Invisible to the eye, sugar is a disaccharide consisting of two molecules in equal amounts, namely glucose, and fructose. They get separated early in the digestive process and both get absorbed into the bloodstream but are processed quite differently. While glucose is the currency of energy in the body, fructose
Watching a white minibus taxi on its way to Zimbabwe over a long weekend suddenly created the image that an overloaded taxi is not a patch on what gets loaded into our bloodstreams! The bloodstream starts with plasma loaded with red and white blood cells as well as platelets made
Too much sugar in the diet has been referred to as “white death” and on closer inspection it boils down to the two ingredients in sugar. A single molecule of sugar consists of equal amounts of glucose and fructose, which gets separated early during the digestive process in the small
The smell of freshly baked bread lingering in the kitchen adds to the delight from the first bite. The delight does not only come from our tastebuds, but mainly from a pleasure and reward function in the brain, which helps us to feel happy and even euphoric at times when
In search of a magic bullet that would slow down the signs and effects of aging, collagen supplementation has in recent years been being promoted in a variety of products, from skin filler to muscle-building fiber to easing arthritis symptoms. Endorsements from celebrities add to the hype surrounding collagen. Despite
The traditional view has been, and to a large extent still is, that cancer is a genetic disease, with its origin and treatment based on damaged “hardware”, implying the genetic material inside the human cell. However, research over the past decade has indicated that cancer may well be a “software”
Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body requires in small quantities daily from our diet, since the body can’t make them. Vitamins are classified in two broad categories, namely fat soluble, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, or water soluble, such as the rest of the vitamins (B
The ever-increasing extent of overweight and obesity is highlighted by the World Health Organization, which found that worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. In 2016 more than 1,9 billion adults were overweight, of which over 650 million were obese. Over 39 million children under the age of 5 were
Ancient man’s lifestyle of walking long distances daily in search of food and shelter, typified by opportunistic eating and either fasting or feasting, also meant that they had to go for long periods of time without food when none was readily available. It makes you wonder if the human body
Cells in the body need a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are supplied via the blood circulatory system. The body’s tissues are full of tiny blood vessels called capillaries, which carry blood very close to the cells of the tissues to exchange dissolved gases, nutrients, and waste products.
