Balanced Eating: Brain Energy, Weight Tips & Meal Plans

What are the most important energy sources for the brain? From naturopathic diets to marathon runner meal plans, prioritizing a balanced diet food list is key to gaining weight healthily or relieving postpartum complications naturally.

quinoa grain

Reactions to Quinoa

Quinoa is a nutrient-rich seed often served as a grain that can up your intake of high-quality protein, fiber and iron. But its fiber, saponin and oxalate content may cause reactions.

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Woman being concerned about waistline

Gas Prevention While on a High-Protein Diet

Protein usually doesn't produce much gas, so when a high-protein diet leaves you bloated and gassy, the first step is to look at other elements in the diet that could be the culprit. Protein may cause extra gas if you’re low in digestive acids and enzymes, or when a lot of protein is fermented in the colon.

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Bar of dark chocolate

Does Candy Make You Gain Weight?

If the total calories you consume don’t exceed the calories you burn, you won’t gain weight -- even if some of the calories came from candy. But in truth, most candy is enjoyed in addition to meals rather than considered as part of normal daily calories, and even a small serving of candy can be high in calories.

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Homemade Cinnamon Roll Pastry

What Does It Mean When You Crave Cinnamon?

A cinnamon craving hasn’t been connected with a definite cause. If you crave cinnamon, it may just reflect your desire for a favorite food, especially if you haven’t eaten it for a while.

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Grilled chicken coriander

What Are the Steps to Grilling a Chicken if Using a Conventional Oven?

Grilling is often associated with charcoal and smoky flavor, but it’s also a method of cooking by direct heat. You can grill in a conventional oven by using the broiler. Two important steps are preparing the chicken for optimal moistness and replicating the grill environment in the oven.

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Soaked beans in a bowl closeup

How to Reduce the Phytic Acid in Beans

When phytic acid reaches your digestive tract, it interacts with bacteria and releases a substance called inositol. Inositol helps your liver process fats and has a role in muscle function. In spite of these benefits, phytic acid is called an antinutrient because it interferes with the absorption of minerals.

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Head of cabbage

Digestion of Raw Cabbage

Cabbage’s pungent flavor comes from sulfur-containing compounds that may help prevent cancer, reports the Linus Pauling Institute. Cabbage is also quite low in calories and packed with vitamins C and K. Despite these benefits, some people avoid cabbage because it causes gastrointestinal trouble.

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Spinach chicken strawberry salad

Does Taking Vitamin C Affect Your Sleep?

Whether the nutrients you consume affect the quality of sleep is a new field of research, according to Sleep Medicine in January 2008. Studies published since then report that lack of vitamin C may cause shorter and nonrestorative sleep.

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bowl of granola and yogurt with fresh berries

Good Breakfasts for People With High Blood Pressure

The foods you eat may lower blood pressure as much as medication, reports Harvard Health Publications. Start your day with a breakfast filled with key nutrients known to help with blood pressure. Getting enough potassium is essential, as it lowers blood pressure and counteracts sodium.

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Walnut kernels on rustic table

Can Walnuts Upset Your Digestive Tract?

Walnuts contain more natural antioxidants and heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats than other types of nuts. In spite of their nutritional benefits, walnuts can upset your digestive tract.

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Grilled BBQ T-Bone Steak

The Amount of Creatine in Meat

Creatine helps provide the energy your muscles need for everyday activities. It also supplies the extra spurt of energy that sustains and boosts muscle power during high-intensity exercise. Meat is a good choice for adding to your stores of creatine.

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Raw minced meat

Lean Meat and Fatty Meat

When you’re looking for an excellent source of quality protein and vitamin B-12, meat is one of your top choices. Some cuts of meat contain so much saturated fat and cholesterol, however, that their high fat outweighs the nutritional benefits.

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salmon skewer with lemon ready for BBQ

Foods That Can Lower Heart Rate

Only a few foods, such as omega-3 fatty acids, have a direct impact on your heart rate. Others influence it by keeping your heart and blood vessels in top condition. Following a balanced diet is essential, but regular exercise, maintaining an optimal weight and managing daily stress are equally important.

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Tablets of Vitamin C

How Much Vitamin C Can the Body Absorb?

If you consume the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C and you don’t have health problems, you should absorb plenty to meet your needs. But when you boost your intake above the RDA, you won't gain the benefit unless you spread it out over several meals or supplement doses.

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Middle Eastern woman holding apple

Dangers of Malic Acid

If you encountered pure malic acid, the dry powder could seriously damage your eyes, irritate your skin and affect your breathing. But for most people, malic acid is safe. It's an organic acid naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Malic acid is also produced commercially and added to foods, beverages and candy.

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