Vitamin Information Center

Lately I’ve been worried that the olives in my martini just aren’t enough. They’re kinda old-fashioned, after all, and the jar says nothing about polyphenols or flavonoids.

So where am I supposed to get the essentials, like antioxidants and anthocyanins, without sacrificing alcohol content?

Acai berries to the rescue, distilled by a marketing-savvy visionary into hard liquor. The alcoholic answer to green tea is launching in Dallas under the brand name VeeV on Feb. 22, with a campaign focused on the drink’s healthy ingredients. While not making any specific claims, they aren’t exactly shy either, reminding us that acai berries are “the world’s preeminent superfruit,” and that people can “enjoy themselves while doing some good at the same time.” (Isn’t this how we justified tequila shots before class during college? Um, so I’ve heard)

It’s tough to find any information on acai berries that doesn’t quickly devolve into a breathless recounting of their nutritional benefits (ZOMG! Acai berries contain 57 percent more antioxidants than pomegranates!) Even if the berries are, as Oprah puts it, “one of the most powerful foods in the world,” is there any reason to believe this liquor will confer health benefits on consumers?

Nutrients don’t survive the distillation process unscathed. But that’s OK. This is the land of health fads–someone tried the same tactic with quinoa vodka, too–and are we really prepared to argue with the all-knowing Oprah?

Xoçai Healthy Chocolate is being sold by Karen J. Rankin of Bedford through a direct-marketing sales approach. Made with unprocessed cacao powder and combined with açai berries and blueberries, the combination of these ingredients in their natural state provides a tasty product packed with powerful antioxidants.

The chocolate products include power squares, nuggets, cookies, an antioxidant beverage and protein bars.

Also, the company is selling Xobiotic Squares, which contain probiotics for intestinal health. The chocolates contain no caffeine, preservatives, fillers, waxes, processed sugar or trans fats.

Rankin points to 22 reasons why people should incorporate dark chocolate and açai into their health regimens, including that the chocolate is more nutritious, contains fiber, balances cholesterol, may aid in weight loss, scavenges free radicals, is full of antioxidants, fights pathogens, cleanses and detoxifies and boosts a person’s sense of well-being.

According to a company brochure, “Xoçai products are the perfect delivery system for the antioxidants your body needs while eliminating almost all of the fat and sugar typically found in other chocolate products.”

Rankin will sponsor “chocolate tastings” in Bedford for those interested in joining the business or buying the products. The first will be at 7 p.m. Friday at The Company Concourse, 14th and H streets, and the second is slated for 7 p.m. Monday at The Company Concourse.

Admit it. You are having a hard time saying no to the sweetness of chocolates or to the crunch in every bite of your favorite junk food. You say no of course as that’s the logical thing to do. You’re trying to stay fit after all.

From that corner of your eye, they tempt you even more. The craving cramps your stomach and so you give in. You take a bite. Delightful, it was! The result, you’ve consumed more than you thought you did.

And you don’t feel guiltless at all.

According to food and fitness experts, successful dieting may start with saying no to these snacks, no matter how unavoidable. Definitely though, it doesn’t end there. Sticking with that pledge and eventually making it a habit to stay away makes it work.

A good diet sticks to the proper food enriched with vitamins and minerals; fruits and vegetables never fail. These nutrients aid in healing sickness, providing energy for your body cells, prevent diseases and build and strengthen your immunity. Only these sources can offer us the life-supporting power. From a common cold to the complex osteoporosis, you definitely need to have a full range of the right nutrients that can only be found in nature’s foods.

Keeping your guard up when it comes to eating non-healthy food does pay off. The vitamins and minerals which aren’t found in your favorite stuff to chomp play a vital role in your body’s well-being. Vitamins regulate metabolism, ensure proper growth and help keep your physical well-being in the overall.

However, since our bodies don’t produce their own vitamins, acquiring them can be effectively done through proper diet.

Doing away with the traditional dieting can be tricky. While some people think that a balanced diet means tasteless diet, the opposite may be true. Nutritionists entice people to explore the wide diversity and variations of possible food choices. A balanced diet that comprises healthy yet diverse foods primarily promotes good health. It keeps you away from being deprived and eventually, depressed.

Similarly, counting your carbohydrate intake and calorie consumption can offer you great help. Remember, though, to take things lightly. When doing this causes you irritation, find better alternatives to keep track of your efforts. All weight loss experts agree on one thing, that keeping a journal of your food intake and the exercises you have performed, almost always means success. During moments of success, big or small, gives yourself a pat on back. This, other than proper dieting, is a healthy habit.

A reminder though, for the health-conscious who are either under medication or are suffering from medical condition, ask your physician on what food is right for you. Under certain circumstances, special arrangements on diets may be provided. You may be too eager to do the dieting the normal way, but some limitations or prohibitions may be applicable. Check it with your doc!

As somebody puts it, “making a different choice gives you the opportunity to live a different life.” The new you will show you that everything you have done to keep fit is well worth it.

The morning is not even half over and you are beginning to feel depleted of the energy to make it a productive day. There seems to be a sinking towards a mediocrity that you have felt too many times before and could not shake. Your mood turns against you and those that you associate with.
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