Endless possibilities for healthy chia seeds!

The applicable parts of chia are the seed and the sprout. Chia seed contains a high concentration of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. It also contains a significant concentration of dietary fiber, protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants.
Salba is a selectively bred, white-colored variety of chia. This form of chia is believed to provide the most concentrated whole-food source of dietary fiber and alpha-linolenic acid. The salba form of chia provides approximately 19% alpha-linolenic acid.
Due to the fatty acid and dietary fiber content of chia, there is interest in using it as a food source for reducing cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, and inflammation. Preliminary clinical research shows that consuming bread containing a specific salba variety of chia (Salba Nutritional Solutions) might reduce some cardiovascular risk factors such as systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, vonWillebrand factor.

Essential Fatty Acids

Dr. Andrew Weil considers chia to be an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, even better than flax seed. According to a study published in 2005 in the journal "Nutrition Research," chia seed is the highest plant-based source of a-linolenic fatty acid. The researchers concluded that chia shows promise as an alternative to fish-based sources for vegetarians. According to researcher Dr. Wayne Coates, chia offers balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Weil also reports that feeding chickens chia increases the omega-3 content of their eggs and meat, and feeding cows chia increases the omega-3 content of milk.

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Fiber
Chia is a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. According to Weil, a 25-gram portion of chia contains about 7 g of fiber. The fiber not only adds nutritional value, but also causes the chia to form a gel when wet. This adds to its versatility for cooking and food preparation, and also assists with digestion as it slows the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar. Coates puts the fiber content of chia at about 30 percent.

Antioxidants
Chia is a natural source of antioxidants that add to both its nutritional profile and its shelf life. Unlike flax, chia can be ground and stored without spoiling or even needing refrigeration. The seeds themselves also have a long shelf life.

Minerals
Chia offers a variety of minerals, including iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and magnesium. Chia also contains niacin and folic acid.

Protein
The protein content of chia exceeds that of other grains and seeds. Coates says chia is about 20 percent protein or more, compared with 14 percent for wheat. In addition, the protein is of higher quality, as determined by its amino acid composition. Both wheat and chia are limited in lysine, which is often the case for vegetarian protein sources. But the overall amino acid score for chia is 91 (based on a target of 100 for a full amino acid profile) vs. only 55 for wheat. The only essential amino acid that chia lacks is taurine.

 

 

Look for Quality in Your Protein

What's the difference between milk protein concentrates, whey protein concentrates, whey protein isolates, and whey protein hydrosolates?

 

Check the nutrition facts on your protein and if whey isolate is not listed first you are using a lower quality protein. Choose an isolate for high yield, zero carb, zero fat protein source that will result in better absorption and less gas/bloating.  

Check out Cedric McMillan the next big thing!

Look out Dexter he's got size on you!

 

What are silk amino acids?

In the ever-changing industry of sports nutrition, staying ahead of the curve is key. Whether it’s new discoveries or revitalizing existing finds, scientists are continually looking for the next big breakthrough. And the scientists at BPI Sports are creating a buzz in the sports-supplement world with the introduction of Blox, the first product to use SAAs (silk amino acids).
Over time, scientists have studied amino acids, the building blocks of muscle protein, and looked for new benefits and uses. The last discovery was branched-chain amino acids, which were cutting edge in 1980 and have been around ever since. BCAAs can be found on shelves almost anywhere and are still being advertised as “new science.” But the SAAs in Blox are making BCAAs yesterday’s science.
Extracted from actual silk, SAAs are produced by hydrolyzing silk proteins into smaller chains of 18-plus amino acids. Of these amino acids, only five — alanine, glycine, serine, valine and threonine — are sequenced in such a way that they create short proteins that have been shown to produce optimal pro-anabolic results. Used in traditional medicine in East Asia for centuries, silk proteins have been shown to provide a variety of natural effects, including enhancing exercise performance and possessing antioxidant properties.
To test the power of SAAs, researchers administered them to subjects 30 minutes before physical activity. After the six-week study, even the researchers were shocked by the improvements of the SAA subjects compared to the control group, which had received only water. The test group was found to have the following:

• Increased muscle growth by 15 percent
• Increased testosterone levels by 64 percent
• Halved cortisol levels
• Doubled muscle endurance

From the published research study, indexed at the National Institute of Health, National Library of Medicine: “SAA prolonged maximum [workout] time by increasing muscle volume and preventing tissue injury and/or preserving anti-fatigue energy sources. SAA also increased the blood concentrations of testosterone ... these results suggest that SAA not only enhances physical stamina by minimizing damage to tissue, including muscles as well as preventing energy depletion caused by [workout] stress, but also improve male reproductive function by increasing testosterone.”
BPI’s scientists and product developers have identified the precise sequence of five silk amino acids that provide the most potent qualities and have used those to formulate Blox. This new product breakthrough is quickly becoming the prime pre-, intra- and postworkout supplement for bodybuilders and other athletes. SAAs and Blox are taking sports nutrition to the next level. However, keep in mind the studies we are referring to were done in mice not humans. More research needs to be done to answer the question whether SAAs are synergistic or perhaps even superior to BCAAs.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/33/2/33_2_273/_pdf

FORBIDDEN BLACK QUINOA - The Eat-Clean Diet®

 

FORBIDDEN BLACK QUINOA - The Eat-Clean Diet®

What makes "keen-wah" so nutritious? We’ve got the scoop on quinoa nutrition facts.

Most people who have heard of quinoa think it’s a grain, and judging by how it’s pronounced, some assume it’s from the Orient.

But technically, quinoa is a seed, not a grain and it’s grown high in the Andes Mountains of South America.

Quinoa plants have been cultivated at altitudes of well over 10,000 feet and have been considered a superfood for at least a few millennia — in fact, the Incas cherished it as a superfood of their own.

Here in the U.S., quinoa has been discovered as a nutritious asset and enjoyed culinary popularity within only the last few years. Here’s why…

Eat one cup of quinoa (a single serving size), and you’ll consume:

• 220 calories (70 percent carbs, 15 percent fat, 15 percent protein)
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (13 percent daily value)
• 8 grams of protein (16 percent of daily value)
• 3.5 grams of fat (5 percent daily value with no saturated fat)
• A glycemic load (blood sugar spike) of only 18 out of 250
• 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of daily value)
• 20 percent of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
• 30 percent of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches); 28 percent daily value of phosphorous; iron (15 percent); copper (18 percent); and manganese (almost 60 percent)

Quinoa is stocked with life-sustaining nutrients all across the board, including all eight essential amino acids. There are other highly beneficial compounds, vitamins and minerals in this food that the Incas reverently called "chisaya mama" (mother of all grains). 

Why is the amino acid citrulline superior to arginine?

1. It has minimal breakdown in the intestine resulting in greater levels in the blood stream. Arginine on the other hand is heavily metabolized in the intestine.

2. Citrulline is converted to arginine in the body and supplementation with citrulline has been shown to increase blood arginine levels better that supplementation with arginine itself. In fact it takes about half the dose of citrulline to give the same rise i...n blood arginine levels.

3. Since higher doses of arginine are required it often results in high frequency of side effects usually gastointestinal.

4. Increases levels of bicarbonate which acts as a buffer to help decrease acid accumulation during exercise. Also helps the body rid itself of excess ammonia. This may help to delay fatigue.

5. May increase the efficiency of muscular contraction.

6. May increase protein synthesis.

7. Improves oxidation and energy production from BCAAs.

8. Supplementation leads to greater energy production due to support of creatine synthesis and improving the utilization of amino acids.

RECOMMENDED DOSE => 2-4 grams two to three times daily

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS CONTAINING REPORTED EFFECTIVE DOSES=> Gaspari Nutrition Super Pump Max; Levrone Formula; ON Platimum Pre

Study Article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2291275/

 

 

Picking Your Supplements

Why pick Labrada Nutrition? One word QUALITY. Labrada has set the standard for truth in the label. When selecting your supplements avoid proprietary blends. Look for standardization of extracts and mg amounts. Look for more from the Labrada line coming soon to warrriorwarehouse.com.