Not many of us know that a handful of grilled sunflower seeds can be a great healthy snack for everyone. These little seeds are an unparalleled source of natural energy and Vitamin E. Some people try to avoid eating sunflower seeds thinking that this food has very high caloric content and can stimulate weight gain. However, it is a wrong consumption as sunflower seeds contain only vegetable oil which is not getting stored in our body as fat. Sunflower seeds are quite popular throughout the world and currently, Russia, the US and China are the world’s leading producers of sunflower oil and sunflower seeds, followed by Argentina, India and South Africa. Read the rest of this entry »

The findings of a new interesting research published recently in Obesity online journal are being vividly discussed in today’s mass media. Canadian and American specialists at Statistics Canada, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University, McGill University and Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research are convinced that those of us who have a few extra pounds have much better chances to live longer than those whose BMI varies from 18.5 to 25. Read the rest of this entry »

Not many Americans use and know about therapeutic properties of seaweed (in particular, Sea Kelp from the family of Laminaria from kingdom Protista or Chromista). However, this herbal remedy and its products are quite popular in Europe. Sea Kelp is a plant which grows under sea water and sometimes reaches about 200 feet length creating beautiful kelp forests. This sea vegetable has a great nutritional value since it contains a large number of various nutrients: 60 minerals and 12 vitamins, 21 amino acids and trace elements. Read the rest of this entry »

Almost every second person in the UK has a practice of regular skipping breakfasts. Why do we do this? Sometimes we sleep too long and have no time for having breakfast before leaving our house. Some people believe that skipping breakfasts can help in wight loss, but this idea is absolutely incorrect. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and skipping breakfasts does not lead to anything positive. Moreover, according to famous British expert nutritionists Professor Tanya Byron and Amanda Ursell, who recently published their Kingsmill Breakfast Report, eating healthy breakfasts can help us to reduce negative effects of our daily stresses. Read the rest of this entry »

Saffron (Crocus Savitus) is a very special and expensive spice, which is used in Spanish, Italian, Arab, Persian and Indian cuisines. It originates from Southwest Asia. It is said that a high-quality saffron costs more than gold! This herb is used not only as a spice, but also as a fabric coloring, as an ingredient for luxury perfumes, as well as a valuable herbal remedy. Recently, the scientists have found out a new therapeutic property of saffron. It turned out that this herb can help to prevent loss of eyesight (including the one caused by age-related muscular degeneration) and also prevent some certain eye diseases (such as blinding eye, etc.). Read the rest of this entry »