oleic acid Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Cold Cucumber Avocado Keto Soup Recipe (or Dip!)

AHA Publisher — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 07:00:20 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Avocados were first used by the Aztecs and since have been highly sought after for their health benefits. Avocados are high in healthy mono-unsaturated fats such as oleic acid. They also have anti inflammatory properties and are high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. As such, they make a perfect ingredient for any keto meals. But few of us incorporate them into recipes besides the ubiquitous guacamole. Here, however, is a delicious and refreshing soup recipe called Cold Cucumber Avocado Keto Soup. Tried out by many readers, it even works well as an avocado dip for chips or cut-up veggies. Why does it work well for the keto diet? Well, each serving offers 25 grams of healthy fats alongside 11 grams of protein and just 5 net carbs. Those are nearly perfect macros for the ketogenic diet. How to Make Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup Place all the ingredients on your counter. Get out a cutting board and a good sharp knife. Peel the cucumber and chop roughly and place into a high-powered blender or food processor. Next, scoop out the meat from a full avocado after removing the seed. Place into the blender. Chop up five stalks of celery and add to the blender. Lastly, add the squeezed lemon juice, water, sea salt and black pepper. Blend thoroughly and pour into two soup bowls. Top with shredded raw cheddar cheese or goat cheese, along with fresh herbs. Enjoy! Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup Recipe (or Dip!) DESCRIPTION Go beyond guacamole and use the mighty avocado for this delicious (and easy!) Creamy Cucumber Avocado Soup. It can also substitute as a great dipping sauce. INGREDIENTS ½ cucumber, peeled 1 ripe avocado 5 stalks celery 3 tablespoons lemon juice ½ cup water 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 ounces raw cheddar cheese or goat cheese fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Place all ingredients (except the cheese) together in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend thoroughly and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes Serve chilled and top with fresh cheese and fresh herbs. NOTES If you choose to use this as a dip for chips or fresh veggies, use less water in the recipe so it’s nice and thick. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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Ready to Fight Heart Disease? Boost Your Heart Health with These Tiny Seeds

AHA Publisher — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:00:16 +0000

Karen Sanders via NaturalHealth365 – In spite of scientific advances, heart disease is still the leading cause of death for Americans. Yet, experts tell us, many cases of cardiovascular disease are preventable, with simple lifestyle changes – such as a clean diet – to help improve our heart health. Do you crave “junky” foods? The seeds of a cheerful, hardy summer flower – scientifically known as Helianthus annuus – offer a tasty alternative to junk foods such as potato chips and cookies, and can help you redirect your cravings towards healthier fare. Sunflower seeds – with their crunchy, pleasing texture and mildly sweet, buttery taste – are virtually perfect snack food. They are not only packed with essential micronutrients and antioxidants but are also rich in natural plant oils that work together to ward off heart disease. Editor’s note: Heart disease now kills 31% of all people worldwide … and the root causes are NOT what you think! Click here to discover the truth inside the Cardiovascular Docu-Class, hosted by Jonathan Landsman, creator of NaturalHealth365. Science-Backed Compounds Provide POWERFUL Heart Health Benefits In addition to polyunsaturated linoleic acid, sunflower seeds contain oleic acid – an extremely beneficial monounsaturated acid that is also found in such heart-healthy treats as olives and avocados. Oleic acid helps to lower harmful LDL cholesterol while raising amounts of desirable HDL cholesterol. In addition, animal studies have shown that a diet high in oleic acid can help reverse the negative effects of inflammatory cytokines. As inflammation triggers many serious health conditions – including heart disease and cancer – this bodes well for sunflower seeds’ ability to promote coronary health. Can oleic acid prevent heart disease? The simple answer is yes. In a study published in 2004 in Nutrition, omega-3 polyunsaturated acids, including oleic acid, decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease. Oleic acid also lowered unhealthy LDL cholesterol and decreased concentrations of vascular cell adhesion molecules, making cells less ‘sticky’ – and reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, strokes, blood clots, and heart disease. But Wait, There Is Even More Good News! Sunflower seeds are rich in amino acids, organic compounds essential to the production of protein. In addition to their role as “building blocks” of protein, amino acids can help to prevent the buildup of body fat and boost the immune system; they can also boost heart health in a variety of ways. A mere quarter of a cup – about 35 grams – of sunflower seeds contains an impressive .70 grams of arginine – which can increase the elasticity of arteries while decreasing vascular resistance. By helping to keep blood vessels dilated, arginine enhances blood flow, helping to prevent the development of coronary artery disease. Sunflower seeds also offer healthy amounts of tryptophan. Many people know that tryptophan can promote restful sleep and reduce anxiety and mood swings; not as well known is the fact that tryptophan is a potent antioxidant that can scavenge harmful free radicals in the body. Glutamic acid, also found in sunflower seeds, benefits the cardiovascular system as well. In a 2009 study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers found that this amino acid can significantly lower blood pressure. A Quarter Cup of Sunflower Seeds Improves Your Health in More Ways Than You Can Imagine The same quarter-cup serving of sunflower seeds contains over 80 percent of the adult daily value of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vitamin E – which helps protect against the oxidation of cholesterol, a major factor in heart disease. Sunflower seeds are also high in selenium, a terrific antioxidant – especially when taken in conjunction with vitamin E. Sunflower seeds also contain healthy levels of magnesium – which helps to regulate blood pressure, and niacin – which boosts levels of desirable high-density lipoproteins. With 204 calories to a quarter-cup, sunflower seeds are not a low-cal food. However, one serving offers the same amount of protein as an 8-oz. container of yogurt; sunflower seeds’ exemplary amounts of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and protein make them a very good caloric investment. In addition, they are naturally high in heart-healthy dietary fiber – which leads to a feeling of satiety and can help prevent overeating. Here Are Some of Our Favorite Ways to Enjoy Sunflower Seeds It doesn’t much matter if you buy your sunflower seeds shelled or unshelled; the important thing is that they are organic. Unshelled sunflower seeds should feel crisp and firm; avoid any that appear limp, soggy, or withered. Shelled sunflower seeds should be grayish-white, and have a fresh, clean fragrance; if they are visibly yellowed, this could mean that they are rancid. Unshelled seeds may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, while shelled seeds should be refrigerated. You can use these versatile seeds to add flavor and texture to rice, pasta, tabouleh, or casserole dishes. Sprinkle them over green salads, stir them into oatmeal, or use them to enliven chicken salad. Highly portable and convenient to eat, sunflower seeds are perfect for quick energy on the hiking trail, or for an afternoon pick-me-up at your desk. With almost every constituent working together to ward off coronary disease, it is almost as if sunflower seeds have been divinely engineered towards the goal of protecting your heart. All you have to do is nibble away and enjoy. Sources for this article include: AHA.Journals.org NIH.gov CDC.gov To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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Should You Start Drinking Olive Oil Every Day?

AHA Publisher — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 08:00:21 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Drinking olive oil every day offers many health benefits both in theory and in practice. Drink it straight, or add a drizzle to foods. From brain health to digestive health, drinking olive oil every day is great for your body. In the United States, the thought of drinking olive oil every day sounds a bit foreign. And honestly, it is. But in many Mediterranean societies, drinking olive oil is customary, and has been practiced for centuries. For those in the Keto Zone, extra virgin olive oil is a great choice. Here are the health benefits in general, and what science says about drinking olive oil every day. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is a Great Keto Zone Fat Fortunately for Keto Zoners, olive oil is a “pure fat.” It is a incredibly healthy option to increase fat percentage intake towards 75% of calories from fat. Olive oil has a composition of 14% saturated fat and 11% polyunsaturated fat. Within the polyunsaturated fats, olive oil boosts omega-3s, omega-6s, and primarily, omega-9s (1). The omega-9s are the nutrition stars of olive oil. They make up ~73% of the total fat content, and provide most of the benefits of drinking olive oil. In fact, they are know to raise beneficial HDL while lowering potentially harmful LDL. They incorporate into cellular membranes and mitochondria to improve cellular health. Specific Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil If you’re interested in drinking olive oil every day, there are many benefits of olive oil supported by research. They include: • Antioxidants Galore: Olive oil contains vitamin E, vitamin K, and hydroxytyrosol (HT). Hydroxytyrosol is a nutrient with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (2). • Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial: Chronic inflammation is at the root of many modern chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, obesity and more. Olive oil contains an antioxidant called oleocanthal, which is strongly anti-inflammatory. In fact, it works similarly to anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (3). • Heart Protector: To support heart health, olive oil reduces inflammation and cholesterol oxidation in artery walls (4). It can can also lower blood pressure and reduce the need for hypertension medications by up to 48% (5). What’s more, studies have found that those who consume olive oil have a significantly lower risk of stroke than those who don’t (6). • Anti-Aging: The most prominent fat in olive oil, oleic acid, is strongly anti-aging. What’s more, vitamin E, olive oil’s polyphenols, and vitamin K all support youthful cells, strong bones, improved gene expression and more (7). • Brain Health: Olive oil may help remove Alzheimer-associated plaques from the brain, beta-amyloid plaques (8). In addition, studies have found that olive oil may improve cognition (9). Specific Studies of Drinking Olive Oil Every Day As shown above, we are confident that olive oil offer many nutrition and health benefits. But is there any extra benefit to using it beyond cooking with it and adding it to other foods? Should you actually start drinking olive oil every day? What Do Studies Say? Less Heart Disease One study of almost 7500 people found that those who drank 1/4 cup of olive oil each day had a 30% lower risk of heart disease compared to those on a low-fat diet (10). Better Digestion and Constipation Slow digestion and constipation is an issue for many adults. And often, constipation becomes a bigger problem as we age. In fact, 34% of adults over the age of 60 suffer from it (11). Drinking olive oil every day may help. In fact, just drinking 1 teaspoon olive oil per day can result in softened stools and constipation relief, as shown in studies (12). Olive oil is as effective as effective as mineral oil at relieving constipation (13). Another study of 414 people over the age of 50 found that 97.7% of those with more than 3 bowel movements per week had high intakes of olive oil or drank it straight (14). Weight and Heart Health A study of overweight women were assigned 2 types of breakfasts for one year. One group ate a breakfast supplemented with soybean oil. The other group drank olive oil with breakfast. Otherwise, the breakfasts were identical. After one year, the olive oil group hah higher HDL cholesterol, lower inflammatory markers, improved blood pressure and lower body weight (15). Fractures and Osteoporosis When Mediterranean populations, who consume or drink extra-virgin olive oil each day are studied, it’s noted that they have a reduced risk of fractures and osteoporosis (16). Cholesterol Improvements Studies have found that consumption of extra-virgin olive oil reduces the oxidized LDL cholesterol (17 ) and increases HDL. It is believed that the presence of mostly phenols in the oil are responsible for this effect. Options for Drinking Olive Oil Every Day To add extra virgin olive oil to you diet each, you have many options. First, start with the best extra virgin olive oil available: Keto Zone Harvest Greek Olive Oil. It is 100% pure organic extra virgin olive oil that is cold-pressed and unrefined. It is grown in Crete, Greece, and contains very high levels of polyphenol olive oil. To drink/add 2-4 tablespoons each day: 1. Try drinking it straight each morning. 2. If you don’t want to drink it, drizzle it onto vegetables each day. 3. Add Keto Zone Olive Oil to a shake or smoothie each day. 4. Make Keto Zone Pesto and add olive oil to your individual serving. 5. Drizzle it onto a serving of Keto Zone Soup. Bottom Line Drinking olive oil every day offers many health benefits both in theory and in practice. Drink it straight, or add a drizzle to foods. From brain health to digestive health, drinking olive oil every day is great for your body. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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