Posts Tagged ‘milk’

Chocolate Reduces Stress?

November 20th, 2009

gourmet-chocolateA recent study in the Journal of Proteome Research suggests that eating a few pieces of dark chocolate every day may improve the metabolic response of people who report feeling highly stressed.

For this study, the researchers investigated the metabolic response in a group of 30 healthy adult volunteers who were asked to consume two portions of 20g of dark chocolate every day for up to 14 days.

The volunteers were separated into 2 groups based on whether they exhibited low or high anxiety traits.

To assess metabolic response (specifically energy metabolism and microbial activity in the gut), the researchers analyzed urine and blood plasma given by each volunteer during three test days at the beginning, the middle and the end of the 14 day period.

After the 14-day study period, the researchers found that:

  • Subjects with higher anxiety trait had a distinct metabolic profile, which was indicative of a different energy and hormone metabolism, and gut microbe activity.
  • Dark chocolate reduced the amount of stress hormone cortisol and catecholamines in the urine.
  • Dark chocolate also partially normalized stress-related differences in energy metabolism and gut microbial activities.

So what do these findings even mean?

Well, according to the researchers, “The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 g of dark chocolate during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of free living and healthy human subjects, as per variation of both host and gut microbial metabolism.”

The researches also maintained that…

“Consuming dark chocolate daily can positively impact the metabolism of people that report having high-stress levels.”

It comes as no surprise that this study was conducted by the Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.

I’m not saying that the results are biased. Obviously someone (or some company) needs to conduct the research.

However, what isn’t clear is what type of dark chocolate was used in the study. I can only assume that is was Nestlé’s on brand that was given to subjects. If that’s the case, then that’s a bit of good news for a big food conglomerate that doesn’t necessarily consider the health-promoting properties of its products to be the greatest priority.

How Does Chocolate Reduce Stress?

Cacao (the main component of chocolate) has been treasured for centuries. In fact, the some ancient civilizations even used cacao as currency!

Eating chocolate can help reduce because of its numerous effects on our brain and nervous system.

For instance, chocolate increases the levels of endorphins released into the brain, which work to lessen pain and decrease stress.

Another common neurotransmitter affected by chocolate is serotonin. Serotonin is known as an anti-depressant. One of the chemicals which causes the release of serotonin is tryptophan found in, among other things, chocolate.

One of the more unique neurotransmitters released by chocolate consumption is phenylethylamine. This compound causes changes in blood pressure and blood-sugar levels leading to feelings of excitement and alertness. It works in much the same way as do amphetamines to increase mood and decrease depression, but it does not result in the same tolerance or addiction.

Phenylethylamine is also called the “love drug” because it causes your pulse rate to quicken, resulting in a similar feeling to when someone is in love. However, this could also be caused by the slight amount of caffeine naturally found in cacao.

Another interesting compound found in chocolate is the lipid anandamide. Anandamide is unique due to its resemblance to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a chemical found in marijuana.

Both activate the same receptor which causes the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter which leads to feelings of well being that people associate with a high. Normally, anandamide, found naturally in the brain, breaks down very rapidly. However, besides increasing the levels of anandamide, chocolate also contains other chemicals which work to slow the breakdown of the anandamide, thus extending the feelings of well-being.

Even though the anandamide in chocolate helps to create feelings of elation, the effect is not the same as the THC in marijuana. THC reacts with receptors more widely dispersed in the brain and is present in much larger amounts. It would take twenty-five pounds of chocolate to achieve a similar high to that of marijuana.

A more well known chemical found in chocolate is theobromine. Besides having properties that can lead to mental and physical relaxation, it also acts as a stimulant similar to caffeine. It can increase alertness as well as cause headaches. There is much debate as to whether or not caffeine even exists in chocolate. Some scientists believe that it is the less potent theobromine which is solely responsible for the caffeine-like effects.

How to Choose the Healthiest Chocolate

Finding the healthiest chocolate can be a daunting task, especially considering the overwhelming number of options. But in general, there are a few things you want to look for.

  • Choose a dark chocolate that is at least 70% cacao. This is means that the chocolate is lower in sugar and dairy products.
  • Choose a chocolate that contains no dairy. You can find ones that use cocoa butter and rice milk instead.
  • Choose a chocolate that is organic and fair trade if possible.
  • Choose raw chocolate whenever possible. All the benefits we talked about above are lessened when cacao is heated and processed. I personally love raw cacao nibs/powder. They can easily be added to a smoothie or used to make a raw dessert.

If you don’t have access to the raw cacao from a health food store, then you can also try grabbing these ones. These are my 3 favourite types of commercially available chocolate.

  • Terra Nostra – organic and equitable trade chocolate. They also have a rice milk chocolate.
  • Theobroma Chocolat - 100% organic and absolutely delicious. I like the dark and coconut flavours.
  • SOMA – local to Toronto and 100% organic, I usually grab a truffle or set of 85% dark chocolate squares any time I pass by.

Got any other chocolate you’d like to share? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Reference:

“Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects.”Francois-Pierre J. Martin, Serge Rezzi, Emma Per-Trepat, Beate Kamlage, Sebastiano Collino, Edgar Leibold, Jrgen Kastler, Dietrich Rein, Laurent B. Fay and Sunil Kochhar. Journal of Proteome Research, 2009

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More Weight Loss and Health Success Stories

October 8th, 2009

book_cover_webHere are 3 of most recent weight loss and health success stories from some of our Eating for Energy readers.

And the funny part is that many of them haven’t even finished reading the book!

Better digestion in just a few days…

“Hi Yuri, thank you for writing this book ( Eating for Energy ) I have only begun to practice the basics, Food Sequencing, Steps to Good Digestion,and Food Combining Principles.

Already I am noticing an improvement in digestion, and getting no bloated feeling after meals. I’m also eating less with each meal….this is one practical information packed book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make positive life style change… thank you again Yuri for making this available.”

Dale Sigurdson

Improved digestion and 4 lbs lost in just 2 weeks!

“Hi Yuri, I haven’t read the whole book yet, but already have been eating a largely raw diet during the most part of the week. My milk and dairy intake has dropped dramatically, my meat intake is now minimal (I haven’t been happy eating lots of meat anyway), and in the past 2 weeks I’ve lost about 4lbs – this doesn’t sound like much, but I did the Berlin marathon 2 wks ago, so my running since then has been minimal, so I was actually expecting to put weight on in these 2 weeks.

I feel great, and I’m definitely thinking more about what I’m putting into my body. I bought a big suppply of dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and am now grazing more, as opposed to eating a big lunch and a big evening meal. My digestive system is also better than it has ever been!

This is a lifestyle change, so I think as time goes by, I’ll become stricter with my diet, but already the changes I have made have had a really positive impact!
Many thanks”

Kerry McCaughan
Northern Ireland

“I am 52 but feel 40!”

“Yuri…I have not finished the book yet but all that I have read is excellent.

I am running further distance and my endurance levels have greatly improved! I am drinking my vegetables and greens and thanks to you…spirulina now is my favorite. I love your videos I have found on YouTube!

All your encouragement to me is outstanding…thank you…I have shared with all my family this lifestyle ….I understand enzymes thanks to you and take a multi-enzyme formula. I am 52 but I feel 40!!! Thank you for your sincerity…I really feel you really care that this great news gets out…I am helping you share it with my family and friends.

P.S. I have lost 24 lbs.”

Diane Jones

=> CLICK HERE to start losing weight the healthy way


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Milk, Dairy Products, and Pasteurization

October 5th, 2009

Within the last year or so, I’ve noticed a huge push by the dairy industry promoting the benefits of consuming dairy products among tennagers and athletes.

It’s so bad now that you can’t go to a movie without being subjected to 6-10 quick clips with the message “Milk makes you strong!”. It’s very annoying and that’s one of it’s one of the biggest reasons why kids and their parents believe that milk and dairy actually do your body good.

