Monday, June 1, 2009

What are the Benefits of Fiber Foods in the Diet?


Fiber foods have a number of health benefits and consuming them in plenty can help you in several ways. Fiber aids in preventing constipation and improves digestive system. Foods rich in fiber can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and they thus decrease the risk of heart attacks. They can also help to lose weight. Dietary fibers can prevent or treat intestinal diseases and cancers. They also help in treatment of diabetes. Fiber foods play an important role in natural colon cleansing. They help in flushing out the toxic matter from the colon.

Fibers are easy to get, as many foods contain abundance of fiber. Dietary fibers are that part of the plant that your body can’t digest. Your body need vegetable or plant fiber. It is of various varieties and is found more in unrefined and raw foods. Overcooking destroys fibers. There are two main types of fibers: soluble and non-soluble. Both play different but important roles in promoting health. 

Soluble fibers include pectin, gums, and mucilage. These form gel-like substances in the intestine and are useful in preventing and treating heart diseases and in controlling diabetes and hypoglycemia. Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, barley, grams, lentils, carrots, green peas, cauliflower, pears; non-soluble fibers include hemi-cellulose, cellulose lignin, add bulk to the stool and speed elimination. They help to prevent and/or treat intestinal disorders such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome and possibly cancers of the colon, prostate, breast, ovaries. Good sources of non-soluble fibers are wheat, corn, bran, whole wheat breads, beans, nuts, seeds, popcorn, fruits and vegetables. 

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program. 

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Sunday, May 31, 2009

high protein intake and kidney

high protein intake and kidney

High Protein Intake Does Not Effect Kidney Function


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Many nutritional researchers have reevaluated the protein requirements of active people. The recommended dietary intake for protein is 0.8 grams per kilo gram bodyweight per day, but some experts think that it should be as high as 1.5 grams to 2.0 grams per kilogram per day for people who exercise vigorously. Kidney toxicity could be a side effect of increased protein intake. 


Researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that high protein intakes had no effects on kidney function in old or young people (25 to 40 years old versus 55 to 70 years old). They compared the effects of a low-protein diet (0.5 grams of protein per kilogram per day) versus a high-protein diet (2.0 grams of protein per kilogram per day) and found no changes in measures of kidney function. People developed more acid urine when consuming a high-protein diet, but all urinary measure ments were within the normal range