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.
The banana and milk diet dates back to 1934, when a doctor at Johns Hopkins University developed it for patients with diabetes. Today it has become more of a fad diet touted for its potential to help you lose weight quickly.
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Whether you enjoy a cup of chai tea that’s heavy on the spices or prefer a more mellow blend, you can be sure it contains black tea -- and black tea contains caffeine.
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Eating vegetable soup is a great way to get your daily veggies, but to keep it low in carbs, don’t randomly grab any old can of soup off the shelf. Commercially prepared soups have more carbs than a homemade soup made with fresh vegetables. Don’t worry though, a basic vegetable soup is quick and simple to make.
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Calories refer to the amount of energy released by food, which is determined by the content of carbohydrates, protein and fat. You can either use that energy through physical activity or the body stores it in the form of fat for future use.
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Vital wheat gluten -- the natural protein found in wheat -- boosts dietary protein and fills an essential role in baking. Most people can consume wheat gluten without thinking twice, but if you have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or you're sensitive to gluten, you'll need to keep vital wheat gluten out of your diet.
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Vitamins provide essential nutrients, necessary for the growth and development of every organ, blood cell and bone in the body. Vitamins are classified as either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so it’s important to provide an adequate supply through a balanced diet.
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Descriptions of pistachio nuts as nutrient-dense and heart-healthy sound like marketing catch-phrases, but they’re found in the scientific literature, such as a review of research published in “Nutrition Reviews” in April 2012. Pistachios have just one downside: They’re high in calories.
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Round, sweet sea scallops come from the muscle that holds the mollusk's two shells together. While scallops are naturally low in calories and fat, you can ruin a good thing by going overboard with butter. Also beware of breaded and fried scallops, which have double the calories and many times more fat.
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Don’t give up on millet if you hear someone dismiss it as birdseed. Millet is a common ingredient in birdseed, but it’s also a healthy food for human consumption. It's a gluten-free grain and a good source of protein.
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Instant mashed potatoes deliver nutrients, along with the advantage of speedy preparation. Because you make instant mashed potatoes by dehydrating cooked potatoes, instant mashed potatoes retain the same nutrients, but in varying amounts. Prepared dehydrated potatoes are good sources of vitamin C and the B vitamins.
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As an amino acid, L-tryptophan -- or more simply, tryptophan -- comes from the protein-containing foods you eat. Your body uses it to build the new proteins it needs. Beyond this vital job, tryptophan has other roles. After it gains entry to your brain, it's converted into the neurotransmitter serotonin.
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The edible parts of the Moringa oleifera tree include nutlike seeds, roots that resemble horseradish, and leaves that can be enjoyed fresh or in supplemental form. The leaves are valued as a source of antioxidants and nutrients.
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Cashews and other nuts used to be the bane of a "healthy" diet because of their high fat content. Now "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010" recommends including them as part of your daily menu.
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The aloe vera plant is packed with phytochemicals and nutrients. When applied topically, aloe vera gel helps heal cuts and burns. Aloe vera juice may help lower blood sugar, and it shows promise for fighting cancer, notes "Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects."
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Your body doesn't have a magic cut-off time after which it stores fat, so you can have a healthy snack before bedtime without automatically gaining weight. Drinking a protein shake at bedtime has some advantages for weight loss, because protein boosts metabolism and stimulates muscle building.
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It seems like gaining weight should be a breeze -- and it is, if you don’t worry about nutrition -- but increasing calories and eating healthy foods means you can’t rely on sugar-rich foods. Beans can support your efforts in this.
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You can lose weight by eliminating carbs for 14 days, but there’s no guarantee you’ll drop any pounds if you don’t watch calories. Carbs account for half or more of total daily calories for most people.
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Weight control is all about calories in vs. calories out. To gain weight, you'll need to take in more calories than you burn, and gaining 2 pounds per week requires eating 1,000 extra calories each day. Exactly how many calories you'll need overall, however, depends on your body size, activity level, age and gender.
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If you love cinnamon bread, you’ll be glad to know that it’s possible to make or buy a low-carb version. But be prepared to adjust your expectations. Low-carb cinnamon bread is yummy, but most products have a flavor different from classic cinnamon-swirl bread due to the ingredients used to replace flour.
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It's hard to find a more nutrient-dense meal than a vegetable stir-fry. The veggies are so low in calories that even if you like to serve them over rice -- which can double or triple the total calories -- you'll still have a meal that fits into a weight-loss plan.
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