Day 21 Virgin Red Palm Oil

Virgin Red Palm Oil is made from the fruit of the African oil palm and is a primary cooking ingredient in many African countries. The fruit of this palm tree is comparable to the size of a grape and is reddish-orange in color. Virgin Red Palm Oil is made from the pulp and oil of the African oil palm's fruit and is widely used today for its nutritional value.

History

Virgin Red Palm Oil has been a staple of many diets for over 5,000 years. This cooking ingredient was originally used in tropical regions of Africa as a cooking additive and as the primary medicinal treatment for many illnesses. It was not uncommon for African villagers to drink a cup of red palm oil when feeling sick. Pregnant women were urged to consume the oil to ensure the birth of a healthy baby. Today, the African oil palm is grown in Africa, Asia and many regions of South America, but is used worldwide.

Uses

Aside from traditional medicinal purposes, red palm oil has been recognized in modern times for its nutritional properties. This oil has been used to treat malnutrition and other vitamin deficiency disorders. Cooking with this oil is easy; Virgin Red Palm Oil is ideal for cooking vegetables and meats and has even been added to bread preparation steps. The high fat content of this oil makes it very stable for storage.

Nutrition

Virgin Red Palm Oil boasts the highest content of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene of any known food source. This oil is also rich in vitamin E, lycopene, vitamin K, CoQ10, flavenoids, phenolinic acids and phytosterols. However, Virgin Red Palm Oil has a saturated fat content of 50 percent, so you should limit your intake of this oil if you are trying to avoid saturated fat in your diet. One tbsp. of palm oil contains 6.705 g of saturated fat, 2.17 mg of vitamin E, 1.1 mcg of vitamin K, 120 calories and 13.6 g of total fat.

Health Benefits

The fat content of Virgin Red Palm Oil helps to easily absorb the wide variety of vitamins found in this food. Recent studies suggest that Virgin Red Palm Oil helps to remove plaque from arteries, helping to prevent atherosclerosis. This nutritional source may also help to prevent heart attacks and strokes and could help to lower LDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The high antioxidant content helps to protect you from the damaging effects of free radicals in your body and may even reduce inflammation in your body.

Day 19 - Low-Carb To Lower Blood Pressure

A low-carb diet could do more than help U loose weight—it also may help lower your blood pressure.

Roughly 120 overweight or obese patients from the Department of Veterans Affairs clinics in Durham, N.C., volunteered for a study comparing the effects of two different dieting plans—the low-carb, ketogenic diet and a low-fat diet in combination with orlistat, a weight-loss medication.

Sixty-five of the volunteers completed the low-fat diet, eating a diet with less than 30 percent of energy intake from fat and taking 120 mg of orlistat three times daily. Orlistat (Alli, Xenical) is an over-the-counter weight loss aid that can block a significant amount of fat from being absorbed by the digestive system. At the end of the 48-week trial, the group cut 8.5 percent of body fat. Low carb dieters, on an Atkins style diet, had similar results, trimming 9.5 percent of body fat.

“Both groups lost considerable weight (on average 21-25 pounds) and experienced numerous health benefits and were able to reduce medications for chronic diseases associated with weight,” explains Dr. William Yancy, Jr., M.D., research associate at Durham’s Department of Veterans Affairs and lead author of the study.

Although both plans tied for weight loss and had similar HDL (good cholesterol) improvements, the group of 57 low-carb dieters also had decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 5.9 and 4.5 mm, respectively.

Pre-trial, average BMI was 39.3, and one in three participants had type 2 diabetes. A healthy BMI score for an adult ranges between 18.5 and 24.9. As the scores rises, the risk for complications such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, poor cholesterol and heart disease increases.

Following the study, low-fat dieters enjoyed better LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, while participants on the low-carb diet had improved insulin metabolism, hemoglobin A1C, and blood glucose levels.

“People with these diseases—hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis—or at risk for these diseases stand to benefit the most (from these diets),” Yancy explains.

There haven't been significant health risks for short-term dieters, but little is known of the effects after six months. Long-term dieters may be at risk for bone loss or kidney stones. In any case, Dr. Yancy urges anyone considering a low-carb, ketogenic diet to consult a physician. I recommend that if U use Alli or a fat blocker, don't take it with fat soluble vitamins.