COCONUT WATER IS GOOD FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

      

                             LETS LOOK AT COCONUT WATER ANS IS HEALTH BENEFITS

 

Tender coconut water is known as the richest source of electrolytes, and hence, is greatly recommended for people who are suffering from any illness. It also contains high amounts of chlorides, potassium, and magnesium and moderate amounts of sugar, sodium, and protein. Potassium from drinking coconut water can help to regulate blood pressure and heart function. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, manganese, calcium, riboflavin, and Vitamin C. The following are some of the reasons why coconut water is beneficial for a pregnant woman:

 

 

                                   

Coconut water is a natural isotonic beverage. It helps in replenishing fluid and natural salt loss. Thus it can greatly prevent dehydration and exhaustion.

⇒ It is essentially fat-free and is known as a zero cholesterol beverage. Coconut water is also supposed to have a positive effect, when it comes to raising the level of HDL, the good cholesterol level present in the body. This can together help to keep high cholesterol levels under check.

⇒ Coconut water is greatly known for strengthening immunity. As coconut water is rich in lauric acid, it can have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and antifungal properties. Such properties can help to strengthen the immune system of the mother and the growing fetus, and prevent infections of flu, HIV, herpes, etc.

⇒ Another great health benefit of coconut water is that it helps to prevent and treat heartburn. Coconut water effectively helps in cleaning intestinal worms and the digestive tract. This can alleviate pregnant women from heartburn and constipation.

⇒ Mostly women suffer from urinary tract infection (UTI). Being a natural diuretic, coconut water can help to increase the flow and frequency of the urine. Hence, coconut water benefits in flushing toxins out of the body easily, and prevents urinary tract infection.

⇒ Coconut water is a natural and safe source for hydrating the body, and allows easy digestion. It's free of chemicals and contains a high amount of electrolytes.

⇒ Coconut water is light drink and can even help in weight loss. One cup of it contains 46 calories only, as it is 95% water.

Though, the benefits of coconut water during pregnancy are well-known, there are not enough studies done on this subject. To be on the safer side, consult your doctor when including coconut water in your diet when you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Also, make sure you buy fresh and tender coconuts to get the best quality of water. Consume coconut water in adequate amount, as mentioned by your doctor. In case you experience any side-effects, discontinue the use and contact your doctor immediately.

FOOD FOR PREGNAT WOMEN

Women should maintain a balanced diet all throughout their pregnancy. This ensures good health of both the mother and baby. Is very important women take healthy foods during pregnancy inorder to ensure the health the unborn baby.

 

A mother-to-be should consume about 300 more calories per day than she did before conceiving

Normally, any healthy diet should include foods that are rich in all the essential nutrients; however, it gains utmost importance for women who are pregnant. The consumption of healthy food during pregnancy ensures proper growth of the baby, and it also keeps the mother-to-be physically and mentally fit.

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Therefore, foods that comprise essential vitamins and minerals should be included in a healthy pregnancy diet, while there are a few foods that should be strictly avoided

 

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Folic acid is an essential mineral for pregnant women as it minimizes the chances of any defects of the neural tube. Cereals, green vegetables, bread, and brown rice are a few foods, which provide the body with the required quantities of folic acid . Folic acid supplements are also an option for women who cannot meet the dietary requirements through natural foods.

They will also require adequate amounts of different types of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Apricots, pumpkins, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, and beet greens have a good amount of vitamin A in them. Vitamin C can be obtained by consuming broccoli, tomatoes, mustard green, grapes, oranges, or papayas, whereas Vitamin D can be produced by the body when exposed to sunlight.

Apart from assisting in bone and muscle formation, calcium also facilitates blood clotting and proper heartbeat. Inadequate calcium consumption could weaken the bones of the baby. Therefore, calcium is extremely essential during pregnancy, and it can easily be obtained from dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, cream, and cottage cheese. Some of these foods should be included in the daily diet.

The primary function of iron is the formation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all the cells. A mother-to-be requires more than normal quantities of iron since the baby requires constant oxygen supply. Meat, fish, green leafy vegetables, whole grain products, and poultry products are the foods rich in iron. Most women need to take iron supplements to help meet their daily requirements. Fiber-rich foods like pasta, rice, fruits, whole grain cereals, breads, and vegetables also need to be consumed.

