Benefits of Green Tea

Benefits of Green Tea

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. It has been shown to positively affect many systems in the body and to inhibit the progression of some diseases. It contains among the highest concentrations of minerals and antioxidants, which have proven to benefit the body.Here are a few:

·         Helps in Preventing Cancer

One of the major health benefits is that it can prevent cancer. Green tea is a very powerful antioxidant that has anticancer effects. Polyphenols present in green tea, effectively protects the cells of your body and helps you get rids of malignant cells. It helps in preventing the cancers of gastrointestinal tract like stomach cancer, colon cancer and small intestine cancer. It also helps prevent lung and breast cancers.

·         Reduces the risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

The antioxidants in green tea decrease the risk of blood clots, blood pressure, blood sugar and bad cholesterol and so provide protection against cardiovascular diseases. The EGCG (epigallocatechin-gallate) in green tea is believed to slow the build-up of artery-clogging plaque. Green tea is also believed to improve the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio, triglycerides and fibrinogen.

·         Reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Green tea is rich in polysaccharides and polyphenols antioxidants, which lowers your blood pressure and sugar level thereby preventing the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

·         Increases Body Immunity

The flavonoids and polyphenols present in green tea are said to increase your body immunity to remarkable levels. These antioxidants have the capacity to suppress the receptors that cause allergies within your system. The antiviral and anti bacterial properties of green tea prevent you from getting into contagious flu, cold and common cough.

·         Stress buster

Catechin, present in green tea removes sleepiness and works as a stress buster. Green tea with the caffeine content is a good stimulant for short time energy. Green tea contains an amino acid, Theanine, which helps in the production and release of a chemical called Dopamine. Dopamine and Theanine itself, both stimulate a feeling of well being in the body.

·         Helps in losing weight

A recent study by Swiss scientists concluded that drinking green tea can raise the body's metabolic rate by as much as 4%. While more research is needed in this area, nutritionists indicate that drinking tea can help people lose weight because it's calorie free and a good source of fluids.

·         Reduces Skin Problems

Green tea is one of the natural solutions that help you to get rid of your skin wrinkles and blemishes. It has proven to be a good solution for skin acne, psoriasis, rosacea and warts.

·         Helps in Dental Care

Green tea contains fluoride which is good for teeth. It suppresses the process of plaque formation and destroys the bacteria that form plaque. It also destroys bacteria that cause bad breath.

Green tea is natural, so you can expect very few side effects or maybe none at all when drinking it regularly. However, Drinking too much of green tea may reduce its health benefits. Also, the best way to preserve all the disease-fighting nutrition is to drink your tea freshly brewed. All the decaffeinated, ready-to-drink bottled or instant teas will give you very little of natural health compounds.

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Hunger is the No One Cause of Death in India

Hunger is the No 1(one) Cause of Death in India

• Hunger remains the No.1 cause of death in the world also. Aids, Cancer etc. follow
• There are 820 million chronically hungry people in the world. / 10 million people die every year of chronic hunger and hunger-related diseases. Only eight percent are the victims of hunger caused by high-profile earthquakes, floods, droughts and wars
• 1/3^rd of the world’s hungry live in India.
• 836 million Indians survive on less than Rs. 20 (less than half-a-dollar) a day.
• Over 20 crore Indians will sleep hungry tonight.
• India has 212 million undernourished people – only marginally below the 215 million estimated for 1990–92.
• Over 7000 Indians die of hunger every day.
• Over 25 lakh Indians die of hunger every year
• Despite substantial improvement in health since independence, under-nutrition remains a silent emergency in India, with almost 50 percent of Indian children underweight and more than 70 percent of the women and children with serious nutritional deficiencies as anemia.
• The 1998 – 99 Indian survey shows 57 percent of the children aged 0 – 3 years to be either severely or moderately stunted and/or underweight.
• During 2006 – 2007, malnutrition contributed to seven million Indian children dying, nearly two million before the age of one.
• 30% of newborn are of low birth weight, 56% of married women are anemic and 79% of children age 6-35 months are anemic.
• The number of hungry people in India is always more than the number of people below official poverty line (while around 37% of rural households were below the poverty line in 1993-94, 80% of households suffered under nutrition).

