avocados Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Sweet Potato Taquitos Recipe

The AHA! Team — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:32:15 +0000

Recipe by: NutritionFacts – Sweet Potato Taquitos are a delicious way to check-off a few Daily Dozen servings! This dish combines beans, whole grains, spices, and vegetables for a satisfying meal. Top with cashew cream and avocados, if desired. Pair with a green leafy salad to check even more Daily Dozen boxes off. COURSE: Main Course DIFFICULTY: Moderate SERVINGS: 4 INGREDIENTS ▢2½ -3 cups chopped sweet potatoes (about 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes) ▢1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 medium carrots) ▢3 cloves garlic, minced ▢1 cup chopped red onion ▢1½ cups cooked black beans ▢1 teaspoon chili powder ▢½ teaspoon onion powder ▢½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika ▢½ teaspoon ground turmeric ▢¼ teaspoon black pepper ▢12-14 small corn tortillas ▢Cashew Cream (optional) ▢Avocado (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Boil the potatoes and carrots in 3-4 cups water until soft. Drain the water off. Mash the potatoes and carrots until reaches desired consistency. Feel free to add a splash of unsweetened soy milk or water for a smoother texture. In a pan, sauté the garlic and onion with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Add the spices and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in the cooked beans. In a bowl, combine the potato and carrot mixture with the black beans mixture. Stir together. Preheat the oven 425F or feel free to use an air fryer with a bake setting. Place a small scoop of the potato and bean mixture on to a tortilla, spread it out, and then roll tightly. Place the seam-side of the tortilla down on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper (or an air fryer basket). Repeat this process for the remaining tortillas. Bake the tortillas for about 10-15 minutes. Prepare the Cashew Cream, if desired. Thin it out a bit to drizzle on top of the Taquitos or use it as a dip. Optional to top with diced avocado. Enjoy! To read the original article click here.

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Breakfast: Smoked Salmon Benedict with Olive Oil & Avocados Recipe

The AHA! Team — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 08:41:28 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Delicious Beyond Keto Recipe for a Strong Immune System This time of year, we all start thinking about our immune systems. How can we stay healthy for the next 6-7 months? How can we avoid sickness and boost immunity? There are a lot of ways to support your immune system, and some of them are as easy as the foods we choose each day. Our recipe today, delivers delectable flavors for a strong immune system. Eat it for breakfast, or any time of day. It’s low carb, high nutrient, and delicious. Here’s how to make this Beyond Keto recipe and why it’s time to be picky about what foods we put in our bodies. Choose healthy foods for a strong immune system! Delicious Strong Immune System Breakfast: Smoked Salmon Benedict with Olive Oil & Avocados Ingredients 2 large eggs (local, free-range, organic if possible) 1 slice Keto bread or English muffin, cut in half (optional) 1 tablespoon cream cheese (optional) 2 ounces smoked salmon (salmon lox) 2 teaspoons capers Thinly sliced red onion Fresh ground black pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 med avocado, sliced thin (optional) Lemon Hollandaise Sauce 2 large egg yolks (local, free-range, organic if possible) 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice A pinch of salt Instructions Start with the Hollandaise sauce: Place egg yolks and water in a small skillet. Increase heat to medium-high Hold the pan 2 inches above the heat surface and whisk the eggs until they are foamy and warm. Add the butter while still holding pan, and whisk until the mixture becomes thick. Add lemon juice and salt. Whisk to mix well. Set aside on the counter. Toast bread. Spread cream cheese on bread. Place a medium pot, filled with water on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Crack one egg and add at a time. Allow eggs to cook for 4 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place on bread. Pour hollandaise sauce over eggs, top with onions, capers, black pepper, and avocado. Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish. Nutrition Info (serves 1): 530 calories, 50 grams fat, 4 grams net carbs (7 grams total, 3 grams fiber), 28 grams protein Immune Boosting Breakfast Superfoods 1. Eggs Eggs provide one of the best, most bioavailable, proteins known to man. When you’re interested in boosting your immune system, it’s important to eat adequate protein. This only requires a small amount at each meal. Egg proteins also support fat metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, the immune system, hormones, cellular growth and repair, and more (1). 