Multiple studies have shown that animals that consume large amounts of soy beans are likely to have a lower fertility rate. On the other hand, research regarding the impact of soy on humans revealed that the chemicals found in this plant have absolutely no effect on fertility. Now, a new study carried out at the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that even small amounts of food containing soy could reduce the sperm concentration by as much as half.
By studying the diet of 99 men with fertility problems, researchers found that the amount of soy based foods they ate on a daily basis had a significant impact on their reproductive cell count. Usually, the cell concentration is somewhere between 80 and 120 million per milliliter, as compared to 41 million less in the case of men eating on average a serving of soy-based food every day.
Leader of the study, Dr Jorge Chavarro, believes that the chemicals responsible for this effect, known as isoflavones, could be able to mimic a human hormone called oestrogen. High levels of oestrogen can also be caused by the increase of body fat levels, which could explain why overweight and obese men are prone to fertility problems.
The same cannot be said about men living in many parts of the Asian continent, where the soy bean plant comes from, who, although they consume significantly higher amounts of soy than the participants in the study, do not appear to have their fertility impaired.
"Many men are obviously worried about whether their lifestyle or diet could affect their fertility by lowering their sperm count. Oestrogenic compounds in food or the environment have been of concern for a number of years, but we have mostly thought that it was boys exposed in the uterus before birth who were most at risk," said senior lecturer in andrology Dr. Allan Pacey of the University of Sheffield.
"We will have to look at adult diet more closely, although the fact that such large parts of the world have soy food as a major part of their diet and don't appear to suffer any greater infertility rates than those on western diets suggests that any effect is quite small," he added.
By: Gabriel Gache, Science News Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)
Soy Causes Fertility Problems in Men - Asian males don't seem to be affected
Chicken and Spinach Calzones - A tasty treat for a healthy office lunch
A calzone is a folded pizza, made from pizza dough and stuffed with cheese, ham or vegetables. The dough is traditionally folded over, sealed on one edge and baked or deep-fried – however, we can add a little bit of a healthy twist to the original Italian recipe by removing the deep-fry part from the equation and replacing the ham with boneless, skinless chicken breast (which will cut most of the fat and sodium intake). This recipe will yield six smaller calzones, which are the ideal size to be packed away and enjoyed at work, along with a fresh vegetable salad. If you're vegetarian, simply replace the chicken with 1 pound of sliced mushrooms and 1/3 cup chopped onions, sautéd together in a teaspoon of olive oil.
What you need (for 6 servings)
1 frozen whole-wheat bread dough loaf (16 ounces, thawed, not risen)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 ounces (1 standard package) frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained)
8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
How you do it
First of all, preheat the oven to 350 F. In a nonstick pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chicken breasts whole, turning them when needed so that they turn a light golden brown. This shouldn't take longer than 10 – 15 minutes at most. Set aside and when cooled cut the chicken breasts into small cubes.
In a small bowl, blend together the spinach, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, parsley, garlic and one of the egg whites. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the remaining egg white. Then, cut the dough into six pieces and on a floured surface, press each piece into an oval, about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide.
Take each dough oval, brush the edges with the beaten egg white then add the filling in the center: 1/6 of the chicken cubes and 1/6 of the spinach mixture on top. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together. Crimp with a fork, and place the calzones on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or olive oil. Bake until brown and slightly crispy.
Nutritional information (per 1 calzone):
Calories – 359
Cholesterol - 60 mg
Protein - 33 g
Carbohydrate - 40 g
Fiber - 4 g
Total fat - 9 g (out of which saturated fat - 2 g)
Monounsaturated fat - 2 g
By: Monica Gaza, Life & Style Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)
Top 10 Alternatives to Meat
120 grams of lean beef contain 25 grams of high quality proteins, almost totally assimilable, unlike the plant proteins, which the body assimilates just in a proportion of 50-65 %. But proteins from the meat can be replaced by various foods.
Proteins are the "bricks" of the organism, and must contain all the essential aminoacids, in precise proportions. Only proteins from eggs, meat, fish and dairy products are complete, that's why plant proteins must be completed by animal proteins.
1. About 300 grams of rice mixed with peas can replace a meat piece. When combined, these aliments furnish the essential aminoacids.
