British food ranked the healthiest in major global survey

A global survey has found that when it comes to having the healthiest packaged foods and drinks, the UK tops the charts, with the USA in 2nd place and Australia coming in at 3rd.

This survey was conducted by George Institute for Global Health which analysed more than 400,000 food and drink products from 12 countries and territories around the world.

It was found that the UK had the highest average rating, followed by the US and Australia. On the other hand, India got the lowest rating followed by China with Chile coming third from bottom.

Lead author Dr Elizabeth Dunford said the results were concerning because packaged foods and drinks are driving a double burden of diet-related diseases in many low- and middle-income countries.

"Globally we're all eating more and more processed foods and that's a concern because our supermarkets shelves are full of products that are high in bad fats, sugar and salt and are potentially making us sick. Our results show that some countries are doing a much better job than others. Unfortunately it's the poorer nations that are least able to address the adverse health consequences that have the unhealthiest foods."

Co-author Professor Bruce Neal, Acting Executive Director of The George Institute, Australia said with packaged foods progressively dominating the world's food supply there was real cause for concern.

"Billions of people are now exposed to very unhealthy foods on a daily basis. The obesity crisis is just the first ripple of a tsunami of dietary ill health that is coming for us. We have to find a way that the food industry can profit from selling rational quantities of quality food, rather than deluging us with unhealthy junk. There are few greater priorities for human health.''

Sex-Boosting Foods

The following are some of the sex-boosting foods:

Asparagus

Asparagus is rich in folate, a B vitamin that helps increase the production of histamine and the correct levels of histamine are important for a healthy sex drive in both men and women.

Avocado

Avocado is rich in folic acid for increased energy production, along with healthy fats to improve mood and sense of well-being.

Blueberries

Blueberries give the body a greater ability to release dopamine, an energizing, stimulatory neurotransmitter. They also protect us from the loss of dopamine cells normally seen with aging. By increasing brain energy production and maintaining youthful brain function, dopamine exerts an extremely important antiaging effect. 

Since dopamine levels decrease with age, blueberries become even more important as we get older.

Cold-Water Fish

Salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies, and other cold-water fish are high in omega-3 fats. Omega-3s are critical to the brain and nervous system. They also improve our mood, increase our sense of well--being, fight depression, give us glowing, radiant skin and improve our memory and brainpower.

Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a chemical believed to produce the feeling of being in love. In fact, a study published in "The Journal of Sexual Medicine" found that women who enjoyed a piece of chocolate every day had a more active sex life than those who did not.

Watermelon

Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. L-citrulline increases blood flow to the sexual organs but without any negative side effects. L-citrulline supports the body in optimizing blood flow when it converts to L-arginine and then to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is involved in vasodilation (dilation of the blood vessels). And low levels of nitric oxide are associated with mental and physical fatigue and sexual dysfunction.

Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, a compound thought to increase blood flow to the sexual organs. Some experts believe that garlic is a very powerful aphrodisiac. But it is necessary to eat garlic daily for about a month to reap its remarkable benefits.

Oysters

Oysters are extremely rich in zinc, which is essential for testosterone production and maintenance of healthy sperm. And even though women have much less testosterone than men, it also plays a key part in the female libido. 

Oysters also boost dopamine, as mentioned above, it is a hormone that increases libido in both men and women.

Peanuts

Peanuts are a rich natural source of L-argininie. Studies show that the amino acid L-arginine is helpful for improving sexual function in men. L-arginine is used to make nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. Preliminary studies have found that L-arginine may help with erectile dysfunction.

Pumpkin Seeds

Like oysters, pumpkin seeds are extremely rich in zinc and promote the health of the male prostate gland. When it comes to a woman's sex drive, one study found that pumpkin seeds are a great libido booster. 

In addition, pumpkin seeds are also rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which act as a precursor of prostaglandins - hormonelike substances important for sexual health.

Association between tea consumption and risk of cancer

Tea is a commonly consumed beverage. Some think that tea may prevent the occurrence of cancer through antioxidation, growth inhibition and apoptosis induction. However, the association between tea consumption and cancer risk remains controversial based on evidence from human studies.

According to a recent study from European Journal of Epidemiology to find out whether tea consumption was associated with the incidence of all cancers especially the six leading types of cancer (lung cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, female breast cancer and cervix uteri cancer) among 455,981 Chinese participants aged 30–79 years,  it was found that when restricting analyses to non-smokers and non-excessive alcohol consumers, tea consumption was not associated with all cancers, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and liver cancer, yet might be associated with increased risk of stomach cancer probably because the caffeine in tea could stimulate secretion of gastric acid. All cancer risk increased with the amount of tobacco smoked or alcohol consumed. Their findings suggest tea consumption may not provide preventive effect against cancer incidence.

How much Magnesium should I take?

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for our body.

Magnesium is often used to help soothe anxious symptoms. In fact, a deficiency in magnesium can contribute to having anxious feelings. It has a calming effect on the body and mind. It induces relaxation, helps regulate the nervous system and combats stress, anxiousness, irritability and restlessness.

Most healthy adults need between 300 mg – 400 mg of magnesium per day. But if you take vitamin D supplements or have a vitamin K deficiency, drink alcohol or are consistently under stress, you may need to take more magnesium because those factors affect how your body absorbs and uses magnesium.

