Snacks That are Healthier than You Think

We all have been told, at least at one point of time, to avoid stuff like chocolates, wine or even dairy products1 whatever the reasons may be, a few of these citations have been baseless. Especially, since now many scientific researches prove them wrong. So here is a list of snacks that are actually healthier than you think.

Chocolates

Consuming chocolate in moderate amount improves workout: perfect example and proof actuating that Nature is perfect in her magnificence! A research showed that feeding chocolate (to mice) resulted in fifty percent greater stamina and greater muscle growth. So all you need to do is keep a few bites of chocolate on hand!

Red wine

This delicious companion to scrumptious meals has long been measured comparatively fit in temperance. It includes resveratrol, which lowers cholesterol and guards the blood vessels. A study illustrates a relationship between wine and sunburn protection. Researchers found that the flavonoids in wine help protect skin cells from sun damage.

Roasted Peanuts

Stick to some roasted peanuts next time you are out in the park or just strolling down the roads. And pass over the nitrate-loaded hot dog. Studies have revealed that well roasted peanuts are higher in antioxidants. But for all you know, no study has proved parallel results for Cracker Jacks or cotton candy.

Chocolate Milk

Studies have been ballyhooing chocolate milk’s capability to build muscle and abet in workout recovery. The blend of protein, fat, carbs, and micronutrients is ideal for the body. Vitamin D helps transfer the calcium required by your body for weight loss into cells. A rese3arch showed motionless bike riders were able to pedal 49% longer after drinking chocolate milk in opposition to a sports drink.

Full-fat Cheese

When flavorful varieties of cheese are eaten mindfully, one can in fact see a decrease in appetite.The protein/fat combo in addition to truly distinctive flavors and an everlasting assortment of choices could really make full-fat cheese a dieter’s best friend. Yes, seriously!

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• A Heart-Healthy Diet: Wining and Dining the Heart (webmd.com)
• Short walk ‘halves’ chocolate habit (independent.co.uk)
• Craving chocolate? Try a brisk walk instead, study suggests (mirror.co.uk)

How Does Cholesterol, Affects Blood Pressure?

Cholesterol is the most common and essential waxy steroid of fat found in the blood plasma of humans. It will be produced in the liver or intestines. It plays a important role in the formation of bile acids, vitamin D, and hormones like progesterone, estrogens, androgens, mineral corticoids, glucocorticoids. The normal functioning and permeability of cell membranes is due to normal levels of cholesterol. Cholesterol levels in blood originate from liver production and dietary intake. The liver produces approximately 70% of cholesterol and other 30% comes from dietary intake.

The two types of cholesterol are LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). Elevated levels of LDL or bad cholesterol are associates with the risk of coronary heart disease.
Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol forms a hard and thick substance called cholesterol plaque along the inside artery walls, thus narrowing the artery and preventing the blood flow and increase in blood pressure. This process of thickening and narrowing is called atherosclerosis. HDL or good cholesterol helps in extracting and disposing cholesterol from artery walls through liver metabolism and thus help in preventing atherosclerosis.

The factors which cause high blood cholesterol levels are diet, exercise, body weight, age and gender, hereditary, and underlying medical conditions.

Dietary intake of large quantities of foods such as red meat and high fat dairy products, fried foods, baked goods and pastries amount in increase level of cholesterol. By cutting down the intake of these foods and replacing those with fruits and vegetables can reduce cholesterol levels.

Sedentary lifestyles have become a part of our day-to-day living and thus people tend to exercise less. Due to lack of exercise, habits such as smoking and drinking and poor dietary intake, obesity has become a major problem in all cities. Cholesterol levels thus increase in individual with less activity and poor dietary intake which have resulted in increased risk for coronary heart disease. Habits such as smoking can lower the levels of HDL or good cholesterol thus increasing LDL or bad cholesterol. Smoking interferes with the ability of HDL to extract and dispose fatty deposits from walls of artery and thus narrowing the blood vessels, thus increasing the blood cholesterol and also high blood pressure.

By doing regular exercise and by healthy eating habits is necessary in controlling high blood cholesterol which in turn into high blood pressure. High blood cholesterol may be due to hereditary factors, it may run in the families. Particular medical conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes increase the risk factor developing high cholesterol in a person. When a person is suffers high blood pressure an extra force on artery walls damages the arteries thus raises the accumulation of fat deposits in the body. The high blood sugar levels will damage the lining of arteries thus increases LDL while reducing HDL cholesterol. All these factors sum up to increase in blood cholesterol which will result’s into increase of blood pressure.

Related articles

• FDA Approves First Generic Version of Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Lipitor (prnewswire.com)
• Why is LDL cholesterol bad for me? (zocdoc.com)
• Cholesterol-Lowering Medication Accelerates Depletion Of Plaque In Arteries (medicalnewstoday.com)