Tag: Food And Health

Watermelon is a delicious, refreshing as well as thirst-quenching fruit. Watermelon is a great source of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and vitamins A, C, and B. In addition, it has potassium together with other important minerals, like iron, calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium. It also contains organic acids, enzymes, and natural sugars as well. The water content in this fruit is also extremely useful in keeping your body hydrated during the summer. There are different ways you can enjoy your watermelon.

Below are seven of such awesome ways;

So yesterday, we brought you an article on a 4 health benefits of eating tomatoes. The feedback was okay and we got some people asking us some questions.

One wanted to know if she has to boil them or just consume them raw.

Another also wanted to know if it’s possible to drink a raw blended tomato.

Let’s start with second question. Yes, tomatoes can be blended or chopped and eaten raw with boiling them.

As a matter of fact, eating them raw gives you access to all the essential nutrients needed for good health.

However, we all know we can use them in preparing stew or soup.

Hence consider the following tips in case you prefer boiling them before consuming.

Tips;

1. Wash thoroughly

Before serving, wash tomatoes under cool running water and pat dry. This helps to get rid of any dirt that may be stuck on the skin.

2. Consider the seeds

If your recipe requires seeded tomatoes, cut the fruit in half horizontally and gently squeeze out the seeds and the juice. However, we encourage you to think about the recipe and consider whether the tomato could be incorporated with seeds intact. There are simply too many valuable nutrients in the seeds that you would not want to lose unnecessarily.

3. Don’t Cook in Aluminum Cookwares

When cooking tomatoes, we recommend avoidance of aluminum cookware since the high acid content of the tomatoes may interact with the metal in the cookware. As a result, there may be migration of aluminum into the food, which may not only impart an unpleasant taste, but more importantly, may have a potentially unwanted impact on your health.

4. Consider Using the Whole Fruit When Cooking

Whenever possible, try to develop recipes that make use of the whole tomato. We’ve seen research showing higher lycopene content in whole tomato products. For example, when the skins of tomatoes are included in the making of the tomato paste, the lycopene and beta-carotene content of the paste is significantly higher according to research studies.

5. Don’t overcook it as doing so may get rid of all the needed nutrients for good health

 Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C: An essential nutrient and antioxidant. One medium sized tomato can provide about 28% of the recommended daily intake. Potassium: An essential mineral, beneficial for blood pressure control and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Just one serving a day of tomato-based foods can have an incredibly beneficial effect on your health. Not only can they reduce heart disease, but they could potentially prevent and reverse dozens of diseases if eaten daily. This is one fruit you don’t want to leave out of your diet.

Below are some of the health benefits of eating tomatoes;

1. Good for digestion

Eating tomatoes daily can keep your digestive system healthy as it prevents both, constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body.

2. Improves vision

Vitamin A, present in tomatoes, helps to improve your eyesight as well as prevent night-blindness and macular degeneration.

3. Reduces risk of heart disease

The lycopene in tomatoes can protect you against cardiovascular diseases. Consuming tomatoes regularly helps decrease the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood, reducing the deposition of fats in the blood vessels.

3. Skin Health

Rich tomato components fight acne and prevent damage to skin cells. Studies have indicated that drinking two cups of tomato juice a day helps to improve the overall appearance of the skin in a short period of time.

4. Reduces Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer can also be reduced with tomatoes. Exciting research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that higher amounts of carotenoids may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. This includes alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and total carotenoids .

 

Bananas are one of the world’s most appealing fruits

When it comes to cooking with fruits, most of us can’t help but think of salads and desserts like puddings and pies. Some may say that a fruit is best eaten raw or may be included in shakes and smoothies. You’d be surprised to know that fruits like bananas are widely used in savoury dishes as well. Talking of bananas, very few people know that the fruit actually belongs to the family of berries!

High in fibre, bananas are great for digestion and aid in the growth of good gut bacteria. Keep a couple of them tucked in your bag to tame those untimely, mid-meals hunger attacks. Bananas are also a good source of B-vitamins, magnesium and antioxidants. We know that bananas are rich in Vitamin C but do you know that they act as a great stress fighting nutrient? Bananas help in repairing the cell damage caused due to stress.

1. Banana-ChocolatePudding Cake

 

A cross between a mouse, pudding, and molten lava cake, this banana-chocolate cake is sure to please—both your tastebuds and your waistline. Using bananas as a substitute for flour, blend 2 very ripe bananas in a food processor, then add in an egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla, a tablespoon maple syrup, and ¼ teaspoon fine salt, blend until smooth. Separately, melt 5 ounces of dark chocolate in the microwave, then stir into the banana mixture. Beat the whites from two eggs in a separate mixture until stiff peaks, then fold into the chocolate banana mixture. Pour into a greased or parchment-paper-lined, 8-inch round baking pan and bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven. This high-protein, low-carb treat will make its way onto your dessert plate more than once.

2. Sweeten Up Your Oatmeal

Instead of adding empty calories like refined white sugars that only spike your blood sugar and cause it to come crashing down soon after, why not flavor your oatmeal with bananas? Cut up half a banana, mash it with a fork, and then fold it into your favorite bowl of steel cut oats along with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This cut of oats is lower on the glycemic index than rolled or instant oats, meaning they’ll keep you fuller, longer. Always in a rush in the morning? Make them overnight oats style! Just boil 4 cups of water in a pot. Add one cup of steel-cut oats and simmer for 1 minute. Cover the pot, allow it to cool, and then store overnight in the fridge.

3. Banana Puree

Few people have made a smoothie without this elongated fruit, but have you ever tried making the frozen blend with a green banana? Prior to ripening, bananas are rich in resistant starch, a hard-to-find form of fiber that digests slowly for prolonged feelings of fullness and more efficient fat oxidation. Oh, and did we also mention it’s good for gut health? Resistant starches feed the beneficial bacteria in your belly, which then convert the starches into anti-inflammatory compounds that help to suppress your appetite and bolster your immune system. For an exotic blend, try combining ½ frozen banana, ½ cup frozen pineapple, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled and chopped), the juice of half a lime, and 1 cup coconut water.

4. Banana Sushi

Say hello to a waistline-friendly oatmeal cookie. Free of blood-sugar-spiking refined white flour or refined sugar, these cookies get all their starch from bananas and extra fiber from the oats. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mash three bananas in a bowl, then add ¼ cup melted coconut oil, 1-½ cups rolled oats, ¼ cup chopped walnuts a tablespoon ground flaxseed, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ½ a teaspoon each of cinnamon and salt. Stir well, roll into cookies, and bake for 25 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown.

Source: http://www.eatthis.com/banana-cooking-tips/

 

Cucumeropsis mannii is a species of melon, native to tropical Africa west of the East African Rift, where it is grown for food and as a source of oil. Its common names include egusi in Yoruba and agushi in Hausa. In English it is known as Mann’s cucumeropsis and white-seed melon.

Agushi plant is very popular with Africans, who make soup with the seeds. Agushi fruit is similar to watermelon but has white seeds. Unlike watermelon, the fruit is not edible, and quite bitter.

These seeds have a shell and are mostly flat and pointed at the tip. Seeds of agushi are high in protein, vitamins and minerals and are great source of edible oil for native Africans.

Below are some health benefits of the seed;

1.Naturally loaded with protein

Anyone, who is looking for a food source high in protein, must have these seeds in his or her diet, especially, people looking to build pure muscle like professional body builders.

Proteins are essential for the maintenance of muscles, and agushi seeds of around 100 grams contain about 30 grams of protein.

It is also low in calories. Hence, it is very good for those who are looking to shed some fat.

Protein deficiency diseases like marasmus and kwashiorkor can also be cured by proper intake of these seeds.

2. Anti-ageing

Agushi helps in fighting against the signs of ageing like wrinkles, dark spots and dark circles. It contains anti-oxidants and Niacin, which makes skin healthy and young and helps, prevents ageing.

Consuming agushi seeds or applying agushi seed oil will help keep your skin healthy and glowing for a long time.

3. Provides essential amino acids

Amino acids, which are not readily available in the body like arginine and lysine, have to be obtained from other sources. Agushi seeds are a great source of these amino acids.