RECOMMENDED DAILY MAGNESIUM INTAKE FOR ADULTS

• 18 years: 410 mg male/360 mg female

• 19–30 years: 400 mg male/310 mg female

• 19–30 years, pregnant female: 350 mg

• 19–30 years, nursing female: 310 mg

• 31+ years: 420 mg male/320 mg female

• 31+ years pregnant female: 360 mg

• 31+ years nursing female: 320 mg

Benefits of Ginger

Ginger contains bioactive compounds that have beneficial effects on the body.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound. It has powerful antioxidant properties and is a soothing compound.

Ginger is often used to calm queasy stomachs and soothe digestion and may provide relief against exercise-related discomfort. One study showed that consuming 2 grams of ginger per day for 11 days significantly reduced muscle discomfort in people performing elbow-related exercises.

Other studies have shown that ginger is helpful for comforting joints throughout the body, supporting healthy blood sugar levels and blood lipid levels already within the normal range and it may speed up how fast food empties from the stomach, assisting with some digestive concerns. Research has also shown that ginger may benefit cognitive function.

Foods high in Coenzyme Q10

Our bodies need Coenzyme Q10  for virtually every biological process. For example, it helps keep our cells energized and it is a key component in converting the nutrients we eat into  energy our bodies can use. It is truly ubiquitous and one of the most basic nutrients required for life.

CoQ10 contributes to our energy levels and supports cardiovascular health, as well as the health of our muscles, nerves, kidneys, brain and skin. But as we age, our natural levels of CoQ10 decrease, leaving us more susceptible to CoQ10 deficiencies and related health issues. 

There are also certain medications that reduce the body’s production of CoQ10, like statins,which are frequently used for helping with cholesterol concerns.

CoQ10 also works as an antioxidant that helps protect our cells from free radicals and oxidative stress. And so it is used in some anti-aging and skin care products for its antioxidant effects. Since free radicals and oxidative stress are major contributors to some signs of aging, CoQ10 may be considered as a longevity-enhancing nutrient.

Foods high in CoQ10
The highest concentrations of CoQ10 in our own bodies are found in the liver, kidneys and heart, so the highest concentrations of CoQ10 from food sources also exist within organ meats.

Beef
A 100 grams (3.53 ounces) portion of beef sirloin provides 3.06 mg of CoQ10. 

Beef Liver
Beef liver provides a slightly higher amount of CoQ10 than beef steaks, at 3.9 mg for every 100 grams.

Beef Heart
Levels of CoQ10 found in beef hearts are substantially higher than in beef steaks and liver. A 100 grams serving of beef heart would provide around 11.3 mg of CoQ10.

Chicken
Chicken provides a little under half the amount of CoQ10 in beef sirloin. A 100 grams serving of chicken gives you around 1.4 mg of CoQ10.

Chicken Liver
Chicken liver provides 11.62 mg of CoQ10 in every 100 grams, making it one of the highest food sources of CoQ10.

Pork and Pork Liver 

Pork contains about 2.43 mg of CoQ10 per 100 grams. Similarly, pork liver provides about 2.27 mg per 100 grams.

Mackerel
The red flesh of mackerel contains a lot more CoQ10 than the white flesh portions. Red mackerel flesh provides 6.75 mg per 100 grams while the white flesh portions provide about 1 mg per 100 grams.

Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout provides 0.85 mg of CoQ10 per 100 grams.Sardines contain about 0.5 mg of CoQ10 per pound.

Salmon 
For every 100 grams of salmon, we can get about 0.4 mg of CoQ10.

Boiled Soybeans
A 100 grams serving of soybeans provides about 1.21 mg of CoQ10.

Oranges
It would take around 220 pounds of oranges to get 100 mg of CoQ10.

Broccoli
Broccoli contains 0.59 mg of CoQ10 in 100 grams.

Avocado
Avocado provides about 0.95 mg CoQ10 per 100 grams.

Different Teas with different Caffeine content

Tea has many health benefits such as reducing our risk of heart disease, protecting our bones, helping weight loss and having a high amount of antioxidants. But tea leaves also contain more caffeine, which can cause anxiety and insomnia for some people.

Black Tea

Black tea generally has about 40 to 70 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounce serving while coffee itself has about 95 to 200 milligrams.

Green Tea

The caffeine content in green tea falls mid-range with 35 to 45 milligrams per eight ounce serving. Thus green tea is a gentler source of stimulant

White Tea

This type of tea has the least amount of caffeine out of all teas with only 15 to 30 milligrams per eight ounce serving. White tea is known to be one of the most delicate tea varieties because it is the least processed.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea that offers a more diverse flavor, body and complexity than any popular tea variants in the U.S. Its caffeine content is in between the amount in black tea and green tea with 37 to 55 milligrams per eight ounce serving.

Herbal Tea

Herbal teas such as chamomile, ginger and peppermint contain no caffeine at all. This is because these types of teas are not made from the camellia sinensis plant as most teas. They are made instead from dried flowers, leaves, seeds, or roots that are generally caffeine-free. If you are looking for a tea to drink at night, herbal tea is a good choice.