by Kelley Herring
The way you cook you food may be just as important to your health as the food itself, new research suggests.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a class of toxins that have been linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes, vascular and kidney disease, and Alzheimer's disease. And they are absorbed into your body by eating animal products cooked or processed at high temperatures. (Think grilling, frying, smoking or broiling, as well as pasteurizing).
A recent study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences evaluated 172 healthy men and women in two age groups—a younger group (consisting of people between the ages of 18 and 45) and an older group (between the ages of 60 and 80). Researchers wanted to determine how both groups’ age and diet influenced the accumulation of AGEs in the body.
While researchers found AGE levels were 35 percent higher in the older group, they found that AGE levels could be very high in young healthy people, as well. In fact, AGE levels found in some of the younger, healthy adults in this study were as high as AGE levels seen in diabetic patients.
In all of the participants, the researchers found the higher the consumption of foods rich in AGEs, the higher the blood levels of AGEs, and higher the levels of CRP and other markers of inflammation.
So how can you cook to AGE less? It’s pretty simple. Just keep the heat down and maintain the water content in your food. That means boil, slow roast, steam or stew. Also, because pasteurizing promotes AGEs, opt for raw milk, cheeses and juices.
Boost Antioxidants by Up to 467%... by Cooking This Way
Did you know that the way you cook your food is just as important as the foods you eat?
It’s true! Certain cooking methods create harmful free radicals, destroy vital nutrients and even raise cancer risk. Other cooking methods can actually increase the antioxidant power of certain foods.
In Smart Cooks Age Better, you’ll learn the best ways to cook specific foods, including how you can boost nutrients up to 467% with a simple cooking method.
Click here to learn more...