Vitamins and minerals
This Popular Supplement Can Help You Poop Fast – Health Digest
Srdjanpav/Getty Images Coming in both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) forms, laxatives are medications that can help jumpstart our bowels when constipation has brought things to a standstill. Some laxatives work by softening stool, while others prompt muscle activity within the colon (per Cleveland Clinic). While effective, laxatives can come with uncomfortable side effects, including flatulence, bloating, […]
When You Don’t Get Enough Calcium, This Is What Happens To Your Blood Pressure – Health Digest
Calcium is often thought of as the mineral that protects your bones, but it does so much more, according to a 2019 review in Nutrients. When you don’t get enough calcium, your parathyroid gland releases a hormone that conserves the calcium in your body but constricts your blood vessels. A low-calcium diet also releases calcitriol, […]
TikTok’s ‘Rock-Paper-Scissors Eat’ Challenge Has Real-Life Side Effects – Health Digest
Joey Chestnut took home his first Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2007 by packing down 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. After his 2023 record-breaking win, he said that he felt really bloated, similar to Thanksgiving. “It’s kind of like that, but really, really bad,” he told Insider. Eating so much so quickly also […]
Can Peanut Butter Reduce Inflammation? Here’s What We Know – Health Digest
Even though two tablespoons of peanut butter have just 3 grams of saturated fat, you don’t want to eat too much peanut butter if you want to fight inflammation. Peanut butter has 26% of your recommended daily value for niacin (vitamin B3), which can boost circulation and cool inflammation. Almost 2 milligrams of vitamin D […]
Are Eggs Bad For Your Cholesterol? A Dietitian Settles The Debate – Health Digest
The American Heart Association says that the previous association between high-cholesterol foods and blood cholesterol might have been due to high-cholesterol foods also being high in saturated fat. Saturated fat is the culprit that leads to high cholesterol, which can cause plaque to build up in your artery walls. Foods like eggs and shellfish are […]
The Popular Dried Fruit That Can Help Lower High Blood Pressure – Health Digest
Most Americans don’t get the recommended 3,400 milligrams of potassium a day for men and 2,600 for women. A small box of raisins provides 320 milligrams of potassium, which is just shy of 10% of the daily value for men and 12% for women. What’s more, you’ll only find 11.2 milligrams of sodium in your box […]
Eating Cheese Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Kidney Stone Risk – Health Digest
It sounds counterintuitive that you should eat more calcium to prevent kidney stones, but when you consider how your digestive system works, it might make a little more sense. When you eat cheese with foods high in oxalate, the calcium and oxalate will bind to one another in your stomach, not in your kidneys. Besides, […]
Eating Protein Bars Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Cholesterol – Health Digest
If you’re watching your cholesterol, the American Heart Association says to limit your amount of saturated fats to 6% of your total calories for the day. That comes to just 13 grams a day for a 2,000-calorie diet. A MET-Rx Protein Plus Peanut Butter Cup has 6 grams of saturated fat in a 300-calorie bar. […]
Eating Cashews Before Bed Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Sleep – Health Digest
An ounce of cashews (about a handful) has 157 calories, which isn’t a bad snack just before bed. Most of those calories are from unsaturated fats, which is good for lowering your cholesterol. Even though you’ll have less than 2 grams of sugar, you won’t have to worry about any blood sugar spikes because of […]
Eat More Cashews To Prevent This Common Disease – Health Digest
The Food and Drug Administration excluded cashews from its qualified health claim about nuts because they’re too high in saturated fats that typically affect cholesterol. However, 40% of the saturated fat of cashews comes from stearic acid, which has little effect on cholesterol. That’s why a 2017 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition […]