Friday, February 2, 2007

Calcium - The Key To Quick Weight Loss

Are you dieting your way to bone loss?

Are you aware that the diet you follow may be depleting your
bones of essential nutrients and increasing your chances of
developing osteoporosis? Popular diets may promise quick weight
loss, but calcium and other important nutrients are often
missing from the menu, which can lead to bone loss.

And women who consistently limit what they eat to avoid gaining
weight may undermine the health of their bones, according to a
study by ARS researchers in California. (1)

The study looked at the eating behavior of women between the
ages of 18 and 50 and found that those classified as
"restrained eaters" had significantly lower bone mineral
density and bone mineral content (key indicators of overall
bone strength and health) than women who said they weren't
concerned about what they ate.

"Exercise and eating a well-balanced diet with adequate
calcium, are two of the best ways to keep your bones strong and
healthy." advise the researchers. Calcium is not only good for
your bones but can help you maintain a healthy, low fat diet
too. There has been increasing media coverage about numerous
studies showing that a diet rich in calcium helps reduce body
fat.

Why is calcium important in weight loss?

Calcium is a fat burner. High-calcium diets seem to favor
burning rather than storing fat. Researchers say this is
because calcium stored in fat cells plays an important role in
fat storage and breakdown.

Calcium changes the efficiency of weight loss . In fact, study
after study has shown that the people with the highest calcium
intake overall weighed the least, and the people with the
lowest calcium intake had the highest percentage of body fat.
(2,3,4)

When overall calorie consumption is accounted for, calcium not
only helps keep weight in check, but can be associated
specifically with decreases in body fat. A low daily calcium
intake is associated with greater tendency to gain weight,
particularly in women. (5)

Researchers found that adolescent girls who consumed more
calcium weighed less and had less body fat than girls who
consumed the same amount of calories from other sources. (6)
Previous studies have shown that a higher calcium intake can
block body fat production in adults and preschool children (7),
but this was one of the first studies to show that it might have
the same effect in body-conscious preteen and teenage girls.

But aren't dairy products fattening?

Some dieters consider dairy products to be fattening, but the
evidence suggests the opposite is true.

Consumption of calcium-rich dairy foods can actually help to
reduce and prevent obesity. Over 20 recent studies show that
milk products actually contribute to weight loss.

A new study in obese adults, presented at the First Annual
Nutrition Week Conference, showed that increasing calcium
intake by the equivalent of two dairy servings per day could
reduce the risk of obesity by as much as 70 percent. (8)

Flax Hull Lignans are very beneficial for many health
conditions. Studies have shown that SDG or lignan
(secoisolariciresinol diglycoside, but for simplicity this
substance will be referred to as lignans)

Does Omega 3 Lowers Cholesterol? Does Flaxseed Oil Prevent
Cancer too? Omega-3 fatty acids are long-chain polyunsaturated
fatty acids (18-22 carbon atoms in chain length) with the first
of many double bonds beginning with the third carbon atom (when
counting from the methyl end of the fatty acid molecule). Read
on for more details on flax seed benefits. Like most vegetable
oils, flaxseed oil contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty
acid needed for survival. But unlike most oils, it also
contains significant amounts of another essential fatty acid,
alpha linolenic acid (ALA).

Flax seeds contain vitamin E and B. The seeds are also rich in
zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, nickel, calcium and many other
essential minerals.

The fiber in flaxseeds may also help against cholesterol, since
it is soluble (similar to that in oats).

The study provided clinching evidence that calcium in low-fat
dairy products can help adjust your body's fat-burning
machinery and help keep your weight under control. In another
study, obese subjects placed on a high-calcium diet, with
yogurt as the calcium source, showed markedly greater fat loss
than those on a low-calcium diet. (9)

Numerous studies have shown that dairy calcium is more
effective in reducing body fat than other forms of calcium.
(10) Why does diary calcium work so well?

Researchers believe that other nutrients found in milk products
act in synergy with calcium to reduce fat more efficiently.

Glycomacropeptides (found in whey proteins derived from milk)
in particular, are known to create feelings of satiety and
fullness and decrease food intake. (11,12,13) Foods that are a
good source of calcium include cheese, milk, ice cream, baked
beans and other dried legumes, dried figs, broccoli, most
dark-green leafy vegetables, and soft fish bones like those in
canned salmon.

Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have
health problems, consult your physician before starting any
weight loss plan. The information here is not provided by
medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for
medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning
any course of treatment.

Cancer is less common in communities that eat large amounts of
fish, and the reason is thought to be the presence in fish of
the long chain omega-3 polyunsaturates. These beneficial fats
play important roles in brain, nerve, glandular, and eye
functions. In addition, they are involved in the transport and
metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides.

But saturated and trans fatty acids are more responsible to the
statement above; while other polyunsaturated fats such as omega
3 fatty acids seem to offer a protective effect.

It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore
reducing the chance of a heart attack. Other independent
researches has also confirmed this finding.


About The Author: Why is Flaxseed called the Miracle Food? More
at http://www.flaxseedfitness.com

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