Fat Loss 4 Idiots Secret

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Beef Jerky Is Good For The Mind Fact or Fiction

By Rick Dupont

Salt preserved, wind dried beef is a delicious and well loved treat across the globe and has been for centuries. However, beef jerky has been under siege lately by good health pundits because of its salt and fat content. The doom and gloom is not entirely fair though and this perennial favourite can be beneficial to your health. In particular beef jerky is good for the mind.

Jerky is fairly light, keeps well and packs a lot of protein punch so its popularity as saddle bag or wagon grub box fare for gritty ground breakers ranging from North American frontiersmen to South African Boer Commandos is understandable.

Beef jerky is becoming more popular as a source of nutrition and energy today because of its high protein content.

Beef is a rich source of protein, minerals, vitamins and amino aids and, as long as lean cuts are used, a valuable and nutritious food source even by today's health conscious standards. Beef jerky can contain lots of salt but products can be sought out that either contain acceptable levels or are devoid of undesirable additives.

So how is beef jerky good for your mind? Almost all of our bodily functions rely on messages transmitted between the neurons in our brains. This process is facilitated by chemicals known as neurotransmitters. The body's production of these chemicals is largely reliant on amino acids present in protein rich foods.

Any imbalance in our neurotransmitter levels can have disastrous consequences such as Alzheimer's, Schizophrenia, clinical depression and Parkinson's disease. This is why maintaining an adequate intake of high quality protein is essential for a healthy brain. Enter stage left ? beef jerky.

The high protein content of beef is thus beneficial in the process of neurotransmitter production and can promote good brain health. Beef is not the only rich source of protein, but is certainly one of the most abundant sources of really high quality protein available.

Brain functions such as memory in the aged are boosted by the presence of antioxidants. Several of the vitamins found in abundance in beef are powerful antioxidants and are therefore important in maintaining both general and neurological health.

So what of all the bad stuff. Well, as with most food stuffs, conscientious consumer habits go a long way to ensuring that the products we buy are as fat, salt and preservative free as possible. Making beef jerky at home using lean cuts is also an effective way of keeping the end product healthier.

So, beef jerky is good for the mind and, if one tries to buy jerky that is low in salt and preservatives, poses no serious health risks. As a snack, lunch box treat or part of your hiking or camping rations, beef jerky is a delicious and healthy, brain boosting delight. - 17274

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