Carbohydrate is the nutritional category for sugars and molecules that your body breaks down to make sugars.There are two major types of carbohydrates in foods:<ol><li>Simple sugars. Monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose. When two monosaccharides are linked you get a disaccharide, like lactose, maltose, and sucrose.</li><li>Complex carbohydrates have three or more simple sugars strung together. Three to ten linked sugars are oligosaccharides. More than ten are called polysaccharides.</li></ol>

Carbohydrates explained

During digestion, your body breaks down complex carbohydrates into monosaccharide building blocks, which your cells use for energy.  The sugar level in your blood goes up when you eat any carbohydrate-rich food. <ul><li>Food like crackers and white bread are high in starch and are easily digested. They have a high glycemic index, raising the sugar level in your blood.</li><li>Food high in fibre like vegetables, fruits and whole grains slows the release of glucose into the blood. They have a lower glycemic index.</li><li>Eggs, chees and meat have the lowest glycemic index.</li></ul>

Glycemic index

Insulin is a hormone that is synthesised in the pancreas.  Insulin is essential for sugar management.  When you eat, and your blood sugar rises, insulin is secreted into the blood. It encourages your muscle and fat cells to let glucose in and starts the conversion of sugar into energy.

Insulin plays a vital role in sugar management

Insulin sensitivity is how responsive your cells are to insulin. The more a unit of insulin lowers blood sugar, the more sensitive you are to insulin. If insulin sensitivity goes down, it is known as insulin resistance.  The pancreas still sends out insulin, but the muscle cells are less responsive to it. The blood sugar fails to lower and the blood insulin continues to rise.

Insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance

Whether your food tastes sweet or not, sugar is sugar. Chronically consuming a lot of carbohydrates may lead to insulin resistance which can lead to a serious condition called metabolic syndrome. Symptoms of metabolic syndrome include high blood sugar,  increased waist circumference, and high blood pressure.  Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome

This is an excellent explanation of how a chronic excess of carbohydrates could lead to metabolic syndrome and diseases such as type II diabetes.

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-carbohydrates-impact-your-health-richard-j-wood The things we eat and drink on a daily basis can impact our health in big ways. Too many carbohydrates, for instance, can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. But what are carbs, exactly? And what do they do to our bodies? Richard J. Wood explains. Lesson by Richard J. Wood, animation by Qa'ed Mai.

Stashed ideas

How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

The Mediterranean diet is abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and olive oil. It also contains moderate amounts of fish and poultry as lean protein sources. Red wine is consumed regularly but in moderate amounts. Research suggests many health benefits following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern, such as improved weight loss, better blood-sugar levels and reduced risk of depression. Other benefits include reduced inflammation levels  - a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

The Mediterranean Diet Overview

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. It improves HDL cholesterol, the "good" type of cholesterol. A 2017 study showed that HDL cholesterol moves "bad" LDL particles out of arteries. Use olive oil in homemade salad dressings. Drizzle it on finished dishes like fish or chicken. Substitute butter with olive oil in mashed potatoes or pasta.

Cook with Olive Oil

Fish is the go-to protein in the Mediterranean diet. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel are rich in heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Even leaner fish like cod or tilapia are worth it, as they provide a good source of protein. If you don't eat a lot of fish, an easy entry point is to designate one day each week as fish night.

Eat More Fish

A good way to fit in more veggies is to eat one serving at snack time, such as bell pepper strips or a spinach smoothie, and one at dinner, such as a side dish. Aim for at least two servings per day.

Eat Veggies All Day Long

Grains should be in their "whole" form and not be refined. <ul><li>Experiment with quinoa as a side dish for weeknight meals.</li><li>Barley is full of fibre and filling. Add mushrooms for a satisfying soup.</li><li>Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast.</li><li>Even popcorn is a whole grain. Keep it healthy by eating air-popped corn and drizzling olive oil on instead of butter.</li><li>Supplement with whole-grain products like whole-wheat bread and pasta. The term "whole grain" should be the first ingredient on the food package.</li><li>If you find the switch too difficult, mix whole-grain with refined half-and-half.</li></ul>

Help Yourself to Whole Grains

Nuts are a Mediterranea diet staple. Nuts contain more fibre and minerals, such as potassium, than processed snack foods. A satisfying, on-the-go snack is some almonds, cashews or pistachios.

Snack on Nuts

Fresh fruit is a healthy way to curb your sweet tooth. Fruit is a good source of fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. Keep fresh fruit visible at home and take a piece or two to work for a healthful snack.

Enjoy Fruit for Dessert

Dietitians recommend that women stick to a 3-ounce serving and men to a 5-ounce serving per day. Try to sip with a meal. It is even better when that meal is shared with loved ones.

Sip (a Little) Wine

Instead of eating your meal in front of the TV, slow down. Sit at the table with your family and friends to savour what you're eating. You will enjoy your company and eat slower, which allows you to tune in to your body's hunger and fullness signals.

Savour Every Bite

What is the Mediterranean diet and how can you start eating one of the healthiest diets in the world? Here are 8 easy ideas to get more Mediterranean diet foods into your life.

8 Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet for Better Health

Research shows that authentic leadership may improve team performance compared to traditional management. Authentic leadership is a concept that was first formulated by Harvard professor Bill George, who was convinced that new leaders and innovative leadership styles would help corporations recover financially. The emerging theory of authentic leadership encourages managers to be genuine, self-aware, and transparent when guiding their teams.

Authentic leadership

Authentic leadership is viewed as an antidote to unethical leadership. An authentic leader will appear more reliable and trustworthy. In traditional leadership, managers work in a way that does not align with their personal values. This can be perceived as confusing to colleagues and may cause the team to work without direction, reduce satisfaction and lower overall productivity. Conversely, authentic leadership makes it easier for co-workers to recognise your values, follow your instructions, and understand your expectations.

The benefits of authentic leadership

There are five essential dimensions of an authentic leader: purpose, values, heart, relationships and self-discipline.﻿Principles when leading a team:<ul><li>Define your ethical values and ideals of leadership. Those values should guide your decisions as a leader.</li><li>Practice self-reflection through journaling, self-awareness exercises, or investing in a career coach to identify your strengths, weaknesses and thought processes.</li><li>Foster relational transparency. People will like working with you if you are transparent about your thought processes.</li></ul>

How to become an authentic leader

Despite the concept not being fully mature, early research has shown that authentic leadership may improve team performance compared to traditional management.

The emerging theory of authentic leadership

No single food is going to prevent you from getting sick but focusing on an overall nutrient-rich dietary pattern and healthier lifestyle behaviours, like <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/why-you-need-more-sleep-when-sick/">adequate sleep</a>, <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/how-effective-is-washing-your-hands/">hand-washing</a>, <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/walking-mile-day/">physical activity</a>, and <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/stress-management-benefits/">stress management</a>, can help keep your immune system working at its best.Although many people fall into the trap of believing that an endless supply of supplements is the gateway to a pristine immune system, just about any dietitian will tell you that you should first try boosting your immunity with solid, wholesome foods and <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/tea-for-gut-health/">healthy teas</a>.

Keeping Your Immune System Healthy

First and foremost, Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, meaning that your body cannot create this micronutrient on its own and therefore, must obtain it through diet in order to get all of the impressive benefits.<ul><li>Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which keeps your immune system strong by protecting your body from free radicals. </li><li>Vitamin C also supports the production of white blood cells called lymphocytes and phagocytes, which work to protect your body against infection.</li></ul>

Citrus Fruits

Protein is a must. <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/vegetarian-protein-foods/">High-protein foods</a> like seafood, chicken, beans, unsalted nuts and seeds can be beneficial for your immune health. Experts tout eggs as one of the best options, thanks to their variety of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586567/">bioactive compounds</a> that can influence anti-inflammatory pathways in the body.Other protein-rich foods, including ready-to-drink <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/better-drink-protein-shake-before-after-workout/">protein shakes</a>, can also work to boost immunity.

