If we are careful of what we eat and in what oil our food is made, we can reduce the risk of many kinds of health issues. One such cooking oil that holds benefits for us is palm oil.
Palm oil is a popular vegetable oil derived from different types of oil palms. The core varieties that are used in its production are American oil palm (Elaeis oleifera) and African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). The natural color of palm oil is reddish-orange because of its high beta-carotene content. It is also among very few naturally saturated vegetable fats.
Although palm oil is most commonly used for cooking purposes, not many people know that it is very versatile. It is also used in the manufacturing of many beauty products around the world and palm oil’s nutritional benefits are the reason it is used in the production of many edible and non-edible products.
Let’s take a look at some of the health benefits of palm oil.
Improved Energy Level
Beta-carotene has been proven to improve energy levels in a person and also boost hormonal balance.
Better Vision
In addition to boosting energy levels, beta-carotene is very significant in improving vision. Many antioxidants are present in palm oil, which provide the body with powerful defensive mechanisms. These antioxidants are byproducts of cellular metabolism and can effectively protect the body from free radicals that can lead to vision issues.
Healthier Cardiovascular System
The content of both HDL and LDL cholesterol is very high in palm oil. Although one is beneficial (HDL) and the other one is bad (LDL), palm oil can still provide a healthier balance to your body. If you ensure a healthy balance of both types of cholesterol that are needed for the body, your cardiovascular system can improve.
Cancer Prevention
Palm oil is rich in Vitamin A and E. Vitamin E contains natural antioxidants and Vitamin A contains retinol. Tocopherols are such natural antioxidants that can activate a powerful defensive mechanism in the body by producing compounds to neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can inject cancer into healthy cells, therefore, high levels of tocopherol are necessary to prevent cancer.
Prevents Vitamin Deficiency during Pregnancy
Pregnant women are often faced with complications arising due to vitamin deficiency that does not only pose threat to them but their unborn child too. Palm oil contains good quantities of Vitamin A, D, and E. Since our bodies are not capable of naturally retaining these vitamins, it is essential to consume them through our diet. If pregnant women include palm oil in their diet, they can prevent vitamin deficiencies from occurring.
Using palm oil for cooking purposes is generally considered as a good health choice due to the above-mentioned benefits. Interestingly, palm oil can also help prevent premature aging.
In our previous articles, we have discussed hypertension in great detail, with periodic mention of the right foods to eat. In this article, we will elaborate on the proper diet to follow that will help maintain good blood pressure levels.
According to the numbers furnished by the American Heart Association, more than 100 million US citizens are currently suffering from high blood pressure. Experts call the condition of high blood pressure a quiet pathway to death. Many people affected by this circulatory system irregularity don’t consider it a disease. However, it is a gateway to multiple illnesses of the heart and other organs, such as the kidneys. Stroke is also one of the possible outcomes of high blood pressure. So, treating high blood pressure as a non-issue is not a healthy move by any means.
Pressure greater than 120 over 80 and less than 140 over 90 is considered normal levels. For anything higher, you should consult your physician, but as the commercial says: “The more you know, the better we look”, you can change that to The more you know, the better you will look (or feel), so let’s assemble some facts.
It is important to mention that some of the risk factors associated with high blood pressure are not under our control. Age, genetics, family, and racial background play a key role in the prevalence of hypertension. However, aggravating this condition is surely in one’s hands. For instance, carelessness in dietary routine can make the matters worse for patients suffering from high blood pressure. Similarly, obesity and stagnant physical activity also add insult to injury.
Food to the Rescue
Here we will talk about how the right foods can help reduce your high blood pressure. As mentioned earlier, we can’t stop the process of aging. Nor do we have the capabilities to change our genetic makeup (at least not for now). Nevertheless, we can control and minimize high blood pressure through diet adjustments with the inclusion and exclusion of some food items. In this article, we will discuss some of these foods that can help in lowering high blood pressure.
Leafy Greens
Leafy Greens help reduce sodium in your body
Arterial blood pressure shoots up as sodium isbeing circulated in the blood. Therefore, try to consume foods that are not rich in sodium. With the inclusion of different leafy greens in your diet, you can get rid of excess sodium in circulation through urine.
