Archive for the Nutrition Category
We give you the skinny on lean
If someone asked you what “lean” meant, what would your answer be? Most likely you’d say something like “It means having less than 5% bodyfat.” Or, “It means being able to see my abs — all eight of them.” But if you ask the United States Department of Agriculture, it means something else entirely. And the definitions of “lean” that they’ve developed can help you achieve your own definition of lean. The Food and Drug Administration is the body behind the ubiquitous Nutrition Facts label, and it is tasked with regulating any number of industries (pharmaceuticals, supplements, cosmetics, medical devices), including the nutritional content of foods. As of 2007, it has developed a definition for “lean” that is given to foods that contain less than 8 grams of total fat, less than 3.5 g of saturated fat, and less than 80 milligrams cholesterol per serving. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.30.10 | No Comments
A leucine metabolite that can help add muscle
Of all the amino acids that make up protein, leucine has been established as the most anabolic. In recent years, scientists have begun to uncover the muscle-building effects of leucine metabolites, such as KIC and HMB (alpha-ketoisocaproate and beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate, respectively). Now another leucine metabolite, HICA (alpha-hydroxyisocaproic acid), is also showing great promise for its effects on recovery from intensive training.
Leucine is considered to be a potent anabolic agent because it can activate cellular proteins that lead to muscle growth. Once leucine is broken down in muscle tissue, it forms a variety of related compounds (such as KIC and HMB). These compounds have also proven to be popular supplements, because studies have shown that they can decrease muscle breakdown while helping to increase overall strength and muscle mass. HICA, which is formed when leucine is completely broken down, has also been reported to inhibit muscle loss by blocking the action of certain catabolic compounds. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.26.10 | No Comments
Daily supplements of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 (LG2055) may help weight loss in people with obese tendencies, says new science from Japan.
Twelve weeks of consuming a fermented milk product containing the Lactobacillus strain was associated with a 4.6 per cent reduction in abdominal fat, and a 3.3 per cent reduction in subcutaneous fat, according to findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Furthermore, body weight dropped by 1.4 per cent and waist size decreased by 1.8 per cent, report researchers from Snow Brand Milk Products, Kyushu University, Nippon Milk Community Co., Iwaki Meisei University, and Isogo Central and Neurosurgical Hospital. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.23.10 | No Comments
Protect your joints with these so you can train heavy and hard
Glucosamine
Few people realize that glucosamine is actually a combination of the amino acid glutamine and the sugar glucose. It is found primarily in joint cartilage. The body incorporates supplemental glucosamine into molecules called proteoglycans, which are part of joint cartilage and work to maintain the integrity of the joint and repair damaged cartilage. Research shows that glucosamine stimulates the generation of new cartilage by activating cartilage-producing cells known as chondrocytes. As a result, and as numerous studies confirm, glucosamine can help to alleviate the signs and symptoms of the joint wear and tear that can occur with heavy training. In fact, one study showed that glucosamine was as effective as ibuprofen for alleviating symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.23.10 | 1 Comment
The vegetable known as the beetroot in Great Britain (and usually called the table beet, garden beet, red beet or just plain beet in the U.S.) has been studied in recent years for its health-building properties. For example, scientists have found it is rich in the nutrient betaine, which reduces the blood concentration of homocycsteine, a substance linked to heart disease and stroke. Now a study just published in the American Heart Association’s Hypertension journal concludes drinking beet juice lowers high blood pressure quickly and effectively — and could be a natural approach to helping prevent cardiovascular problems.
British scientists at the Queen Mary University of London found that drinking beet juice lowered blood pressure to healthy levels within 24 hours. In fact, it was just as effective as prescription nitrate tables in treating hypertension. In a previous study two years ago, the same research team had first observed that drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure — now they’ve figured out exactly why. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.21.10 | No Comments
Different varieties can offer different benefits
Although creatine monohydrate is the tried-and-true form of creatine that most manufacturers sell, other types of creatine offer benefits that go beyond those of the mainstay. That’s why many creatine products now contain a variety of different forms of creatine. In addition, some manufacturers are smartening up and adding supplements to their creatine that enhance its uptake. Learn how to select a mixed creatine product that delivers results.