Protein-Rich Diet

In addition to being a good source of protein, salmon is a healthy fatty fish packed with vitamin D which helps in regulating and strengthening immunity and can <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583">help prevent respiratory tract infections</a>. Milk and 100 percent juices that are fortified with vitamin D can also be a good source of this immune-boosting nutrient. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food.

Sea Food To Build Immunity

<ul><li>Apple skin contains quercetin, a phytochemical that can support immune health and reduce inflammation.</li><li>Add a little crunch to your salad and a major boost to your immunity with the simple addition of carrots.</li><li>Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants like vitamin A, spinach is good for a strong immune system.</li><li>High in selenium and zinc, sunflower seeds are good for your immune system.</li><li>Beans are a good source of protein, especially glutamine.</li><li>Garlic is antimicrobial and good for your immune system.</li><li>Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, an antioxidant that is important for thyroid function and immune function.</li></ul>

Nature Has It All

No eating plan is going to prevent you from getting sick, but foods are an important part of boosting your immunity and your overall health.

The 13 Best Immunity Boosting Foods, According to Dietitians | Well+Good

… growing leaders was too refunded and calm for me, but growing entrepreneurs was too wild and chaotic for me. So I decided we needed to grow a combination of the two … and thus the EntreLeader was born.”

"EntreLeadership is defined as the process of leading to cause a venture to grow and prosper."

An entrepreneur focuses on starting a business, while leaders tend to be focused on keeping a business going.  The entreleader is a combination of entrepreneurs and leaders. They lead a start-up company to grow into a thriving business.

The EntreLeader

Your dream is the start of your business’s success. But you also need to ensure that you’ve set a clear plan for achieving it. <ul><li>For dreams to become a reality, we need to divide the vision into clear goals on what to achieve. Using Management by Objectives, or MBO can help to keep your team on the right path.</li><li>Decide on the type of goals with each team member, then create a clear deadline for the goal.</li><li>Accountability is essential.</li></ul>

Create a clear plan for realising your dream business

Without a clear plan for what you want to accomplish, you will not achieve your goal. A simple to-do list can keep you on the right path. When you look back to the tasks completed, you will see that you’ve done a list of meaningful tasks.

Prioritise to-do lists

An essential part of your business is a good marketing strategy. However, forming a strong marketing strategy is a learning process. You might not succeed initially, but you can learn from your failures and adapt your strategy accordingly. By doing that, you will keep getting better.

A great marketing strategy

A good sales team will convince your customers to buy your product. Sales are not about tricking people into buying your product. It is about giving people a positive experience by showing them that you care about their needs and providing appropriate information about how you can fulfil those needs. If you can earn their trust, it is more likely that they will become a customer.

The sales team

Debt weakens your company and puts it at risk of failure. Unfortunately, the majority of small companies fail because of cash flow problems. Create an emergency fund to avoid the temptation of going into debt. Save extra cash to cover your business or yourself in times of unexpected difficulties.

Try to avoid debt. Ensure you have an emergency fund.

Every EntreLeader recognises the importance of earning the respect of employees. If you treat your employees with respect, they’ll repay you with loyalty and productivity. <ul><li>Reward your staff accordingly for their work. Rewarding your team fairly will make them feel appreciated and motivated.</li><li>Staff incentives like commissions or profit-sharing will make them even more motivated.</li></ul>

Compensate your employees fairly

How to build and grow a successful business.

Offers advice on growing a business, including setting and attaining goals, time management, and operating debt free.

EntreLeadership

Families who dine at home together are happier and healthier, but work, school, sports practices and other obligations all seem to get in the way. 
Whether your family mealtime happens every night or only once a week, in the morning before school or late-night for just dessert, it's important to take advantage of whatever opportunity you have to nourish the mind, soul and stomach of everyone at the table.

Having Dinner With Your Family

In the United States <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267720308_Of_Ketchup_and_Kin_Dinnertime_Con%20versations_as_a_Major_Source_of_Family_Knowledge_Family_Adjustment_and_Family_Resilie%20nce">about 70 percent of meals</a> are consumed outside the home, and about 20 percent are eaten in the car. About half of American families rarely have family dinner.Decades of research have shown that children who regularly eat dinner with their families at home do better on a number of health measures.

Plan: The Key Is Togetherness, Not Timing

When kids eat with their parents, they are more likely to have:<ul><li>More fruits and vegetables and drink less soda.</li><li>Lower rates of obesity as both children and adults.</li><li>Higher self-esteem and a more positive outlook.     </li><li>Lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school behavioural problems and depression.</li><li>Better body image and fewer eating disorders.</li><li>Better grades, higher reading scores and better vocabulary.</li></ul>

Benefits Of Eating With Family

You have more chances than you realize to connect with your family at the table. During the work week, most families have two opportunities a day to dine together (breakfast and dinner) and three chances (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on the weekends.
That gives us a total of 16 traditional meal opportunities a week to connect with our families.

Pick The Eating Occasion

Pros: Morning is often the only time everyone is together; kids love breakfast food. A study of 8,000 children in Europe showed that kids who ate breakfast with parents five or more days a week were 40 percent less likely to be overweight than their peers. Cons: Mornings can be rushed. Harvard’s Family Table project estimates that many families only have about 10 minutes for breakfast. Kids may be sleepy and not as engaged in conversation.

Family Breakfast: Pros And Cons

Pros: Usually simple and faster than other meals; great for picnics. Cons: Just two chances a week (Sat, Sun) for most working families; an only family meal with a potential negative. Studies show that children who eat daily lunch with their parents are more likely to be overweight.

Lunch: Pros And Cons

Pros:  Longest meal of day (about 22 mins); a good time to catch up on events of day, school, work etc. Cons: Tough on working parents to get home in time to cook; for teens, homework and sports conflicts interfere with dinner time.

Dinner: Pros And Cons

Pros: More time to prepare food, fewer scheduling conflicts. Cons: Television (sports) may be more tempting; kids may have less to say about school.

Weekend Meals: Pros And Cons

Pros: Great option when one parent can’t be home for full dinner; use time at the table for game, conversation. Cons: Adds extra calories to the day; time at table will be shorter than a regular meal.

Extended Snack: Pros And Cons

Pros: Kids love dessert so they will definitely show up; best to serve fruit at least some of the time. Cons: Risk of extra calories and sugaring up kids before bedtime

Desserts: Pros And Cons

Family researchers emphasize that there isn’t a magic number for family meals. But they do note that the benefits increase with every meal, so the more times you can gather as a family, the better. Every time parents sit down with their kids, it creates another opportunity to connect, and strong family connections appear to keep teens healthier and safer in a number of areas. 
Remember, the family table is not just about dinner — you have 16 opportunities a week to connect over a traditional meal and you can always gather at the table for just a snack or dessert.

The Sweet Spot

The more times a week a teen sat down for a family meal, the more likely he or she reported having high-quality relationships with parents. Family dinners are also strongly linked to lower rates of teen substance abuse. Here are some numbers to think about:0-2 Meals Per Week: Family researchers are most concerned about families that drop below eating three meals a week. 3 Meals a Week: Three days a week is the point where researchers begin to notice positive trends in a child’s nutritional and emotional health.5-7 Meals a Week: Where the greatest benefits in teen and family health were seen.

The More The Better

<ul>
<li>Family meals don’t have to look like a Norman Rockwell painting. “I believe the magic can happen without perfection,” says Lynn Barendsen, a co-founder of The Family Dinner Project. “Come together and enjoy each other’s company and manage to have a great meal."</li>
<li>If both parents can’t be home at the same time for dinner, or if teen sports practices get in the way, plan your table time for later in the evening around a family snack or late-evening dessert.</li>
<li>Don’t try to go from 1 or 2 meals a week to 7 meals overnight. Look at your family’s schedule for the week and try to find just one meal time that works for your family. Let everyone know and add your plans to the calendars of all the adults and teens in the house.</li>
</ul>

Keep It Simple

Don’t try to do everything at once. Look at your family and decide what your needs are. If it’s more family table time, try to find one extra meal that works. 
If you’ve got picky eaters, focus on strategies to help everyone eat more healthful. If your problem is tension at the dinner table, focus on conversation starters and games to keep everyone happy and engaged.