2. Salmon In addition to providing great protein, salmon offers one of the most potent compounds to fight inflammation and support the immune system. The omega-3 fats in salmon are true superfood compounds. They increase the production of anti-inflammatory hormones. This in turn, relieves the immune system by reducing its reaction to inflammation. Omega-3 fats are known to support eye, brain, cardiovascular, and cellular health (2). 3. Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil boasts a great immune-boosting compound: oleocanthal. Studies show that oleocanthal specifically contains disease-fighting antioxidants, anti-cancer compounds, anti-inflammatories, and compounds that support heart health. It is potent and reduces inflammation in similar strength to some medications, like ibuprofen (3). Additionally, it provides both antibacterial and anti-viral action (4). 4. Avocados Avocados are another anti-inflammatory food that supports your immune system. It has fats called phytosterols. Phytosterols fight inflammation associated with arthritis while avocados’ polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs) reduce inflammation in other ways. Additionally, oleic acid supports digestive tract and brain health to directly boost the immune system (5). 5. Red Onions Red onions are a wonderful food to support your immune system. They contain antioxidants that fight cell-damaging free radicals, are antibacterial and contain anti-cancer compounds. 6. Lemon Juice Lemon juice is a good source of vitamin C, and vitamin C is a strong immune-supporting antioxidant. In addition, lemon juice contains antibacterial compounds that fight bacteria in the entire digestive tract, from mouth to intestines (6). 7. Black Pepper Black peppercorns are a humble, inexpensive, amazing superfood. They support your immune system with potent antioxidants like piperine and anti-inflammatory compounds. Black peppercorns have healthy effects and fight cellular overgrowth (7). Want More Beyond Keto Strong Immune System Tips? This is just one part of a strong immune system plan. Here are some more tips to check out: The Best Supplements to Support a Strong Immune System 15 Strong Immune System Foods How a Healthy Weight Supports a Strong Immune System 12 Easy Daily Habits for a Strong Immune System Bottom Line It’s a great time to do everything you can to have a strong immune system. Throughout your day, eat foods that support your immune system with great superfood ingredients. Try our delicious Beyond Keto breakfast (any time of day)! It will satisfy your taste buds and body with nourishing ingredients. To read the original article click here.

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The Effect of Avocados on Small, Dense, LDL Cholesterol

AHA Publisher — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 07:00:34 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – What are the effects of oatmeal, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, and avocados on LDL cholesterol size? When a headline reads “Avocados could improve your cholesterol—and more,” the article and others like it are largely talking about substitution experiments, where avocado is added to the diet as a replacement for animal fats. In that case, it’s no wonder cholesterol goes down. Dairy and poultry are the two greatest contributors of cholesterol-raising saturated fat intake, so if you take people eating a standard North American diet including animal fats, they may start out with an LDL cholesterol level up around 95mg/dl. If you add avocado to their diet without doing anything else, their cholesterol does not go down; instead, it may go up to around 105mg/dl. If you add avocado while reducing saturated fat intake, though, cholesterol falls to about 90mg/dl—but that drop isn’t very different from what you’d get by just reducing saturated fat and adding nothing, which was shown to give an LDL under 90mg/dl, as you can see at 0:34 in my video Avocados Lower Small Dense LDL Cholesterol. What if you compared the effects of eating no meat at all with a meat-free diet that included avocado? Researchers took people with sky-high cholesterol levels up around 300mg/dl and switched them to either a relatively low-fat vegetarian diet with about 20 percent of calories from fat or a vegetarian diet with added avocado that took it up about 30 percent of calories from fat, which is a more typical fat