1. Creatine used to come in one flavor–gritty. Today’s powders are often flavored. This may make it taste better when you mix it by itself in water, but if you put it in a protein shake, the flavors may not work together. For example, lemonade-flavored creatine plus chocolate-flavored whey protein turns into a gross drink. Lemonade plus vanilla, on the other hand, is not so bad. Choose flavors wisely.
2. Many powders come in a couple of sizes, from roughly 1 pound to 2 pounds. Your best bet is to go with the larger size–you need at least a solid month’s trial of any new creatine product to ensure that it works for you. Once you find the product you like, you might as well nab the savings on the larger size. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.10.10 | No Comments
People who regularly plan self-made diets or follow a so-called “healthy lifestyle” way usually end up making nutritional mistakes that are dangerous to their health. Although it’s good to plan and take measures to maintain a healthy and strong body, but why not take actions that are perfect and expert recommended?
So entailing this fact, here are the top 10 nutritional mistakes you may come across while planning a healthy lifestyle. Watch out!
1. Planning Weight-Loss DIE…T
It suddenly hits you that your body weight is increasing and you should go on a diet. After a long thinking process, you get up and the first thing you do is visit your fridge and consume a dozen calories within seconds! Sounds similar? A lot of people make a big mistake of “planning” to go on a diet. The more you plan, the more likely you are to fail.
So stop saying “I’ll go on a diet” and start replacing the thoughts with “I’m going to adopt a healthy lifestyle”. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.8.10 | No Comments
While fish can serve as the major dietary way to obtain the long-chain omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which were shown to be crucial in supporting brain health, low intake of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in vegetarians won’t adversely affect mood, as stated by a new research (Nutr J. 2010;9:26. DOI:10.1186/1475-2891-9-26).
A study team from Arizona State University conducted a cross-sectional study to compare the mood of vegetarians who never eat fish with the mood of healthy omnivorous adults.
An overall total of 138 healthy Seventh Day Adventist adults residing in Arizona and California (64 vegetarians and 79 non-vegetarians) were enrolled in the study and completed a health history questionnaire, food frequency questionnaire and two psychometric tests, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and also the Profile of Mood States..
Vegetarians had significantly lower mean intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and also the omega-6 arachidonic acid; they had higher intakes of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 linoleic acid. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.8.10 | No Comments
A body builder must follow some strategies in order to successfully gain muscle mass and at the same time lose body fat. It is a no-brainer what we need to do in order to lose weight but gain muscle at the same time. On the other hand, the question of what not to do is a different subject. Here is a list “wrong” steps every bodybuilder needs to avoid in their nutrition.
Don’t follow monotone diet
Make sure you diet has enough variety. When you stick to the same food every single day, you have higher chances of quitting since your taste-buds need variety of flavors.
Don’t fixate on the scales
Do not make the mistake of evaluating the results from the changes on the scales. Generally speaking, scale measurements provide rough estimate of changes, when you concentrate on the numerical changes too much you can easily fall into the overcompensation trap-hole. Visual changes (for example photos) provide better comparison. (more…)
Nutrition | 07.4.10 | No Comments
A body builder must follow some strategies in order to successfully gain muscle mass and at the same time lose body fat. It is a no-brainer what we need to do in order to lose weight but gain muscle at the same time. On the other hand, the question of what not to do is a different subject. Here is a list “wrong” steps every bodybuilder needs to avoid in their nutrition.
Don’t follow monotone diet
Make sure you diet has enough variety. When you stick to the same food every single day, you have higher chances of quitting since your taste-buds need variety of flavors. (more…)
Nutrition | 06.27.10 | No Comments
