Gluten is a combination of a variety of proteins that is found most often in wheat and other grains like rye and barley. In baked goods it adds the chewiness and texture to the products. It is also used in other foods as a thickener for broths and soups, protein supplement, and flavor enhancer. Some develop an intolerance or allergy to gluten and have to go on a gluten free diet. This happens because your body is unable to break down or digest the gluten protein. If you are new to this type of diet here are some things that you should know.

Gluten free is not more nutritious

Many people have the misconception that foods that are gluten free have more minerals and vitamins but this is not true. You can develop mineral and vitamin deficiencies quickly if you do not have the guidance of a nutritionist. Most of the foods that are not fortified or enriched with nutrients like iron and folic acid that wheat flours are. When you get rid of gluten, it will often mean adding more fat and sugar to your diet. When you take out the gluten the food will probably not taste as good so they add extra sodium, fat, and sugar to make up for the lack of taste. For example, a regular blueberry muffin has 340 calories with 24 grams of sugar and 17 grams of fat. Gluten free blueberry muffins have 370 calories and 31 grams of sugar and 13 grams of fat.

You could gain weight

Some think that when they go on gluten free diets that they will start to lose weight but there is no evidence that going gluten free is a good strategy to lose the extra weight. The reason that this diet could lead to obesity or being overweight is the extra calories, fat, and sugar. Those that have celiac disease, which is caused by gluten, will often gain weight when they first go free of gluten. This is because of the damage that gluten had caused to their small intestine prevents their body from digesting food the right way. Once gluten has been given up their digestive system will heal so they can absorb key nutrients and vitamins from the foods they are eating.

Your grocery bill may increase

Food that is free of this substance is more expensive that food that is not. It can be double the price or more. For example, a serving of regular brownies costs approximately 8 cents but for a serving of gluten free brownie is approximately 28 cents. One reason that they are more expensive is the added costs that the manufacturer incurs in order to meet labeling and certification regulations.

Origin and Planting:

Water yam (D. Alata Linn) is one of the oldest food crops so far. It belongs to the family of Monocotyledonous plants. It originated in South-East Asia in Burma. From there it spreads to India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Eastern part of South-East Asia. It served as food for voyagers and was thereby spread to the parts of the tropics. Immigrants from India and Malaysia introduced it to Madagascar from where it was introduced into East Africa in the 16th Century. It was introduced to West African countries by the Portuguese and Spanish.

Today, water yam is the most widely distributed of all the yams, being grown in all parts of the tropics. It is the most extensively cultivated species of ya in the West Indies, the Pacific Islands and tropical Asia. It is known as ‘greater yam’ or ‘ten month’ yam. It can be found in some places in Nigeria. It is called (Ewura) in Yoruba land, it is the main staple food in Ijebu area – Western Nigeria.

Water yam is planted within the months of March – April which is the beginning of the rainy season ans also at the beginning of the dry season (October – November). Late planting yield poorly. It matures in 8 – 10 months and keeps better in storage than other species because they remain dormant for several months. It grows best at temperature between 25oC and 30oC. it requires soil that is well drained, of high fertility and high in organic matter; hence loamy soil is best. It grows in a shorter time than the white yam and possesses a fibrous root system. Most of the roots occur in the top-soil, 30cm, above the soil level.

The tubers vary considerably in shape and size, depending on the soil and how deep the ground is when planting. They may occur singly or in groups, straight or branched. This yam contains a higher proportion of water than either the white or yellow yam. Its loose or watery texture is readily noticeable when the tuber is cut or grated. The tuber may be purple, white, yellow, light brown or almost red in color when peeled. The leaves are distinctively different from others, being heart-shaped, long, broad and winged at the petiode. The stems usually have no spines and they climb round the stakes in a counter-clockwise direction.

Water yam can be eaten boiled, mashed, fried, or mixed with palm-oil or groundnut oil and steamed. Flour can also be made from it. Dishes such as ‘Isikolo’, ‘Ojojo’, Pounded yam, ‘Ikokore’, pottage and fritters can be made from it. It can also be cooked with beans. Dishes such as Queen Cakes, Biscuits and pastries can be prepared from water yam flour.

