Food & Nutrition: Culinary Techniques, Diets & Metabolic Health

Nutritional health is achieved through the therapeutic use of whole foods, safe culinary preparation, and understanding the metabolic impacts of specific dietary frameworks and ingredients.

muffins

Why Is a High Fiber Diet Prohibited Before a Colonoscopy?

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse describes a colonoscopy as an exam to view inside the colon and rectum. The exam takes little less than an hour, however you often need several days to prepare your intestinal tract.

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Alfalfa Sprouts

What Are the Benefits of Alfalfa Tonic?

Alfalfa is Arabic for “father of all foods,” and it was used by Arabs as food for themselves and their horses for many centuries. They believed that eating alfalfa or drinking its extract as a tonic made people and animals stronger and healthier.

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ripe cherries in bowl

What Does Eating Too Many Cherries Cause?

The chance of suffering any type of side effect from eating cherries is slim, as long as you're not allergic. But overconsumption raises some red flags. On the positive side, cherries provide iron, potassium, vitamin C and antioxidant phytochemicals.

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juice

Water Fasting Vs. Juice Fasting

Water fasting entails drinking only water. Juice fasting is more permissive, incorporating fruits and vegetables in juiced form. Water fasts offer no nutrition, while juice fasting offers some calories, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Both kinds of fasts should be conducted for short periods of time, if at all.

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How to Cook Banana Squash in the Oven

Banana squash is the offensive lineman of the vegetable garden, a behemoth that frequently tops 100 pounds and can easily grow to more than 3 feet long. Although its size makes it impractical for most home gardeners, it works in the favor of cooks.

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Chamomile Tea and Blood Pressure

Chamomile tea is gentle enough to calm colic-plagued babies, and yet strong enough to induce sleep in adults when used at greater strength. Some people turn to chamomile to address a number of ills, from anxiety to stomach ulcers.

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Man at the gym.

Can You Build Muscle on a Low-Carb Diet?

Carbs provide your body with fuel so you can lift weights and build muscle. Big servings of white bread, pasta and breakfast cereal aren't required for you to gain lean mass, though. A moderately low-carb diet that contains small servings of whole grains and starchy vegetables promotes muscle growth, too.

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Smoked sausage with rosemary and peppercorns

How to Cook Italian Sausage Quickly

Italian sausage is traditionally made from pork, which must be cooked the sausage thoroughly to prevent food-borne illnesses. How you cook the sausage depends on its intended purpose. For example, if you intend to use the sausage in lasagna, you need to remove it from the casing or use bulk sausage.

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How to Cook Purple Rice

Purple rice is a variation of jasmine rice. Although it is often used to create visual interest in certain entrees, it is cooked similarly to other versions of jasmine or Thai sticky rice. Purple rice can be cooked on its own or as a part of a mixture with white jasmine rice.

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Close up of a chocolate whey protein

Whey Protein Isolate & Crohn's

Whey is a type of protein that comes from cow’s milk. Although whey protein supplements and drink mixes are a quick way to consume protein, they may not be suitable for individuals with certain digestive disorders, such as Crohn’s disease.

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Cup of tea and tea pot

Is Garlic & Ginger Tea Good for Blood Pressure?

Garlic and ginger tea is a popular folk remedy for ailments ranging from common colds to high blood pressure. While ginger and garlic both have many healthful properties when consumed fresh, it is less clear whether a tea made from these foods has a beneficial impact on circulatory health.

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Yellow evening primrose

Intake of Omega 3 Vs. Evening Oil

Evening primrose oil and omega-3s are different types of essential fatty acids. Evening primrose oil falls under the heading of omega-6 fatty acids, which, like omega-3s, are not manufactured by the body. You must get these essential acids from your diet.

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Food processor with citrus press

Can Juicing Cause Diarrhea?

Registered dietitian Joy Bauer gives juicing an A+ for its ability to deliver concentrated amounts of nutrients from fruits and vegetables to your body, but she says consuming too much juice and forsaking a well-rounded diet can result in glaring nutritional gaps.

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Glass of milk with an apple, studio shot

What Helps Digest Milk Protein?

There are many common misconceptions regarding milk, digestion, intolerances and allergies. Your body uses digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestine to help you digest milk protein; supplemental enzymes or other dietary supplements don't have any additional effect.

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Woman holding a coffee cup

Is Drinking Tea Equivalent to Water?

Tea has a long history in the United States as well as internationally, with its origins in China. Whether an inky black tea served with a cube of sugar and a splash of milk, or a delicately flavored herbal tea, tea is a healthy beverage if you are careful about how much added sugar and cream you use.

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Baked rabbit with olives and pepper

How to Cook a Whole Rabbit in the Oven

The French call it "lapin." The Italians say "coniglio." However it's pronounced or prepared, rabbit meat is a tender, white game meat popular in Western European cuisine. In America, it is more difficult to find. Few restaurants serve rabbit, and it is typically available only from specialty meat stores.

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Beautiful girl eating fresh apple

How Long Does it Take for Nutrients to Be Absorbed?

The time required by your body to digest and absorb nutrients is the transit time. Before ultimately reaching the organic tissue, nutrients must move from the mouth to the stomach and then through the small intestine, where most absorption occurs.

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What Foods Contain Cellulose?

Cellulose is the chemical name for fiber, which is an important component of diet, even though it doesn't provide you with any vitamins, minerals or energy. Many foods -- especially whole foods -- contain cellulose.

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