LifeBites™ NUTRITIONAL FACT SHEETS

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Some of the benefits of Coconut, Hemp, Dark Chocolate and Dried Banana:

Dehydrated Banana

1. Low in sodium and high in potassium, bananas are good to maintain blood pressure and reduce the risk of hypertension, heart diseases and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
2. Good source of magnesium. It helps in relieving fatigue, relaxing the muscles, nerves and blood vessels, thus relieving the symptoms of asthma, migraine headaches, tension and soreness in muscles etc.
3. Good source of copper, which reduces the risk of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, enhances the activity of enzymes that are needed to maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, ligaments and joints.
4. Good source of manganese, which is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic reactions in the body, especially in the production of energy and antioxidants defenses.
5. Moderate sources of Vitamin C, a natural water soluble antioxidant. It enhances the body’s immune system, increases the elasticity of skin and blood vessels, increases absorption of iron from the intestines, and prevents bruising of the skin.
6. Good source of Vitamin B6, which helps in the synthesis of antibodies in the immune system apart from red blood formation, protein metabolism and functioning of the central nervous system.
7. Good source of B-group vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin and niacin that are essential to enhance the energy production from the foods and for various enzymatic reactions in the body.
8. Good source of dietary fiber. It adds roughage to the contents of the intestines, promotes satiety, promotes the health of the colon, and also helps in relieving constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticular disporders, etc.
9. The soluble fiber, pectin, present in bananas helps to move the bowels easily and relieves constipation.

Source: http://www.triedtastedserved.com/dried-fruits/dried-bananas.php

Coconut

The coconut tree is so valued in some parts of the world, it's known as "The Tree of Life," and shredded coconut reflects that name. Eating raw, shredded coconut has a number of health benefits since it's high in healthy saturated fat and rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

FIGHTS DISEASE

The fruit is helpful for the prevention and/or treatment of viral infections such as influenza and the measles as well as yeast infections such as thrush. It can also help relieve arthritis, control diabetes, and prevent osteoporosis.

FIBER

Adding shredded coconut to food is a good way to get more fiber in your diet, which helps you feel fuller while eating less and supports regularity.

SKIN

All coconut products are good for your skin. They fight blemishes such as acne and age spots, and help the skin rejuvenate itself. They can even protect against skin cancer.

COCONUT OIL

Shredded coconut is a source of unrefined coconut oil, which offers such health benefits as increasing your metabolism rate and keeping your hormones balanced.

VERSATILE

You can easily blend shredded coconut into all kinds of food---cakes, cereals, curries, and fruit salads are just a few---for extra flavor.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5875977_benefits-eating-shredded-coconut_.html

Hemp

What are hemp hearts?  Simply put they are shelled hemp seeds.  In fact, hemp hearts are the “heart” of a shelled hemp seed.  They are comparable in size and consistency to chopped sesame seeds.

What makes hemp hearts so great?  Again, simply put they have virtually the highest concentrated balance of proteins, fats, vitamins and enzymes.  They are, in essence, a super food and the health benefits of hemp hearts are amazing!  To add hemp hearts to your diet, you can simply add them to your favorite recipes.

Of course, hemp has been cultivated for thousands of years for the fibre, seeds, edible oils, lubrication and fuels.  Recently though, hemp hearts have been shown to have tremendous health benefits above and beyond what was previously thought possible.
Not only research, but consumer referral for the amazing health results has boosted sales. 

If you are wondering what kind of health benefits come from hemp hearts, there are a plethora of recurring chronic health problems that can be addressed with their judicious use. 

HEART HEALTH / LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

If diagnosed with high blood pressure, an individual may have an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, which can ultimately lead to death.

Hemp hearts have been shown in clinical studies to contribute to reducing inflammation, while at the same time decreasing blood pressure.  Measurable results are often seen within a few months.

Hemp hearts may also decrease the risks of colon and prostate cancer.

IMPROVEMENT IN DIGESTION

For those who suffer from chronic indigestion and other problems involving the digestive system, hemp hearts have shown promise in relieving symptoms.  Hemp hearts have no known allergens, so they are beneficial to those who can’t eat gluten, lactose, fish, sugar, nuts meat or other common foods. 

When taken in combination with a high fibre diet, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, bowel movements can become more regular.  This indicates a healthy bowel system. Move over bran, hemp hearts will also prevent constipation from happening in the first place.

APPETITE SUPPRESSANT

Hemp hearts, when taken as directed, will reduce cravings until the middle of the afternoon.  They will also naturally reduce the craving for sugars and stimulants.

By lowered hunger and lessened craving for junk foods, the body will naturally lose weight by filling up on foods that are high in nutrients.  Hemp hearts provide essential fats and proteins, so for a healthy and natural weight loss, hemp hearts are a great alternative.

ENERGY

With the combination of better diet and improved bowel movements, hemp heart users also report an increase in energy.  The combination of “detoxing” from sweets and refined carbs leaves the body free to experience the natural energy without stimulants.  The energy is long lasting, not a short burst that you find in an energy drink.

Hempseeds amino acid profile is close to "complete" when compared to more common sources of proteins such as meat, milk, eggs and soy. The proportions of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in one tablespoon (15 ml) per day of hemp oil easily provides human daily requirements for EFAs. Unlike flaxseed oil, hemp oil can be used continuously without developing a deficiency or other imbalance of EFAs. This has been demonstrated in a clinical study, where the daily ingestion of flaxseed oil decreased the endogenous production of GLA.

Hempseed is an adequate source of dietary fibre, calcium and iron, and contains antioxidants and chlorophyll. Whole hempseeds are also a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese.

Hempseed is usually very safe for those unable to tolerate nuts, gluten, lactose, and sugar. In fact, there are no known allergies to hemp foods. Hempseed contains no gluten and therefore would not trigger symptoms of celiac disease.

Source: http://hempheart.net

Dark Chocolate

There are numerous health benefits associated with dark chocolate.

Chocolate is made of cocoa beans which are rich in flavonoids (polyphenolic compounds). The health benefits attributed to flavonoids such as; protecting cells against oxygen damage, inflammation prevention, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease, just to name a few. Therefore the higher cocoa content, the greater the amount of flavonoids.

Here are a few Dark Chocolate Health Benefits:

• It serves as a power house of antioxidants
  
• It helps in the proper functioning of your cardiovascular system.
• Dark chocolate helps the brain to release endorphins, which help alleviate headaches and improve your mood
  
• It is beneficial for diabetics as the flavonol helps to keep blood sugars stable (70 - 85% cocoa or higher)
  
• By dilating the blood-vessels of the brain the flavonoids of the dark chocolate help in supplying more blood and oxygen to the brain thereby increasing the power.
• The flavonoids maintain the blood pressure and also reduce the chances of blood clotting, which results in lesser heart attacks and strokes.
• The antioxidant property of dark chocolate helps it in reducing the LDL(low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol of the body.
• The cocoa butter obtained from the cocoa beans’ acts as a good and natural moisturizer. Massaging the skin with dark chocolate improves the texture of the skin.
• Rich source of magnesium.
  
• Consuming a few pieces of dark chocolate here and there helps maintain your blood pressure
  

Source: http://www.darkchocolatehealthbenefits.org/