" Health Benefits of Dates "~

1) Dates are free from cholesterol and contain very low fat. Dates are rich in vitamins and minerals.

2) They are rich source of protein, dietary fiber and rich in vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B5 along with vitamin A1 and C.

3)It helps improve the digestive system as it contains soluble and insoluble fibers and different kinds of amino acids.

4) Dates are great energy boosters as they contain natural sugars like glucose, sucrose and fructose. To get more advantage add dates to milk and make it a very nutritious snack.

5)Dates are very low in calories and are extremely suitable for health conscious people.

6) Dates are rich in potassium and reduced in sodium. This helps regulate a healthy nervous system. Researches have revealed the fact that potassium intake up to a certain extent can reduce risk of stroke.

7) Dates also help in lowering of the LDL cholesterol.

8) Dates have high iron content and are very useful in treating anemia. The patients can eat many dates for better advantages.

9) Dates also have fluorine that slows down the process of tooth decay.

10) It helps people suffering from constipation. Soak dates overnight and take it along with water to have added advantage.

11) Dates help in weight gain and are beneficial for those who suffer from over slimming problem.

12) Dates are excellent for alcoholic intoxication.Cures abdominal cancer.

13) It also helps in improving eye sight and helps in curing night blindness as well.

"The best thing is that it does not have any side effect on the body and is completely natural as well as it works better than medicine."

FLAXSEEDS

Are you including FLAXSEEDS in your diet?

 I eat them every single day. Consuming raw ground flaxseeds (which makes them more available to the body) is one the best things you can do for your health. Raw flax meal is a fantastic source of essential omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9, fibre, and a good source of most of the B Vitamins, magnesium and manganese. They also contain powerful phytochemicals and antioxidants. They are also one the richest sources of lignans that convert to substances that help balance female hormone levels in the body. Studies have shown this to prevent breast cancer, reduce menopausal symptoms, and increase fertility.

Flaxseed oils are very unstable and should never be heated. Always store in a glass air-tight container in the fridge and try to purchase as fresh as possible from a health food store with a high turnover. I like to look for stores that keep the flaxseeds, flax meal and oil in the fridge. I don’t purchase pre-ground flaxmeal as I don’t know how long it has been sitting in the store bins. I prefer to purchase whole flaxseeds, which have a longer shelf life, and grind my own. I use a spice or coffee grinder.

You need to grind flaxseeds in order to make the nutrients available and easily absorbed. Otherwise, they just pass through the body under-utilized. Flaxseed oil is touted as a wonderful nutritional supplement and does have enormous health benefits. However, it does not contain the phytochemicals or fibre of the whole seeds. I prefer to grind the seeds and get the oil and all of the other goodies. Flaxseeds are incredibly useful in plant based cooking. They are a great way to enrich smoothies, puddings, pies and desserts. They also make a fantastic egg-free binding agent in slices, bars, cakes, cookies, muffins, and breads. You can also just sprinkle the flax meal over fruit, yoghurt, ice cream, vegetarian stir-fries, soups, salads, stews and casseroles. It is also one of the principle ingredients in LSA which I use in everything!

You will notice if I use flaxseeds in recipes, I will add it separately at the very end. This is because the soluble fibre in flaxseeds causes liquids to thicken and if left sitting will alter the consistency of a batter or mixture. Stir it through or fold it in as close to baking as possible.

What's YOUR favourite way to get your daily dose of flax?