Health Benefits of Ginger

1.     Ginger's warming essential oil improves circulation and blood flow, making it an ace at relieving tired muscles. Try this soak in it after a demanding workout or long run. Grate 4 tablespoons fresh ginger, and seal it in a cotton bag; place bag under running bathwater.

2.     Got bad period cramps? Try ginger tea. A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that ginger was as effective as ibuprofen for relieving painful periods. Just steep 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root in water for 15 minutes, strain, and enjoy with honey or lemon.

3.     Along the same lings, Ginger displays anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and various other muscular disorders. The chemical components of the root are instrumental in inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation.

4.     Rejuvenate your skin, Brighten skin with this body scrub: Mix 4 ounces Epsom salt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1 tablespoon chopped ginger; microwave at 15-second intervals until warm. Apply scrub all over, then rinse. The ginger gives you a healthy glow, while the lime's vitamin C smooths skin.

5.     Ginger has carminative properties (anti spasmic) and can be used to calm in upset stomach, providing relief for the relief of bloating and gas.

6.     The intake of ginger helps stimulate the secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any scratchiness I your throat.

7.     Ginger has been proven (in multiple studies) to treat feelings of nausea, particularly in the form of seasickness, morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy.

8.     Ginger contains anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal properties, and is used for the prevention of and treatment against the common cold.

9.     Ginger acts as an antihistamine and aids in the treatment of allergies.

10.   Ginger contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aiding in digestion and the prevention of cramps. The ancient Greeks used to eat ginger after a large meal in order to ease the digestion process.

11.   Due to its promotion of mucus secretion, ginger protects against the development of ulcers, unwanted holes in the lining of your stomach.

12.   Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.

13.   Ginger is often used to settle an upset stomach or treat severe stomach ailments such as dyspepsia or colic. It is frequently used today in developing countries to treat diarrhea.

Carbs are NOT your Enemy

If I see one more person pass the bread basket and announce that their on a low carb diet I'm gonna SCREAM!!! Okay, not really. But when I hear this, I hear that they are poorly informed and sharing misinformation (and what's up with talking diet when out to dinner with friends LOL).

The truth is, your body needs carbohydrates! The health benefits that come from carbohydrates are important to your survival. Let's learn about them.

1. Energy. Plainly said, carbohydrates provide your body with the energy it needs to function. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose. Glucose is a sugar that is used by your body for energy. When you consume carbohydrates such as: whole grain cereals and breads, fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts, you are providing your body with an unprocessed form of carbohydrates.

These carbohydrates are then broken down into glucose and are transported in your bloodstream to your cells to provide your body with energy.

2. Fiber. Unprocessed carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables are loaded with fiber.

Fiber is necessary for your body and has many health benefits. Foods that are high in fiber help you stay full longer. Therefore, you will not eat as much and you will carry less body fat. Fiber also promotes regular bowel movements so that you are not constipated. Fiber helps your body absorb the nutrients that are found in your food, providing you with the vitamins and minerals that you need to support a strong immune system.

 

3. Stability of blood sugar levels and insulin. The carbohydrates that you eat from your fruit, vegetables and whole grains break down during digestion. The glucose, or sugar, that comes from these carbohydrates is used for energy. If you eat too many processed carbohydrates, such as: white bread, cereals, rice and pasta, your body will try to get rid of the extra sugars by releasing insulin from your pancreas.

 

If you have excess sugar, your body will be unable to process it and it will be deposited as extra fat on your body.

 

By avoiding products containing white flour and focusing on whole grain, fruits and vegetables, your body will be able to digest these carbohydrates slowly, thus stabilizing your blood sugar and insulin levels. This means that you will have an even amount of energy and no extra sugar to be deposited as fat on your body (provided you eat a proper serving size).

As you can see, carbohydrates are a necessary food for your body to survive and to maintain proper heath. The benefits of carbohydrates such as: increased energy, a good source of fiber and the stabilizing of your blood sugar and insulin levels make good, healthy carbohydrates an essential part of your diet.

Try these five quick tips for adding good carbs to your diet:

1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like steel cut oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.
2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Look for bread that lists as the first ingredient whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain —and even better, one that is made with only whole grains, such as 100 percent whole wheat bread.

