8 Benefits Of Peanut Butter That Will Make You Crave It More

Featured photo credit: Denise Krebs via flickr.com
Peanut butter is my favorite snack food. I love it so much that I buy it in a 4-pound jar (yes, really!) and gobble it up every month. I love the taste and the fact that you can pair it with anything – bananas, crackers, jelly, on a sandwich, on pancakes – try it! But now I’m so excited to learn there are tons of health benefits of peanut butter that make it even better for me to eat! For example, peanut butter:

1. Is a great source of protein.

If you eat two tablespoons of peanut butter, you’re getting seven grams of protein! Because it’s so full of protein, peanut butter is a very filling snack – this means you can eat less, but feel fuller, and for longer! Protein is also good for building and repairing muscles, which is really good, but especially beneficial if you work out a lot and strain your muscles. Eat some peanut butter on toast for breakfast, and you’ll feel satisfied until lunchtime!

2. Is good for your heart.

Studies show people who regularly include peanut butter in their diets are less likely to develop heart disease of type 2 diabetes than people who rarely eat nuts or nut products. You can still be healthy without eating nuts, but these studies show there is clearly a benefit of nuts that helps your heart. It might have something to do with all the other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found naturally in peanut butter.

3. Gives you more potassium.

I love salty foods, don’t you? The only problem is, sodium isn’t that good for us. We have to eat it in moderation, but it’s hard because it’s so present in every food! Sodium can be bad for your cardiovascular system, but potassium can counteract the dangers of sodium. And, guess what? Peanut butter is an excellent source of sodium! Pair it with your salty snacks (in moderation!) and feel better about what you eat.

4. Is a source of healthy fat.

A lot of people think peanut butter is bad for you because it contains saturated fats. In reality, saturated fat isn’t as big of a toxin as people make it out to be. Peanut butter actually contains more unsaturated fat than saturated, which means it has “healthy fats.” I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it’s true! A healthy body needs healthy fats like avocado and olive oil and… you guessed it, peanut butter!

5. Is an energy booster.

Since peanut butter contains a decent amount of protein and “healthy fat,” it has the perfect amount of calories to give you energy for your activities! Just another great reason to eat peanut butter for breakfast and get a good kick-off for your day!

6. Is rich in fiber.

Who would have thought, but those two tablespoons of peanut butter that give you seven grams of protein also give you two grams of fiber! You need a fair amount of fiber to ensure healthy bodily functions, but it’s nice to know you can get some from delicious peanut butter instead of just cardboard-tasting cereals.

7. Helps with weight loss.

Peanut butter is so delicious it seems more like a treat than healthy food. But after reading all the perks so far, it doesn’t seem like a stretch that peanut butter helps with weight loss, does it? Because peanut butter has good protein and fiber content, it makes you feel fuller longer. This means you’re less hungry, and you’ll crave less junk food or unhealthy snacks. Focus on the peanut butter, and you’ll eat less overall, and your weight loss goals will be easier to manage!

8. Packed with nutrients.

Think about all the excellent points you’ve already learned – peanut butter contains protein, fiber, potassium, and healthy fats. Additionally, one serving of peanut butter will give you 3 mg of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. Also, you get about 49 grams of magnesium, which helps with bone-building and muscle recovery. But wait, there’s more! You even get small, but important, amounts of zinc and vitamin B6, which helps boost immunity.

Source:8 Benefits Of Peanut Butter That Will Make You Crave It More

I am going nuts over nuts and dried fruits

I am a great lover of nuts and dried fruits and I eat every day. It is the healthiest snack food in the world.  During the last Chinese New Year, I was very happy to receive many cans of nuts and dried fruits from friends and relatives. Do you know Pistachio is an essential item during Chinese New Year?  It is auspicious to eat pistachio.   In Chinese, it is called 开心果 (kai xin guo)   or happiness fruit, because the shell is half-cracked or opened 开 (kai) and you can see the nut   or 心 (xin) heart inside.  Dried fruits are tasty and just as sweet if not sweeter than candy or chocolate.