Potassium, which is abundantly present in leafy green vegetables, actually helps in driving out extra sodium from the body. Kale, lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, arugula, and Swiss chard are some of the easily available leafy greens that you can add to your staple diet to minimize high blood pressure. Try to get fresh greens instead of the canned ones because the latter are often processed with sodium for flavor enhancement. Leafy greens also help in weight management since they only contain good nutrients.
NOTE: It should be noted that people who are on blood thinners, such as coumadin and other medications should consult their physician if it is OK to eat these vegetables.
Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries look and taste good. But more importantly, their regular use also results in lowering high blood pressure. As per research studies, the pigment (flavonoids) present in berry fruits help in normalizing blood pressure. You can easily get any of the berries all through the year. Hypertension patients who are not suffering from type-2 diabetes can add fresh berries to their daily breakfast cereals or just eat them as a natural dessert for their health benefits.
Skim Milk
Dairy products are an essential part of our staple diets. A little adjustment in their consumption can prove to be beneficial in lowering down blood pressure. Instead of using full cream milk, opt for skim milk that is low in fat and high in calcium. It has been studied that the continuous use of skim milk can reduce the chances of developing the issue of hypertension by 20 percent in the female population.
Aside from its benefits against hypertension, skim milk is good against many other physical ailments including obesity. People who can’t consume milk in its pure form can go for yogurt as an alternative.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is widely used as a standard breakfast meal. It is rich in fiber, low in sodium and fats, and thus healthy for people suffering from high blood pressure. Its good satiety value also helps individuals who are embroiled in the bad habit of excessive eating.
Seafood
There are many among us who love meat-based meals in our daily dietary routine. However, people suffering from hypertension shouldn’t go overboard with the use of red meat. Excessive use of beef and pork is strongly linked to high blood pressure. So, all those individuals who are vying to lower their blood pressure, but also don’t want to stick to a vegetarian diet can include seafood in their meals.
There are some fish meats (Salmon and mackerel) that proactively help in reducing high blood pressure because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The addition of seafood to your daily diet will fulfill your need for proteins while maintaining lower blood pressure.
Bananas
As mentioned earlier, potassium-rich foods help in offsetting the negative effects of sodium in the body. So, the addition of any potassium-rich food item can eventually help in minimizing blood pressure. They are easily available and you can eat them at any time of the day.
Garlic
Garlic is a root vegetable that is usually used as a flavor enhancer in the preparation of many meals. But some recent studies suggest that the constant use of garlic can indirectly help in reducing the condition of hypertension. Garlic contains traces of nitric oxide. Scientists have studied that the presence of nitric oxide in the body is attributed to vasodilatation. To put it in simple words, nitric oxide increases the arterial diameter which cancels out the increased value of blood pressure.
Olive Oil
Olive oil, in general, is considered a healthy substitute for palm and other cooking oil variants. In addition, the use of olive oil also results in lowering blood pressure with its polyphenol action. Polyphenols are compounds that can resist inflammatory reactions and in so doing, help in lowering blood pressure.
Besides leafy greens, berries, seafood, bananas, and garlic, unsalted seeds, and pomegranate are also known for their physiological effects in reducing blood pressure, but if you really want to remain healthy, put the brakes on the excessive use of salt and alcohol.
Wordcloud illustration of antioxidants. BigstockFree radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells if left unchecked, potentially contributing to poor health and the development of various diseases.
Overview
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells if left unchecked, contributing to poor health and the potential development of various diseases.
They are produced by your body, which naturally makes them when they turn food into energy. Free radicals also develop from environmental factors such as pollution and sunlight.
Antioxidants are the best defense against free radicals. In this article, we discuss how free radicals affect our health and how we can alleviate their harmful effects with the help of antioxidants.
What are Free Radicals?
Chemical Illustration of an atom with a missing electron, causing it to become a free radical. Photo: CC Wikipedia
Electrons, when not paired in their atomic orbits, are highly unstable. A free radical is a name given to an atom that possesses an unpaired electron, meaning a missing electron, and subsequently produces unstable cells that can damage our cell membranes.
The process by which atoms lose electrons is called oxidation,and this is not a healthy process for us humans (or any animal), and it can result in a variety of illnesses. When the free radicals are successful, they set off an oxidative chain reaction that can affect hundreds of millions of molecules and consequently, inhibits the cells that work to keep our bodies healthy.
