Newsletter No. 3
Posted by Linda Lazarides on October 31, 2009 under Newsletters | 
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In This Issue
- Artificial sweeteners
- Your questions answered: How healthy is agave nectar?
- Cinnamon: a very healthy spice
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably bought a few things in the ‘diet’ section of the supermarket. Diet sodas, sugar-free yoghurt and other items containing artificial sweeteners.
When I was doing the research to write my latest E-book Linda’s Flat Stomach Secrets, I found some startling research carried out on rats which found that the rats who ate artificially-sweetened yoghurt gained more weight than the rats who ate sugar-sweetened yoghurt. It seems that sweeteners are very good appetite stimulants. Similar research on humans came up with the same results.
I find it quite astounding that this fact is kept so ’secret’. And I feel very sorry for all the people out there who have been consuming these products in good faith and putting artificial sweetener pills in their tea and coffee.
More info about the new weight loss and body-shaping program I’ve written which includes this information and lots of other helpful stuff
www.health-diets.net/flat-stomach/
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Q. “I see agave syrup everywhere being sold as a healthy sweetener. Is it really as healthy as the claims would suggest?”
Answer
Agave syrup (made from the agave cactus) is sold as a natural alternative to sugar, and many people buy it, believing that it is healthier. Agave is no more “natural” than sugar or other syrups, as it undergoes considerable processing. It is often recommended for diabetics as, chemically-speaking, it is mostly fructose, whereas sugar also contains glucose, which diabetics must avoid.
Unfortunately, consuming a lot of fructose tends to speed up the rate at which you accumulate body fat, especially the “visceral” fat which is linked with heart disease[1]. So it seems Agave syrup is not that healthy after all.
[1] Bantle JP, Raatz SK, Thomas W, Georgopoulos A (2000). Effects of dietary fructose on plasma lipids in healthy subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 72, 1128-1134.
Among other things, my new E-book “Linda’s Flat Stomach Secrets” advises on a much healthier natural sweetener. You can get it here
http://www.health-diets.net/flat-stomach/download.html
If you have a question you’d like to see answered in the newsletter, please use this link and put “Newsletter” in the Subject box
http://www.health-diets.net/contact/
CINNAMON: A VERY HEALTHY SPICE
If you are on one of my diets, you may find that the extra vegetables and beans give you a bit of tummy gas. One of the best ways to combat this is to drink spice tea containing cinnamon and cloves. Cinnamon is a “carminative”, which means that it helps to control the intestinal bacteria which produce gas. It also helps to suppressing the growth of E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida yeast, and some parasitic worms.
In Chinese medicine, cinnamon is believed to aid weight loss by driving off excess water retention. In Western medicine, it is now suggested that consuming only half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day can help to prevent diabetes and the pre-diabetic condition known as “metabolic syndrome” [2].
[2] Khan A, Safdar M et al. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003 26(12) 3215-8.
Cinnamon can be sprinkled on cooked fruit, cereals or oats (porridge), and can also be added to curries. The “Yogi” brand of spice teabags containing cinnamon is now available in many supermarkets.
Wishing you good health and happiness
Linda
–
Linda Lazarides
http://www.health-diets.net
LINKS
New E-book: Flat Stomach Secrets
http://www.health-diets.net/flat-stomach/
Books and factsheets
http://www.health-diets.net/downloads/
Personal support
http://www.health-diets.net/lindalazarides/consultations.html
Waterfall Diet Survey
http://www.health-diets.net/water-retention/wfdiet-survey.htm
Useful Supplements (USA)
http://www.health-diets.net/blog/archives/180
Useful Supplements (UK)
http://www.health-diets.net/blog/archives/196
Waterfall Diet FAQs
http://www.health-diets.net/blog/category/waterfall_diet_faqs/
Follow me on Twitter
http://twitter.com/LindaLazarides