Showing posts with label diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diabetes. Show all posts

9.8.16

Health benefits of pumpkin


Pumpkin fruit is one of the widely grown vegetables incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, and vitamins. Though this humble backyard vegetable is less in calories, nonetheless, it carries vitamin A, and flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, xanthin, and carotenes in abundance.

Weight loss

Pumpkin is rich in fiber, which slows digestion. "Pumpkin keeps you feeling fuller longer," says Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN and an upwave diet and nutrition expert. "There's seven grams of fiber in a cup of canned pumpkin. That's more than what you'd get in two slices of whole-grain bread."
Pumpkin may be filling, but it's also a low-calorie superstar. "Canned pumpkin is nearly 90 percent
water, so besides the fact that it helps keep you hydrated, it has fewer than 50 calories per serving," Kaufman says.

 pumpkin, burn the fat

Pumpkin is a great high nutrient, low calorie food. With only 42 calories per cup and loaded with fiber, pumpkin will keep you full longer, and regulate your blood sugar levels to keep food cravings at bay which helps you eat fewer calories and burn more fat.

keeps  eyesight sharp

A cup of pumpkin will meet your daily vitamin A requirements that aid in the integrity of your
vision, especially in dim light according the National Institute of Health.Improves vision
Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E
Pumpkin seeds indeed are an excellent source of dietary fiber and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which are good for heart health. In addition, the seeds are concentrated sources of protein, minerals and health-benefiting vitamins. For instance, 100 g of pumpkin seeds provide 559 calories, 30 g of protein, 110% RDA of iron, 4987 mg of niacin (31% RDA), selenium (17% of RDA), zinc (71%) etc., but no cholesterol. Further, the seeds are an excellent source of health promoting amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted to GABA in the brain.A cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which aids vision, particularly in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health. Pumpkins are also rich in carotenoids, the compounds that give the gourd their bright orange color, including beta-carotene, which the body converts into a form of vitamin A for additional peeper protection.

Diabetes

Most of the evidence we've seen about pumpkin seeds and prevention or treatment of diabetes has come from animal studies. For this reason, we consider research in this area to be preliminary. However, recent studies on laboratory animals have shown the ability of ground pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed extracts, and pumpkin seed oil to improve insulin regulation in diabetic animals and to prevent some unwanted consequences of diabetes on kidney function. Decrease in oxidative stress has played a key role in many studies that show benefits of pumpkin seeds for diabetic animals.



Cancer-Related Benefits
Because oxidative stress is known to play a role in the development of some cancers, and pumpkin seeds are unique in their composition of antioxidant nutrients, it's not surprising to find some preliminary evidence of decreased cancer risk in association with pumpkin seed intake. However, the antioxidant content of pumpkin seeds has not been the focus of preliminary research in this cancer area. Instead, the research has focused on lignans. Only breast cancer and prostate cancer seem to have received much attention in the research world in connection with pumpkin seed intake, and much of that attention has been limited to the lignan content of pumpkin seeds. To some extent, this same focus on lignans has occurred in research on prostate cancer as well. For these reasons, we cannot describe the cancer-related benefits of pumpkin seeds as being well-documented in the research, even though pumpkin seeds may eventually be shown to have important health benefits in this area.

Better immunity

Looking for a way to ward off illness and improve your immune system? Try pumpkin. The large shot of vitamin A the fruit provides helps your bodyfight infections, viruses and infectious diseases. Pumpkin oil even helps fight various bacterial and fungal infections. Plus, pumpkin is packed with nearly 20 percent of the recommended amount of daily vitamin C, which may help you recover from colds faster.