content. As you can see at 1:22 in my video, the study participants started out with LDLs through the roof, and, while cutting out meat may have helped, cutting out meat and adding avocado seemed to help even more—and it may help best with the worst type of LDL. As I’ve touched on before, all LDL cholesterol is bad cholesterol. However, large, fluffy LDL may only increase the odds of cardiac events such as heart attacks by 31 percent, whereas small, dense LDL is even worse and increases the odds by 44 percent. If you feed people a lot of oatmeal and oat bran, not only does that cause their LDL to go down overall, but it specifically brings down the small LDL, the worst of the worst. What happens if you add walnuts to a low-fat diet? As you can see at 2:04 in my video, LDL goes down and, at the same time, the size distribution of the LDL shifts to be a little more benign. What if you put people on a plant-based diet with lots of fiber and nuts? As shown as 2:15 in my video, you can get a massive 30 percent drop in LDL, a drop that is comparable to a cholesterol-lowering statin drug. What’s more, this includes a drop in the small, dense LDL, which is the most dangerous. This does not happen with extra-virgin olive oil, however, so it’s not just a monounsaturated fat effect. In the famous PREDIMED study, which you can see at 2:35 in my video, those randomized to the extra nuts group got a significant drop in the smallest, densest LDL, but those randomized to the extra-virgin olive oil group did not. So, there appears to be some special components in nuts that lowers the worst of the worst LDL cholesterol. Do avocados offer similar benefits? We didn’t know until the first randomized controlled feeding trial to look at avocados and LDL size. The researchers removed animal fat from people’s diet and replaced it with either carbohydrates, avocado, or vegetable oils that had a similar fat profile to the avocados. In this way, the avocado group and the vegetable oil group were put on very similar diets, except one had the nutrients unique to avocados and the other did not. What happened? Any time you lower intake of saturated fat, such as replacing animal fat with plant fat (vegetable oil in this case) or carbohydrates, you’re going to bring down LDL. Okay, but does replacing animal fat with the whole plant food avocado make a difference? Yes. That resulted in an even better effect. To see why, the researchers broke the LDL down into large versus small. All three treatments brought down the dangerous large LDL, but the avocado had the additional effect of also bringing down the super dangerous small LDL. That’s where that extra drop came from. You can see a graph depicting these findings at 3:27 in my video. So, it’s not just a matter of replacing animal fat with plant fat. There are additional benefits to the fiber and phytonutrients of whole plant foods like avocados. If there’s something good in avocados, should we just add avocado extracts to meat? Well, incorporating avocado extracts into pork patties evidently reduces the meat’s cholesterol oxidation products that “have been well documented” to be toxic, carcinogenic, and atherosclerotic, but it doesn’t eliminate them. KEY TAKEAWAYS Dairy and poultry are two of the most significant contributors of cholesterol-raising saturated fat in the diet. Simply adding avocado to the diet without also reducing saturated fat intake does not appear to lower cholesterol and, in fact, may cause it to rise. Substitution experiments, where avocado replaces animal fats in the diet, have shown improvements in cholesterol, however, the drop does not appear to differ much from just reducing saturated fat consumption without adding anything else. Comparing the effects of a meat-free diet to a meat-free diet with added avocado, researchers found that eschewing meat while also adding avocado helped even more than merely skipping meat, and it may help more effectively with the worst type of bad LDL cholesterol, small, dense LDL. Oatmeal, oat bran, walnuts, and a plant-based diet rich in fiber and nuts have all been shown to cause LDL to lower overall and the more dangerous, small LDL, specifically, but this was not seen with extra-virgin olive oil, suggesting it is not only a monounsaturated fat effect. Researchers removed animal fat from subjects’ diets and replaced it with either carbohydrates, avocado, or vegetable oils with similar fat profiles to avocados and found that replacing the animal fat with the whole plant food avocado had the best results in reducing LDL. All three treatments lowered large LDL, but avocado had the added effect of also lowering the more dangerous small LDL. To read the original article click here.

