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Ghee: A butter rich in fats and vitamins

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that originated in India and remains popular in South Asian cuisine. It is made by removing the milk proteins and water from raw, unsalted butter, resulting in a lactose-free, nutty flavored butterfat that is packed with nutrients.

According to the Ayurveda, ghee has essential healing properties that are distinctly lacking in other butters. These properties, which are slowly being validated by Western science, include:

Rich in high-quality fats

Being pure, clarified butter, ghee is extremely rich in good fats. One serving (56 grams) of ghee contains 46 grams of pure fat, of which 29 grams are saturated. Moreover, these fats contain 179 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and 1,548 milligrams of omega-6 fatty acids, as well as butanoic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, which possess antibacterial and anticancer properties.

Though allopathic medicine has demonized saturated fats for decades, studies are starting to prove that they’re essential for optimum health. One three-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, for example, found that women who had eaten the highest amounts of saturated fats throughout their lives were less likely to suffer from arterial plaque, and more likely to enjoy a healthier balance of good and bad cholesterol, than women who avoided them. Studies have also shown that a moderate consumption of saturated fats increases the metabolism, leading to weight loss.

Good source of vitamins

One serving of ghee contains approximately 1,418 IU of vitamin A, which is 28 percent of our recommended daily intake. Vitamin A, which is lacking in other edible oils, is nicknamed the “medicine of the immune system,” since it helps to keep our mucous membrane and skin cells healthy, thereby guarding us from cell damage. Vitamin A also helps fight cancer by inhibiting DNA production in cancerous cells.

One serving of ghee also contains 1.3 milligrams of vitamin E (7 percent of our RDI), an essential cancer-fighting antioxidant, and 4 micrograms of vitamin K (5 percent of our RDI), which plays a key role in blood health, including helping the blood to clot.

Aids digestive health

Unlike many other oils and butters, which can make us feel sluggish and bloated, ghee actually improves the digestive process by stimulating the secretion of stomach acids. This helps increase the absorption of other nutrients, including the fat-soluble vitamins present in the ghee itself. Consequently, moderate, long-term consumption of ghee can help treat ulcers, acid reflux, constipation and other digestive issues.

Tolerates heat well

Ghee can tolerate high temperatures, which gives it an advantage over regular butter (which can scorch due to its milk proteins) and many other oils (notably olive oil, which becomes carcinogenic when heated). Ghee’s smoke point is between 325°F and 375°F, making it suitable for cooking, frying and sauteing. Moreover, ghee’s nutritional structure remains intact when subjected to heat, prompting nutritionist Paul Pitchford to declare ghee as one of the greatest cooking oils in his 2002 book, Healing with Whole Foods.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043114_ghee_saturated_fats_essential_vitamins.html#ixzz2mYODk4Lo

Recourses:

http://ajcn.nutrition.org

http://nutritiondata.self.com

http://www.indiawest.com

http://completewellbeing.com

5 Keys to the Pre-Workout Meal Everyone Should Know

Gatorade doesn’t cut it
A few bad bonks have pretty much eliminated the chance of my starting a workout on an empty stomach, and I’m happy to say I hardly ever drink commercial sports drinks from 7-Eleven anymore. Having done a lot of reading on the topic of pre-workout nutrition, I present the five nutritional pillars I use to build the perfect pre-workout drink. (Note: “drink” implies the use of water. I didn’t list it as one of the keys, but for performance and safety’s sake, make sure you include water in your pre-workout meal.)

The 5 essentials of pre-workout nutrition
1. Consume carbohydrates and protein in a 3-to-1 ratio, and include healthy fat (but just a little).

There are few arguments about this point. The 3:1 ratio is almost universally advocated for optimal absorption of nutrients. For a big workout, or if you have some time to let your stomach settle, 30 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein is great. Otherwise, halve the amounts. Mark Verstegen, of Athletes Performance Institute, recommends a scoop of protein powder in a half-glass of Gatorade or watered-down orange juice.

As for the fat, a teaspoon or so of healthy oil, such as flaxseed or Udo’s blend, is all you need to help deliver nutrients where they need to go. Coconut oil is even better for workouts, as the liver treats it similarly to glucose, a carbohydrate.

2. Include quick-working, high-glycemic carbs for energy now, sustained release (but not starchy!) carbs for energy later.

I first learned about this one from Brendan Brazier’s and Vega Sport. In many of his recipes for pre-workout drinks, Brendan uses dates (glucose) as the high-GI, instant-energy sugar, and agave nectar (fructose) for slower energy release.

