Over-hyped solution for enlarged prostate

Men, beware this new over-hyped solution for enlarged prostate

Gentleman, there’s a new enlarged prostate “solution” in town. And the sales-blitz — aimed directly at your crotch — has begun.

But this is one bandwagon you want to steer clear of. Trust me, it’s the last place you want to be when the wheels come flying off and the engine explodes.

About a year ago the FDA approved a new procedure designed to open up the flood gates for men with a weak urine flow due to enlarged prostate. The system is called prostatic urethral lift, or PUL. But your doctor has a snappier name for it: UroLift.

According to its manufacturer UroLift offers a “minimally invasive method” to treat enlarged prostate while preserving sexual function.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Well not so fast. Even a mild description of the actual UroLift procedure is guaranteed to have you squirming in your seat. A doctor guides a tiny scope through the tip of the penis, down through the urethra, and then attaches polyester implants around the prostate to draw the gland away from the urethra.

Minimally invasive? In WHOSE world?

With the pressure off, urine is now supposed to flow naturally. But for 10 percent of the guys in one trial, the procedure tanked. After putting up with the cringe-worthy procedure they STILL needed additional treatment.

And some of them may still have had one of Urolift’s supposedly “minor” side effects to look forward too: urinary urgency and the inability to control urine. Talk about jumping out of one water closet and into another!

Other side effects included burning with urination, blood in the urine and pelvic pain.

Let’s face it — the first couple thousand guys who hop up on the table and let the doc have at it are volunteering to be Urolift guinea pigs. And we won’t know for years what the long term consequences — or benefits — of this procedure will be.

But there’s one tried and true treatment that’s been proven to relieve enlarged prostate and improve urine flow. Dr. Wright has found that a simple deficiency of zinc and essential fatty acids is the culprit behind many cases of enlarged prostate.
In these cases, symptoms can be erased with diet and supplements. Other men find significant relief when the zinc and EFAs are combined with additional supplements, including vitamin E and saw palmetto.

- See more at: http://wrightnewsletter.com/2014/11/21/enlarged-prostate-procedure-a-boatload-of-trouble/#sthash.wk9VrwAI.dpuf

5 Reasons to Exercise That Aren’t Weight Loss

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T GIVE UP THE GYM

Despite conventional calorie-burning wisdom, some people appear to not lose weight when they exercise, says a new study published inThe Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In fact, some actually gain weight, and it’s not all muscle mass.

The study, by Arizona State University in Phoenix researchers, looked at 81 sedentary, overweight women who exercised three times a week for 30 minutes in a lab. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that some women lost weight while others gained weight. But when they tried to identify what was causing the differences, they couldn’t come to any conclusions. “In reality, most people do not achieve or sustain weight loss, no matter what method they try,” wrote New York Times writer Gretchen Reynolds on Wednesday.

Basically, major bummer. But there are many other reasons to exercise besides trying to shed a few pounds, and they’re equally important for your health:

1. Memory Loss: Chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances are a couple of factors that can play a part in memory loss, and exercise can help both. Exercise promotes better blood flow through the body, and the brain works better with a healthy blood supply. For example, a 2012 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease showed that people who spent time on a stationary bike had better memory recall than those who were sedentary.

2. Stress: Exercise has long been prescribed as a way to burn off steam and relax. It’s even recommended as a way to fight depression. How? Exercise keeps the brain occupied, and keeps the stress hormone cortisol in check which can lower symptoms for anxiety and restlessness, according to The Exercise Cure, by sports medicine physician Dr. Jordan Metzl. After a rough day at work or before a big exam or interview, even just a walk around the block can ease nerves.

3. Fatigue: It may sound counterintuitive, but working out can actually make you less tired than skipping the gym. A 2007 University of Georgia study showed that sedentary people could lower their fatigue by 65% if they started engaging in regular low intensity exercise. Increasing energy through exercise is also a safer and cheaper alternative to turning to quick fixes like energy drinks.

4. Cardiovascular disease: Getting regular exercise does the heart some good. In a 2012 study, researchers found that people who partook in moderate intensity exercise like brisk walking compared to leisurely walking reduced their chances of developing risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. The effect might be related to exercise’s benefits on lowering inflammation in the body.

5. Lower back pain: Back pain is a very common ailment, and studies have shown that the right kind of exercises like strength training can lower pain. Exercise is also one of the simplest ways to protect your body from future injuries.

By Alexandra Sifferlin

The Six Benefits Of Eating Oatmeal

Eating a bowl of oatmeal each morning is the perfect way to start your day off right. This article will explain the six benefits of eating oatmeal and ways to make it taste delicious.
First off, the oatmeal discussed here is not the instant kind that comes in the different flavors- these are full of sugar. The real stuff is the plain oat flakes from Quaker Oats or a similar brand.




The benefits of oatmeal are due to the fact that it's made from oats and oats are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

According to the American Cancer Society:

1. Insoluble fiber's cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.

2. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.

3. Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch. This may be beneficial to diabetics because, when you slow down the digestion of starch, you avoid the sharp rises in your blood sugar level that usually occurs following a meal.

4. It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.

5. The phytochemicals in oat may also have cancer-fighting properties.

6. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

The difference between insoluble and soluble fiber, besides the foods that they come from, is what they do in your body.

Insoluble fiber's main role is that it makes stools heavier and speeds their passage through the gut, relieving constipation. Soluble fiber breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to high cholesterol, thus reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.

Oatmeal has a pretty bland taste which makes it hard for the average person to consume every morning. Here are ways you can make it taste better.

1. Make the oatmeal with milk instead of water. This will also add calcium and more protein.

2. Add Ste-via powder to the oatmeal. It will naturally sweeten up the taste without adding sugar.

3. Stir in your favorite-flavored protein powder to it after it's been cooked. This gives the oatmeal a pretty good taste plus it adds protein. Combine this with using milk and you'll have a meal that is high in fiber, calcium and protein!

4. Add fruit such as blueberries to the oatmeal.

You should aim to eat roughly 1 cooked cup of oatmeal each morning for optimal health benefits. And play around with the above preparation suggestions until you find a taste that you fall in love with.

Your heart and body will thank you for it!

Ice, or Not to Ice

Things are changing with respect to the use of cryotherapy in acute injuries, and the way we use ice in physiotherapy practice. There has been some very good research done over the past decade or so indicating that RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), or PRICE (protection,Ice, Compression, Elevation) may not be as effective as we once thought in the acute stage of injury. There have been several articles published that help explain the move away from significant cooling.

The use of ice in the treatment of acute soft-tissue injury

Ice and modern sports physiotherapy: still cool?

PRICE needs updating, should we call the POLICE?

The method of application of cryotherapy may also play a role. In one article, an intermittent application of cryotherapy (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, then 10 minutes on again – then left off for 2 hours. When compared to the 20 minutes on, 2 hours off regime, the intermittent application group had less pain on activity than the continuous group. Also, some suggest that cooling with elevation and compression (i.e. with a cryocuff-type device) may be better than colder crushed ice application.

The use of cryotherapy for pain control can still be effective – if the primary goal is to reduce pain. However the application need not be too long – 5 to 10 minutes is often sufficient to decrease acute pain.

Many of us were taught that ice was the best thing to use in acute injury, and that many still hold that belief. However there is enough evidence today to suggest we move cautiously away from significant cooling, to more moderate cooling, at the most appropriate time, and using the most appropriate methods.

Osteoporosis! Seven, must-have nutrients to keep your bones strong!

When it comes to the debilitating disease, osteoporosis (porous bones), many individuals are advised to take vitamin D and high doses of calcium. As one who had to diagnose issues with commercial aircraft avionics and ground based radar systems, I was trained to consider every link in the chain. With this in mind let us consider a few additional links in the chain for bone health.

- Magnesium activates vitamin D to absorb calcium. It is also one of the building blocks for bone structure and density.
- Vitamin D gives you the ability to absorb large amounts of calcium.
- Calcium is a core building block for bones, teeth, and other tissues.
- Vitamin K2 activates proteins that bind calcium to your bones, and protects your arteries from hardening due to calcium buildup.
- Potassium is directly associated with bone mineral density, yet most people consume less than half of their daily requirement. You need roughly 4000 mg every day. If you drink a lot of water and/or exercise intensely, you need even more (low sodium V8 and coconut water are packed with potassium).
- Zinc has a restorative effect on bone loss and increases bone mass.
- Taurine enhances bone tissue formation and retards bone loss.

Give your body the raw materials it needs to keep you healthy and strong for decades to come.

5 Common Food Labels and What They Mean

I’ve been at this for over 5 years now, and even I still get confused about what food labels mean!  And I have to wonder sometimes too – are they true?

So I did some research to find out for myself if all-natural, organic and calorie-free mean what they claim.  The now age-old debate over gluten rages on, but I explored that label too plus I threw in whole grain for the non gluten-free folks.

All-Natural: This term does not mean free of artificial ingredients, healthy or made without GMO’s.  Surprised?  So was I!  You’re basically taking the company at face value when they claim to be all-natural as there are no official regulations by the FDA or Department of Agriculture for what can and cannot be labeled as such.  It’s important to read ingredients in this case, as something one company considers natural you might not, which is especially important when trying to lose weight.

Organic: Food can be made conventionally or organically, meaning it’s grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or anything else toxic.  For meat, poultry and eggs, it means no antibiotics or growth hormones are administered to the animals.  There are ongoing debates over whether organic food has any merit over non, but one thing to remember is that organic does not mean low calorie!  As always, read nutritional labels.  The USDA does regulate what organic means, and to find out more, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop.

Calorie-Free: Foods labeled calorie-free can and often times do have up to 4 calories per serving.  Zero-calorie nonstick sprays, no-calorie sweeteners, calorie-free dressings – you get my drift.  Products like these can legally claim to be calorie-free while still containing calories!  The same holds true for fat-free and sugar-free by the way. 

Gluten-Free: Gluten-free is one of the most popular terms on the market today, and with good reason considering about 75% of the population are celiac or gluten intolerant.  (I have my hand raised on this one!)  But it doesn’t necessarily mean diet-friendly like most people mistakenly think.  According to a Mintel study, 27% of gluten-free consumers eat gluten-free because they think it will help them lose weight!  When it comes to labeling though, this one’s dead on.  No gluten here.

Whole Grain: Providing you swing the other way when it comes to gluten, this category is for you!  However, the government does not have regulations in place for what defines a whole grain.  And, even if it claims to, just because a product has them doesn’t mean it has a lot of them.  To help out, the Whole Grains Council created an official packaging symbol called the Whole Grain Stamp that helps consumers find real whole grain products.  A 100% stamp indicates there’s a full serving of whole grains in each serving. 

Water an Ideal Drink to Lose Weight of Body

Water is one of the natural drinks which is boon for human being. Water is not only help in cleaning our clothes, utensils and other things but also help in cleaning our body and removing extra fats and calories from the body. People those want to lose weight without changing their diet plan can add water in their routine diet. In this article we will discuss how water helps in losing weight of the body.

• High metabolic rate is one of the main reasons through which one can lose his or her weight constantly. Unhealthy diet habit can lead to reduce metabolic rate of the body. Water helps in increasing metabolic rate of the body and removes extra fats and calories from the body.
• Water is one of the best appetite suppressant, it is good to drink a glass of water before having meal this is help you in reducing at least 75 percent calorie intake.

• Soda drinks and sweetened drinks are really responsible for obesity, it is good to replace all your sweetened drinks and soda drinks with water. You can add different flavor to your drinking water like few drops of lemon, as it help in reducing food cravings due to pectin present in lemon.
• Add a spoon of honey in a glass of luke warm water and make it first drink of the day. This will not only help in reducing weight of the body but also keep you refresh throughout the day.
• During summer it is difficult to drink normal water or warm water, and then we advise you todrink Ice cold water as it helps in burning more calories of your body by increasingmetabolic rate of your body. It will also gives you refresh feeling and keep you cool in summer season.
• It is advisable to drink at least 8 glass of water in a day normally if you are losing weight or not. To maintain your ideal weight drinking 8 glass of water in a day is preferable. If you are onweight loss program then increase the number of glass of water from 8 to at least 12 or 15 or more.
• If you are obese or over weight then you will have hunger cravings many times in a day. Whenever you feel hunger cravings drink a glass of Ice cold water or lemon water this will help in reducing your cravings of eating snacks and junk.
• Water also helps in detoxify your body by removing all wastes through urine or sweat. To check whether your body needs more water from normal quantity is to check the color of your urine. If the color of urine is dark yellow then your body needs more water than normal quantity.

Why Carb Loading Is a Bad Idea

Carb-loading is a strategy commonly used by endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, in the days leading up to a long run or race. The idea behind carb-loading is to saturate yourself with carbs so your muscles will have plenty of glycogen to use as fuel while you exercise. For instance, Runner’s World states:1

“The easiest way to achieve a simple, successful carb-load is to include carbohydrate-rich foods at every meal and snack [starting as early as five days prior to your race].

This means bread, pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes, and fruit should be mainstays. Simple sugars and refined grains… get the green light in the days leading up to the race.”

This can work well for really fit athletes who have an intense workout regimen or a race on the horizon, but even then it has the potential to backfire if done incorrectly, or if you ordinarily follow a low-carb diet.

There are some compelling reasons for professional athletes to rethink carb-loading, in part because high-fat, low-carb diets provide more long-lasting fuel and have an overall better impact on metabolism.

Meanwhile, carb loading is totally inappropriate for the vast majority of non-athletes who exercise casually, as this type of regimen could lead to weight gain, digestive issues, and even chronic disease.

The Downsides of Carb Loading

There are a couple of serious issues with the idea of carb loading the night before, or in the days leading up to, a marathon or other intense sporting event. Carbs are stored in your muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, which your body uses as fuel. Once this fuel runs out, fatigue sets in and your performance suffers.

Carb loading helps to increase your glycogen stores so that you’ll have more energy and be able to run farther before running out of fuel. However, if you’re burning carbs as your primary source of fuel, you’ll still need to refuel during a marathon.

And if you need to refuel your body in the midst of the event anyway, then your previous carb loading was, mostly, all for naught. Sport scientist Ross Tucker, PhD, told Fittish:2

“…just like you don't plan to drive all the way across the USA without filling up [your gas tank] again, you don't run the NYC marathon without planning to take any carbohydrates during the race.

And so when we have the opportunity to constantly refuel, and provide the body with carbs [in-race drinks, gels, bars], then the loading phase becomes rather more redundant/unnecessary.”

Not only is it largely unnecessary, but it can backfire too, causing you to put on extra pounds of water weight (as your body stores water with carbs). The extra weight from carb loading could easily cancel out any performance benefits, according to Tucker.

He recommends following your normal diet in the three days leading up to a race, and perhaps slightly increasing your carbs, and focusing on how to adequately refuel your body during the course of the race as your best option, but even then there are important caveats…

If You’re Fat Adapted, You Need Very Little Carb Replacement, Even During Exercise

If you’ve been following a low-carb, Paleo-style diet, or a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet like the one described in my nutrition plan, your body is probably already fat adapted.

Our ancestors were adapted to using fat as their primary fuel, but nearly all of us are now adapted to using sugar or glucose as our number one fuel source instead. One way to tell if you're fat adapted or not is to take note of how you feel when you skip a meal. If you can skip meals without getting ravenous and cranky (or craving carbs), you're likely fat-adapted.

Also if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or are taking a statin drug you most likely are not adapted to burn fat as your primary fuel.

Being able to rely more on fat for energy during exertion spares your glycogen for when you really need it. This can improve athletic performance and helps burn more body fat.

As explained by former Ironman triathlete Mark Sisson, if you can handle exercising without having to carb-load, you're probably fat-adapted. If you can work out effectively in a fasted state, you're definitely fat-adapted.

Replacing non-vegetable carbs with healthy fats, and fasting intermittently, are among the most effective ways to encourage your body to change from burning carbs to burning fat.

So for those of you already following a Paleo diet or similar, you’re likely quite efficient at burning fat for fuel and will require very little carb replacement even during intense exercise.

There is some evidence that switching to a higher-carb diet just before a race (after you’ve been on a low-carb diet) can help to “top off your tanks” to boost your performance… but this is highly individual. For many, this strategy may backfire, as the sudden carb consumption may lead to headaches, nausea, bloating, and other symptoms as well.

Many Athletes Are Ditching Carb Loading for Low-Carb, High-Fat Diets

Athletic superstars like NBA players LeBron James and Ray Allen claim to have switched to a low-carb diet with beneficial results.3 Other athletes jumping onto the high-fat, low-carb diet include Ironman triathlete Nell Stephenson, pro cyclist Dave Zabriskie, and ultra-marathoner Timothy Olson. Former Ironman triathlete Ben Greenfield is said to have followed a ketogenic diet while training for the 2013 Ironman World Championships and experienced improved stamina, stable blood sugar, better sleep, and less brain fog.4

What’s the Right Pre-Workout Nutrition?

Only when your glycogen stores are depleted will your body move to using fat as its fuel. And it’s this fat-adapted state that results in improved energy utilization and other benefits, like stem cell regeneration and tissue repair, along with decreased body fat, reduce inflammation, and increased insulin sensitivity.

If you carb load prior to exercise, you will actually be inhibiting fat burning and many of the metabolic benefits of exercise, even if it enhances your performance temporarily. For this reason, fitness expert Ori Hofmekler recommends flooding your body withstress-activated food nutrients (SAF nutrients) prior to a workout. These nutrients mimic the effects of intermittent fasting and exercise. He explains:

“Once ingested, SAF nutrients demonstrated the capacity to increase animal and human survivability. Some of these nutrients have shown to mimic the anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-aging effects of exercise and fasting on the body. The point is, food rich in those exercise-mimicking nutrients is ideal for pre-workout. Not only that it can prevent setbacks with the fat burning and healing impact of exercise, it may actually enhance that impact.

…Note that some of the most potent SAF nutrients are no longer part of our diet. These hard-to-find nutrients occur in barks, roots, pits, and peels, which we don't normally eat. However, some foods within our reach contain high levels of exercise-mimicking SAF nutrients such as phenols, caffeine, theobromine, catechins, and immune proteins and thus can potentially yield powerful synergy with physical training.”

So where are these nutrients found?

• Whey protein from grass-fed cows
• Organic black coffee
• Unsweetened cocoa
• Green tea

Exercising while in a fasted state is actually ideal (see below), but if you feel weak or nauseous while exercising on an empty stomach a high-quality whey protein shake can be an ideal pre-workout snack. A study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise demonstrated that consuming whey protein (20 grams protein/serving) 30 minutes before resistance training boosts your body's metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout.5 It appears as though the amino acids found in high-quality whey protein activate certain cellular mechanisms (mTORC-1),

This in turn promotes muscle protein synthesis, boosts thyroid, and also protects against declining testosterone levels after exercise. In practical terms, consuming 20 grams of whey protein before exercise and another serving afterward may yield the double benefit of increasing both fat burning and muscle build-up at the same time. You can play with the dose, as that is an average (depending on your weight and stature, you may need half that amount or up to 50%-75% more).

Exercising While Fasting May Be Best of All

When you exercise while fasting, it essentially forces your body to shed fat, as your body's fat burning processes are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and your SNS is activated by exercise and lack of food. The combination of fasting and exercising maximizes the impact of cellular factors and catalysts (cyclic AMP and AMP Kinases), which force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy. On the other hand, eating a full meal, particularly carbohydrates, before your workout will inhibit your sympathetic nervous system and reduce the fat burning effect of your exercise.

Instead, eating lots of carbs activates your parasympathetic nervous system, (which promotes energy storage—the complete opposite of what you're aiming for). One study found, for example, that fasting before aerobic training leads to reductions in both body weight and body fat, while eating before a workout decreases only body weight.6  

Exercise and fasting together also yields acute oxidative stress, which actually benefits your muscle triggers genes and growth factors, including brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and muscle regulatory factors (MRFs), which signal brain stem cells and muscle satellite cells to convert into new neurons and new muscle cells, respectively. This means that exercise while fasting may actually help to keep your brain, neuro-motors and muscle fibers biologically young. The combined effect of both intermittent fasting and short intense exercise may go way beyond helping you to burn more fat and lose weight; it may help you to:

Turn back the biological clock in your muscle and brain	Boost growth hormone	Improve body composition
Boost cognitive function	Boost testosterone	Prevent depression

This strategy would probably not be appropriate for long endurance exercise, but for the vast majority of casual exercisers, it can be quite beneficial. One of the easiest ways to do this for most people is simply to exercise before eating breakfast, as you’ve been fasting since your dinner the night before.

Proper Sports Nutrition Is Highly Individualized

There are no one-size-fits-all nutrition requirements when it comes to physical exertion. What works best for you will depend on the type of activity, your level of fitness, your diet, and your personal goals. If your goal is to be an elite athlete who runs the fastest marathon, your nutrition requirements will obviously be very different from someone who is trying to build muscle or lose weight.

For many people, fasting prior to exercise will give you the best of both worlds, helping you to build muscle and burn fat. But again it depends on the workout. It’s not wise to start a marathon on “empty,” for instance, as your body will require massive amounts of energy (but even then, if you’re fat adapted this doesn’t mean you need to load up on bread, pasta, and other unhealthy carbs).

If you are already fat adapted and a competitive athlete, it is probably not the best idea to regularly train fasted, as it will impair the intensity of the workout and reduce some of the benefits you are seeking to gain. Another exception to fasting before exercise is if you are doing strength training. When you are fasting for 14-18 hours you typically deplete most of your glycogen stores, which makes it difficult to lift your maximum weight to failure.

Hence, if you are doing heavy lifting to failure, you may want to avoid training while fasting. In these cases it is likely helpful to consume some healthy slow-releasing starchy carbs the night before working out so your glycogen stores won't be depleted in the morning. Then, have whey protein as a pre-exercise meal to grant sufficient supply of branched-chain amino acids for optimum muscle fueling during your workout

11 proven health benefits of quinoa.

1. Quinoa is Incredibly Nutritious

Quinoa is a grain crop that is grown for its edible seeds. It is pronounced KEEN-wah.

It technically isn’t a cereal grain, but a pseudo-cereal (1).

In other words, it is basically a “seed” which is prepared and eaten similarly to a grain.

Quinoa was an important crop for the Inca Empire back in the day. They referred to it as the “mother of all grains” and believed it to be sacred.

It has been consumed for thousands of years in South America, although it only became trendy and reached “superfood status” a few years ago.

These days, you can find Quinoa and products made with it all over the world… especially in health food stores and restaurants that emphasize natural foods.

There are three main types of quinoa… white, red and black.

This is what they look like:

Here is the nutrient breakdown for 1 cup of cooked quinoa, or 185 grams (2):

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Fiber: 5 grams.
• Manganese: 58% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 28% of the RDA.
• Folate: 19% of the RDA.
• Copper: 18% of the RDA.
• Iron: 15% of the RDA.
• Zinc: 13% of the RDA.
• Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
• Over 10% of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
• Small amounts of Calcium, B3 (Niacin) and Vitamin E.

This is coming with a total of 222 calories, with 39 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fat. It also contains a small amount of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Quinoa is non-GMO, Gluten Free and usually grown organically. Even though not technically a grain, it still counts as a “whole grain” food.