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14 Everyday Foods That Support Detox, Cleansing & Healthy Immune Function

AHA Publisher — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 07:00:39 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Want to support your immune function, liver health, and detox throughout your body? Yes, of course. Each day we live, our bodies are bombarded with toxins, free radicals, and compounds that can damage cells and tissues. They accumulate from our own biochemical processes, substances in our foods, air, and water, and toxins like metals in the environment. Fortunately, you can help your body get rid of them. You can use fasting and everyday foods that support detox, cleansing, and healthy immune function. Our bodies are incredible and have organs and systems that do their best to rid toxins each day. But even they can get bogged down in our modern lifestyles. They could use some help. Here are 15 everyday foods that support detox, cleansing, and healthy immune function. 14 Everyday Foods That Support Detox, Cleansing, & Healthy Immune Function 1. GREENS AND CHLOROPHYLL Remember grade school biology? We learned about the parts of the plant, and how plants make their own food with sunlight, soil, and water. And, we learned how plants convert carbon dioxide and water, using sunlight, into oxygen and glucose using chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is an extremely powerful compound. And, it can work wonders in the human body as well. In fact, chlorophyll and greens in general contain substances that support blood health, oxygenation, and energy levels. It works similarly to hemoglobin in the body, except it carries magnesium instead of iron (1). More, chlorophyll specifically supports digestive health, immune health, and liver health. It has a strong alkalizing effect on the body and improves urine pH, which further supports healthy liver function and removal of toxins like metals, pesticides, and more. You can get chlorophyll from many of the everyday greens you eat, including alfalfa, kale, and more. However, it’s easier to obtain high amounts of chlorophyll from powdered greens that contain foods like spirulina and wheatgrass, especially if they have been fermented. Fermentation makes the nutrients in foods like spirulina and wheatgrass even more bioavailable in the body and can deliver high amounts of nutrients and chlorophyll to the blood (2, 3). Divine Health Fermented Green Supremefood is a great low-carb source of fermented spirulina, wheatgrass, and more (10 USDA Organic greens and 4 grasses). It’s easy to add it to your daily routine for your daily chlorophyll needs! 2. HIGH ANTIOXIDANTS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Antioxidants are also vital compounds in foods that support your immune system and detoxification of cells. Antioxidants fight free radicals that damage all cells and systems, including the immune system, reducing inflammation, and support cellular detoxification. For example, two high-antioxidants superfoods found in Divine Health’s Organic Red Supremefood that support the immune system in this way are beets and berries (4). What’s more, most vibrantly, rich-colored fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of antioxidants. Other good food choices include lemon juice, raw cacao, and greens. 3. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SPICES I.E. GINGER AND TURMERIC Looking for strong anti-inflammatory foods that support healthy immune function? Ginger and Turmeric are potent spices with anti-inflammatory components. In fact, the main compound in turmeric, curcumin, supports joint health, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and more. What’s more, ginger has similar functions. It can promote whole-body health, immune health, and pain relief with its strong antioxidants. Why is reducing inflammation important to support your immune system? Inflammation directly affects the immune system by changing the course of hormones and impacting the immune response (5). 4. NATURAL PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, AND FIBER One very important step to support your immune system is to support your gut. The cells in the digestive tract and the healthy bacteria that live there are vital to the immune system and nourishment of the whole body. There are many ways to get probiotics, or healthy bacteria, in low-carbs foods. In addition, prebiotics are important to the process because they “feed” the healthy bacteria in probiotic foods and the healthy bacteria that already live in the gut. When prebiotics and probiotics are consumed together, the prebiotics display protective effects and significantly improve the vitality and delivery of the probiotics to the gut (6). You can find prebiotics and probiotics in both Organic Green and Red Supremefood. In addition, fibers like inulin are protective prebiotic foods sources with many health benefits and support optimal liver function according to the National Liver Foundation (7). By adding healthy bacteria and prebiotics to your diet, you can support your immune system (8). 