 

 

 

Sources / Ref: UN World Food Programme

UN World Health Organization: Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition, 2006

UN Food and Agriculture Organization: SOFI 2006 Report

National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector (India)

National Family Health Survey 2005 – 06 (NFHS-3) (India)

Centre for Environment and Food Security (India)

Rural 21 (India)

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Health Benefits of Watermelon

Health Benefits of Watermelon

This summer fruit has to get "featured" in your refrigerator for being a perfect summer treat. Watermelon is loaded with nutrients which bestow it the status of a "star" fruit!

Watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight. As with many other fruits, it is a source of vitamins A, B6 and C. Additionally, watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium and magnesium. Watermelons contain a significant amount of citrulline - an amino acid our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine. They have no fats, have fewer amounts of calories and are one of the healthiest fruits. Watermelon is also mildly diuretic and contains large amounts of beta-carotene.

Although watermelon with red-pink flesh is more common, there are varieties of watermelon that feature yellow, orange or white flesh. Watermelon with red-pink flesh is a significant source of a potent antioxidant, lycopene - a plant pigments responsible for the red color of watermelon, tomatoes, and pink guavas).

The Health Benefits:

 

1.   Provides Antioxidants: Watermelon is a natural source of the most powerful antioxidants. It is a good source of the antioxidant vitamins C and A (through its concentration of beta-carotene). Watermelons with red-pink flesh are also a good source of carotenoid antioxidant, lycopene. All these antioxidants reduce the risks of asthma, heart disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and various cancers by neutralizing dangerous free radicals that could otherwise damage cells and cell membranes.

2.   Shows Cancer Fighting Properties: Adding watermelon into your diet can help prevent and fight cancer. This can be attributed to its rich antioxidant profile. The antioxidants of watermelon are very concentrated and they have the ability to kill the cancer causing free radicals. Lycopene, a potent carotenoid in watermelon, has been extensively studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. In research on humans, lycopene has been linked to the protection of DNA inside of white blood cells due to its antioxidant function to help protect cells from free radical damage. Lycopene has been found to be protective against many cancers, particularly prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer.

3.   Improves Eye Health: Eating enough watermelon can prevent night blindness. This is because, watermelon is rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, which improves overall eye health. Eating watermelon can also prevent age related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Macular degeneration is just a fancy word for loss of vision. Studies show that eating watermelon is actually healthy for your eyes than eating carrots. That holds true in preventing both short-term and long-term vision loss.

4.   Lowers Blood Pressure: Watermelon is a good source of potassium, which helps in controlling blood pressure and in maintaining the body's proper electrolyte and acid-base balance. Two cups of watermelon contains about 10 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium.

5.   Promotes Brain Power: Being a very good source of vitamin B6, watermelon serves as a great brain food. Vitamin B6 helps the body to create brain chemicals that regulate sleeping patterns, relieve stress and even give a feeling of elation.

6.   Promotes Heart Health: Scientists suggest that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline (an amino acid) is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart, the circulatory system and the immune system. The citrulline-arginine relationship promotes heart health.

7.   Acts as the Natural Viagra: Scientists suggest that watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body's blood vessels and may even increase libido. It has been found to show great effects in relaxing blood vessels without involving any side effect of a drug.

8.   Treats Erectile Dysfunction: Arginine, produced by the body using citrulline, is used by the cells lining your blood vessels to make nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels and this is the same effect which Viagra produces while treating erectile function.

9.   Treats Impotence: Arginine seems to improve sexual function in men with impotence. Arginine boosts nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels. A study of 50 men with impotence reported significant improved sexual function after they were given arginine supplementation.

