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Since immemorial times, no other plant has been so revered as the olive tree. It has been sung by poets and immortalized by painters and all kinds of stories and legends surround it. It has been one of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet for centuries, although no one knows exactly when its fruits began to be used by man.

Olive oil is again in the news with researchers focusing this time on the connection between this oil and strokes. The study shows that the benefit of making olive oil part of our menus is connected to its high amount of monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid and to its antioxidants.

Very low calorie diets, with less than 800 calories a day, have been used in the treatment of obese patients. This type of diets produces significant weight loss and improves blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Unfortunately, using very low calorie diets without a program to change lifestyle you may not be able to maintain the weight loss.

Most carbohydrate foods have low glycemic index values and are healthy in their natural state. However, when they are highly refined or processed, their glycemic index is usually high, which causes our blood sugar to shoot up when we eat them. Bread is no exception to this rule

If you thought cracking the Da Vinci Code was a job, try deciphering the code for food labels. Not an easy task, as you may have discovered by now. To help you with this undertaking, here is a guide to the different codes the FDA has created:

Given the fact that I was born in Spain, I may sound kind of bias when I talk about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, but the truth of the matter is that I have seen the benefits of following this diet with my own eyes. In fact, not only I have seen its advantages; I have experienced them.

Scientific evidence points to the fact that eating sugar and fat may stimulate the pleasure at the same body receptors (opioid receptors) that respond to the drug morphine. Thus, eating fat can make us, if not addictive, at least very close to it. And here is why.

Due to an increase in welfare, health and nutrition and change of composition of the population, there were also changes in disease patterns is reduced infectious diseases and deficiencies are less on the one hand, and the increase of degenerative diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer on the other.

Humans and animals have a preference for foods that taste sweet. This preference is innate, meaning we like sugar even before we are born! In addition, the more exposed we are to sugar, the more we like it.

A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Lindeberg S, Jönsson T, Granfeldt Y, Borgstrand E, Soffman J, Sjöström K, Ahrén B. Diabetologia. 2007 Sep;50(9):1795-807. Epub 2007 Jun 22. PMID: 17583796 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-007-0716-y Conclusions/interpretation A Palaeolithic diet may improve glucose tolerance independently of decreased waist circumference.

The carnivore connection: dietary carbohydrate in the evolution of NIDDM. Miller JC, Colagiuri S. Diabetologia. 1994 Dec;37(12):1280-6. PMID: 7895958

"Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a compound found naturally in the energy-producing center of the cell known as the mitochondria. CoQ10 is involved in the making of an important molecule known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP serves as the cell's major energy source and drives a number of biological processes including muscle contraction and the production of protein. CoQ10 also works as an antioxidant."

"Berberine is a bitter-tasting, yellow, plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Berberine is present in the roots, rhizomes and stem bark of various plants including Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Coptis chinensis (coptis or goldenthread), Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), and Berberis aristata (tree turmeric). Berberine has also been used historically as a dye, due to its yellow color. Clinical trials have been conducted using berberine. There is some evidence to support its use in the treatment of trachomas (eye infections), bacterial diarrhea, and leishmaniasis (parasitic disease). Berberine has also shown antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths (worms), and chlamydia (STD). Future clinical research is warranted in these areas, as well as cardiovascular disease, skin disorders, and liver disorders. Berberine has been shown to be safe in the majority of clinical trials. However, there is a potential for interaction between berberine and many prescription medications, and berberine should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, due to potential for adverse effects in the newborn."

"Berberine is a plant alkaloid isolated from the roots and bark of several herbs. Some of these herbs include: Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), Berberis integerrima. Berbamine and berberine are found in the plant barberry. Coptis chinensis or Berberis aristata Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) Phellodendron Amurense Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica). The berberine alkaloid can be found in the roots, rhizomes, stem, and bark of the plants. Berberine-containing plants are used medicinally in many traditional medical systems, including Ayurvedic herbal and Chinese herbal medicine. Coptis chinensis rhizome -- Golden Thread -- Huang Lian -- Intense yellow color most likely due to high content of berberine, which is very bitter in taste"

"Berberine is a bitter-tasting, yellow, plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Berberine is present in the roots, rhizomes and stem bark of various plants including Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Coptis chinensis (coptis or goldenthread), Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), and Berberis aristata (tree turmeric). Berberine has also been used historically as a dye, due to its yellow color. Clinical trials have been conducted using berberine. There is some evidence to support its use in the treatment of trachomas (eye infections), bacterial diarrhea, and leishmaniasis (parasitic disease). Berberine has also shown antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths (worms), and chlamydia (STD). Future clinical research is warranted in these areas, as well as cardiovascular disease, skin disorders, and liver disorders.

Prevention of skeletal muscle insulin resistance by dietary cod protein in high fat-fed rats. Lavigne C, Tremblay F, Asselin G, Jacques H, Marette A. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Jul;281(1):E62-71. PMID: 11404223 These data demonstrate that feeding cod protein prevents obesity-induced muscle insulin resistance in high fat-fed obese rats at least in part through a direct action of amino acids on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells.

My advice to you today is: stay away from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. You may not be very happy with my next statement, but here it is anyway: do not patronize fast food places that use these types of oils. Unfortunately, fast food restaurants have become distribution centers for partially hydrogenated oils. Those oils are part of dressings, sauces, sauté and fried meats, fried chicken, nuggets, fried potatoes, sandwiches, cooked vegetables, croutons, taco shells and burritos.

Cantaloupes provide us with a delicious way to have good eye vision while they protect many body functions. How can they do that? By being high in beta-carotene, a compound our body can convert into Vitamin A.

Having a cappuccino at McDonald's often enough could make you a sugar addict. This is because what seems to be an innocent drink is loaded with sugar, and before you know, you have created an addiction to this type of coffee. Thus, if you need to pay a visit to McDonald's for whatever reason, hopefully not too often, check the sugar content of their menu, because not only cappuccinos are loaded with sugar at this fast food restaurant.