Nutritional value of water yam:

Moisture = 70%, Starch = 28%, Sugar = 0.5%, Fat = 0.1% – 0.3%, Crude protein = 1.1% – 2.8%, Crude fibre = 0.6 – 1.4%, Ash = 0.7% – 2.1%, Vitamin C (mg per 100g) = 5 – 8%, Vitamin B1 (mg per 100g) = 0.09%, Vitamin B2 (mg per 100g) = 0.03% and Vitamin A.

Five (5) Water Yam Dishes

1. Water yam queen cakes:

a. Ingredients:

(1.) 100gm water yam flour. (2.) 100gm wheat flour. (3.) 175gm margarine. (4.) 174gm sugar. (5.) 1 tablespoon baking powder. (6.) 2 eggs. (7.) 150ml milk.

b. Method:

(1.) Cream the margarine and sugar until soft, white and creamy. (2.) Add the beaten eggs and continue beating to get in the air. (3.) Sieve water yam and wheat flour and baking powder together. (4.) Add the flour and mix with cold milk to a dropping consistency. Add vanilla essence. (5.) Put in greased patty tins and bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.

2. Ojojo (Western African food):

a. Ingredients:

(1.) 100gm grated water yam. (2.) 1 small onion (finely chopped). (3.) Pepper (chopped). (4.) Salt and herbs to taste. (5.) Oil for frying.

b. Method:

(1.) Chop onion and pepper finely. (2.) Beat the grated water yam and add a little water if too thick. (3.) Add the prepared ingredients and salt. Beat together again. (4.) Fry in balls in deep fat. (5.) Drain and serve hot alone or with bread.

3. Ikokore (Nigerian food):

a. Ingredients:

(1.) 100gm water yam.

(2.) 30-50gm boned smoked fish.

(3.) 2 kitchen spoons palm oil.

(4.) Salt to taste.

(5.) Shrimps as desired.

(6) 1 tablespoon ground pepper.

(7.) 1 tablespoon onion.

(8.) 1 tablespoon tomato.

(9.) ½ teaspoon fermented melon seed.

b. Method:

(1.) Peel and grate the water yam.

(2.) Put water in the cooking pot and add prepared fish and ingredients. Allow mixture to boil for a few minutes.

(3.) Add the grated water yam to the gravy in lumps and allow to cook first before stirring.

(4.) Add the oil and salt, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.

(5.) Simmer gently.

(6.) Serve hot either on its own or with cold pap (eko) or agidi.

4. Yam chips:

a. Ingredients:

(1.) 1 small water yam. (2.) Salt to taste. (3.) Fat (oil).

b. Method:

(1.) Wash and peel yam.

(2.) Cut in half lengthwise; and slice thinly on a chopping board.

(3.) Soak in cold water.

(4.) Drain in sieve and wrap in clean cloth for about 15 – 20 minutes separating the slices to prevent them from matting.

(5.) Fry in hot fat; until evenly golden-brown.

(6.) Remove, drain and pile on a hot dish sprinkle with salt and serve.

5. Water yam pottage:

a. Ingredients:

(1.) 1 big water yam.

(2.) 2 tablespoons ground red pepper.

(3.) 3 tablespoons ground onion.

(4.) 1 tablespoon tomato puree.

(5.) Salt to taste.

(6.) 6 tablespoons palm oil or groundnut oil.

(7.) 4 tablespoons ground shrimps.

(8.) Cooked beef or 2 pieces smoked fish.

b. Method:

(1.) Peel the yam and cut into small pieces.

(2.) Rinse and put to boil.

(3.) When it is half cooked, add salt, ground ingredients, oil, meat or fish and simmer till cooked.

N.B.: If soft pottage is required, water can be added and some of the yam can be mashed; if beef or fish is not added; serve with fish or beef stew.

Also for more information on Top Secret Restaurant Recipes guide, visit http://www.recipes-tips.com/; you will be amazed when it comes to cooking and so many Restaurant Recipes Secrets that will give you courage to perform magic and wonder whenever you enter the kitchen with ease.

Millions of people around the world have been having success with the Herbalife weight loss program. If you’re just getting started with Herbalife, or maybe you’re considering the Herbalife diet program, then here are some helpful tips and program usage instructions to get you the best results from the program.

If It’s Meant To Be, It’s Up To Me!

Many times we tend to blame everything else, other than ourselves when we don’t have success. Before you even start your Herbalife weight loss program, make yourself a commitment that you will stick with it, and take the program correctly until you reach your desired weight. Take responsibility for your own success. The Herbalife diet has worked for millions. Why not you?

Take Your Breakfast Shake – Don’t Skip

The Herbalife Formula 1 Nutritional Shake mix is the basis of the program. Be sure to mix 2 scoops in soy milk, juice or non-fat milk. Add 2 tablespoons of Herbalife Formula 3 Personalized Protein powder. You may add more based on your needs. You may also add 1 cut of fruit. Be sure to blend well and enjoy! Together with this, take the Herbalife Formula 2 Multivitamin. Some additional weight loss enhancers you can take include the Herbalife Cell activator, Herbal Concentrate, Herbalife Cell-U-Loss and Herbalife Total Control.

Have a Healthy Mid-Morning and Mid-Afternoon Snack

During these times, drink a glass of water and instead of having an unhealthy snack, choose one of the healthy Herbalife protein snacks. At mid-afternoon, you should have one Herbalife Total control tablet.

Do It Again For Lunch!

Just repeat what you did for breakfast. Be sure to take your nutritious shake and don’t skip it

Eat a Healthy, Balanced Dinner

Be sensible when making your dinner choices. Go with skinless chicken, lean red meat or soy-meat substitute. You should also add 2 or more cups of mixed vegetables. Stay away from the unhealthy high-calorie foods which you know you shouldn’t be eating when you’re on a diet. Why risk cancelling out everything you achieved during the day to lose weight. Also take one tablet of your Herbalife Formula 2 Multivitamin. Another recommendation is to take Herbalife Snack Defence to combat between meal snacking.

Drink Lots of Water

Drink at least 2 glasses of water at breakfast, lunch and dinner times and 1 glass during your mid-morning/afternoon snacks. You should be drinking at least 8 glasses a day. Water is a very important part of any weight loss program. Studies have shown that an increase in water intake can reduce fat deposits and the kidneys do not function properly without enough water.

There you go! Pretty simple right? While you’re on this Herbalife weight loss program, you should also exercise several times a week and watch out for stress eating. Keep some high-protein snacks in the car and at work to help with between-meal cravings. Lastly, find a way to reward yourself for your efforts and success. Here’s to a happier, healthier you!

The weight-loss industry is big business, and getting bigger – in spite of the recession. A recent study highlighted just how big the financial side of the industry is. Based on the findings of Marketdata’s 11th edition of the U.S. Weight Loss & Diet Control Market study, the worth of the weight loss industry was estimated at $61 billion in 2010. There are a lot of weight loss solutions out there, using various methods, at a range of prices. Let’s make an unbiased evaluation of four of them; two widely advertised on television, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, with the other two marketed via network marketing, Herbalife and Isagenix.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

Pasta, steak, cheese, ice cream… You can eat what you want on Weight Watchers. While the popular weight-loss plan has been overhauled, the basic principle of eating what you love remains — though the program steers you toward healthier foods with its points system. In its new program, called Beyond the Scale, fitness also takes a bigger role. You’ll be encouraged to exercise every day.

Weight Watchers isn’t so much a diet as it is a lifestyle-change program. It can help you learn how to eat healthier and to work out, so you lose the weight permanently. You can follow the plan online on your own. You’ll track your food choices and activity, chart progress, and find meals and workouts. There’s a coaching option if you prefer one-on-one guidance by phone, email, and text. You can go to group meetings, where you’ll weigh in. A Consumer Reports survey found that people who attend meetings were more satisfied with the program and lost more weight than people who just participated online. While Weight Watchers sells its food in grocery stores, the program teaches members to choose their own food using a point system. This method, while effective, may have a weakness in that you are assigning point values to food and allowing a certain number of points daily. While this method is effective in restricting calories, it isn’t necessarily a good method to teach healthy eating. A monthly pass to attend unlimited meetings will run you $39.95 per month, and the online counseling plan costs $47.90 for the first month plus $17.95 for each subsequent month which is really reasonable, considering the cost of weight loss supplements of other programs.

JENNY CRAIG

Jenny Craig has a comprehensive weight loss package that includes more than just food. Their program includes prepackaged low-calorie food, a consultant to offer support in person by phone, online tools to help you plan and track meals, and an a workout program. There are no forbidden foods, “detoxes”, or menus loaded with exotic meals.

At first, you’ll eat Jenny Craig’s menus of 70 prepackaged meals, each at about 1200 calories. If your starting weight is particularly high, that could vary. In one study, Jenny Craig clients lost an average of 10% of their initial weight during the first year on the plan. Jenny Craig allows for fresh fruits and vegetables as well as low-fat dairy products. The Jenny Craig philosophy, which is sound, is low-fat foods that are rich in water, fiber, and protein to make you feel full, combined with non-starchy vegetables.

The Jenny Craig program is highly effective and nutritionally sound. However, Jenny Craig is very expensive, at about $100 per week.

HERBALIFE

Herbalife is a health supplement company focusing on weight-loss and overall health. Most of their products contain protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and, sometimes caffeine. There are four components to their quick-start program: Formulas 1, 2 and 3 and Herbal Tea Concentrate. For the best results, you must take all four. Herbalife gained popularity in the 80s, as a network marketing company, meaning you order products from an independent distributor or from their website. Currently Herbalife has a positive BBB rating.

Herbalife’s flagship is their meal replacement shake. According to the website, Diet Spotlight, “Using meal-replacement shakes to lose weight is an effective option.” The problem is that you will spend upwards of $92 to $95 each month and that’s just the starter package.” Though not expensive for a starter kit, which contains other additional supplements besides just a shake, for many companies, $90+ a month for just shakes is rather expensive.

There have been complaints about the taste but I chalk that up to people who need to lose weight generally crave food that taste sweet and anything less than that proves distasteful to them, at least early on. As for results, Herbalife has very good reviews.

ISAGENIX

Isagenix is a supplement company offering weight-loss solutions since about 2002. Their products are sold via network marketing via independent distributors. Their most prominent products are meal replacement shakes, cleanses to flush toxins from the body, and energy boosters. They have clinical trials backing the effectiveness of the ingredients of most of their products.

One point of concern is price. Isagenix products are definitely on the high end of the health supplement spectrum, at $350 for a 30-day weight loss program. There was also a significant level of complaint about taste, which again, I somewhat chalk up to the clientele. While people in the dieting world would complain, people in the fitness world probably would not because of the difference in their palates.

Though lacking in proof via clinical trials on their website, the science behind using protein and fiber to curb appetite and using cayenne and green tea to increase metabolism is absolutely sound.

These are just four of the prominent weight loss systems available on the market today. There ar many more. If you take your time and do some research, there is a solution that will get you to your goal weight, teach you how to eat, and not do much damage to your wallet.

It’s a basic principle of weight loss.

Every item of food you put in your mouth contains calories. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.

Some foods, like a piece of chocolate cake slathered with chocolate icing, are high in calories, and take a while to burn off. Other foods, like lettuce, are low in calories, and can be burned off faster.

Your body is always burning calories, even if you’re sitting still and doing nothing. But being physically active helps you burn calories faster.

So, what are the foods that burn fat fast?

Catabolic foods burn more calories than they contain. For example, an apple contains around 80 or 90 calories. But the energy your body uses to metabolize the apple burns about 180 calories. So, when you eat an apple, your body burns off up to 100 calories more than you consumed.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Here is a list of high catabolic foods.

Apples

Asparagus

Blackberries

Blueberries

Broccoli

Cantaloupe

Carrots

Celery

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Grapefruit

Lemons

Lettuce

Limes

Oranges

Pears

Peppers

Pineapple

Plums

Radishes

Raspberries

Sweet Potatoes

Strawberries

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Zucchini

Now, this doesn’t mean you can eat a slice of chocolate cake, and then eat five apples to make up for it. What it does mean is, if you are on a diet, eating certain foods will help you burn calories and lose weight faster. These are also foods you can snack on throughout the day, satisfying your hunger without worrying about ruining your diet.

How can you start eating healthy at home?

Anyone who has gone through the weight loss journey will tell you that for the most part, the struggle is with making healthy food choices. Since fast food and processed food are often associated with convenience, it’s hard to let go of old eating (and buying) habits.

But you can still beat a lifetime of bad habits!

It can be challenging to develop new eating habits, but it’s not impossible at all. In fact, it is more difficult to keep unhealthy eating habits especially later in life when your body is already suffering from the effects of malnutrition. Remember: a person who has an unhealthy and unbalanced diet is also categorized as malnourished.

Why do you eat the way you do?