Here is a list of nuts and dried fruits I enjoy tremendously:

·         Cashew nuts: Cashews are high in calories and rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated fatty acids. They are also rich in minerals and essential vitamins.

·         Almonds: Almonds are rich in vitamins and minerals that help build a healthy heart.

·         Pistachios:  Consumption of pistachios reduces the risk of heart disease.  

·         Walnuts:  Walnuts contain the highest level of antioxidants compared to other nuts.

·         Macadamia nuts: Macadamias are high energy food and contain no cholesterol. The natural oils in macadamias contain 78 per cent monounsaturated fats, the highest of any oil including olive oil.

·      Chestnuts: They are a good source of dietary fiber and minerals

·         Peanuts: They are rich in antioxidants and other chemicals that may provide health benefits.

·         Figs: Figs are good for the treatment of sexual weakness, constipation, indigestion, piles, diabetes, cough, bronchitis, and asthma.

·         Dates: They are an excellent source of energy and they improve the digestive system.

·         Prunes: They have the ability to relieve constipation, provide antioxidant protection, prevent premature ageing, promote cardiovascular health, and reduce the risk of cancer and osteoporosis.

·         Raisins: They are a good source of energy, aid digestion, enhance mouth and bone health.

·         Apricots: They promote heart health and prevent several types of cancers.

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Are you nutty like me?

Healthy ways to live

Healthy living involves your physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. There are many ways to live healthily and happily.

• Change: A healthy way of life involves changing your habits and your thinking.

It means replacing your bad habits with good ones and be more optimistic about life. 

• Spiritual growth: Fill your heart with gratitude, forgiveness, and kindness. Love is the way to peace of mind.

• Goals: The most important thing in life is to have written goals. Your mind will be the focus on your goals and not drifting aimlessly. There is something to look forward to and life is hopeful.

• Do work that is good for others: Is your work to provide solutions to people’s problems? When what you do is beneficial to others, it gives you a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

• Eating habits: Avoid eating in a hurry or under stress. You can have a drink before or after your meal but do not drink and eat. Eat slowly and chew your food well to assist digestion.

• Healthy digestive system

          It is a good habit to excrete in the morning. Thereafter, your system will do the digestion of food eaten up to the evening. At night while you are sleeping your system is working and absorbing nutrients. It is actually the natural cycle of your digestive system.

• Exercise: Enjoy total fitness by boosting your stamina (jogging), flexibility (stretching), and strength (weightlifting). You derive your energy and alertness from physical activities.    

• Sleep: A good night’s sleep repairs damages done to your body after a stressful day. Quality sleep refreshes your mind and you start a new day with renewed energy

• Healthy diet: Drink water instead of a sugary drink. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Take one multivitamin-mineral supplement tablet daily as nutritional insurance. Go for natural food. Avoided processed food with additives, such as flavourings (like sugar and salt) and texture-enhancing agents, and other added chemicals as preservatives.  

• Be connected: A family unit is a source of happiness. To care and be cared for are the greatest joy in life. Share joy and sorrow in the journey of life. Visit your friends and relatives because a healthy life is about getting connected and supported among people you know and care for.

• Intellectual development: Continuous learning is the best way to broaden the mind. Learning stimulates the mind and you will be more alert and adaptive to changes in life.

• Psychological health: Are you feeling good about yourself? Is your mood generally positive? Are you calm and peaceful emotionally? Are you coping well with life’s challenges? Are you happy most of the time? If your answers to all these questions are affirmative, you are doing fine.

