your diet.
Here is the list of 10 Vitamins that Reader's Digest suggests that we do not need to take and their reasons why:
Daily Fit Tip: Make the most of your watermelon
Goji juice: What's with all the hype?
Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Goji Juice is made from the Himalayan Goji berry, which promises 'more vitamin c than oranges, more beta carotene than carrots and more iron than steak' (From the BBC.) It's said to contain special 'master molecules' that aren't found in any other foods. Plus it's also been touted as the answer to healthy aging, weight loss, managing diabetes, preventing cancer and lowering blood pressure. Those are some pretty lofty claims -- can they hold up?
I'm often skeptical of these types of miracle products -- and rightly so, according to this video. I suggest you watch it if you're falling, or have fallen, for the Goji juice hype. Goji juice might not be the superfood you think.
Beta-Carotene: funny name, serious business
Vitamins and Supplements, Nutrition & Supplements
Carrots may be good for eyesight -- you've probably heard this many, many times. But do you know what inside carrots cause that staggering eyesight assistance? Beta carotene -- and no, that's not a kind of paint thinner.The carotenoid known as beta carotene is a form of vitamin A, which is generally known to help eyesight. Put another way, the vitamins and minerals in most fruits and vegetables -- including carrots -- continue to show immense health benefits to an increasing number of health-conscious people.
On the flip side, there have been some studies published recently that show certain levels of vitamins can actually harm human health. This makes sense, as too much of a good thing can end up being a bad thing. Does this apply to beta carotene, though? Read on and see for yourself here.
Can carrots save your vision? Maybe not.
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
You've probably heard it all your life -- carrots are good for your eyes because of the beta carotene that gives them their bright orange color. In the past studies have shown that taking beta carotene supplements help to prevent or lessen the severity of macular degeneration -- the leading cause of blindness in people over age 65, but today there is information that beta carotene might not be helping at all. It was a big study (over 21,000 men), and it found no difference between those who took beta carotene and those who took a placebo as far as their risk for developing macular degeneration. So which information is right? At this point doctors are just saying to eat a variety of foods to ensure a complete balance of nutrients, and in the meantime they'll continue researching.
But one question: why did they study only men?
What can you do with a sweet potato? a few ideas
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Rich in beta-carotene (262% of your daily recommended dose!), vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are a good carb and a food that can do no wrong. Recent research even suggests they may help reduce insulin resistance, an important precursor to Type II diabetes, as well as reduce the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
But what do you do with a sweet potato? Just look at them sitting in the store -- they're oddly shaped, twisted, dull colored root vegetables. They hardly look tasty, let alone exciting. Never judge a veggie by its cover, I say, so here are a few quick and easy ways to enjoy this nutritious tuber:























