Tag: Nutrients

A Celiac Disease Urban Legend

Now urban legends are urban folklore that were created by stories weaved together and circulated around until most people have accepted them as truths. There are different kinds of urban myths and covers a wide range of subject matter. Its not impossible to find that even diseases have their own folklore. A celiac disease urban legend revolves around tea bags containing gluten which can trigger the disease.

For those who do not know, celiac disease is a condition where the small intestines get inflamed due to the consumption of food containing gluten. Gluten is a protein commonly found in food made from wheat, barley, and rye. So such foods like bread, pizza, and pasta can contain gluten. The condition can be really bad in the long run. The inflammation that the disease causes in the intestines prevents the body to absorb the nutrients that it needs. So the end results would be malnutrition. Malnutrition itself can then cause more ailments.

I dont actually know where and when it started, but stories have already circulated that some makers of tea uses tea bags made from gluten. This is obviously bad for tea drinkers that have contracted the celiac disease. Word gone out and people with the disease now started to avoid tea just because of the stories or are selective of the tea brands that they buy.

Reinforcing the stories is the fact that tea manufacturers began labeling their products as using only gluten free tea bags. This of course is a reaction from the stories which probably resulted to tea sales going down. Thats the problem with urban myths, despite how absurd they might sound, people will tend to be wary since they would treat stories coming from credible sources as truth. The effects can sometimes be quite devastating.

Now, there has not been a solid shred of proof that manufacturers indeed used gluten as an ingredient for making their tea bags. Some say that making tea bags with gluten does not make sense at all since gluten can be dissolved with water. Although, there are research which indicates that gluten has poor water solubility properties. But still stories circulated.

Tea in itself does not contain gluten. It contains caffeine and other antioxidants but definitely not gluten. However, the tea brands that are available in the market today are often a blend of other ingredients. The reason for blending different kinds of tea and other stuff is to develop a unique taste. There are times that barley is added to tea blends to enhance taste and to offer something different. But barley contains gluten. Maybe, a tea brand that contains barley was consumed by someone with celiac disease. The symptoms recurred and that person might have generalized that the tea was the cause not analyzing it more closely.

That can be the start of the urban myth of the tea bag. I am not aware of any tea blends, today or in the past, which uses barley or even wheat as part of the ingredients. In the same way, I havent read any conclusive study which defunct this urban legend once and for all.

Personally, I would believe the fact that protein based or gluten based tea bags is not a commercial viability. I would choose to believe that this is indeed a celiac disease urban legend. However, for you who chose to be cautious, there are numerous tea brands today that claims to be gluten free. With regards to choices, you wont be restricted. You can continue enjoying your tea.

Oats And Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a condition brought about by the accumulation of gluten. Gluten is protein preset in bread, pasta, cookies, crust and other food that is made out of wheat, barley or rye. Oats also contain the protein gluten. There are many controversies surrounding oats and celiac disease.

A person with celiac disease experiences vitamin deficiencies with the brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other vital organs and other illnesses. What happens is that the person with celiac disease who eats foods with the protein gluten experiences an immune reaction in the small intestine. This may lead to small intestine damage and malabsoption of certain vitamins and nutrients from the food. There is no cure for celiac disease but people inflicted with this manage their disease by removing gluten from their diet.

It is believed that celiac disease is a relatively rare disorder, it is now through to affect about one in 250 people worldwide. To manage their disease, patients with celiac disorder is advised to have a gluten-free diet, oats is one of the food that they take out of their list.

But there has been debates if it is acceptable for celiac disease patients to eat oats, since oat proteins are not the same as those in wheat, barley and rye. Even so, oats were believed to have toxic effects with people who are inflicted with this disorder that is why they are advised to avoid them.

Now, there are some celiac disease societies and medical centers who are advising their patients to eat limited amounts of oats which is said to even provide beneficial effects to them. There are studies with adults and children citing majority of patients with celiac disease who could tolerated limited amounts of oats. When they consumed no more than about half to three quarters of a cup of rolled dry oats per day for adults and a quarter of a cup per day for children, there were no abdominal symptoms. (Lapid, Nancy; Are Oats Safe for Patients with Celiac Disease?)

In an article written by Jefferson Adams entitled Effects of Various Kinds of Oats on Celiac Disease, he cited different kinds of study conducted by different groups of scientists and doctors about the relation of oats to celiac disease.

According to Adams, there were a team of Italian and Australian doctors who conducted tests on three kinds of oats: the avenins of the Italian variety Astra , the Australian variety Mortlook and the Austrlian Lampton variety. In the study conducted it showed that Lampton is much safer than either the Astra or Mortlock.

However, even if the Lampton variety is still safer it still has to be processes in a contamination free facility that tests oats if they are gluten free. For oat products to be considered gluten-free, they may show less than 220ppm of gliadin.

Even if there are patients who respond well to oats, there are still a small number of patients who could not tolerate oats. Even oats with low gluten content like the Lampton variety. With these patients, a protein in oats called avenin triggered an immune response similar to gluten. There was no way to tell in advance which patients would be sensitive to avenins.

Including oats in the diet of a celiac disease patient is of course a physicians call. Including oats in the diet should always be done under doctors supervision. Oats can provide the necessary nutrients, fiber and diversity much needed to a celiac patients diet. But it should not compromise the overall well being of the patient.

New celiac disease patients are not advised to eat oats until their symptoms or disease in under control. Patients who are eating oats are still advised to see their doctor regularly to monitor any abnormalities or symptoms. Besides, patients with celiac disease are still to consume oats that are pure, uncontaminated and gluten-free. Oats and celiac disease can still dance together.