Your current eating habits are simply the result of years of repetition. That’s why they’re called habits. We weren’t born with habits; we just develop them over time. So if you learned to love French fries, ice cream and chocolate shakes, you can learn to love healthy, natural foods just as much!

Are you ready for another positive change in your life?

In today’s post, I am going to share with you some great ways that you can begin the transition to healthier eating. What’s really great about the transition itself is that it is gradual. You can start enjoying fantastic weight loss success by gradually changing the contents of your daily meals. Let’s get started!

Tip #1: Eat More Whole Grain

What is whole grain?

The Whole Grains Council defines “whole grain” as “food that contains all of the components of the grain seed in their original proportion.” A grain seed has three components: bran, endosperm and germ.

All three components provide a treasure trove of natural nutrients that provide the body with complete nutrition. The cooking method doesn’t matter as long as care is taken to preserve these three components.

Due to the density of nutrients found in whole grain, it is recommended that you have one to two servings of whole grain per day.

The dietary fiber found in whole grains will also help conquer hunger pains, as fiber expands when it comes into contact with water. Fiber will fill your stomach much faster and you will feel fuller more quickly.

What types of whole grain could you eat?

Three kinds of grains stand out in the world of fitness: brown rice, quinoa and millet. These three grain seeds are widely available and are crowd favorites because they’re tasty and easy to prepare, too!

Quinoa is considered as a fitness superfood because of its exceptionally high levels of plant protein, which is useful for fitness enthusiasts who want to build lean muscle while slimming down.

You may also try grain seeds such as amaranth, rye, sorghum and barley if the first 3 types don’t appeal to you.

Tip #2: Skip Oily Food

Why be mindful of fatty food?

Fats are essential for the body, but only in very small quantities. The amount of oil found in processed food and fast food is too much to maintain a healthy weight. Also watch out for “calorie traps” at home, like bacon strips and burger patties.

A single strip of bacon can have as much as 50 calories. If you eat 5 bacon strips at breakfast, you’ve already added 250 calories of energy to your reserve for the day.

If your physical activities for the day do not burn off most of the calories that you have consumed from the moment that you woke up, your weight will eventually increase. That’s why it’s essential that you identify high-calorie foods at home that do not provide a lot of nutritional value.

To keep your mealtimes interesting, opt for healthier alternatives such as egg whites and roasted veggies. Flavor-wise, vegetables have a lot of to offer. That’s why kebabs don’t taste like kebabs unless you add the roasted veggies!

Tip #3: Be Your Own Nutrition Guru

One of the best ways to learn about healthy food is by preparing them at home and by experimenting with different combinations and recipes.

Reading about healthy eating is one thing; you need to put your newfound knowledge to the test if you want to speed up the transition process. Here are some simple tips to make your home cooking healthier:

– Use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as much as possible and only in small quantities

– Reduce the amount of cheese and cream in your dishes

– Season with a variety of spices and avoid salting too much

– Top breads and pizza with mushrooms and tasty veggies

– Learn how to store cooked food to retain their nutrients and to make home cooking more convenient than fast food

Here’s an important factor that has a huge impact on your overall fitness level and general wellness: your diet.

What is a “diet?”

The word “diet” means “a collection of food items that a person regularly eats.”

Every person has a current diet. If you know someone who eats cheesy potatoes and cheeseburgers six days a week, that’s still considered a diet (admittedly, a very unhealthy one).

If you want to slim down and tone up, start by examining the composition of your present diet to determine how many calories you are consuming per day. Analyzing your current diet can also reveal if you are getting enough essential nutrients, water and dietary fiber.

What is a quality diet?

A quality diet provides a balanced mix of macronutrients and micronutrients in the right amounts. Here is a quick recap of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to function normally:

Macronutrients

Protein – Protein repairs and builds muscle tissues. People who regularly perform cardio and weight training need sufficient protein to build lean muscle mass.

Both male and female bodybuilders consume large quantities of protein-rich food to ensure that fat stores are kept to a minimum and that muscle size and strength are maintained.

Carbohydrates – Carbohydrates are the main fuel of the body. Our bodies transform carbohydrates into glucose, a usable form of sugar. The body can also store glucose in the muscles.

When glucose is stored in the muscles, it’s transformed into a substance called glycogen.

It may be more difficult to lose weight if you completely remove carbohydrates from your diet because the body needs carbs as its primary energy source.