3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner.

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice. Looking for juice alternatives. Eat the fruit, don't drink the fruit

5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates  as well as a great source of protein.

Health Benefits of Pistachios

As part of my mid-afternoon snack, I HEART these little cuties!I personally include about 10-12 to my home gathered trail mix.

They Offer so Much HEALTHY Goodness

Pistachios have plenty of monounsaturated fatty acids which help in reducing LDL or bad cholesterol and increasing HDL or good cholesterol. These nuts are rich in phytosterols, which prevents the absorption of bad fats to the heart. Pistachio is rich in anti-oxidants which are useful in removing toxic free radicals that cause cancer in the body. Being good sources of protein and food fiber that help in reducing food cravings, pistachios also help in reducing weight. Pistachio nutrition helps in regulating blood pressure, heart rate, and also helps in preventing diabetes. In addition, the nut is a good source of Vitamin E, which improves the immune system and reduces fatigue.

Calories in Pistachios - Making Them Count

The regular calories in pistachios is 160 for one ounce serving. One ounce serving typically has about 50 kernels. There is no difference in calorie count of salted and unsalted pistachios as added salt only results in more sodium and not calories. Calories in pistachios are lesser than many other nuts like cashews, peanut, almond, hazel nut, etc. Those who want to lose weight are recommended to eat pistachios due to their low calorie count and high fiber content. Also, studies show that when a person eats a nut like pistachio, which needs to be shelled, they eat lesser quantity because the rate of eating slows down, giving ample time for the brain to receive the message that the stomach is full.

Benefits of Pistachios - For the Body

There are many benefits of pistachios. Apart from being good for the heart, pistachios are rich in protein, which helps in repairing cell damage and creating new cells in the body. Eating pistachios reduces the risk of developing macular degeneration, which leads to blindness in old age. Due to their many advantages, it is recommended that about 30 pistachio nuts should be eaten four times a week. Pistachios can be eaten raw as a snack or can be chopped and added to yogurt, muffins, cream cheese, waffles and pancakes.

 

Top Ten Weight Loss Foods for Women

Note. I use the word "diet" in terms of healthy eating life style. NOT in terms of a short term goal <- These "diets" don't work.

Calories can add up quickly. So it matters which foods you select on a low calorie diet. Choose wisely and you will not only achieve a calorie deficit for weight loss but you can take care of your health and effectively manage your hunger at the same time.

  

Each of these foods is packed with healthy nutrients. The plant sources of food also include fiber and antioxidants. At the same time each of these foods is low fat and low calorie.

Keep in mind that fat is not bad. There are certain essential fatty acids that we need in our diet. However, the calories from fat add up fast. A gram of protein or carbohydrates has 4 calories whereas a gram of fat has 9. There are some nutritious foods that I highly recommend for your health such as nuts, avocados, and olive oil. That is another blog.

Here’s my list. Include these foods in your diet often and you will dramatically increase your chances for weight loss success.

Berries:

Nutritious and delicious, you just can’t go wrong with berries. Some of nature’s very best foods, unsweetened berries are low fat, low calorie, a great source of antioxidants and most are a good source of fiber. Some berries such as blueberries are also low sugar. Even the strictest low-carb diets such as Atkins allows blueberries after the first two weeks or so.

When purchasing berries look for organic whenever possible. Berries not organically grown may have significant and potentially harmful amounts of pesticides.

Salmon:

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids seem to play an important role in reducing inflammation and risk for heart disease. Recent research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may also improve insulin sensitivity and decrease belly fat. Stabilizing blood sugar is important because it helps to reduce food cravings.

Salmon can be low calorie, low carb, low sodium, low saturated fat, and heart healthy depending on how it is prepared. When you buy salmon look for wild salmon rather than farm-raised.

Low-fat Plain Yogurt:

Low-fat plain yogurt has a healthy mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. This kind of balance can help keep blood sugar steady, which reduces food cravings.

