Sudhir Ahluwalia's Blog, page 49

Anti-nutrients role in nutrition

Nutrients nourish plants and animals to grow and live; anti-nutrients can block the absorption of nutrients.

Anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor, phytic acid, and cyanogen are as important as any edible plant part’s nutritional content. They are generated in natural food substances by the normal metabolism of species.

Glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage)—can prevent iodine absorption, which may interfere with thyroid function and cause goiter.

Lectins in legumes (beans, peanuts, soybeans), whole grains can interfere with calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc absorption.

Phytates (phytic acid) in whole grains seeds, legumes, and nuts can decrease the absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

Saponins in legumes, whole grains—can interfere with normal nutrient absorption.

Tannins in tea, coffee legumes—can decrease iron absorption.

Anti-nutrients may also exert health benefits. Phytates, for example, have been found to lower cholesterol, slow digestion, and prevent sharp rises in blood sugar. Many anti-nutrients have antioxidant and anticancer actions, so avoiding them entirely is not recommended.

Additional reading on nutrition and its impact on health:

Nutrition Facts – a guide to good health

Natural Solutions for Obesity

Natural Solutions for Diabetes Similar Posts:

What are the fundamental misconceptions on what is nutrition?What is the scientific support for probiotics use as supplements?Zinc deficiency in vegan diets – is the fear really genuine?

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What was myrrh used in the times of Jesus?

Myrrh is the aromatic gum or resin that exudes from the stems and branches of more than 150 species in the Commiphora genus of the Burseraceae family (e.g., Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol, Commiphora gileadensis). These species, rare today, are distributed across Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, and Somalia.
Ancient Egyptian papyrus writings from 2000 BC mention using myrrh to embalm the dead. Burning myrrh was a popular method to prevent fleas and odors.
C. gileadensis is believed to be the first plant that the Ethiopian Queen of Sheba brought to Israel. It was highly prized. According to Pliny’s Historia Naturalis, Rome made large profits from myrrh’s sale and trade from plantations in and around Jericho. In fact, when the Romans attacked the Jews of Jerusalem, the latter attempted (unsuccessfully) to destroy the myrrh plantations. Over time, the economic value of myrrh decreased as alternatives arose.
The plant was used to treat a wide range of disorders: headache, stomach ailments, early-stage cataracts, impaired vision and hearing, respiratory ailments, and gynecological ailments. Jews and Romans mixed the sap with old wine or water to make a tonic, which was believed to restore strength, and maintain health.
Written references to myrrh as a perfume and herbal medicine date back to Herodotus in the fifth century. Myrrh acts on the mucosa and has antiseptic properties, so Greek and Roman soldiers used it to treat wounds and sores. In addition to its use as a general tonic and disinfectant, myrrh was also used to treat indigestion, syphilis, and gonorrhea. It was used as an expectorant to treat respiratory ailments. Because it was believed to promote menstrual flow, it was also used as an abortifacient.

Read more on plants from the Bible:

Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient Plants Similar Posts:

Where can I get myrrh or frankincense tree to grow?Where can I get myrrh seed or plants to grow?Myrrh In The Bible

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What are the fundamental misconceptions on what is nutrition?

Recently, an entrepreneur asked me to write a couple of paragraphs on nutrition and weight loss. She forwarded my note to a dietitian employed in one of the top hospitals in the USA. The dietitian regards nutrition to be a fuel that provides the body energy to function.

This, therefore, brings us to this important question of misconceptions about nutrition.

“Nutrition is a critical part of health and development. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child, and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity.” WHO

If we go by the WHO definition, then nutrition has a much broader role and meaning. Nutrition has three functions- sustenance, protection, and prevention. Food is not just a bio-fuel for the body. I am inclined towards agreeing with the WHO view. A restricted view on nutrition is a common misconception that is not just not restricted to common people like many of us but also by experts.