It can help you look younger 

  (beta-carotene inpumpkin helps protect us from the sun's wrinkle-causing UV rays), but the pulp also makes a great, all-natural face mask that exfoliates and soothes. All you need is 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), an egg, a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of milk. Mix, then apply it, wait for 20 minutes or so and wash it off with warm water

 Improves vision
 
Magnesium

One-quarter cup of pumpkin seeds contains nearly half of the recommended daily amount of magnesium, which participates in a wide range of vitally important physiological functions, including the creation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the energy molecules of your body), thPumpkin seeds are a rich source of zinc (one ounce contains more than 2 mg of this beneficial mineral). Zinc is important to your body in many ways, including immunity, cell growth and division, sleep, mood, your senses of taste and smell, eye and skin health, ination, and male sexual function.
Many are deficient in zinc due to mineral-depleted soils, drug effects, plant-based diets, and other diets high in grain. This deficiency is associated with increased colds and flu, chronic fatigue, depression, acne, low birth weight babies, learning problems and poor school performance in children, among others.e synthesis of RNA and DNA, the pumping of your heart, proper bone and tooth formation, relaxation of your blood vessels, and proper bowel function.
Magnesium has been shown to benefit your blood pressure and help prevent sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke, yet an estimated 80 percent of Americans are deficient in this important mineral.

Heart and Liver Health

Pumpkin seeds, rich in healthy fats, antioxidants and fibers, may provide benefits for heart and liver health, particularly when mixed with flax seeds

Prostate Health

Pumpkin seeds have long been valued as an important natural food for men's health. This is in part because of their high zinc content, which is important for prostate health (where it is found in the highest concentrations in the body), and also because pumpkin seed extracts and oils may play a role in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate). Research suggests that both pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds2 may be particularly beneficial in supporting prostate health.
*Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of tryptophan, an amino acid (protein building block) that your body converts into serotonin, which in turn is converted into melatonin, the "sleep hormone." Eating pumpkin seeds a few hours before bed, along with a carbohydrate like a small piece of fruit, may be especially beneficial for providing your body the tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production to help promote a restful night's sleep

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Pumpkin seed oil has been found to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. One animal study even found it worked as well as the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in treating arthritis, but without the side effects.

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20.7.16

Health Benefits of Bitter Gaurd



Bitter melon is one of popular edible pod vegetable in many Asian countries. It is grown widely as a field crop as well as backyard vegetable and, in fact, is among the most bitter tasting of all culinary vegetables.

Fresh bitter melon pods can be available in the markets round the seasons. When you buy them, look for fresh, bright pods that feature dark-green, without any cuts, or blemishes on their surfaces. Choose young, tender immature pods. Immature-fruits are least bitter since their bitter level increases as the pods mature.

Bitter gourd (balsam pear/ bitter melon) is a young, tender, edible fruit-pod in the Momordica genus of climbing vines. Although its bitter taste might turn some people away from it, in-fact, it really can sweeten your health through virtue of its disease preventing and health promoting phyto chemical compounds.

Karela is profoundly grown in Asian and sub-tropical climates. It makes an essential detoxifier and skin cleanser. Regular intake of this bitter herb helps boost the immune system while removing all unnecessary toxins. Bitter guard is considered a fruit as it has seeds. However, the most common usage of this fruit is as a vegetable, often used for cooking.

*Botanically, it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, in the genus; Momordica, and is a member of the same family as squash, watermelon,cantaloupes, cucumber, etc, belongs to. Scientific name: Momordica charantia. Some of the related varieties are balsam pear, cundeamor, la-kwa, etc.
*Bitter melon stimulates easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, it helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems.

*it is an excellent source of health benefiting flavonoids such as ß-carotene, a-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. It also contains a good amount of vitamin-A. Together, these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease processes.

*Bitter melon is very low in calories, carrying just 17 calories per 100 g. Nevertheless, its pods are rich sources of phytonutrients like dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants.

*it is a moderate source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium.'

*laboratory tests suggest that certain phyto-chemical compounds in bitter melon might be effective in the treatment of HIV infection.