5. FISH OILS AND OMEGA-3 SOURCES Like anti-inflammatory spices, omega-3 fats from fish and seafood are foods that support your immune system. In fact, they are some of the most potent compounds to reduce inflammatory hormone production. It’s vital to have a good ratio of dietary omega-3 fats compared to omega-6 fats. Both are needed for human health, but modern diets are far too high in omega-6 foods (mostly due to processed foods), and too low in omega-3s from fish and seafood, seeds, nuts, and more. Great choices for omega3 fats are salmon, halibut, and tuna. 6. MCT OIL POWDER While they work differently than omega3 fats, the medium-chain triglycerides in MCT Oil Powder also promote anti-inflammation. In fact, studies have shown that MCT oil directly reduces C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation) (8). When you reduce inflammation, you allow your immune system to function better, and contribute to cleansing the body and keeping it strong. 7. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Oleocanthal is a special compound found in abundance high-quality Greek olive oils. In fact, it contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and many nutrients that support heart health. Oleocanthal is so strong it promotes anti-inflammatory action in similar strength to some medications, like ibuprofen (9). Additionally, it provides both antibacterial and anti-viral action (10), further supporting immune function and detox. 8. AVOCADOS Avocados are another anti-inflammatory food that supports your immune system. It has fats called phytosterols. They are known to combat the inflammation associated with arthritis. Avocados also contain polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs), which are also potent anti-inflammatories. Lastly, avocado’s oleic acid supports digestive tract health to directly boost the immune system. 9. COLLAGEN AND BONE BROTH If you’ve been told to eat chicken noodle soup when you’re sick, it’s mostly for the bone broth. The collagen in bone broth and hydrolyzed collagen powder supports the immune system and detox by: Providing amino acids and proteins Support the cells in the digestive tract Reducing inflammation 10. GARLIC AND ONIONS Garlic is a wonderful food to support your immune system and detox. Garlic’s compounds are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and supports cellular detox. Studies show that garlic may be effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria (11) and strong viruses. Additionally, onions support your immune system with antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer compounds. 11. BLACK PEPPER, CINNAMON, AND CLOVES Setting in your spice cupboard are incredibly strong foods that support your immune system (in addition to turmeric and ginger). These include: Black peppercorns support your immune system with potent antioxidants like piperine and anti-inflammatory compounds. Cinnamon is not only known for being anti-inflammatory, but its cinnamaldehyde can also fight infections directly. It inhibits Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Helicobacter pylori. What’s more, it supports the fight against tooth decay while encouraging the immune response to infection. Cloves, like cinnamon, are a spice that supports immune health, fights bacteria, and fights free radicals. 12. CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI Cauliflower and broccoli are amazing vegetables. In addition to antioxidants that fight oxidative stress, their nutrients specifically support cellular detoxification to keep cells healthy and thriving. This includes both Phase 1 and Phase 2 cellular detoxification. 13. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR Organic apple cider vinegar is an ingredient in many folk medicine cures. It is known to fight both bacterial and viral infections, yeasts, and more. Importantly, you should never drink it straight. Always dilute to just 1-2 tablespoons per 8 ounces liquid to protect your esophagus while supporting immune health, liver health, and alkalization of the body. 14. WATER, GREEN TEA, AND BLACK TEA Green and black tea are packed full of antioxidants that support the body’s fight against free radicals and bacteria while supporting the immune system. In fact, their specific nutrients start working against microbes in the mouth. And water? Not only is it necessary for life, but it’s also necessary for the immune system. Each day, you can support your liver, kidneys, digestion, and the entire body by staying well-hydrated. Bottom Line You don’t have to search far and wide to eat foods that detox, cleansing, and healthy immune function. Many everyday foods can do the job. We also offer amazing products that make it easy to add the right foods and ingredients to your daily routine. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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