• Avoid pollution: The main culprits are air, water, and noise pollution.  Stay away from smokers and live away from heavy traffic. At home install a water filtration system to drink pure water. Heavy traffic and airports contribute to noise pollution. Live close to nature for a healthier life.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. ~World Health Organization, 1948

10 Healthy Eating Habits

We should eat to live and not live to eat, but we should enjoy eating to sustain our health and well-being. Here are the ways to eat healthily:


1. Chew your food: Do you know that it is the nose that triggers the digestive process? The aroma of delicious home-cook food creates saliva to aid digestion as soon as food enters your mouth. You taste the food to the maximum when you chew it well. Chew slowly so that the digestive enzymes in your saliva break down the food into smaller pieces for proper digestion

2. Eat Slowly: While eating slowly encourages easier digestion, it is also a way to avoid overeating. It takes a few minutes for you to realize how full you are. When you are eating in a hurry, you are more likely to overeat and put on weight. So, sit down and enjoy a meal

3. Avoid distracted eating: It is reported in the newspaper that distracted eating makes you fat. According to Dr. Brunstrom, a researcher in behavioral nutrition at the University of Bristol in England, the problem lies in recalling what one has eaten. Memory plays an important role in the regulations of food intake and distractions during eating disrupt that. Avoid working and eating lunch in the office and stop watching TV while having dinner at home and eat your breakfast without reading newspapers.

4. Breakfast: After sleeping and fasting for eight hours you need to replenish your energy by eating a nutritious breakfast to start a new day. The best breakfast food is oatmeal. According to John Gunther, all happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast. Never work before breakfast; if you have to work before breakfast, eat your breakfast first says Josh Billings.

5. Healthy snack food: One of the effective working habits is taking breaks. Taking breaks restores the energy in you and snacking improves your cognitive skills. What can you eat while you take a break? Here are the 10 healthiest snack food

6. Avoid sugary drinks and drink more water: Among other things, sugar suppresses your immune system, contributes to depression, weight gain, and obesity. Water makes up 60% of our body weight and the brain consists of 85 % water. Drink sufficiently (about 8 glasses) to keep your body hydrated. A little dehydration will interfere with your mental alertness.

7. More fruits and vegetables: Consuming fruits and vegetable is not only good for your health but your skin as well. Scientists say those who eat fruit and vegetables such as carrots and plums are considered more attractive. Yellow pigments called carotenoids found in certain fruit and vegetables play a key role in giving the skin that hue. Here are some of the healthiest fruits and vegetables: apricots, avocados mango, tomato, raisins, lemons, onions, ginger. Broccoli, spinach, and garlic.

8. Green tea: A glass of green tea a day is good for your health. Apart from the anti-cancer properties found in green tea, Dr. Ed Okello from Newcastle University says green tea could protect the brain against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

9. Eat and burn calories: Do you want to stay fit and look sharp? Be active and burn calories by exercising regularly. When you exercise at a higher intensity level, you will be working harder, expending more energy, and burning more calories. Enjoy eating but move your body. Do aerobic exercises such as jogging and swimming and anaerobic exercise such as weight-lifting to burn calories effectively.

10. Eat less but more often: Do not think that you will not gain weight by eating less often. Your body will react and go into starvation mode and conserve calories. To speed up metabolism eat less but more often at regular intervals. You train your system to expect food and burn calories.


The chief pleasure in eating does not consist in costly seasoning, or exquisite flavor, but in yourself.

Horace (65-8 B.C.) Roman lyric poet.

Yummy Food for Health, Lasting Happiness and Brain Power

There are foods delicious to eat, make you happy and nourish your brain. These foods are very likely that you consume every day. What are they?

Bananas

Bananas: Bananas are an excellent source of starchy carbohydrate which promotes the production of serotonin, the happy hormone. Bananas also contain tryptophan, which the body cannot make itself. It is a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. According to Dr Caroline Longmore, author of the book The Serotonin Secret, she suggests eating between four to 11 bananas a week. No wonder monkeys are the happiest animals in the world. Research has also shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Chocolate

Chocolate: Theobromine, which has the same effects as caffeine, is the active ingredient in chocolate and it occurs only in cacao. Cacao beans, the main ingredient for chocolate, are rich in antioxidants and other brain-enhancing elements. The chemical compounds in dart chocolate promote positive mood by raising serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain.