Get Into The Tofu Habit For A Naturally Healthy You

Get Into The Tofu Habit For A Naturally Healthy You

When most people think of natural health, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to natural health than just the basics.

Tofu is a popular to most vegetarians. It is packed with nutrition and can easily substitute for meats. It is made of soybeans and is low in cholesterol, fat and calories. Tofu is bona fide popular among vegetarians owing to it is a great source of protein. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, it is a very healthy idea to include tofu in your diet because it provides your body with the nutrients you need.

Here are some benefits you can get from eating tofu.

Good for the emotions
Tofu is low in calories, cholesterol and fats. We all know that too immeasurably cholesterol and fats will increase your risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Tofu lowers the amount of Woebegone Density Lipoprotein ( LDL ) and maintains a good amount of High Density Lipoprotein ( HDL ) in your body. LDLs are proclaimed as the bad cholesterol. Excess assessment of LDL will eventually result to serious heart illnesses. It also contains Omega 3. A nutrient that is important to keep your heart healthy.

Makes your Bones strong and healthy
Tofu is rich in calcium that is very much needed in keeping your bones hardy. As you get older, you’ll need new calcium in your body to prevent your bones from getting brittle and weak. Eating tofu also prevents you from developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Rich in protein and Vitamin B
This is most popular reason vegetarians eat tofu. Since they don’t eat meat, they lack protein in their entree. Tofu is packed hush up protein and vitamin B. Tofu has a high amount of protein. Eating Tofu gives vegetarians the amount of protein they need without having to resort to eating take out.

Contains Isoflavones
Isoflavones help lower the amount of LDL in your body. They are known as cholesterol fighters. Isoflavones also work like estrogen. Combined squirrel protein, tofu is very emphatic in sharpness eradicate certain diseases and types of cancer. Women on the pre – menopausal and menopausal stage can greatly blessing from tofu. The estrogen in tofu helps clinch hormone levels. During menopause, women experience hormonal imbalances due to the reduction of estrogen in their system. Without this hormone, women become prone to health conditions like osteoporosis and breast cancer. In men, isoflavones help reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer.

Powerful Antioxidant
Some people like to eat tofu in that it is very rich in antioxidants that fight butcher radicals and other harmful microorganisms in the body. Having an adequate amount of antioxidant rule your body is also known to prevent certain cancers.

Maintains Weight
Tofu can help you lose weight kiss goodbye losing important nutrients imprint your body. You get enough amount of protein that you get from meat without the fat. A study had shown that people who eat tofu have lower hunger cravings and stay full longer than those who don’t eat tofu.

Tofu has many benefits. It is not an exclusive food for vegetarians. Eating tofu is one way of improving your natural health. To make eating tofu more delightful, try learning different tofu recipes.
That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

The Benefits of Yogurt

The only way to keep up with the latest about natural health is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about natural health, it won’t take long for you to become an influential authority.

Yogurt is a popular snack treat for people who are trying to monitor their weight. Did you perceive that apart from making you lose weight, yogurt has other benefits to your body?

One way to emend your health naturally is by eating an adequate amount of yogurt everyday. Yogurt has live microorganisms called probiotics. These good bacteria help your body works properly.

Here are some benefits you constraint get from eating yogurt:

Improves gastro – intestinal functions
Since yogurt is rich with probiotics, it helps improve food digestion and notice. Good digestion and absorption will prevent you from experiencing hyperactive bowel movements and constipation. Yogurt besides helps lactose intolerant tribe. It also lowers your risk of getting inflammatory bowel diseases like Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Boosts your immune system
Probiotics from yogurt makes your body stronger in resisting harmful bacteria, thus lessening your risk of getting infections. These good bacteria also enhance your body’s natural healing process so you can easily recover from illnesses.
Regulates your blood pressure
A study keep shown that having 2 – 3 servings of low – fat dairy daily will greatly reduce your risks of getting high copper pressure. Some dairy products are huge with dairy vast that is not healthy for your heart. Yogurt is a low – substantial dairy product that does not have a bad effect on your heart.
Maintains your weight
Because yogurt is low – fat, it frees you from worries of gaining supervision. When dieting, it’s important that you still get enough nutrients so you don’t end up being malnourished. Yogurt contains an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals that you need. With enough yogurt intake, you get enough nutrients without the worries of moving the scales up.
Prevents osteoporosis
Yogurt, right like some dairy products have added calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are very important in making your bones stronger. Strong bones entrust prevent you from developing osteoporosis.

Here are some tips you can follow when deciding on adding yogurt in your diet.

1. Choose the type of yogurt that you want to take. Well-qualified are various types of yogurt. Some yogurts contain stale hefty, some are fat – free and some are low – fat. You may also want to clinch the caress contained in the yogurt. There are yogurts that posses greater sugar than others. Look at the classify at the back of the package. Read and compare nutritional contents of different brands. Doing this will help you choose the best brand in the market.
2. Make it a habit
You incubus eat yogurt anytime and anywhere. Make it a point to take some yogurt everyday. Bring some in the job so you can easily have yogurt on your lunch break. You can besides put a small yogurt cup in your bag so you can take a healthy snack anywhere.
3. Substitute other ingredients with yogurt
Yogurt can easily be added to your recipes. Use yogurt instead of ice cream when making a smoothie. You can also undertaking adding yogurt when baking cakes and other pastries. You can easily substitute milk to yogurt.
4. Make eating yogurt fun delightful
Polished are numerous recipes that you can follow so that you don’t only get to eat the flavored yogurt available on the market. Adding fruits on your yogurt is a good idea and will make your snack even healthier.
So now you know a little bit about natural health. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.