Set One Goal

<ul>
<li>The Family Table should be a fun, welcoming space. It’s not a place for stress, arguments and grilling kids about their grades.</li>
<li>Family time at a restaurant is better than no family meal time at all. But the reality is that meals eaten outside the home are almost always less healthful.</li>
</ul>

Keep it Fun

Sometimes the family table only has one adult. Divorced and single parents have different dinner planning challenges than married parents.
Sometimes one parent has to leave for work early, come home late or be away on business, leaving another parent to manage the family meal. Remember that a successful family table is one that results in family connection, healthful food and fun conversation. One adult at the table is better than none.

Solo Parents

One-child families, particularly when there is only one parent, can feel lonely at the family table. 
Eating meals with your child as often as possible still counts as a family meal, but consider joining another family from time to time to add a little extra noise and conversation to your family table.

Small Families

Sometimes an older sibling or caregiver is in charge of feeding the kids at night. 
You can still get the benefits of a family meal by making sure healthful food is served, and asking the caregiver to create a fun meal or suggest games or conversation starters that will allow children and teens to connect with each other and their caregiver.

Caregivers

The magic of the family table comes from the conversation and connection between parents and children, but it’s also important to serve nourishing food, model healthful eating habits and avoid food battles.
Childhood health experts say the best advice for improving a child’s diet is simply putting healthful food on the table and sitting down together to eat it.

Nourish: Good Food Brings Everyone Together

Everybody at the table, including the parents, has likes and dislikes. You can create different dishes for the meat lovers, vegetarians and picky eaters. Or you can just brace yourself for a nightly food battle. 
But why not make it easier on everyone and create buffet-style build-your-own meals? Start with a basic ingredient and then step aside and let everyone create their own favorite version of the dish.

Build Your Own

Once the food is served, limit any food talk about how good it tastes. Don’t make comments about how much or how little someone has put on their plate. Even something as simple as “Just eat a little more of that,” could prompt a child to become stubborn and resist the food. No cajoling. No bribing, as It makes for tension at the table and it’s counterproductive

Don't Comment On The Food

Children learn eating behaviors, both good and bad, from a parent. So dinner time is a good time to model healthful eating. If a child has avoided a dish, don’t pressure them. 
 Just give yourself a heaping serving, and ask them if they want to try. If they say no, just say “more for me!” and keep eating.

Setting An Example

With hot stoves, boiling water and sharp knives at hand, it is understandable that parents don’t want children in the kitchen when they’re making dinner. But studies suggest that involving children in meal preparation is an important first step in getting them to try new foods.

Take Them To The Kitchen

The secret sauce of family dinner is not the food — it’s the connection parents and kids make with each other.Family meals offer a natural opportunity for parental influence. There are few other contexts in family life that provide a regular window of focused time together.This is good news for parents who feel like they can’t quite pull off the perfect family meal every time, because what really seems to matter is just being there to talk, listen and see your kids, even if the meal is just a quick sandwich or a store-prepared chicken.

The Connect

Family meals should be fun, interesting and free of conflict. Don't Talk About: Bad grades or school problems: Kids never feel good when they struggle in school. Chores: Kids feel berated when parents keep reminding them of chores. Politics: Whether you broach the topic of politics depends on your family.What everyone is eating: It’s never helpful to comment about the food one of your kids is eating or not eating.

What Not To Talk About

How you can help:  Ask your kids if they need any help with homework or school projects. Weekend and vacation plans: Topics like holiday plans, weekend outings and dream vacations (past and future) are terrific topics for a fun family dinner. Current events: A family table is a great place for serious topics about the world around us. What everyone wants to eat: The dinner table is a great place to talk about foods you love, foods that make you squeamish or the best (or worst) meal you’ve ever had.

What To Talk About

Some families choose “zero tolerance” for mealtimes. There are certainly times when this is a good idea for everyone. Zero tolerance means you turn off all computers, televisions and cellphones. 
Here’s the bad news — it’s usually parents who are most likely to break the rules. So zero tolerance needs to apply to everyone at the table, not just the kids.

