Diet Soda Dangers: Is It True Diet Soda Can Be Dangerous?

By Cynthia T Simmons 

Sugar-Free Soda Dangers Were Unknown 50 Years Ago

I grew up drinking soft drinks. They were easy to transport and our major source of liquids on hot, summery Northern California days. My grandparents allowed my mother to drink a soda right before bed and now my mom suffers from obesity and severe tooth damage. We weren't allowed to drink soft drinks before bed (thank goodness!), but I don't remember much restriction. As a teenager, I never had any problems with my weight, but I have had a lot of dental work.

As I aged weight definitely became more of an issue and sodas are an everyday part of life, so I thought.

There is a lot of research on overweight and obese people consuming soda. Research has also shown that drinking soda with artificial sweeteners can affect how you perceive calories and within a day you may ingest more calories than if you drank regular soda. Sadly, my mom drinks diet soda daily and she is in this category.

Two Studies Showing Diet Soda Dangers

A study presented to the American Diabetes Association shows that drinking sugar-free soda is associated with a wider waist in humans. A second study shows that an artificial sweetener in diet soda actually raises blood sugar in mice prone to diabetes.

In the first study, the height, weight, waist measurement and diet soda consumption was measured for elderly people in San Antonio. After 9 1/2 years, the diet soda drinkers had a waist measurement 70% greater than the regular soda drinkers. And people who drank the most diet soda, at least 2 cans a day, had waist measurements 500% greater than those who didn't drink any diet soda.

The mice didn't fare any better in the second study. After 3 months of adding aspartame to the diabetes-prone mice, they had higher glucose-blood readings than the mice not fed aspartame.

Aspartame, a Component of Diet Soda Dangers

Aspartame was discovered in 1965 by a scientist trying to make a new ulcer drug, and approved in 1981 for use as a sweetener. Aspartame is 160 - 200 times sweeter than sugar. Dr. Robert Walton surveyed the studies of aspartame. He states that of the 166 relevant studies, 74 had aspartame related funding and 92 were independently funded. One hundred percent of the research performed by the company who makes aspartame confirmed aspartame's safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research found problems with consuming aspartame. H.J. Roberts, MD, reports that by 1998, aspartame products were the cause of 80% of complaints to the FDA about food additives. Some of these symptoms include headache, dizziness, cramps, seizures, memory loss, and fatigue. While the FDA has assured us that the research does not show any adverse health complications from aspartame, there are studies to the contrary.

Another Component In Diet Soda Dangers

Another problem is the possibility of leaching calcium from the bones due to the carbonation in sodas. A rise in calcium deficiencies and bone fractures has been linked to soft drink consumption in girls and leaves them at risk for broken bones and osteoporosis later in life. Phosphoric acid can link to calcium and magnesium, reports Arizona Advanced Medicine, depleting these vital minerals.

It's a three step process: *

1. The carbonation irritates the stomach. 

2. The stomach "fixes" the irritation with calcium (an antacid) 

3. The blood pulls calcium from the bone to replenish calcium levels.

Diet Soda Dangers, Really Are Bad For You

If you can't stop drinking diet soda altogether, try small changes. Quit drinking diet sodas for 3 days, then a week.

Drink lots of water. Take your weight and divide by 2. The result is the amount of water you should be drinking every day. If you are 180 pounds, you would drink 90 ounces of water daily. If you are not used to drinking plain water, you could add a squeeze of fresh lemon for flavor.

Realize that sodas are addictive. Check the ingredient list in jams, salad dressings, yogurt, breath mints for aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. Minimize the portion size or completely omit those foods. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables instead. After a month of eliminating sodas and artificial sweeteners you should be feeling better and find it easy to resist their attraction. Definitely, Diet Sodas are dangerous and harmful to your health.

Short Overview of the Most Popular Fruits for Smoothies

By Steve Sheer 

Smoothies are not only healthy but also delicious. The amount of minerals they consist of enchanted us. You can drink it without feeling guilty about this short moment of pleasure. How could you resist such a perfect drink?

One Fruit to Rule Them All

I've been questioned about this stuff time after time -- what is the best fruit to put into a smoothie? Is there such a fruit, which must always be included in smoothies we make?

I have to let you down, however -- there is no such thing. All of the fruits were made almost equal, some have more vitamins, other have more enzymes, but there aren't any better fruits or worse. It all comes down to your taste and your preferences. Just remember, that when you want to identify how nutritious a fruit is, everything depends upon how it is prepared. Here comes a description of the most famous fruits that are used to create smoothies.

The Most Famous Fruits

I reckon that no fruit's as popular as oranges. Oranges are not only the most favored fruit, but they're also amongst the most cherished ones. The truth is that they are both healthy and delightful. Oranges are full of magnesium, which is a chemical element that can help our organism sustain normal blood pressure. Therefore it's among the most healthy fruits in existence.

When conversing about delicious and famous fruits, strawberries need not to be forgotten. It would be a disgrace to leave them out not just because of their delightful taste, but additionally because they are equally nutritious as oranges. Strawberries are jam-packed with riboflavin (vitamin B2), which is accountable for body growth (crucial for children). This fruit is additionally really light and very delicious -- sweet and delicate.

As you probably know, bananas can easily be made into a smoothie and taken as is. However, the real reason why we like smoothies so much is because their taste is more complex. Bananas are very useful while preparing smoothies, because they add the extra thickness to the drink. In case you prefer your smoothie sweet, incorporating bananas may help you achieve that. Also, bananas contain tryptophan, a substance which makes people happier compared to what they usually are.

To Sum Up

What you should bear in mind at all times is that the beauty of a smoothie lies in its simplicity. If you try mixing up too many fruits, chances are you'll end up with a smoothie that is not only very complex, but also absolutely inedible. Each of the mentioned three fruits is a perfect base for a delightful, smart smoothie.

To make things interesting, don't settle for those 3 fruits only, test as frequently as you can. Bananas fit with honey, honey goes well with oats, oats and honey are exceptionally nutritious. Like just about anything else, preparing smoothies is something of an art; in order to make the perfect one you ought to learn a lot.

War on Salt

By Valerie D Grimes 

Can anybody tell me what happens to that good old pretzel, hotdog, butter biscuit, popcorn with extra butter or frozen dinner, once we consumed it. Have we indulged with our eyes and hands but forgot the effect it has on the temple (body). We are all guilty in that we go for the things that taste and we definitely don't read the labels for nutritional facts.

We consume sodium (salt) on a daily basis which can be a good thing or bad. We should pay very close attention to the amount of sodium we consume. Our bodies need a certain amount of salt daily, between 180mg-500mg.

Many African Americans suffer with high blood pressure. Looking at this specific population the average daily sodium intake for those age 2-60 is 1,333436mg. Restaurant and processed foods are a major contributor to the high rates of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. They have caused nearly 400,000 deaths each year. But many people love salt.

This is 75% of our daily salt intake. We also should drink plenty of water. As believers we must pray and eat right everyday; taking the proper vitamins and prescribed medications from the doctor. As it is often said " If you take one step God will take two". Make sure you get to where you need to be in your daily christian walk by being healthy.

Facts on Salt:

1. Most sodium is consumed in the form of sodium chloride which is table salt. Other forms of sodium are also found in food, so watch out for salt and sodium.

2. Try to have less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day-- that's the same as 6 grams of salt a day or about 1 teaspoon.

3. That includes ALL sodium and salt-- what's in the product, and added in cooking and at the table.

4. Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt consumed.

5. Check food labels--sodium is in some foods you might not expect, such as soy sauce and some antacids.

6. Kosher salt and sea salt are just that--salt. Don't forget to include them in adding up your sodium intake for the day.

7. No Sodium=less than 5mg per serving day

Low Sodium=140mg or less per serving day

How to Bake Healthy Potato Chips

 By Constantinos K Costa 

It is impossible to stop with eating just one. Potato chips are a very popular snack all over the world and I don't think there will hardly be anybody who does not love eating them. With so many flavors, shapes and sizes, there's a chip for everyone's appetite.

The History

In 1853 in a diner in New York, it is said that a customer ordered fried potatoes with his meal but then sent the meal back, complaining that the fried potatoes were not crispy enough. The chef at the restaurant Mr. George Crum was furious with the complaint, so he sliced the potatoes paper thin, salted them heavily and then refried them. The chips were served as a menu item from that day on, and with their massive popularity, other restaurant owners were adding sliced potato chips on their menus.

However it was William Tappendon from Ohio who took the potato chip out of the restaurants and into the grocery stores. He turned his barn into the world's first chip factory, selling potato chips to the local groceries. In the 1920s, saw the birth of three companies that played a major role in the potato chip industry as we know it today. The three companies were "Lay's Brand Potato Chips" founded by Herman Lay, "Utz Quality Foods" founded by Bill and Sallie Utz, and "Wise Delicatessen Company" founded by Earl Wise, Sr.

Healthy Oven Baked Chips

There is only one problem with the normal potato chips we find in our local grocery store - calories! What if there was a way you can make your own potato chips at the comfort of your home, and they were healthier with a lot less calories, than your regular potato chips? Here you go...

The recipe

• Scrub your potatoes under warm running water to remove all dirt from the skin. You can peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler or you can leave the peel on if you prefer skin-on style chips (I suggest you try both and see what you like). 

• Slice the potatoes thinly using a knife or preferably a mandolin. Try slicing to paper thin size, having in mind that the thinner the slices, the less cooking they will need. 

• Rinse the potato slices to remove any excess starch. This will reduce the overall number of calories in the chips. 

• Drain the slices with paper towel as much as possible. 

• Spray olive oil on your perforated baking pan creating a light coating. Place the potato slices in the baking pan but do not overlap. 

• Mist the potato slices lightly with olive oil by sparing on both slides. You can use tongs or chopsticks to flip the slices around. (You might want to place aluminum foil underneath your perforated pan to stop the olive oil leaking in your oven). 

• Slide the oiled chips into a 400 degree Fahrenheit (205 degree Celsius) preheated oven and let them bake for at least 5 minutes. 

• Turn your pan around in the oven, but continue to bake for the next 3-5 minutes until they are all lightly browned or until you notice that the edges start to darken. 

• When the chips are done, pull them out of the oven and season with coarse salt while they are still hot. You can additionally sprinkle a few of your favorite dried herbs and spices to customize your own baked potato chips.

8 Foods You Should Eat to Live Healthier

 By Rahul S Patgaonkar 

Living healthier begins with the food you eat. We all know we should eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, minimal prepackaged foods, avoid fast foods, and make healthy food choices overall. In addition making sure these eight foods are in your diet will help you to live healthier.

#1 Low fat milk and cheese are good sources of calcium and much more effective than taking a calcium supplement. They are also good sources of Vitamin D. It is recommended that you take in 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams of Vitamin D per day to reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. One glass of milk will provide 300 milligrams of Vitamin D. Low fat milk and cheese are excellent because you get all the benefits without all the fat.

#2 Eat plenty of broccoli sprouts. Did you know broccoli sprouts contain as much as 50 times more cancer fighting compounds than the broccoli heads do? Start enjoying these cancer causing properties today.

#3 Eat fermented foods like miso, yogurt, or sauerkraut. Studies have shown that these types of foods can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, boost immunity, improve the GI tract, and protect against yeast infections to name just a few benefits.

#4 Replace all your butter and margarine use with either olive oil or canola oil. The omega 3 fatty acids along with the unsaturated fats can help you improve your good cholesterol and reduce your bad cholesterol levels. It can also reduce your risk of heart disease.

#5 Drink six ounces of 100% orange juice every day will reduce your risk of stroke by as much as 20%. This means the type of orange juice that has no sugar added. Look for the fiber rich type if you want additional benefits.

#6 Include cinnamon in your diet for the antioxidant benefits. It does even more - it slows the rate your food is processed and so it stops blood sugar spikes that also cause crashes. Studies have shown just ½ teaspoon a day will lower your cholesterol and blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes.

#7 Eat a handful of nuts every day and reduce your risk of heart disease by as much as 35%. That's significant. Nuts are also a great source of protein.

#8 Berries should be part of your daily diet. A Finland study found that just five ounces every day will offer you a healthy heart, lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Why You Should Love Dried Mango

By Stephen Pillo Unato 

In today's world, being easily persuaded to eat a juicy and fatty burger and that slice of pizza loaded with beef, cheese and the other heavenly food choices on earth than your leafy greens for lunch is an understatement. People, even though they do not know it yet, love to live their lives on the edge. A week may go by with people not giving a care about the food that they inject inside their bodies and not realizing that they are slowly becoming a ticking time bomb with an unwritten death notice. That is why going for organic food is so important, and learning how to appreciate it will definitely impact one's life on a positive light. An example of an organic food that everyone should appreciate and love is a pack of dried mango.

These fruits are popular organic treats that are mostly coming from South East Asian countries. Given the abundance of sunlight and the right amount of moisture needed for the photosynthetic processes required in order to grow mango delicacies in these nations. However, dried mangoes have conquered not only the tropical countries, but also the places on its north and east side. If you buy dried mango whether out of interest or not, you are bound to have a wonderful snacking experience. Instead of choosing that pack of potato chips or that bowl of pretzels, go for a pack of dried mangoes. Here are some reasons why you should:

1. It has the good calories your body needs. A teeny tiny serving of 20 pieces of potato chips will cost you and your body around 147 calories with 86% calories from fat. However, one-third cup of dried mangoes, which is probably enough to entertain you for a full-length comedy movie will cost you only 160 calories with 0% calories from fat. In fact, the calories that come from mangoes come from carbohydrates that are inherent in mangoes. Snacking need not be a tortuous experience for your body. You can turn the tides around by choosing organic food options and writing it in your grocery list.

2. It has the vitamins your body needs for daily functioning. Mangoes are a rich source of vitamins A and C plus potassium and beta carotene. If you are not extremely fond of eating natural mangoes because of the pulp and the fiber that gets stuck in your teeth, dried mangoes is definitely a better option. Munching on at least 5 pieces of dried mangoes in a day can give you the vitamins and minerals you need.

3. A better snacking alternative! Again, when it comes to snacking, it has to be guilt-free while giving you the advantage for vitamins and minerals that you need in order to stay fit and healthy. If you are conscious about your weight and your daily calorie intake, substituting your fatty snacks with a pack of fruits can do a lot for your confidence and figure. Also, since it is dehydrated, you can be sure that the shelf life of a pack of these products can last long and will not be stale even after a few weeks of storing it inside your refrigerator. Go ahead, buy dried mango and enjoy its benefits.

A Look at the Health Benefits of Fruit

By Robert N. Perry 

Health Benefits of Fruit

If you paid any attention to what your mother was telling you about eating the right types of food back when you were young, you'd already have plenty of ideas about the health benefits of fruit and vegetables. Now, it's virtually guaranteed that not all that your mother told you was the truth. So which ones are really true and which ones where simply said to coax you into liking fruits and vegetables?

Here are some of the most important health benefits of fruit that you should know and be familiar with so you can truly appreciate the value if including fruits into your daily diet.

· Fruits are the richest sources of natural vitamins and minerals that you can find. Sure, you can pop in a pill or two of vitamin and mineral supplements on a daily basis but those are synthetic in nature, and you don't know how your body will react to synthetic and artificial substances. Fruits, on the other hand, can supply virtually all the vitamins and minerals that you need to ensure that your body has all the nutrients that it requires to function properly. Oranges and other citrus fruits are packed with Vitamin C while apples offer generous amounts of Vitamin A and B-complex vitamins. Different types of fruit offer different amounts of vitamins and minerals per serving and you can be confident there is no fruit in the world that is not worth your while.

· Aside from vitamins and minerals, there are many types of fruits that are known to have healthy amounts of antioxidants which can fight various types of life-threatening diseases. Cherries and berries are often at the top of the list because these are rich in antioxidants like anthocyanin and bioflavonoids. Tomatoes are packed with lycopene while pineapple boasts a class of antioxidants known as phytochemicals. All of these substances from fruits are immensely helpful in reducing one's risks towards diseases like cancer and heart disease. Given how prevalent these have become in the last few decades, the health benefits of fruit in this regard should be not ignored.

· Fruits are also some of the most beneficial food groups when it comes to getting our fair share of dietary fiber. Fiber is very important in ensuring that our digestive system continues to function effectively and efficiently. The absence of dietary fiber in one's diet can lead to all sorts of digestive problems like constipation and indigestion and in more extreme cases, can even cause colon cancers. Fruits like mango, blackberries, apples, pears and banana are some of the richest fruits when it comes to fiber content.

There is tremendous potential in the health benefits of fruits and anyone eyeing the transition to a healthier lifestyle can begin that transition by adding more fruits into their daily diets. If you are one of those who are tired with bad diets and meat-heavy meals, simply head to the supermarket nearest you, load up on fruits, eat them fresh or juice them, and you can already begin to realize how these health benefits can help transform your life.

If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of fruit including what each particular fruit has to offer, be sure and check out our larger selections of articles on the subject.

Good Foods for Liver Cleansing and Weight Loss

By Paul Malycha 

Ridding your body of toxins is an important step in promoting your well-being and in the preservation or restoration of your health. One way to do this would be to engage in a diet that will help rid your liver of the many toxins that can cause health problems in your body. Your liver can become poisoned through a variety of practices, including:

* Drinking too much alcohol. 

* Having too much caffeine. 

* Using certain medications. 

* Eating too many processed foods. 

* Drinking impure water.

Sometimes people decide to engage in a diet that helps restore their liver to its normal functioning by ridding it of these and other such toxins. They do this by "purging" themselves of the foods that cause the impurities in the liver and then slowly replacing those foods with other healthier foods and beverages. Here are some foods and beverages that are often used for a liver cleansing diet:

1. Bottled water.

Drinking purified water can aid the dieter in purging themselves from the sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, and other processed liquids that can be a detriment to the liver. Filtered water (not tap water) can be extremely helpful to the liver in aiding it to restore itself.

2. Fruits and vegetables.

Many fruits and vegetables can be incredibly helpful in aiding a cleansed liver. Foods such as grapefruit are rich in natural antioxidants and Vitamin C---two very powerful liver cleansing agents. Green tea has catechins, which is a mineral that can promote strong liver functioning. Vegetables such as spinach and mustard greens can cleanse the liver as well.

3. Garlic

Garlic has many compounds that contain sulfur. This sulfur can activate certain enzymes in the liver to help strengthen its cleansing processes.

4. Avocados

Avocados are also rich in compounds healthy for a diseased liver. Some studies have even shown that doing as little as taking one avocado a day for a month can help repair a poor liver.

Why not juice up all your Favorite Fruit and Vegetables into a power drink you can get your full daily allowance in one fruit/ smoothie drink all in one hit

Four Foods That Destroy Your Weight Loss Efforts

By Grace Denniss

If you've taken the time to set up an effective weight loss program and are all set to put in the effort necessary to see the results you're going for, you might be feeling fully in control of your destiny and ready to see the success you desire. But, little do you know that there may be some foods sneaking into your plan that shouldn't be.

If you're not careful, you could end up consuming foods that are only going to harm your progress rather than help it. Which foods are we referring to? Lets' go over four of the top foods that you might be eating that could be doing nothing but harming your weight loss efforts.

Low Fat Yogurt:

The very first food to reconsider with your diet plan is low fat yogurt. The problem with this is that often these varieties contain far too much sugar to be part of a healthy diet and will only cause your blood glucose levels to spike and then come crashing down. You'd be far better off selecting Greek yogurt, which is lower in sugar and far higher in protein to keep you satisfied until your next meal.

Cereal Bars:

The second food that might deserve to go on your 'hit-list' is the cereal bar. Cereal bars are highly refined in nature and won't provide you with much protein at all. These will not satisfy your hunger, nor will they supply your muscles with the nutrients they need to build and repair themselves. Creating your own granola bars from home-made ingredients would be far preferable.

Bran Cereal:

Speaking of cereal, if you typically start your day with a bowl of bran cereal, this too needs to be looked at. The big issue with bran cereal is the fact that most cereals contain a great deal of added sugar, which most people would never suspect from a 'bran' based food. Read the label carefully so that you don't fall for this trap. A far better alternative to start your day off with would be oatmeal instead.

Frozen Dinners:

Finally, the last food that you may need to reconsider adding to your diet plan is frozen dinners. Many people like these because of the portion control they'll offer and while it's true that they are typically lower in calories, they're also typically low in protein, low in fiber, and not full of the nutrients that your body needs. If you are going to add a frozen dinner to your menu, you might want to consider tossing in a grilled chicken breast for added protein and a handful of frozen veggies for extra fiber as well. This will help to make the meal more well-balanced and able to sustain you through your evening.