2. Lentil is very rich in protein. 83 grams of lentil have as much protein as 120 grams of beef. Its nutritional value is boosted if combined with other vegetables and cereals.
3. Just 72 grams of peanuts contain the same protein amount like in 120 grams of beef.
4. Parmesan cheese has a double content of proteins compared to red meat.
5. 190 grams of pasta bring the same amount of nutrients (but not proteins) as 120 grams of beef. To increase their nutritional values, pastas must be accompanied by cheese and vegetables.
6. The soy sprouts are much poorer in proteins than the soy beans: 336 grams of sprouts have the same amount of protein as 120 g of beef.
7. Amongst fruits, avocados are the richest in fats and proteins. Yet, 473 g of avocado pulp contain the proteins found in 120 g of beef.
8. Just 130 grams of walnuts have the same amount of protein like 120 g of beef.
9. Common bean contains 23.6 % proteins: more than meat! Still, it misses some essential amino acids.
10. Twenty five slices of whole wheat bread contain 25 grams of protein. Biological value of the bread increases if consumed with butter or milk, especially at breakfast.
By: Stefan Anitei, Science Editor (news.softpedia.com)
Want to Get Slim? Eat Proteins!
Want to Get Slim? Eat Proteins! - They are the most effective in suppressing hunger. A hamburger loaded with fats and carbohydrates followed by a fat and sugar rich ice cream are the worst solutions for easing your hunger. In fact, an American team has found in a research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism that a high in protein meal seems to be the best solution for keeping hunger in check, in a real breakthrough understanding of how various diets work.
Proteins were found to be the best nutrient category in keeping a hunger hormone under control, while carbohydrates and fats can be even worse than previously thought. The team investigated how effective the three main nutrient categories (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) are on decreasing the levels of at ghrelin, a hormone released by the stomach and involved in boosting the appetite.
"Suppression of ghrelin is one of the ways that you lose your appetite as you begin to eat and become sated," said co-author Dr David Cummings of the University of Washington in Seattle.
16 subjects were offered three types of beverages, each having different concentrations of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Blood samples were collected from each subject before the first beverage, then every 20 minutes, for six hours period following the consumption of the beverages. The researchers assessed in the blood samples the ghrelin amounts.
"The interesting findings were that fats suppress ghrelin quite poorly. They fared the poorest overall," Cummings told Health24.com.
"Proteins were the best suppressor of ghrelin in terms of the combination of the depth and duration of suppression. That is truly satisfying because high proteins are essentially common to almost all of the popular diets," added Cummings.
But the nastiest surprise came with the carbohydrates (sugars): initially, they determined the sharpest drop in ghrelin levels, but hormone's amounts boomed even to a higher level after the initial reaction! Physiologically, the carbohydrates consumption induced an even more acute hunger sensation then before the meal.
"The findings may aid in future research on the effectiveness of different diets," said Cummings.
Proteins abound in lean meat, liver, fish, milk, some dairy products, mushrooms, some nuts and beans.
By: Stefan Anitei, Science Editor
Vitamins and Healthy Sperm
Mexican men know the secret of the chili. It's about folate, a vitamin abundant in liver, leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, sunflower seeds and legumes (beans and their relatives). It may sound more familiar to you that women of child-bearing age must have proper levels of folate (vitamin B9) in their diet for delivering healthy babies, but a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction and carried out by a team at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reveals that what the father eats counts too. And guess what? Folate levels in male diet appears to have the same importance. Low levels of this vitamin have been connected to sperm chromosomal abnormalities.
"Our study is the first to look at the effects of diet on chromosomal abnormalities in sperm. These abnormalities would cause either miscarriages or children with genetic syndromes if the sperm fertilized an egg," said co-author Suzanne Young, at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health.
Folate is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins during cell division. It also controls the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid which can cause heart issues when overcoming a certain threshold.
Low levels of folate in women just before and during pregnancy (less than 400 mg daily) has been connected to greatly increased risk of embryos developing neural tube malformations, like spina bifida or anencephaly (undeveloped brain). Many countries (US started from 1998) require the addition of folate to breads, cereals and other grain products. Follow-ups connected this measure with a drop in the cases of neural tube birth defects.
