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Oils and Fats Can be Part of a Well-balanced Diet

Posted on 08-21-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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The primary reasons for dieting usually revolve around improving looks and health. Dieters tend to limit their calories for as long as it takes to lose the desired weight and that is where the goal of improved health may take a detour. The dieter sees that fats have a lot of calories and tend to cut fats and carbs in an effort to lose weight.

Your body does need a certain amount of fats to keep you healthy so elimination of all fats is not a good idea. Monounsaturated fats, found in olive oil and canola oil, can be used in cooking to help make food taste better while being heart healthy at the same time. Monounsaturated fats help reduce cholesterol and can also help lower blood pressure.

Trans fats and saturated fats, like those found in palm oil, margarines and other spreads are not heart healthy. Any dieter, whether trying to be heart healthy or not, should stay away from these.

Dieters looking for a heart healthy diet can often use some help in the snack area. That’s where our favorite all natural snack the almond comes in. Almonds contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats, have zero Trans fats and they taste delicious. Visit the Awesome Natural Foods store to order some of our delicious, all natural almond snacks today.

Celiac Disease Prevalent but also Undiagnosed in Many Cases

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Posted on 08-07-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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Awesome Almonds are certified vegan.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic reveals that over 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease and as many as 1.4 million may have the disease without knowing it. Celiac disease is brought on by problems digesting barley, wheat and rye products which contain gluten. Those with the disease follow a gluten free diet and researchers have found that many who have not been officially diagnosed with celiac disease still go on a gluten free diet anyway.

Researchers discovered these facts by analyzing answers that people gave on their National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey combined interviews with physical examinations and the researchers then gave respondents blood tests. After reviewing the results of the blood tests researchers found a surprising number of people were found to have the disease. Their conclusion is that the disease is under diagnosed and it was also noted by a researcher that the medical reason for gluten free diets by unaffected subjects remained unclear.

Anyone diagnosed with celiac disease can be happy that all of our all-natural snacks at Awesome Natural Foods are 100% gluten free. All of our delicious almond snacks are also vegan friendly and Kosher certified so drop by our store and check out our wide selection of unique natural foods today.

UK Research Finds High Levels of Salt Intake May Cause Stomach Cancer

Posted on 07-31-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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The Medical News Today recently reported findings by the World Cancer Research Fund that indicated people living in the UK who cut down salt intake would limit their chance of getting stomach cancer. Their research showed that the average British subject consumes about 8.6 grams of salt a day.

This is down from the 9.5 grams that earlier studies found but researchers set a suggested limit of 6 grams per day. According to their figures stomach cancer could be reduced by a one in seven ratio if salt was limited to about 6 grams per day. 

Most nutrition labels in the US and UK list sodium and not salt per se.  A simple formula that can be used to check salt content is as follows: multiply the sodium content by 2.5 and you will get how much salt a product contains. For instance 100 mgs of sodium is .1 gram. Multiply that by 2.5 and you have a salt content of one quarter of a gram.

Reducing salt intake is easier if your diet consist primarily of natural foods.  At Awesome Natural Foods we have many flavorful almond snacks that contain no sodium.  Our all natural treats allow you to enjoy a snack break without having to break out a calculator to figure out salt content.

Limiting Sodium Intake for Heart Health

Posted on 07-24-2012 | By: Almond Doctor

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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The electrolyte sodium seems to be getting a bit of a bad name – Americans seem to hear every day that our diets contain too much of it.  A heart healthy diet is sure to include the warning – restrict your intake of sodium.

In keeping with the mantra “all things in moderation” you do need some sodium so be sure to include it in your diet. It is especially important to have enough during the hot summer months when the body can be losing sodium due to excessive perspiration.

The symptoms of sodium deficiency include diarrhea, vomiting, low blood pressure, dizziness and lethargy. Low sodium levels can also cause muscle cramping, especially after vigorous activity. Sodium is present in green leafy vegetables, apples, fish, cabbage, bananas and, of course, table salt.  It is recommended that the average adult consume about 120mgs of sodium per day but doctors may suggest limited sodium intake for those with health concerns.

Those who have been instructed to follow a low sodium diet for heart health can count on the almond as a “go to” natural snack. Almonds contain a variety of essential nutrients and healthy fats but are sodium free, which makes them a perfect natural snack for those keeping an eye on their sodium intake.

Low Fat Diet May Not be the Best to Discourage Regaining Weight

Posted on 07-10-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods

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A recent study performed by Boston Children’s Hospital compared three commonly followed diets – low fat, low carb and low glycemic. The study had 21 overweight subjects reduce their weight by eating fewer calories to drop about two pounds a week. After losing weight they participated in the three different diets for four weeks at a time.

The low fat diet yielded some positives in metabolic rate but researchers believe that it could increase the risk of eating more and cause subjects to ultimately gain weight. The low carb diet produced the highest gain in metabolic rate but researchers found chemicals in the bloodstreams that indicated higher levels of stress and inflammation so this diet may be harder on the body. The overall winner was the low glycemic diet which increased the metabolism about half as much as the low carb diet but without any signs of increasing bodily stress.

One great addition to a low glycemic index diet is the delicious almond.   At Awesome Natural Foods we feature a variety of flavored, all natural almond snacks that can help quell in between meal cravings without ruining your diet.  Our delicious natural snacks prove that opting for a better diet doesn’t have to mean making sacrifices when it comes to flavor.

Is Reservatrol a Super Supplement?