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and protein, which makes it a great choice for women. Getting enough calcium on a low calorie diet can be quite a challenge. Although numerous studies have suggested that the calcium in milk products promotes weight loss, the evidence remains unclear. Yogurt is a good choice regardless. If new research confirms that there is indeed a relationship between the calcium in milk products and weight loss, so much the better.

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (8 oz container) – 154 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 448 mg of calcium
Eggs:

Eggs are an excellent choice for any meal, especially breakfast. Getting enough high quality protein is particularly important for your first meal of the day.

To begin with, having a well-balanced nutritious breakfast can get you off to a good start. Balance matters for your health and satisfaction and sets a standard for eating healthy the rest of the day. Getting enough protein helps to kick-start your metabolism and keep you feeling full and satisfied longer than a high carb breakfast.

If eating eggs often does not fit with your need to be on a low-saturated fat and low-cholesterol diet, then choose an egg substitute. You’ll come out ahead because the egg substitute products made with 99 percent egg whites are high protein and lower in calories than whole eggs.

Broccoli:

Broccoli is loaded with vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of dietary fiber. In addition, broccoli provides a source of naturally occurring plant chemicals that have been linked to reducing risk for cancer overall and specifically breast cancer. Broccoli also contains lutein, which is important for healthy eyes.

1 cup chopped broccoli = 31 calories, dietary fiber = 2.4 grams
1 stalk broccoli = 51 calories, 3.9 grams dietary fiber
Beans (legumes):

Loaded with fiber, protein, and other nutrients, beans can be fantastic. Beans provide soluble fiber, which helps to stabilize blood sugar. (Are you picking up on the theme of choosing foods that keep blood sugar in line? Think healthy food sources of omega-3 fatty acids, balanced nutrition, and soluble fiber.)

Stabilizing blood sugar keeps you from overeating by managing your hunger. Preventing insulin spikes can also reduce your bodies attempt to store more calories as fat than you need especially in the abdomen.

Add beans to salads, soups, stews, salsas, and sauces. Edamame beans can be eaten plain or with a low calorie dip. Look for edamame beans in the frozen foods section at your grocery store.

Spinach:

Spinach is very low calorie and an excellent source of many important nutrients such as Vitamin K, Vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, and iron. It is also a rich source of fiber and of healthy antioxidants, the benefits of which are still being uncovered.

1/2 cup cooked spinach = 21 calories, 4.3 grams of fiber

Whole Grains:

Oats, barley, whole wheat, and quinoa are just a few examples of the healthy grains to include in your diet. Whole grains have more fiber and a complete and balanced array of nutrients just as nature intended unlike processed and fortified grain products such as white bread. Look for the 100% whole grain stamp, a symbol of approval by the Whole Grains Council for packaged foods.

Whole grain foods are a rich source of fiber both soluble and insoluble. The fiber in whole grain foods can fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied as well as stabilize blood sugar. Watch your portion sizes with whole grains. Calorie counts vary so read the nutrition label and be aware of how much you eat.
Citrus Fruits:

Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit are a good source of soluble fiber and water as well as other nutrients such as vitamin C. Once again, the soluble fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Also, eating nutritious foods with a high water content can help you fill up while keeping your calorie count down.

Picking just ten foods was difficult. Here are some of the many other excellent foods you will want to consider including in your diet:

Apples
Bell Peppers
Carrots
Pumpkin
Sweet Potatoes
Tea
Tomatoes
Turkey
Vegetable Juice
Coffee
Pomegranates

Remember, diets don't work - healthful eating does.

Clean Eating Defined and Advice + Winter Clean Eating Tips

The concept of clean eating goes way back, at least 30 years, and began with bodybuilders, weight trainers and fitness enthusiasts, but there really was no “name” ascribed to this style of eating other than “fueling the body with the right foods.”  Over the past couple of years, however, this way of eating has not only been given a name, but has become very popular due to Tosca Reno, author of the The Eat-Clean Diet book series.  Although it’s referred to by some as a “diet,” clean eating is not actually a diet in the typical sense of the word, but what is it really?  

What is clean eating?

Basically, clean eating is eating the most nutritious, healthiest foods possible while minimizing or completely eliminating junk (processed) food from your diet.  Clean eating involves consuming food in it’s most natural form (think whole foods).  There are varying “degrees” of eating clean.  There are those who eat clean 100% of the time; those who have a “cheat” meal or a cheat weekend in which processed foods are on the menu; and those who are transitioning from eating processed foods to eating healthier, more nutritious foods.

