Healthy Archives - Page 2 of 2

Plant-based milk alternatives are a fast-growing category with health & wellness focused consumers.

While cow’s milk is still the most popular according to retail sales, nondairy alternatives hit an estimated $2.95 billion last year, up 54 percent from five years earlier, according to the market research firm Mintel.

This growth can be attributed to the rise of veganism, along with an increase in awareness about the importance of protein in weight loss diets.

While plant-based milk offers benefits and advantages, especially to those who are lactose intolerant, creating the beverage does pose some challenges to manufacturers. Without a flavor modifier, the fortified (herbs, proteins, or vitamins) “milks” can impart an earthy, beany, grassy or bitter taste, undesirable mouthfeel or astringency perception.

LifeWise has conducted lab tests on plant-milk and found that SimplyRich 321 eliminated unpleasant mouthfeel, suppressed metallic notes, provided a creamier, thicker texture and enhanced sweetness.

Besides plant milk, SimplyRich 321can be used in nutrition/energy bars, nutraceutical products, supplement bars and beverages and soy beverages.

SimplyRich 321 is GMO-free, with no added MSG, HVP, gluten, soy nucleotides, yeast or other common allergenic ingredients.

This summer has brought a lot of record-breaking heat across the U.S. The importance of staying hydrated in dangerous temperatures cannot be overstated. Water is the best way to stay hydrated but water often doesn’t cut it with children and teens, who prefer sodas, fruit juice, or energy drinks.

The issue is that these drinks are processed with other added sweeteners (sucrose, corn syrup, maltose, etc.) and if consumed in high quantity, they contribute to a child’s risk of excess weight gain and tooth decay, and preventable diseases such as obesity.

Kids as a rule aren’t too concerned about what ingredients are in the drink they are consuming. But increasingly their parents are. With an emphasis on healthy eating, there is a demand for low-sugar products, especially when it comes to children’s beverages.

However, there are challenges that many food and beverage companies face when it comes to producing low-sugar/no-sugar products: notably keeping the sweet taste, the flavor, and masking acidic notes, which happens when reducing sugar content. To keep those drinks tasting good, application specific taste modifiers are used.

For example, LifeWise SimplySweet reduces the sugar and/or other sweeteners without sacrificing flavor.

SimplySweet masks metallic notes in high intensity sweeteners and makes products taste more like real sugar. Less sugar also assists in calorie reduction, a plus in combatting obesity.

At one time or another, you have probably been at a tailgate or other social gathering that included hummus – that popular Middle Eastern dip and spread that is composed of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil and lemon. Some hummus spreads can include red pepper, garlic, nuts, and a variety of other ingredients.

Hummus is considered a healthy food by nutritionists, high in fiber and protein and low in sugar. According to the USDA, a typical 100 gram serving of hummus contains 10.71 grams of protein, 7.1 grams of fiber, 71 milligrams of calcium and 2.57 grams of iron.

Hummus’ main ingredient, chickpeas also known as garbanzo beans, also have antioxidant properties and a low-glycemic index, which may help in managing blood sugar levels. They also are a source of healthy phytonutrients, including phytic acid, sterols, tannins, carotenoids, and isoflavones. The chickpea is also a source of folate, zinc, copper, iron and manganese.

And, according to a 2016 study from the National Institute of Health, “The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus,” chickpea and hummus consumption may help prevent or offset the development and progression of diseases like cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes, as well as helping with weight management.

Although hummus is a “good for you,” food, it can also give off bitter notes. Chickpeas are earthy in flavor and have nothing to cover up bitterness. Too much tahini, too much garlic, too much lemon juice or blending paprika directly into the hummus can import bitter flavor. And when blending tahini with olive oil, the oil can react to the heat of the spinning blades and take on a bitter flavor.

SimplySweet & Smooth from LifeWise provides a solution to bitterness. It masks metallic notes, stops acidic and bitter aftertaste, improves mouthfeel with a full, rich texture, and enhances the overall flavor profile.

SimplySweet & Smooth also benefits plant/nut-based milks and dairy alternatives, nutrition shakes/smoothies, nutrition bars, and low-fat/low-sugar yogurts.

What’s the deal with inflammation? When and why does it happen? Inflammation occurs when your body’s white blood cells (and the chemicals they produce) help to protect you from infection and injury. That’s a good thing. However, in arthritis and some auto-immune diseases, your immune system triggers inflammation when there is no infection or a reason to do so. This is a bad thing. Chronic inflammation along with stress, a sedentary lifestyle and consumption of inflammatory foods can lead to weight gain and various health problems and diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma and Alzheimer’s. Chronic inflammation is harmful to your body and can last for weeks up to years. Even low levels of inflammation on a chronic basis can lead to these diseases and others.

There are healthy foods that can help reduce inflammation and others that are associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammation. The choice is yours. Below are some examples of healthy foods you might want to consider and other foods you might want to avoid.

Healthy Choices

Vegetables (especially dark colored)
Fruits (especially dark colored and those high in fat, i.e., avocados)
Dark chocolate
Nuts
Fatty fish
Spices (turmeric and cinnamon)
Green tea

Increased Risk Choices

Sugar-sweetened beverages
Refined carbohydrates
Fried foods
Processed meats
Processed snacks
Desserts and sweets
Trans fats
Excessive alcohol

To reduce inflammation, you should focus on fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat foods that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and contain healthy fats. Plant-based foods are good sources of antioxidants. Exercise and sleeping well help to reduce inflammation as well.