You’ve finally kicked the ice-cream-after-dinner habit. There’s no way you’re eating too much sugar. Right? While nixing obvious sugar bombs like candy and cake is a huge step toward a healthier diet, there are lots of other places sugar hides. That includes everything from high fructose corn syrup found in some salad dressings to fruit juice added to “all natural” protein bars.

Yaroslav Danylchenko/Stocksy

Sugar is a carbohydrate in its simplest form, which your body breaks down into glucose—your body’s preferred form of energy. Simple sugar alone moves to your bloodstream quickly, causing your body to spike the production of insulin to transfer glucose into your cells.

Some preliminary research has suggested that a high-sugar diet raises your blood sugar, increasing free radicals and compounds that boost inflammation. Over time, too much sugar ups your risk of obesity, increasing your risk of diabetes, and may even on its own increase your risk of conditions like certain cancers and chronic illnesses like heart disease.

The Risks of Too Much Sugar

You’re Breaking Out Around Your Mouth and Chin

You’re Super Moody

You Can’t Get a Good Night’s Rest

Your Skin Is Prematurely Wrinkled

You Keep Getting Cavities

You Crave Dessert After Every Dinner

You’re Constantly Hungry

You Have Joint Pain

It’s Impossible to Lose Weight

Your Brain Feels Foggy

Fruit Just Isn’t Sweet Enough

You’re Constantly Bloated

You Don’t Feel as Strong

Your Blood Pressure Rises Slightly

You’ve Lost Motivation to Work Out—Ever

How Much Sugar Should You Eat Per Day?

The FDA says that no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from added sugars—that adds up to 38 grams (10 teaspoons) for women on a 1,500-calorie diet, or 51 grams (13 teaspoons) for men on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Processed foods, in particular, can get sneaky: Even though apple juice might be made from a natural sugar, it can still saddle a food with way too much overall sugar. An açai bowl or smoothie, for example, can overdo it with a too much fruit—which essentially becomes added sugar. Just because a label says ‘no added sugar,’ you still want to read the label and see how many grams of sugar there are in that item per serving.

When it comes to the natural sugars found in a whole sweet potato or an apple, most of us don’t come even close to overdoing it.  Experts aren’t worried about the sugar content because you’re getting so many other benefits, like vitamins and fiber to slow down and how your body absorbs and uses sugar. As a general guideline, limit yourself to about two cups of whole fruit a day.

While it’s simply not realistic to avoid all added sugars in your diet, it’s a good idea to read labels, focus on whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible, and make healthier food choices.

Source: everydayhealth.com

We wear sunscreen, stay inside (with jobs) more, it’s winter when there is less UV due to the sun being lower in the sky, so our diets are low in vitamin D.

Lisa Richards, a nutritionist and creator of the Candida Diet tells us, “Signs and symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can easily be passed off as just a side effect of your busy and exhausting lifestyle. But, chronic fatigue and other symptoms can be signs of a serious vitamin D deficiency. Other surprising signs of vitamin D deficiency include hair loss, muscle pain, and depression.” Emma Louise Kirkham Women’s Hormone Health Coach & Dietary Supplements Advisor says, “Deficiency in vitamin D can be exhibited as back pains, joint pain or stiffness, muscular twitches or spasms, weakened bones, arthritis of osteoporosis, hair loss, tooth decay, fatigue and often getting ill. In addition to this women may experience premenstrual syndrome, PCOS or fertility struggles which are also linked to vitamin D deficiency (amongst other nutritional deficiencies).”

Dr. Jacob Hascalovici MD, PhD, Clearing Chief Medical Officer explains, “The benefits of vitamin D intake include protecting your bones, potentially helping stabilize your mood, and possibly fighting cancer. It’s clear that vitamin D is essential and that the body suffers if you do not get enough of it. It’s important not to exceed 4,000 IU per day, as too much vitamin D can contribute to nausea, vomiting, kidney stones, heart damage, and cancer.

Photo and article credit: © Eat This, Not That

Consumer Reports found dangerous heavy metals in chocolate from Hershey’s, Theo, Trader Joe’s and other popular brands. Here are the ones that had the most, and some that are safer.

Photo Illustration: Melissa Paterno Plonchak/Consumer Reports, Getty Images

For many of us, chocolate is more than just a tasty treat. It’s a mood lifter, an energy booster, a reward after a tough day, a favorite holiday gift. 

People also choose dark chocolate in particular for its potential health benefits, thanks to studies that suggest its rich supply of antioxidants may improve heart health and other conditions, and for its relatively low levels of sugar. In fact, more than half of people in a recent survey from the National Confectioners Association described dark chocolate as a “better for you” candy.

But there’s a dark side to this “healthier” chocolate. Research has found that some dark chocolate bars contain cadmium and lead—two heavy metals linked to a host of health problems in children and adults. 

The chocolate industry has been grappling with ways to lower those levels. To see how much of a risk these favorite treats pose, Consumer Reports scientists recently measured the amount of heavy metals in 28 dark chocolate bars. They detected cadmium and lead in all of them.

Heavy Metals in Dark Chocolate

CR tested a mix of brands, including smaller ones, such as Alter Eco and Mast, and more familiar ones, like Dove and Ghirardelli. 