Clean eating basics

If you want to clean up your diet and make healthier food choices, you can follow these few basic principles of clean eating:

• Avoid processed foods, especially foods containing white flour and sugar
• Avoid trans fat
• Avoid colas and juices and make water your drink of choice
• Eat mini-meals ((eating every 3 to 4 hours) and practice portion control)
• Consume fresh fruits and vegetables
• Eat lean cuts of meat
• Choose whole grains when it comes to bread and pasta

When talking about clean eating is, it’s important to talk about what clean eating is not:  clean eating is not a fad diet or a diet of any type really; it is a lifestyle.  Clean eating is much more than a great way to lose weight.  Avoiding processed foods and eating a clean diet can boost overall health, increase energy, boost your mood and you may even find your skin glowing.

You may find giving up processed foods a bit difficult at first, but don’t give up! 

Here are a few things you can start doing right now to get started:

1.  Replace the bread your were using with whole-grain bread.  At first I wasn’t careful about what brand I purchased, as long as it said “whole grain.”  But as I have learned, you have to be careful and read the ingredients list because some brands contain high fructose corn syrup. 

2.  Started drinking more ice water.

3.  Go to the store and stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies.  I also cut up veggies to have ready for a quick snack.

4.  Started baking by using 1/2 whole wheat flour instead of using white flour only.  I do still use some white flour because I think using only whole wheat flour for some baked goods would be a disaster. I'm gonna get better at this.

5.  Started cooking a lot from scratch.  Seth and I also have found it to be cheaper and a whole lot healthier to cook from scratch than to buy foods that, yes, it might be more convenient to use instead of cooking from scratch, but a lot more expensive than just making it myself. Yes, we have to grocery shopping EVERY week so we have fresh food options. 

FRESH EATING DURING THE WINTER, WHAT?!

It’s so easy to get off the clean eating track if you live in an area where you cannot get fresh produce year-round.  I actually avoid “fresh” tomatoes during the winter months because I can only get tomatoes from the supermarket and they’re just not fresh tasting at all.  I found that tomatoes from the market during the winter months remind me of what I imagine cardboard tastes like.  Seth discovered this the hard way :/

So how can you stick to eating clean during the winter?  Here are a few tips:

• Eat frozen fruits and vegetables.  Studies show frozen fruits and veggies provide the same nutritional benefits as fresh.  You can use them in the same way you use fresh, and frozen produce can be used for smoothies and juicing.  There are a variety of fruits and vegetables available in frozen form, so stock up as often as possible.
• Experience what is in season during the winter.  While I consider the best tasting vegetables to be those that are available during spring and summer, there are still many vegetables considered in season during the cold, winter months.  Molly Watson, the About.com Guide to Local Food, offers up a lengthy list of winter vegetables here:  Winter Vegetables.  Print it out and take it with you on your next shopping trip.
• Learn how to can and freeze during the summer.  Yes, this takes some planning and some work, but it’s nice to have your own canned fruits and vegetables to break open during the winter months.  Canning and/or freezing your own summer produce also gives you more control over what goes into them than if you buy from the store. Seriously! Next fall I'm so gonna start this!

Sources: http://cleaneatingclub.com/clean-eating-basics/what-is-clean-eating/

10 Portion Control Tips

Again, can't stress enough that diets don't work. Life style determines long term healthful living. Here are tips on your road to healthful living. 