Additional reading on nutrition:

Nutrition Facts- a guide to good healthNatural Solutions for ObesityNatural Solutions for DiabetesNatural Solutions for Cancer

Similar Posts:

What is the scientific support for probiotics use as supplements?How do green vegetables, fruits, and nuts help to improve immunity and keep fit and healthy?Are probiotics over-rated?

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Do you consider obesity an illness or lifestyle choice?

“Obesity is not a personal choice. It is a complex interplay of genetics, environment, and other factors. The magnitude of this disorder’s impact on health can be understood when we realize that obesity impacts 236 diseases, of which 13 are cancers.” (Obesity Medicine Association) Genetic factors that include thousands of different genes contribute to 40 to 70 percent of obesity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a health risk.” World Obesity Organization puts obesity as one of the most critical public health problems facing the world today.
Three factors are externally responsible for obesity and obesity control. These are:
Nutrition: Certain foods, such as refined carbohydrates and unsaturated fats, contribute the most to obesity
Medicine: Certain prescription medicine, including anti-depressants, steroids, contraceptives, medications for diabetes, hypertension, migraines, seizures, bipolar disorder, allergies, insomnia, and a host of others, are associated with weight gain.
Sleep: Disrupted sleep or sleep less than 7 hours or more than 9 hours can lead to obesity. Difficulty in breathing can also be a reason for disturbed sleep.
Given the complexity of this disorder, there are no simple definitions nor simple cures to this condition.

Additional reading on the subject:

Natural Solutions for Obesity Similar Posts:

How do I lose weight as a type 2 diabetes patient?What is the best treatment for obesity, and why?What percentages of stroke are diet-related?

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What are the natural remedies herbs and spices for diabetes?

A group of scientists has identified 30 medicinal plants used in indigenous folk medicines, Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha systems. These three herbal medicine systems together will cover nearly the entire ancient Indian herbal medicine spectrum. Trials on rats on individual plants used in these indigenous medicine systems report the lowering of blood glucose levels.

The effectiveness in decreasing order of impact of the studied plants are Coccinia indica, Tragia involucrata, Gymnema sylvestre, Pterocarpus marsupium, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Moringa oleifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Swertia chirayita, Ficus glomerata, Ficus benghalensis, Vinca rosea, Premna integrifolia, Mucuna prurita, Terminalia bellirica, Sesbania aegyptiaca, Azadirachta indica, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii, Zingiber officinale, Aegle marmelos, Cinnamomum tamala, Trichosanthes cucumerina, and Ocimum tenuiflorum. (Kar, A. et al., 2003)

A similar identification of herbs used in Chinese medicine has been made. I have looked at modern scientific evidence in support of the antidiabetes medicinal properties of these plants.

I have been able to identify four plants – Gymnema sylvestre, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Eugenia jambolana, and Curcuma longa that has the most substantial scientific support for their anti-diabetic properties.

A review of herbs used in TCM shows that Atractylodes macrocephala, Codonopsis pilosula, Dioscorea opposita, Flos lonicerae, and Pueraria lobata retard the progression of diabetes by reducing blood glucose level.

My conclusion after this review is that a combination of modern medicine, yoga, and meditation is likely to benefit diabetes patients. Herbal medicine’s role will continue at best to be supportive of contemporary diabetes management. But if we can adopt the lifestyle changes recommended by Ayurveda and TCM, we will be healthier.

It is best to consult a diabetologist who is in the best position to make a medical determination in a nutshell. Herbal medicine can at best be used in support.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Diabetes Similar Posts:

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How do green vegetables, fruits, and nuts help to improve immunity and keep fit and healthy?

Let us begin with some macro facts.

It is estimated that about 2 billion people live primarily on a meat-based diet, while 4 billion focus on a plant-based diet. The US food production system, a dominant meat-based market with its population of just 300 million, uses about 50% of the total US land area, 80% of its freshwater, and 17% of the fossil energy. Therefore, a vegetarian diet is more ecologically sustainable when compared to a meat-based diet (Pimentel et al., 2003).

Fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals-these help in building body immunity. Three types of phytochemicals have been identified—carotenoids, polyphenols, and allium compounds.

Carotenoids are found in abundance in red, yellow, orange, and dark-green colored fruits and vegetables. Polyphenol-rich foods include herbs, spices, vegetables, green tea, apples, and berries. Allium-rich compounds are garlic, onions, leeks, and related vegetables. Many of these vegetables contain antioxidants such as β carotene, selenium, and vitamins C and E. These chemicals reduce the risk of cell damage.

Oxidants are the most common of the cell damage-causing molecules. Oxidants are produced during healthy cellular metabolism. These normally help modulate inflammation, kill bacteria, detoxify toxins, and maintain a good vascular (blood vessel) tone. Excess, unutilized oxidants damage cell membranes, lipids, and DNA. This damage gets repaired by antioxidants obtained from food.

We get exposed to oxidants from external sources too. Smoking, alcohol, certain drugs, deep-fried and fatty foods are other sources. We get exposed to oxidants through radiation, UV light, heat shock, and strong sunlight too. Other oxidant sources are air fresheners as well as vehicular and industrial pollutants. Oxidants interact with antioxidants, destroying these. Diet will need to have enough surplus antioxidants to counterbalance the loss from oxidants.

Free oxidants that are not neutralized by antioxidants can cause degenerative disease such as atherosclerotic heart disease, diabetes, skin ailments, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, etc.

Vitamins B and D and calcium found in plants and other foods have cancer-preventive properties. Dietary fiber found in whole grain, seeds, legumes, pulses, vegetables, fruit, and products made from these helps in the easy evacuation of stool. Plant-based phytochemical-rich foods help regulate hormones such as estrogen, slow cancer cell growth, and block inflammation.

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, related vegetables, lycopene found in tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon, and apricots all protect several types of cancers.

No single antioxidant molecule has been found that can replace the health benefits generated by a combination of natural phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables. Consumers need to eat 5–10 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily to mitigate the risk of chronic diseases and to meet nutrient requirements essential for optimum health (Liu, 2004).

This is a vast and extensively studied subject area and what I presented above is just a preview.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for CancerNutrition Facts- A guide to good healthNatural Solutions for DiabetesNatural Solutions for Obesity

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Our food has how many types of carbohydrates?

There are three categories of carbohydrates.
Sugar, which is the simplest form of carbohydrate. It is of three types – fruit sugar (fructose), table sugar (sucrose), and milk sugar (lactose).
Starch is a complex carbohydrate in which multiple sugar units are bonded together. These occur naturally in vegetables, grains, cooked dry beans, peas, etc.
Fiber is yet another form of complex carbohydrate.
Foods are often measured on a glycemic index. The higher a food on the index, the higher the potential of raising the blood sugar level. Weight-loss diets typically recommend limiting foods that are high on the glycemic index. Some examples of such food are potatoes, white bread, snack foods, and desserts containing refined flour. Many healthy foods — such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat dairy products — are lower on the glycemic index.
Carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel source. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45-65% of the daily calorie requirement.  Starch and other complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the course of digestion. It is only then that they can meet the body’s needs for energy.

Additional reading references:

Nutrition Facts- a guide to good healthNatural Solutions for ObesityNatural Solutions for Diabetes

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What is the scientific support for probiotics use as supplements?