Why no starchy bagels or bread? To convert starch into usable sugar requires your body to work, and during a workout you’d like to use your available energy for movement, not digestion. If you’re going to consume something starchy, a sprouted version is best.

3. If you’ll sweat during the workout, you need lots of electrolytes.

Lack of electrolytes can do more than just bring on a nasty bonk; in fact, it’s downright dangerous. Hyponatremia is the condition of having too much water and not enough sodium (an electrolyte) in your system, and it has proved fatal for endurance athletes who load up on water but don’t replace lost electrolytes.

Lots of salt is lost through sweat, and you should take in electrolytes during your workout. Coconut water contains electrolytes; so do most sports drinks and gels, so most of us get them during workouts. But you can get a head start on electrolyte replacement simply by adding salt or dulse powder to your pre-workout drink.

4. Consider caffeinating for improved performance.

Caffeine has been shown to significantly improve performance in endurance events and workouts. Whether you want to use it is your own decision, but it’s certainly not something you should rely on for every workout—doing so will result in increased adrenal fatigue and slower recovery afterward.

To add caffeine to your pre-workout smoothie, you can replace the water component or your pre-workout drink with brewed yerba mate or tea, or even add ground mate leaves directly to your smoothie. Alternatively, you can drink a cup of coffee as many runners do, but that can be rougher on both your intestines and your adrenal glands.

5. Add optional super-foods to go the extra mile.

While the above guidelines should be enough to give your workout a swift kick in the ass, you can always make your pre-workout drinks even better with the addition of a few superfoods. Chia seeds are a popular one these days, and your body will absorb them in either whole or ground form (be prepared for them to gel though). Maca powder is another one, great for helping the adrenal glands recover from the stress of a workout. Acai, goji, chlorella, greens powder, ground flaxseed, hemp… the list goes on.

Written by Matt Frazier
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Bone Broth – Super Nutrition.

Homemade bone broth is absolutely amazing and your friend has a very good point to make. All broths are great for us. It is easy to absorb a good broth, meaning we can easily access all the nutrients inside it. Chicken broth, for instance, is known as Jewish penicillin.

“It plays a critical role in soothing the gut and allowing the body to absorb critical nutrition in the most assimilable way. Loaded with minerals, one of our nation’s epidemic health issues, bone broth is a great way to replenish the body’s likely depleted mineral reserves.”

The benefits of bone broth are too many to mention. It comes from an age old recipe, from the times when people really struggle to access sufficient calcium in their diets. They therefore turned to bones, a cheap alternative to meat, which also increased their calcium intake. However, just because we are no longer so poor that we have to nibble on carcasses doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consume bone broth anymore.

“Bone broth provides our bodies with bio-available (very easy to consume, digest and absorb) forms of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and other trace minerals that are so lacking in our diets today.”

For people with digestive problems, bone broth is even more beneficial. It isn’t only about the calcium and other minerals, but the understanding that the high levels of collagen are what make the broth so suitable for people with issues of the gut.

“Collagen has been found to help heal the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach and the intestines. This means that heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and many of the conditions associated with intestinal inflammation can be helped with bone broth.”
“Besides collagen, cartilage contains something called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Studies have found an underlying deficiency of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in people with digestive problems. Correcting a deficiency and helping to repair a compromised gut wall is another good reason to consume bone broth regularly.”

Bone broth has many other health benefits as well. It is no surprise that it has been used all over the world for thousands of years. Believed to have originated in ancient China, it has taken the world by storm and for good reason. Unfortunately, in recent years, it has fallen out of favor slightly, mainly because it does take quite some time to cook it. However, it will keep and you can make quite a lot of servings out of single pan of soup. When you understand the benefits of bone broth, you are likely to give it a go yourself.

“The prolonged cooking of bones in water results in a broth rich in nutritional constituents that promote strength, tonify blood, nourish in times of sickness and rehabilitation, and help to prevent bone and connective tissue disorders.”

We have discussed the collagen and glycosaminoglycans, but bone broth contains other fantastic nutrients as well. The cartilage, for instance, helps with degenerative joint disease, arthritis, lowered immune systems and IBS. The bone marrow helps your red blood cells to carry oxygen. It also builds up your white blood cells and your platelet count. The proline helps stabilize your blood sugars, helps with healing, improves gastric secretion and detoxifies your liver. The gelatine helps create new bone tissue and helps digestion.

Next time you cook a chicken, make sure you keep the bones, even if it means freezing them until you fancy a nice broth. It is easy to make and the benefits are tremendous. It is food for the mind, body and soul, as well as warming up your heart and home as it is cooking.

©2013 Shantih Coro