Healthy Weight Losing Diet

A healthy weight losing diet may comprise of foods with complex carbohydrate, protein, fiber with limited fat and no sugar.

To be healthy a diet should be delicious and varied — meaning it involves the appropriate amounts of all of the food groups. The diet should contain sufficient and balanced nutrients to maintain body functions but contain no ingredients that may cause health disturbance. Fat, essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids should be available in sufficient amount, while trans fat, excessive saturated fat, directly poisonous and carcinogenic substances, or contamination of human pathogens should be avoided.

Fat consumption should be kept minimum in a weight losing diet as it is very dense with calories, hence promotes weight gain. Moreover, excess calories from dietary fat will be stored as body fat more efficiently than excess calories from other sources. “Good fat” such as monounsaturated fat, or MUFA, as in olive oil and nuts, is strongly advised, or even must be added at every meal as in Flat Belly Diet. South Beach Diet still allows low in saturated-fat foods such as lean red meat, skinless chicken and reduced-fat cheeses. Sugary snacks, pastries or soft drinks, which also rich in calories, and processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages, which have too much of saturated fat and nitrates should be kept away from the diet unless available in healthier versions.

High-fiber foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are important in weight losing diet because fiber helps disposing excessive fat and improving elimination so fat absorption from our digestive tracts is limited. Lean meats and poultry, fish, peas and nuts, and fat-free or 1 percent fat dairy products are rich in protein, so you need them to maintain body functions. The closer a food is to its natural state the better it is for you. The best beverages are water, milk and 100% fruit and vegetable juices.

Some weight losing diets, such as Atkins Diet suggests low-carbohydrate consumption as it is based on the theory that overweight people eat too many carbohydrates. While others, like South Beach Diet, emphasizes the consumption of "good carbohydrates" in addition to "good fats". Low-sugar carbs -- those with a low glycaemic index, such as pasta, pulses and porridge -- slowly release sugar into the blood, provide a steady supply of energy and leave satisfied feeling for longer that dieters don't constantly feel hungry and are less likely to overeat; plus this avoid the body from become resistant to the effects of insulin with the result that it continues to burn fat efficiently. They are therefore recommended if you want to lose weight.

Losing Weight Naturally

Losing excessive weight is not only important for body images, but it may also improve health and fitness when done by eating healthy, exercising and/or taking natural weight loss supplements.

Losing weight naturally may be done by stick to a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates, high in fiber, moderate in protein, and low in fat and sugar.

Complex carbohydrate can be found in potato or whole grains. Moreover, whole grains are also the source of fiber, aside from fruit and vegetables. Protein is abundance in lean cut of meat, peas and nuts. Fat can be found many in whole milk, butter, or oil, while cookies, candies and confectioners are the source of sugar.

We should avoid fat and sugar because they are very dense with calories, hence promotes weight gain. Fat also a must not because excess calories from dietary fat will be stored as body fat more efficiently than excess calories from other sources.

Health experts say it would be better to eat every three to four hours, and healthy snacks are best to respond hunger, so nutritious low-fat snacks between lunch and dinner would make it. A slice of whole-grain toasted bread or a medium size apple will be better to overcome the urge for food outside lunch or dinner times. However skipping a meal and eat snacks instead is the worst thing you can do if you are trying to control your eating habits and weight.

Exercise is important to burn extra calories and to keep good blood circulation. Exercise also causes releasing of different chemicals into our bloodstream that give us a lift in the emotions. You may spare time for it specially or just inserting some stretching, lifting or squeezing, and do more walking and moving, better while carrying some weight, in between your daily routine. Exercising everyday for several minutes is better than a weekly - hours of heavy workout.

For some people overcoming hunger is not so simple. Scientists found that obesity was part of one's physiology. The internal functions of an obese person are different than those of a healthy person, and cause intense hunger pains and food cravings. For them natural weight loss supplements may help counteract those and lead to healthy weight loss.

Unbalanced hormones are also a common cause of weight gain, therefore natural hormone balancers and herbal supplements may help to create a healthy weight loss.

Fear, anger, anxiety and depression may affect our weight. In addition, emotional issues always accompany change, including changes in our bodies. We often tend to numb these emotional feelings by overeating. Sometimes we can take advantage of natural sleep aids, natural depression relief and natural pain relief health care products to support us through the process of natural weight loss and the emotional dynamics around it.