For 23 of the bars, eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and CR’s experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals. Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead.

That’s risky stuff: Consistent, long-term exposure to even small amounts of heavy metals can lead to a variety of health problems. The danger is greatest for pregnant women and young children because the metals can cause developmental problems, affect brain development, and lead to lower IQ, says Tunde Akinleye, the CR food safety researcher who led this testing project. 

CR’s Chocolate Test Results

Safer Choices

Mast

Organic Dark Chocolate
80% Cocoa

LEAD

14%

CADMIUM

40%

Taza Chocolate

Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate
70% Cacao

LEAD

33%

CADMIUM

74%

Ghirardelli

Intense Dark Chocolate
86% Cacao

LEAD

36%

CADMIUM

39%

Ghirardelli

Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight
72% Cacao

LEAD

61%

CADMIUM

96%

Valrhona

Abinao Dark Chocolate
85% Cacao

LEAD

63%

CADMIUM

73%

High in Both Lead & Cadmium

Theo

Organic Pure Dark
70% Cocoa

LEAD

120%

CADMIUM

142%

Trader Joe’s

The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate
85% Cacao

LEAD

127%

CADMIUM

229%

Theo

Organic Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate
85% Cocoa

LEAD

140%

CADMIUM

189%

Lily’s

Extremely Dark Chocolate
85% Cocoa

LEAD

143%

CADMIUM

101%

Green & Black’s

Organic Dark Chocolate
70% Cacao

LEAD

143%

CADMIUM

181%

Better Ways to Eat Dark Chocolate

Choose dark chocolates with the lowest levels of heavy metals

Treat chocolate as a treat

Try dark chocolates with lower cacao percentages

Alternate with milk chocolate

Don’t assume organic dark chocolates are safer

Don’t give kids much dark chocolate

Read the complete article at the link below.

Source: Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate – Consumer Reports

While there are many factors—like environment, family history, and age—that can affect how long you live, there’s no shortage of research to back up the very strong connection between diet and longevity.

“Fruits and vegetables contain compounds that reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, some cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and obesity, which is one of the reasons health experts are constantly trying to encourage people to eat more of them,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, author of Eating in Color.

But fruits and veggies aren’t the only foods you should be nourishing your body with to play your best defense against diseases. Here is a laundry list of the most nutritious foods to add to your diet to improve your longevity and protect your health.

©Dave Bradley

Legumes

Beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, and chickpeas are excellent sources of fiber and plant-based protein to stabilize blood sugar and keep cravings at bay. They also help nourish a healthy microbiome.

Eggs

While eggs have high cholesterol content, research shows that it doesn’t affect your overall blood cholesterol the same way that saturated fats do. In fact, one meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, found that individuals with a high egg intake (about seven a week), had a 12 percent reduced risk of stroke compared to those who had a low egg intake (less than two a week).

Leafy greens

Leafy green vegetables, like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard, are chock-full of folate, which is vital for cell growth and red blood cell formation. They also back carotenes (pigments that act as antioxidants) that help maintain healthy vision, bones, teeth, and skin.

“Folate from natural food sources helps protect brain function as we age,” Dixon says. On the other hand, “carotenes bring a boost of antioxidants, which protect against DNA decay or the breakdown of cells,” she adds. “This damage can accumulate over time, contributing to cancer and heart disease.”

Just be sure to stick with whole foods to get your fill of folate, instead of supplements. Taking folic acid supplements can increase your risk of certain cancers, notably colon cancer, Dixon says.

Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and radishes, support the body’s natural detoxification processes. “We have ‘detox’ enzymes, or chemical systems, within our cells (particularly in the liver), and the activity of these enzymes is bolstered by the presence of specific substances found only in cruciferous vegetables,” Dixon says.

Cruciferous veggies are especially beneficial for women, as they help to keep estrogen levels healthy and thwart off hormone-related cancers such as breast, ovarian, endometrial (uterine). Dixon suggests sneaking in at least five servings of cruciferous veggies into your meals each week.

Extra-virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has been a culinary staple for more reasons than it’s plain delicious. It’s proven to help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve insulin sensitivity, Dixon says.

“Extra virgin olive oil has an excellent record of research demonstrating benefits to the cardiovascular system, which is particularly important to note these days, given the fact that heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S.,” says Dixon.

Make a homemade salad dressing with EVOO, drizzle some over veggies before roasting them to get them nice and crisp, and sub it in for butter in recipes to reduce saturated fat.

Fatty fish

Make fatty fish, such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines, a part of your weekly diet. “Hundreds of studies support the use of small fatty fish for brain health, as they contain omega-3 fatty acids and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which feeds the brain and prevents loss of memory and depression,” says Susan Schenck, LAc, MOTM, author of The Live Food Factor.

Sweet potatoes

Okinawans are known for living long, healthy lives and have one of the largest populations of centenarians (people who live to 100) in the world. One secret to their longevity? Sweet potatoes, which are loaded with vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.

Want more hints? Click link below.

Source: Add These Disease-Fighting Foods to Your Diet to Live a Longer Life (msn.com)