Fat – Fat performs numerous important functions in the body, including vitamin absorption, transport and storage.

It also creates a padding around the muscles that acts as a shock absorber. Fat also improves a person’s thermoregulation and prevents too much heat from escaping the body especially during cold weather.

Excess calories from food are stored in our fat tissues. When we lose weight, we don’t actually “burn off” fat cells. Our fat cells simply shrink as the excess fat is burned off through exercise and other physical activities.

Water – Keeping your body hydrated is easy! All you will ever need is pure water. My personal rule for hydration is equally easy to remember. If you’re thirsty, reach for water 99% of the time.

If you drink soda, start reducing your daily consumption and replace it with water. You’ll soon feel more energized because your body is not under the constant influence of diuretics found in soda.

Dietary Fiber – Dietary fiber plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular and digestive health.

Fiber has the ability to block some of the lipids or “bad cholesterol” from being absorbed by the body.

Insoluble fiber on the other hand (fiber that cannot be digested by the body) acts as a cleaning machine inside the colon and helps you clear your colon effortlessly.

Micronutrients

Vitamins – Vitamins are used by the body to maintain normal growth and development. Vitamins also enhance major and minor functions within the body such as eyesight and skin growth.

Minerals – Minerals are inorganic substances derived from the food we eat. The body cannot naturally create minerals.

You have to make sure that you are getting enough minerals from your diet. Essential minerals include calcium, iron, potassium and zinc. Minerals naturally occur in meats, vegetables and fruits.

How do you know if you are getting enough nutrients?

Losing weight does not mean you have to sacrifice your nutrition. Weight loss actually comes naturally when you modify your diet and add more of the best food on the planet like beans, legumes, green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, etc.

Superfoods like spinach and broccoli provide only a modest amount of calories in every serving so it would be challenging to “overeat” when your diet is comprised of at least 85% healthy, whole food. Usually, it’s the nutrient-deficient food items like candy bars and hamburgers that are responsible for caloric overload in a person’s diet.

Be mindful of what you eat (even when you’re just snacking) and you just might discover the food items that are making you gain weight!

The apparent lack of effective treatments for women who are wanting to shrink fibroids naturally often means that women explore some rather unconventional options. One such remedy is using seaweed for treating fibroids.

Some forms of seaweed have excellent nutritional qualities and brown seaweed in particular, has been shown to prevent the formation of blood clots, lower cholesterol and halt the growth of tumors. In addition, studies in animals showed that a significant lowering of fats in the liver occurred when seaweed was eaten which has strengthened the belief that seaweed can be a valuable part of a good liver detox.

Now how does this relate to fibroids?

The obvious link between seaweed and the halting of tumor growth does not really need expanding on. As fibroids are a form of benign tumor, anything which can stop them growing larger merits consideration. As far as the liver is concerned, it has long been believed that certain environmental pollutants and pesticides are stored in the liver and can mimic the action of estrogen which is known to fuel fibroid growth. Seaweed for treating fibroids may therefore be a useful component of a thorough liver detox to help remove these toxins and help stop fibroid growth. It may, in some cases, help shrink fibroids naturally.

Estrogen, which is often known as the “fuel” for fibroids, is stored in and produced by fat cells. Therefore if you are overweight it makes sense to try to reach a healthy weight which will naturally reduce estrogen levels and therefore can help to shrink fibroids. In addition, it is thought that following the basis of a good healthy diet which includes at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily will be helpful.

It’s recognized that fast food isn’t healthy or nutritious at all and as a matter of fact, it’s completely harmful to you. Therefore it is crucial for you to know about fast food nutrition details that will help you become more conscious of the unknown dangers of eating fast foods which can be even worse than you may ever have thought possible. Americans have for ages been familiar with consuming fast foods and recently, this problem has also spread to the rest of the globe.

Hence, becoming acquainted with junk food nutrition information is necessary for not just Americans and people residing in the western world, but in addition for people living in the third world countries where this fad has quickly caught on and is consequently affecting the more affluent in those parts of the world too. Fast food will make an individual fat and it is also the key cause for obesity in the USA with even kids not being spared.