                                                  

 

                                    FOOD TO BE AVOIDED

Lets look at  some of the to be avoided.

 

It is good to know which foods to consume when pregnant; however, there are certain foods which should be avoided.
Caffeine consumption must be reduced. This means coffee, chocolates, and tea should be consumed only in moderation.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy should be completely avoided since it may lead to various birth defects such as low birth weight, prematurity, or mental retardation.
Certain kinds of cheeses like camembert, brie, blue veined, and a few Mexican types of cheese must be avoided since they may contain bacteria called listeria, which may be harmful for the fetus.
Fish can be consumed during pregnancy; however, not all fish are safe for consumption. Fish with high mercury content like tilefish, swordfish, and shark should not be eaten at all. Also, raw oysters and clams should be avoided.
Raw meat, eggs, and undercooked food also should not be consumed.
It is very much normal for mothers-to-be to crave for certain foods, including those which are not healthy to eat during pregnancy. However, they must choose the best available option to ensure proper health for themselves and their babies. It is always a good idea to consult a doctor or a dietitian before making any lifestyle or diet changes during pregnancy

   

HEALTH BENEFITS OF ORANGE

Orange is a tropical to semitropical, evergreen, small flowering tree, growing to about 5 to 8 m tall, and bears seasonal fruits that measure about 3 inches in diameter and weigh about 100-150 g. Oranges are classified into two general categories, sweet and bitter, with the former being the type most commonly consumed. Popular sweet-varieties include Valencia, Navel, Persian variety, and blood orange.


                    THESE ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS
Orange fruit contains a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin are flavonoids found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have a bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. This substance has also been shown to reduce oxidant injury to DNA in-vitro studies. Total antioxidant strength (ORAC) of oranges (navel variety) is 1819 µmol TE/100 g.

Orange fruit also contains a very good amount of minerals like potassium and calcium

It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to repleni


O range fruit contains a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin are flavonoids found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have a bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator

 Nutrients in oranges are plentiful and diverse. The fruit is low in calories, contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is rich in dietary fiber, pectin. Pectin, by its virtue as a bulk laxative, helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Pectin has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing its re-absorption in the colon by binding to bile acids in the colo
 Citrus fruits, as such, have long been valued for their wholesome nutritious and antioxidant properties. It is scientifically established fact that citrus fruits, especially oranges, by virtue of their abundance in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, have many proven health benefits. Moreover, it is now beginning to be appreciated that the other biologically active, non-nutrient compounds in the citrus fruits such as phyto-chemical antioxidants, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber helps in cutting risk for cancers, chronic diseases like arthritis, obesity, and coronary heart diseases.

Health benefits of carrots

                                

                           Health benefits of carrots

 

• Carrots are rich in poly-acetylene antioxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors.
  
• Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps the body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps the body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals.
  
• In addition, this root vegetable is especially rich in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body.
  
• Further, They also compose healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
• Sweet and succulent carrots are notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber; however, they provide only 41 calories per 100 g, negligible amount of fat and no cholesterol.
  
• They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin-A. 100 g fresh carrot contains 8285 µg of beta-carotene and 16706 IU of vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• Carotenes are converted into vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful oxygen-free radical injury. In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development
  
  
  
  
  
  

health benefits of vegetables

Vegetable nutrition has widely drawn the attention of fitness conscious as well as food scientists alike for their proven health benefits. Majority of day to day used vegetables are very low in calories. Celery is just 16 calories per 100 g. And again here is the long list of vegetables whose calorie is less than 20 per 100 g such as bottle gourd, bitter melon, cabbage, chinese cabbage, bok-choy, eggplant, endive, spinach, summer squash, swiss chard; etc. Scientific studies have shown that low-calorie but nutrient-rich foods help the human body stay fit and disease free.                   

                     
                    health benefits of vegetables                   
As in fruits, vegetables too are home for many antioxidants that; firstly, help protect the human body from oxidant stress, diseases and cancers, and secondly; help the body develop the capacity to fight against these by boosting immunity.

Vegetables, like fruits, are low in fat but contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals. All the Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables are rich sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin-C, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

Additionally, vegetables are packed with soluble as well as insoluble dietary fiber known as non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) such as cellulose, mucilage, hemi-cellulose, gums, pectin...etc. These substances absorb excess water in the colon, retain a good amount of moisture in the fecal matter, and help its smooth passage out of the body. Thus, sufficient fiber offers protection from conditions like hemorrhoids, colon cancer, chronic constipation, and rectal fissures.

      human body spends a considerable amount of energy for the metabolism of foods, which is known as BMR or Basal metabolism rate. So just imagine…when you add lots of vegetable nutrition in the diet, in fact, you set to lose more weight than you would gain…Right!..This is the concept behind the "negative calorie foods."  

Health benefits of apple

                    

some health benefits of apple;             Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is notable for its impressive list of phtyto-nutrients, and anti-oxidants. Studies suggest that its components are essential for normal growth, development and overall well-being

• Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenolics. The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. Some of the important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Additionally, they are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. Altogether, these compounds help the body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.
  
• Apple also contains a small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus, counters the bad influences of sodium.
  
  

• Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. They, however, contain no saturated fats or cholesterol. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent absorption of dietary-LDL or bad cholesterol in the gut. The fiber also saves the colon mucous membrane from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer-causing chemicals inside the colo
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  Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta-carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
  
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  Further, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin, and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.
  

Diet/nutrition and Diabetes

Diet and Diabetes,have considered what guideline to fellow to ensure a proper diet,these extract will help

               One of the most effective tools you have to keep your blood glucose in the target range is your diet. What you eat, how much, and when has a big impact on your glucose levels.

Basic Guidelines for Diet Control of Blood Glucose:
1. Eat three meals a day and snacks spaced in long spans.
2. Do not skip meals.
3. Eat your meals and planned snacks about the same time every day, just as you take your medication.
4. Eat a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal and snack, and distribute carbohydrates evenly throughout the day.
5. It is important to be mindful of what you eat, and the effect it has on your blood glucose by testing before and after meals.

                   
Composition of Food
Here is a mini-lesson in Nutrition 101. Food is made of three components— fat, protein and carbohydrate. Each of these has different effects on blood glucose.
Fats, oily substances like oil, mayonnaise, cream, butter and avocado, do not raise blood glucose. In fact, fats slow stomach emptying and so decrease the rate at which blood glucose rises after a mixed meal.
Protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, cheese, eggs, tofu, etc. cause the blood sugar to rise slightly, and also slows this rise because of length of digestion time.
Carbohydrates are all the sweets, starches, fruits, vegetables and milk/yogurt foods.
These foods are responsible for an increase in blood glucose, which activates insulin release. Carefully controlling your intake of certain portions of carbohydrate will keep your blood glucose on target. Your meal plan will have a defined amount of carbohydrate for you to eat each day.
What about Fiber?
 Dietary fiber is a source of carbohydrate. Fiber is found in plant-based food like fruit, vegetables, legumes, peas, brown rice, whole-grain breads and cereals. Fiber is not digested or absorbed like other starches, and so has less of an effect on increasing blood sugars. The recommendation is to eat 20-35 grams of fiber a day. There are two kinds of fiber. Insoluble fiber is roughage–bran, skins and seeds, vegetables and cereal. This kind of fiber promotes regularity by adding bulk to bowel movements, slows digestion to aid in weight loss and blood glucose control, and helps prevent intestinal disorders and reduces the risk of intestinal cancers. Soluble fiber is the part of the plant material which absorbs water and dissolves in the digestive system. Oat bran, barley, legumes and fruit are high in soluble fiber. This fiber also works to moderate blood glucose, reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and lower LDL cholesterol.
 Fiber is listed on a Nutrition Facts panel in a food label under the Total Carbohydrate. The number listed is part of the total carbohydrate. A good portion of the fiber in a food goes undigested, so the impact in calories and glucose rise is minimal. Rule of thumb—if there is more than 5 grams of fiber per serving in a food item, you can subtract half the fiber from the total carbohydrate to get a more accurate representation of the available carbohydrate in the food.                (http://www.diabetescare.net)