Showing posts with label and. Show all posts
Showing posts with label and. Show all posts
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Sweet Stuff Part 2 White Brown and Sparkly Crystals
Part 2 in a 3-part series on sugar and sugar substitutes.
Last week, we discussed artificial sweeteners and the latest packet to join the caddy rainbow: stevia. But, if you’re me, or like me (or love me), you are equally confused about natural sweeteners. Hopefully, by the end of this post, the fog will have cleared, or at least dissipated somewhat.
Let’s start with the one everybody knows and loves (and hates): granulated white sugar.
Derived from the sugar cane plant, which is native to tropical climes, white sugar is processed until a sweet, mild, crystalline residue remains.
The process doesn’t seem so innocent when you take a look at environmental impacts, bone char, and a 27-step flow chart.
Plus, no nutritional value remains at the end of the white-sugar-ining process. All the molasses, and theore, all the B-2 and other trace minerals are removed. The extruded molasses is sold as cattle feed or to alcohol manufacturers. Wee!
Beet vs. Cane
The U.S. grows sugar from sugar beets and sugarcane. Only 4 states have the climate required to sustain cane crops: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas. However, sugar beets can be grown in more temperate climates, like the Pacific Northwest and Midwest, in states like Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, among others.
Some companies buy sugar from a variety of iners, so one batch may be cane sugar, while the next will come from beets. It’s hard to know the which is which. On a basic level, there is little difference between the two.
But some bakers and confectioners have noted a distinct difference in the texture and consistency of baked goods and candies. If you’re concerned about your cakes, check out this handy list of manufacturers.
Which Sugar Is Which?
Refined Sugar
These sugars are all derivative of cane or beet sugar. The average calorie content is 16 calories/teaspoon.
Granulated white sugar: Highly ined coarse-grain sugar from either sugarcane or sugar beets in the U.S. used at the table and for baking/cooking.
Caster sugar/superfine/baker’s sugar: Fine, granulated white sugar that dissolves quickly in liquid.
Brown sugar: Granulated white sugar (from which the molasses has been removed) with molasses added—my head just exploded. Most commonly used for baking.
Confectioner’s sugar: White sugar, ground fine with corn starch added (about 3%). Most commonly used for icing and pastries.
“Unined” Sugar
To call these sugars “unined” is misleading. Only gnawing on a stalk of sugarcane will give you unined sugar. But this class of sugar, that falls into the evaporated cane juice category, is considerably less ined than its ined cousin.
Because less of the molasses is removed, more of the original flavor and trace minerals of the sugarcane remain. Plus, some of these sugars have the benefit of being lower in calorie than ined sugar.
Demerara: Demerara sugar is named for its region of origin in Guyana. It comes from the first pressing of the sugar cane, after which the juice dehydrates, leaving behind a golden-yellow, large-crystal sugar with a rich molasses flavor. It is a bit stickier than turbinado sugar, and the calorie content is about 15 calories/teaspoon.
Muscovado: Processed the same as demerara, but with a more pronounced molasses flavor and finer grain, muscovado sugar is what dark brown sugar wishes it was. The calorie content stacks up between 11 and 15 calories/teaspoon.
Sucanat and Rapadura: Sucanat and Rapadura are trade names for unined sugar that is derived from a trademarked process. First the sugar cane is crushed to remove the juice. The juice is then heated and cooled by stirring until crystals form. Both Sucanat (Sugar Cane Natural) and Rapadura have a distinct molasses flavor, since nothing is removed in the processing, and are used like granulated sugar at the tale and for cooking/baking. Both have about 15 calories/teaspoon.
Turbinado: Turbinado sugar, like demerara and muscovado, comes from the first pressing of the sugar cane, after which the water is evaporated, producing a large, dry crystal, a light brown color, and a noticeable molasses flavor. It is used like granulated sugar. Turbinado logs in at about 11 calories/teaspoon.
Alternative granulated sugars
Date sugar: Date sugar is made from dates that have been dehydrated and ground fine. Since date sugar does not dissolve in liquid, it is used in bake goods that benefit from it’s flavor and texture. It clocks in at 10 calories/teaspoon.
Jaggery: Jaggery is an Indian sugar from sugarcane or palm sap, historically the date palm, but more commonly now, the coconut and sago palms. The raw cane or palm sap is boiled in large cast iron pans and then pressed into blocks. When needed, the sugar is grated into recipes or used for medicinal purposes. It has about 12 calories/teaspoon.
Palm sugar: Palm sugar is also made from the sap of coconut and sago palm trees. Because of it’s minimal ining process, it is high in minerals like potassium and calcium, has a deep, rich flavor, and can be used like brown sugar. The calorie content is around 11 calories/teaspoon.
So let’s recap: ined sugar is pretty bad and technically not vegetarian, if you’re strict; “unined” sugar is less bad and tastes a lot better. The unined sugars can be used, for the most part, interchangeably with ined sugar in recipes.
Readers, do you have any experience using these “unined” sugars? Do you love demerara or do we have to pry your Domino from your cold, dead hands? Share any experiences or recipes in the comments. You know we love to hear from you!
Next week, we will delve into the sticky sweet pool of liquid sweeteners and try to solve the riddle of the Glycemic Index.
~~~
References/Further Reading
The World’s Healthiest Foods: Cane Sugar
Sugar Alliance: American Sugar Industry Map
Quirky Cooking: Rapadura? Sucanat? Muscavado? Turbinado?
WiseGeek
~~~
If you dug this article, you may dig:
10 Modern Food Myths: Busted
26 Common Food Labels Explained
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off: 10 Rules to Live By
Readmore...
Last week, we discussed artificial sweeteners and the latest packet to join the caddy rainbow: stevia. But, if you’re me, or like me (or love me), you are equally confused about natural sweeteners. Hopefully, by the end of this post, the fog will have cleared, or at least dissipated somewhat.
Let’s start with the one everybody knows and loves (and hates): granulated white sugar.
Derived from the sugar cane plant, which is native to tropical climes, white sugar is processed until a sweet, mild, crystalline residue remains.
The process doesn’t seem so innocent when you take a look at environmental impacts, bone char, and a 27-step flow chart.
Plus, no nutritional value remains at the end of the white-sugar-ining process. All the molasses, and theore, all the B-2 and other trace minerals are removed. The extruded molasses is sold as cattle feed or to alcohol manufacturers. Wee!
Beet vs. Cane
The U.S. grows sugar from sugar beets and sugarcane. Only 4 states have the climate required to sustain cane crops: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas. However, sugar beets can be grown in more temperate climates, like the Pacific Northwest and Midwest, in states like Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, among others.
Some companies buy sugar from a variety of iners, so one batch may be cane sugar, while the next will come from beets. It’s hard to know the which is which. On a basic level, there is little difference between the two.
But some bakers and confectioners have noted a distinct difference in the texture and consistency of baked goods and candies. If you’re concerned about your cakes, check out this handy list of manufacturers.
 |
| Photo: Uwe Hermann via Flickr |
Refined Sugar
These sugars are all derivative of cane or beet sugar. The average calorie content is 16 calories/teaspoon.
Granulated white sugar: Highly ined coarse-grain sugar from either sugarcane or sugar beets in the U.S. used at the table and for baking/cooking.
Caster sugar/superfine/baker’s sugar: Fine, granulated white sugar that dissolves quickly in liquid.
Brown sugar: Granulated white sugar (from which the molasses has been removed) with molasses added—my head just exploded. Most commonly used for baking.
Confectioner’s sugar: White sugar, ground fine with corn starch added (about 3%). Most commonly used for icing and pastries.
“Unined” Sugar
To call these sugars “unined” is misleading. Only gnawing on a stalk of sugarcane will give you unined sugar. But this class of sugar, that falls into the evaporated cane juice category, is considerably less ined than its ined cousin.