There is a vast amount of scientific research on probiotics in the public domain.
Probiotics are a group of beneficial microorganisms found in the gut. These, when taken in adequate quantities, are seen to confer a health benefit to the host. (World Health Organization). They help maintain a healthy balance in the gut microbiota and assist in building the body’s immune system. (The Good Gut – Justin and Erica Sonnenburg, 2015)
The protective role of probiotics in improving digestion is now fairly well established. Ritchie and Romanuk, 2012 did a meta-analysis of 74 studies, 84 trials, and 10351 patients. This analysis showed that probiotics are beneficial adjuncts in the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.
The EFSA – European Food Safety Authority – has approved a group of probiotic bacteria genera and species in yogurt cultures. Canadian, Italian, and European regulators have accepted that probiotics help in maintaining a healthy gut. They recommend a level of billion colony forming units (CFU) per serving of probiotics in food.
The non-strain specific species of permitted probiotics are Bifidobacterium (adolescentis, animalis, bifidum, breve, and longum) and Lactobacillus (acidophilus, casei, fermentum, gasseri, johnsonii, paracasei, plantarum, rhamnosus, and salivarius) (Health Canada, 2009)
Clinical recommendation for those affected by digestive ailments is placed at 5 billion CFUs for children and 10 – 20 CFUs for adults. (Benjamin Kligler and Andreas Cohrssen Am Fam Physician. 2008 Nov 1:78(9):1073-1078). One to two billion CFUs per day are the recommended dose for healthy adults.
There are food and food supplements that contain probiotic bacteria. These include dietary supplements, pharmaceutical products, medical foods, infant formula, fermented foods like fresh yogurt, fermented milk, aged cheese, kimchi, craft beer, miso, fermented vegetables like sauerkraut pickles, sourdough bread, etc.

Additional reading references:

Nutrition Facts- a guide to good healthNatural Solutions for Obesity

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Are probiotics over-rated?How to I introduce healthy bacteria into the gut?Can the bacteria in yogurt reduce the risk of bowel cancer?

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Does Paleo diet really help bring about weight loss?

The Paleo diet is a modification of the food consumed during the Paleolithic era. Other names to the Paleo diet include the Hunter-Gatherer diet, Stone Age diet, Caveman diet.

Such a diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and omega-rich fish, etc. These are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and antioxidants. Critics state that the exclusion of grains, legumes, and dairy makes the diet deficient in calcium and vegetable protein. This criticism may not stand scrutiny as proteins in the paleo diet are obtained from lean meat and fish.

Regarding the deficiency of calcium, there are parts of the world like China and South East Asia, in which dairy products are minimal. People in these regions are observed as healthy as anywhere else.

Paleodiet enthusiasts believe that this diet will help them lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Multiple studies have supported this claim. Even short-term consumption of this diet improves blood pressure and glucose tolerance, decreases insulin secretion, increases insulin sensitivity, and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans. (Frassetto et al., 2009; Masharani et al., 2015)

The Paleo diet remains controversial because of exaggerated claims made by wellness bloggers and others. A small number of small trials provide evidence of this diet’s effectiveness for weight loss. Further research is required to validate these findings. This diet needs Calcium supplements to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis. (Pitt, 2016)

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Obesity

Nutrition Facts- A guide to good health Similar Posts:

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What is the importance of herbs and spices in cooking?

The use of spices in food, medicine, and cosmetics began as settlements organized in the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia from Judea to the Nile Valley in Egypt around 9000 BC. Humans initially used herbs and spices as food preservatives. Soon they found that many of these plants helped cure wounds, aches, and other common ailments.
Dioscorides, in his work Di Materia Medica (c 60 AD), mentions the use of aromatic oils and ointments from plants like cardamom, cassia, senna, garlic, leek, cinnamon, balm of Gilead, hops, mastic, onion, caper, mustard, licorice, caraway, cumin, parsley, lovage, and fennel.
Ancient literature like Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita c 3rd BC to 1st AD, Pliny’s Historia Naturalis, the works of Hippocrates, Ibn Sina, Ebers Papyrus, Sheng Nung’s treatise on plants are some prominent works that make extensive references to the use of herbs and spices in both food and medicine.
Research on these plants led to the discovery of many modern medicines. Indeed, most modern medicine’s origin is plant-based. No wonder we humans continue to consume and relish herbs and spices in food.

Additional reading references

Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient PlantsAsian Herbs and their wondrous health-giving properties

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How was garlic used in ancient times?Can you briefly describe the historical use of herbs by man?Cassia Overview

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