Let’s see how free radicals operate.
Reactions of Free Radicals in Our Body
As mentioned, when free radicals are formed, they try to obtain electrons from different molecules, be it proteins, fats, cell membranes, or genetic molecules; in other words, they try to steal electrons from the atoms of the nutrients that work to keep us healthy. The removal of an electron from any such molecule changes its basic state and triggers an oxidative chain reaction. This phenomenon caused by free radicals is known as oxidative stress.
What is the Free Radical Theory of Aging?
According to the free radical theory of aging, organisms age because their biological cells accumulates oxidative damage of free radicals over time. Even though the debate on the authenticity of this theory is still ongoing, research studies have agreed on the fact that oxidative stress can lead to this degeneration.
For instance arthritis, heart problems, Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and many other health complications can be caused by the prevalence of free radicals.
According to the free radical theory of aging, if oxidative destruction caused by free radicals can be capped, then it can provide longevity to any living being.
So, have we found the fountain of youth? Most likely not, but have we found a way to keep us healthy to the point that we may live longer? Absolutely.
Sources of Free Radicals
To counter the effects of free radicals, it is imperative to know how they originate. They can be produced within the body or we get exposed to them from external sources. Whatever the case, knowing where they come from, holds the key to getting rid of them!
Internal Sources of Free Radicals
The human body needs the energy to survive and grow. This energy comes from breaking down the food that we eat into ATP molecules with the help of oxygen. This chemical reaction also produces free radicals as a byproduct.
Free radicals are also produced when the body undergoes severe stress levels or inflammation (the process by which the body moves to protect itself against harm; e.g. cutting yourself while shaving – white blood cells run to protect from the injury).
There are a host of other ways that free radicals can occur. Our job is to keep them at bay by exercising, eating the right foods, and avoiding unnecessary stress.
Sources of Free Radicals
Do you really want this kind of nicotine in your body? Photo: Pxhere
What should we stay away from? Let’s start with fried foods. Not only are they bad for your weight, but how they are cooked causes free radicals to develop.
There are lots of harmful external resources that can expose the human body to free radicals as well, as indicated below.
Industrial pollution (including chemicals and smoke)
It is practically impossible to get rid of external free radicals altogether since they are all around us, in the air we breathe and in the food and water we consume. The best practice is to try and minimize their levels in your body.
How to do this? Read on for more information.
Antioxidants: Crusaders Against Free Radicals
Antioxidant donates a missing electron to a Free radical. Now all electrons are paired. Photo: Bigstock
Antioxidants stop free radicals from inflicting damage by donating the electron they are looking for.
Like free radicals, some antioxidants are produced within the body, while others can be consumed through dietary products and supplements. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of antioxidants, but there are other foods as well.
There are several other antioxidants, which although not as vital as the ones mentioned above are also necessary for combating the negative effects of free radicals.
Lycopene
Vitamin C and E
Anthocyanins
Selenium
Polyphenols
Curcuminoids
What Foods Contain the Highest Amounts of Antioxidants?
Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to gain antioxidants. Photo: Maxpixel
Coffee has been known to contain high levels of antioxidants, but here’s a short list of some other foods that contain antioxidants:
Antioxidants are free radical killers. They reduce the formation of ions or free radicals and work towards donating an electron. Once the cell has its missing entity – the electron, the free radical is neutralized. The idea is to maintain the availability of antioxidants by eating the right foods and avoiding external resources such as smoking and alcohol.
In general, you can make sure that your body has access to antioxidants by adjusting your dietary habits around fruits and vegetables. Plant-based foods are one of the richest sources of micronutrients and antioxidants, and both of these substances are necessary to rid the body of free radicals.
Bottom Line
Cells that have missing electrons in the body are bad news. If these guys are allowed to accumulate, they can become very harmful to us. There are many ways that oxidation can occur within our bodies. But there is a hero – Antioxidants – molecules that search for and neutralize these free radicals. We can obtain antioxidants by consuming foods and drinks rich in antioxidants daily.
If we are careful of what we eat and in what oil our food is made, we can reduce the risk of many kinds of health issues. One such cooking oil that holds benefits for us is palm oil.
Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries look and taste good. But more importantly, their regular use also results in lowering high blood pressure. As per research studies, the pigment (
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