Sperm health and diet
1 to 4 % of a healthy male's sperm displays abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy), a result of defective meiosis. Eggs fertilized by such a sperm develop into an embryo prone to miscarriage or a fetus with aneuploidy, translated to severe conditions (for example, an extra chromosome 21 is the cause of Down syndrome while an extra X chromosome in boys triggers Klinefelter syndrome).
The research was made on a poll of 97 men, aged 22 to 80, current or ex-employees of a government research laboratory. The subjects were chosen after excluding smokers and subjects with already known fertility issues. Questionnaires assessed average intake of dietary and supplemental nutrients. One week later, semen samples were collected. The team considered factors like age, alcohol use and medical history.
Subjects having the highest consume of folate had 19 % less aneuploid sperm cells than those with moderate folate consume, and 20 % lower rates compared to subjects consuming low levels of folate.
"Increasing folate intake can be as simple as taking a vitamin supplement with at least 400 micrograms of folate or eating breakfast cereal fortified with 100% of the RDA [recommended daily intake] for folic acid. In addition, green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, can have up to 100 micrograms of folate per serving," said Young.
Various nutrients in the diet were taken into account.
"The results of the different analyses were different, which gave us some confidence that we could look at the effect of these micronutrients separately. The definitive way to answer this question would be with a randomized control trial with folate supplementation," said Young.
The team did not find a connection between sperm aneuploidy and the other nutrients, like zinc, calcium, beta-carotene and other vitamins. Researchers warn that momentarily this is just a connection, as the cause-and-effect relationship has not been investigated.
"We did come up with enough evidence to justify a larger, clinical and pharmacological trial in men to examine the causal relationships between dietary folate levels and chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. This information will help us set dietary folate levels that may reduce the risk of miscarriage or birth defects linked to the fathers," said lead researcher Andrew Wyrobek, chair of the Radiation Biosciences Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
So, did you get your daily 400 mg of folate?
Source: news.softpedia.com
The Fattest Man on the Planet: 560 kg (1,244 pounds)
Guinness World Records is going to register him. Mexican Manuel Uribe had reached 560 kilos (1,244 pounds) weight but has already lost 200 kilos (444 pounds) because of the Zone diet. Uribe wants to also break the record for drastic slimming.
"I'm happy to be included in the Guinness World Records as the fattest man on the planet. I'm also happy that I have managed slimming 200 kg", said Uribe, now aged 42.
He lives in Monterrey (northern Mexico). It is reported that Guinness authorities have informed him that he will be on the 2008 edition of the Records Book and on the 2009 one for the most incredible weight loss in a year (200 kilograms). He celebrated the event, managing to go out of the house aboard a trailer. Guinness offered him for his weight performance a glass plaque.
His photograph is included in the 2008 Guinness Book of Records alongside a description of the treatment he has had and offers of surgery he has received so far.
Uribe has been suffering from obesity for 20 years. At 20 years, he was working in US and weighed 130 kg (289 pounds) at a height of 1.95 m. He looked for medical help in 2006, when he reached 560 kilograms. Uribe appeared then on a TV channel asking to be helped to escape excess weight that kept him captive in the house for almost 20 years.
For the moment, Uribe cannot move by himself and lives immobilized on bed, his mother taking care of him. At 362 kg (800 lbs), Uribe is still morbidly obese but in March 2007 he set a goal: to slim till 120 kg (254 pounds).
Uribe's weight history:
1966 - Birth weight 6lbs (2.7 kg)
1984 - (18) 121 kg (19 stone)
1988 - (22) 128 kg (20 stone)
1995 - (29) 245 kg (39 stone)
1999 - (33) 502 kg (79 stone)
2000 - (34) 552 kg (87 stone)
Previous Diet
Breakfast - 4 eggs, beans, 3-4 tortillas stuffed with cheese and meat, fizzy drinks, coffee, milk
Lunch - Half a chicken, 4 meat and cheese tortillas, salad, fizzy drinks, pasta, bread
Dinner - 3-4 eggs with ham, beans, 3-4 cheese and meat tortillas, bread or pasta, fizzy drinks, coffee, milk
Current Diet
Breakfast - Six eggs without yolk fried in olive oil, onion and tomato, one apple, one grapefruit, water
Lunch - Grilled chicken, grapefruit, apple, sugar-free lemonade, salad, sugar-free jelly, water
Dinner - Peppers stuffed with mince, one apple, grapefruit, salad, water
Snack - 2.5 bars of diet chocolate, water
Source: news.softpedia.com
The Health Benefits of Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the most versatile types of food out there
Yogurt has become such an integral part of our diets that we've grown used to taking its beneficial effects for granted, without asking too many questions with regard to its contents or the finer details of its inner workings. For the more yogurt-curious among you, here is a short guide to the many health benefits of this familiar product, which has practically taken over the dairy aisle at most modern supermarkets.
