Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate typically contains a range of 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, distinguishing it from milk chocolate, which encompasses 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk, and sugar.

The bitterness of dark chocolate intensifies as its cocoa content increases and sugar content decreases, rendering it a wholesome snack when consumed in small amounts. Dark chocolate with higher cocoa percentages frequently harbors an increased quantity of the beneficial elements responsible for its advantages.

• These beneficial elements include:Flavanols
• Polyphenols
• Theobromine

Additionally, dark chocolate serves as a source of soluble fiber and boasts a wealth of minerals. Its nutritional constitution roughly entails 46% carbohydrates, 43% fats, 8% protein, and 1% water.

As an illustration, a 100-gram dark chocolate bar with 70-85% cocoa content generally furnishes:

• 11 grams of dietary fiber
• 66% of the suggested daily value (DV) for iron
• 57% of the DV for magnesium
• 196% of the DV for copper
• 85% of the DV for manganese

In comparison to milk chocolate, dark chocolate contains two to three times more cocoa solids that are rich in flavanols. Scientifically, flavanols have been substantiated to induce the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in the endothelium, the interior cellular lining of blood vessels, thus fostering relaxation of blood vessels, augmented blood circulation, and diminished blood pressure.

The favorable effects of dark chocolate on blood pressure could be particularly noteworthy for older individuals and those with an elevated risk of heart disease, contrasting with younger, healthier individuals.

Consumption of dark chocolate with elevated cacao content, like 70%, may yield cognitive benefits. Ingesting around 48 grams (marginally exceeding 1.5 ounces) of 70% cacao organic dark chocolate was discerned to heighten neuroplasticity, denoting the brain's capacity to establish novel synaptic connections. This phenomenon could potentially translate to enhanced memory, cognition, and mood.

Dark chocolate can be classified into categories such as bittersweet, semi-sweet, and sweet dark chocolate. Commercial dark chocolate bars exhibit a spectrum of cocoa content, spanning from 30% for sweet dark chocolate to 80% or higher for intensely dark, bitter variants.

It can be diced, ground, shaved, or liquefied, rendering it a favored preference for applications such as ganache, glazes, mousse, and pudding.
Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Fish - an important source of a variety of nutrients

Fish is a food source comparable to other animal protein foods in nutrient composition. There are dozens of varieties of fish, with a variety of flavors and cooking styles to suit any taste. Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.

The vitamin B12 found in fish is crucial for the growth of healthy red blood cells, DNA reproduction, and nerve function. Consuming enough vitamin B12 is linked to a lower risk of dementia and heart disease.

Seafood is an important contributor of selenium to the American diet and is unique among animal protein foods as a rich source or omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Eating fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids.

These essential nutrients keep human heart and brain healthy. The omega-3 fat docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is especially important for brain and eye development. In this case, it’s often recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon and sardines, in particular are good sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids, while halibut is a great source of protein.

The forms of lipid in fish are triglycerides or triacylglycerols. Triglycerides in pelagic fish contain the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid EPA (eicosapentoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid), which have many health benefits including normal development of the brain and retina in infants and prevention of heart disease in adults.

Research has linked fish consumption with many health benefits, including a lowered risk for arthritis, heart attacks, high blood pressure, prostate cancer in men and strokes. Many large observational studies show that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease.

The WHO/FAO in 2003 recommendation on the consumption of fish is that “regular fish consumption (1-2 servings per week) is protective against coronary heart diseases and ischemic stroke and is recommended. The serving should provide an equivalent of 200-500 mg of EPA and DHA.”

Fish are also a great source of protein, which is critical to maintaining healthy muscles, organs, and blood vessels. Protein helps support cell division, hair growth, and even hormone signaling.
Fish - an important source of a variety of nutrients

Cereal Grains In General

Cereals can be defined as a grain or edible seed of the grass family, Gramineae. The term “cereals” is a derivative from Latin word ‘cerealis’ which is refers to members of the Gramineae family, a type of a caryopsis, composed of endosperm, germ and bran. And this common grass members usually have long, thin stalks such as determines nine species: wheat (Triticum), rye (Secale), barley (Hordeum), oat (Avena), rice (Oryza), millet (Pennisetum), corn (Zea), sorghum (Sorghum), and triticale, which is a hybrid of wheat and rye.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, cereals are the most important sources of food, Cereal grains contain carbohydrates- mainly starches (comprising 65 to 75% of their total weight), as well as proteins (6 to 12%) and fat (1 to 5%) together with traces of minerals and B vitamins. Majority of world daily caloric intake is derived directly form cereal grain consumption.

Cereal crops provide essential nutrients and energy in the everyday human diet through two different ways:
*Direct human consumption
*Via meat production since they comprise a major livestock feed

Milling is the main process associated with cereals, especially the bread cereals wheat and rye and the process represents the principal procedure in the cereal industry. Milling is classified in two categories: dry and wet.

In dry milling, the process separates the outer fibrous materials and germ, which are considered by-products of the grain endosperm. While, wet milling is mainly used for the production of starch and gluten, having as coproducts steep solids (rich in nutrients valuable for the pharmaceutical industry), germ (intended for the oil-crushing industry), and bran.

There are variety of products produced from cereal grains and can be divided to four different groups:
*Baked products. Include breads, pastries, pancakes, cookies and cakes
*Milled grain products. Such as polished rice, farina, wheat flour, cornmeal, hominy, corn grits, pearled barley, semolina (for macaroni products), prepared breakfast cereals, soup, gravy and other thickenings
*Beverages made from fermented grain
*Whole-grain products include breakfast cereal
Cereal Grains In General

Food for human health

Food is the most basic prerequisite of living organisms. Food builds, provides energy for living and working, and regulates the mechanisms essential for health and survival of life.

Food thus constitutes the foundation of health of humans and animals. No single food – with the exception of breast milk for about the first 6 months of life – can provide all the nutrients in the amounts needed for good health. Dietary patterns that include a wide variety of nutritious foods and water are more likely than restricted diets to meet nutrient requirements and confer health benefits.

Human health is a function not only of medical care but of the overall integrated development of society – cultural economic, educational, social and political. It also depends in a number of supportive services, nutrition, improvement in environment and health education.

Food being the basic vehicle of satisfying man’s hunger, it is intimately woven into the physical economic, psychological, intellectual and social life of human beings.

To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.
*Children and adolescents should eat sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally. They should be physically active every day and their growth should be checked regularly.
*Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help maintain muscle strength and a healthy weight.

Nutrition studies suggests that risk of diabetes and heart disease can be reduced by eating plenty of vegetables and fruit daily, limiting consumption of foods that are high in calories but offer little nutritional value, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Food has several dimensions, the most obvious being the quantitative one. Insufficiency of food leads progressively from mild discomfort to severe hunger and ultimately to death. Its qualitative dimension is equally important, because low quality or improper diets lead to malnutrition and disease.

Food affects health life spam, physical fitness, body size and meal development. Food also has a cultural dimension. The food habits of people are part of their cultural and emotional life, and preferences for foods are ingrained. People may cling for generations to their food habits, which may become rituals and patterns of daily routine life.
Food for human health

What is red meat?

Red meat is commonly considered to include beef, veal, pork and lamb (fresh, minced and frozen). In recent years, red meat has attracted much debate regarding its impact on health and the environment. Consumption trends of meat vary greatly around the world. Significant increases in consumption are apparent in developing countries with Latin America, the Caribbean and East Asia seeing particularly large increases.

Red meat continues to play an important role in the human diet today; it contains high biological value (easily absorbed and utilized) proteins and essential micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals. The composition of the meat varies based on the animal species, sex, age, and diet, as well as the climate and activity during its growth. Total nitrogen, fat, and iron levels increase as the animal approaches maturity. It also makes a significant contribution to the monounsaturated and omega 3 fatty acids in our diet.

In addition, the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to saturated fatty acids (SFAs) decreases with the maturity of the animal.

In terms of micronutrients, red meat (particularly beef and lamb) is an excellent source of bioavailable iron and zinc, and also provides selenium, vitamin D, and B vitamins, with red meat being one of our major sources of vitamin B12. Red meat also contains bioactive compounds such as taurine, carnitine, creatine and some endogenous antioxidants.
What is red meat?

Osteoporosis and the roles of nutrients

Osteoporosis, literally ‘porous bone’ is defined as a reduction in the mass and quality of bone and/or the presence of a fragility fracture.

It is sometimes called a silent disease because people can have osteoporosis without feeling sick or knowing something is wrong with their bones.

Osteoporosis greatly reduces independence and the quality of life of its victims; many die from complications of osteoporosis.

Dairy products are the major sources of calcium in Western diets. Milk provides a good source of many nutrients. Diets low in dairy products is often low in many nutrients. The body needs calcium for proper heart, muscle and nerve function, to maintain blood pressure, and for blood clotting. If the diet doesn't provide enough calcium, it’ll take it from "calcium reservoir" (otherwise known as bones).

If old bone is removed at a rate that is too fast, or if the rate of new bone replacement occurs too slowly, then gradually bones become porous and fragile. For example, 40% of the bone's density can be lost during advanced osteoporosis.

The complications of osteoporosis relate to the fractures that result from the condition and therefore, depend on which bone breaks. The main problems are pain and disability.

Although osteoporosis can attack any bone in the body, the typical sites osteoporosis fractures are the hip, the spine, and the wrist.

A lifelong adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, as well as phosphorus, zinc, vitamins K and C, copper and manganese, helps bone health by increasing (as much as is genetically possible) the amount of bone formed during youth and early adulthood.

Calcium and vitamin D are available as single nutrient supplements, as components of multi-nutrient supplements, or as calcium plus vitamin D supplements with or without other nutrients (e.g vitamin K, phosphate).
Osteoporosis and the roles of nutrients

Nutrition of rice

Rice is predominantly a carbohydrate, high energy food. It may be the major as aspect of a diet, or incorporated into the main dish, side dish, or dessert and is commonly used in the preparation of ready to eat breakfast cereals.

Rice is especially important to persons with wheat allergies and is commonly eaten as a first food by infants, as it offers the least cereal allergy.

Rice may be eaten as the whole grain, or polished shedding the bran. The nutritional value of rice with respect to vitamins is affected by the content so individual vitamins present and the amount removed or destroyed by milling or processing.

The once-prevalent deadly disease beriberi resulted from eating polished rice (thiamin removed in the milling process) as a staple food.

Today, most white rice is enriched with vitamins and minerals, to add back nutrients lost in milling.

Unpolished, whole rice is more subject to flavor deterioration and insect infestation than polished, white rice.

The protein content is about 7% which is not an appreciable amount. The protein level of rice is similar to those of potato and yam on a dry weight basis is the lowest among the cereals.

But since it is consumed in large quantities, rice supplies a good amount of protein. Rice also has the lowest dietary fiber content.

The primary place of origin of rice is Southeast Asia, where averages of more than 200 pounds per person a year are eaten.

China, India, Japan and Vietnam are some of the major rice consuming countries.
Nutrition of rice 

Digestion and absorption of nutrients

The primary functions of gastrointestinal system are ingestion, digestion, absorption of nutrients and excretion of solid waste.

The body requires the consumption of nutrients to support physiological activity.

Proper function of the gastrointestinal system (GI) is essential for normal growth and for maintaining fluid and electrolytes balance.

For the assimilation of nutrients by the body, the bulk of the foodstuffs must first undergo mastication and digestion.

In this process, polymeric substances such as starches, proteins and triglycerides are broken down into their smaller segments “building blocks” of monomeric sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, etc., in preparation for absorption.

With the exception of most vitamins and inorganic substituent, this digestive breakdown process is necessary for absorption into the body.

It is also a factor in body defenses, preventing the potential absorption of “foreign” macromolecules. The GI tract is the largest immune system organ whose primary functions include the digestion and absorption of ingested nutrient and the protection of the body from ingested microorganism and noxious substances.

During digestion/hydrolysis if the polymeric nutrients (especially) the proteins), the vitamins and trace elements associated with them are released, allowing their more efficient absorption.

The large intestine absorbs water and electrolytes from entering content, which happens predominantly in the proximal half and stores fecal matter until defecation, which occurs in the distal half.

Absorption is the process by which the end products of digestion such as monosaccharides, amino acids, glycerol, fatty acid chains, vitamins, minerals and water – pass through the epithelial membranes in the small and large intestine into the blood or lymph system.

The mechanisms for digesting and absorbing major nutrients are fully mature in the premature and term infant.
Digestion and absorption of nutrients

Human body composition

The human body is not of constant composition and is an assembly of different organs of differing composition.

The composition of the body can be evaluated at numerous levels of biological complexity, from basic elements (carbon, oxygen and hydrogen), molecules (water lipids, proteins) to whole tissue compartments (fats, muscle and bone) of the human body. If the human body is analyzed at different stages of life the composition differs.

The first level of body composition consists of 11 elements that comprise more than 99.5% of body weight. The primary elements are oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and calcium.

The second level of body composition average human body contains about 20 % of fat, 15% protein, much smaller amounts of carbohydrate (perhaps I %) and a large proportion of body mass consist of water.

The total amount of water in the body is high and depending on the fat content, can be high as high s 60-70% of total body weight.

It also contains substantial amounts of the “major minerals,” from calcium and phosphorus down to sulfur and magnesium as well as trace quantities of most elements.

The human diet reflects this compositional need, and consists of large quantities of water containing, proteinaceous, fatty, and carbohydrate foods, as well as others rich in the minerals.

The composition of dietary fat influences lipid absorption, metabolism and tissue deposition and thereby growth and body composition.

A number of factors influence body composition, including nutrient and energy intake, sex, age and level of activity. Body composition can vary with stress and nutritional status.

The chemical changes in the body during growth depend on the availability of a nutrient substrate so nutrition can play a vital role in body composition.

Essential nutrients in adequate quantities are required to assure that the cell growth, proliferation and differentiation genetically programmed to occur can process unhindered.
Human body composition