Nutrition A-Z
This section contains a series of short articles about foods and nutrients. They are updated regularly with each new article moving onto the next letter in the alphabet. hence my 1st 2 topics will be apple and vitamin A followed next time by beetroot and the B vitamins. Some letters may be missed out if topics are looking a little scarce, e.g. "Q". Although co-enzyme Q10 and quorn will probably be good for 1 set of articles on "Q".
Don't miss... more information on nutrition from Robin
- Level 3 Page:Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for our health. Without it our nervous system degenerates quickly. Many studies have investigated whether supplemental vitamin E can improve the health of the heart, and reduce cancer risk. Can it really make a big difference to our likelihood of suffering from this all to common diseases?
- Level 3 Page:Eggs and health
Over the past 50 years we've been told various stories about eggs. On the one hand they've been described as the complete nutritional package full of important vitamins and minerals. On the other hand we've been told to avoid eating them as they raise our cholesterol levels and raise our risk of salmonella. Which of these stories is true?
- Level 3 Page:Vitamin D - the new supervitamin?
Vitamin D has been getting a lot more coverage in the health press lately. It used to be thought that its role amounted to ensuring we absorbed enough calcium to give us strong bones. It appears that it has a much more significant role in our bodies than just this.
- Level 3 Page:Duck for dinner
Is duck a healthy food? Ducks have a reputation for being high in saturated fat and have sometimes been seen as an unhealthy option in a restaurant. In this article we look at this and whether the rearing of domestic ducks is friendly to the environment?
- Level 3 Page:Vitamin C - do we need to supplement?
Vitamin C is a vital component of our diet. Without it our we get a deficiency disease called scurvy in which our connective tissue disintegrates. This results in muscle pain, bone pain and bleeding since our connective tissue is a vital part of our bones and capillary walls.The twice nobel prize winner - Linus Pauling thought that vitamin C was a vital component of optimal health and that it should be consumed in large quantities. While the recommended daily amount is only 60mg per day, Linus Pauling was happy to advise people to take 3000mg (3g) daily. Do we really need this much and what good does it do us in these large quantities?
- Level 3 Page:Coffee, is it good for you?
Coffee has a mixed reputation. On the one hand it is said to over stimulate you, leading to incresed appetite, irregular heartbeats and blood sugar levels. On the other hand coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk of Parkinson's disease.
- Level 3 Page:Vitamin B
What is vitamin and what does it do for our health? Well, giving an answer to this is made more difficult by the fact that there are many different types of B vitamin. In general however they are a very important part of our nutrition, helping our energy metabolism and keeping our hearts and brains ticking over properly.
- Level 3 Page:Beetroot
Beetroot is not that popular a vegetable. However, despite its potential to be messy it contains a lot of compounds that are very good for health. It can also be very tasty when cooked properly.
- Level 3 Page:Vitamin A
Vitamin A - a boost for the eyes and skin, but what else can it do?
- Level 3 Page:Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. True or false?