Yogurt is of course made from milk, which means that it contains animal proteins (about 9 grams per 6-ounce serving, nutritionists say). It also contains a lot of calcium, vitamin B-2 and B-12, as well as potassium and magnesium. However, the one key component of yogurt which has made the headlines more and more over the past years is something generically known as "probiotics". Experts say probiotics are in fact "friendly bacteria", which occur naturally in the digestive system and many yogurt products contain live strains of these "good bacteria", which studies indicate can help boost the immune system and contribute to the overall health of the digestive tract.
There are still not enough studies to turn these assumptions into hard facts, but scientists have many reasons to believe that yogurt with active cultures may help certain gastrointestinal conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. The benefits are believed to come from the fact that yogurt changes the microflora in the intestines, as well as the time food takes to go through the bowel. Also, as mentioned before, certain probiotic strains enhance the body's immune system, boost resistance to and recovery from infection, and improve the success of drug therapy.
Finally, yogurt contains a lot of calcium and vitamin D, which experts say helps fight the most common type of bone diseases - osteoporosis. "The combination of calcium and vitamin D has a clear skeletal benefit, provided the dose of vitamin D is sufficiently high," explains Jeri Nieves, director of bone density testing at New York’s Helen Hayes Hospital. As a result, many of the currently available brands of yogurt with added vitamin D can prove an excellent companion in the fight for the prevention of osteoporosis, particularly for older people. The conclusion is simple: yogurt should not be missing from your diets, and you'll learn to appreciate both its immediate and its long-term benefits.
Source: news.softpedia.com
Daftar Makanan Wajib Dikonsumsi Setiap Hari
Makan merupakan kebutuhan pokok agar kita bisa bertahan hidup. Pertanyaan selanjutnya adalah, apakah makanan yang kita konsumsi selama ini tercukupi kebutuhan gizinya? Belum tentu. Kenapa tidak sekalian saja memastikan dengan konsumsi jenis makanan tertentu kita juga dapat memperoleh manfaat menguatkan tulang, meningkatkan kekebalan, melawan kanker dan lain-lain?
Yuk, kita intip sejumlah makanan yang memberi manfaat ekstra dan sungguh dibutuhkan tubuh sehingga Anda harus makan secara teratur setiap harinya:
1. Yogurt
Manfaat ekstra
Melawan kanker, menguatkan tulang, meningkatkan kekebalan tubuh
Kenapa harus minum yogurt? Karena selama fermentasi menjadi susu asam banyak bakteri baik atau probiotik yang tumbuh subur di yogurt. Probiotik ini berffungsi mengusir patogen atau bakteri jahat di permukaan ususu, meningkatkan kekebalan tubuh dan melindungi tubuh dari serangan kanker.
Tapi tidak semua yogurt memang mengandung probiotik, makanya pastikan baca labelnya tertulis 'mengandung kultur yang hidup dan aktif' agar manfaatnya dapat dirasakan tubuh. Minum satu botol sudah cukup.
Menu pengganti
Kefir atau yogurt kedelai
2. Tomat
Manfaat ekstra
Melawan kanker, kesehatan jantung, meningkatkan kekebalan
Kenapa harus makan tomat? Warnanya yang merah menggoda mengandung banyak likopen yang kaya antioksidan. Makan tomat yang sudah diproses juga sama besar manfaatnya dengan mengonsumsi tomat mentah karena tubuh akan lebih mudah menyerap likopen.
