Healthy Snacks

The simple fact that you are "on a diet" is enough to send your brain into overdrive and you suddenly start craving things you probably wouldn't eat or highly calorific foods.  Some people who have never snacked suddenly find the need to be eating constantly.

This is because a sudden change in habits means we are forced outside of our comfort zone and our subconscious decide it wants back into the comfort zone.  Many people find they become quite anxious while on a diet.

So, if you are desperate to lose a few pounds for the summer season, or you KNOW you need to overhaul your diet to be healthier, then here are a few healthy snacking tips you might find tasty, and satisfying without losing control of your diet.

Cottage Cheese:

This a favorite of mine, high in protein and low in calories; just 163 calories per cup with about 70% protein.  Cottage cheese is also a good source of calcium, vitamin B12 and riboflavin (B2).  The high protein content will keep you feeling fuller for longer.  More than a snack, I quite often have a pot of cottage cheese for breakfast.

Olives:

Many mistake this mediterranean staple as being fattening, but it is surprisingly low in calories but also contain oleic acid which is linked to many health benefits such as improved heart health and reduced inflammation in the body.  You can have a few as snack, without having to worry.

Hot Drinks:

Having a hot cup of coffee, tea or even broth, is an easy way to stop hunger pangs.  Warm liquid gives a comforting and full feeling in the stomach which can lead you to feel satiated and relaxed.  Broth or even miso soup are good options with healthy fiber, protein and beneficial plant compounds it isn't just a warm feeling but they are actually a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Fresh Fruit:

If it's something sweet you are craving then fruit is your best option.  Fruit is sweet... especially if it's tropical BUT don't juice it.  Eat the whole fruit.  Fruit has a lot of beneficial fiber that stops the sugar being absorbed too quickly and causing a spike in blood sugar levels.  The fiber means  the sugar is released more slowly over a longer period of time.  It will also give you lots of vitamins!  Tropical fruits are very high in sugar so be careful.

A part from tropical fruit, berries are a better choice if you are trying to lose weight.  Berries are sweet but lower if calories while staying high in fiber, they are also packed full of vitamins and minerals.  They are high in antioxidants and it is thought they have good anti-inflammatory powers.

Dark Chocolate:

Still on the sweet kick?  Many of my clients say they crave just a little something sweet - usually in the evenings before going to bed.  If you are capable of not eating the whole bar, then I suggest an ounce of dark chocolate, preferably at least 70% cocoa.  It may not me as good as your milk chocolate caramel deluxe bar but dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants and helps reduce your risk of heart disease.  BUT just an ounce or two.

Greek Yogurt:

If you are want something with a really indulgent feel then Greek yogurt is your answer.  Its creamy texture makes it a delicious snack which is also full of protein and contains less sugar than a regular yogurt.  Greek yogurt also has lots of beneficial bacteria to help with your gut health and lots of B vitamins.

Hummus:

Mediterranean delight made from chickpeas, tahini, garlic and olive oil.  More than a snack you can make this into a meal!  Cut up some fresh vegetables; celery, red and yellow peppers and carrots into sticks and dip in the hummus.  This is heart healthy and will also help increase your vegetable intake.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Mind and body

Obviously I spend everyday trying to find that magic "thing" that can help people lose weight and improve their health.  But for some people the mere thought of having to restrict food intake or just the mention of THAT word, means they give up before they've even started.

And I get it... I really do.

They good news is that there is more and more information arising from more and more studies that gives us an insight into how our bodies work, how food affects our bodies and how we can make changes that benefit us.  Each person is different, each person reacts in different ways to foods.  This is why I find that finding out a person's food intolerances really helps.

But it isn't just what foods you are intolerant to.  It's about making life changes, it's about understanding your body and in the case of overweight people, it's understanding how you got that way in the first place and how differently your MIND works to other leaner people.

You see, when changing your diet for any reason; intolerances, weight loss, allergies, illness, etc., your whole body is involved including your brain.  I quite often tell my patients, yes, I can help you to lose weight, but unless you change your attitude towards food, you'll just put it back on again.  If you don't make the psychological changes and see food for what it is... fuel for your body, then you probably won't get very far.

Quite often patients will complain about how much they miss a certain food that they are intolerant to and therefore not allowed to eat for a certain length of time.  This is normal, the minute you tell someone they can't eat or drink when they didn't even consume it habitually.  This is your brain saying that seeing as you aren't ALLOWED to eat then you WANT it, when you wouldn't usually.

A new study has shown that it seems that people who are overweight react differently to real food and inedible images of foods when shown on a computer screen.  The researchers tested lean people's decisions to food choices in the form of images, and found them to be very similar to those of overweight people.  However, the results changed considerably when instead of being offered limited choices, they were confronted with an all-you-can-eat buffet of REAL FOOD which included both healthy and not so healthy dishes.

While both lean and overweight volunteers were equally attracted to "tasty" foods, the overweight participants were more likely to eat the unhealthy, fattening dishes.

The lead researcher from Cambridge University, Dr Nenad Medic said,

"There's a clear difference between hypothetical food choices that overweight people make and the food they actually eat."

Although overweight people KNOW which foods are less healthy than others and admit that they wouldn't necessarily pick them, when the food is in front of them, they will choose the less healthy option.

"This is an important insight for health campaigners as it suggests that just trying to educate people about the healthiness of food choices is not enough.  The presence of unhealthy food options is likely to override people's decisions.

"In this respect, food choice does not appear to be a rational decision - it can be divorced from what the person knows and values."

This is actually really important information.

I remember back in 2008 when I had my own food intolerances analyzed.  I had just had my son a few months previously and had put on quite a bit of weight after having him.  I followed the diet to the letter and lost all the weight in 2 months.  But, I remember saying to the doctor treating me, "I miss chocolate soooooo much, I wish I didn't crave sweet things.  It would be so much easier!"  He smiled at me and said that those craving would pass - in a year or two!

I remember almost feeling defeated at that moment.  Was there a point to trying for so long?  Isn't life too short?

Well, even though I have reintroduced most of my intolerant foods (except soy), I still, to this day, do not mix my carbs and my proteins.  The weight I lost has stayed off and almost 8 years later I can honestly say... I don't have chocolate cravings.  Yes, I have cravings for other sweet foods, but I don't have chocolate cravings - part of the battle is won.

However, researchers in Denmark have discovered that if you stick to a diet or a new way of eating such as kicking your junk food habit, eating clean, or not mixing carbs and proteins, going vegan... which ever it is that works for you, for at least a year then you can CHANGE your appetite governing chemicals.

Our bodies were developed for famine and in the western world at least, there is food on offer constantly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  When we "diet" or restrict our food intake, then quite often our body's response is to store what little it does get, then when you eat "normally" the body continues to store just in case you decide to restrict it again.  This is the boomerang effect of dieting and then putting the weight back on after and then some.

In the Danish study, obese people who shed an eighth of their weight in an intensive diet, and hold it off for a year saw dramatic changes in the chemicals governing their appetite.  Signe Sorensen Torekov, associate professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Copenhagen where the study was carried out said;

"It is very difficult to fight the hunger, it's like a drug you're fighting against.  This would have been an excellent mechanism 50 years ago, but the problem now is that we have so much food available that we can eat all the time.  We were able to show that you shouldn't give up.  If you're able to keep your weight down for a year, then it shifts and it becomes easier."

I stuck to not mixing carbs and proteins because I found that I felt better for it, even after reaching my goal weight.  I found that digesting large meals isn't a problem and whereas in the past, I would often prefer sweet foods over healthy foods, my relationship to food has changed.  Now I think before eating or preparing food.  I think about how food nourishes the body, helps to heal it and how it gives it energy.  Think about what you have chosen to eat and what it can do for you... a sugar laden piece of cake isn't going to do much for you in the long run.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

The invisible reason we're all a different weight

I think we are all far more body conscious today than ever before.  Obesity is a global epidemic... you have to be a size 0 to be successful, loved, liked... It's actually quite a sorry state of affairs.

I, as a nutritionist, have always maintained that it's about health - not dress size.  But, even though we are making great headway in weight related issues, there are still some fairly basic questions that as yet, haven't been answered.  The major one being:

Why do some people get fatter than others when eating the same amount of calories and doing the same amount of exercise?

Why do I have to carefully watch my weight because I tend to put on weight easily when another person can eat anything they want and not put on a gram?

Tim Spector, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Kings College, London and author of The Diet Myth, believes he has the answer.

The digestive system is very important to the human body.  It also contains a very complex mix of gut microbes that account for the most part of the 100 trillion cells in our bodies and they interact with our genes to aid digestion, aid the production of certain vitamins, affect our immunity and even influence our mood, metabolism and weight.

The balance of these gut microbes is the key to good health and also to staying a healthy weight.  Tim Spector says:

"It's rather like fingerprints - we may look similar on the outside, but we're all different inside."

Which is why a low-fat diet works for some people, and a high fat diet works brilliantly for others, why some people can eat carbs to their heart's content, and others put on weight just by looking at a doughnut.

For years we have been told that a calorie is a calorie and that calories in vs calories out is what makes us lose or gain weight.  But, if you are a follower of this blog, you should know by now that that isn't the case.  It depends on how our bodies deal with the calories they receive and that is down to the interaction between gut microbes and genes.

We know there are a number of genes that influence appetite and weight.  Gut microbes do not have the power to alter your genes, however they can modify the gene activity and you can affect the microbes depending on what you eat - for better or for worse.

So what it boils down to is that you have to eat to make sure your gut microbes flourish.

Variety is the key.  Our ancestors typically ate 150 different ingredients a week, nowadays most of us eat less than 20 separate food items including a lot less fiber.  The more varied your diet the more varied your gut microbes - but keep it real and unprocessed.

You all know I am against processed foods - anything good that they may have contained at one point has been removed and replaced with high amounts of sugar and salt.  So, stick to REAL FOOD - cook from scratch and keep it as raw as possible.

Plant foods are great gut food, providing a multitude of gut-healthy benefits.  Some plants such as garlic, leeks, jerusalem artichokes, nuts and bananas, and fermented foods such as tofu, kimchi and sauerkraut, provide prebiotics that promote gut health.

Eat cheese and yogurts.  However, avoid the processed orange cheese slices they typically put on your burger and also avoid the low fat, fruit flavored yogurts that have had most of the goodness removed and sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor.

Coffee is great, it's packed full of plant chemicals called polyphenols and is also thought to protect against type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and heart disease.  Just forget the sugar or sweeteners.

High sugar diets are bad for gut microbes - and everything else.  Artificial sweeteners aren't much better either.  Can you honestly say that a chemically produced "stuff" is good for the human body? (Not taking medicines into account). Also rats fed human doses of sweeteners for 12 weeks showed a significant reduction in healthy gut microbes.

A little bit - just a square, of dark chocolate every day - preferably 70% cocoa solids.  Microbes love chocolate which they break down into anti-inflammatory substances.

And, of course, exercise.  Movement promotes gut health by stimulating the production of butyrate, a chemical produced by the gut microbes that has a beneficial effect on the immune system.

So, are you going to look after your gut?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Science and food... what the evidence says

I spend every day reading clinical studies on different foods and how they affect our health - or help it.  And I totally understand that people are genuinely confused as to what you CAN eat without worrying about the negative effects those foods can have on your weight and health.  Heck, I'm confused most of the time too!

We are constantly bombarded, day in and day out by the "health" industry and the food industry telling us that sugar is fine one day and then saying it needs taxing the next (I agree with this last point and one day I might just write a book about that one!), if low fat is heart healthy and then saying that low fat is heart dangerous... or high carb is fine for weight loss... oh no wait a minute... no it isn't!  Aren't you confused?

I hope my blog goes a long way to helping you understand what is right for you and what isn't.  I do try and base my information on scientific findings, but even those can be misleading.  The success of a clinical study depends on 3 factors; the number of participants involved, the duration of the study and the interpretation of the results.  Small studies with short durations give quick results that may not extend to a wider population and could change over time - for example.  Quite often the press pick up on once phrase and the whole thing goes viral without actually reading the entire study.  So most should be considered in their entirety before making conclusions.

However, there are some foods out there that have bad press which needs to be reassessed.  I wrote recently about how good avocados are for you and coffee has had a negative image for years.  Chocolate has been considered the devil since the beginning of time and wine was usually struck off in any weight loss plan.  We have been told for years that eggs raise cholesterol and therefore are a risk to heart health, and nuts are so fattening you shouldn't even be in the same room with them - same goes for pickles!

So, as I am not one for bashing anyone or anything over the head without proof... here's mine...

EGGS

I love eggs.  Considered one of the purest forms of protein, also considered to raise cholesterol and study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eggs can help your body better absorb other vegetables' nutrients - more importantly it is the fat in the yolk that creates this better absorption.  So, add an egg to your favorite vegetable dishes. make you fat as the yolk is supposedly pure fat.  Truth is, the egg as a whole is packed with fat, protein, loads of vitamins and minerales and is very low in carbs.  They could also help you to absorb other nutrients more efficiently.  According to a new

PICKLES

Fermented foods are fashionable at the moment and for good reason.  They are extremely good for your gut health, and if your gut isn't healthy then you really are going to have problems - even in your mental health!  The Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition has carried out an albeit small study with only 40 participants, which found that the participants who consumed probiotics for four weeks, spent less time dwelling on bad past experiences or negative feelings.

Fermented foods are packed with probiotics which could also help reduce social anxiety.  700 college students were surveyed on their eating and exercise habits and their personalities.  The scientists that carried out the survey discovered that those who described themselves as anxious had better social behavior if they ate probiotics.

NUTS

Wonderful and healthful nuts, packed with healthy fats, fiber and vitamins but feared for their high caloric value.  However, fear not!  Maastricht University discovered that people who ate about 10g of nuts every day had a 23% reduced risk of dying from heart attacks, diabetes, respiratory failure, and cancer, compared to people who ate less.  However, eating more than 10g a day did not increase the protective benefits so there is no need to go crazy and eat huge amounts.  Just remember to keep them raw and avoid peanuts!

AVOCADOS

Another one of my favorites!  Now to add to all those benefits is the avocado's LDL (bad cholesterol) lowering properties, making it heart healthy - or so new research published in the Journal of American Heart Association.  Another small study and funded by Hass Avocado Board and including only 45 participants so could be considered questionable on all levels... but it does shed light on the positive effect of the healthy fat found in avocados on cholesterol... Seeing as there is no reason NOT to eat avocados, this just adds to the positives.

Professor Paul Spagnuolo from the University of Waterloo has found that a lipid in avocados attacks leukemia stem cells directly without harming other healthy cells.  Obviously this would be a major breakthrough in cancer research but the drug is still a long way from being approved for use in human cancer patients.

CHOCOLATE

The never ending chocolate debate.  Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants which can't be bad, right?  Just keep it in moderation.  Although a study at Columbia University and NYU found that participants who ate a lot of chocolate - 100g of cocoa powder which contains 100mg of flavanols - got higher scores on memory tests than those who ate a little.  This means that chocolate is actually good for your brain.  However, to get that much from regular chocolate means you would have to consume 44 pounds a day and I really don't think your waistline would appreciate it even if you were capable.

Chocolate can also be considered good for you heart, or simply not bad for it.  A study in the British Medical Journal states that eating up to 100g of chocolate a day is linked to lowered heart disease and stroke risk.  But it could just mean that people with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease eat less chocolate than those who don't.

COFFEE

Can't live without it, but you think you should cut back because of the caffeine?  However, one thing all scientists seem to agree on is that drinking coffee isn't harmful at all.  In fact, a review of 40 different on the link between coffee and different kinds of cancer found that coffee consumption is inversely linked to the risk of various different types of cancer including breast, pancreas, bladder, prostate and throat.  The American Heart Association research has shown that higher levels of coffee consumption means a lower risk of stroke.  Also another study from Kyoto University discovered a reduced risk of death from heart disease in participants who had at least one cup a day.

Another study from the University of Texas shows that a few cups a day (2-3) could help lower the risk of erectile dysfunction.  This, they believe, is due to the fact that caffeine helps relax muscles and arteries, improving blood flow to the area in question.

WINE

Specifically red.  Full of an antioxidant called resveratrol, red wine is believed to be heart healthy and maybe even gut healthy due to it's fermentation and now, thanks to a study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, it may even improve weight loss too.  Red wine in mice has been found to help them metabolize fat and sugar more efficiently - however we will have to wait and see if it has the same results in humans.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Pesky Cravings... just might be good for you!

Many consider that irresistible urge for chocolate or bread with butter slathered on to be the bane of anyone trying to maintain a healthy eating regime.  However, those sudden cravings for certain foods that have nothing to do with hunger could be your body trying to tell you something!

When I meet a patient for the first appointment, I ask them a LOT of questions.  Many of those questions are about what they LIKE to eat and what they don't like.  Also if there are foods they simply "can't live without", I put that in inverted commas as even though it may seem impossible for you to live without say... chocolate, I assure you it IS possible.  The reasoning behind these questions is simple, many foods that people think they can't live without and crave on a regular basis and will even go out of their way to eat is their bodies' way of telling them that there is something in that particular food that their bodies need and must have.  Usually this is down to a deficiency in certain nutrients.

For example:  Do you crave chocolate? (I know I do).  Well this common craving could be down to a lack of magnesium in some people.  Chocolate is rich in magnesium which is a mineral that is vital for skin and hair.  Women also crave chocolate as their magnesium levels tend to drop during the second half of the menstrual cycle, which also suggests a possible link with many of the usual symptoms of PMS.  There are other reasons for a lack of magnesium in the body, for example, drinking too much tea, coffee and carbonated drinks can lower magnesium levels.

The solution?  Well if the only thing that will do it for you is chocolate then stick to the dark stuff and preferable a minimum of 75% cocoa as this will have a higher magnesium content and less sugar.  However, nuts, particularly Brazil nuts are a richer source, leafy greens, brown rice, wholemeal bread and pumpkin seeds are also good.

If you suffer from PMS try taking a Vitamin B complex supplement with a magnesium supplement every day.

Is Ice a necessity for you?  Yes, believe it or not there are people out there that crave ice.  It is not know exactly why, but craving ice could be due to lack of iron in the body.  If you do crave ice and suffer from lack of energy you should see your doctor as you may be anaemic.  The amount of iron in our diets has decreased due to people eating less healthily and relying on processed foods.

The solution?  Red meat is an optimal source of iron as it is readily absorbed by the body.  Other sources are wholemeal bread, figs, apricots, spinach, broccoli and lentils.  However, if you are trying to increase your intake of iron through plant based foods, then you should also eat Kiwis, oranges and tomatoes as the vitamin C in them helps the body to absorb the iron.  So if you eat a spinach salad, make sure it has tomato in it too - for example.

If you would prefer and your doctor recommends it, you can take iron supplements - Solgar Gentle Iron is one that I prefer as it is less likely to cause constipation, but remember to take it with a kiwi or an orange for better absorption.

Do you go out of your way for a hunk of meat?  Craving meat can also be a sign of iron deficiency but it can also mean you are low on zinc.  Zinc is important to immune function, among other things, so when your levels are depleted you will be more susceptible to colds and flu.

The solution?  Red meat is a great source as well as lentils, shellfish, spinach, pumpkin seeds, cheese and wholemeal bread.  I always keep some zinc tablets at home and when I feel the typical first symptoms of a cold coming on I take them for a few days and they chase the cold away.

It has to be sweets?  I'm not a sweet eater... for me it has to be chocolate, but I did have a patient who suffered from anxiety and she ate sweets constantly.  Craving sweets could be a sign of chromium deficiency.  Chromium works with insulin to aid the uptake of glucose from the blood into the cells.  Reaching for sweets when you feel low on sugar can actually make the problem worse as it causes the body to produce insulin which leads to a sugar crash, making the cravings even worse.

The solution?  Eat plenty of liver, chicken, beef, kidney, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, whole grains and eggs.

Just can't get enough cheese?    Craving cheese can be a real tell tale sign of a lack of tryptophan.
 Tryptophan is one of the 20 essential amino acids that our bodies need but can not produce themselves.  We need to get these amino acids from our food.  Tryptophan is needed to help the body synthesize serotonin  or the happy hormone.  A lack of tryptophan can lead to low mood, anxiety and sleep problems.

The solution?  The best foods for their tryptophan content are eggs and cheese, so if you're feeling low a cheese omelette might be just the thing for you.  Other good sources of tryptophan are turkey, cashews, walnuts, and bananas.


I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com 

Anxiety and how to eat your way out of it!

STRESS!!!!!!  ANXIETY!!!!!!!  Most of us are stressed and suffer from anxiety it seems to be an all too common problem nowadays.  Most of us are trying to do too much with too little time and we end up unable to sleep and attacking the cookie jar at 2am!

Unfortunately, these common problems don't have an easy solution.  Most people turn to medications such as anti-depressants, sleeping pills and tranquilizers, all of which are very dangerous if not used properly and can even worsen the problem.

There are several natural remedies that you can try; yoga, meditation, sophrology, relaxation techniques and food.  I am a firm believer in the power of meditation and sophrology incorporates both meditation and relaxation techniques.  However, you also have to have the time to dedicate to which ever you decide to incorporate into your life.  If you think you don't have the time, then think again.  How many evenings do you "vegetate" in front of the TV?  Use that time to practice your relaxation technique of choice.  The other thing you can do is to incorporate healthy eating habits into your life.

Going to bed on a full stomach may seem like a good idea, but it isn't at all.  For optimal digestion, the body needs to be in a vertical position so that gravity can help the digestive system process the food you have eaten.  If you fill yourself up before lying down your digestive system has to work a lot harder and the food tends to lie around waiting for too long before being properly processed.

Think about what you are going to eat for dinner.  Dinner = evening meal... usually going to bed afterwards.  Unless you are about to go to the nearest nightclub to dance the night away, dinner is usually the last meal of the day before going to bed.  Carbohydrates provide lots of instant energy, do you really need instant energy before going to sleep?  Try and make evening meals light, preferably vegetables.  If you are really hungry then you can incorporate a small peace of meat, fish or chicken, but you would be better off eating larger amounts of vegetables than filling up on animal protein.  Soups are a great evening option as the hot liquid is more filling.  So, avoid the pasta carbonara or the family sized pizza and go for grilled or steamed vegetables or a nice warm filling vegetable soup!

There are also several natural foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help fight anxiety.  These you can have at any time of the day - or night!

Cashew nuts:
Dr. Andrew Saul, who believes strongly in nutrition benefitting human health, says that 2 handfuls of raw cashew nuts provide the same mind boosting effect as a therapeutic dose of Prozac.  Cashews are one of the natural sources that are very high in Tryptophan, precursor to Serotonin - the feel good hormone - in the brain.

Cranberries:
Cranberries are considered a superfood.  They are rich in vitamins and phytonutrients, with a variety of antioxidants that are considered extremely beneficial for relieving stress.  Many experts also believe that peaches also enter this category, as they contain nutrients that seem to have a tranquilizing effect.

Acai Berries:
This is one of the newer superfoods, and one which has received a lot of attention in the press last year.  It is thought that Acai Berries have weight loss properties, however this has not been proven completely.  Acai Berries are, however, rich in phytonutrients like cranberries, and their antioxidant levels are off the charts!

Almonds:
High in zinc, a key nutrient in the maintenance of mind balance - they also contain iron and healthy fats.  Healthy fats are an important part of a balanced diet, low iron levels cause mental fatigue, which can contribute to anxiety and lack of energy.

Chocolate:
Especially pure dark chocolate with a minimum of added sugar and no milk - this is a great food for people who live with a high level of stress and anxiety.  chocolate reduces cortisol - a stress hormone that causes anxiety symptoms.  Pure dark chocolate has components that improve mood.

Maca Root:
This is not well known and isn't easy to find in your local supermarket, but you will find it in health food shops.  However, you can add ground maca root to several foods and drinks.  It is believed that this root has more phytonutrients than all the other fruits and vegetables, including magnesium and iron - two nutrients that are very important in controlling anxiety.  It can also be used for providing energy.


Social Nutrition:  You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

EAT CHOCOLATE!

Yes, that's right... chocolate is GOOD for you.  I thought that would get your attention!  Want to know why chocolate is good for you?  Then, read on!

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has released a video claiming that chocolate contains hundreds of compounds, many of which a beneficial to health.  Other studies have established that chocolate contains several beneficial compounds, one of which is resveratrol, a compound that may not only protect your brain and nervous system, but it may actually prolong your life too.

Dark chocolate is also good at fighting inflammation.  Other good inflammation fighters are turmeric and the mediterranean diet, both of which reduce the inflammatory process underlying many chronic and degenerative diseases rife in the developed world.

The Feel Good Factor:

Some people get a nice "feel good" boost after eating chocolate.  However, there is actually a chemical reason for this boost.  Anandamide, a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that temporarily blocks the feelings of depression and pain.  Anandamide is a derivative of the Sanskrit word "bliss", chocolate not only produces this compound but it also produces other chemicals that prolong that blissful feeling produced by the anandamide.  However, anandamide does more than just make us feel good, Daniele Piomelli from the University of California, said:

"Anandamide is also synthesized in areas of the brain that are important in memory and higher thought processes and in areas that control movement.  That implies that anandamide's function is not just to produce bliss."

Anandamide has been compared to the sensation you get from marijuana, but Piomelli says,

"We are talking about something much, much, much, much milder than a high."

Comfort food or something better?

Going beyond the feel good factor of the anandamide in chocolate, another ACS study published in the Journal of Proteome Research, states that chocolate could be the new anti-anxiety drug.  The study revealed that one and a half ounces of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks reduced stress hormone levels.  The participants in the study were all classified as "highly stressed", at the end of the two-week study period they were all found to have lower levels of coritsol - the stress hormone also known as "fight or flight" hormone.

However, you must make sure you are eating dark chocolate and as organic as possible.  Many chocolate brands are high in sugar and unhealthy saturated fats.  A study by the Cleveland Clinic said:

"...Be careful about the type of dark chocolate you choose: chewy caramel-marchmallow-nut-covered dark chocolate is by no means a heart-healthy food option.  Be aware that milk chocolate does not have the same healthy effects as unadulterated dark chocolate, because milk often prevents absorption of polyphenols.

"It is also important to remember the word moderation.  There's a measured and tested amount of chocolate - 6.7g a day (or one small square of chocolate two or three times a week) - that provides the best health benefits.  While it undoubtedly comes as a pleasant surprise that chocolate is actually good for you, eating the right amount is crucial if you want it to be a benefit and not a liability."

The Antioxidant Factor:

One of the most important reasons for making chocolate a part of your diet may be the antioxidants it provides.  Few foods have such a good potential for antioxidants as dark chocolate.  A wide range of accumulating scientific research link its consumption to over 40 important health benefits.

The formation of free radicals - atoms, ions and molecules with unpaired electrons - in your cells can damage your DNA to the point that your risk of developing degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer are elevated.

The antioxidant polyphenols in chocolate are so important because they have the ability to stop free radical mediated oxidation.  This decreases the risk of those and other diseases by directly interfering with one of the major preventable causes of chronic degenerative diseases.  As stated in ACS's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; naturally occurring polyphenols in cocoa actually boost levels of HDL - also known as "good" cholesterol, while reducing the atherogenicity of LDL or "bad" cholesterol by preventing oxidation.  The Cleveland Clinic study supported this by noting:

"Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke.  If your body does not have enough antioxidants to combat the amount of oxidation that occurs, it can become damaged by free radicals.  For example, an increase in oxidation can cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad" cholesterol, to form plaque on the artery walls."

The Brain Boost and Energy Factor:

We all know that chocolate is a natural stimulant and can provide a boost in both physical and brain energy, primarily from the caffeine and theobromine.  One clinical study with 24 healthy female participants showed "synergistic" effects on cognition and mood, which translated into improved blood pressure.  Studies have also shown that chocolate can inhibit brain inflammation that causes migraines.

Flavonols are the main flavonoids found in cocoa and chocolate.  A pilot study evaluated the link between cerebral blood flow and a dose of flavonol-rich cocoa, this showed a notable increase in the cerebral blood flow to the brain.  The results from the study indicated that the flavonols in cocoa have the potential to protect against vascular impairment.

A Johns Hopkins study found that dark chocolate may protect the brain from damage after suffering a stroke by increasing cellular signals.  Mice that had ingested epicatechin, a compound found in dark chocolate, suffered significantly less brain damage after suffering an induced stroke than mice that had not been given epicatechin.  Therefore epicatechin may actually protect the brain.

The Heart Factor:

Following on from the previous point the ACS studies found that the polyphenols and catechins in chocolate may decrease the stroke risk in men.  The epicatechins, which help prevent clotting and inflammation are helpful in preventing some types of strokes.

A 7-study meta-analysis set out to find a link between chocolate consumption and certain cardiometabolic disorders such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and metabolic syndrome and all the related problems to these diseases such as hypertension, elevated fasting glucose and triglycerides, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity.  However, what they discovered was that chocolate consumption, especially the raw unprocessed varieties, did not have negative effects and actually reduced the risk of such medical disorders.

If you love chocolate please be careful which chocolate you buy.  It must be dark chocolate with nothing more added, no nuts, caramel, milk, etc..  Also be wary of the brand you buy.  Lots of brands like Nestlé use GMO products.  It's better to buy from an organic store that can certify their chocolate is 100% organic.

Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com