But nothing could be farther from the truth!

Especially, when talking about commercially available dairy which is pasteurized and homogenized, and which provides little benefit to the human body.

There are many proponents of raw milk (I’m still not one of them) but considering how rare raw milk really is there’s really no point in talking about it.

Instead, we’re going to discuss the milk and dairy that you have access to in the grocery store.

The Problem with Pasteurization

Pasteurization is not intended to kill all pathogenic micro-organisms in milk. Instead, pasteurization aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming the pasteurization product is refrigerated and consumed before its expiration date).

Pasteurization typically uses temperatures below boiling since at very high temperatures milk, casein (protein) micelles will curdle.

Nonetheless, the heat used is well above 118 degrees Fahrenheit which inherently destroys any potential value raw milk could provide.

While the dairy industry is passing off pasteurized milk as being wholesome and healthy, it is far from that. Studies have shown mounting evidence that commercial, pasteurized milk may play a role in a variety of health problems, including: diabetes, prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, anemia, MS, leukemia and ovarian cancer.

There are dozens of reports and studies on pasteurized milk, most of them highly unfavorable. The main focus of the published reports seems to be on the health issues that commercial, pasteurized milk causes such as: intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic and sinus problems, and salmonella. Contamination of milk by blood and white (pus) cells as well as a variety of hormones, chemicals and insecticides is a big cause for concern.

Raw milk sours naturally, but pasteurized milk turns putrid and thus manufactueres must remove the slime and pus from pasteurized milk through centrifugal clarification.

Furthermore, inspection of dairy herds for disease is not even required for pasteurized milk.

I don’t know about you but I surely don’t want to be drinking milk from an infected cow!

I’ve recently developed a real appreciation for cows and I love seeing them as they were meant to be – grazing off the land – not confined in cubicle-like barns being subjected to the nasties of big business!

On the topic of pasteurization (and for that matter heating any food), according to Sally Fallon of the Weston Price Foundation:

“Heat alters milk’s amino acids, lysine and tyrosine, making the whole complex of proteins less available; it promotes rancidity of unsaturated fatty acids and destruction of vitamins. Vitamin C loss in pasteurization usually exceeds 50 percent; loss of other water-soluble vitamins can run as high as 80 percent. Pasteurization alters milk’s mineral components such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium,  phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur as well as many trace minerals, making them less available. There is some evidence that pasteurization alters lactose, making it more readily absorbable.”

If heat does this to milk, just imagine what heating other foods does.

That’s just one of the reasons for following more of a raw food diet.

Development of Allergies

When milk is pasteurized, the delicate protein molecules are changed, making them much harder for our bodies to break down and digest. Pasteurized milk then puts an unnecessary strain on the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes to break this down.

This may be partly the reason why milk consumption has been linked with diabetes. It is also the reason behind many milk allergies. It is the protein portion—the casein–that becomes difficult to digest after pasteurization, thus causing reactions.

Like any dead enzyme-void food, pasteurized milk, puts an enormous strain on your body’s digestive system. In many cases, those with milk intolerance, leaky gut, or compromised digestion, these protein molecules pass through the intestinal walls into the blood stream, not fully digested.

This is the first step in the development of allergies and a host of other systemic problems such as auto-immune disorders.

Last but not least, pasteurization destroys all of the active and healthy enzymes in milk–in fact, the test for successful pasteurization is absence of enzymes.

These enzymes help the body break down and assimilate all the healthy nutrients in milk, including calcium. That is why those who drink pasteurized milk may suffer, nevertheless, from osteoporosis.

The calcium in milk is simply not utilized very well.

To hit home the problem with pasteurization, calves (baby cows) fed pasteurized milk die before maturity!

Hey, if cows die when they consume dead milk, why would humans be any different?

Tomorrow, we’ll look at some more negatives of consuming cow’s milk and dairy products. We’ll investigate the effect of homogenization, how cow’s are fed, and hormonal issues.

Be sure to read tomorrow’s post!

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