Posted on 06-26-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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Researchers at the University of Alberta recently published a study that shows that there may be a way to help people incapable of exercising to derive the same benefits from ingesting a reservatrol pill. Resveratrol is a polyphenol that can be found in red wine, nuts and other natural products. It is speculated that it is one of the reasons behind the lower incidence of heart disease in France, despite the fact that French people don’t exactly follow the most heart healthy diets.

 
The researchers gave subjects doses of reservatrol and their bodies showed evidence of improvements usually only brought about by intense exercise.  Lead researcher Dr. Jason Dyck thinks this could eventually lead to the formulation of an “exercise pill”. He also plans on trying reservatrol with diabetic patients to see if coronary muscles will improve with supplementation.

 
Another study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that including nuts with a reservatrol supplement seemed to prevent cognitive decline. One of the nuts mentioned in this New England Journal of Medicine study was the almond, an all natural food that is easily incorporated into a heart healthy diet.  Visit our website to get some unique and delicious all natural almond snacks that can satisfy cravings without the guilt associated with high fat, high sugar snacks.

Frito-Lay Strays from the Middle Market

Posted on 06-19-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods, Nutrition

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The Frito-Lay company has been analyzing its market share and they plan to move out to the edges in search of new customers.  A New York Times article details the company’s basic strategy to get customers that purchase more expensive snacks and also make to products for those customers that want to spend less.

An analysis of salty snack buying by Goldman Sachs shows a 7% increase in sales for companies that sell more expensive niche products and a 4% increase in sales for the least expensive snack products. The middle of the pack in cost is where Frito-Lay dominates with its line of snacks that includes Doritos, Lays potato chips and Rold Gold pretzels. A Goldman expert notes that sales of trail mixes, energy bars and nuts are growing at a faster rate as well.

The fact is that those last items have been shown to be better for health than many other types of snacks.  An all natural snack like the almond should have a place in anyone’s food cabinet. Our delicious flavored almond snacks are a great way to satisfy snack time urges without the guilt associated with the majority of snacks that line grocery store snack aisle shelves.

Mickey Mouse Joins up with the Mayor of New York

Posted on 06-12-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Healthy eating, natural foods

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It seems once again obesity is in the sights of the powers that be. To help combat childhood obesity the Walt Disney Corporation will be taking advertisements for its television programs from food companies that comply with a set of nutritional guidelines.  The city of New York also wants to pass a law banning sugary drinks for sale that are larger than 16 ounces.

The Disney decision will not go into effect until March of 2015 due to long term advertising commitments. Disney has already been involved in some other healthy eating programs and they plan to use a Mickey Mouse ears and check mark in the future to mark foods they market as healthier.

At Awesome Natural Foods we have highlighted many studies in the past that looked at obesity and we continue to be mindful that any step in reducing this problem is good for the health of our country.  Exercising moderation, especially when eating foods high in fats and refined sugar is a big step toward creating a healthier diet. We have a nice selection of all natural snacks

Health Choices with Awesome Almonds from Well Baskets

Don't forget Awesome Almonds in Your Gift Baskets This Year

that can help you curb sweet cravings without the guilt associated with many of the high fat snacks that line the shelves of your local supermarket.

Almonds Make the Top Ten Healthy Foods List

Posted on 05-29-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, Nutrition

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Health Choices with Awesome Almonds from Well Baskets

Don't forget Awesome Almonds in Your Gift Baskets This Year

Medical News Today has recently published an article that reviewed different surveys in North America and Europe to compile a list of the top ten healthiest foods. First on the list were apples; it seems an apple a day probably does keep the doctor away. A few other popular “health food” items on the list included wheat germ, oily fish, leafy green vegetables, blueberries and broccoli.

Two other entries on the list that probably came as no surprise were avocados and almonds.  Researchers who compiled the list of top ten healthy foods cited the former for being high in both fiber and healthy fats.  Studies have shown regular consumption of avocados seems to have a positive effect on cholesterol as well.

The almond made the top ten for a number of reasons.  Like avocados, almonds have calcium, iron and are high in fiber.  Delicious almonds also contain unsaturated fatty acids which may help maintain lower cholesterol levels.

We have been selling this heart healthy snack for years and maybe it’s time to get Dad into the mix. There are gift basket ideas on our website so you can show Dad you love him with a Father’s Day gift of all natural snacks that are at the top of the heap when it comes to both health and flavor.

Negative Calories is Only Wishful Thinking

Posted on 05-08-2012 | By: get_blogging

Category : About Almonds, Health benefits of almonds, Healthy eating, Nutrition

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This myth of negative calorie foods is one of many discussed in the new book Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics. It is the authors’ contention that many people are incorrect in many assumptions about calories due to factors such as advertising and the simple refusal to believe obvious facts.

A discussion in the book describes Dr. Lisa Young telling nutrition students in an NYU class that an 8 ounce soft drink contains 100 calories. When she asked them how many calories do you think a 64 ounce size contains the majority of students guessed well under the correct answer. Hardly any of the students multiplied 100 by eight for the correct answer.
  
Some studies have shown that foods labeled as heart healthy, containing antioxidants or vitamins added have people assuming they are automatically lower in calories. The authors are proponents of reading food labels but caution everyone not only to read the number of calories but also check the serving size information too.

Awesome Almonds have the calories and serving sizes readily available for those interested in altering their diet for the better.  Our delicious almond snacks contain valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants making them easy to incorporate into a healthy diet.

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