Welcome to Mayesa’s BlogPosts Tagged ‘healthy eating’February: American Heart MonthFebruary 12, 2016 February is a very busy month for celebrating the heart. For most of us, we immediately think of Valentine’s Day. Have you ever wondered how the connection of the heart and love came to be? Scientifically speaking, here’s how it works: The brain sends signals to the adrenal gland, which secretes hormones such as adrenaline, epinephrine and norepinephrine. They flow through the blood and cause the heart to beat faster and stronger. But what if you aren’t taking care of your heart, scientifically speaking? We would like to take a step away from celebrating candy and chocolates to highlighting the importance of a strong heart and, more specifically, the strong heart of women. (more…) Five Things You Should Know About Pea ProteinJuly 30, 2015
Mayesa, the Premium Cacao Super Drink, is Proud to be a Non-GMO ProductJune 16, 2015
Spring into Action: Four Ways to Spruce Up Your Healthy HabitsApril 16, 2015
Life Changing Tips From Nike and Glenn Matanza – Health and Fitness Coaches AND Mayesa Fans!January 13, 2015
Beat the Binge: Healthy Holiday HabitsDecember 12, 2014
Back to School – How to Help Kids Learn Better with Healthy EatingDecember 23, 2013
“Your brain can’t work if you’re not consuming enough calories, and in general that’s not a problem,” Krista Casazza, an assistant professor in the nutrition sciences department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said in a university news release. “But when kids go to school without eating breakfast, their thinking and learning skills can be affected,” said Caxazza. Before School Nutritionists advise that children should start the day with fruits, proteins and whole grains. And most definitely avoid sugary cereals which are not only low in nutrition, but can cause a sugar high followed by a crash. “A balanced breakfast will fuel the body for a long period and help sustain their attention level through lunch, when they need to eat well again,” Casazza said. “This will hold them until dinner, and they won’t snack ravenously after school.” After School No matter how well you plan, often your kids will and do come home from school too hungry to wait until dinner. Healthy after-school snacks include yogurt, fruits and raw vegetables. Baked chips, in moderation, can be an option. For a drink, give them water instead of soda. Almond or rice milk instead of dairy drinks. Allowing your kids to help make nutritious snacks will go a long way toward their willingness to eat them. There are many fun ideas on creative ways to make these types of snacks appealing. Ideas for fun nutritious snacks 1. Instead of hard-boiled eggs – make deviled eggs 2. Instead of candy – make a healthy trail mix that includes plenty of Omega3-rich walnuts and almonds 3. Instead of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich – offer naturally sweet, crisp, apple slices and peanut butter 4. Instead of ice cream – make fancy frozen bananas. Peel a banana, dip it in low-fat yogurt (any flavor), roll it in crushed cereal (again, stay away from the sugary brands) so that it’s completely coated, then freeze. 5. Instead of high-calorie dips – make warmed cinnamon-spiced applesauce (especially good on a cold day) and serve with apple slices Delicious – and oh, so healthy! Mayesa healthy chocolate drinks are another easy way to help your students eat right. Try offering Mayesa heated as a hot chocolate drink in the morning with breakfast, or as a frozen chocolate pop for an after-school snack. Photo Credit: acscan.org Healthy Eating – 8 Superfoods of FallDecember 21, 2013
Fall brings an abundance of superfoods into the grocery stores and farmers markets. Here are eight of the top superfoods of fall: 1. Apples Sweet or tart, apples are satisfying eaten raw or baked into a delicious dish. Just be sure to eat the skin—it contains hearty-healthy flavonoids. Health benefits include: 2. Pears The sweet and juicy taste makes this fruit a crowd-pleaser. Cooking brings out their fabulous flavor, so try them baked or poached. Health benefits include: 3. Cauliflower The sweet, slightly nutty flavor of cauliflower is perfect for winter side dishes. It’s wonderful steamed, but it can also be blended to create a mashed potato-like texture or pureed into soup. Health benefits include: 4. Winter Squash Unlike summer squash (such as zucchini), winter squash (butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, etc.) has a fine texture and a slightly sweet flavor. Because of its thick skin, it can be stored for months. It tastes best with other fall flavorings, like cinnamon and ginger. Health benefits include: 5. Pumpkin Technically a fruit, but also considered a type of winter squash, pumpkin can be used for much more than jack-o’-lanterns. Its sweet taste and moist texture make it ideal for pies, pudding, and especially hearty soup. Health benefits include: 6. Sweet potatoes These veggies are for much more than Thanksgiving casseroles. More nutritionally dense than their white-potato counterparts, try roasting them—they’ll taste delicious, and you may maintain more vitamins than boiling. Health benefits include: 7. Pomegranates This fruit has gotten a lot of press as an antioxidant powerhouse. The juice provides a tangy base for marinades, and the seeds can be tossed into salads to amp up the flavor. Health benefits include: 8. Dates This Middle Eastern favorite is a sweet fruit that is much more versatile than you might think. Besides chopping it up in desserts, try it braised in stews, or stuffed with cream cheese or almonds. Health benefits include: Bonus 9. Cacao Cacao is a superfood for all seasons. In a two-part series beginning next month we’ll be looking at all the reasons raw cacao is so good for a healthy eating plan and a healthy lifestyle.
Source: health.com
Why You Should Eat and Drink High-Cacao Dark Chocolate – Part 1December 20, 2013
Finally the experts endorse a food that is so tasty that we feel almost decadent eating it, yet at the same time turns out to be oh-so-good for us. The more studies that are done the more detailed is our understanding of just what amazing things cacao can do for our bodies. Nutritionist and fitness expert Mark Sisson explains it as well as we’ve ever seen, and and we are reprinting his discussion of the health benefits of cacao here. The article will be in two parts so you will get all of his great information: The truth is that you should probably be eating dark chocolate on at least a semi-regular basis because, as it turns out, it is very good for you. Dark chocolate is healthy. Dark chocolate is great – the perfect storm of flavor, flavonoids, and fat. It tastes really good, comes loaded with polyphenols, and cocoa butter is a great source of saturated and monosaturated fat. I am going to explicitly outline the myriad health benefits that cacao offers. 1. Dark chocolate contains healthy fats. Cocoa butter, which is extracted from the cacao bean and incorporated into most reputable dark chocolate bars, is mostly monounsaturated and saturated fat, with very little polyunsaturated fat. And most of that saturated fat is stearic acid, widely known for having neutral effects on LDL (the bad cholesterol). 2. Dark chocolate contains lots of polyphenols, particularly flavanols. When it comes to polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, cacao trounces the “superfruits” acai, pomegranate, cranberry, and blueberry. The most studied polyphenol in cacao is epicatechin, a flavanol that is quite potent and healthful. What when the square of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate melts on the tongue, is swallowed, digested, and incorporated into the body? What are the actual health benefits of consuming high-cacao content dark chocolate? Read on – 3. Dark chocolate and blood pressure. Epidemiological studies (the study of the causes and effects of health in specific populations) pretty consistently show that dark chocolate consumption is related to lower blood pressure readings, for example among the Kuna Indians living in Panama, and the elderly Dutch. These findings led to controlled studies by researchers in the medical and nutrition fields. For example, one study found that fifteen days of eating dark chocolate lowered blood pressure (and improved insulin sensitivity) in healthy subjects. Cacao consumption also improved arterial flow in smokers. Another study used flavanol-rich cacao to increase nitric oxide production in healthy humans which dilated the blood vessels thus lowering blood pressure. Still another study found that eating dark chocolate improved circulation directly to the heart.
Source: MarksDailyApple Disclaimer: Neither Mark Sisson nor Mayesa has received remuneration for the publication of this guest blog, nor is there product endorsement. |