Because less of the molasses is removed, more of the original flavor and trace minerals of the sugarcane remain. Plus, some of these sugars have the benefit of being lower in calorie than ined sugar.
Demerara: Demerara sugar is named for its region of origin in Guyana. It comes from the first pressing of the sugar cane, after which the juice dehydrates, leaving behind a golden-yellow, large-crystal sugar with a rich molasses flavor. It is a bit stickier than turbinado sugar, and the calorie content is about 15 calories/teaspoon.
Muscovado: Processed the same as demerara, but with a more pronounced molasses flavor and finer grain, muscovado sugar is what dark brown sugar wishes it was. The calorie content stacks up between 11 and 15 calories/teaspoon.
 |
| Photo: Will Ellis via Flickr |
Turbinado: Turbinado sugar, like demerara and muscovado, comes from the first pressing of the sugar cane, after which the water is evaporated, producing a large, dry crystal, a light brown color, and a noticeable molasses flavor. It is used like granulated sugar. Turbinado logs in at about 11 calories/teaspoon.
Alternative granulated sugars
Date sugar: Date sugar is made from dates that have been dehydrated and ground fine. Since date sugar does not dissolve in liquid, it is used in bake goods that benefit from it’s flavor and texture. It clocks in at 10 calories/teaspoon.
Jaggery: Jaggery is an Indian sugar from sugarcane or palm sap, historically the date palm, but more commonly now, the coconut and sago palms. The raw cane or palm sap is boiled in large cast iron pans and then pressed into blocks. When needed, the sugar is grated into recipes or used for medicinal purposes. It has about 12 calories/teaspoon.
Palm sugar: Palm sugar is also made from the sap of coconut and sago palm trees. Because of it’s minimal ining process, it is high in minerals like potassium and calcium, has a deep, rich flavor, and can be used like brown sugar. The calorie content is around 11 calories/teaspoon.
So let’s recap: ined sugar is pretty bad and technically not vegetarian, if you’re strict; “unined” sugar is less bad and tastes a lot better. The unined sugars can be used, for the most part, interchangeably with ined sugar in recipes.
Readers, do you have any experience using these “unined” sugars? Do you love demerara or do we have to pry your Domino from your cold, dead hands? Share any experiences or recipes in the comments. You know we love to hear from you!
Next week, we will delve into the sticky sweet pool of liquid sweeteners and try to solve the riddle of the Glycemic Index.
~~~
References/Further Reading
The World’s Healthiest Foods: Cane Sugar
Sugar Alliance: American Sugar Industry Map
Quirky Cooking: Rapadura? Sucanat? Muscavado? Turbinado?
WiseGeek
~~~
If you dug this article, you may dig:
10 Modern Food Myths: Busted
26 Common Food Labels Explained
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off: 10 Rules to Live By
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A Daily Dose of Nuts May Prevent Diabetes and Complications
Nut Consumption Improves Long Term Blood Sugar Control to Prevent Diabetes
All subjects were tested for changes in long-term blood glucose saturation using the industry standard glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test. Subjects receiving the nut-only dietary supplement demonstrated the greatest improvement in the HbA1c test as well as a reduction in oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Both groups receiving muffins showed no improvement in HbA1c, but the nut-muffin combination group did experience an improvement in LDL cholesterol.
Nuts Include Healthy Monounsaturated Fats and Powerful Antioxidants
Researchers believe that the unique mix of monounsaturated fats and phenolic compounds naturally occurring in most nuts is responsible for the glycemic control and lipid profile improvements experienced by the diabetic participants. Furthermore, nuts have not been found to contribute to weight gain in this report or other studies, making this tasty food an ideal choice for weight management goals and long-term diabetes risk reduction.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Saturday Throwback Weekly Menu Planning for Singles Couples and Working People
Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. This one is from March 2009.
Spend an afternoon perusing family-oriented frugality blogs, you’ll discover there are a few recurring themes. Among them: yard sales, thrift store shopping, a widespread love of free shampoo, and of course, weekly menu planning.
Menu planning, it’s argued, will streamline evenings in the home. Ma and Pa are saved money, time, and mounds of frustration because they know what the brood’s having for dinner days ahead of time. There’s no scrambling in the kitchen or supermarket, since both shopping and cooking are ined to a science. Kids (sometimes) get to have a say in what they eat, too, which makes the whole thing a family activity rather than merely a parental chore.
All in all, it’s a fantastic strategy. Even better, EVERYBODY can use it.
See, while weekly menu planning for non-families is a rare topic around the blogosphere, it’s just as monumentally helpful for post-collegiates, office workers, struggling singles, and young couples. It even offers extra benefits, mostly involving time management. Like:
The answer: I don’t know. Everybody has their own system, based on what works best for them. But here’s what The Boyfriend and I do currently:
STEP 0
Create a new word document
This is what you’ll be typing, cutting, and pasting to. It’s much easier than writing everything down, and at the end, you can print out the grocery list, weekly menu, and recipes all at once.
STEP 1
Make a quick grocery list of what you need
What groceries are running low? What foods do you eat regularly from week to week? This is my most recent list:
Cereal
Cumin
Deli ham or turkey (for lunches)
Eggs
Fruit (for breakfast and lunch)
Meat (general)
Yogurt (for lunches)
STEP 2
Brainstorm the dinners you want to eat this week
New dishes? Old favorites? Seasonal experiments? Whatever you’re in the mood for, list ‘em here, with special attention paid to food you need to use up before it goes bad. This is also a good time to take a cursory glance at your local online circulars. Entire menus can be built around loss leaders (biggest bargains).
This week, our dinner list includes:
(Note: I cook a lot of new dishes for both Serious Eats and CHG, so chances are your list will be a lot less complicated.)
STEP 3
Make a rough menu
Based on what you have in the fridge, what you’re planning for the week, and what you usually have, create a weekly menu. Take care to note when you won’t be home for a meal. Yours can be simple or complex, but I might start off pretty low-key until you get the hang of it. Heres ours:
WEDNESDAY
Lunch: sandwich, leftovers yogurt, Kix, fruit
Dinner: Spinach Rice Casserole with leftover Irio
THURSDAY
Lunch: Leftover casserole, salad, fruit, yogurt
Dinner: The Boyfriend OUT; Me - Chickpea and Bread Soup w/asparagus
FRIDAY
Lunch: Leftover soup and/or casserole or sandwiches, fruit, yogurt
Dinner: Both OUT @ comedy show
SATURDAY
Brunch: Brunch Clafouti
Dinner: Both OUT @ friends’ house for dinner
SUNDAY
Brunch: Omelets, toast, and fruit
Dinner: Spiced Chicken Breast w/tangerine Sauce and Cauliflower-Honey Soup
MONDAY
Lunch: Leftovers, crackers, fruit
Dinner: Pasta with veggies
TUESDAY
Lunch: Sandwiches, popcorn, fruit
Dinner: Turkey burgers with rice and frozen veggies
(Note: 90% of our weekday breakfasts consist of cereal [or homemade whatever], so we don’t list them. Also, we keep our beverages limited to coffee, beer, and water. This way, we’re always awake, tipsy, and hydrated, just the way we like it.)
STEP 4
Add additional ingredients to the grocery list
Now that you have a concrete menu, add your new needs to the foods you listed in STEP 1. Mine are at the bottom here, for the recipes I plan to make:
Cereal
Cumin
Deli ham or turkey (for lunches)
Eggs (for Clafouti and otherwise)
Fruit (for breakfast and lunch)
Meat (general)
Yogurt (for lunches)
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (for Chickpea Soup)
4 cups beef stock (for Chickpea Soup)
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (for Cauliflower Soup and Tangerine Chicken)
3/4 a baguette (for Chickpea Soup)
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves (for Casserole)
1 1/2 cup fresh fruit (for Clafouti)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (for Tangerine Chicken)
1/2 cup tangerine juice (for Tangerine Chicken)
2 tangerines (for Tangerine Chicken)
STEP 5
Go through circulars (thoroughly this time)
Now that you have a general plan, comb your online (or paper) circular for sale items corresponding to your list. If you have coupons, this is a good time to see if there are any good discounts.
