When you're unable to eat your favorite foods because of bothersome issues like occasional gas, bloating, or cramps, it can be downright irritating. Digestive enzymes are needed to break down, process, then deliver the nutrients in food to help us maintain good health, plus provide us with energy. By eating foods such as pasta, pizza, fast-food or fatty meats taking digestive enzymes will alleviate discomfort. Another way to aid digestion is by eating pineapple, also known as bromelain and peppermint after meals.
There are three different types of digestive enzymes: Amylase, Protease, and Lipase
Amylase is used to break down carbohydrates, such as pasta and bread. Saliva contains amylase, which initiates the digestion of dietary starches. Pancreatic secretions also contain amylase.
Protease breaks down protein, such as steak, eggs, chicken and fish. Believe it or not, helping your body break down proteins can actually help your body's immune system. Protein digestion begins in the stomach with the action of the protease, pepsin. The stomach’s acidic environment activates this enzyme.
Lipase breaks down fats, such as cheese, fast-foods and butter. Fat digestion accelerates in the second part of the small intestine with the action of the pancreatic lipases. These enzymes break down fat into essential fatty acids. The lipase enzymes, along with bile salts, are responsible for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.
How important are enzymes to digestion? Without enzymes, digestion could not take place and the food we eat could not be absorbed and utilized by our bodies. Enzymes are complex proteins produced by living cells and they start chemical reactions in the body. Enzymes are present in the digestive juices. They act upon food, breaking it down into simpler components the body can use for energy.
What happens if digestive enzymes don’t work adequately? Inadequate digestion is thought to be a significant cause of food allergies. When not digested completely, food can initiate allergic reactions in the body, causing inflammation and immune sensitivity. This can lead to chronic inflammatory conditions and certain types of arthritis.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Are you full of trans fats?
In a study released at the American Heart Association conference in Reston, Virginia, results showed that removing tans fatty acids from all margarines would prevent 6,300 heart attacks and 2,100 deaths year. Removing trans fats from 3% of breads and cakes and 15% of cookies and crackers would prevent an additional 17,000 heart attacks and 5,600 deaths each year. In November of 1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed that all Nutritional Facts panels list the amount of trans fats in food products.
What exactly are Trans Fats? There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats. It is generally accepted that consumption of saturated fat should be kept low, especially for adults. Trans fat (which means trans fatty acids) is the worst kind of fat, far worse than saturated fat. Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil. The process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel." The big problem is that partially hydrogenated oil is laden with lethal trans fat.
Where do I look for trans fats in food products: Partially hydrogenated oils are commonly found in processed foods like commercial baked products such as cookies, cakes and crackers, and even in bread. They are also used as cooking oils (called "liquid shortening") for frying in restaurants.
In the last six months, all food manufactures must list any trans fats in their products. There is only one problem, the FDA considers a product trans fat free, even though the product could still have .5 trans fats. Also, restaurants and fast-food places are now eliminating trans fats from their menus. Just to name a few who have recently elimated trans fats are Yum Brands, Wendy's and McDonald's.
What exactly are Trans Fats? There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats. It is generally accepted that consumption of saturated fat should be kept low, especially for adults. Trans fat (which means trans fatty acids) is the worst kind of fat, far worse than saturated fat. Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil. The process is used to make an oil more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel." The big problem is that partially hydrogenated oil is laden with lethal trans fat.
Where do I look for trans fats in food products: Partially hydrogenated oils are commonly found in processed foods like commercial baked products such as cookies, cakes and crackers, and even in bread. They are also used as cooking oils (called "liquid shortening") for frying in restaurants.
In the last six months, all food manufactures must list any trans fats in their products. There is only one problem, the FDA considers a product trans fat free, even though the product could still have .5 trans fats. Also, restaurants and fast-food places are now eliminating trans fats from their menus. Just to name a few who have recently elimated trans fats are Yum Brands, Wendy's and McDonald's.
Please feel free to check out http://www.bantransfats.com/
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