NASA scientists have been looking at it as a suitable crop to be grown in outer space, mostly based on its high nutrient content, ease of use and how easy it is to grow (3).

The year 2013 was actually called “The International Year of Quinoa” by the United Nations (UN), based on its high nutrient value and potential to contribute to food security worldwide (4).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is an edible seed that has become very trendy among health conscious people. It is loaded with many important nutrients.

2. Quinoa Contains Potent Bioactive Substances Called Quercetin and Kaempferol

The health effects of real foods go way beyond the vitamins and minerals we’re all familiar with.

There are thousands of trace nutrients in there… and some of them are extremely healthy.

This includes interesting molecules called flavonoids, which are plant antioxidants that have been shown to have all sorts of beneficial effects on health.

Two flavonoids that have been particularly well studied are Quercetin andKaempferol… and they happen to be found in large amounts in Quinoa (5).

In fact, the quercetin content of quinoa is even higher than typical high-quercetin foods like cranberries (6).

These important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects… at least in animal studies (7, 8, 9, 10).

By including quinoa in your diet, you will significantly increase your total intake of these (and other) important nutrients.

Bottom Line: Quinoa contains large amounts of flavonoids, including Quercetin and Kaempferol. These are potent plant antioxidants with numerous health benefits.

3. It is Very High in Fiber… Much Higher Than Most Grains

Another important benefit of quinoa is that it is high in fiber.

One study that looked at 4 varieties of quinoa found a range of between 10 and 16 grams of fiber, per every 100 grams of uncooked quinoa (11).

This equals 17-27 grams per cup, which is very high… more than twice as high as most grains. Boiled quinoa contains much less fiber, gram for gram, because it absorbs so much water.

Unfortunately, most of the fiber is insoluble fiber, which doesn’t appear to have the same health benefits as soluble fiber.

That being said, the soluble fiber content is about 2.5 grams per cup (or 1.5 grams per 100 grams), which is still decent.

There are numerous studies showing that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness and help with weight loss (12, 13, 14).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is much higher in fiber than most grains, with one source finding 17-27 grams of fiber per cup of uncooked Quinoa.

4. Quinoa is Gluten Free and Perfect For People With Gluten Intolerance

According to a 2013 survey, about a third of people in the U.S. are currently trying to minimize or avoid gluten.

A gluten-free diet can be healthy, as long as it is based on foods that are naturally gluten free.

The problems arise when people eat “gluten free” foods made with refined starches instead.

These foods are no better than their gluten-containing counterparts, because gluten free junk food is still junk food.

Well… many researchers have been looking at quinoa as a suitable ingredient in a gluten-free diet, for people who don’t want to give up staples like breads and pasta.

Studies have shown that by using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free ingredients like refined tapioca, potato, corn and rice flour, it can dramatically increase the nutrient and antioxidant value of the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is naturally free of gluten and using it instead of typical gluten-free ingredients can increase the antioxidant and nutrient value of a gluten-free diet.

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5. Quinoa is Very High in Protein, With All The Essential Amino Acids That we Need

Protein is made out of amino acids. Some of them are termed “essential” because we can not produce them and need to get them from the diet.

If a food contains all the essential amino acids, it is seen as a “complete” protein.

The problem is that many plant foods are deficient in certain essential amino acids, such as Lysine.

However… quinoa is an exception to this, being particularly high in in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It has both moreand better protein than most grains (17).

With 8 grams of quality protein per cup of cooked quinoa (or 4.5 grams per 100 grams), quinoa is an excellent plant-based protein source for vegetarians and vegans.

Bottom Line: Quinoa is high in protein compared to most plant foods and contains all the essential amino acids that we need.

6. Quinoa Has a Low Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels.

It is known that eating foods that are high on the glycemic index can stimulate hunger and contribute to obesity (18, 19).

Such foods have also been linked to many of the chronic, Western diseases that are so common today… like diabetes and heart disease (20).

Quinoa has a glycemic index of 53, which is considered low (21).

