Entries in flavonoids (5)

Sunday
Feb282010

Quercetin and Resveratrol?

DateSunday, February 28, 2010 at 3:38PM

Two buzz words in nutrition and supplement research – quercetin and resveratrol.  What is the lowdown?  Should you take a supplement or just eat the food?

The simple answer is unclear.  Quercetin is a type of antioxidant known as a polyphenol.  Two categories of polyphenols are flavonoids and non-flavonoids.  A flavonoid is a pigment in food that has important health benefits.  Besides antioxidant activity, flavonoids are known for their prevention of heart disease and cancer, since they can lower cholesterol levels and inflammation in the body.

Quercetin is found in the greatest concentration in apple skins, but can also be found in red grapes, green tea and buckwheat.  Several positive studies were done with animals, including one in which quercetin supplemented mice were less likely to get the flu.  Human studies to date have been inconclusive on supplement usage.

Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid polyphenol that is found in grapes and grape skins.  It has strong anti-inflammatory effects in the body which can be helpful in the prevention of atherosclerosis.  Wine drinkers tout they are getting their resveratrol for the day.  However, you would have to consume 180 glasses of wine per day to obtain the amount necessary for health.  Studies are also inconclusive on supplement usage.  More importantly, many supplements tested do not contain the amount of resveratrol that is stated on the bottle.

Bottom line?  Until more research is in, eat apples and grapes, and drink green tea.  You will be receiving the quercetin and resveratrol your body can readily use and absorb and there is nothing to lose except bad health…and maybe the flu.

AuthorSusan Dopart | Comment2 Comments |
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Sunday
Feb212010

Dark Chocolate Also Good for Beauty?

DateSunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:57PM

One of the sweetest parts of writing A Recipe for Life had to be the section on dark chocolate and all its incredible health benefits.  This mornings beauty section of the Los Angeles Times has an interesting read on dark chocolate's health AND beauty benefits so of course I had to get the scoop.

Dr. Steven Pratt, a physician at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, discusses why dark chocolate is a super food.  Dark chocolate contains nutrients known as flavonoids that can actually relax your blood vessels which lower blood pressure and in turn lower your risk of a heart attack.  Sounds like a no brainer to me.  Eat dark chocolate and lower your risk of heart disease?  One catch is that is it doesn't take all that much to achieve the effect - only a couple squares of greater than 70% cocoa a few times a week - not a license for eating a whole chocolate bar every day.

The article goes on explain how eating small amounts of dark chocolate provides your body with natural essential fatty acids and "skin-friendly" minerals that can help with decreasing wrinkles and sun damage.  It also contains a compound called theobromine which can increase circulation in the skin and reduce cellulite.  Sounds a little too good to be true, but what do you have to lose?  I think having one or two squares a day of dark chocolate gives me the little treat I need each day.  I can forego the extra bread at a restaurant or the cookie at the office as long as I can come home to a good cup of tea and my 2 squares of dark chocolate...and...I'm keeping the doctor away.

AuthorSusan Dopart | CommentPost a Comment |
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Sunday
Feb142010

The Power Breakfast

DateSunday, February 14, 2010 at 8:02PM

Many of my clients ask me "what do you eat on a typical day?"  Since I hear that more often than not, I thought I would share over the next few weeks some of my favorite meals and how they break down nutritionally for balance and health.  We always hear breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why not make it power packed with nutrients?  Why not have something to jump start your metabolism for the day and make it delicious and enjoyable at the same time?  Here's my favorite breakfast:

Susan’s Power Breakfast:

½ cup of 2% low fat organic cottage cheese

½ cup of low fat plain organic yogurt

3 tablespoons of part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon of raw cashews

½ cup of mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1/3 medium banana (on the greener side)

Sprinkling of Cinnamon


Organic breakfast tea with 2-3 tablespoons of organic 1% milk

 

The nutritional breakdown of this breakfast is:

 

400 calories

31 grams of protein

36 grams of carbohydrate

7.5 grams fiber

15 grams of fat

450 mg. of calcium

Beginning your day with a strong breakfast is important to maintaining a healthy metabolism.  A protein-based breakfast not only jump-starts your metabolism but stabilizes blood sugars and appetite throughout the day.  This breakfast contains approximately 4 ½ ounces of protein, a moderate amount of healthy carbohydrate from the fruit, nuts, and dairy products and monounsaturated and omega 3 fats coming from ground flax seeds and cashews.

