Alternative Diet Information
Natural Vitamins are Best
Both foodies and farmers know that vitamins don't only come in bottles. Our modern marketing and consumerism machines try to get us to believe that vitamin supplement pills are the only answer, but we all know the truth: natural sources are better.
Many people do not eat proper, balanced diets, and suffer from vitamin deficiency. However, rather than looking for a solution in a bottle, nutritionists recommend people begin eating more healthful foods to get the range of vitamins their bodies need.
For those on special diets, it may be true that supplements are the best option, as some diets make it difficult to get the right nutrients in the right amounts all the time. It might be too cumbersome for those people to cook in such a way as to get all they need from food alone. Nevertheless, for most people, it is very easy to get all the nutrition we need from ordinary everyday foods.
One of the keys to this is to gain knowledge about the different kinds of vitamins, and the natural vitamin sources that are best. Once you have that knowledge, incorporating as many of them as possible into your diet will be easy! Water soluble vitamins must be repleneshed each day because they cannot be stored in our bodies. Therefore, learning natural vitamin sources in those cases is the most important step. Many of the following natural sources will be from things you already have in your home, so it will be a cinch to start! Here is a list of many common sources for vitamins:
* Natural vitamin C sources include citrus, cabbage family, berries, chili peppers, melons, asparagus, rose hips
* Natural vitamin B12 sources include organ meats, pork, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, bananas, lamb, kelp, peanuts (How about a peanut butter and banana sandwich!)
* Natural vitamin B3 sources can include potatoes, peanuts, brewer's yeast, poultry & fish, lean meats, milk, rice bran
* Natural vitamin C sources can include cabbage family, berries, melons, rose hips, chili peppers, asparagus, citrus
* Natural vitamin B13 sources include root vegetables, whey in liquid form
* Natural vitamin B15 sources can include pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, rare steaks, brown rice, brewer's yeast
* Natural vitamin B9 sources include dark-green leafy vegetables, root vegetables, organ meats, salmon, oysters, milk
* Natural vitamin B13 sources can include liquid whey, and root vegetables
* Natural vitamin C sources can include berries, citrus, melons, cabbage family, chili peppers, rose hips, asparagus
* Natural vitamin B13 sources can include root vegetables, and liquid whey
* Natural vitamin B17 sources can include peaches, whole kernels of apricots, cherries, apples, plums
* Natural vitamin B3 sources include peanuts, lean meats, poultry & fish, brewer's yeast, potatoes, milk, rice bran
* Natural vitamin B7 sources can include unpolished rice, liver, brewer's yeast, legumes, whole grains, sardines, egg yolks
* Natural vitamin B7 sources can include liver, legumes, unpolished rice, whole grains, sardines, brewer's yeast, egg yolks
Remember, supplements in pill form are not bad, it is just that natural sources are even better! And why not take the opportunity to explore new foods and food combinations -- you never know what you will fall in love with.
About the Author
Mary Smith writes for several web magazines, on personal health care and skin care topics.
Eat Whole Grains
Here's an overview of a whole grain and how they are significant for good health.
A grain is the seed of a plant and a whole grain has parts known as the endosperm, the germ, and the bran.
The endosperm makes up the majority of the grain kernel. It has small amounts of vitamins and minerals and has most of the grain's protein.
The germ is the part of the grain from which a new plant sprouts, it is the heart of the kernel. It has some protein, polyunsaturated fat, fiber, and plenty of vitamins and minerals that are good for your body.
The bran is the hard outer layer of the seed and is a rich source of dietary fiber. It also has some starch, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Whole grains have all of these parts still intact. While refined grains have both the bran and the wheat germ removed, leaving only the least nutritious part, the endosperm.
Refined grains (like white flours and white rice) give poor nutrition, leaving the body still hungry for good nutrition. Although, some of the "vitamins" and "minerals" are added back in after the milling process, nothing fake can restore what was once there naturally. Refined grains are absorbed too quickly into the blood stream causing upsets in blood sugar levels which exhausts the pancreas and/or the adrenal glands. Also, since the bran is disposed of during the refining process there is no longer much fiber in the grain either. Our body needs fiber in order to help clean out our intestines, so when refined grains are injested they act more like glue to your intestines which can cause numerous health problems.
Whole grains on the other hand, are much different than their refined versions. They are high in fiber, antioxidants, plant protein, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, many other healthful substances, and they have no cholesterol and are low in fat. They yield many of the nutrients that are low in present diets such as fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, etc. Whole grains have also been shown to reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease and high cholesterol, high blood pressure, many types of cancer, bowel disorders, obesity and they may also help regulate blood glucose in people who have diabetes.
The choice is an obvious one, for better overall health and nutrition, eat whole grains rather than refined.
About the Author
Donna Miller is a wife, mother and stay-at-home working parent. She owns and operate Millers Grain House, an online Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grain store. Learn more now by visiting their wheats, grains, and oats!