Tech-Free Zone

Do your kids have a favorite song or video that’s on their minds? Sometimes technology can spark a conversation and family connection. Watch a short clip or let your child read from a funny blog post. Now put the phones in the center of the table and enjoy the conversation that ensues after you’ve allowed yourself to peek inside your child’s digital world.

Conversation Starters

To get the most out of the family table, it’s time to learn how to play with your food.Every time you gather as a family around the table, remember to create one fun and playful moment that everyone at the table can share. You can make shapes and faces out of food, make a recipe a parent loved as a child, play table games or pose an unusual question of the day. “As our worlds have become increasingly virtual, cooking is one of the rare activities that involve our senses, allows us to make things with our hands, and is an activity that we can do together.

Play

The table is a great place to reconnect as a family. We'll show you how. 

The Family Table - Well Guides

Coconut originated from India and Southeast Asia but spread naturally to other Pacific Ocean coastlines. Coconut milk is the liquid found when grating coconut meat. It can be very thick and creamy or thinner and more milk-like. Of all the plant milks, coconut milk has been consumed the longest.

Coconut milk

<ul><li>Soya beans come from China and are highly nutritious. Because of easy cultivation, it's grown in the Americas and Europe since the 19th century.</li><li>In 1866, Frenchman Paul Champion wrote about the Chinese drinking hot soya milk for breakfast.</li><li>In 1910, Chinese biologist and engineer Li Yu-Ying set up a dairy factory near Paris and patented "vegetable milk and its derivatives."</li><li>In 1956, the Plantmilk Society was founded in the UK to help create commercially viable plant milk. The final product was fortified with calcium, and vitamins B2, B12, and D2.</li></ul>

Soya milk

Almond milk was a common ingredient in Christian and Islamic cultures in the Middle Ages. The first mention appeared in a Baghdadi cookery book from the 13th century. Almond milk is easier to digest than cow's milk. It is seen as a beverage or food ingredient and is known for its therapeutic use.

Almond milk

Some people prefer rice milk to other plant milks, but it doesn't work that well in tea and coffee. The history of rice milk is shorter. In 1921, the first rice milk factory, Vita Rice, was set up in San Francisco, and in 1990, Rice Dream started rice milk packaged in TetraPak aseptic cartons, making it more available.

Rice milk

The traditional drink in Spanish-speaking countries is made from ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, cashews or tiger nuts. Each country and regions have specific horchata recipes with ingredients varying widely. Some people add cow's milk, but the original drink was only plant-based.

Horchata

Viva’s Veronika Powell reveals how our favourite milks have actually been popular around the world for centuries. 

A brief history of plant milks

Bananas are the most consumed fruit in the United States. Bananas are tasty, portable, and also very nutritious and versatile. Bananas are actually a large herb, with fruits that develop from female flowers. There are over 300 kinds of bananas that mainly grows in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia, America, the Canary Islands, and Australia. The version we think of as a classic banana is a Cavendish, or dessert banana.

Bananas are a popular herb

A medium banana provides the following nutrients: <ul><li>Calories: 105</li><li>Protein: 1.29 grams</li><li>Fat: 0.389 grams</li><li>Carbohydrates: 26.9 grams</li><li>Fibre: 3.07 grams</li><li>Sugar: 14.4 grams</li><li>Vitamin B6: 0.43 mg (22% of the Daily Value - DV)</li><li>Vitamin C: 10.3 mg (17% of the DV)</li><li>Potassium: 422 mg (12% of the DV)</li><li>Magnesium: 31.9 mg (8% of the DV)</li><li>Manganese: 0.319 mg (16% of the DV)</li></ul> A medium banana contains about 100 calories.

Banana nutrition facts

<ul><li>Bananas are high in potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte that supports a steady heartbeat and allows nerves to function and muscles to contract. It regulates blood pressure and is a natural diuretic.</li><li>Bananas are rich in polyphenolic substances that possess antioxidant properties known to reduce inflammation and cell damage, such as arthritis, diabetes and artery hardening.</li><li>Fructooligosaccharides in bananas serve as probiotics that help the body absorb calcium while feeding good probiotic bacteria.</li><li>Bananas contain serotonin that supports a good mood.</li></ul>

Banana benefits

<ul><li>Banana peels are edible. The peels are higher in antioxidants than the pulp</li><li>Banana flour. Green banana flour is linked to positive outcomes related to gastrointestinal symptoms, diseases, insulin metabolism, weight control, and kidney and liver complications.</li><li>Banana milk is made from filtered water, bananas, and sunflower oil and can be added to smoothies and coffee.</li></ul>

Other banana products

<ul><li>Bananas can be consumed as is or blended into smoothies, added to cereal, oatmeal and pancakes.</li><li>Spices such as ginger and cinnamon can be added to pureed bananas.</li><li>Frozen bananas can serve as an ice cream alternative.</li><li>Bananas can be dipped into melted dark chocolate, rolled in nuts, and frozen as a healthy treat.</li><li>Bananas can also be incorporated into desserts, cakes, pies, and banana splits.</li></ul>

Ways to enjoy bananas

Registered dietitian Cynthia Sass shares the nutrition and benefits of bananas, including carbs, calories, protein, fiber, and sugar content.

How Many Calories Are in a Banana? 7 Nutrition Facts to Know

Having something sweet when we are feeling low, like a piece from a box of dark chocolates instantly uplifts our mood. Apart from the nutritious benefits of eating food, there are many psychological, physiological and motivational effects on us, both positive and negative.
Example: Carbonated beverages, like a can of diet coke, can evoke aggressive reactions, especially in people who have a history of aggression or violence.

Chocolate Uplifts Our Mood

An elaborate, three part study to check the relationship between the spiciness of food to the aggression that is exhibited afterwards revealed that we are in fact what we eat, and are bound to be agitated or irritated after eating hot and spicy foods.

Food Makes Us Who We Are

Our Gastrointestinal tract has billions of bacteria, and the food we consume alters our gut health, changing the balance of good and bad bacteria. Our mood regulators, which control our aggression, cognition, mood, sleep and anxiety are actually located in our gut.Eating sugary treats produces feel-good and feel-happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin, proving that food is directly associated with emotions, comfort, pain, motivation and concentration.

Our Second Brain: The Gut

We should consume foods that elevate our mood and promote good bacteria in our stomach. Yogurt, kimchi, fresh veggies and fruits are foods that you can use to lighten your mood and body.If there is a need to be fighting fit, like before a debate starts, consuming spicy stuff is a good idea, especially when confronting an aggressive opponent!

The Right Food Choices

Research shows that there is a direct correlation between spicy foods and aggression.

Weirdly True: We Are What We Eat

Behaviours and patterns associated with compulsive eating include food cravings, loss of self-control, continued overeating and failed attempts to stop the behaviour pattern.
Some people compulsively eat specific foods, such as highly processed foods full of carbohydrates and fats.

Compulsive overeating

Research states that processed foods contain unusually high concentrations of fats and sugars. As a result, it can cause some people to become addicted to them. Processed foods high in sugar, fat, or salt trigger the release of "feel-good" brain chemicals. When some people feel those rewards of pleasure, they will desire more of that particular food and eventually lose control over their eating behaviour, inevitably leading to weight gain and increased health risks.

Processed foods can trigger overeating

Some refer to regular overeating of processed foods as food addiction. However, researchers point out several contradictions.<ul><li>Healthy people can also self-identify as food addicts.</li><li>Those who consider themselves food addicts often say that processed food with a high glycemic index is a trigger, yet foods like carrots also have a high glycemic index and are not addictive.</li><li>Food and weight issues predate processed foods.</li></ul>

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Kaleb
@kalebb

How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

8 Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet for Better Health

The emerging theory of authentic leadership

The 13 Best Immunity Boosting Foods, According to Dietitians | Well+Good

EntreLeadership

Bite-sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

Kaleb @kalebb

How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

8 Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet for Better Health

The emerging theory of authentic leadership

The 13 Best Immunity Boosting Foods, According to Dietitians | Well+Good

EntreLeadership

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