Losing weight naturally is a process. Hence, it would take a lot of determination, self-control, and discipline. And having the support of others in our efforts is a huge advantage.

Healthy Lifestyle: Eating Healthy, Exercising and Having Fun

A healthy lifestyle leads to both good frame of mind and good physical conditions so the stressful and fast-paced world will be much easier to cope with. The most important thing is doing everything in moderation; eating healthy, exercising, and find a healthy balance between work and play, tipped Gabriel Adams in an article about Healthy Lifestyle.

Foods are our body’s source of energy. Healthy foods will supply us with enough energy to accomplish everything we want to do, while junk foods, on the contrary, will eventually damage our body.

Eating healthy is not as complicated as it may seem. Just choose healthier options for your daily food variants. For instances, opt for skimmed or low-fat milk rather than full-creamed to add to your coffee or tea, whole grain rather than instant foods for breakfast, fiber-rich fruits rather than high calories cookies for snacks. Have meals that make your stomach full so you may eat less as the day progress. For example, have fiber-full meals like whole grain breads, protein heavy meals, like hard-boiled eggs, or have clear soups before anything else during lunches or dinners.

Exercise is also very important to live a healthy lifestyle. When you exercise you release different chemicals into your bloodstream that give you energy to start to the day or to pick you up after a bad day.

If you’re not able to manage to have special exercise time, you can do it while running around your routine. For example, stretching, lifting or squeezing can be done in the middle of your daily activities, from waking up to preparing for bed, five to ten seconds for five to ten times each. Burning calories can be done by taking stairs rather than elevator, walking up to colleagues rather than call them on the phone, stand and pace up whenever possible.

Working too much may increase your stress level, which in return may affect your health and happiness. You have to also have fun to release your stress. You can do it by enjoying your work and managing to have some time to play without neglecting your duties.

Try to do those things, and you will have a healthy lifestyle.

Benefits of Eating Raw Foods

Exclusive Summary on Articles by Randy Powell, Roxanne Vick and Jos Graf

Eating a diet predominating with raw food gives benefits. Here are some of them:

Anti aging

Raw fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain antioxidants, while unheated vegetable oil in raw nuts will supplies lots of enzymes and antioxidants. Antioxidants are needed to remove free radicals from the body before the particles can damage body cells.

Whole grains are also the source of complex carbohydrates. The sugars in the carbohydrate are converted by the body at a slow rate. The fiber from these grains can help you to quickly eliminate toxic waste from the body.

A diet abundant with raw food everyday will cleanse your body and began to normalize your body fat levels. By spending less energy on digestion, your body can detox properly and spend time repairing damaged cells. Less damaged cells and toxic wastes in our body will slow the process of aging.

Source of Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants that convert light into energy and enables them to take nutrition from the air, sun, and water, and so make them "living" raw foods. The chlorophyll pigment is almost identical to our blood pigments. The biggest difference is that the chlorophyll pigments center atom is magnesium, while our bloods center atom is iron, thus the nickname: "green blood". It is no wonder that chlorophyll has been shown to work wonders for our blood.

There are many benefits of chlorophyll, such as purification of the blood, liver, constipation and gas corrector, emphysema, abscesses of the liver and kidney, kidney stones, and it has also been shown to be an excellent topical for infections and burns. Chlorophyll contains properties that break down carbon dioxide, and release oxygen, which kills bacteria. It has even been used in deep surgical wounds. Its absence of toxicity and promotion of repair tissue/skin, and soothing qualities makes it a miracle antiseptic.

Better Nutrition

Proteins of raw foods should come from beans, nuts, and seafood. Healthy fats include olive oil and, to a lesser extent, other vegetable oils. Studies showed that cooking changes the food atom structure, for example, the magnesium atom in the center of chlorophyll is replaced with hydrogen; and chlorophyll would be absent after 20 minutes of boiling.

So the nutrition is better consumed raw.

Source of Etheric Energy

The more "live" a vegetable or fruit is, the more enhanced is its etheric energy, the life force of the plant world. However, predominantly raw food diets are met best by a healthy etheric force in the individual eating them. If one's etheric is depleted, by either a temporary or long-term ailment, lightly cooked foods are easier to assimilate. For most people a balance of raw and cooked works best.