However… it’s important to keep in mind that quinoa is still pretty high in carbs, so it is not a good choice for a low-carb diet, at least not in large amounts.

Bottom Line: The glycemic index of quinoa is around 53, which is considered low. However, it is still relatively high in carbohydrates.

7. It is High in Minerals That Most People Don’t Get Enough of, Especially Magnesium

There are many nutrients in the modern diet that people tend to be lacking in.

This is particularly true of some minerals… especially Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc and (for women) Iron.

Interestingly, quinoa is very high in all 4 minerals. It is particularly high in magnesium, with one cup having about 30% of the RDA.

The problem is that quinoa contains a substance called phytic acid, which can bind these minerals and reduce their absorption (22).

However, by soaking and/or sprouting the quinoa before cooking it, you can reducethe phytic acid content and make these minerals more bioavailable.

Quinoa is also pretty high in oxalates, which reduce the absorption of calcium and can cause problems for certain individuals with recurring kidney stones (23, 24).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is very high in minerals, but the phytic acid can partly prevent them from being absorbed. Soaking or sprouting quinoa degrades most of the phytic acid.

8. Quinoa May Have Some Major Benefits For Metabolic Health

Given the high amount of beneficial nutrients, it makes sense that quinoa could lead to improvements in metabolic health.

Although this needs to be studied more thoroughly, I did find two studies (one in humans, the other in rats) that examined the effects of quinoa on metabolic health.

The human study found that using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free breads and pastas significantly reduced blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels (25).

The rat study found that adding quinoa to a diet high in fructose almost completely inhibited the negative effects of fructose (26).

Bottom Line: Two studies, one in humans and the other in rats, show that quinoa can improve metabolic health. This includes lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels.

9. Quinoa is Loaded With Antioxidants

Quinoa also happens to be very high in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals and are believed to help fight ageing and many diseases.

One study looked at antioxidants in 10 foods… 5 cereals, 3 pseudocereals and 2 legumes.

Quinoa had the highest antioxidant content of all 10 (27).

Allowing quinoa seeds to sprout seems to increase the antioxidant content even further (28).

Bottom Line: Quinoa appears to be very high in antioxidants, which are increased even further after the seeds are sprouted.

10. Quinoa Has Several Important Characteristics That Make it a Weight Loss Friendly Food

In order to lose weight, we need to take in fewer calories than we burn.

It is known that certain properties of foods can facilitate this process… either by boosting metabolism (increasing calories out) or reducing appetite (lowering calories in).

Interestingly, quinoa has several such properties.

It is high in protein… which can both increase metabolism and reduce appetite significantly (29).

The high amount of fiber should also help to increase feelings of fullness, making us eat fewer calories overall (30).

The fact that quinoa has a low glycemic index is another important feature, but choosing such foods has been linked to reduced calorie intake (31).

Although there is currently no study that looks at the effects of quinoa on body weight, it seems intuitive that it could be a useful part of a healthy weight loss diet.

Bottom Line: Quinoa is high in fiber, protein and has a low glycemic index. These properties have all been linked to weight loss and improved health.

11. Quinoa is Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet

The last one is not a health benefit, but still incredibly important.

It is the fact that quinoa is very easy to incorporate into your diet.

It is also tasty and goes well with many foods.

Depending on the type of quinoa, it can be important to rinse it with water in order to get rid of saponins, which are found on the outer layer and can have a bitter flavor.

However, some brands have already been rinsed, so this may not be necessary.

You can buy quinoa in most health food stores and many supermarkets. It is also available on Amazon, with many reviews, testimonials and usage tips from real customers.

Quinoa can be ready to eat in as little as 15-20 minutes:

• Put 2 cups of water in a pot, turn up the heat.
• Add 1 cup of raw quinoa, with a dash of salt.
• Boil for 15-20 minutes.
• Eat.

It should now have absorbed most of the water and gotten a fluffy look. If done right, it should have a mild, nutty flavour and a satisfying crunch.

Then there are dozens of other delicious ways to use quinoa.