10.    Promotes Muscles Health: Potassium-rich foods like watermelon help athletes to cope up with muscle strain and cramps. Eating a slice of watermelon immediately after rigorous exercises can even prevent the muscles from becoming sore.

11.    Aids in the Weight Loss Process: Watermelon is low in calories and high in water content. This makes it filling but not fattening. Eating watermelon in place of high-calorie treats can help to shed pounds without the feeling of missing out on something. The natural sweetness found in melons will help you not to be tempted to grab those high calorie sweets.

12.    Boosts the Immune System: Arginine is the physiologic precursor in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), which plays a pivotal role in many biological processes such as platelet aggregation and immune system modulation. A study involving 40 children demonstrated an increase in lymphocytes, which play an important role in the immune system, after oral administration of arginine.

13.    Helps Remove Toxins: Arginine plays an important part in the healing of wounds and the removal of ammonia and other toxic compounds from the body. Excess ammonia in the blood can lead to fatigue, kidney and liver disease.

14.    Improves Insulin Sensitivity: Arginine has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in obese type 2 diabetic patients with insulin resistance.

15.    Add in Energy Production: Watermelon is concentrated with B-vitamins. B-vitamins are responsible for a lot of your body's energy production. This means, eating watermelon can give you substantial energy. It also has high amounts of the energizing nutrients, magnesium and potassium. Eating watermelon is a safe alternative to taking energy drinks prior to exercise. It also keeps you hydrated with its high water content as opposed to caffeine filled energy drinks that dehydrate you.

[Reference: LMT/ RC]

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Health Benefits of Lemon Water

Health Benefits of Lemon Water

Yes! There are enormous benefits of lemon juice and water in your everyday life. You simply need to arm yourself with relevant knowledge and you would soon start valuing this amalgamation more than ever.

Lemon is an inexpensive, easily available citrus fruit, popular for its culinary and medicinal uses. Lemon juice consists of about 5% citric acid. Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins like vitamin B, riboflavin and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium as well as proteins and carbohydrates. Lemon is generally consumed in the form of lemon juice or lemon water. Lemon water makes a healthy drink, especially when taken in the morning. Daily consumption of lemon water provides a number of health benefits like: 

• Good for stomach: Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones. 
• Excellent for Skin Care: Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin. 
• Controls High Blood Pressure: Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression. 
• Good for Weight Loss: One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well. 
• Cures Throat Infections: Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently. 
• Good for treating Rheumatism / inflammatory disorders: Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body. 
• Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders: Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma. 
• Reduces Fever: Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration. 
• Acts as a blood purifier: The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier. 
• Aids in Dental Care: Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums. 
• Anti Cancer properties: lemons and/or limes, contain compounds called limonoids that have been shown to help fight cancers of the stomach, lung. breast, skin and colon in animal studies and laboratory tests with human cells. Lemons and limes are a good source of a very long-acting limonoid called limonin, which can readily absorbed and utilized by our bodies. Scientists found traces of limonin in the body even 24 hours after consumption, where as natural anti-carcinogens present in other food items were found to be active for just 4 to 6 hours; for example, phenols in green tea.

How much should I drink?

In case you are in good health and weigh 70 kg or less, it is advisable for you to have juice of one-half of the lemon squeezed into one glass of water, twice daily. However, if you weigh more than 70 kg, juice of one whole lemon in a glass of water should be preferred. For maximum benefit, this mixture should also be taken two times a day, though you may dilute more lemon juice according to your taste if you wish.

So, make it a part of your daily routine to drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning and then open your gateway to enjoy its health benefits.

[Source: PB/LMT/ Oct-12]

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Health Benefits of Guava

Health Benefits of Guava

This mouth-watering treat comes with immense health benefits. Being rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, copper and manganese, they are often included among superfruits.

Guava fruit (amrood), usually 5 to 10 cm (2-4 inches) long, are round or pear shaped depending on the variety. It bears a green, yellow or maroon cover while the inside of the fruit features the white ("white" guavas) or pink ("red" guavas) fleshy part containing many small, hard seeds.

Here are the Health Benefits of Guava:

• Cancer Prevention: Guava is an excellent source of the cancer-fighting antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene in guava is more easily absorbed by our body than lycopene from tomato becuase of the difference in the cell structure that allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked. Lycopene consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of prostate cancer, and it has also been found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Lycopene promotes good health by acting against the influence of “free radicals”, which can damage cells and can contribute to developing cancer and coronary heart disease. All varieties of guava are loaded with antioxidants but the one with the red flesh type contains more than the white-fleshed apple guava. 
• High Blood Pressure: Guava, being hypoglycemic in nature (if taken without skin) and fiber rich, helps in decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This makes guavas highly beneficial for those at risk for heart disease and hypertension. Also, a medium guava (165 gm) provides you with 20 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) for potassium. Studies have shown that people who consume more potassium have lower blood pressures than those who consume less. 
• Diarrhea: Guava has proved to be beneficial to individuals suffering from Diarrhea. Guava has astringents (chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, for example compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you eat a raw guava), which are helpful in binding up loose stools during the conditions of diarrhea. These alkaline compounds display antibacterial properties and have the ability to prevent microbial growth during dysentery. Other disinfectants present in guava include Carotenoids, Vitamin C and Potassium. These properties and ingredients of guava also support healing in cases of gastroenteritis. 
• Cough and Cold: The decoction of guava leaves or the juices of raw or immature guavas bring relief to individuals suffering from cough and cold. This can be attributed to the astringent properties of guava juice. The juice works by loosening the cough, decreasing mucus and by making the respiratory tract, throat and lungs infection-free. Guava is also rich in vitamin C and iron, which provide protections against cold and viral infections. 
• Constipation: High amount of dietary fiber present in guava helps prevent constipation. A medium guava provides you with 36 percent of the recommended daily value for dietary fiber. Also, the seeds of guava are very effective laxatives. Both these attributes help in the formation of bowels and the cleaning up of the excretory system. 
• Diabetes: According to a study conducted on rats, both the guava fruit and its leaves can help diabetic patients by lowering their blood glucose levels. However, if consumed along with its skin, it can be bad for your blood sugar. According to the research published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research and conducted by researchers at the Medicinal Research Laboratory of the University of Allahabad, blood sugar levels in rats injected with guava peel extract rose by 91% in sub-diabetic rats within two hours of administration and by 27% in normal rats after eight hours of administration. So, the best way to consume a guava for diabetics is to peel off its skin. 
• Weight Loss: Guava forms an essential component of a weight loss diet. Guava is rich in fiber, proteins and vitamins and this implies that individuals looking to lose weight would not have to compromise on their intake of these nutrients! Guava with no cholesterol and low carbohydrates, can still offer a feeling of fullness. A medium sized guava for lunch is enough to supply nutrition till dinner. Again, guava can help thin people gain weight. This can be attributed to its nutrients which aid in the better absorption process of the body.
• Skin Care: The astringents of guava enhance the skin texture and tighten loosened skin. In fact, guava works more effectively than any other skin nourishing lotions in the market. Decoction of immature leaves and fruits can be applied on the skin for tightening and toning purposes. Additionally, guava has high contents of vitamin A, vitamin C and Potassium, which are characterized by their antioxidant functions. These nutrients carry out detoxification processes and keep the skin healthy and wrinkle-free. 
• Scurvy: The Vitamin C content of a common guava (apple guava) is about four times than what we find in an orange. Thus, guavas are effective remedies for scurvy, which is characterized by swollen and bleeding gums due to deficiency of Vitamin C. 
• Dental Care: The juice of the guava leaves containing astringents and vitamins is a remedy for toothaches, swollen gums and ulcers of the mouth.

[Source: LMT/RC. Dec-10]

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