by CL
Eating Fast Dates, Heart Be Okay
August 30, 2010 in Z to A by CL
Fasting turns out to have health benefits, can be a healing therapy for some degenerative diseases. Dates are usually presented during the month of Ramadan contains nutrients that can prevent cardiac disorders. 
From the aspect of nutrition, fasting at least will reduce the intake of nutrients, especially energy, about 20-30 percent. However, from the health aspect, it gives the health benefits of fasting on the body of the perpetrator. Even in developed countries, fasting made as part of efforts to therapy (Fasting therapy) to cure some degenerative diseases.
Although research on the effects of fasting for health has not been done, some results of research showing the health benefits of fasting, among others, can reduce the risk of stroke. Fasting also improves blood cholesterol profile, lowering total cholesterol and bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol).
High blood cholesterol levels in the long term will be clogging the blood vessels in the form of atherosclerosis (calcification or hardening of the arteries). Atherosclerosis is a forerunner of cardiovascular disease (PKV), a disease associated with heart and blood vessels. When a blockage occurs in the brain will cause a stroke and when there are at the heart area causing coronary heart disease (CHD).
The study shows that fasting can increase good cholesterol (HDL) cholesterol and lower fat (LDL). This may be caused by changes in meal frequency from three times to two times a day, so that fat intake would decrease.
Trigger PKV
Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver (approximately 1500 mg / day) and the rest is absorbed from food daily. As many as 75-80 percent of cholesterol in the human body metabolized to cholic acid formation, which is important for digestion and absorption of fat.
Raw animal foods such as lean meat, viscera, brain, eggs (especially the yolk), shellfish, and dairy products (cream, whole milk, cheese, butter) contain high amounts of cholesterol per 100 gram, while the cholesterol content contained relatively low in fish.
Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream in large molecules form a combined fat and protein called lipoproteins. There are several types of lipoprotein, but the most popular is the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
LDL and HDL work opposite in the body. High LDL cholesterol levels can increase the risk of fatty deposits piled them in the blood vessels, causing blockages, which in turn increases heart attack risk. That’s why LDL cholesterol is called bad cholesterol (bad cholesterol). Conversely, increased levels of HDL cholesterol has a protective effect against heart disease. For this reason, HDL is called good cholesterol (good cholesterol).
In the United States, approximately one of 500 people aged under 18 years old have high cholesterol, known as familial hyperlipidemia. Cholesterol levels can be increased to 300 mg/100 ml of blood or more.
This is what causes them prone to heart attack or stroke at the age of 20 years. Approximately 10 percent of children in the U.S. have total cholesterol levels exceeding 190 mg/100 ml of blood, a figure which is high for children.
Year-round
In the menu open and the meal, do not forget to eat dates. Because, besides supplying energy, dates are also rich in nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, niacin, and dietary fiber (dietary fiber), which is useful in a healthy heart and blood vessels.
Mineral potassium can contribute to make the heart beat regularly, activate muscle contraction, control of water balance in tissues and cells, and helps regulate blood pressure. Some research suggests that foods rich in potassium (potassium intake of at least 400 mg per day) can reduce the risk of stroke.
According to research, healthy food for the heart and blood vessels are containing potassium ratio (K) and sodium (Na) of at least 5 to 1. In 100 grams of dates contain about 666 mg of potassium and sodium content of only 1 mg, so the ratio is 666:1.
Mineral magnesium helps muscle and nerve function, including the arrangements to keep a normal heart rhythm. In 100 grams of dates, there are around 34 mg of magnesium. Nutrient niacin (2.2 mg/100 g dates) function helps release energy from food and keep the function of the skin, nerves, and digestive system in order to remain normal.
Niacin suspected role in preventing and fighting heart disease. Dietary fiber (2.2 grams gram/100 dates) reported decreases your blood cholesterol by inhibiting absorption of fat or cholesterol in the large intestine, so the levels of cholesterol in the blood did not increase.
Dietary fiber has specific qualities that can cause physiological effects and influence on metabolism in the body. The properties in question are in the water solubility, water binding capacity (water holding capacity), and viscosity (ability to absorb organic matter and non-organic), and the degree of fermentation by intestinal microflora.
Dietary fiber is generally slows gastric emptying, increase residence time (transit time) of food in the gut so prolong satiety, and reduce the absorption of nutrients. Water-soluble nature of this contact also with the high water binding capacity and viscosity of the fiber.
Because it has high water holding capacity, water-soluble fiber (soluble dietary fiber) capable of forming a viscous mass in the stomach. This viscous mass digestive enzymes and absorb or reduce contact between meals with these enzymes. Viscous mass was also detected by the stomach as food is not digested and therefore slowly removed from the stomach.
The same thing happened in the small intestine, the large mass of fibers was slow out of the small intestine. However, the duration of the transit time did not increase the absorption of nutrients by intestinal cells, instead they decreased absorption. It happened because it meets most of the mass volume of the small intestine, thus reducing the surface area of contact between the nutrients in the intestinal wall and cause a low level of diffusion of nutrients. Given the size of the palm nutrient, palm consumption should at any time of year, not just during Ramadan.