1. Break Leftovers Down

Instead of using one large container to store leftovers such as casseroles, side dishes, or pasta, why not separate them into individually-sized containers? That way, when you reach in the fridge to find something to reheat, you're retrieving just enough for one helping. Breaking down meal-sized servings into single servings will help you limit your food intake with no additional effort.
2. Say Yes to Salads

Eating a salad before lunch or dinner is a sure-fire way to keep from overeating. It will help curb your appetite and give you a sense of satiety sooner. Of course, we're not talking a little bit of iceberg lettuce here. To reap full portion control benefits from rabbit food, load up your salad with veggies or even lean meat like turkey cubes (for me it's veggie proteins like various nuts or beans). The fiber in the veggies will help you feel fuller and lean meat's protein will give you an instant energy boost.
3. Single out Trigger Foods

Buy snack foods in single serving sizes or we enjoy divvy up full size packages into smaller, individual bags. This AWESOME for our lunches.
It may be difficult to stop eating, oh, say, tortilla chips (My biggest weakness!) straight out of the bag while watching Desperate Housewives, but am I as likely to inhale the contents of 12 zipper bags without some forethought? Doubtful.
4. Master Mini Meals

You can make sure your blood sugar stays at an even keel and keep hunger at bay by eating healthful small meals throughout the day. A friend of mine has maintained a 30 pound weight loss for three years and is in such great shape, she became an aerobics instructor! She swears by mini meals to maintain her weight and keep her energy level up. Mini meals are by far the best way to prevent overeating because you'll get never too hungry and lose control of your portion intake.
5. Keep Seconds Out of Sight

Don't serve family meals family-style. Keep pots and dishes away from the table where it's all too easy to go for seconds. I can't tell you how many times I've rethought my second helpings as I've made my way from the table to the stovetop. I've often told myself to sit back down and wait it out. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes to feel satiated. By giving myself that "breather" I've realized I wasn't hungry enough for another helping after all.
6. Make Meat a Side Dish

Treat meat or meat-based entrees as a side dish rather than the main part of your meal. LOL, this is easy for me since I'm a vegetarian. My proteins aren't and ought not to be main dishes. 
By loading up on veggies and healthy grains as the bulk of your meal instead of using them as sides, you'll feel full sooner and get extra vitamins and fiber. Experiment with new vegetables and preparation methods to keep things interesting.
7. Meet Yourself Halfway

Make lunch a two-fer. Your mid-day meal can work double duty by being shared or serving as dinner. At work, why not split take out with a buddy? At a restaurant, pack up half of your meal before you even start eating: Voila! You have an instant dinner!
8. Be a Kid at Heart (or Tummy?)

Order a kid's size meal when you go to fast food places to automatically control portions (and save money!). Don't be embarrassed about asking for a child's meal. It's really no big deal. I've even got a trick for places that have a "12 and under sign" -- I order it to go and then plop right down in the dining room, eat my meal, and give the toy to a kid sitting nearby!
9. Serving Standards

Learn to "eyeball" standard portion sizes and stick to them when dining out or dishing up meals. Keep these tips in mind: 3 oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards or an audio tape; 1 oz. of meat is the size of a matchbook; 1 cup of potatoes, rice or pasta looks like a tennis ball.
10. Treat Yourself

And last, but not least ... indulge!

Treating yourself once in a while to a "forbidden" food will keep you from feeling deprived; a sense of deprivation can easily lead to overeating. Stop a binge before it starts by indulging every now and then. I love me some SWEETS! I never EVER EVER have no-no foods. I eat healthy so I want healthy and don't think twice when it comes to treats :)

http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/tp/aa030405a.htm

4 Scary Side Effects of Super Bowl Snacks

Not only can pizza, chips, and chili wreck your waistline—a game-day binge of high-fat, high-sugar foods can have some startling and immediate effects on your health

 Super Bowl Sunday isn’t an official holiday, but our eating habits would lead you to believe otherwise. On America’s second biggest food consumption day of the year, armchair quarterbacks chow down on 30 million pounds of snack food, according to research from the Calorie Control Council and the Snack Food Association. The average spectator will take in 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat from foods like potato chips, nachos, pretzels, and popcorn alone. Then comes the pizza, chicken wings, chili, and booze that are part of any party spread.

While it’s a no revelation that a Super Bowl food binge delivers extra calories to last you a couple of days, what’s less obvious are the frightening effects your favorite party foods can have on your health. Here’s how high-fat or high-carb foods can stick you with a head cold, a nasty case of heartburn, or even a heart attack.

1. A Cardiac Event

It takes years of eating a diet high in saturated fat—think fast food, full-fat dairy, and plenty of red meat—to generate the type of plaque buildup that would trigger a heart attack, stroke, or aneurysm. But a single day of feasting on fatty foods is still enough to alter the way your arteries function.

 

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, three to five hours after eating a 900-calorie fast food meal containing 50 g of fat, 38 healthy adults experienced a temporary decrease in artery dilation, the widening that occurs when the volume of blood increases inside the vessel (downing a big meal requires the heart to pump more blood to the stomach and intestines to aid digestion).

While the likelihood that a plate of wings or a couple slices of pizza will cause a heart attack or stroke is extremely small, individuals with existing cardiac conditions should exercise caution, says Matthew Sorrentino, MD, a preventive cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical School. When you eat a meal that’s high in fat, that fat hits the bloodstream and can slow down blood flow or force the arteries to narrow or constrict, which in theory can lead to restricted blood flow to the heart and other organs, he explains.

 

2. A Common Cold After a couple of beers, you may not think twice about what’s lurking in the salsa bowl sitting on the buffet table, but “double dipping” is a surefire way to share germs with your guests.
 

Inspired by an episode of Seinfeld in which George Costanza is confronted at a funeral reception for dipping the same chip twice, Clemson University researchers took a look at how much bacteria ended up in bowls of salsa, cheese dip, and chocolate yrup when study participants were instructed to double dip their crackers. Their study, published in the Journal of Food Safety, shows that three to six double dips transferred about 10,000 bacteria from a snacker’s mouth to the remaining dip.

When the researchers did the math, they concluded that since each cracker used in the study picked up one to two grams of dip, double dipping transfers 50 to 100 bacteria from one mouth to another with each bite, a saliva swap they compared to kissing or sharing a toothbrush.

3. Heartburn
Go overboard with eating on Sunday and you (and your employer) could be paying for it on Super Bowl Monday. According to a Harris Interactive poll, 1.5 million Americans are likely to call in sick the day after the big game—and many of them legitimately feel ill.

Aside from hangovers, heartburn and indigestion are major culprits behind work absences and likely explain why antacid sales at 7-11 stores jump 20% the day after the Super Bowl. Although heartburn is more of a nuisance than health hazard, fatty foods, spicy foods, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and lying down after eating can all trigger the unpleasant condition.

"One of the biggest causes of heartburn is eating too much at one time,” says Alyse Levine, RD, of the Los Angeles-based nutrition practice Nutritionbite “If you overfill your stomach, food comes up and pushes through the flap between the stomach and esophagus, allowing stomach acid to come up into the esophagus. Some foods, like wings, burgers, creamy dressings, and high-fat potato chips, also loosen that flap and contribute to acid reflux. Combining these foods with liquor also contributes to that physical occurrence.”

4. Lower Testosterone
There’s nothing more macho than watching the game with a beer in one hand and your favorite snack food in the other, but our society’s increasing consumption of processed foods—on game day as well as any day of the year—may be lowering levels of the male sex hormone.

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, testosterone levels have taken a population-wide plunge in recent decades. Between 1987 and 2007, levels fell at a rate of about 1 percent a year. Researchers aren’t quite sure what explains the trend, as their study controlled for obesity, which has been shown to lower testosterone levels. 


Some speculate that the food we eat may be messing with our hormone levels, as the amount of processed, sugary snack food that Americans consume has risen sharply in recent decades. The USDA reports that the consumption of added sugars, ranging from table sugar to high fructose corn syrup, increased 43 percent between the 1950s and 2000. And this doesn’t necessarily mean that our desire for desserts is in overdrive. Added sugars are hidden in many foods that are more savory than sweet, like pizza, hot dogs, tomato sauce, lunch meat, and salad dressings.


The immediate effect of a huge dose of sugar on testosterone levels is pretty intense, making some scientists curious about what years of processed food consumption does to masculinity. Research from Massachusetts General Hospital shows that a large dose of sugar in the bloodstream (high-carb snacks break down into sugars once they are consumed) immediately lowers levels of testosterone. When 74 men drank a solution that contained 75 g of pure glucose, their testosterone levels decreased by as much as 25 percent and remained lowered for two hours after consumption

 

 

http://fitbie.msn.com/eat-right/tips/4-scary-side-effects-super-bowl-snacks