Arginine helps in regulating metabolism and improves the cardiovascular system. Lysine helps in the formation of collagen and connective tissues in the body.

4. Natural Multi-vitamin B supplement

These seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin B complex. These vitamins are essential for having good blood flow throughout the body, which ultimately helps keep the cardiovascular system healthy.

They also help in strengthening the immune system. Daily intake of these seeds is the equivalent to taking vitamin supplements.

Credit: https://www.graphic.com.gh

Pregnancy is a very delicate part of life. It is a period where a mother has to take extra care of her health as well as that of the unborn baby’s. What you eat and drink during pregnancy is extremely important.

Whiles a lot of women stick to eating delicacies to stay strong and healthy, others however take artificial food supplements.

However, any food supplement, whether natural or artificial needs to be done with caution. This is because, not all supplement are good for the unborn baby. Others too are good but in required quantities.

What do you usually drink during pregnancy to give supplement to the womb? Have you ever expected that bitter kola is a good supplement for pregnancy?  Have you ever expected bitter kola increases fertility?

Bitter kola is a plant from Africa. In fact, Africans have been using bitter kola for pregnant woman for ages. Additionally, Africans believe that bitter cola prevents Satan from disturbing the womb. But actually, bitter kola is truly good for pregnancy according to sciences.

Bitter kola contains nutrients and vitamins good for pregnancy. For Africans, bitter kola is the best supplement for pregnant women. Nowadays, bitter cola popularity has spread to anywhere in the world. Therefore you should also try bitter cola to give nutrients supply to your womb.

Let’s first of all take a look at the nutrients found in Bitter Kola;

*Caffeine

*Collatin

*Theobromine

*Theoppylline

*Tannins

*Catechin

*Epicathecin

*Proteins

*Carbohydrates

To choose supplement for pregnancy, you must look at side effects first. Avoid supplements containing side effects and bad nutrients. According to research, bitter cola doesn’t have side effects if consumed properly.

Now read on the health benefits of bitter kola in pregnancy:

1.Strengthens pregnant woman

Strong woman would create a healthy womb in pregnancy. When a pregnant woman tends to easily get sick, it also influences the womb’s health. Hence, the husband should give good supplement to the woman to strengthen her, and especially her womb.

2. Make womb healthier

While in pregnancy, it is very important to always give nutrients supplement for your womb. On the other hand, natural supplement is the best supplement you can choose. And it should be bitter kola because it has rich nutrients and vitamins.

Its high amount of vitamins supply womb very good should it make womb healthier. Bitter kola in pregnancy should be the best choice for your pregnancy supplement

Drinking bitter kola twice a week could strengthen mother and her womb. The nutrients add more stamina to a pregnant woman

3. Promotes fertility

Fertility is the most popular issue in marriage. Infertility can infect woman either man. Actually there are many causes of infertility. For man, bitter cola can cure impotence. On the other hand, bitter kola also good for woman to increase fertility.

To conclude, you should drink water of bitter cola twice a day, you will get the result in two weeks just like health benefits of yoga during pregnancy.

4. Cures nausea and vomit

A pregnant woman tends to get nausea and vomit very often. It is very uncomfortable for woman to get nausea and vomit. Furthermore, it makes woman limbs. As the solution, pregnant woman should drink bitter kola to decrease nausea and vomit.

The nutrients and bitter kola make woman feel fresh and get more energy. Thus, a healthy pregnant woman also contains healthy womb. You may also read benefits of vitamin A during pregnancy.

5. Normalize blood circulation of a pregnant woman

The substances inside bitter kola have ability to normalize blood circulation of human. If pregnant woman drink bitter kola, should the mother’s blood circulation get to normal. Because in fact, a pregnant woman tends to has abnormal blood circulation. We need to keep blood pressure in normal situation to keep womb’s health until born.

Recommended intake of bitter kola during pregnancy

Bitter cola contains very strong caffeine. One bean of bitter cola contains same amount of caffeine of 2 glass of coffee. Thus, you must drink bitter kola only for 1 small cup a day. Do not exceed the limitation because it’s not going to be any good for the womb.

Take a routine bitter kola as supplement, and drink it twice a week. Finally, your baby will born healthy.