Dietitians and other health professionals are regularly asked about supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, and others). Most frequently asked is “Should I take a vitamin and mineral supplement?” followed closely by “Can you tell me exactly what to take?” My friends, these are loaded and tricky questions because (like most things in life) there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to the use of vitamins and minerals (both of which are naturally occurring in food) and the waters become even murkier when discussing the less regulated world of supplements. Any dietitian worth their salt will try to encourage clients and patients to obtain their required levels of vitamins and minerals from a range of high quality foods.
However, in the “real world” many of us (myself included) do not always get to follow the advice I just mentioned. In an average body (free from chronic illness or specific nutrient deficiencies), intake of a vitamin and mineral supplement may be useful to help fill any nutritional gaps that may linger after our meals and snacks have been eaten. For those with a more complex medical history, the need for vitamins and minerals will likely change. In any case, we should all discuss the use of vitamins, minerals, and supplements with our physician before starting anything new.
Q: What are some of the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice?
A: Pomegranate juice benefits include lowering blood pressure and improving your heart health. Fortunately, you don’t have to guzzle glasses of grape or vegetable juice with high amounts of sugar to lower blood pressure when pomegranate juice benefits will do the trick.
Pomegranate juice benefits have led to hundreds of new scientific papers in the last few years. Recent clinical trials have found that with as little as 2 ounces a day, pomegranate juice benefits can lower high blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and even decrease plaques in your arteries, reducing your risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
Pomegranate has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as other attributes that make it an effective juice to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol profiles, and to prevent and treat the atherosclerotic plaques that are responsible for heart attacks and many strokes. These healing properties come mainly from certain flavonoids such as catechins, tannins, and the potent flavonoid known as ellagic acid. These compounds make pomegranate a stronger antioxidant than red wine and equal to or better than green tea.
Q: What are some of your favorite health and nutrition tips?
A: As a dietitian, I am quite used to people asking for tips for healthier eating—in essence, they are asking how to handle the delicate intricacies of managing nutritional health. Below are a few of my favorite pointers. I deeply believe in the power of instinct and intuition but for today I am only sharing pointers that have been backed by scientific research.
- Get enough sleep! This can’t be stressed enough. When we are sleep deprived, our body does not have adequate time in homeostasis (or balance) and we can see disturbances in appetite hormones, increases in insulin resistance (a factor in the development of diabetes) and more.
- Drink water, especially before meals. The benefits of hydration are far reaching but water consumption with a meal can help boost feelings of fullness and may even help to facilitate increases in metabolism.
- Focus on sources of protein at meals and snacks. Protein, unlike carbohydrates and fat, cannot be stored in the body. This means that it is essential for us to eat protein sources throughout the day to ensure our needs are being met. Lean sources of protein (like poultry, fish, beans, legumes, etc.) provide ample amounts of this powerhouse macronutrient without overloading the fat content at the same time.
—Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN
The post Ask the Experts: Pomegranate Juice; Favorite Health Tips appeared first on University Health News.