Others

Experiments with live foods (raw, sprouted, and such) showed that graying hair can be reversed. Also, there are numerous accounts of the reversal of debilitating illnesses.

Acai Berry’s Health Benefits

Acai berry products have been claimed to have many benefits. Medical research studies reveal some acai berry’s benefits as follow:

Combats Premature Aging
Acai berries has a remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging. The ORAC value of Acai Berry is higher than any other edible berry in the world! It has 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries, and the proanthocyanidine contents in acai berries are 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins (the purple colored antioxidants) of red wine per volume. Although the French have a high fat diet, they have a low incidence of cardio vascular disease compared to the western countries due to their high consumption of red wine.

Acai also contents natural vitamin E that protects against aging.

Boots Energy
Acai is rich in carbohydrates which provide your body with the necessary energy while working or practicing any kind of sport. Acai provides an almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration, endurance, strength, sustained energy and muscle development. Theobromine in the berry acts as a bronchial dilator to help open air passage ways in the lungs. This increased air capacity helps in oxygen intake, which increases endurance, strength, and athletic performance.

Promotes Heart and Digestive Health
Acai berries possessed a synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.

Acai berries contain very high amounts of essential fatty acid & omegas (omega 3, 6 and 9) proven to lower LDL & maintain HDL cholesterol levels. The fatty acid ratio in Acai resembles that of olive oil.

They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber! Fiber promotes a healthy digestive system. Research studies suggest soluble fibers may help lower blood cholesterol, while insoluble fiber may help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers.

Acai also contain phytosterols (plant sterols) including beta-sitosterol. These complex compounds of plant cell membranes are shown to help control cholesterol as well as being used to treat symptoms associated with BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia) and act as precursors to many important substances produced by the body.

Acai is extremely rich in organic vegetable protein which does not generate cholesterol during its digestion and is easier processed and transported to your muscles than animal protein (such as in milk or meat).

Protecting Benefits

Acai’s high anthocyanins and phytosterols content helps protect connective tissues like collagen, which reduces the stress of aging on the skin. While its high antioxidant content help protect against high LDL cholesterol levels, as well as atherosclerosis, which often leads to heart attacks and strokes. The anthocyanins in Acai allow it to protect small and large blood vessels.

Acai is also known to protect the nervous system, which may help prevent age-related neurological problems. Acai has been used extensively for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and even antimutagenic (meaning that it protects your DNA) properties.

Antioxidants of Acai Berry

Antioxidants are natural chemicals that combat free radicals in our system. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules with unpaired electrons that want to oxidize, and can cause premature aging, cancer, cataracts, a weakened immune system, heart disease, and more. Free radicals enter our bodies through the food we eat and the air we breathe. They travel throughout our body and are absorbed into our tissues where they cause damage. Antioxidants play a vital role in removing free radicals from the body before they have the chance to do harm.

Antioxidants cannot be created by our bodies; just like essential fatty acids, they must come from our diet. They can be found in colorful fruits and vegetables, including: spinach, blueberries, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, red bell peppers, and acai berries.

Acai berry has an extremely high concentration of antioxidants. It has 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine. The ORAC test (developed by Baltimore scientist Dr. Guohua Cao), the accepted standard measurement for antioxidants which measured how many free radicals a food can absorb and eliminate, showed the typical person needs around 1,670 ORAC per day while a single serving of Acai provides 3,800 ORAC. To put this into perspective, over 80% of the world’s population doesn’t even get half of the recommendation.

Studies have shown that the amount of antioxidants in the blood will increase substantially within two hours of consuming acai berry, meaning that upon consumption our body almost immediately utilizes the antioxidants to begin removing dangerous free radicals. Blood and urine samples at 12 and 24 hours after acai pulp consumption showed significant increases in antioxidant activity in the blood. Both acai pulp and acai juice showed significant absorption of antioxidant anthocyanins into the blood and antioxidant effects.

Because of its high antioxidant content, acai can help protect against high LDL cholesterol levels, as well as atherosclerosis, which often leads to heart attacks and strokes. The anthocyanins in acai allow it to protect small and large blood vessels. In diabetics, weak capillaries can lead to a condition called retinopathy, which often leads to blindness.

