Top soy-free protein bars

(NaturalNews) When it comes to finding the right protein bar to supplement a healthy lifestyle, it can be difficult to find one that is soy-free. Many health-conscious individuals have decided to skip the soy because, in its unfermented state, it mimics estrogen in the body. Excessive amounts of it, especially in men, can be detrimental to hormones and ultimately to health. Aside from organic, most conventional soy is also genetically-modified (GMO), which causes health problems of its own.

However finding premium quality, soy-free protein bars can be a challenge since many of the ones available on the market tend to contain protein that is at least partially composed of soy, if not entirely. So where can one find a soy-free protein bar that is both nutritious and delicious?

Organic Food Bar
Organic Food Bar is one of the best food bar companies in the industry. It sources the highest quality ingredients for its various food bars, one of which contains a whopping 22 grams of protein per bar.

The protein in the Organic Food Bar Protein variety comes primarily from almond butter and brown rice protein, both of which are organic. In fact, everything in the bar is organic, including the dates, sesame seeds, agave nectar, Bio Sprouts and Biodynamic raisins. The company emphasizes the fact that its ingredients are the cream of the crop and are purchased fresh every month – only the best ingredients are used to produce its delicious bars.

Organic Food Bar's entire lineup is impressive, as is the fact that this company was one of the first to create organic food bars. The bars are delicious, lightly-sweetened and nutritionally superior to many of the other bars out there.

For more information, please visit www.organicfoodbar.com.

Perfect Foods Bars
Another excellent food bar is the Perfect Foods Bar, a line of food bars created by Dr. Bud Keith, a nutritionist, and his wife Barbara. They originally developed their bars as a healthy snack for both themselves and their 13 children.

Perfect Foods Bars are handmade with organic peanut butter, organic raw untreated honey, a soy-free protein blend, an array of whole food powders, and a handful of healthy oils rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs). The bars are gluten- and soy-free, contain no refined sugar, and are alkaline-forming. They also contain an excellent 2:1 ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s.

The bars do contain milk and egg proteins in addition to rice protein, so they are not suitable for vegans. However they have a high ratio of protein to carbohydrates and are great for non-vegans. The bars tends to be somewhat sweeter than some other brands, but the sugar content is comparable with the others in its category. The company plans to release an almond butter-based bar this summer.

For more information, please visit www.perfectfoodsbar.com.

Sequel Naturals Vega Whole Food Bars
The Sequel Naturals Vega line of whole food bars is a nutritional powerhouse that packs a decent protein punch. While not as rich in protein as the other brands, the bars have a decent amount of protein and exceptionally high nutritional content.

Vega's Whole Food Vibrancy Bars have nine grams of protein per bar while its Whole Food Energy Bars have ten grams of protein per bar. Both bars are loaded with plant-based nutrients, enzymes, antioxidants, EFAs, probiotics and fiber. These are one of the most potent superfood bars on the market.

For more information, please visit www.sequelnaturals.com/vega.

Pomegranates may prevent estrogen-driven breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Many breast cancers are estrogen-dependent. So a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors (AI) that block the synthesis of estrogen are used by mainstream medical doctors to attempt to slow the growth of estrogen sensitive breast tumors. Unfortunately, as the Mayo Clinic web site points out, AI drugs -- which include anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara) and exemestane (Aromasin) -- come loaded with side effects including hot flashes, severe joint pain, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, bone fractures and a potential risk of heart disease.

But now comes good news: there appears to be a natural alternative to AIs. Researchers say they've found a substance that could prevent the development of hormone-dependent breast cancer and halt the growth of estrogen-driven tumors -- pomegranate fruit.

Pomegranates contain phytochemicals known as ellagitannins that work much like aromatase inhibitors, according to results of a study just published in the January issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. And there's little reason to think any cancer treatment derived from pomegranates would have harmful side effects because the fruit has long been safely consumed as a food.

Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of the Division of Tumor Cell Biology and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program at City of Hope in Duarte, California, worked with Lynn Adams, Ph.D., a research fellow at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, and other scientists to investigate whether phytochemicals in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and thereby inhibit cancer growth. They screened and analyzed 10 ellagitannin-derived compounds in pomegranates. The results? The research team discovered these natural phytochemicals have the potential to prevent estrogen-dependent breast cancers. One particular substance found in pomegranates dubbed Urolithin B significantly inhibited the growth of cultured breast cancer cells in the lab.

"Phytochemicals suppress estrogen production and that prevents the proliferation of breast cancer cells and the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors," said Dr. Chen, the principal investigator, in a statement to the media.

Gary Stoner, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Ohio State University, commented in a statement to the media that additional studies are needed in animals and humans to confirm the ability of Urolithin B to stop hormone-dependent breast cancer. Dr. Stoner, who was not part of the study research team, also recommended additional studies to test pomegranate juice for its effect on estrogen levels, menopausal symptoms and breast density (dense breast tissue is a risk for breast cancer) and to see if it is a cancer preventive agent.

Until then, Stoner said people "might consider consuming more pomegranates to protect against cancer development in the breast and perhaps in other tissues and organs."

For more information:
http://www.aacr.org/home/public--me...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/br...