The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not actually conduct any std testing at home for nutrition. However, they have advised that you perform one or more of them before buying any food product. Although the Feds are not requiring that you buy food from the store, they do want you to know what is in the foods you buy and whether there are dangerous chemicals or other contaminants in them. You can perform these tests at home easily and quickly with the help of a few simple ingredients.
These simple tests cost nothing and don’t take more than a few minutes. In fact, you can probably do it while watching television. All you need is some form of food to provide the foodstuff to be tested with. Egg whites, for example, will work.
There is no need to use any sort of special test equipment. The basic procedure consists of submerging the food in water and washing it a few times with soap. After this is done, allow it to drain and then test the color, consistency and quality of the fluid. The pH level should be taken as well.
Once you’ve completed one or two home tests for nutrition, you will be ready to move on to more in-depth tests. The most common among them all is the lipid-soluble phosphatidylcholine test or LDL test. This test measures the levels of cholesterol in your blood. Your doctor will need this test in both children and adults. The procedure involves dipping a meter in a small amount of blood and then reading the results. The number on the meter will represent the percentage of LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Another popular home test for nutrition is the uric acid test. This will analyze your blood for levels of the substances known as purines. These substances, including aspartame and glutamic acid, are often found in artificial sweeteners and health products that are marketed to consumers as “heart healthy” products.
These tests provide valuable information about your overall health. However, it’s important to remember that they don’t give absolute readings. They only indicate where possible problems may exist. They can also indicate whether or not you’re doing something right or wrong. For example, a high level of triglycerides indicates that you could have a heart problem or have high blood pressure.
Many home tests for nutrition are simply surveys. They ask questions about your overall diet and the nutrients you eat, then calculate a nutrient value based on the answers. Knowing which foods and vitamins you need are one thing, but having a clear idea about which ones you don’t is important too.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to have a nutrition consult with a nutritionist. A professional can explain which tests are most accurate, which ones provide the most useful information, and which ones should be ignored altogether. They can also guide you in deciding which types of tests you should use. For many individuals, a home test for nutrition is sufficient. They simply need to know the basics about how nutrition works and take the supplements they need on a regular basis. If an individual takes additional supplements, it’s important to talk to a professional about possible interactions with other medications and other treatments.