August 4th is National Watermelon Day

Today, August 4th, is National Watermelon Day! Below are some refreshing facts on watermelon, via organicfacts.net


* Kidney Disorders: Water Melon contains a lot of potassium, which is very helpful in cleaning or washing off the toxic depositions in the kidneys. Moreover, it is helpful in reducing concentration of uric acid in the blood, thereby reducing the chances of kidney damages and formation of renal calculi in it. Added to these, being high in water content, it induces frequent urinating, which is again helpful for cleaning of kidneys. Also, the anti oxidants present in ensure good health of kidneys for a long.
* High Blood Pressure: A good amount of Potassium and magnesium, present in water melons, are very good in bringing down the blood pressure. The carotenoids present in them prevent hardening of walls of arteries and veins, thereby helping reduce blood pressure.
* Prevent Heat Stroke: Water melon is effective in reducing your body temperature and blood pressure. Many people in the tropical regions eat the fruit daily in the afternoon during summers to protect themselves from heat stroke. In India, you will find the fruit being sold by vendors in almost every street during summers.
* Diabetes: Diabetes patients, who are supposed to have low energy and low sugar diet, often complaint about starving since they don’t get to eat their staple diet to their full, giving them a feeling of keeping half fed. Water Melons can be a good supplement for them. In spite of being sweet in taste, a thick wedge will give you very few calories, since ninety nine percent of its total weight is composed of water and roughage. Moreover, the various vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium help in proper functioning of insulin in the body, thus lowering the blood sugar level. Arginine, another component found in water melons, is very effective in enhancing impact of insulin on sugar. Diabetes patients can also have curries, steaks, salads made from water melon rinds which are even lower in sugar.
* Heart Care: Lypocene, a carotenoid found in abundance in water melon, improves cardiac functions. Beta carotene, known for its remarkable anti oxidant and anti aging properties, also keeps you young at the heart and prevents age related cardiac problems. The roughage in water melon and its very low energy, with help from vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium (potassium cuts the risk of a heart attack), help reduce cholesterol and keep your heart safe.
* Macular Degeneration: Leave your worry of eyes on that beta carotene, that vitamin-C and those Lutein and Zeaxanthin. They will ensure protection of your eyes from macular degeneration. They are experts in that. These anti oxidants will protect your eyes from other age related ailments such as drying up of eyes and optical nerves, glaucoma etc.
* Impotence: Arginine, present in water melon, is beneficial in curing erectile dysfunctions.
* Other Benefits: Lypocene is found to be effective in preventing cancer, prostrate growth and repair damaged tissues. Water melon seeds are rich in good fats and proteins. Water melons also contain phytonutrients which have very good effect on the health and proper functioning of internal organs, eyes, secretion system etc.

Beat The Heat -- Stay Hydrated!

(previously published on Intelihealth.com)
Beat The Heat -- Stay Hydrated!
Julie Redfern, L.D., R.D.N., and Michelle McAndrews
Brigham and Women's Hospital

* Water Versus Alternative Beverages
* How Much Fluid Is Enough?
* Tips for Keeping Hydrated

The warm weather encourages people to be outside - working, exercising or just enjoying the sun. All of these activities speed up the loss of body water, with dehydration close behind. Even minimal dehydration (2% to 3%) can negatively impact your physical and mental performance.

Don't wait for the dry mouth, flushed skin, headaches, lightheadedness or fatigue. You should prevent dehydration by drinking fluids throughout the day.

A good way to know if you are not drinking enough is to stay aware of the volume and color of your urine. If you notice a decrease in volume or the color is darker, it's a good bet you're dehydrated.

Many factors can make you dehydrate more quickly than expected. Medications and supplements that promote increase in urination (diuretics) hasten dehydration. Huge amounts of water move out of the body through the skin with sweating, and from the lungs during exercise or illness with fever. Women who are pregnant and lactating require more fluids.

If replenishing lost body fluids is essential to preventing dehydration, does it matter what type of fluid we consume?

Water Versus Alternative Beverages

Fluids are considered to be any food or beverage that's liquid at room temperature, such as water, ice, soup, beverages, ice cream, sherbets, popsicles and gelatin. Water is the best fluid for hydration; it has no calories, sugar, salt, carbonation, coloring or preservatives. No other drink can even come close to that claim ! And water is cheap, despite the huge commercial bonanza that bottled water has become.

Water is an essential nutrient for life. Our bodies are made up of more than 70% water. Water is necessary for so many of our basic functions, such as regulating body temperature, removing wastes, moisturizing our skin, lubricating our joints, and carrying oxygen to our cells.

Water is indeed everywhere. Water is a component of most foods we eat, especially fruits and vegetables. For example, 1 cup of fruit contains 1/2 cup fluid. However, many people don't drink water as their main choice of beverage. In addition to bottled water, there's a wide variety of other beverages marketed to us every day, such as:

Hundred-percent fruit juice contains some vitamins, minerals, and a lot of sugar. In fact, a 16-ounce glass of fruit juice contains about 220 calories and 25 grams of sugar. Fructose, or fruit sugar, reduces the rate at which we absorb fluid and can actually make you thirstier, leading to over consumption of calories from juice.

Sports drinks often contain fructose or sucrose syrups, flavorings, salt, citric acid, sodium, potassium and colorings. The electrolytes, sodium and potassium, are helpful for endurance- type exercise or activity, but not necessary for everyday exercise. Sports drinks don't hydrate you any better than water, but, the calories are less than in juices or soda. There are roughly 30 grams of sugar and 100 calories in 16 ounces of sports drink.

