by fogiene | Oct 13, 2020 | Blog
Bananas & Health
Bananas are considered to be one of the healthiest foods for your body. It contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin E, B, C, iron, and zinc. Bananas are also one of the most widely known sources of potassium.
What are the Benefits of Eating Bananas?
There are many benefits of bananas. They are an effective and healthy source of energy. If you want to combat afternoon fatigue at work or if you want to make the most of your workout session, a banana is a healthy alternative to a sports or energy drink.
This is because they contain natural sugars that provide your body with energy.
If you are struggling with heartburn or ulcers, a banana is a perfect snack for you. It also improves your digestion, making you feel comfortable and energetic. This means that when you regularly eat bananas, it will also help you to sleep better at night. Similar to chocolate, bananas can also improve your mood and reduce your stress levels. But why are bananas so good for you? Let’s take a look at what happens at a physiological level when you eat a banana.
What can a Banana do for Your Body?
Potassium
One of the biggest benefits of potassium is that it blunts the effect of sodium. Sodium reduces your kidney’s ability to remove water and increases your blood pressure. Potassium also normalizes your blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessel walls. It follows, then, that regularly
eating bananas should be a key part of your heart-conscious lifestyle.
Benefits of Banana
Fiber
Bananas are rich in carbohydrates and sugar, making it an effective source of energy. This may be, however, a red light for people who are watching their carb intake. The good news is that the average banana has a glycemic index of more or less 52 and contains 3 grams of fiber.
Dietary fiber intake is important, especially for diabetics since it slows down digestions and the absorption of carbohydrates.
If you are worried about your sugar intake, make sure that you only eat smaller bananas that are greener, since green bananas contain more resistant starch than yellow or ripe bananas. It will provide your body with a healthy and consistent energy release without you feeling fatigued or hungry.
Fiber also moves faster through your digestive tract and improves digestion. In combination with a banana’s ability to change your stomach’s pH levels, fiber can prevent reflux and heartburn.
Tryptophan
Bananas contain tryptophan. This is an amino acid that your body converts into serotonin, a feel-good chemical. Well-maintained serotonin levels are believed to keep depression at bay. It can also improve your mood, sleeping patterns, and libido.
How Often Should You Eat Bananas?
It is recommended that you eat around one or two bananas a day. People with heart conditions can even eat up to three bananas per day. If you have type 2 Diabetes, you can also eat two per day as long as they are not too big or ripe. Children can eat one banana per day, as it may reduce the risk for leukemia and asthma.
by fogiene | Oct 10, 2020 | Blog
Omega 3 is often mentioned in advertisements related to losing weight. Omega 3 fatty acids play an integral role in the functioning of your heart, lungs, immune system, endocrine system, and blood vessels. It also ensures that you have energy by providing your body with calories.
What is the Best Source of Omega 3?
Your body can synthesize most fats. This is, however, not the case when it comes to omega 3 fatty acids. It means, Omega 3 fatty acid is an essential acid that you can get through your diet. The best source of Omega 3 fatty acid is widely considered to be fish like mackerel, sardines, and salmon, however there are many other sources of this polyunsaturated fatty acids. These include soybeans, walnuts, canola oil, chia seeds, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil.
Many of these sources provide additional health benefits as well. For example, Flaxseeds are considered to be a superfood that fights cancer and that reduces sugar cravings. Chia seeds can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and Salmon is an excellent source of protein.
Is Omega 3 Good for Weight Loss?
Even though it is not possible to say explicitly that Omega 3 intake leads to weight loss, it plays a secondary role that helps people lose weight easier. First and foremost, the intake of fish oil or other sources of Omega 3 can reduce appetite and hunger. This is why foods that are rich in Omega 3 are sometimes included in diets.
Omega 3 may also increase a person’s metabolism. This means that it increases your metabolic rate, which is an indicator of the number of calories that you burn throughout the day. People with a higher metabolic rate will find it easier to lose weight and to keep the weight off.
People with a higher intake of Omega 3 may also experience an increase in muscle mass. Since muscle burns more calories than fat does, this may explain the increase in metabolism as well. Omega 3 tends to increase the number of calories you burn when you exercise as well.
This is why many people that use a combination of Omega 3 in their diets and exercise may lose weight more rapidly. The studies that were conducted in the past did not deliver the same results in terms of weight loss. Although Omega 3 is considered to be good for your health, you still have to make sure that you maintain a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet while not exceeding an intake of 3,000 mg of fish oil Omega 3 per day.
Is Omega 3 Good for Hair Loss?
Since Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory properties, it is good for hair loss by opening up the hair follicles and stimulating hair growth.
If you are experiencing hair loss, try increasing your Omega 3 intake. Not only will it stimulate hair growth, but it can also prevent dry and flaky scalp.
Need testing of Omega 3 fatty acid in any of your products? Contact us for a free consultation.
by fogiene | Oct 7, 2020 | Blog
Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of man and warm- and cold-blooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food. A specific subgroup of this collection is the fecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being Escherichia coli.
These organisms may be separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the fecal material of warm-blooded animals.
Fecal coliform by themselves are usually not pathogenic; they are indicator organisms, which means they may indicate the presence of other pathogenic bacteria. Pathogens are typically present in such small amounts it is impractical monitor them directly.
Note: Some strains of Escherichia coli , which are a type of fecal coliform, can cause intestinal illness.
Wastewater and Septic System Effluent
Fecal coliform is present in human waste, so the bacteria goes down the drains in our houses and businesses, and can enter streams from illegal or leaky sanitary sewer connections, poorly functioning septic systems, and poorly functioning water treatment plant (WTPs).
Animal Waste
A significant amount of fecal coliform is released in the wastes produced by animals. This can be a serious problem in water near cattle sheds that have poor animal keeping practices and waste is not properly contained. In urban areas, fecal coliform can be contributed to surface water by dog, cat, and human waste when it is carried into storm drains, creeks, and lakes during storms.
Sediment Load
High amounts of sediment are often related to high concentrations of pathogenic bacteria. The bacteria can attach to sediment particles.. Fast-running water can carry more sediment, so higher levels of bacteria can occur during high monsoon season. Bacteria are much more abundant in soil than in water.
Temperature
Bacteria grow faster at higher temperatures. The growth rate slows drastically at very low temperatures.
Nutrients
High levels of nutrients can increase the growth rate of bacteria.
Need expertise in water testing? Contact us for a free consultation today.
by fogiene | Oct 5, 2020 | Blog
Nuts are a very popular food. They’re tasty and can be enjoyed on all kinds of diets.
Nuts are technically considered a fruit. Here is a list of some of the most commonly consumed nuts.
Below are some the key benefits of a few different varieties of nuts:
CASHEW
- Less fat than other nuts
- Very high in iron
- Magnesium levels may help memory recall
ALMOND
- More fiber and protein than other nuts
- Keeps bones healthy
- Good source of vitamin E, zinc, calcium and magnesium
HAZELNUT
- Good for skin and hair
- High source of copper
- Helpful for digestive tract health
CHESTNUT
- The only low-fat nut
- Only nut to contain vitamin C
MACADAMIA
- Fattiest of all nuts
- High levels of vitamin E
PEANUT
- Brain health from high B-vitamin folate
- High in antioxidants which protects the heart and blood vessels
WALNUTS
- Improve working memory,problem solving and motor function
- Contains both omega-3 and omega-6
- Improving blood flow
- May keep bad cholesterol away
PISTACHIO
- Richness in gamma-tocopherol may protect against lung cancer
- May help reduce erectile dysfunction
- The richest source of potassium of all nuts
PINE NUT
- The combo of magnesium and potassium help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow
- Helps with energy
PECAN
- Contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B & E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc
- Prevents constipation
- Prevents hair loss
Different kinds of nuts have different properties. Need expertise in testing of the above products? Contact us for a free consultation today.
by fogiene | Oct 2, 2020 | Blog
Brown vs White Eggs — Is There a Difference?
Many people have a preference when it comes to egg colour.
Some people believe brown eggs are healthier or more natural, while others feel that white eggs are cleaner or simply taste better.
But are the differences between brown and white eggs more than shell-deep?
This article explores whether one type of egg is truly healthier or tastier.
Eggs Come in Many Colours
Chicken eggs can come in different colours, and it’s common to find both brown and white eggs in the supermarket.
However, many people don’t know what causes eggs to have different colours.
The answer is quite simple — egg colour depends on the breed of the chicken. But while genetics is the main factor that determines egg colour, other factors can have an influence too.
For example, as hens that lay brown eggs age, they tend to lay larger and lighter-coloured eggs.
The hen’s environment, diet and level of stress may also affect shell colour, to some extent.
These factors can make the shade lighter or darker, but not necessarily change the colour itself. The main factor determining colour is still the breed.
Are Brown Eggs Healthier Than White Eggs?
Often, people who prefer brown eggs do so because they believe brown eggs are more natural and healthy than white eggs.
However, the truth is that all eggs are nutritionally very similar, regardless of size, grade or colour.
Both brown and white eggs are healthy foods. A typical egg contains lots of vitamins, minerals and high-quality protein, all wrapped up into less than 80 calories.
However, scientists have compared eggs with brown shells to those with white shells to see if there is any difference. Several studies have found that shell colour has no significant effect on egg quality and composition.
This means that the colour of an egg’s shell doesn’t have much to do with how healthy it is. The only real difference is the pigment in the shell.
However, there are other factors that can affect the nutritional content of an egg.
The hen’s environment can have a major impact. For example, eggs from hens that are allowed to roam in the sunshine contain 3–4 times the amount of Vitamin D you’d find in eggs from a conventionally raised hen.
The type of feed a hen eats can also affect the nutrient content of her eggs.
Hens fed a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids produce eggs that contain much higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than normal. The same effect has been found with vitamin D when chickens eat vitamin-D-enriched feed.omega-3 fatty acids
SUMMARY: There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs. However, a hen’s diet and environment can affect an egg’s nutrition.
Why Are Brown Eggs More Expensive?
Even though brown and white eggs seem to be the same by all measures other than colour, brown eggs still tend to cost more at the store.
This fact has led many people to believe that brown eggs are healthier or higher-quality than white ones.
However, the cause of this price gap is quite different.
In truth, brown eggs cost more because in the past, brown-laying hens tended to be larger and lay fewer eggs than white-laying hens. Therefore, brown eggs needed to be sold at a higher price to make up for the extra costs.
Today, brown-laying hens have nearly the same production costs as white-laying hens. Nevertheless, their eggs still tend to come with a higher price tag.
This may be because specialty eggs, such as free-range or organic, tend to be brown rather than white.
Need assistance in food testing? Contact us for a free consultation today.
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