You can easily understand from taking a look at junk food nutrition details that these foods are full of fat and are packed with calories. Although Americans have to eat not more than sixty-five grams of fat plus that their calorie count shouldn’t exceed two thousand, dependent of age and how much they exercise, when they consume fast foods, they would find themselves consuming much more than the suggested levels. Statistically, this is often 30 percent or more above the ideal level.

Hence, a meal that is made of a McDonalds Big Mac together with some french fries and a shake would cost you fifty-seven grams of fat in addition to twelve hundred calories, which will make sure that you will be unable to stay within the required limits. Often you might consume more than this mini-meal and should you go for a “super size” meal, you would certainly take in a lot more than you should. Whenever the unwanted fat and calories stay in your body, you’d just end up doing lots of damage to your body and it’s health. By doing this you pay a large price for having satisfied a short-term urge to please your taste buds.

Moreover, you can see out of available junk food nutrition specifics that fast foods do not contain sufficient basic fibers and nutrients and there are insufficient vitamins contained as well, all of which are crucial for a person’s health and well-being. After you have carefully learn about these fast food nutrition specifics, you’d probably realize that the threat to your health is usually hidden and therefore fast foods will act as some sort of silent killer which can even result in early death.

Most biologists know this thingamajig by the name of Tamarindus indica, under Fabaceae. Most homemakers and elders know this miracle pod as the quick fix when one needs a good laxative, digestive, a solution for bile disorders; or in the kitchen, as a condiment or an emulsifying agent in syrups, decoctions, dips and chutneys of many varieties.

So why you should use tamarind after all?

Some researchers know tamarind as the latest advancement for therapies spanning across abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, inflammation, asthma, gonorrhea, parasitic infections, fevers, etc.; as an effective antimicrobial, anti-venom, antioxidant, wound healing agent.

And most of us know this as a spice or condiment that simply transports our taste buds into a wonderland, a riot of flavours with a lingering after-taste.

Tamarind is basically a tree of a large size that has thick foliage, and heavy drooping branches that dish out curved fruit pods in generous numbers across all its branches. The pods are enclosed in hard outer shells, thus, protecting the delicious, powerful deep brown soft pulp inside, draped around dark brown seeds.

Wait, it has more in store.

It has been famous since historical times for its wide and impactful medicinal value. It is perceived to quickly alleviate stomach discomfort, problems with digestion, for fevers, sore throat, rheumatism, inflammation, or even sunstroke. People have been using it in various forms – some use it dried, some boil tamarind leaves and flowers to treat swollen joints, sprains, boils, hemorrhoids, and conjunctivitis and some make it into a concoction.

Its health repertoire comes from the presence of many elements inside. To start with, it is incredibly rich in tartaric acid that apart from endowing this pulp with a signature sour taste also works as a powerful antioxidant and protects the human body from harmful free radicals.

Tamarind fruit is brimming with essential volatile chemical compounds, minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre while its sticky pulp provides a ready torrent of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), gums, hemicelluloses, mucilage, pectin, and tannins. Besides, helping with bowel movements, this dimension also empowers it to combat toxins in the food and guard the colon mucus membrane from cancer-inducing chemicals.

And some happy news for your stomach.

The fibre also binds to bile salts to control their re-absorption in the colon; to ensure LDL cholesterol levels are kept low in the body. There is an impressive amount of considerable thiamin, iron, magnesium and phosphorus as well as niacin, calcium, vitamin C, copper, and pyridoxine which add to the nutrition quotient of this delicious food. The variety of natural gums and pectins as well as non-starch polysaccharides, take its dietary fibre content a notch higher and helps bind with the bile to help flush waste through the colon.

The presence of phytochemicals limonene, geraniol, safrole, natural oils, cinnamic acid, methyl salicylate, pyrazine, and alkyl­thiazoles add to the flavor and healing powers of this pod. Vitamins, especially vitamin-A, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin-C help as important antioxidants and for co-factor functions for enzyme metabolism in a major way.

Organic Tamarind is a good option to pick here because processed tamarind products not only have too many additives, but they also dilute the nutritional profile of this otherwise powerful health choice. In fact, it is used to clear the toxins laden on the surface of vegetables and fruits, simply by dipping them in tamarind water.

With an organic choice, you not only enjoy the good and authentic taste of tamarind but also absorb minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium in their good form.

So, enjoy this yummy pod of power, health, and nutrition in a guilt-free way. There are not many food items that let your palate and body lick happiness together, but tamarind is an exception for sure.