Fitness waters are waters sprinkled with an assortment of nutrients, sometimes herbs,
flavorings and sweeteners. These enhanced waters don't usually contain enough vitamins or minerals to make an impact on your health, and they can be costly. Additionally, there is no current credible scientific evidence that added herbs affect energy levels or improve health. These beverages can still count toward your fluid goals, but contain 10 to 100 or more calories for 16 ounces.

Carbonated beverages such as regular or diet sodas can be high in sugar or artificial sweeteners, and caffeine. Colas are also high in phosphates that bind with calcium and weaken bones. Regular soda can contain up to 200 or more calories for 16 ounces.

Coffee, tea and lattes are also very popular. They often contain added sugars and fats along with the caffeine, and can add up to as many as 450 calories for 16 ounces. Current studies show that caffeinated beverages may not be dehydrating, as once thought. Limited amounts can count toward your overall hydration goal. However, since most caffeinated products provide very few nutrients, it is typically advised to keep intake low.

Flavored waters are beverages with a touch of flavoring with the bonus of zero calories. These beverages are great for people who prefer flavor in their beverage but wish not to have added calories.


How Much Fluid Is Enough?

Everyone's hydration needs vary, so the standard prescription of eight, 8-ounce glasses per day of fluid may not be enough for you. Rather than count cups of fluid, it's more important to be in sync with your sensation of thirst and to be aware of the early signs of dehydration! During exercise and illness, your fluid needs are likely to increase dramatically.


Tips for Keeping Hydrated

* Have a glass of water when you first get up.
* Keep a glass of water next to the bed.
* Enjoy an herbal tea in the afternoon or evening.
* Carry water with you if away from home for long periods.
* Drink before you get thirsty.
* Limit sugary, caffeinated beverages.
* Choose drinks with 10 or fewer calories.
* Know the signs of dehydration.
* The best choice for fluid is WATER!

February is National Chocolate Lovers Month!

image via flickr

The Bright Side of Chocolate

Most of us eat a few more goodies than usual during the holiday season. This probably includes consumption of more chocolate! Check out the information below for the good news about our delicious friend called Chocolate.

• Chocolate and Fat: Chocolate contributes less than 2% of the fat in the American diet. Stearic acid, a fat component that makes up 1/3 of the fat in chocolate, does not raise blood cholesterol. Oleic acid makes up another 1/3 of the fat in chocolate. This fat has been shown to be beneficial to heart health.
• Chocolate and Caffeine: Chocolate contains very little caffeine, with dark chocolate containing the most.
• Chocolate and Polyphenols: Chocolate contains specific antioxidants called polyphenols that are currently being studied for their health benefits.

So…the next time you eat chocolate, don’t feel guilty. Chocolate (in moderation) may contribute to a healthy diet!

It's National Chocolate Day of?

• National Chocolate Cake Day - January 27
  

• National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day - January 3
  

• National Chocolate Mint Day - February 19
  

• National Chocolate Caramel Day - March 19
  

• National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day - March 24
  

• National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day. - April 21
  

• National Chocolate Chip Day - May 15
  

• National Chocolate Pudding Day - June 26
  

• National Chocolate Ice Cream Day - June 7
  

• National Chocolate Eclair Day - June 22
  

• National Milk Chocolate Day - July 28
  

• National Chocolate Milkshake Day - September 12
  

• National Chocolate Day - October 28
  

• National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day - November 7
  

• National Chocolate Covered Anything Day - December 16
  

• National Chocolate Day - December 28

Cardamom is Queen

If you stopped by the store this past Sunday, you probably got a chance to try some freshly baked Cardamom and Sweet Lime rolls. Aside from the fact that this subtly sweet treat is lower in fat and calories than a traditional breakfast sweet roll, it is an excellent chance to try out cardamom, for those of you who have never tasted or baked with it.

Cardamom is an strongly flavored, aromatic spice in the ginger family and is used in many different kinds of cooking - from the Finnish sweetbread pulla, to South Asian coffees and teas and sometimes used in the Indian spice blend garam masala .

Cardamom's medicinal properties have been known for centuries. Both as stimulant and a carminative, it has been used as a digestive aid since ancient times. In Western medicine it is often used as a flavouring agent and also as a base for preparations for indigestion and flatulence...although the latter is probably the last thing you'll want to be thinking about when you are eating delicious treats flavored with cardamom!



Recipe via Cooking Light:

Caradamom and Lime Sweet Rolls

Yield
24 rolls (serving size: 1 roll)

Ingredients

Dough:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces), divided
Cooking spray

Filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lime rind
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation
To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
Combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Gradually stir yeast mixture into sour cream mixture. Lightly spoon 2 1/3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour to sour cream mixture, stirring to form a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

To prepare filling, combine brown sugar, rind, and cardamom. Divide dough into two equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, roll dough into a 12 x 10–inch rectangle; brush with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle half of filling over dough. Beginning with a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Repeat procedure with remaining dough, 1 tablespoon butter, and filling. Cut each roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover dough. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack.
To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
130 (26% from fat)
Fat:
3.8g (sat 2.3g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g)
Protein:
1.9g
Carbohydrate:
22.2g
Fiber:
0.5g
Cholesterol:
19mg
Iron:
0.8mg
Sodium:
102mg
Calcium:
17mg

About Nature's Weigh

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