It’s Superbowl Weekend! What’s on the menu? Guacamole dips all done?
If you’ve got your guacamole dips recipes all sussed out and you think you’ll have excess avocados, how about whipping up an Avocado Caesar Salad? Or some Avocado Pasta for something more filling than just chips? Or — and this sounds yummy– an Raspberry Avocado Smoothie as a refreshing drink for the morning after (but not for those with hangovers I guess).
Contrary to popular myth, avocados have been documented to actually help ward off cardiovascular disease, as well as Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer because of its high antioxidant content. It …read more

Once in a while, I buy baby carrots out of sheer laziness to cute up normal carrots. Cute and convenient as they are though, I noticed they’re less flavorful and the color is less vivid than the regular sized carrots. Have you noticed the same?
Aside from being more expensive than normal carrots, here’s another reason why baby carrots are not a good idea: they are said to contain less beta-carotene than the normal carrot (up to 30% less!).
I would have gladly paid for the premium of having ready-to-eat uniformly sized carrots, especially on busy days when I don’t have much …read more

Consumption of oily fish has already been demonstrated to confer a wide range of health benefits– as a brain food, in preventing asthma, in heart health, etc. Here’s another one to add to the list: eating oily fish once a week may reduce your risk of becoming blind in your sunset years due to (wet) age-related macular degeneration.
A team of researchers across seven European countries and co-ordinated by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine sought to investigate the association between fish intake and omega 3 fatty acids with wet AMD, comparing people with wet AMD with controls. Participants …read more

In the past, I have written about reports on the benefits of zeaxanthin and lutein supplements on eye health such as reducing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration risks. But to date, it has remained unclear how these compounds confer their protective benefits.
A new study published in the Journal of Lipid Research, however, provides clues as to how the compounds move from the blood stream to the eye. Apparently, a protein called SR-B1, or scavenger receptor class B, type 1, is responsible for transporting nutrients to the eye.
These study provides supporting evidence on the potential of zeaxanthin and lutein in preventing …read more

What is DHA, aka Omega 3? Why is it important? Who needs it? What foods are naturally rich in it? Are there alternative sources?
Here’s an excellent reading material about Omega 3s from the WebMD. The website is sponsored by lifesdha, a manufacturer of DHA supplements sourced from algae instead of fish, so expect a lot of promotional blurbs. Still, the information about the health benefits of DHA Omega 3 remain true.

I’ve been browsing an old nutrition magazine and came across a fairly new product in the market: Breyers’ Smart! Yogurt.

This yogurt has fruit on the bottom, all natural, lowfat and what sets is apart is that it is enhanced with DHA Omega-3 produced from algae, a natural, vegetarian source of DHA that is important not only for supporting brain functions, but also in eye and heart health.

If you’re pregnant, you should already know how important it is to include fatty fish in your diet. Here’s another report reinforcing that: Omega-3 Intake During Last Months Of Pregnancy Boosts An Infant’s Cognitive And Motor Development.
Apparently, babies’ visual acuity as well as their cognitive and motor development were closely linked to DHA concentration in the umbilical cord blood at the time of their birth. This emphasizes how important a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids is, particularly during the last trimester when the fetus undergoes crucial retinal and brain development.
“A diet rich in omega-3s during pregnancy can’t be …read more

Breastmilk is best for babies, no argument about that. However, if for some reason, you have to use infant formula, make sure it is fortified with DHA omega-3 and AA omega-6 to guarantee a correct eye and brain development, according to the latest recommendations published by international experts in the Journal of Perinatal Medicine. If you are nursing your child, then you must make sure there’s adequate amounts of these compounds in your diet by eating oily fish (rich in DHA) and meat, eggs and milk (rich in AA).
Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is a long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, or …read more

Avoiding eggs because of their bad rep as having high cholesterol content? You don’t have to, according to Mark’s Daily Apple, citing a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association which found no such link between egg consumption and increased risks for cardiovascular disease. In fact, they suggested that egg consumption may actually prevent blood clots, stroke and heart attack.
Aside from that, egg consumption also offer a roster of other health benefits. They are an excellent source of choline (important in fetal brain development but well, maybe it’s never too late), selenium (prevents cancer), lutein and zeaxanthin …read more

According to a prospective study published this month in Archives of Ophthalmology, higher dietary intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E from food and supplements were found to be associated with significantly decreased risks of cataract among women. A cataract is an age-related condition characterized by clouding of the lens in the eye, thus affecting vision.
According to this related article in WebMD:
Foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin include leafy green vegetables (such as spinach, kale, turnip greens, collards, and mustard greens), squash, green peas, broccoli, pumpkin, and corn.
Foods rich in vitamin E include vegetable oils, almonds, sunflower seeds, leafy green …read more