Though it is bitter to taste, the juice of Karela (Bitter Gourd) is full of essential nutrients. Not only is it extremely nutritional, it is, in fact, considered a miraculous health drink. Karela juice has innumerable health benefits. It is an essential tonic for those who are diabetic. Not only patients, but in fact, everyone can get some or the other benefit out of this juice

Karela Juice Benefits for Health:

Useseful for diabetic patients-

Bitter gourd has multiple health benefits. It is mostly consumed for triggering the blood sugar level. Diabetes is a common ailment that affects many people today. Regular intake of bitter gourd juice helps prevent the rise of blood sugar levels. It also helps cure insulin resistance without taking any external medication.

*Cholesterol levels are also lowered by regular consumption of the juice.



Asthma:

Asthma patients can highly benefit by having karela juice. It helps cure chronic cough and breathing problems by removing the sputum that accumulates within the lungs and the respiratory tract.
HIV/AIDS:

*Regular consumption of karela juice is best for triggering the condition of an HIV patient. Studies conducted on natural antidotes of HIV/AIDS establish the goodness of bitter guard in preventing further damaging of the skin cells.

 Antioxidant:

*Karela juice is an excellent natural antioxidant. Antioxidant is essential for removing toxins from the body. At the same time, it helps to rejuvenate the body cells and prevents free radicals. The juice of karela is the finest tonic for those who are addicted to smoking. Taking karela juice helps to cleanse the nicotine layer from the system.

 Cancer:

If not detected at the right stage, cancer is almost an incurable disease. Karela juice benefits to prevent some particular types of cancer. It also helps trigger leukemic cancer cells effectively.

*Karela juice is excellent for the skin. It helps to remove the fine lines from the upper surface of the skin. Having this juice will also prevent premature ageing. It helps cure and purify blood from within the system.

*Constipation:

*Regular consumption of karela helps to cure constipation.

*Reduces Blood Pressure

*Consumption of bitter gourd juice helps in naturally reducing blood pressure. Therefore people suffering from high blood pressure are always advised to consume the juice regularly.


 *Regular Drinking can Help in Weight Loss

*Everybody is searching for easier ways to lose weight these days. With bitter gourd juice this seems to be an easy task. Drinking the juice in the morning on an empty stomach has been found to curb the appetite.

*Regularly drinking this juice has been found to increment weight loss. It aids in rapid metabolism of carbohydrates which in turn leads to fast weight loss. It helps in detoxifying the body that means that your body is rid of all unwanted things in a natural way.

*Bitter gourd is excellent for weight loss. Karela benefits to weight loss is attributed to its high fibre and low carbohydrates and calories content. It makes an ideal diet for those who are on a weight loss program.

Good for Health Hair Too

If you can daily consume the juice of bitter gourd in the morning then you never need worry about premature graying of hair or becoming bald.
Nutritional Value Per 100gm of Karela juice
Energy-17 kcal
Carbohydrate-3.70 gm
Protein-1gm
Total fat-0.17gm
Cholesterol-0mg
Dietary fiber-2.80mg
Niacin-0.400mg
Folate-72µg


Pyridoxine-0.043mg
Riboflavin-0.040mg
Thiamin-0.040mg
Sodium-5 mg
Potassium-296 mg
Calcium-19mg
Iron-0.43mg
Copper-0.034mg
Zinc-0.80mg

Beauty and Health -

Bitter taste of bitter gourd gives several benefits to improve beauty and health. Bitter gourd is called karela in Hindi. Karela juice can give you beautiful, glowing, problem free skin and healthy, good body too.

*Treat Dandruff with Bitter Gourd

Mixing the juice of bitter gourd or karela along with amla and applying it onto the scalp effectively rids one of dandruff. As this is a natural method hence this can be easily done and also there is no side effect.

*Get Rid of Ugly Pimples

Tried every way you knew to get rid of pimple and acne and yet you find yourself failing? With bitter gourd juice those pimples and acne can be kept at bay. As bitter gourd promotes inner health therefore there is hardly any chance of pimples and acne to resurface. Bitter gourd is a very good blood purifier, so it helps to reduce the appearance of acne from face.

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