Fresh acai berries, can be consumed with yogurt, juice, or smoothie. The pulp is sometimes served as a standalone dish. Research confirms that both pulp and juice are efficiently absorbed by the human body.

Finding fresh or even foods containing acai berries may be difficult, however, they can usually be found in health food stores. Dietary supplements containing acai berry are being distributed in more areas. If you don’t have time to prepare meals rich in antioxidants or the appetite to eat an overabundance of antioxidant rich foods you can supplement your antioxidants intake with a dietary supplement such as Lakewood Organic Acai Amazon Berry, Amazon Thunder Acai Thunder , or Organic Acai Fruit Capsules with Camu Camu.

Acai Berry’s Nutritional Content

Acai berry has a unique tropical fruit flavor and provides high level nutritional benefits. It contains high levels of antioxidants also known as anthocyanins (a particular class of flavonoids to help combat free radicals and premature aging), essential and omega (3, 6 and 9) fatty acids (proven to lower LDL & maintain HDL cholesterol levels), amino acids, dietary fiber, iron, along with many other vitamins and minerals. The proanthocyanidine contents in acai berries are 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine per volume. The ORAC value of acai berry is higher than any other edible berry in the world! The fatty acid ratio in acai resembles that of olive oil. Acai berries can help promote a healthier cardio vascular system and digestive tract, because of its synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols. Research studies suggest soluble fibers may help lower blood cholesterol, while insoluble fiber may help to reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers. The essential amino acid complex along with trace minerals in acai berry is vital for proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

Acai Berries contain plant sterols including beta-sitosterol. Today, sterols are being used to treat associated benign prostate dyperplasia. These plant sterols have also been shown to help control cholesterol as well as act as precursors to many important substances produced by the body.

Opti-acai, the powder preparation of freeze-dried acai fruit pulp and skin was reported to contain (per 100 g of extract) 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrates, including 44.2 g of fiber, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. It was also shown to contain (per 100 g): negligible vitamin C, 260 mg calcium, 4.4 mg iron, and 1002 U vitamin A, as well as aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The amino acid content was 7.59% of total dry weight.

Acai has an exceptional content of fats, including oleic acid (56.2% of total), palmitic acid (24.1% of total), and linoleic acid (12.5% of total) that harbor dense contents of polyphenols such as procyanidin oligomers and vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid which were shown to degrade substantially during storage or exposure to heat.

Natives living in the Amazon River region in Northern Brazil, have had acai berry as part of their diet for hundreds of years for its nutritional value, as well as its legendary healing and wellness powers. An Amazonian traditional recipe mixes acai fruit pulp and natural guarana seed producing caffeine like effects, which gives energy and increases mental clarity. This berry has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties and also good for cardiovascular system. The dark Brazilian berry is credited with fighting cancer and alzheimer's disease as well as helping people lose weight. The popularity of the berry is starting to spread from Brazil to the rest of the Americas.

Acai is extremely rich in organic vegetable protein which does not generate cholesterol during its digestion and is easier processed and transported to muscles than animal protein. Besides its outstanding content of protein and unsaturated lipids, acai is also rich in carbohydrates which provide our body with the necessary energy while working or practicing any kind of sport. That is why acai berry is served in most gyms, sport clubs and beaches all over Brazil.

Want to Know about Acai Berry?

Acai berry is one of the newly known tropical fruits that have attracted so many attentions nowadays. Want to know more about it? Check this out.

Acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry grows in the Amazon Rainforest on acai palm tree, a tall, slender palm with pinnate leaves. It is a member of the genus Euterpe, which is native to tropical Central and South America, growing mainly in floodplains and swamps. The genus is named after the muse Euterpe of Greek mythology, while the name acai is the European derivation of the Tupian word ïwasa'i, 'fruit that cries or expels water'.

Acai palms are fast growing, and cultivated for both their fruits and their superior hearts (the soft inner growing tip) which is often consumed in salads. Recent rapid increase in global demand for the fruits makes acai now cultivated primarily for them.

The fruit is a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch in diameter and looks like a purple grape, but with less pulp and a single large seed which makes up about 80% of the fruit. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is deep purple or green, depending on the kind of acai and its maturity; the mesocarp is pulpy and thin; the endocarp is voluminous and hard containing a seed with a diminutive embryo and abundant endosperm.

