The Avocado Store

avocado vegetable

If you could transform into any vegetable, what would you turn into?

Personally, I'd be an avocado. They're cool, green, and they have an ENORMOUS pit.
So what about you?
Tomatoes? No. They're such veggie-posers--no one knows if they're a vegetable or a fruit.

An apple!!!!!!!!

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

avocado keeping

Can you prune an avocado tree?

Avocado trees grow huge, is there a way to prune them and keep them under 8 feet? I know we can do this with mangoes, not sure about avocado. Thanks.

Yes, it will be best time to do in the winter. After the branches are prune, you will expect to have less or sometimes none of avocados come back the following year due to the cutting. It needs time to recover their cut. Good luck.

There are several synthetic alternatives you could choose, each of which claims the same benefits as avocado butter, but have you really considered their benefits and the truth of what they claim? Do you understand the meaning of that large ingredients list? Let's digress for just a short while and discuss the vitamin and supplement industry.

Avocado - or avocado, as it is known in some countries is a result of Mexican origin very rich in oil similar to olive and canola, which also used a lot as well as previously stated in the field of health and aesthetics, is also widely used at present and pharmaceutical trade. This fruit is usually used as a vegetable in a large quantity of prepared salads gastronomic especially due to its delicate and smooth taste. It is worth mentioning that the avocado is not only rich in oil but also on other natural elements such as monounsaturated fats, minerals, fiber, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, pyridoxine and antioxidants useful for the agency to continue its functions properly.

Avocados offer numerous health and beauty benefits. Being an exotic plant, a lot of us don’t include it in our daily diet. If you thing about it, how often do you purchase oranges and how often do you purchase avocados? Majority of us don’t consume this magical fruit as much as we should! According to Chinese medicine, the avocado has the ability to build blood and yin, harmonize the liver, and lubricate the lungs as well as the intestines. Aside from the Chinese medicine benefits, this particular fruit is also high in monounsaturated fat. When we hear these words we automatically assure that the fruit is calorie laden and fattening; however, that is not the case.

The avocado got its name from the ancient Aztec word for "testicle." Maybe that's why men once thought eating avocados would boost their virility.

In earlier times, avocado pulp was used as a hair pomade to stimulate hair growth and to help heal wounds. Native Americans treated dysentery and diarrhea with its seeds. Even today, its oil can be found in many cosmetics.

About the Author:

Read About Beauty Tips Read Also About Health Benefits of Avocado and How to Hem Pants

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Benefits of Avocado

eating whole avocados

Are Avocados good for babies?

My niece is coming to stay and we have a whole heap of avocados that we need to eat. Can we mush some up for her dinner? She's 9 months old. She likes mashed banana but her mum wasn't sure whether she could have avocado or not.

An Avocado’s smooth consistency and delicious taste makes it one of the first fruits babies can enjoy. They are one of the only fruits that contain the monounsaturated fats that are essential for a child’s development.

Here's a look at healthy ways to eat to improve skin quality. You need protein, complex carbohydrates, fat and all of the nutrients that are necessary for good health. Some are simply more important than others. Let's start with fish.

In a recent study, researchers concluded that, after three months, a daily fish oil supplement improved the skin's firmness by about 10%. Fish oil is one of the best know sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Most nutritionists recommend eating fatty fish like salmon and mackerel three to five times per week.

One of the unique things about salmon is that it is a food source of vitamin D. Most foods don't contain vitamin D. Our skin synthesizes it from UV rays of sun. But, in our effort to reduce our risk of skin cancer, we often use creams that contain a sunscreen, a compound that prevents UV rays from entering the skin. As it does that, it inhibits the skin's ability to create vitamin D.

So, eating salmon on a regular basis can help prevent vitamin D deficiency and it is one of the healthy ways to eat to improve skin appearance and moisture content, because it contains the essential fatty acids that are the primary component of the skin's natural lubricants. It is also a good source of vitamin A, which is necessary to maintain the skin's health.

You might not know it, but the skin's cells and fibers are composed or protein. Salmon is a highly digestible protein source. If you don't like fish, whole eggs are complete proteins and highly nourishing. They are another of the few sources of vitamin D.

Eating complex carbohydrates like fresh fruits and vegetables are among the healthy ways to eat to improve skin for several reasons. Complex carbohydrates are converted to glucose and glucose is a component of hyaluronic acid, which helps to hold the skin's cells together. Low levels of hyaluronic acid cause sagging and dark circles under the eyes. The other components needed for the body to make hyaluronic acid are amino acids, found in protein.

Fruits rich in vitamin C are needed as a cofactor for the body to form collagen fibers. Orange vegetables like carrots contain vitamin A, which is necessary to maintain the skin's health and appearance. Avocados are a good source of vitamin E, another important nutrient for the skin. So, you see that the healthy ways to eat to improve skin quality include choosing from a variety of food groups and eating some of each every day.

Bottom line, you should wash your face and body every day with a gentle cleanser and afterwards moisturize to prevent excessive dryness. The best moisturizers are based on plant oils that will penetrate deeply and leave no greasy feeling. The worst ones contain petrolatum. Now that you know a little more about the healthy ways to eat to improve skin, you might want to learn about the common cosmetic ingredients and how they work against you.

To learn more about vitamins for healthy skin, and other incredible natural substances for natural healthy skin care, visit my website today.

About the Author:

Laurel is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products. Visit her site now to discover cutting edge, anti-aging skin care products she recommends after extensive research: http://www.beautiful-skin-site.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Discover Healthy Ways to Eat to Improve Skin

avocado scientific name

Scientific names for avocado?

I was just wondering...What's the difference between persea gratissima and persea americana?

there is no difference, they are Latin synonyms for the same avocado.
"americana", since it is native to south america
"gratissima" since it is "very, very pleasing"

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

avocado cheeseburger calories

In order to lose weight successfully, everyone knows that you have to cut out as much fat from your diet as possible... right? Actually, wrong. Believe it or not, your body actually needs certain types of fat on a regular basis in order to run correctly. The right kind of fat can do everything from keeping your brain working smoothly to supporting your immune system. Think of fat as your body's motor oil- when there isn't enough of it, things start to go wrong.

This is not to say that you should go out right now and order a double bacon cheeseburger as a health food-far from it. The key to understanding dietary fats is to learn about the different kinds of fat. First I want to start with the good fats- things the average American may actually not be getting enough of.

Let's start off with monounsaturated fats. Intake of monounsaturated fats has been scientifically proven to boost your levels of "good" cholesterol, or HDL (remember the lubrication I was talking about earlier?) and decrease your levels of "bad" cholesterol, or LDL. These good fats can be found in nuts of all kinds, avocados and many common cooking oils such as sesame oil, corn oil and peanut oil. Just make sure you do not burn the cooking oil as that can break down the fats, rendering them indigestible and potentially harmful to your body.

Next up are polyunsaturated fats. Sensing a trend here? That's right, UNsaturated fats are good for you. These fats can help strengthen your immune system, boost your thyroid and thus your metabolism, and even help you recover from your workouts faster with less soreness. They are also very good for your heart. They are found in most seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon.

Now for the bad guys. These are what most people mean when they talk about cutting fat out of their diet, or at least what they think they mean. Saturated fats are bad and trans fats are the worst of the worst as far as your body is concerned. While saturated fats can clog your arteries and lead to heart disease and stroke, trans fats have been proven to have a hand in everything from diabetes to liver problems to cancer! Saturated fats are usually found in animal products such as dairy and meat, and trans fats are a mostly man made phenomenon, showing up whenever you see the words 'partially hydrogenated oil' on an ingredients list. Don't be fooled by packaging boasting 0 trans fat per serving- The FDA allows any product with under 1 gram of trans fat per (arbitrary) serving to claim it has none.

The important thing to remember about all fats is that they are very dense in calories, so a smaller portion of something fatty may have as many calories as a portion of something with less fat. If you want to lose weight you need to count your calories, but don't leave fats out of your diet altogether- just the bad fats.

About the Author:

Learn how to lose weight and make your health a priority with Dr. Sam Bakhtiar who owns Fitness Concepts INC. Find out more at

http://www.fitconcepts.com/diamond-bar-weight-loss.html
.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Truth About Dietary Fat

In order to lose weight successfully, everyone knows that you have to cut out as much fat from your diet as possible... right? Actually, wrong. Believe it or not, your body actually needs certain types of fat on a regular basis in order to run correctly. The right kind of fat can do everything from keeping your brain working smoothly to supporting your immune system. Think of fat as your body's motor oil- when there isn't enough of it, things start to go wrong.

This is not to say that you should go out right now and order a double bacon cheeseburger as a health food-far from it. The key to understanding dietary fats is to learn about the different kinds of fat. First I want to start with the good fats- things the average American may actually not be getting enough of.

Let's start off with monounsaturated fats. Intake of monounsaturated fats has been scientifically proven to boost your levels of "good" cholesterol, or HDL (remember the lubrication I was talking about earlier?) and decrease your levels of "bad" cholesterol, or LDL. These good fats can be found in nuts of all kinds, avocados and many common cooking oils such as sesame oil, corn oil and peanut oil. Just make sure you do not burn the cooking oil as that can break down the fats, rendering them indigestible and potentially harmful to your body.

Next up are polyunsaturated fats. Sensing a trend here? That's right, UNsaturated fats are good for you. These fats can help strengthen your immune system, boost your thyroid and thus your metabolism, and even help you recover from your workouts faster with less soreness. They are also very good for your heart. They are found in most seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon.

Now for the bad guys. These are what most people mean when they talk about cutting fat out of their diet, or at least what they think they mean. Saturated fats are bad and trans fats are the worst of the worst as far as your body is concerned. While saturated fats can clog your arteries and lead to heart disease and stroke, trans fats have been proven to have a hand in everything from diabetes to liver problems to cancer! Saturated fats are usually found in animal products such as dairy and meat, and trans fats are a mostly man made phenomenon, showing up whenever you see the words 'partially hydrogenated oil' on an ingredients list. Don't be fooled by packaging boasting 0 trans fat per serving- The FDA allows any product with under 1 gram of trans fat per (arbitrary) serving to claim it has none.

The important thing to remember about all fats is that they are very dense in calories, so a smaller portion of something fatty may have as many calories as a portion of something with less fat. If you want to lose weight you need to count your calories, but don't leave fats out of your diet altogether- just the bad fats.

About the Author:

Learn how to lose weight and make your health a priority with Dr. Sam Bakhtiar who owns Fitness Concepts INC. Find out more at

http://www.fitconcepts.com/diamond-bar-weight-loss.html
.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Truth About Dietary Fat

avocado lunch

is sushi good for lunch if you are trying to loose weight?

I had some today but only 2 sushi rolls 1 with tuna and avocado (but I took out the avocado before eating it) and the other with smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese (but I took out the cream cheese before eating it).

Each order of nigiri (piece of some ingredient over a ball of rice) is about 100 calories. I'm not sure about rolls, though. =)

And by the way, smoked salmon does NOT belong in sushi. It belongs on a bagel... that's it. It is not, by any means, traditional in Japan.

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

avocado vs cholesterol

I would like to lose pounds. I would like to lose the flab on my arms. I would like to get rid of this prominent belly. I would like this cellulite on my legs vanished.

Those are the common grouses of those wanting to lose those additional fat deposits in their body. But do they really know what should what should be lost? Are they knowledgeable enough the way to correctly alter their eating habits? Do they know what food to avoid and what to consume more of? To go to the next step and stop the wishful thinking, here are some info which may help you recognize the baddie - the bad fat and how it differs from the good fat.

Which is the Villain and which is the Goodie Ol Shoe?

As discussed, there are 2 sorts of fats - good fats and bad fats. How does one distinguish one from the other?

There are 2 kinds of good fats - monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats:

Monounsaturated fats are good because they lower total cholesterol and the bad cholesterol a.k.a. LDL cholesterol. It decreases the levels of the bad cholesterol while enlarging the good cholesterol a. K. A HDL cholesterol. Good for monounsaturated fats include avocado, canola oil, olive oil and nuts such as walnuts and peanuts. Excellent news for weight conscious people, monounsaturated fats are known to help one shed pounds since it decreases body fat.

Polyunsaturated fats are the other sort of good fats. These fats are excellent for Omega-3 trans acids, which are thought to lower blood pressure, fight bad cholesterol, help stop inflammation and aid in protecting the brain and nervous system. Common sources of polyunsaturated fats include fish oil, salmon, corn, safflower, soy and sunflower oils.

There are 2 kinds of bad fats - saturated fats and trans fats:

Saturated fats are considered bad fats because they increase the levels of total blood cholesterol and the bad cholesterol. Sources of saturated fats include dairy, eggs, meat and seafood. Oils like coconut, palm and palm kernel oil are sources of this bad fat.

Trans fats are the man-mad bad fats. It is the scientists that are attempting to improve life of food who invented these bad fats. Trans fats are hydrogenated fats. These can be discovered in packed foods such as popcorn for microwave cooking, hard stick margarine and plant shortening.

For more information, go to Weight Mastery Guide for more weight loss tips.
.

About the Author:

Author Bio

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Fat Loss Good Fat vs. Bad Fat – Do You Know What You Should Really Lose?

I would like to lose pounds. I would like to lose the flab on my arms. I would like to get rid of this prominent belly. I would like this cellulite on my legs vanished.

Those are the common grouses of those wanting to lose those additional fat deposits in their body. But do they really know what should what should be lost? Are they knowledgeable enough the way to correctly alter their eating habits? Do they know what food to avoid and what to consume more of? To go to the next step and stop the wishful thinking, here are some info which may help you recognize the baddie - the bad fat and how it differs from the good fat.

Which is the Villain and which is the Goodie Ol Shoe?

As discussed, there are 2 sorts of fats - good fats and bad fats. How does one distinguish one from the other?

There are 2 kinds of good fats - monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats:

Monounsaturated fats are good because they lower total cholesterol and the bad cholesterol a.k.a. LDL cholesterol. It decreases the levels of the bad cholesterol while enlarging the good cholesterol a. K. A HDL cholesterol. Good for monounsaturated fats include avocado, canola oil, olive oil and nuts such as walnuts and peanuts. Excellent news for weight conscious people, monounsaturated fats are known to help one shed pounds since it decreases body fat.

Polyunsaturated fats are the other sort of good fats. These fats are excellent for Omega-3 trans acids, which are thought to lower blood pressure, fight bad cholesterol, help stop inflammation and aid in protecting the brain and nervous system. Common sources of polyunsaturated fats include fish oil, salmon, corn, safflower, soy and sunflower oils.

There are 2 kinds of bad fats - saturated fats and trans fats:

Saturated fats are considered bad fats because they increase the levels of total blood cholesterol and the bad cholesterol. Sources of saturated fats include dairy, eggs, meat and seafood. Oils like coconut, palm and palm kernel oil are sources of this bad fat.

Trans fats are the man-mad bad fats. It is the scientists that are attempting to improve life of food who invented these bad fats. Trans fats are hydrogenated fats. These can be discovered in packed foods such as popcorn for microwave cooking, hard stick margarine and plant shortening.

For more information, go to Weight Mastery Guide for more weight loss tips.
.

About the Author:

Author Bio

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Fat Loss Good Fat vs. Bad Fat – Do You Know What You Should Really Lose?

how to use avocado oil

What's the best oil to use for hair?

I want to start oiling my hair to minimize the frizz. It seems like there's so many types of oils out there--jojoba, coconut, avocado, safflower. Which is the best one to use for my thick hair?
Also what is the best procedure, and how often should it be done?

olive

coconut

Head Massage For Fast Hair Growth
http://hair-care-info.blogspot.com/2006/09/head-massage-for-fast-hair-growth.html

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

avocado honey face mask recipe

Dry skin is most commonly prone to wrinkles and lines as it is unable to retain moisture and the sebaceous glands cannot produce sufficient amounts of sebum. This type of skin becomes often dehydrated and needs special care by continually moisturizing it. Masks for dry skin are made of chamomile, lavender, peppermint, bananas, avocado, honey, milk, yoghurt, tomato, egg yolk, butter, strawberries etc.
Dry skin can benefit a lot from periodical use of hydrating masks. They have many moisturizing ingredients that help the skin to have more balance. They may have plant extract, essential oils, and nourishing vegetable oils or milk derivates.

To make classic facial mask at home for dry skin, take 1/2 avocado and 1/4 cup of honey. Mash together these 2 ingredients for an easy face mask. Apply to your face and leave for 5 minutes before removing with a washcloth and some trepid water. You will definitely enjoy the smell and feeling of this mask on your face. Honey and avocado are particularly rich in moisturizing properties.

Generally benefits of avocado are numerous: it is filled with monounsaturated fats, Vitamin B and E, nutrients excellent for moisturizing and rejuvenating dry or tired skin. Use this fruit in the next masks too.
First recipe: take 1 avocado and 3-4 drops of almond oil. Peel and mash avocado and add almond oil until the mass is consistent. Apply to face while massaging it gently. Let it rest for 30 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Second recipe: you need 1 avocado, 1 teaspoon of apple vinegar, 1 egg white, 3 teaspoons of olive oil. Peel and mash avocado and start adding the rest of the ingredients. Egg white should be beaten before you put it in. When the mass is done, apply to face and wash off after 20 minutes or so. This mask provides great moisture for skin, making it soft and elastic.

To prevent wrinkles, make a paste of bananas, yogurt and honey and apply it on the skin for 15-20 minutes then clean it with warm water. You’ll need 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 banana.

Refreshing tomato mask. You need 1/4 peeled and seedless tomato. Chop it. 3 teaspoons of yogurt, 1 teaspoon peeled and then grated cucumber, 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, 3 teaspoons of oatmeal (finely ground). Additional ingredients are 2 mint leaves, fresh and crushed so the essential oils run out of the leaves. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Apply on the face and leave on for about 10 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water.

Popular milk mask for face. Take 1 teaspoon powdered milk, 1 tablespoon runny honey, 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel and 2 drops essential oil and mix ingredients well. Apply to face, let sit for 15 minutes, wash off with warm water. If you want to find facial masks recipes for another types of skin, please, go to http://www.beautifulskinblog.com.

About the Author:

Carole is the author of some web-blogs in Health category. You can find more interesting and useful at Beautiful Skin Blog and Ideal Weight Blog.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Natural Facial Masks for Dry Skin

Regular facial treatments can improve skin texture, tone and overall appearance. A facial is a cosmetic treatment of the face, commonly involving a variety of skin treatments, grooming steps and deep cleansing of the face by various means including: steam, exfoliation, extraction, creams, lotions, masks, peels, and massage. As we age facial muscles weaken, and skin begins to sag. But just as gym workouts can promote the body's youthful strength and suppleness, facial exercise - based on the same principles of dynamic resistance - can strengthen facial muscles.

Facials are designed to eliminate clogged pores, blackheads, and other impurities affecting the appearance and overall health of the skin. Facial treatments incorporate a variety of grooming steps that can include the use of creams, masks, peels, steam, exfoliation, extraction, lotions, and massage.

The facial nerve is mixed nerve containing both sensory and motor components. The nerve emanates from the brain stem at the ventral part of the pontomedullary junction. The nerve enters the internal auditory meatus where the sensory part of the nerve forms the geniculate ganglion. Plastic surgeons use facial implants to improve and enhance facial contours. Frequently, these implants will help provide a more harmonious balance to your face and features so that you feel better about the way you look.

Microderm is an amazing way to exfoliate the dull top layer of skin to reveal smoother, more radiant and beautiful skin beneath. Microderm has many benefits which include; improving the texture of skin by smoothing the surface, diminishing fine lines, improving the appearance of acne scars, and encouraging breakouts to heal. It improves the skin's tone and texture by increasing your skin cell's ability to renew at the cellular level while also stimulating collagen production for firmer skin. Microderm removes dull skin and surface debris allowing the nutrients of the facial to penetrate and perform more effectively.

A facial is given by a licensed esthetician with special training in skin care. A facial usually starts around $75 at a day spa in a smaller city. Prices will be higher at destination spas, resort and hotel spas. Special masks and serums also make the price go higher.

Cucumber Facial

Peel the cucumber and run it through a blender or a food processor. Pour the cucumber pulp into a colander or strainer and force it through, catching the liquid that comes out in a bowl underneath. Combine the cucumber liquid with the lemon juice and the witch hazel. Stir it and add the beaten egg white gently. Put it on your face and leave it on for 15 to 25 minutes, then rinse off.

For oily skin, use a clay-based face mask. For dry skin, go for a hydrating gel or cream mask. Apply the mask, avoiding the areas around the eyes. Keep it on for 10-20 minutes. Rinse completely.

You can purchase a mask or make your own at home. Honey and egg whites are very good and effective standbys. For dry skin, try using a mashed banana or avocado. The herbs that work for you will depend on your specific skin qualities. Experiment with a variety of herbs until you find the ones that work best.

Foods that can enhance your appearance need to feature as many of the following as possible: antioxidants, antibacterials, fibre to clear toxins, essential fats to support skin and reduced levels of saturated fat and sugar. The sorts of foods where you'll get this kind of combination are: fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fish, pulses, nuts and seeds.

About the Author:

Rachel Broune writes articles for Homemade Facials. He also writes for Home facial Recipes and Homemade facial Masks.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Best Homemade Facial Recipes

carb avocado

Do you think I will look a little slimmer in 10 days with this low carb diet?

I am female, 5'9, 135 pounds, 21 years old. I have an event coming up in 10 days, I go to the gym and watch what I eat and I am already quite slim but just want to lose a couple of pounds or so before the event. Here's my diet plan:

i tried the low carb diet...u gotta add excercise as well

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

avocado cucumber salad dressing

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

Many of us are not disciplined enough when it comes to losing weight. We tend to give lots of excuses for not doing our exercises and not watching our diet. In the end, we go back to our old unhealthy habits and gain more weight. The most common excuse we give is a lack of time. But what we often never realise is that with an easy weight loss program, free weight loss recipes that don’t take up too much time and a little change in our mindset is all we ever need to achieve our goals.

An easy and fun exercise or weight loss program, frees up your mind from laziness and procrastination. Do an exercise you really enjoy. If you have always wanted to learn to play tennis or maybe golf. Go sign up for classes with a friend or two. Go for brisk or long walks around a beautiful park, lake or areas with nice scenery. You can also go cycling, skating or jogging around these places. Bring your MP3 player with your favourite tunes to add motivation. Whatever it is you choose to do, do it regularly and consistently to build up a healthy habit.

When it comes to dieting, learn to cook with weight loss recipes that are healthy and easy to manage. Most importantly, use some common sense. No crash diets that deprive your body of food and make you feel hungry and miserable all the time. Remember, your body needs all food types to stay healthy. Food containing proteins, fats, sugars, fibres, vitamins and minerals are essential part of your daily diet. These should be taken in moderation for every meal. To achieve that, eat a bit of everything in your meals, like fruits, vegetables and lean meat etc. Here are a couple of tasty weight loss recipes for you:

Chopped Salad with Tuna

Ingredients

1 can (6 ounces) water-packed tuna

1/3 cup chopped cucumber

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped avocado

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped radishes

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

Dressing

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To make the salad: Layer the tuna, cucumber, tomato, avocado, celery, radishes, and lettuce in a decorative glass bowl.

To make the dressing: Mix the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and pepper. Then just drizzle over the salad.

 

Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Omelette

Ingredients

2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese dash of pepper

1/2 tbsp. dried parsley

Non-stick spray oil

Instructions

Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Next, beat the egg whites until its stiff, but not dry. Beat the yolks separately until it becomes lemon colored and thick. Add the cottage cheese and pepper and beat until you get a smooth texture. Fold in the egg whites and parsley.

Place the mixture in the skillet and cook over medium heat until it becomes lightly browned on the bottom and fluffy. Do this for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then place the mixture in the oven for and heat for 15 minutes. Make a crease down the centre of the omelette with a knife and fold over. It’s ready to be served.

 

There are many other recipes available. Do a bit of research to add more recipes you can try out.

Since you have your own likes and dislikes for food and exercise, you really should choose a weight loss program, free healthy diet plan and weight loss recipes of your own. However, the above tips should help you decide and choose what is best for you. Your aim in losing weight is not just limited to achieving your goals, but also to lead a healthier lifestyle that is long-lasting.

About the Author:

Dave Lu is a health and fitness enthusiast. He is constantly researching and writing articles as well as reviews on various weight loss and health care products available in the market. You can visit his review site at Best Weight Loss and Health Care Products Review for more information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Weight Loss Program, Free Weight Loss Recipes and More…

avocado smoothie coconut milk

Would you want your child to live a healthier and well nourished life? Children, nowadays, need the most impeccable guidance from the parents to help them live a wellness lifestyle. Now is the time to help our children break the unhealthy eating patterns that lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other health problems that many are now experiencing.

A great place for parents to start is with nutrition. Your child’s health will benefit tremendously with the incorporation of Super foods to their daily eating regimen.
Super foods are nutrient rich whole foods that are mostly found in your local grocery store or health food store. You may ask, “Why are Superfoods important for a child’s diet?” The answer, your child’s health now and in the future depends on it. Superfoods will give your child what they need for growth, development, adaptability and function.

The top 5 Basic Superfoods for kids to get started with are:

Almonds: Almonds are a great source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, folic acid and fiber. Almonds also contain the good fats or monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. This powerful nut neutralizes acidity in the body with its high alkalizing mineral content. Almonds help protect the heart, build bones, and prevent cancer. Almonds can be eaten as they are, made into almond milk, or added to cereal.

Apples: Apples are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They contain a soluble fiber called pectin which helps to regulate blood sugar, prevent clogging of the arteries, and cleanses the digestive system. Most of the nutrients such as Vitamin C and other antioxidant phytonutrients like Quercetin are found just below the skin. To get the full nutrient value of the apple, the whole apple with skin must be eaten. Slice up some apples for your kids to graze on throughout the day. This will also help them sustain a good level of energy for their busy and playful lives.

Avocado: Avocados are actually a fruit that is high in the good fats and contains essential minerals like potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Avocados also contain essential antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C and E. Other vitamins include Vitamin A and B-complex vitamins. This fruit when added with other fruits and vegetables help with the absorption of fat soluble nutrients. Avocados are great for healthy skin, improved muscles and nerve function, electrolyte balance, energy metabolism and immune booster. Avocados can be made into raw soups, chip dips, shakes, smoothies, and popsicles.

Bee Pollen: Bee Pollen, of all foods, contains all the needed nutrients necessary for life. They contain a great amount of B-complex vitamins such as Vitamin B-12. Bee pollen also contains several amino acids, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, and enzymes. Add this superfood to smoothies and cereal for a complete nourishing meal. It is recommended that children that are allergic to bees should stay away from this food.

Berries: Berries with its deep and luscious colors tell you immediately that they are a great source of fiber, minerals and antioxidants from phytonutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin C and E. Berries promote healthy aging, improved memory, and prevention of chronic diseases. Berries are easily incorporated into you child’s meals as snacks, in pancakes, in cereal, shakes, smoothies and home made popsicles.

Superfoods are not limited to a few foods, there are many. The rule of thumb is to slowly incorporate a variety of superfoods like fruits and vegetables into your family’s lifestyle. As your child gets older, their taste buds will continually change and improve. The creativity by the parent to find ways to keep these foods in every day meals is hard work at first and, just like any other practices, become easy and effortless. Continue to consistently teach your child the power of healthy choices in what they eat. You will see an impact not only in their health and vitality, but in their mindset. The child learns the mindset of what true nourishment is all about thanks to mommy and daddy.

Other recommendations that are the next step to the basic superfoods mentioned are cacao nibs, coconut, coconut water, gogi berries, green vegetables, and krill oil.

About the Author:

Jaena Stanley Gonzaga, Our mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle. Anything from what we put into our bodies to the products we purchase to how we invest our money to how we treat the earth has an impact on our whole being and ultimately each other. Our magnificent innate ability to heal becomes repaired and enhanced with the help of wonderful practitioners and guides. We strive to work with top practitioners to bring helpful education in form of the news, events and this informative website to assist you on your wellness journey.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Superfoods For Kids - By Dr Jaena Stanley Gonzaga

Would you want your child to live a healthier and well nourished life? Children, nowadays, need the most impeccable guidance from the parents to help them live a wellness lifestyle. Now is the time to help our children break the unhealthy eating patterns that lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other health problems that many are now experiencing.

A great place for parents to start is with nutrition. Your child’s health will benefit tremendously with the incorporation of Super foods to their daily eating regimen.
Super foods are nutrient rich whole foods that are mostly found in your local grocery store or health food store. You may ask, “Why are Superfoods important for a child’s diet?” The answer, your child’s health now and in the future depends on it. Superfoods will give your child what they need for growth, development, adaptability and function.

The top 5 Basic Superfoods for kids to get started with are:

Almonds: Almonds are a great source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, folic acid and fiber. Almonds also contain the good fats or monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. This powerful nut neutralizes acidity in the body with its high alkalizing mineral content. Almonds help protect the heart, build bones, and prevent cancer. Almonds can be eaten as they are, made into almond milk, or added to cereal.

Apples: Apples are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They contain a soluble fiber called pectin which helps to regulate blood sugar, prevent clogging of the arteries, and cleanses the digestive system. Most of the nutrients such as Vitamin C and other antioxidant phytonutrients like Quercetin are found just below the skin. To get the full nutrient value of the apple, the whole apple with skin must be eaten. Slice up some apples for your kids to graze on throughout the day. This will also help them sustain a good level of energy for their busy and playful lives.

Avocado: Avocados are actually a fruit that is high in the good fats and contains essential minerals like potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Avocados also contain essential antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C and E. Other vitamins include Vitamin A and B-complex vitamins. This fruit when added with other fruits and vegetables help with the absorption of fat soluble nutrients. Avocados are great for healthy skin, improved muscles and nerve function, electrolyte balance, energy metabolism and immune booster. Avocados can be made into raw soups, chip dips, shakes, smoothies, and popsicles.

Bee Pollen: Bee Pollen, of all foods, contains all the needed nutrients necessary for life. They contain a great amount of B-complex vitamins such as Vitamin B-12. Bee pollen also contains several amino acids, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, and enzymes. Add this superfood to smoothies and cereal for a complete nourishing meal. It is recommended that children that are allergic to bees should stay away from this food.

Berries: Berries with its deep and luscious colors tell you immediately that they are a great source of fiber, minerals and antioxidants from phytonutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin C and E. Berries promote healthy aging, improved memory, and prevention of chronic diseases. Berries are easily incorporated into you child’s meals as snacks, in pancakes, in cereal, shakes, smoothies and home made popsicles.

Superfoods are not limited to a few foods, there are many. The rule of thumb is to slowly incorporate a variety of superfoods like fruits and vegetables into your family’s lifestyle. As your child gets older, their taste buds will continually change and improve. The creativity by the parent to find ways to keep these foods in every day meals is hard work at first and, just like any other practices, become easy and effortless. Continue to consistently teach your child the power of healthy choices in what they eat. You will see an impact not only in their health and vitality, but in their mindset. The child learns the mindset of what true nourishment is all about thanks to mommy and daddy.

Other recommendations that are the next step to the basic superfoods mentioned are cacao nibs, coconut, coconut water, gogi berries, green vegetables, and krill oil.

About the Author:

Jaena Stanley Gonzaga, Our mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle. Anything from what we put into our bodies to the products we purchase to how we invest our money to how we treat the earth has an impact on our whole being and ultimately each other. Our magnificent innate ability to heal becomes repaired and enhanced with the help of wonderful practitioners and guides. We strive to work with top practitioners to bring helpful education in form of the news, events and this informative website to assist you on your wellness journey.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Superfoods For Kids - By Dr Jaena Stanley Gonzaga

avocado blue cheese dip

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

apple avocado salad

Is there a way to keep bagged salad (mixed lettuce, etc.) fresh?

I like to buy pre-made salads (mixed lettuce and herbs, no dressing) and use it in sandwiches over a few days, but it always goes bad in a day or so... any tips for keeping it fresh? Lemon juice maybe? (I know that works for avocado and apples...)

sealed in cold water wil keep it green and crisp

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.

Salads

We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:

• Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
• If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs. Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
• Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
• It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.

Examples of Salads include:

• Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
• Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
• Low carb cole slawwith chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
• Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
• Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
• Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
• Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms

Roll ups and Wraps

There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:

1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way.

Soups

Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions.

Leftovers

The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!

More Advices:

• Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Purchasing lunch foods in larger containers instead of single-serve packages costs less.  Buy yogurt and applesauce in larger containers and spoon it into a smaller container for lunch.  Buy quality bulk bin items, including fresh-ground peanut butter, nuts, dried fruits, and granola.
• Test out new lunch box recipes at home before they make it into the lunch pail.
• Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it's important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible.

About the Author:

Soccer Jersey Shop

Cactus Blog

Healthy and easy recipe for your good health

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas

are avocado pits edible

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil

benefits avocado

Is it unhealthy for me to eat avocados every day?

Sometimes I will eat 2 in one day- then go several days without.

I came across this great product for weight loss and it was excellent for me. Together with a good diet and exercise I am finally happy with my body and the way I look. You should check this product at
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Trying to loose weight is the most torrid thing any one could have been after. A well known fact is that men tend to loose weight faster than women. Makes us women wonder what wrong we women could have possibly done. And this drives us wildly towards crash diets just so that we loose weight fast. The end of it all, we starve ourselves and pitifully sometimes even get back to hogging down our food as soon as we had begun on that diet.

The answer to loosing weight does not lie in any crash diet, infact knowing what foods help you loose weight is the right direction towards loosing oodles of weight. I had discovered the power of avocado's when I decided to loose weight. Being high in monounsaturated fats, these help you with your lipids, helps in insulin and is an excellent weight loss and weight control fruit.

Now most think that avocados are full of fat and hence it will never work at helping you loose weight. Not many do know that these are infact the best weight loss foods. The fat that this fruit is so full of is good fat that is good for you which induces your body to trim off the excess body weight. Infact avocados contain mannoheptulose which is a friendly carbohydrate and good for our bodies.

This does not mean that you stuff yourself up with avocados, instead make small meals of them and enjoy the varied benefits that it brings to your body. Enjoy a new body.

About the Author:

Click Here to find out more about the exact diets that work.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Avocado Good Fats That Is An Excellent Way To Trim Off Excess Fat

calories in an average avocado

Someone please help me?!?!very very easy question?

