20 Vitamins And Minerals You Didn't Know Your Body Needs

Highlights
Vitamin A is extremely important for good vision
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient also known as the sunshine vitamin
Vitamin B helps convert the food we eat into energy
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We’ve all grown up knowing the fact that vitamins are of various types and those alphabetical connotations signify certain crucial things. But how many of us are actually aware of what those alphabets that always accompany vitamins denote? What stake do those important names in the periodical table hold in the keeping us hale and heart? It is vital to know whether the body is getting the right nourishment that it needs, for food to get converted into fuel.
According to Dr Parveen Verma, Physician and Nutritionist at Kailash Hospitals, "A deficiency in any of the micro-nutrients can have a harrowing effect on the body." She advises us to choose our food wisely in order to tap all effective micro-nutrients that the body needs. We bring to you a list of 23 minerals and vitamins that are a must.

1. Vitamin A: It is extremely important for good vision and it also keeps the skin healthy. Whether its sweet potatoes or carrots and mangoes, they are great sources of vitamin A.

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2. Vitamin B: It helps convert the food into energy. Watermelons and squashes are rich in Vitamin B.

3. Vitamin C: It helps in making collagen in the body and builds your immunity against infections. Oranges, citrus fruits and broccoli are a must have.

4. Vitamin D: It helps strengthen teeth and bones and facilitates in the absorption of calcium in the body. Sunlight is the greatest source of vitamin D but foods like mushrooms, soy milk and fatty fish are also good sources.

5. Vitamin E: It is the best form of antioxidant desired by the body. All green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin E.

6. Vitamin F: It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are essential for healing wounds and for the metabolism. Certain kinds of oils, nuts and fish are rich sources.

7. Calcium: It is essential for bones, secretion of hormones and also activates certain enzymes that are important for the body. Milk, broccoli, ragi and spinach must be added to one's diet.

8. Potassium: It regulates your blood pressure and keeps a balance of the fluids in the body. Legumes like rajma and grains are ideal.

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9. Magnesium: It is important for chemical reactions that the body carries out. It also contributes to strengthening of bones. Spinach and pumpkin seeds help in building it.

10. Iron: Iron helps build to the hemoglobin in the blood. Spinach, nuts and chia seeds are good sources of iron.

11. Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): It is very important for healthy hair and brain. Soy milk is a great source of vitamin B1.

12. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): It reduces the risk of heart disease. Bananas and watermelons have high levels of Vitamin B6.

13. Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): It helps in making new cells and breaking some amino acids. Eggs and fish are rich sources of vitamin B12.

14. Riboflavin: It is excellent in preventing migraines. It is also known as Vitamin B2. Eggs, meat, legumes and beans are rich in it.


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15. Biotin: It helps in the synthesis of glucose. All whole grains have biotin.

16. Choline: It helps in the release of acetylcholine, which aids brain activity. Peanuts are rich sources of choline.

17. Folic acid: It is essential for all women in their child bearing age. It prevents birth defects. It is found in tomatoes, orange juice, chickpeas and eggs.

18. Vitamin K: It can prevent fractures specially those of the hip. It widely found in cabbage and broccoli.

19. Copper: It helps to make red blood cells. It is commonly found in prunes and shell-fish.

20. Chloride: Chloride is very important in order to carry out effective digestion. Chloride is found in sea salt, celery, rye, tomatoes and lettuce.

7 Amazing Benefits Of Grapes For Health And Skin

From

being used in dishing out sinful desserts and refreshing fruit bowls to being renowned as the primary ingredient in the wine making process, it is not without reason that grapes are known as the queen of fruits. Classified under the family of berries, grapes come in different varieties as well as colours – green, red, blue, purple and black. While majority of the production of grapes in the world are used by the wine making industry, the remaining lot is consumed as fruits and a small portion is used in making dried fruits.

Tracing its roots, it is said that grapes were first domestically cultivated in the Middle East, where it soon became popular when the city of Shiraz started using it to make wine. Eventually, other countries also started growing it and using it in the wine making process.
Grapes are easily available in the markets throughout the year. The vine containing the cluster of berries are not only pretty to look at and delicious with its sweet and tarty taste, but are loaded with essential nutrients that work for the well-being of the body.

Why Grapes are Good for You?

Researchers and many studies have found that including grapes in one’s diet can actually be good for health as it has numerous health benefiting properties –

1.  Loaded with Antioxidants
Grapes are a powerhouse of antioxidants – they contain a wide range of phytonutrients right from carotenoids to polyphenols. Studies have revealed that these phytonutrients help in preventing certain kinds of cancers and help in maintaining heart health. Among polyphenols, resveratrol is known for its miraculous properties such as inhibiting the formation of free radicals that could cause cancer and dilating blood vessels to ease blood flow and lower blood pressure. Point to note: The antioxidant content is the highest in the seeds and the skin. So, do make use of them.

2. Prevents Skin Problems
It is found that resveratrol prevents signs of ageing and other skin problems. According to a study conducted by the team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), resveratrol, when combined with a common acne medication benzoyl peroxide, fights the acne causing bacteria.

3. High Source of Potassium
The nutritional breakup of grapes reveals that per 100 grams of the fruit contains 191 mg of potassium. High intake of potassium and lowering sodium content can help your body in numerous ways. Potassium also counteracts excess sodium. A low-sodium-high-potassium diet has proven beneficial for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart health in most cases. According to Robynne Chutkan, a gastroenterologist, author and founder of the Digestive Centre for Women in Washington D.C., a bloated stomach can invite many health-related problems. Cutting down on salt intake and focusing on potassium-rich fiber can help in getting a flat stomach.

4. Good for the Eyes
According to a study done by University of Miami, Florida, grapes promote eye health from signalling changes at the cellular level to directly countering oxidative stress. Including grapes in the diet results in lower levels of inflammatory proteins and higher amounts of protective proteins in the retinas, which is the part of the eye that contains the cells that respond to light, known as photoreceptors.



5. Boost Brain Power
Certain studies have found that resveratrol helps in increasing blood flow to the brain, thereby it could help speed up mental responses and prove to be beneficial for those suffering from brain related ailments like Alzheimer’s. A study done by the University of Switzerland also found that resveratrol can help remove plaques and free radicals, which affect the brain.

6. Good for the Knees
A study done by Texas Woman's University has established that daily intake of grapes can help get relief from knee pain, especially the ones triggered due to symptomatic osteoarthritis. Grapes are high on antioxidants, most important and beneficial one being polyphenols, which help in improving the flexibility and mobility of joints.



7. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
It has been found that grapes contain certain enzymes which bring about anti-inflammatory effect in our body. As such it brings about relief to the arteries, promotes heart health and helps in other repair functions of the body.....

12 Health Benefits of Acai Berries

Acai berry is a very popular and beneficial plant that has been existing for thousands of years. Just like other fruits, Acai berries became very popular in the west after it was found to posses some amazing health benefits. However, the Amazon jungle tribes are known to be the first set of people to enjoy the numerous health benefits of this amazing fruit. They used it to cure different sicknesses. The amazon is known as the world’s largest rainforest. It has one third of the entire plant and animal species that exist in the world. The amazon region has numerous fruits and the Acai berry is among them. It was the tradition of the tribes of the Amazon to keep using the plant to solve their health related issues. However, the plant lived up to that expectation. The people were very pleased with the medicinal properties of the plant and made use of it for centuries.

Health Benefits of Acai Berries

1. Heart Health

Similar to red wine, research shows that acai berries are extremely high in anthocyanins, a form of plant antioxidant associated with the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood stream. They are also rich in plant sterols that provide cardio-protective benefits to our cells. It does this by preventing blood clots, improving overall blood circulation, and relaxing the blood vessels.

2. Resistant to Harmful Organisms

Scientists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro have shown that consuming acai extract may help fight harmful organisms. However, I recommend Oregano Oil for this task.

3. Aids in Weight Loss

Known by nutritionists as a super-food, acai may help us not only lose weight, but maintain a healthy weight. One interesting study from the National Institutes of Aging found that pulp from the acai berry had the ability to reduce the negative effects of a high-fat diet in laboratory studies on flies.

4. Promotes Skin Health

Currently, many modern beauty products are carrying acai oil, again due to the oil’s high antioxidant content. What is more, acai oil is a great natural alternative to chemical based skin-care products that harm the skin in the long-run. Taken internally, the berries can also give your skin a healthier glow. In fact, Brazilians have been eating acai berries for centuries to treat skin conditions.

5. Helps Digestion

Taking acai may also aid in keeping our digestive system clean and in optimal function. The berries have powerful detoxification capacities in the human body and are a well-known traditional source of dietary fiber. Of course, there are many other high fiber foods that can do the same thing, including many other types of berries.

6. Reduces Irritation

Acai berries contain properties may prevent the typical irritation associated with respiratory distress.

7. Improved Cellular Health

On a general level, the anthocyanins found in acai play a role in our cellular protection system, helping to keep cells strong against the invasion of free radicals.

8. Immune Booster

Acai is very high in Vitamin C and ellagic acid, an immune-system-boosting combination that has been shown to suppress the growth of cancer. One study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that polyphenolic compounds extracted from acai reduced cancer cell proliferation by 56-86%. It is thought that acai’s phytochemcials can stop the process of carcinogenesis on a molecular level, killing off tumorous cells before they multiply. Acai berries are not a cure for cancer; but hopefully more research will examine their benefits and potential role in the fight.

9. Anti-Aging Effects

Extremely high in many forms of plant phytochemicals (antioxidants), acai berries may contribute to an ability to slow or reverse typical processes of aging related to oxidative damage. In fact, the berries are one of the planets highest sources of antioxidants, with one berry holding ten times the amount of antioxidants as grapes, and two times the amount of blueberries.

10. Energy Boost

Due its overall health benefits, taking acai extract can lead to an increased overall level of energy and stamina, and may aid to combat fatigue and exhaustion. Whenever you need a boost, simply eat a handful of berries and you will be ready to go in no time!

11. Better Sex

This famous red berry has also been linked to overall increased blood circulation in the human body, a phenomenon that ma

4 Benefits of Lemon Water: Detox Your Body & Skin

The lemon is a species of small evergreen tree native to Asia. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses.


Lemon Water Nutrition Facts
Lemons are loaded with healthy benefits, and particularly, they’re a great vitamin C food source. One cup of fresh lemon juice provides 187 percent of your daily recommended serving of vitamin C — take that, oranges! Lemon juice also offers up a healthy serving of potassium, magnesium and copper.

Check out what other benefits one cup of fresh lemon juice adds to a plain glass of water. Here are some lemon water nutrition facts:

61 calories
3 grams protein
6 grams sugar
0 grams fat
112 milligrams vitamin C (187 percent DV)
303 milligrams potassium (9 percent DV)
31.7 micrograms folate (8 percent DV)
0.1 milligrams vitamin B6 (6 percent DV)
0.1 milligrams thiamin (5 percent DV)
0.1 milligrams copper (4 percent DV)
1 gram fiber (4 percent DV)
14.6 milligrams magnesium (4 percent DV)
0.4 milligrams vitamin E (2 percent DV)

4 Benefits of Lemon Water
For such a simple drink, the list of lemon water benefits is impressive. Even if you’re not a big H2O drinker, you might find yourself reaching for a glass when you check out how awesome it is for your body and mind!

1. Aids in digestion and detoxification
Because lemon juice’s atomic structure is similar to the digestive juices found in the stomach, it tricks the liver into producing bile, which helps keep food moving through your body and gastrointestinal tract smoothly. Lemon water also helps relieve indigestion or ease an upset stomach.

The acids found in lemon juice also encourage your body to process the good stuff in foods more slowly. This drawn-out absorption means insulin levels remain steady and you get more nutrients out of the foods you consume. Better nutrient absorption means less bloating. Lemon water benefits the enzyme functions in your body, stimulating the liver and flushing out toxins. Because it’s a mild diuretic, you might find yourself using the bathroom more often, helping the urinary tract get rid of any unwanted elements. All of this helps detox body & skin.

2. Bumps up the vitamin C quotient
Since your body doesn’t make vitamin C on its own, it’s important to get enough of it from the foods and drinks you ingest. Luckily, lemons are chock-full of the vitamin.

What are the benefits of getting enough vitamin C? It stimulates white blood cell production, vital for your immune system to function properly. As an antioxidant, vitamin C also protects cells from oxidative damage. Plus, getting enough vitamin C helps the immune system keep colds and flu at bay. Drinking lemon water daily ensures your body gets a sizable amount of vitamin C daily.

3. Rejuvenates skin and heals the body
The antioxidants found in vitamin C do double duty in lemon water. They fight damage caused by free radicals, keeping your skin looking fresh. Getting enough vitamin C from your lemon water also keeps the body producing collagen, essential in smoothing out lines in the face. And, in one recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, regularly consuming vitamin C led to younger-looking skin and less wrinkles.






4. Helps shed pounds
Regularly sipping on lemon water can help you lose those last pounds. That’s because lemons contain pectin, a type of fiber commonly found in fruits. Pectin helps you feel full longer; that satiated feeling means you’ll chow down less throughout the day. Plus, did you know that when you’re even mildly dehydrated, you’re more prone to things like headaches, fatigue and an overall bad mood? Chugging down lemon water helps your body stay hydrated and feeling happy.

Health benefits of dates

Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.

Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. 100 g of mejdool dates hold 277 calories. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being served to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times.

The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane from cancer-causing chemicals binding to it in the colon.

They contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.

They are moderate sources of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision. Additionally, it is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

They compose antioxidant flavonoids such as ß-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. These antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, eating dates found to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
Zea-xanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus offers protection against age-related macular degeneration, especially in elderly populations.

Dates are an excellent source of iron, carry 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Further, they are an excellent sources of potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.

Date fruits are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.

Further, the fruit has moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

8 Brain Foods to Boost Focus and Memory

1.Bone Broth
Bone broth is the ultimate food for healing your gut and, in turn, healing your brain. This ancient food is full of health benefits, ranging from boosting your immune system, overcoming leaky gut, improving joint health and overcoming food allergies.

Bone Broth

Its high levels of collagen help reduce intestinal inflammation, and healing amino acids like proline and glycine keep your immune system functioning properly and help improve memory. Bone broth is what I prescribe most frequently to my patients because it truly helps heal your body from the inside out. You’ll also be surprised at how simple and economical it is to make at home with my Beef Bone Broth Recipe.



2. Blueberries
Proving that great things do come in small packages, blueberries are a fruit I try to eat daily. That’s because they’ve got so many great health benefit ­while tasting like an all a natural candy!

Blueberries

For starters, it’s one of the highest antioxidants rich foods known to man, including vitamin C and vitamin K and fiber. Because of their high levels of Gallic acid, blueberries are especially good at protecting our brains from degeneration and stress. Get your daily dose of brain berries in an Omega Blueberry

3. Celery
For a vegetable with such few calories (just 16 per cup!), celery sure does offer a lot of benefits. Its high levels of antioxidants and polysaccharides act as natural antiinflammatories and can help alleviate symptoms related to inflammation, like joint pain and irritable bowel syndrome.

Celery

Because it’s so nutrients dense — packing loads of vitamins, minerals and nutrients with very little calories — it’s a great snack option if you’re looking to shed pounds. And while we often eat celery stalks, don’t skip the seeds and leaves; both provide extra health benefits and taste great in things like stir fries and soups. Not sure where to begin with eating more celery


4. Coconut Oil
Aaaahhh !! coconut oil, one of the most versatile — and good for you — foods out there. With 77 coconut oil uses and cures, there’s almost nothing that coconut oil can’t help.

Coconut Oil

And when it comes to your brain, it’s full of benefits, too. Coconut oil works as a natural antiinflammatory, suppressing cells responsible for inflammation. It can help with memory loss as you age and destroy bad bacteria that hangs out in your gut. (5) Get your dose of coconut oil


5. Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

Not all chocolate is created equal; in fact, dark chocolate can actually be good for you! Chocolate is chock full of flavonols, which have antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. They can also help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to both the brain and heart.

But don’t go wild munching on Hershey’s Kisses just yet. Most of the chocolate you see on supermarket shelves is highly processed with few benefits. The rule of thumb is the darker the chocolate, the more health benefits.

Skip milk and white chocolates and opt for a minimally processed dark chocolate with at least 70 percent of cocoa. This ensures you’ll get your choco fix and its brain benefits! Satisfy your sweet tooth with these Dark Chocolate

6. Egg Yolks

Egg Yolks

On the nutritional naughty list for years, egg yolks are finally experiencing their well a deserved day in the sun. If you’ve been eating only egg whites, the yolk’s on you. Yolks contain large amounts of choline, which helps in fetal brain development for pregnant women. It also breaks down bethane, a chemical that produces hormones related to happiness. That’s right, eggs can make you happy! (6)

If you’ve kept away from eating eggs whole because of cholesterol concerns, there’s good news. Studies show that eating eggs had no effect on the cholesterol levels of healthy adults and might, in fact, help raise good cholesterol levels.

It’s also one of the most inexpensive sources of protein out there; just be sure you’re buying organic, free range eggs. Need some egg



7. Walnuts

Walnuts

It turns out that eating walnuts can keep you from going nuts. Just munching on a few walnuts a day can improve your cognitive health. (12) Their high levels of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals also improve mental alertness. The vitamin E in the nuts can also help ward off Alzheimer’s.

So go ahead, grab a handful of walnuts — or try this brains boosting


8. Avocados

Avocados

This fruit is one of the healthiest ones you can consume and one of my all-time favorites. While avocados often get a bad rep because of their high fat content, it’s important to note that these green powerhouses are packed with mono saturated fats or the “good” kind, keeping blood sugar levels steady and your skin glowing.



Containing both vitamin K and folate, avocados help prevent blood clots in the brain (protecting against stroke) as well as help improve cognitive function, especially both memory and concentration.

They’re also rich in vitamin B and vitamin C, which aren’t stored in your body and need to be replenished daily. Plus, they have the highest protein and lowest sugar content of any fruit. Not too shabby! Avocados creamy texture makes them a smart addition to smoothies and a replacement for fats in baked goods

Afternoon naps could improve thinking and memory skills

Scientists say an hour sleep after lunch can help the brain perform like it was five years younger

Taking a nap after lunch makes the brain perform as if it was five years younger, scientists said Getty Images

Wandering off for an afternoon nap might not the best way to impress your boss – but scientists say it could improve your performance at work.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found a short sleep in the afternoon improves people’s thinking and memory skills and makes the brain perform as if it were five years younger.
The team studied 3,000 elderly Chinese people and looked at whether those who frequently took afternoon naps performed better on mental ability tests.

The participants were given recall tasks and some maths problems, as well as being asked to copy drawings of shapes.

Scientists found people who took a nap after lunch did better on the tests than those who did not sleep in the middle of the day. In total, 60 per cent of people in the study slept after lunch, with the average nap time being 63 minutes.

The study suggested an hour was the best length of nap; people who had longer or shorter rests performed up to six time worse on the tasks. Taking an afternoon nap of the right length is so beneficial that it has the same effect as being five years younger, the researchers said.

They concluded: “The results support the hypothesis that a moderate-duration nap taken during the post-lunch dip is associated with better overall cognition.

“Older adults who did not nap or napped longer than 90 minutes (extended nappers) were significantly more likely than those who napped for 30 to 90 minutes after lunch (moderate nappers) to have lower overall cognition scores.

“This study suggests that absence of napping and too much napping are associated with poorer cognition, but naps of a moderate duration are associated with better cognition and may be an important part of optimizing cognition in elderly adults.”

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, confirms previous studies that have shown the benefits of napping, as long as the rest is not too long.