The berries are harvested as food. They make up such a major component of diet and are economically valuable in the Amazon region of Brazil. The seeds, which are a source of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, may be ground for livestock food or as a component of organic soil for plants. Planted seeds are used for new palm tree stock.

The acai berry must be carefully handled before it can be consumed. As the high fat content of acai makes it deteriorate rapidly after harvest, its raw material is generally available only as juice or fruit pulp that has been frozen or processed as a pulp powder or freeze-dried powder. Several companies now manufacture juices, health drinks, yogurts, and sorbets of acai berries. The juice and pulp of acai fruits (Euterpe oleracea) are frequently used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas, and other beverages. In northern Brazil, acai is traditionally served in gourds called cuias with tapioca and can be consumed either salty or sweet. Acai has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as acai na tigela (‘acai in the bowl’), mostly mixed with granola —in which acai is considered an energizer. Acai is also widely consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice. The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.

In recent news in the United States, the use of acai berry supplements has been promoted in weight loss diets, boosting energy and for its anti-oxidant properties. However, these supplement products have not been evaluated by the FDA and efficacy is questionable in weight loss.

Antioxidant - What is it?

Antioxidants are substances capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules that produce unstable molecules known as free radicals. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause.

Free radicals are natural by-product of normal cell processes when your body breaks down food or formed by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. They have incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than those with complete electron shells. They attack molecules by capturing electrons and thus modifying chemical structures and start chain reactions that damage cells. In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged or "radicalized" it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to diseases including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants are often described as "mopping up" free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking electrons from other molecules.

Examples of antioxidants include a number of enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases, and other substances such as beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A. They are found in many food including fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.

Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich in beta-carotene.

Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.

Selenium is a mineral, which is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. Meats, bread and Brazil nuts are also contain large quantities of selenium The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle.

Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, and also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.

Low levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells. As oxidative stress might be an important part of many human diseases, the use of antioxidants in pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as treatments for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer.

Banana's Health Benefits

Bananas are sweet, creamy fruits that have so many health benefits. Find out those benefits below excerpted from an article in whfoods.com.

Bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago, spread throughout the Philippines and India, introduced to Africa by Arabian traders and discovered there by Portuguese explorers who took them to the Americas. But not until the latter part of the 19th century were bananas brought to the United States. Today, bananas grow in most tropical and subtropical regions with the main commercial producers including Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil.

Bananas are elliptically shaped fruits, featuring a firm, creamy flesh gift-wrapped inside a thick inedible peel. The plant belongs to the family Musaceae. There are hundreds of edible varieties that fall under two distinct species: the sweet banana (Musa sapienta, Musa nana) and the plantain banana (Musa paradisiacal).

Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. Creamy, rich, and sweet, bananas are a favorite food for everyone from infants to elders. Sports enthusiasts appreciate the potassium-power delivered by this high energy fruit.

Health Benefits

Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. This mineral may also help to promote bone health by counteracting the increased urinary calcium loss caused by the high-salt diets, thus helping to prevent bones from thinning out at a fast rate. There are several other mechanisms in which bananas can help improve your body's ability to absorb calcium, hence help you building better bones.

Potassium is one of the most important electrolytes. If you suffer from diarrhea that quickly depletes your body of important electrolytes, eating bananas can replenish your stores of potassium. In addition, bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber (called a hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation.

Bananas have long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. First, substances in bananas help activate the cells that compose the stomach lining, by producing a thicker protective mucus barrier against stomach acids. Second, other compounds in bananas called protease inhibitors help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of stomach ulcers.

Banana is also important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. You can do it by simply tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of berries, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've reached this goal.

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructo-oligosaccharide, a prebiotic compound. When this compound is fermented by probiotic bacteria (bacteria producing vitamins and digestive enzymes that improve the ability to absorb nutrients, plus compounds that protect us against unfriendly microorganisms), not only do numbers of this bacteria increase, but so does the body's ability to absorb calcium. In addition, gastrointestinal transit time is lessened, decreasing the risk of colon cancer.

Some golden banana cultivars are also rich in provitamin A carotenoids, an antioxidants, which have been shown to protect against chronic disease, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Dietary factors can be related to kidney disease in a preventive way. Research published in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that regular, moderated consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, can be protective. The conclusion drawn by the researchers: routine and moderated consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer due to their especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds.