Adzuki bean

Adzuki bean is a small deep red bean. The beans possess a sweet, with a delicate texture. It is almost always sold in a dried form, but could also be purchased as a paste or flour. There is a strong, nutty, sweet flavor. Adzuki beans have a slightly sweet flavour, which makes them perfect for using in desserts however they can also be used equally as well in most savoury dishes. They have vital vitamins and minerals and have various health benefits too.
Adzuki beans are widely grown in Himalayas and various parts of East Asia. Adzuki beans, together with lentils and chickpeas, are a staple from the macrobiotic diet, which calls for the intake of plenty of fibrous, protein-packed legumes. These legumes are most often enjoyed boiled with sugar and mashed right into a sweet red bean paste which is used as a filling in many popular Asian desserts, including ice cream. Here are some health benefits of adzuki beans.
Heart Health

Adzuki beans are loaded with soluble fiber, which helps to keep levels of cholesterol in a healthy range. Lower cholesterol levels is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. They also contain folate, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential for a healthy heart.
Diabetes Prevention

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels also help to prevent and treat diabetes. Being identified as having diabetes means that your body cannot keep glucose levels in balance – the fiber and nutrients in beans helps to keep them at normal levels.
Weight Loss

The fiber in adzuki beans fills your stomach and keeps you feeling satiated longer. They’re also high in protein which helps to help keep blood sugar levels low and which, consequently, may help to keep weight off.
Improve Bowel Movement

Given that they have a high fiber content, adzuki beans greatly improve bowel movement. This can help in keeping the digestive system smooth, thus preventing constipation. The fiber found in these beans also helps in preventing colon cancer.
Prevent Breast Cancer

Adzuki beans have certain components which help kill cancerous tissues. Consuming a mug of these beans on a regular basis lowers the chance of getting breast cancer among women. These beans may also be consumed to lower the risk of getting various kinds of cancers.
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Foods to Eat to Increase Your Vitamin E Intake

Your body needs vitamin E to work properly and it’s important to pay attention to your vitamin E intake on a regular basis. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, which helps combat free radical damage and prevent a great number of health issues, including heart disease and cancer. This nutrient also plays an important role in gene expression, cell health and immunity. The great news is that there are certain foods that help boost vitamin E intake. Without further ado, here are seven healthy foods you can eat to increase your vitamin E intake.
1. Kiwi
Kiwi contains around 10% of your daily requirements of vitamin E, and it’s also rich in fiber and vitamin C. Kiwis are sweet and tart at the same time and I usually have one kiwi for my breakfast with my favorite cereal. I also love adding sliced kiwis to my smoothies, fruit salad and Greek yogurt. I think kiwi is one of the best fruits to eat to increase vitamin E intake.
2. Sunflower seeds
Eating sunflowers seeds is one of the best and easiest ways to increase your vitamin E intake. An ounce of sunflower seeds contains over one-third of your daily requirements. Eat them plain or add some to your vegetable salad. Sunflower seeds also work well in trail mix combined with raisins, dried cereal and chocolate. Every time I go on a road trip, I always take a bag of sunflower seeds to boost my vitamin E intake.
3. Mangoes
Who doesn’t love mangoes? I’m sure most of you love this amazing fruit! Now that you know mangoes can help you increase your Vitamin E intake, you might love them even more. A ½ cup of chopped or diced mango contains about 5% of your daily Vitamin E needs. While it may not be enough to satisfy the whole day’s need, it’s definitely a great and tasty way to contribute. You can add mangoes to your yogurt, smoothies, or mix them with diced red onion, chopped jalapenos and avocado for a delicious salsa.
4. Tomatoes
Whether cooked or raw, tomatoes are also a good source of vitamin E. Again, eating tomatoes isn’t enough to satisfy your whole day’s quota, but still you can get a bit of essential vitamin. Put tomatoes on burgers and sandwiches, or add them to your vegetable salad. Whip up some spaghetti sauce or salsa or mix several tomatoes with fresh basil, mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar for a delicious side dish.
5. Almonds
Like sunflower seeds, almonds are a good source of Vitamin E. You can eat almonds as a snack or put some in your oatmeal, cereal or batch of muffins. Almonds are also a wonderful choice for your trail mix and plain yogurt with some fruits and honey. Since almonds have many calories, make sure you don’t consume pounds of them daily, or you could gain a few unwanted pounds. 
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Cashew Nut – The Cholesterol and Fat Busting Super Nut.

Keeps the Heart Happy: Rich in “heart-friendly” monounsaturated-fatty acids like oleic, and palmitoleic acids, which help lower harmful LDL- cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol. It prevents coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
Aids Weight loss : 75% of the fat, contained in cashew nuts are unsaturated fats or “good” fat. In addition, cashew nuts provide a high amount of fiber, energy, and trigger the body’s metabolism.
Prevents Cancer : High copper content and proanthocyanidins, a class of flavonols, fight against tumor cells restricting cell division, especially in colon cancer. Cashew nuts help our body to utilize iron properly and eliminate free radicals.
Great Magnesium Source: Protects against high blood pressure, muscle spasms, migraine headaches, tension, soreness and fatigue. Magnesium also works with calcium to support healthy muscles and bones in the human body.
Nourishes the Hair and Skin: Helps the body utilize iron, eliminate free radicals, develop bone and connective tissue, and produce the critical skin and hair pigment, melanin.
Strengthens Bones and Nerves: Magnesium, by balancing calcium, helps regulate nerve and muscle tone. Also serves as nature’s own calcium channel blocker, preventing calcium from rushing into the nerve cell and activating the nerve, keeping the nerves relaxed.
Sharpens Brain: The brain relies on two types of fat, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, for the production of brain cells. Cashews also speed up oxygen flow to the brain.
Prevents Gallstones: Daily intake of cashew nut can reduce the risk of developing gallstones up to 25%.
Anti-oxidant: Contains Copper, which is an essential component of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, vital in energy production and antioxidant defense, producing greater flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints.
Aids Digestion: Cashew nuts help in growth and development, nucleic acid synthesis and digestion.
Rich Vitamins Source: Cashew nuts are rich in vitamins like pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), riboflavin(B2), thiamin (B1) and niacin(B3). These vitamins keep you safe from sideroblastic Anemia, Pellagra (Dermatitis), etc.
Lowers Diabetes Risk: Monounsaturated fats, present in cashews, can reduce triglyceride levels (amount of fats carried in the bloodstream), lowering the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Fortifies Gums and Teeth: Magnesium gives healthy teeth as well as strong gums to hold them. Chemicals in cashew nuts kill gram positive bacteria, a pervasive mouth affliction that causes tooth decay, acne, tuberculosis and leprosy.
Enhances Vision: Contains a small amount of zea-xanthin, an important pigment flavonoid antioxidant, which is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes. It provides antioxidant and protective UV ray filtering functions and helps prevent age-related macular degene
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Incredible Reasons to Eat Pumpkin Seeds Right Now

Pumpkin is known to be a very tasty vegetable that has a lot of essential nutrients. For most of us, pumpkin seeds can be also a great and yummy snack. But we don’t even guess that these seeds are extremely beneficial for our health. Our snacks should be both tasty and wholesome, but, unfortunately, such food isn’t easy to find. We usually give preference to some fruits or vegetables like apples, bananas, carrots and many others. If you try to add pumpkin seeds to your eating plan, you’ll discover their numerous health benefits. Here are the most convincing reasons due to which you should start eating pumpkin seeds right now.
1. High in Proteins

To my mind, this is one of the greatest benefits of these vegetable seeds. I should say you can’t find any other seeds that are so rich in proteins. For example, if you eat only one ounce of pumpkin seeds, you will supply your body with 9.30 grams of protein. Perhaps you don’t know but protein is really necessary for our body to build skin, muscles, bones, blood and cartilage. Moreover, these seeds are a wonderful substitute of meat for vegans.
2. Help to Prevent Cancer

Nowadays we are subjected to different diseases, but cancer is the most terrible and dangerous of them. You’ll be surprised to know that by eating pumpkin seeds regularly you can protect yourself from the risk of cancer. A great number of antioxidants make this food so advantageous for your health. Scientists’ researches have shown that these seeds contribute greatly to the prevention of cancer, especially breast cancer.

3. They Are Full of Antioxidants

Another reason why you should include pumpkin seeds into your diet is because of their high concentration of antioxidants, which strengthen our immune system and enable our body to resist various diseases. What are these useful antioxidants that pumpkin seeds contain? Take a look at them:

Vitamin E
Zinc and manganese
Caffeic, syngic acid, sinapic and other phenolic antioxidants
Phytonutrients like pinoresinol, medioresinol and ligans lariciresinol

4. Anti-inflammatory Effects

If you have some inflamed areas on your skin, oil from pumpkin seeds will be the best remedy for you. It should be mentioned that this food can also help to treat arthritis. Doctors claim that these wholesome seeds affect our body in the same way as Indomethacin does. That is the medicine used for treating arthritis.
5. Diabetes Support

There are so many people throughout the world who suffer from diabetes. By eating pumpkin seeds they can relieve the painful symptoms of this disease. Generally, these people have lots of problems with their kidneys. At last, a great solution has been found! Consumption of pumpkin seeds will help you to protect your kidneys from the negative influence of the disease. It was found out that they stabilize your insulin regulation either. If you are one of those people who have diabetes you’d better go now to the supermarket and buy this healthy snack.

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Best Foods to Eat to Fight Stress

There are many ways to combat stress, but one of the best ways is to consume stress-fighting foods. Most of us live in a hectic, crazy, busy world where stress is almost inevitable. While a little stress can be good for you, when you are constantly feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and anxious, it can cause huge damage to your health, your productivity, your mood, and even your relationships. Too much or prolonged stress can even lead to short-term and long-term physical problems, such as high blood pressure, impaired memory, osteoporosis, coronary heart disease and a weak immune system. Eating stress-fighting foods, exercising on a regular basis and practicing yoga can help you reduce your stress levels and improve your mood without any medications. Today we’re on a journey to discovering the best foods that can help us fight stress and live a more peaceful life.
Brown rice
Brown rice is an excellent source of B-vitamins, which are essential for the proper function of all tissues, cells, and organs. B-vitamins promote heart, immune, brain health as well as healthy mood. Eating brown rice can help you combat stress and prevent different types of mood disorders. If you often experience moodiness, try including brown rice into your healthy diet and enjoy a stress-free life.
Spinach
Spinach is packed with Vitamins A, C and B-vitamins and is rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which help decrease stress hormones in your body, stabilize your mood and make you feel better. One cup of spinach will be enough to help your body combat stress. You can use spinach in your salad, smoothie, omelet, and sandwiches.
Salmon
Salmon is a super-nutritious food that can work miracles on your body. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids that increase happy brain chemicals such as serotonin and help regulate stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids help improve your brain function. Try eating 2 to 3 servings of salmon per week to reduce your stress levels.
Green tea
Green tea is loaded with potent antioxidants like polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids, and boasts numerous powerful health benefits. Drinking green tea has calming effect on your mind and body, thus helps reduce stress. Next time you feel overwhelmed and stressed out, take a short break and drink a cup of green tea. If you are not a green tea lover, you can opt for chamomile or mint tea. Although I like black tea, I can’t recommend you to drink it to reduce stress.
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Best Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse that provides incredible health benefits when included in your daily eating plan. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A, C, K, vitamin B6, potassium, folate, thiamin, magnesium, niacin, copper and phosphorus, which are all essential to maintain good health. One of the best things about tomatoes is that they are naturally low in cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium and calories. You can use tomatoes in your sandwiches, salads, sauces, smoothies and soups. Read on to discover a few reasons to eat tomatoes every day.
1. Improve vision

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C which help improve your vision and can also help prevent night blindness. A recent study shows that the high vitamin A content of tomatoes can help prevent macular degeneration, a serious eye disease. Moreover, tomatoes can lower your risk of developing cataracts. Tomatoes are also packed with the phytochemical antioxidants lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect your eyes from light damage.
2. Help fight cancer

According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, consuming more tomatoes can help combat prostate cancer. Tomatoes can also help reduce the risk of some other cancers such as stomach, lung, cervical, pharynx, mouth, throat, rectal, colon, esophagus, and ovarian cancer. That’s because tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene. If you want to boost the anti-cancer benefits of tomatoes, try cooking them with olive oil.
3. Clear skin

Eating tomatoes regularly can help clear your skin and make it look perfect. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects skin from sun damage and makes your skin less sensitive to UV light, one of the causes of wrinkles and fine lines. You can use tomatoes to heal acne and rashes and minimize large pores. Rub the pulp of tomatoes on your dull skin to restore its healthy glow.

4. Reduce blood sugar levels

Tomatoes contain very little carbohydrates and they help reduce blood sugar levels. Tomatoes also contain chromium that helps control blood sugar, and fiber that helps keep the blood sugar levels from getting too high. A few studies have found that the powerful antioxidants in tomatoes protect the bloodstream and kidneys, the areas which are often affected by diabetes.
5. Promote good sleep

Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene and vitamin C that can help you sleep better. So, if you have trouble falling asleep, consider adding tomatoes to your daily diet. You can use tomatoes in your soup or salad, or add one to your smoothie.
6. Keep your bones healthy

Tomatoes contain vitamin K and calcium which help keep your bones healthy. Therefore, eating tomatoes can help strengthen and repair your bones. It has been shown that the antioxidant lycopene can also improve bone mass and help fight osteoporosis, a serious disease that can cause bone fractures, deformity, and disability.
7. Relieve chronic pain

Due to the presence of anti-inflammatory agents such as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, tomatoes can relieve chronic pain. People who frequently suffer from mild or moderate pain usually have inflammation. A research show that drinking a glass of tomato juice every day can lower blood levels of TNF-alpha that causes inflammation, by about 34 percent. Thus, tomatoes are good for people who suffer from chronic health issues such as heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer and Alzheimer’s.
8. Good for your hair

Tomatoes are also good for your hair. They are packed with vitamins and iron that help strengthen your hair and can even add shine to damaged and lifeless hair. Moreover, tomatoes have the acidity that balances the pH levels in the hair. If you have a dandruff and itchy scalp, apply fresh tomato juice on your hair and scalp after shampooing, and rinse with cold or lukewarm water after 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t use tomatoes on your hair too often because their acidity can dry out your hair.

9. Help lose weight

If you are trying to drop those unwanted pounds, make sure you include tomatoes into your everyday diet. They are low in fat and don’t contain cholesterol. Tomatoes contain plenty of fiber and water, so they will help you feel full without an unnecessary amount of calories. You can eat tomatoes raw or add them to your casseroles, salads, and other diet-friendly meals.

Health Tips for Shift Workers

For any unit to be able to provide round the clock service to its customers, it is imperative to divide its work force into various shifts, the most common pattern being morning, afternoon and night. While this formula works for the employer, from the employee’s point of view it calls for a complete adjustment of his routine because shift timings are often against the natural human physiology.
Tips for Staying Healthy Through Shifts

Diet – Balancing your diet by adding a significant amount of vegetables, fruits and whole grain products while cutting out on high-fat or sugar-rich food stuffs helps to maintain gastro-intestinal health. One of the ways of protecting your tummy from all kinds of problems entails carrying packed food from home and munching it throughout the shift.

Hydration – Staying hydrated is one of the ways of remaining alert and this does not necessarily mean drinking water during the shift. You can devise a plan as per your physiology and ensure that you remain well hydrated throughout without your duty or your sleep getting disrupted. Something that should be a total no-no is relying on caffeinated beverages like coffee or energy drinks because although these provide temporary stimulation, they prove to be much more harmful in the long run.

Exercise – One of the best as also proven ways of staying fit, exercise helps not only to clear away cobwebs from your mind also enables you to manage your body weight. Taken in form of a brisk walk, a few stretches or simply yoga, exercise can make all the difference between an enjoyable shift and a tiresome one.

Increasing self awareness – All through the duration of your shift you should be conscious towards your body weight, calorie intake and timings of your meals. By maintaining body weight at a healthy level, eating smaller portion more number of times and rescheduling your meal timings, you can bid your health woes goodbye.

Sleep well – Rather than rely on sleeping pills, you must work towards acquiring a sound sleep and this can be accomplished through certain measures. Relaxing for an hour after your shift and before going off to sleep helps in sinking into a deep slumber as would accessories like shades and a comfortable room temperature.
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