How many calories are in 1 quarter of an average size California avocado?
And how many calories are in 1 whole average size tomato?
please dont give me links to websites with calculators...too many pop ups!!!!
Thank you sooo much!

One Whole Medium Tomato - 22 Calories.
One Whole Medium Avacado - 322 Calories

Hope I helped:)

Tip 1: Some fats are good for you! Put good fats into your diet.
These are all good for you:
Polyunsaturated fats  (cod liver oil, sesame seed, sunflower-seed oils, soy seed oil. all nuts and seeds) Monounsaturated fats are also very healthy.  (Avocado and peanut oils and especially olive oil )
Saturated fat (animal fat) All these fats are good for you, indeed they are essential to have a fit and healthy body.

Tip 2: Never starve yourself.
If you starve yourself your body will start to "eat itself" it will breakdown muscle fibres and burn them for fuel and maintenance, less muscle results in less calories burned, your body will go into a kind of survival mode to conserve energy supplies which has as stored fat. Next your metabolism will slow down until you cave in mentally and physically, and you end up gaining more fat than you had in the first place. Patience is the key

Tip 3: Goal setting.
Setting yourself realistic goals that can be a great way to motivate you and keep you going. Aim for 1-2 lbs of fat loss per week is a good average figure

Tip 4: Drink water.
Dehydration impairs your strength, endurance and mental competence. Water helps cleanse the blood of toxins released during the breakdown of fat cells. Keep well hydrated; try to consume at least 2. litres of water each day

Tip 5: Eat breakfast, this really is the most important meal of the day.
Eat a big breakfast that is sensible and low in saturated fat and sugar. Good slow burning fuel such as porridge and fruit especially bananas, and your metabolism gets to work, burning off calories for the rest of the day. It is that simple

Tip 6: Eat slowly.
Did you ever notice that thin people eat slowly? Eating at a slow steady pace is one sure fire way  that can help you take off pounds. That's because it takes the brain 20 minutes from when you start eating for it to become fully aware of the feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. The amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat. So slow down, take smaller bites and enjoy and savor your food.

Tip 7: Eat fiber.
Make sure your diet is rich in high fiber foods like; All pulses, chick peas, whole brown rice, all types of beans, bran nuts and most types of berries. Fiber  is very beneficial because it not only fills you up, it also keeps your colon healthy.

The best way to lose weight in the long term and most importantly to keep the weight off is to enjoy the diet itself. Now I know that sounds odd. How can you enjoy dieting? Well how about a revolutionary diet system and eating program that will make you lose weight without restricting your diet to low fat or low carb' foods. The "Diet Generator" that comes with this system will allow you to enter your own choice of your favorite foods from which it can create 40,000 different diet plans. you will never be bored with your diet again. You choose the foods that you want to eat, just plug in the system and the diet will be created for you. You can create as many completely unique diets as you want.
You will never have a day of boring dull diet food again.
You will be able to stay with your diet eating the foods that you like and so you will be successful at losing weight and more importantly keeping that weight off in the long term!
This is how I beat being unable to Lose Weight
This is the secret to long term weight loss

About the Author:

I have been a keen sportsman all my life and rarely tipped the scales above 154Lbs After a 10 month wait for surgery and a further 4 month period of recovery I was appalled to find that I weighed in at 190Lbs... Yes 14 months of enforced inactivity and I had put on 36Lbs!!! Now for the first time in my life I needed to lose weight!! Depite numerous diet attempts I was unable to lose weight...untill in my search I discovered something revolutionary in the diet industry.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Seven Nutrition And Weight Loss Tips

avocado good fat bad fat

All of us have probably heard that too much fat in our diets is bad for our health. However, not all fats are bad. In fact, some fat is actually acceptable for us and is required by our body for competent function. Some of the uses that fat has in our body include:

1) Helps our body in the production of hormones

2) Insulates and cushions our body and internal organs

3) Keeps our skin and hair healthy

3) Regulates our blood pressure

4) Helps to improve brain function - especially in children

5) Provides us with energy

6) Lowers bad cholesterol levels

7) Alleviate symptoms of PMS and Menopause

Lowers our risk against heart disease and other cancers

9) Helps to transport certain vitamins through our bloodstream

Understanding the differences between fats, therefore, can be helpful to understand whether the fat content in a particular food will be helpful to you or harmful.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are a rich source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids which we need but can't be made by our bodies. These fats support to lower bad cholesterol levels, ease symptoms of PMS and aid in motor coordination. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in sunflower oil, safflower oil, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, and sesame seeds.

Monounsaturated Fats

Like polyunsaturated fats, it is thought that monounsaturated oils also assist in the lowering of bad cholesterol levels. Additionally, a diet rich in monounsaturated fats have been associated with lower risks of cancer and increased longevity. Some foods that are rich in monounsaturated oils include: olive oil, Angola oil, sesame oil, avocados, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, humus, mackerel, and lean meat.

Saturated Fats

A diet high is saturated fats have been proven to raise the levels of bad cholesterol and boost the risk of heart disorder, cancer and obesity. These fats have been found in considerable quantities in such foods as: cheese, lard, cakes, chocolate, pies, pastry, cookies and meat.

Trans Fat

As bad as saturated fats are for our health, Trans fats are even worse. Trans fats are nothing more than saturated fats that have been chemically modified in the food manufacturing process. And not only do they increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the body but they also lower the splendid cholesterol levels as well. There is also a link between Trans fats and various forms of cancer and heart malady. Trans fat is sometimes listed on the food label; however is mostly found in margarine, cookies, cakes, puddings, fried foods, chocolate bars and in various fast foods.

About the Author:

Hamza is committed to promoting health and wellness. You can receive additional information at http://www.cybermedicinestore.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - What's the Contrast Between Good Fats and Bad Fats?

