Health On The Blog

A trip down the bread aisle is akin to choosing which supermodel you’d like to take to bed. They all have something special but how do you know which one’s the best?

Low GI. Heart Healthy. With added omega-3s, selenium or inulin pre-biotic fiber. These days a quick trip to the shops for bread and milk can turn into a three hour decision making exercise. There are so many different types of bread, each offering you the opportunity to obtain better health than the next. How do you choose? We help you make the most sensible choice for your next cheese and tomato sandwich.

The Low Down on Fortified Bread

In recent years, the nutrition savvy man has come to know that whole-wheat bread is better than brown bread, and brown bread is better than white bread, primarily because each type of bread has more fiber than the other. There are brands of bread that claim to offer as much fiber as whole-wheat bread, with all the taste of white bread. There are also breads bolstered with bird feed, fatty acids and other minerals that claim to do everything from stabilizing blood sugar to protecting against heart disease. It’s enough to make you want to eat salad instead. But what if you’re really hungry for a sarmie? Here’s what you need to know about what’s on the shelves to make your triple-decker sandwich dreams come true.

White, Brown or Whole-Wheat?

No matter what the advertising says, whole-wheat bread is still the best option. The white bread that says it has just as much fiber as brown bread is failing to make clear the distinction between the different types of fiber. There are two main types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble. The problem is, the white bread in question only contains added soluble fiber, but you need both because they serve different functions in the body.

Soluble fiber works primarily on a chemical basis, absorbing water in the gut to form a mushy, gel like consistency (much like grated apple) that maintains blood glucose levels and bonds with cholesterol in the intestine, so encouraging the fats to pass through your body rather than be absorbed into the blood stream.

Insoluble fiber works on a more mechanical level. Insoluble fiber consists of the indigestible bits – seed flakes, digestive bran and so on – that help to draw water into the intestine and literally act as an internal scourer, gently pushing food through to make sure your guts don’t get blocked up. Insoluble fiber is the stuff that keeps you a regular, happy guy.

That’s why whole-wheat remains the king of these breads. It has both soluble fiber, which comes from the wheat flour, and insoluble fiber, in the form of added wheat kernels. These kernels are what gives whole-wheat bread its rough looking texture.

The Fiber Debate

There are other types of functional fiber, too. Starch resistant fiber is also an insoluble fiber, with the added benefit of lowering the PH in the large intestine. These fibers break down to produce short-chain fatty acids, which act as food for pro-biotics, the good bacteria that keep your colon fighting fit. Inulin pre-biotic fiber also acts as food for these friendly microscopic bugs.

When it comes to the fiber in your bread, more is always better. The more fiber you have, and the more fiber you can count, the more healthy that bread is for you.

Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website at http://bodybuild.rr.nu.

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I was enjoying a long (very long) hike over the weekend that brought me in contact with a wide variety of plants and animals. While taking a breather at a ranger station, I was admiring a plant which had what looked to be cherry tomatoes or some kind of red berry sprouting from its branches. The ranger said I was looking at a rose bush and the red fruit it was producing went by the name of rose hips.

“Rose Hips” I shrieked. I had known of the supplement for years but had never seen a real live rose hip. I was informed that rose hips form after the rose bloom has died. Almost any rose variety will produce hips but the ranger informed me that the Rosa rugosa formed the tastiest variety if you planned on eating them. Further research confirmed that Rosa rugosa is the bush of choice for tasty rose hips.

Why Eat Rose Hips?
Probably the best reason to eat or drink rose hips is the incredible source of vitamin C that it provides. Studies have shown vitamin C to be helpful with fighting infection, colds/flu, sore throat, fatigue and stress to name a few. Hips provide almost 20 times the amount of vitamin C found in Oranges.

How do I Grow Rose Hips?
As I have mentioned, there seams to be a consensus that Rosa rugosa is the best plant to use for growing rose hips. Let the blooms die on the bush (resist the temptation to cut the beautiful blooms, the more you cut the less hips you will produce) and the hips will begin to form. They will start out green and begin to turn red similar to the way a tomato ripens. Harvest them when they become completely red but not overripe, this usually occurs after the first frost.

Preparing the Hips
You can use rose hips either fresh off the vine, dried, or preserved. To dry the fruit spread the hips out on a clean surface. Allow them to dry until the skin begins to feel dry and slightly shriveled. At this point, split the hips in half and take out all of the seeds and tiny hairs in the center. Remember not to use aluminum pans or utensils as this will destroy some of the vitamin C.

After the seeds are removed you can let the hips dry completely. Don’t wait to remove the seeds until hips are completely dry or you will have trouble with de-seeding.

Store the dried hips in sealed plastic bags. Freeze for long term use or put in the refrigerator if you plan on using over a two or three month period. Hips can be eaten as a semi-sweet snack at anytime. You can also make tea and preserves; I have listed two recipes below to get you started.

What about Supplements?
Rose hip supplements are available at most health food and vitamin stores. For me, the fun is in making your own hips. If you just want vitamin C there isn’t really a whole lot of difference between taking regular vitamin C supplement and vitamin C with rose hips (except the price, hips will cost a bit more).

Recipes
If you are fortunate enough to have roses at your home, here are some recipes you might want to try:

Hip Tea Recipe

Place 4-6 hips (prepared as noted above) in the bottom of a non-aluminum pan
Add 2 cups of cool water
Allow water to come to a boil
Let simmer for about 30 minutes (less if you like a weaker tea)
Strain and add sweetener to taste

Hip Marmalade

Prepare hips as noted above and soak in cool water for several hours
Bring hips soaking in water to a boil for about 20 minutes
Strain out water
Add one cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar per one cup of the strained water
Boil the sweetened water until it becomes thick and syrupy
Add the previously boiled hips and continue boiling until hips are tender
Pour into jars and seal

Enjoy!

Author Bio
Mike Brooks has been a life long follower and proponent of the fitness lifestyle. Through his avid research, Mr. Brooks has come to the realization that being healthy is a choice and encompasses not only proper diet but also a fitness regimen that includes the mind, body and soul. Mike Brooks is the publisher and editor-in-chief for the health information site www.Ultimatehealthreport.com

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