One-third of the recommended needs for calcium are provided.  The berries are powerful antioxidants known as flavonoids which are known to lower inflammation in the body and help prevent cancer and heart disease.  The less ripe banana contains resistant starch which is now thought to play an important role in intestinal health.  Lastly, it contains one-third of the recommended amount of fiber also important for proper digestion and gut health.

It is quick, easy and satisfying and meets many nutritional needs in just one meal.

AuthorSusan Dopart | Comment2 Comments |
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Tuesday
Sep012009

An Apple a Day to Keep Cancer and Heart Disease at Bay?

DateTuesday, September 1, 2009 at 9:49AM

We’ve all heard the expression “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but research is actually starting to show us why this old saying is true.

The key nutrients which prevent disease in produce, including apples,  are known as phytochemicals or phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are substances which a plant naturally contains to protect it against sunlight, oxidation from air, pollution, and bacteria or viruses.  Once we eat these plants, our immunity increases and we are more resistant to diseases such as cancer and heart disease.   Scientists estimate there are over 100 phytochemicals in one serving of fruits or vegetables and there may be as many as 13,000 different phytonutrients in our food supply.

Polyphenols are the new hot topic in research studies and are a type of phytonutrient.  A group of polyphenols called flavonoids have antioxidant activity and are known for prevention of heart disease and cancer, since they can lower cholesterol levels and inflammation in the body.

Apples contain a polyphenol known as quercetin, which is thought to lower LDL cholesterol and decrease plaque in the arteries.  They also contain pectin, a type of fiber which can lower cholesterol.

A food scientist from Cornell University, Rui Hai Liu, did extensive research on apples and found they contain substances which fight cancer cells and reduce the number and size of tumors in rats.  He also stated that apples contain another compound known as triterpeniods in the peel, which can inhibit or kill cancer cells.

It is important to eat the whole apple, since the key nutrients are in the peel and the interior.  So the old adage of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may be more apropos than we moderns ever realized.

 

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Tuesday
Aug182009

Does a Dark Chocolate a Day Reallly Keep the Doctor Away?

DateTuesday, August 18, 2009 at 3:58PM

Many people think of dark chocolate as something their mothers used to bake with, but it has come a long way since that time in terms of texture and flavor. Many varieties of dark chocolate are on the market, with some tasting better than others. I myself was a big milk chocolate fan and when the research became clear that dark chocolate was the most advantageous I reluctantly transitioned myself over to the dark. However, after going over to “the other side” I am now sold on dark chocolate.

If you only like milk chocolate consider trying Dove Dark Chocolate Promises – they come in a nice bite size and 2 per day is a good serving. Experiment with tasting different ones. Trader Joe’s has Dark Chocolate Wedges that come in a small round tin n regular dark chocolate and spiced with chipotle for a nice kick. My current favorite is Kallari dark cocoa which comes in 70, 75 and 85% at Whole Foods. Kallari has a rich smooth taste that I only experienced with dark chocolate I tasted in Switzerland. Choose ones that are greater than 70% cocoa since a higher cocoa content contains the most nutrients and the least amount of sugar.

Why eat dark over milk chocolate? Dark chocolate contains higher amounts of a type of phytochemcial (a chemical naturally found in foods that prevents disease) called flavanols than milk chocolate. The higher the percent cocoa the more flavanols the chocolate contains. Dark chocolate and cocoa contain several types of flavonoids called catechins and epicatechins which are thought to lower inflammation in the body.

Dark chocolate has been linked with lower inflammatory states in the body due to its high antioxidant activity. A 2008 study done with 5000 people linked a square or two of dark chocolate per day with 33 percent decrease in heart disease among women and a 26 percent decrease in men. The people in the study had lower levels of C - reactive protein, a marker in the blood that signals inflammation in the body.

It is recommended to eat one ounce of dark chocolate per day for health - I’d say a recommendation most of us can live with – and maybe not even a splurge, but a necessity!

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