The word "fats" has become synonymous with "bad".  A fat free diet is considered the ideal.  Hundreds of products have fat free versions.  But fats aren't all bad.  Like any food group, there are good and bad fats.

A common mistake is to equate dietary fat with body fat.  Dietary fat is the amount of fat that you eat.  Not eating fats doesn't mean you won't "get fat".  You can get fat eating proteins and carbohydrates if you eat too much of them.  Consuming excess calories is what causes weight gain, no matter what the source. 

Another reason that fats aren't all bad is that they perform necessary functions.  They are a good source of energy. And they carry vitamins A, D, E, and K into and around the body.

Dietary fat has two categories—saturated and unsaturated.

Unsaturated fat is the "good" fat.  It reduces the risk of clogged arteries. There are two types, monosaturated and polyunsaturated. 

 

Monosaturated fat is primarily found in:

Olive, canola, and sesame oils

Avocados

Nuts, such as almonds, cashews and pistachios

Peanuts and peanut butter

Polyunsaturated fat is primarily found in:

Corn, cottonseed, and safflower oils

Sunflower seeds and oil

Soybeans and soybean oil

Tub margarine

Seafood

Saturated fat is the "bad" fat.  It contributes to clogged arteries that block blood flow, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Saturated fat is primarily found in:

Fatty meats

Full fat dairy foods, including cheese, ice cream and whole milk

Coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter—widely used in packaged foods, including milk chocolate, cookies, crackers and snack chips.

There is a third type of fat—trans fat.  Fats aren't all bad, but this one definitely is! It contributes to clogged arteries, and it's been linked to certain cancers, including breast and colorectal.

Tran fat is found primarily in packaged foods, such as:

Stick margarine

Shortening

Fast food

Cookies

Crackers

Granola bars

Microwave popcorn

Trans fat is being removed from many products, but be sure to read the ingredients of any packaged foods.

So, fats aren't all bad.  The key is to choose good fats and avoid the bad.  Some ways to do this are:

1. Use plant-based oils (olive, canola) in cooking
2. Avoid trans fats
3. Switch from butter to soft tub margarine
4. Eat at least one good source of omega-3 fats each day—found in fish, walnuts, and canola oil
5. Choose lean cuts of meat
6. Choose low-fat milk and cheese

Now that you know that fats aren't all bad, would you like to learn much more about good and bad fats, as well as the other parts of a healthy diet?  There is a plan that can help you develop a whole new healthy lifestyle. Find out more today! Click on http://finallyadietthatworks.com.

 

About the Author:

I am a life long dieter and have always tried for a fat free diet. Through recent research, I have now found that fats aren't all bad. There are good fats and bad fats. I hope this article will help others realize that fats aren't all bad.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Fats—They Aren't All Bad

how to use avocados

I love eating plain avocados, but I could use a few recipes please?

smoothies,dips, whatever.

Here are 557 for you....
http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/searchResults?searchString=avocados&site=FOOD&searchType=Recipe

Unrefined avocado oil is considered to be one of the most healthful vegetable oils one can consume. It is a multi-purpose oil that can be used for culinary purposes (it is exceptionally high in Vitamin E  as well as monounsaturated fats), suitable for dressings and sauces as well as frying, due to its high smoke point of over 490 degrees. Organic avocado oil is also an excellent “carrier” oil for other flavors; avocado carrier oil is ideal for infusion with various herbs. In addition to its suitability as a comestible, unrefined avocado oil is also excellent for use as a cosmetic and the repair of damaged skin.

Historical Background

Bulk avocado oil comes from the fruit of the same name. The scientific name of the tree from which we obtain organic avocado oil is Persea Americana. It is native to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and was apparently known to pre-Incan peoples of present-day Peru. The word avocado itself is derived from a word in the Nahuatl language, ahuacatl, which literally means “testicle.” This is most likely a reference to the shape of the fruit; among the Aztecs, avocados were believed to confer fertility and have aphrodisiac properties.

Europeans could not have known of the benefits of organic avocado oil much before 1500; the first written descriptions of the fruit dates from a Spanish geography text written about 1520, and the first English accounts were not published until over 180 years later.

Although not initially raised to obtain bulk avocado oil, the plant itself was first exported abroad in 1750, when the first avocado trees were planted in Indonesia. It arrived in Brazil about fifty years later; by the 1890s, avocado groves had been established in Rhodesia (present-day Kenya) and Australia. It was introduced in Lebanon and Palestine (present-day Israel) in 1908.

Today the plants that are the source of healthful organic avocado oil are grown primarily in Mexico. California, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.

What Is an Avocado?

Although it grows on a tree and has a pit, it is actually considered a berry; that is, the source of bulk avocado oil is a fruit produced from a single ovary which ripens into a fleshy, edible pulp surrounded by a skin. Seeds are embedded within this pulp.

Botanically, the avocado is a member of the laurel family, along with the bay tree and cinnamon. There are over a dozen types of avocados grown today; however, the most common varieties are the hass avocado, which is a black-colored fruit with a pebbled skin texture and a bulk avocado oil content of approximately 19%, and the pinkerton, which has a smooth green skin.

Unlike most types of vegetable oils which are derived from seeds, organic avocado oil is extracted from the fleshy pulp of the fruit.

More About Avocado Oil

As mentioned earlier, avocado carrier oil is fine for creating different flavored oils. Although fine for humans and other primates, organic avocado oil contains a fatty acid known as persin, which can be highly toxic to domestic animals, particularly dogs, cats and horses.

Although avocados are a perennial crop in those regions in which they are grown (they can survive temperatures down to 26 degrees Fahrenheit), organic avocado oil can be expensive as relatively little of the crop is actually pressed for oil. It does however compare quite well to olive oil for taste and body; true gourmands consider the extra cost for organic avocado oil well worth it.

About the Author:

Anne Harvester writes about-- organic avocado oil.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The Health Benefits of Unrefined Avocado Oil