Sejumlah studi menunjukkan bahwa makanan yang kaya likopen dapat menurunkan risiko penyakit kandung kemih, paru-paru, kanker prostat, kanker kulit serta kanker lambung, juga menurunkan risiko penumpukan plak di pembuluh darah. Coba konsumsi 22 mg likopen per hari (sekitar 8 tomat ukuran kecil) atau segelas jus tomat.
Menu pengganti
Semangka merah, anggur merah, pepaya dan jambu.
3. Wortel
Manfaat ekstra
Melawan kanker. meningkatkan kekebalan, mendongkrak tajam penglihatan
Sebagian besar buah atau sayuran berwarna kuning, merah atau oranye kaya dengan karotenoid, yaitu senyawa larut lemak yang dihubungkan dengan kemampuan mengurangi risiko penyakit kanker, juga mengurangi kondisi pembengkakan hebat seperti asma dan rheumatoid arthritis. Konsumsi tomat setengah cangkir per hari.
Menu pengganti
Kentang manis, labu, mangga, paprika
4. Blueberi
Manfaat ekstra
Merangsang kerja otak, melawan kanker, kesehatan jantung, mendongkrak imunitas
Kenapa harus makan blueneri? Karena buah ini kaya antioksidan, blueberi dipercaya dapat mencegah kanker, diabetes dan daya ingat dikaitkan dengan makin bertambahnya usia. Studi menunjukkan bahwa blueberi, yang kaya serat dan vitamin A dan C, mendongkrak kesehatan jantung. Makanlah secangkir blueberi segar per hari atau setengah cangkir blueberi kering.
Menu pengganti
Anggur ungu, stroberi, prem
5. Kedelai hitam
Manfaat ekstra
Pertumbuhan otot, merangsang kerja otak, kesehatan jantung
Semua kedelai bagus bagi kesehatan jantung, namun tidak ada yang dapat meningkatkan daya ingat secanggih kedelai hitam. Kenapa? Karena kedelai hitam kaya antosianin, sebuah senyawa antioksidan yang telah terbukti memperbaiki fungsi otak. Setengah cangkir kedelai hitam mengandung 8 gram protein dan 7,5 gram serat, rendah kalori serta bebas asam lemak jenuh.
Menu pengganti
Lentil, ginjal, fava, kacang kapri
6. Kenari
Manfaat ekstra
Pertumbuhan otot, merangsang daya kerja otak, melawan kanker, kesehatan jantung, mendongkrak imunitas
Kenari ternyata lebih kaya asam lemak omega 3 dibandingkan salmon, juga penuh dengan zat anti peradangan karena mengandung polifenol ketimbang anggur merah, dan kaya protein untuk menguatkan otot dibandingkan protein yang dikandung ayam. Kenari memang kaya manfaat. Makanlah kenari sekitar satu ons atau tujuh biji, baik dalam bentuk murni atau sudah berbentuk makanan ringan.
Menu pengganti
Almond, kacang, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts
7. Gandum
Manfaat ekstra
Pertumbuhan otot, merangsang otak, kesehatan jantung
Selain kaya manfaat, gandum juga mengandung serat tinggi yang larut air yang berfungsi menurunkan risiko serangan jantung. gandum juga kaya karbohidrat, namun pelepasan gulanya diperlambat dengan adanya serat. Karena gandum juga mengandung 10 gram protein untuk setengah cangkirnya, maka juga dapat membangun otot.
Menu pengganti
Nasi dan sumber karbohidrat lainnya
8. Bayam
Manfaat ekstra
Meningkatkan gairah seksual, pertumbuhan otot, kesehatan jantung, memperkuat tulang, meningkatkan tajam penglihatan
Mungkin dia hanyalah sayuran berwarna hijau, namun bayam dipercaya berkhasiat meningkatkan keperkasaan laki-laki. Bayam dapat membangun otot bisep karena kaya asam lemak omega 3 dan folat, yang membantu menurunkan risiko penyakit jantung, stroke, dan osteoporosis.
Sebagai bonusnya, folat juga meningkatkan aliran darah ke penis. Bayam kaya lutein, sebuah senyawa yang elawan degenerasi makula pada mata. Konsumsi secangkir bayam mentah atau setengah cangkir bayam masak setiap harinya.
Menu pengganti
Kale, bokcoy, selada.
Sumber: hanyawanita.com