Coffee

Coffee: The main ingredient in coffee that gives us the kick is caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant. Caffeine is found naturally in coffee beans. Caffeine also increases dopamine levels in the same way that amphetamines do. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates pleasure centers in certain parts of the brain.

Pumpkin seeds

Seeds, nuts and grains: Sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, peanuts and oats promote brain functioning. They are a great source of magnesium. Magnesium is found to be needed for the proper performance of serotonin.

Berries

Berries: Berries possess antioxidant, vitamin and brain benefits but also contain essential fatty acids. Two-thirds of our brain is made of fats. Fatty acids are key building blocks to a healthy brain. Certain fatty acids have been shown to actually boost intelligence and an imbalance of fatty acids may be linked to hyperactivity and depression. So fatty acids are an essential part of our diet.

Green Tea

Green tea: EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) is a compound found only in green tea which possesses many health benefits such as anti-cancer and anti-ageing. Research by the University of San Francisco and the State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science in China has shown that green tea promotes brain health through protecting brain cells at risk for damage, such as from Parkinson's disease and stroke. You will be happy to note that L-Theanine, an amino acid naturally found in green tea, promotes relaxation.

Vegetables

Vegetables: Green leaves such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach which contain folate act against depression. Anti-depression nutrients that come most into play with vegetables are the B vitamins, particularly B-9, also known as folic acid. There has been evidence connecting a deficiency of folic acid in the diet to depression. Lettuce, for example, is high in potassium, which is important for brain neuron function. Vegetables are simply the best source of most of the vitamins your body needs including a happy brain.

Fish

Fish: Fish such as mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring and wild salmon are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Lack of omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to depression by researchers. Fatty acids are necessary for human health but the body cannot make them.


Avoid sugar which uplifts your mood temporarily and makes you worse off when the effect wears out.
Healthy foods mean positive moods and lasting happiness.

Developing a Healthy Eating Habit in Your Child – 7 Things to Avoid

Nutrients are essential for energy, organ function, food utilization, and growth of cells. The six main nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, and fibers. Eating the wrong kind of food and eating the wrong way will jeopardize the intake of nutrients. Here are the 7 things to avoid and to achieve an effective intake of nutrients by your child.


1. Avoid artificial coloring and preservatives: Scientists suggested that they could be causing fidgeting and a lack of attention seen in many children. Children who were given drinks with colors and preservatives, parents noted a clear increase in hyperactivity.

2. Avoid refined and processed foods: Refined foods cause us to overeat, more calories are absorbed and it is more likely to store as fat

3. Avoid junk food: Junk foods are low in nutrition and they are unhealthy. They are more likely to contain fat, sugar, and sodium. These foods will interfere with your child’s ability to eat balanced meals. Furthermore, junk foods are addictive. Scientists at Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter, Florida, studied rats fed on cheesecake, bacon, and sausages. Soon after the experiments began the animals began to bulk up and show signs of addiction.

4. Avoid soft drinks: Use unsweetened, fresh fruit instead of soft drinks. The consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is associated with obesity, type2 diabetes, dental cavities, and low nutrient level

5. Avoid using food as a reward: You eat food when you are hungry but not as a habit. Extra calorie intake by a child will lead to obesity

6. Avoid wolfing down your food: Eating too quickly will not obtain the full nutritional value as the digestive process begins with the saliva in the mouth. Eat slowly and chew each mouthful.

7. Avoid picking on food: Your child may miss out on vital nutrients and become listless and may easily fall sick. Eating a variety of food is the key to maximize the intake of nutrients.


For your child to be in better health and become a better learner it is necessary to provide all the necessary nutrients to support healthy growth in your child.