Author: Amy Lowy

Water needs to be considered an essential nutrient. Because of easy access we take water for granted and do not realize the importance of proper hydration. According to experts, water is ranked second only to oxygen as essential for life. Your overall body weight is 2/3 water. A person can survive about two months without food, but only a few days without water. Water is the most abundant ingredient in the human body through all phases of growth and development. Every system in your body depends on water to function. Water is essential to your body’s temperature regulation, keeping it…

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. The pancreas is a small organ located in the upper right side of the abdomen. Insulin is made by the pancreatic islet cells (also called the beta cells), then secreted into the blood where it travels throughout the body to help regulate blood glucose (blood sugar). Insulin plays a key role in the body’s ability to use and store glucose. It also promotes the synthesis of fatty acids in the liver. The amount of insulin in circulation has widespread effects throughout the body. Insulin binds with receptors on cells like a key…

Brown carbohydrates are considered whole grains or foods in their natural state while white carbohydrates are often refined grains. Adding more whole grains to our diets and reducing the refined carbs may lead to longer healthier lives. A whole grain has the entire kernel still intact. The kernel consists of the bran, germ and endosperm. The bran or outer shell protects the seed. It provides fiber, B vitamins and trace minerals. The germ’s function is to provide nourishment to the seed, if it were to sprout, thus providing antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin E. The germ can go rancid in…

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are a type of polyunsaturated fat that cannot be made by the body. They must be obtained from food sources. Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and when chilled. Molecularly speaking, polyunsaturated fats are fatty acids that have more than one double-bonded (unsaturated) carbon in the molecule. To compare, saturated fats have no double bonded carbons and are consequently solid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats can have a beneficial effect on your health when consumed in moderation and when used to replace less heart healthy saturated fats or trans fats. Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce…

Sugar substitutes are compounds that offer the sweetness of sugar without adding calories or elevating blood sugar. These non-nutritive (no-calorie) sweeteners are highly concentrated. Their sweetness ranges from 200 to 13,000 times sweeter than regular table sugar. Many people use them to cut down on the number of calories they consume and to control diabetes. The purpose of artificial sweeteners is to mimic the sweetness of table sugar, or sucrose. Everyone has different sensitivities, but scientists estimate that the general population can detect a solution of about 0.5 percent sucrose, which is one teaspoon of table sugar dissolved into several…