Explore The Healthy Power Of Seabuckthorn Oil
Seabuckthorn oil is one of the most exciting nutritional supplements to hit the market in recent years, and there are many studies underway to prove the health benefits of this important food.
Where Does Seabuckthorn Oil Come From?
The seabuckthorn is a wild bush which grows in the Gobi desert. This hardy bush is capable of growing in even the poorest of soils, and it can tolerate temperatures as low as -40 Celsius and as high as +40 Celsius. The seabuckthorn oil taken from plants grown in these harsh conditions provides the greatest nutritional benefits, so it is important to know the origin of the seabuckthorn oil you buy.
The value of seabuckthorn oil and the seabuckthorn plant has been known at least as far back as the eighth century, and for many centuries the Tibetan and Mongolian people have known of the health effects of this valuable plant.
Modern Views Of Seabuckthorn Oil
In modern times the seabuckthorn plant began to attract the attention of scientists in China and Russia as far back as the 1950s, and the seeds, berries, barks and leaves of the plant, in addition to the seabuckthorn oil, have been studied for their benefits in nutrition, medicine and cosmetics.
These days, seabuckthorn oil is manufactured from the berries and seeds of the plant, as this preserves the vital nutrients. Seabuckthorn oil has been identified as the most valuable part of the plant, and the supplements that use this oil take advantage of that fact. Seabuckthorn oil supplements are rich in many vital nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin C, beta carotene and many important flavinoids.
These components are all known as powerful antioxidants, and they have been shown to provide excellent protection against a number of diseases caused by the production of free radicals. Antioxidants are thought to interfere with the ability of free radicals to cause damage to the cells of the body.
What Is Seabuckthorn Oil Made Of ?
The seabuckthorn plant is known to contain at least 190 bioactive ingredients, with at least 106 of these ingredients contained in seabuckthorn oil. This seabuckthorn oil is thought to be the single best source of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, essential amino acids, flavinoids and unsaturated fatty acids.
For instance, seabuckthorn oil contains twice the amount of vitamin E as wheat oil, nine times as much as corn oil and a stunning 35 times as much as soybean oil. In addition, over ninety percent of the fatty acids contained in seabuckthorn oil are of the healthier unsaturated variety. Seabuckthorn oil is a rich source of omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.
In addition to these important antioxidants and other nutrients, seabuckthorn oil is also a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are pigments which provide many fruits with their color, and research has shown that flavonoids may have the ability to prevent many common health problems. Flavonoids are also thought to be useful in maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
When buying seabuckthorn oil as a food supplement, it is important to choose supplements made under the strictest quality programs, as improper processing can destroy many of the healthful nutrients found in supplements. It is important to buy your seabuckthorn oil supplements from those companies with a strong reputation for quality and many years of experience in the business.
About Nutrition
| Drinking Water |
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Good nutrition isn't just about the foods you eat, it also includes the beverages you drink. Water is a good beverage. It doesn't have any calories or artificial colorings or flavorings and your body needs it. It's also cheap when you get it from the tap. Maybe you prefer bottled water or you use a filtered pitcher to avoid impurities or you prefer the flavor.
I don't like to drink water. I don't like the way it tastes. A lot of people think that's weird because water doesn't really have any flavor. I was a picky eater as a kid so maybe that's related, I don't know. Anyway, if you're like me you can still get enough water by choosing other beverages or flavoring your water with a slice of lemon or lime. I also like sparkling water. You can choose flavored waters too. Just because they're flavored doesn't change the fact that they're almost completely water. Common Questions About Water
Drinking Water originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 10:45:21. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Sweet Potatoes |
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Did you know that yams and sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene? Sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber. They have a naturally sweet flavor that doesn't need much extra seasoning, although they're often glazed or served in sweet potato pie. Today I wrote an article about sweet potatoes, how to choose them, how to cook them and I included some links to healthy and delicious recipes that feature sweet potatoes: What's your favorite way to serve sweet potatoes? I like mine baked and then served with a little bit of real maple syrup with a few pecans sprinkled on top. Sweet Potatoes originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 11:07:54. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Vitamin D In the Winter |
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Vitamin D is a popular vitamin in the world of nutrition right now - it seems there's news about vitamin D research every week. Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium and various research studies have linked deficiencies with several health conditions, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Today I read a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology in which the authors looked at vitamin D deficiency, supplementation and cardiovascular disease risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes. The researchers (not surprisingly) found an association of vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and also with decreased survival time. So they looked a little closer at the patients who were deficient in vitamin D levels to see if taking vitamin D supplements had any impact on survival times. Turns out the vitamin D deficient-subjects who were taking vitamin D supplements tended to have increased survival times. This was an observational study and not a randomized control trial (which provides the highest form of evidence), so there was no specific dosage used and the subjects weren't required to take any vitamin D. So there was a wide range of dosages reported, from 1,000 International Units per day up to prescription forms of vitamin D taken at 50,000 International Units bi-weekly. Interestingly, subjects who had cardiovascular disease but were not deficient in vitamin D according to blood tests, but took vitamin D supplements anyway didn't have the same increased survival times. We still have a lot to learn about any therapeutic benefits of vitamin D. You don't usually get much vitamin D from the foods you eat, although milk is usually fortified with it, you're body makes vitamin D after your skin is exposed to sunlight. Those of us who live north of a line drawn on a map from the northern border of California in the west to Boston in the east can't even get vitamin D from the sun during the colder months because the sun's rays just aren't strong enough to give us the UV exposure we need. So it's a good idea to take vitamin D supplements during the winter (or any time of the year if you avoid sun exposure). Vitamin D In the Winter originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 14:40:43. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Dietary Magnesium and Stroke Risk |
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A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition came to the conclusion that dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with the risk of ischemic stroke (these are the strokes caused by blood clots in the brain). The authors performed a meta-analysis, which is a type of study that involves taking the data from previous similar studies and combining them. The authors of the study used the data from seven previous studies and determined that an increased intake of 100 milligrams magnesium per day was associated with an 8 - 9% decreased risk of ischemic stroke. Eight or nine percent may not sound like much, but according to the Internet Stroke Center, stroke is the third highest cause of death in the United States and of those strokes, 88% are ischemic strokes, so something as simple as increasing a dietary mineral could be quite significant.
So this could be a good thing, but, it's important to keep a couple of things in mind with this study. The authors of this study looked at dietary intake of magnesium so it doesn't indicate that taking magnesium supplements will have the same decrease in risk, and it's important (I think) to understand that magnesium deficiency symptoms are uncommon. Also, it's possible that the reduction of stroke risk is caused by other factors besides the actual magnesium since foods that contain magnesium are generally healthy fiber-rich foods - things like whole grains, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. Still, I believe it adds some evidence to the idea that eating magnesium-rich plant-based foods is important for good health. Dietary Magnesium and Stroke Risk originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 15:36:54. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Nutritionist or Dietitian? |
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A reader wants to know if there's a difference between nutritionists and dietitians? Here's my answer: Nutritionist or Dietitian Have you been to a dietitian or a nutritionist? Or both? Share your experiences and opinions of the two by leaving a comment. Nutritionist or Dietitian? originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 15:32:29. Permalink | Comment | Email this |