One more thing: if you see something you love but don’t need on mega-sale, go for it. For example, I don’t NEED red peppers this week, but I use them frequently for salads, pastas, and whatnot. So, I’ll probably pick up a few because $1.99 is a good price. If beans were on sale, I’d be all over that, too. But they’re not. Boo.
This week, this was on sale from my list:
SUPERMARKET #1
Chicken Breast - $1.69/lb (for Tangerine Chicken)
Bananas – 2lb/$1 (for breakfasts/lunches)
La Yogurt – 2/$1 (for lunches)
Oranges – 8/$2 (for breakfasts/lunches)
Red Peppers - $1.99/lb (for whatever)
SUPERMARKET #2
Cantaloupe - $0.99/ea (for breakfasts/lunches)
Blueberries - $1.99/6oz (1-1/2 cups for Clafouti)
Eggs – 2/$3 (for Clafouti and otherwise)
STEP 6
Finalize the list
Okay, stocks weren’t on sale. Neither were tangerines, chickpeas, baguettes, cold cuts, or spinach. So now, I assign them to a grocery store that I think will have the lower price.
In the end, my list looks like this:
SUPERMARKET #1
Chicken Breast - $1.69/lb (for Tangerine Chicken)
Bananas – 2lb/$1 (for breakfasts/lunches)
La Yogurt – 2/$1 (for lunches)
Oranges – 8/$2 (for breakfasts/lunches)
Red Peppers - $1.99/lb (for whatever)
2-15 oz. cans chickpeas (for Chickpea Soup)
2 tangerines (for Tangerine Chicken)
1/2 cup tangerine juice (for Tangerine Chicken)
SUPERMARKET #2
Cantaloupe - $0.99/ea (for breakfast and lunch)
Blueberries - $1.99/6oz (1-1/2 cups for Clafouti)
Eggs – 2/$3 (for Clafouti and otherwise)
Cereal
Cold cut ham or turkey (for lunches)
4 cups beef stock (for Chickpea Soup)
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (for Cauliflower Soup and Tangerine Chicken)
3/4 a baguette (for Chickpea Soup)
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves (for Casserole)
(Note: I get cumin in bulk from an ethnic grocer on the walk home, so it’s not included here.)
~~~
And that’s it. Now, after only 40 minutes of planning, I have an exact grocery list AND menu for the whole week. Plus, I’m guaranteed to save money on sale items, prepare healthy foods, and have plenty to bring to the office. And that’s good for everyone involved.
Readers, how about you? Do you menu plan? What’s your plan like? How might you change this one? Fire away in the comments section.
Readmore...
Spend an afternoon perusing family-oriented frugality blogs, you’ll discover there are a few recurring themes. Among them: yard sales, thrift store shopping, a widespread love of free shampoo, and of course, weekly menu planning.
Menu planning, it’s argued, will streamline evenings in the home. Ma and Pa are saved money, time, and mounds of frustration because they know what the brood’s having for dinner days ahead of time. There’s no scrambling in the kitchen or supermarket, since both shopping and cooking are ined to a science. Kids (sometimes) get to have a say in what they eat, too, which makes the whole thing a family activity rather than merely a parental chore.
All in all, it’s a fantastic strategy. Even better, EVERYBODY can use it.
See, while weekly menu planning for non-families is a rare topic around the blogosphere, it’s just as monumentally helpful for post-collegiates, office workers, struggling singles, and young couples. It even offers extra benefits, mostly involving time management. Like:
- You’re saved from 8pm post-work dinner freakouts, because dinner is ALWAYS planned.
- Ingredients are guaranteed to be on hand.
- Cooking goes much faster, since you go in knowing how to prepare a meal (by instinct or through print-out recipes).
- You eat healthier, as home-cooked meals are generally much more nutritious than calorie-laden takeout or heat-and-eat dinners (Hot Pockets, Hungry Man, etc.).
- Grocery shopping goes waaaaay faster. You go in knowing exactly what you want, and don’t have to blow an extra half-hour wandering around. Case in point: last night, using my weekly menu plan, I did all my shopping in 59 minutes, door to door, WALKING. In that time, I hit two stores, the further of which is about a half-mile away. Woo!
- Extra trips to the grocery store are mostly eliminated.
- You can plan for leftovers for office lunches. This is huge, personally speaking, because turkey sandwiches get tired 40,000 times in a row.
- You always have food for those bag lunches (the night before, no less), saving you $30 per week, or around $1500 per year.
- For budgeting purposes, you can pretty much estimate the cost of your bill to the dollar.
- There’s less food waste, because you’re buying only what you need.
- It allows for variety during the week, since you’ve got all the ingredients on hand anyway.
The answer: I don’t know. Everybody has their own system, based on what works best for them. But here’s what The Boyfriend and I do currently:
STEP 0
Create a new word document
This is what you’ll be typing, cutting, and pasting to. It’s much easier than writing everything down, and at the end, you can print out the grocery list, weekly menu, and recipes all at once.
STEP 1
Make a quick grocery list of what you need
What groceries are running low? What foods do you eat regularly from week to week? This is my most recent list:
Cereal
Cumin
Deli ham or turkey (for lunches)
Eggs
Fruit (for breakfast and lunch)
Meat (general)
Yogurt (for lunches)
STEP 2
Brainstorm the dinners you want to eat this week
New dishes? Old favorites? Seasonal experiments? Whatever you’re in the mood for, list ‘em here, with special attention paid to food you need to use up before it goes bad. This is also a good time to take a cursory glance at your local online circulars. Entire menus can be built around loss leaders (biggest bargains).
This week, our dinner list includes:
- Chickpea and Bread Soup from the Kitchn
- Spinach Rice Casserole from Tammy’s Recipes
- Brunch Clafouti from Serious Eats
- Spiced Chicken with Tangerine Sauce from Cooking Club
- Curry Cauliflower Soup with Honey from Sunday Nite Dinner
- Pasta with veggies
- Turkey burgers with rice and frozen veggies
(Note: I cook a lot of new dishes for both Serious Eats and CHG, so chances are your list will be a lot less complicated.)
STEP 3
Make a rough menu
Based on what you have in the fridge, what you’re planning for the week, and what you usually have, create a weekly menu. Take care to note when you won’t be home for a meal. Yours can be simple or complex, but I might start off pretty low-key until you get the hang of it. Heres ours:
WEDNESDAY
Lunch: sandwich, leftovers yogurt, Kix, fruit
Dinner: Spinach Rice Casserole with leftover Irio
THURSDAY
Lunch: Leftover casserole, salad, fruit, yogurt
Dinner: The Boyfriend OUT; Me - Chickpea and Bread Soup w/asparagus
FRIDAY
Lunch: Leftover soup and/or casserole or sandwiches, fruit, yogurt
Dinner: Both OUT @ comedy show
SATURDAY
Brunch: Brunch Clafouti
Dinner: Both OUT @ friends’ house for dinner
SUNDAY
Brunch: Omelets, toast, and fruit
Dinner: Spiced Chicken Breast w/tangerine Sauce and Cauliflower-Honey Soup
MONDAY
Lunch: Leftovers, crackers, fruit
Dinner: Pasta with veggies
TUESDAY
Lunch: Sandwiches, popcorn, fruit
Dinner: Turkey burgers with rice and frozen veggies
(Note: 90% of our weekday breakfasts consist of cereal [or homemade whatever], so we don’t list them. Also, we keep our beverages limited to coffee, beer, and water. This way, we’re always awake, tipsy, and hydrated, just the way we like it.)
STEP 4
Add additional ingredients to the grocery list
Now that you have a concrete menu, add your new needs to the foods you listed in STEP 1. Mine are at the bottom here, for the recipes I plan to make:
Cereal
Cumin
Deli ham or turkey (for lunches)
Eggs (for Clafouti and otherwise)
Fruit (for breakfast and lunch)
Meat (general)
Yogurt (for lunches)
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (for Chickpea Soup)
4 cups beef stock (for Chickpea Soup)
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (for Cauliflower Soup and Tangerine Chicken)
3/4 a baguette (for Chickpea Soup)
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves (for Casserole)
1 1/2 cup fresh fruit (for Clafouti)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (for Tangerine Chicken)
1/2 cup tangerine juice (for Tangerine Chicken)
2 tangerines (for Tangerine Chicken)
STEP 5
Go through circulars (thoroughly this time)
Now that you have a general plan, comb your online (or paper) circular for sale items corresponding to your list. If you have coupons, this is a good time to see if there are any good discounts.
One more thing: if you see something you love but don’t need on mega-sale, go for it. For example, I don’t NEED red peppers this week, but I use them frequently for salads, pastas, and whatnot. So, I’ll probably pick up a few because $1.99 is a good price. If beans were on sale, I’d be all over that, too. But they’re not. Boo.
This week, this was on sale from my list:
SUPERMARKET #1
Chicken Breast - $1.69/lb (for Tangerine Chicken)
Bananas – 2lb/$1 (for breakfasts/lunches)
La Yogurt – 2/$1 (for lunches)
Oranges – 8/$2 (for breakfasts/lunches)
Red Peppers - $1.99/lb (for whatever)
SUPERMARKET #2
Cantaloupe - $0.99/ea (for breakfasts/lunches)
Blueberries - $1.99/6oz (1-1/2 cups for Clafouti)
Eggs – 2/$3 (for Clafouti and otherwise)
STEP 6
Finalize the list
Okay, stocks weren’t on sale. Neither were tangerines, chickpeas, baguettes, cold cuts, or spinach. So now, I assign them to a grocery store that I think will have the lower price.
In the end, my list looks like this:
SUPERMARKET #1
Chicken Breast - $1.69/lb (for Tangerine Chicken)
Bananas – 2lb/$1 (for breakfasts/lunches)
La Yogurt – 2/$1 (for lunches)
Oranges – 8/$2 (for breakfasts/lunches)
Red Peppers - $1.99/lb (for whatever)
2-15 oz. cans chickpeas (for Chickpea Soup)
2 tangerines (for Tangerine Chicken)
1/2 cup tangerine juice (for Tangerine Chicken)
SUPERMARKET #2
Cantaloupe - $0.99/ea (for breakfast and lunch)
Blueberries - $1.99/6oz (1-1/2 cups for Clafouti)
Eggs – 2/$3 (for Clafouti and otherwise)
Cereal
Cold cut ham or turkey (for lunches)
4 cups beef stock (for Chickpea Soup)
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (for Cauliflower Soup and Tangerine Chicken)
3/4 a baguette (for Chickpea Soup)
9 or 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves (for Casserole)
(Note: I get cumin in bulk from an ethnic grocer on the walk home, so it’s not included here.)
~~~
And that’s it. Now, after only 40 minutes of planning, I have an exact grocery list AND menu for the whole week. Plus, I’m guaranteed to save money on sale items, prepare healthy foods, and have plenty to bring to the office. And that’s good for everyone involved.
Readers, how about you? Do you menu plan? What’s your plan like? How might you change this one? Fire away in the comments section.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Fat relevance and kinds and sources
We often hear that we must eliminate most fat from our diet. However, fats play many important roles in our body. Indeed , they are a good source of energy (twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates) and allow the transport of vitamins A, D , E and K , because they are fat soluble and require the presence of fat to travel in the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids that the body can not produce itself and that we get in the diet. These essential fatty acids (omega -3 and omega- 6) are necessary to maintain a healthy heart , the production of hormones and the production of the bodys cells , and the maintenance of healthy skin . Body fat protects organs and serves as a thermal insulator .
But if fats play many beneficial roles in the body , their high consumption can cause several diseases, including cardiovascular disease . It is theore important to worry about the amount of fat in our diet and consume fat quality . It is important not to remove the fat, but eat them in moderation and used to make better choices .
The three forms of fat
There are three types of fat in the diet :
Visible fat , you can remove it yourself (eg around the meat, poultry skin , etc.).
The fat that adds itself to foods (eg butter on toast and vegetables, dressing on salads, etc.).
And there is the invisible fat , which is naturally present ( nuts, eggs , meat, etc. . ) Or added during the manufacture of foods ( muffins , chips, fries, etc. . ) . It can not be removed once added. It is often this type of fat that goes unnoticed in our diet !
Tips
Here are some tips that can help reduce your fat intake :
Determine the main sources of fat in your diet.
Reduce portion size and frequency of consumption of high-fat foods .
Choose lower-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat .
Decrease the amount of oil or fat in your recipes .
Choose foods with less harmful fat for cardiovascular health. These harmful fats are saturated fats (found in many animals and commercial products ) and trans fats (found mostly in commercial products containing hydrogenated fats or shortening ) .
For cooking, salad dressings and recipes, try to use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. For example, cooking with canola oil or olive oil rather than butter or vegetable oil shortening.
When Spread cheese, peanut butter or jam on bread , remove the butter or margarine.
Use non-stick pans to reduce the use of fat during cooking.
According to the DRI of 2002, the recommended intake of total fat in a day is 20 to 35% of total calories from your day. For example, a contribution of 30 % fat , it is about ;
65 g of fat per day for women 19 to 49 years ;
90 g of fat per day for men 19 to 49 years .
The different types of fat
saturated Fat
Saturated fats are found in many animal products such as meat , poultry , eggs , butter , dairy products (cheese, milk , yogurt, etc. . ) And in various commercial products such as pastries , croissants , cookies and crackers . They are harmful to the health of the heart . Indeed, saturated fats promote atherosclerosis ( fatty buildup in the arteries) and high consumption may theore increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
trans Fat
Trans fats are found mostly in commercial products containing hydrogenated fats and shortening, such as pastries, muffins and commercial margarines . Trans fats are produced by a process that changes the chemical configuration of the liquid fat to turn them into solid fats. This process is called hydrogenation. Trans fats are also harmful to health than saturated fats because they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Try to eat less processed products , where possible : make your own muffins ( with vegetable oil) , enjoy banana breads or homemade cranberry . You can then choose the type of fat you eat!
unsaturated fatty
The category includes unsaturated fatty polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. The studies suggest that the consumption of these two types of fat causes a decrease in blood levels of cholesterol, when substituted for saturated fat.
monounsaturated
Monounsaturated fats are found in high quantities in olive oil and canola oil , as well as in avocados and nuts ( pistachios, almonds ) .
polyunsaturated
Polyunsaturated fats are found mainly in vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower, soybean and corn as well as several nuts and seeds ( walnuts , sunflower seeds ) .
Omega- 3 fatty acids
The science of nutrition has allowed us to discover , in recent years, some fish are rich in omega- 3 fatty acids. Omega- 3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids can not be synthesized by humans. Their presence in the diet is essential. A deficiency in essential fatty acids increases the risk of bacterial infections and inflammation.
Virtues of omega -3 fatty acids
Over the 70 years , epidemiological studies have shown that the Greenland Inuit had a significantly lower heart disease incidence with several other people . The omega -3 fatty acids contained in the fish they ate were the reason . Since 4500 a few studies have been conducted to assess the effects of omega -3 fatty acids and fish oils on the health of individuals.
The researchers believe that omega -3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death . Some evidence that oil containing omega -3 can help reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in people at risk. Omega- 3 fatty acids affect blood platelets a bit like aspirin in reducing the formation of blood clots, and they can also reduce arrhythmia in some people with heart disease.
Omega- 3 fatty acids are deposited in the nervous tissues rich in lipids, such as the brain and retina during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first year of life. Health Canada recommends an increase in the consumption of omega -3 fatty acids for pregnant women and nursing mothers .
Monday, March 31, 2014
Rosemary Chicken Salad and the Art of Customizing Recipes
Were switching the schedule around a bit this week, due to the gremlin that has taken up residence in my face. Wednesdays usual article is postponed until next week, replaced by this lovely recipe.
As this popular and highly rated Rosemary Chicken Salad recipe from Cooking Light is presented, it’s essentially a blank slate. I mean, its moist, it tastes good, and it uses up a bunch of leftover chicken, but no single flavor ever comes forward to assert itself as master and ruler of its subordinates. But theres a reason for that. A good reason. Nay – a really good reason.
And that reason? Is you.
Seriously, though. Recipes like this one are invaluable, because they allow the chef (a.k.a. you) near-infinite possibilities for improvisation. You can add nearly any ingredient you like to the original dish, because its highly improbable youll go wrong with your choices. Why not try:
1) My loathing for mayonnaise is surpassed only by my loathing of sinusitis, but it’s in here because the other flavors cover up the flavor and texture enough so I don’t ever have to taste, smell, or think about it.
2) The calculations are very different from Cooking Light’s, largely because I don’t include bread, and have changed the proportions of the original recipe a bit (less mayo, more yogurt).
In conclusion, go nuts with this thing. The salads the limit.
~~~
If this recipe looks tantalizing, man, youll like these:
Rosemary Chicken Salad
Serves 5
Adapted from Cooking Light.
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken, chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped: celery, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, smoked almonds, raisins, cashews, pecans, walnuts, cayenne (optional)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken, scallions, almonds, yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and chosen optional ingredients. Serve on whole wheat bread with mixed greens.
Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78
NOTE: These calculations are for chicken breasts, and no optional add-on ingredients.
Calculations
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped: 373 calories, 4.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 78.3 g protein, $1.48
1/3 cup chopped scallions: 11 calories, 0 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.30
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds: 144 calories, 12.6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5.3 g protein, $0.63
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt: 65 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 8.5 g protein, $0.97
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise: 70 calories, 7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.16
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.25
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard: 8 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.07
1/8 teaspoon salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
TOTALS: 672 calories, 25.5 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, 92.7 g protein, $3.88
PER SERVING (TOTALS/5): 134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78
Readmore...
As this popular and highly rated Rosemary Chicken Salad recipe from Cooking Light is presented, it’s essentially a blank slate. I mean, its moist, it tastes good, and it uses up a bunch of leftover chicken, but no single flavor ever comes forward to assert itself as master and ruler of its subordinates. But theres a reason for that. A good reason. Nay – a really good reason.
And that reason? Is you.
Seriously, though. Recipes like this one are invaluable, because they allow the chef (a.k.a. you) near-infinite possibilities for improvisation. You can add nearly any ingredient you like to the original dish, because its highly improbable youll go wrong with your choices. Why not try:
- Celery
- Grapes
- Apples
- Dried cranberries
- Smoked almonds
- Raisins
- Cashews
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Cayenne
1) My loathing for mayonnaise is surpassed only by my loathing of sinusitis, but it’s in here because the other flavors cover up the flavor and texture enough so I don’t ever have to taste, smell, or think about it.
2) The calculations are very different from Cooking Light’s, largely because I don’t include bread, and have changed the proportions of the original recipe a bit (less mayo, more yogurt).
In conclusion, go nuts with this thing. The salads the limit.
~~~
If this recipe looks tantalizing, man, youll like these:
- Autumn Apple Salad
- Golden Delight Egg Salad
- Potato Salad for Rainy Day People
Rosemary Chicken Salad
Serves 5
Adapted from Cooking Light.
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken, chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped: celery, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, smoked almonds, raisins, cashews, pecans, walnuts, cayenne (optional)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken, scallions, almonds, yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and chosen optional ingredients. Serve on whole wheat bread with mixed greens.
Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78
NOTE: These calculations are for chicken breasts, and no optional add-on ingredients.
Calculations
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped: 373 calories, 4.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 78.3 g protein, $1.48
1/3 cup chopped scallions: 11 calories, 0 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.30
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds: 144 calories, 12.6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5.3 g protein, $0.63
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt: 65 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 8.5 g protein, $0.97
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise: 70 calories, 7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.16
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.25
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard: 8 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.07
1/8 teaspoon salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
TOTALS: 672 calories, 25.5 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, 92.7 g protein, $3.88
PER SERVING (TOTALS/5): 134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Best Tips to Lose Weight and Prevent Obesity
(Article first published as Obesity Rates on the Rise on Technorati.)
Obesity rates continue to grow at a staggering pace, with dire implications to both individual health and our struggling health care system. Over 2 million people moved from overweight to obese status, based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale, a standardized measurement of body weight. Obesity has been implicated in a host of diseases ranging from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and cancer.
Stress and the Economy Blamed for Rising Obesity
According to a report published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the annual cost of obesity is $1,429 higher than that of their normal weight counterparts. The report concludes that the continued rise in obesity rates are due to the poor economy and high unemployment leading to increased levels of life stress situations.
Both stress and economic factors play a part in weight gain, as people look for inexpensive food choices which always tend to be high in trans fats, sugar and calories. Stress is one of the independent factors leading to weight gain which can be controlled. Excess stress leads to psychological eating, where food is used as a crutch to cover up the root cause of the problem. While the economy may not be within our control, the report suggests important tips to avoid becoming an obesity statistic.
Tip 1: Incorporate Physical Activity into Your Healthy Lifestyle
Most people simply don’t get enough physical activity to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, or to effectively promote weight loss. Experts advise that people exercise at a moderate pace for 20 to 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
This is enough to significantly reduce disease risk, but even more intense exercise is needed to fuel weight loss. Avoid excessive exercising to lose weight, as your body will send the signal to eat more in an effort to compensate for calories burned.
Tip 2: Increase Fruits and Vegetables, Lower High Calorie Food and Drink
Balancing food groups and slowly making healthy food substitutions are proven to deliver weight loss results. Poor economic times are a recipe for dietary disaster, as people trend toward inexpensive fast and processed foods to save money, and ruin their health.
While fresh fruits and vegetables are more costly than ined foods, one tip is to find a local farmer’s market and look for produce which is locally grown, and less expensive. Fill up on fiber rich leafy greens and other vegetables which are in season, and during winter months, fresh frozen vegetables make for a healthy, inexpensive compliment to your meal.
Tip 3: Reduce Life’s Stressors
Stress is a hidden, yet mostly controllable cause of weight loss and health decline. Experts agree that continual stress from losing a job or serious financial concerns have the same health impact as smoking a pack of cigarettes each day.
Stress causes alterations in brain chemistry and systemic inflammation, leading to extra pounds around the waist. Sometimes stress is unavoidable, but it’s important to identify and correct the cause of the stress as quickly as possible. Many people find meditation and yoga work well to provide a calm feeling which can be enough to tip the weight loss scales in your favor.
The number of overweight and obese individuals continues to grow at an alarming rate, and many of these people are unaware of the dire health consequences they face from the added weight. Moderate exercise, healthy diet and food substitution as well as stress reduction are all positive tools which lead to healthy weight loss and reversal of the obesity trend.
Stress and the Economy Blamed for Rising Obesity
According to a report published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the annual cost of obesity is $1,429 higher than that of their normal weight counterparts. The report concludes that the continued rise in obesity rates are due to the poor economy and high unemployment leading to increased levels of life stress situations.
Tip 1: Incorporate Physical Activity into Your Healthy Lifestyle
Most people simply don’t get enough physical activity to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, or to effectively promote weight loss. Experts advise that people exercise at a moderate pace for 20 to 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
This is enough to significantly reduce disease risk, but even more intense exercise is needed to fuel weight loss. Avoid excessive exercising to lose weight, as your body will send the signal to eat more in an effort to compensate for calories burned.
Tip 2: Increase Fruits and Vegetables, Lower High Calorie Food and Drink
While fresh fruits and vegetables are more costly than ined foods, one tip is to find a local farmer’s market and look for produce which is locally grown, and less expensive. Fill up on fiber rich leafy greens and other vegetables which are in season, and during winter months, fresh frozen vegetables make for a healthy, inexpensive compliment to your meal.
Tip 3: Reduce Life’s Stressors
Stress is a hidden, yet mostly controllable cause of weight loss and health decline. Experts agree that continual stress from losing a job or serious financial concerns have the same health impact as smoking a pack of cigarettes each day.
Stress causes alterations in brain chemistry and systemic inflammation, leading to extra pounds around the waist. Sometimes stress is unavoidable, but it’s important to identify and correct the cause of the stress as quickly as possible. Many people find meditation and yoga work well to provide a calm feeling which can be enough to tip the weight loss scales in your favor.
The number of overweight and obese individuals continues to grow at an alarming rate, and many of these people are unaware of the dire health consequences they face from the added weight. Moderate exercise, healthy diet and food substitution as well as stress reduction are all positive tools which lead to healthy weight loss and reversal of the obesity trend.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Tomato and Avocado Salsa A Basic Salsa Recipe of Deliciousness
This post first appeared in January 2010. (Um, you can probably tell by the first line.)
It’s the second full week of 2010. By now, you may be ten or eleven days into a resolution diet. You’re probably feeling really good about your progress. Chances are you lost a little weight. There’s a possibility you noticed a physical change already. You might even be thinking (and justifiably so): “I am the greatest person alive! Besides Eddie Vedder, I mean.”
Sadly, this may also have crossed your mind: “If eat one more salad, I’m going to set my face on fire.”
Sweet baby Jane, I hear you. When I began to change my eating habits, salads made up a big chunk of my diet. Office lunches were never-ending parades of the Caesar varietals (with light dressing, natch), and I got real tired, real fast of baby spinach. Then, I learned to cook and life got exponentially better. (Exponentially! That’s a lot.)
Anyway, once I started puttering around the kitchen, I realized the following:
lean meat + sauces, spreads, dips, salsas or dressings = excellence
With a creative topping, you can turn five ounces of pedestrian grilled chicken into a succulent celebration, a flavoral fooferaw, or even a scrumptious shindig. (Or any other gratuitously alliterative party.) Think of the meat as your canvas, and the accompaniment as your pretty rainbow paint of rainbows.
Take Gail Simmons’ Tomato and Avocado Salsa from Food & Wine, for example. You can use it as a dip for chips or veggies, sure. (The Super Bowl’s coming up, after all.) But on plain poultry, it becomes something else entirely: a tasty, filling, healthy dinner. Like almost all salsas, the recipe is staggeringly easy to make and constitutes a solid serving of vegetables. For $1 and 100 extra calories, that ain’t too shabby.
This week, when you’re choking down another round of Romaine, stop. Grab an avocado and a few grape tomatoes, grill a slice of chicken, and treat yourself to Tomato and Avocado Salsa. It’ll make the next few months a lot easier to stomach.
~~~
If you like this recipe, you might also dig:
- Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup
- Mango Salsa
- Tomatillo Guacamole
Tomato and Avocado Salsa
Serves 4.
Adapted from Food & Wine.
1 Hass avocado, diced small
1/4 cup onion, chopped small
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/8 cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1) In a medium bowl, gently combine all the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir again to combine. Serve on meat, chicken, fish, chips, cheese, or … anything, really.
NOTE: If you’d like a less chunky salsa, chop the tomatoes and avocado even smaller.
Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
4 servings: 100 calories, 7.4 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, $1.04
Calculations
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or quartered: 45 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $2.50
1 Hass avocado, diced small: 322 calories, 29.5 g fat, 13.5 g fiber, $0.99
1/4 cup onion, chopped small: 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0.6 g fiber, $0.08
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, $0.05
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped: negligible calories and fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.25
1/8 cup fresh lime juice: 10 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, $0.25
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.03
TOTAL: 399 calories, 29.5 g fat, 14.8 g fiber, $4.15
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 100 calories, 7.4 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, $1.04
Friday, March 7, 2014
Tips for Safe Produce Asi The Current And Lots
 |
| Breastfeeding Mothers |
Tips for Safe Produce Asi The Current And Lots
After giving birth , mothers are often faced with the harsh reality that he must immediately give breast milk to their babies . For the mother who has enough knowledge about breastfeeding , there may not be any trouble. But what about a new mother who lack knowledge about breastfeeding ?
In the early days of breastfeeding, new mother often have a hard time giving milk to the baby , such as breast milk does not directly come out , come out just a little milk , the baby uses to suckle at the mother , the baby having nipple confusion , and many other problems . Confusion when mounting mother found her baby cry . Finally , whether due to frustration , lack of patience , or the sorry excuse for hungry crying baby , new mothers are resorting to formula milk .
Reality as that is what often happens to mothers lack knowledge about breastfeeding . In fact , she actually just need a little patience and keep trying . Besides, it never hurts to learn new mothers produce milk safety tips are smooth and a lot of the following :
- Fix maternal diet , consumption of nutritious foods , reduce caffeine , and avoid bad habits , such as smoking , drinking alcohol
- Consumption of enough water
- Avoid giving milk or formula through the dot pacifier
- Support from various parties ( husband and family )
- Increase the frequency of breastfeeding / pumping / expressing milk .
- After breast feeding empty blush way .
- Perform breast care , such as : massage / massage and warm water and cold compresses alternately .
- Breastfeeding baby with relaxed or casual
- Avoid stress or frustration
- Consult a lactation clinic
In addition to the above tips, there are many safety tips that produce milk well and many of them are with natural ingredients that are all around us. What is it? Consider the following:
- Tips for Safe Produce Asi The Current And Drink Lots of Black Seed Oil
- Consumption of some vegetables that are proven to smooth milk, for example cinnamon leaf, bitter melon, spinach, and others.
- Consumption of nuts, such as almonds, green beans.
- Consumption of papaya fruit
- And many others.
Breastfeeding mothers should not give the state a little quantity of milk, keep trying. Find lots of information about safety tips smoothly and produce a lot of milk. Will be very useful when feeding mothers know this information.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Increasing Fruit and Veggies in Diet Lowers Risk of Death by 39
(Article first published as Add More Veggies and Fruit to Your Diet, Lower Death Risk by 39 Percent on Technorati.)
It will come as no surprise to many health minded individuals that a natural diet high in vegetables and fruits promotes health and extends lifespan. Foods saturated with synthetic chemicals, hydrogenated fats, salt and sugar stress our genetic integrity and result in metabolic chaos.
Alpha-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that we take in largely from eating a diet high in vegetables and fruits. This nutrient superstar is found concentrated in the brightly colored skins and flesh of most foods in their natural form. Information published in the Archives of Internal Medicine provides the results of a study performed on a group of more than 15,000 men and women over a period of nearly 18 years. A review of circulating alpha-carotene in the blood showed a direct correlation between blood saturation of the nutrient and risk of dying.
Alpha-carotene reduces risk of disease because it is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes the damaging effects of free radicals on our cells and energy producing mitochondria. It`s best to consume organic vegetables and fruits as your primary source of alpha-carotene. You can find rich sources in yellow-orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. Dark green leafy vegetables including broccoli, green beans and peas, spinach and leaf lettuce are also excellent sources.
Readmore...
We evolved to eat a diet packed with nutrients in a natural state and live in an environment free of pollutants and man-made toxins. Researcher shows a diet high in vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of death from all causes by up to 39%.
Alpha-Carotene Level Linked with Lower Risk of Death
Healthy Diet Shown to Reduce All Cause Mortality by 39%
Researchers measured alpha-carotene levels to determine risk of death and found that those individuals with the highest blood saturation had a 39% lower risk of dying from any cause compared with the lowest levels. Participants that consumed the most vegetables and fruits were found to have the highest alpha-carotene levels, while a processed food diet yielded virtually no measurable levels of the antioxidant. The study found that alpha-carotene provided a high degree of protection against cardiovascular disease and cancers of the brain, liver and skin.
Foods That Increase Alpha-Carotene Levels
Fruit Shown to Cut Lung Cancer Risk by 23%
The results of a study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention reveals that eating a wide variety of different types of fruits can lower the risk of lung cancer by as much as 23%. Interestingly, the study demonstrated that the risk was reduced more by the number of different fruits consumed and was not dependent on quantities eaten. Eating from more than eight sub-groups was shown to provide the most protection. Risk declined by 4% for each additional variety added to the diet.
Research continues to validate the critical importance that proper diet plays in preventing lifestyle illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Our cells have evolved through generations to rely on carotenoids such as alpha-carotene for protection from free radical damage. As health minded individuals, we are charged with the responsibility to eat from a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and foods in their natural form to prevent disease and increase life span.
Monday, February 24, 2014
The Oval Office Tone At the Top and the Temptation for Consumers to Lie About Income on the Health Insurance Exchanges
According to this CNN article, its naïve for the Disease Management Care Blog to expect U.S. Presidents to never lie. From time to time, political realities force occupants of the Oval Office to use falsehoods to advance a greater good and/or protect the integrity of their office. Whats more, when theyre found out, voters tend to be remarkably forgiving. So, When Mr. Obama repeatedly reassured Americans that "you can keep your health insurance," the DMCB should conclude that this was business-as-usual statecraft and that it will all work out.But even if many Americans sign up for health insurance and the President rebuilds his approval ratings, the contrarian DMCB has a deeper concern.
It thinks a dishonest "tone at the top" can have a corrosive effect on how Americans will access their premium subsidies.
In the business world, it is well known that the misbehavior of corporate boards and C-suite leaders can infect an entire company. The Board Chairs or the CEOs dubious financials, revenue schemes, stock manipulation, predatory behavior or just plain arrogance can roll right through the managerial ranks and destroy a company in a matter of months. When leaders lie to serve some other business need, you can be sure that others in the company will also lie.
The same may be true for the government of the United States. Its one thing to lie about Japans military might (Roosevelt), trading arms for hostages (Reagan) or Iraqs weapons of mass destruction (Bush), its quite another to lie about buying health insurance. The DMCB suspects that "tone of the Oval Office" is subtly signaling to regulators, insurers and ultimately consumers that its OK to manipulate the truth when it comes to buying health insurance.
Recall that as part of health orm, the health insurance exchanges prompt applicants to estimate future income. Its also temptingly easy to misrepresent projected 2014 income. A mild "fudge" that lowballs income can make the difference of thousands of dollars in subsidies.
Long before the President landed in hot water over his "you can keep it" promise, Americans had a huge incentive to lie about their income. That has been especially true for low income earners who really need the insurance. Now that everyone - including Mr. Obama - has admitted that he stretched the truth, the DMCB suspects Americans now have one more reason to do the same when it comes to getting health insurance subsidies. Once that pattern of insurance fraud becomes established in the marketplace, the DMCB thinks it will never go away and hundreds of millions of dollars will go to where its not intended year after year after year.
The DMCB predicts tens of thousands of Americans who purchase insurance on the exchanges will succumb to lying in 2014.
You read it here first.
Coda: The good news is that when it comes to the health insurers who are responsible for signing up the millions of Americans, theres no evidence that theyre helping enrollees lie. The DMCB suspects that in the battle to capture market share, its just a matter of time until one of them has a renegade employee or two who channel the President and likewise help prospective customers to lie. Well see.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Veggie Might Potluck Tips to Save You Time and Moolah
Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.
With a couple more potlucks in my immediate future, and summer picnics and barbecues just around the corner, I wanted to give potlucks a little more VM time. Plus, they’re just so much fun.
A potluck can be a vegetarian’s feast for a king or slim pickin’s. You’ll either be faced more choices than you’ve had in your life or endless bacon-topped casseroles and bread. But at least you can eat what you brought—and as everyone knows, bread good.
A potluck is also a good opportunity to show omnivores how amazing vegetarian/vegan food can be. I always try to choose foods that are low on cost and big on flavor. Here are some tips to help you decide what to make for your next potluck without ending up in debtor’s prison.Choose a scalable recipe
Recipes that will take you easily from 4 to 24 servings are your potluck friends. Grain, bean, and vegetable dishes with only a few ingredients will make your life so much easier. The idea is to maximize the amount of food, not effort. Doubling a stuffed grape leaves recipe means rolling twice as many grape leaves, while doubling a grits and quinoa recipe means using a bigger pot.
Use seasonal produce
Seasonal produce, as we often remind you, is cheaper produce. Save money and serve your friends the pick of the crop. If it’s the dead of winter, frozen is the way to go.
Use pantry items
No need to buy a ton of specialty ingredients. Raid that pantry. At a potluck, people will likely only sample your wares. Your effort will go well appreciated, but it also may go back home with you. Use the opportunity to blow through that lentil stash you’ve been hoarding.
Enlist the spice rack
Those lentils will seem a lot less boring if they’re punched up with some zippy herbs and spices.
Know your audience
Sometimes it’s impossible to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs, but a little effort goes a long way. Ask yourself a few questions before assembling your dish: Does this have to have meat? Can the cheese go on the side? Can I do only half with cheese/bacon/cream of lard sauce? Your lactose intolerant, gluten-free, vegan friends will kiss you just for trying.
Don’t be afraid to fail
A potluck is an opportunity to be experimental and adventurous. Take a chance and shock the church ladies, by all means. The first vegetarian recipe I made was stuffed mushroom caps with tofu; I was sure to blow the minds of my family at Christmas dinner. To my great surprise, it was the hit of the night—and no one batted an eye at my “secret” ingredient.
Occasionally a dish falls flat and is not the success you hoped. That’s the beauty of a potluck. Even if your dish bombs, no one goes hungry. And if everyone loves it, you will explode with joy.
Favorite Potluck-Friendly Recipes
MainsBBQ Seitan Bites (**)
Nopales Chili (**)
Pumpkin Orzo with Sage (*/**)
Toor Dal with Ginger and Green Chilies (**)
Salads
Black Bean Salad with Fresh Corn (**)
Daikon (or Jicama) and Mango Slaw (**)
Esquites (*)
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People (**)
Vegetables
Cauliflower with Garlic, Ginger, and Green Chilies (**)
Red Cabbage with Apples (**)
Roasted Asparagus and Chickpeas (**)
Tunisian Beans and Greens (**)
Fruit/Desserts
Rice Pudding (**)
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (**)
Sublime Fruit Salad with Mint (**)
Vegan Ginger Cookies (**)
(*) vegetarian—contains dairy and/or eggs
(**) vegan—contains no animal products
Readers, what are your favorite vegetarian potluck recipes? Any great tips you’d like to share? The comments are open and caring. Spill, if you will.
If you enjoyed this article, you may fancy
- Vegetarian Meal Planning for Meat Eaters
- Feeding a Group on Vacation
- Classy Parties on the Cheap
Friday, February 21, 2014
Super Bowl Recipes XLV 77 Cheap and Healthy Foods for the Big Game
Three years ago (!), we posted a piece called Cheap, Healthy Party Food, filled to the brim with inexpensive, Super Bowl-appropriate recipes. Most of them came from thoroughly vetted outside sources like All Recipes and Cooking Light. All appeared delicious.
Since then, between CHG and my weekly Healthy & Delicious column at Serious Eats, we’ve compiled hundreds of our own recipes, many of which are floofin’ perfect for the Packers/Steelers game. We made and ate every single one of these, and can recommend them without reservation. Even to your Dad (whom I’m sure totes loves healthy food, especially on Super Bowl Sunday).
If you have suggestions or excellent, apropos recipes from your own blog, leave ‘em in the comment section! Together, we can make this the most delicious Super Bowl since the last time Pittsburgh was in it.
(Special note: Frugal shoppers! Even if you hate football with the white-hot intensity of a thousand angry suns, this is a great week to stock up. Look for sales on cheese, sour cream, beans, frozen foods, crackers, dip, and more at your supermarket.)
APPETIZERS
Baked Loaded Potato Skins
Greek Antipasto Pitas
Greek Salad Skewers
Provencal Deviled Eggs
Roasted Pepper Halves with Bread Crumb Topping
White Bean Bruschetta
White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Wraps with Spinach
Zucchini Crostini
DIPS, SALSAS, and GUACAMOLE
Avocado Corn Salsa
Baba Ghanouj
Black Bean Dip
Easy White Bean Dip
Fresh Salsa
Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup
Lemony Hummus
Mango Salsa
Raw Tomatillo Salsa
Roasted Eggplant Spread
Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Tomatillo Guacamole
Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)
CHILI
All-American Chili
Cactus Chili
Camp Stove Veggie Chili
Chili Corn Pone Pie
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili with Beans
Vegetarian Chili on the Fly
White Chicken Chili
Winter Vegetable Chili
SALADS and SIDES
Avocado Chicken Salad
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Chickpea Salad
Chili-Spiced Potatoes
Ellie Krieger’s Refried Beans
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
Golden Delight Egg Salad
Greek Orzo Salad
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato
Malt Vinegar Oven Fries
Potato Salad with Green and White Beans
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People
Quick Red Posole with Beans
Semi-Southern-Style Cornbread
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
MAINS
Baked Ziti
Black Bean Burrito Bake
Blue Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Chicken Fried Rice
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Chipotle Pork Tenders
DIY Hot Pockets
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Relish
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Homemade Pizza
Italian Turkey Sliders
Macaroni and Cheese
Pork Tacos
Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Sloppy Jacks
Spiced Chicken Skewers
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn
Tofu Banh Mi
Vegetable Lo Mein
DESSERTS and SNACKS
Black Bean Brownies
Crunchy Pecan Cookies
DIY Microwave Popcorn
Roasted Chickpeas
Tamari Almonds
Readers? Your recipes?
~~~
If you like this article, you might also like:
Readmore...
Since then, between CHG and my weekly Healthy & Delicious column at Serious Eats, we’ve compiled hundreds of our own recipes, many of which are floofin’ perfect for the Packers/Steelers game. We made and ate every single one of these, and can recommend them without reservation. Even to your Dad (whom I’m sure totes loves healthy food, especially on Super Bowl Sunday).
If you have suggestions or excellent, apropos recipes from your own blog, leave ‘em in the comment section! Together, we can make this the most delicious Super Bowl since the last time Pittsburgh was in it.
(Special note: Frugal shoppers! Even if you hate football with the white-hot intensity of a thousand angry suns, this is a great week to stock up. Look for sales on cheese, sour cream, beans, frozen foods, crackers, dip, and more at your supermarket.)
APPETIZERS
Baked Loaded Potato Skins
Greek Antipasto PitasGreek Salad Skewers
Provencal Deviled Eggs
Roasted Pepper Halves with Bread Crumb Topping
White Bean Bruschetta
White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Wraps with Spinach
Zucchini Crostini
DIPS, SALSAS, and GUACAMOLE
Avocado Corn Salsa
Baba Ghanouj
Black Bean Dip
Easy White Bean DipFresh Salsa
Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup
Lemony Hummus
Mango Salsa
Raw Tomatillo Salsa
Roasted Eggplant Spread
Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Tomatillo Guacamole
Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)
CHILI
All-American ChiliCactus Chili
Camp Stove Veggie Chili
Chili Corn Pone Pie
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili with Beans
Vegetarian Chili on the Fly
White Chicken Chili
Winter Vegetable Chili
SALADS and SIDES
Avocado Chicken Salad
Black Bean and Tomato QuinoaChickpea Salad
Chili-Spiced Potatoes
Ellie Krieger’s Refried Beans
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
Golden Delight Egg Salad
Greek Orzo Salad
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato
Malt Vinegar Oven Fries
Potato Salad with Green and White Beans
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People
Quick Red Posole with Beans
Semi-Southern-Style Cornbread
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
MAINS
Baked Ziti
Black Bean Burrito BakeBlue Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Chicken Fried Rice
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Chipotle Pork Tenders
DIY Hot Pockets
Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Relish
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Homemade Pizza
Italian Turkey Sliders
Macaroni and Cheese
Pork Tacos
Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Sloppy Jacks
Spiced Chicken Skewers
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn
Tofu Banh Mi
Vegetable Lo Mein
DESSERTS and SNACKS
Black Bean Brownies
Crunchy Pecan Cookies
DIY Microwave Popcorn
Roasted Chickpeas
Tamari Almonds
Readers? Your recipes?
~~~
If you like this article, you might also like:
- A Beginner’s Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes
- Cheap Healthy Beef, Part I: Recipes and Methodology
- Cheap Healthy Pork: Recipes, Methodology, and Tips
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Saturday Throwback Last Minute Little Dinners for One Tips Ideas and 25 Recipes
Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. Todays comes from March 2009, right after St. Patricks Day.
A few months ago, our own Jaime posted a piece called Little Meals for One. It was a brief, well thought-out article all about simple, small-scale home cooking. I loved it, as did many readers who were looking for both inspiration and validation. (A spoonful of peanut butter IS TOO a meal, dangit.)
Because sometimes? You just want food in your mouthhole. You want it in a single portion, and you want it a.s.a.p. Why? Well, maybe you’re late coming home from the office. Maybe it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon in August, and you have no great urge to further heat your already-sweltering apartment with a 450ºF oven. Maybe you’re just really hungry, and whipping up a whole lasagna for one person seems totally freaking insane.
Unfortunately, quick, single-portion recipes are hard to come by, probably because it’s difficult to prepare most gourmet meals in smaller serving sizes. So, how do you do it? How do you make a convenient, speedy meal without resorting to A) expensive and unhealthy processed food, B) takeout, or C) licking crumbs off your kitchen floor?
Well, first, it’s good to keep tricks these in mind:
- Keep your rigerator, pantry, and freezer stocked with food easily portioned into small servings: eggs, cheese, pasta, etc.
- When you buy bigger packages of food (meat, veggies, etc.), portion them off in smaller grab-and-go bags as soon as you arrive home from the supermarket.
- Look for recipes where you broil, grill, steam, sauté, boil, and microwave. Avoid recipes where you roast, braise, soak, brine, or marinate.
- Keep low-cost, high-impact condiments and ingredients handy. Stuff like soy sauce, capers, olives, roasted red peppers, parmesan, curry powder/sauce, Dijon mustard, and horseradish can lend big flavor to tiny dishes in a hurry.
- Don’t limit yourself to traditional dinner cuisine. Breakfast and lunch foods taste just as good at 7pm.
- Don’t limit yourself to traditional American cuisine. Soups, curries, and stir fries are healthier and just as fast as burgers and hot dogs.
- Consider raw fruits and vegetables for side dishes. They’re healthy as all get out, and take zero time to prepare.
- Load up your freezer to your heart’s content. Frozen meats and produce can be defrosted quickly and cooked even faster. Consider canned versions of certain foods, as well, but be discerning when it comes to both sodium content and taste.
- Before you do anything, scan your fridge for ideas and ingredients. Bits and pieces can become ingredients in larger, more delicious meals.
- Speaking of bits and pieces, consider using many smaller foods to create one large meal. Eggs, a piece of fruit, and a side of ried beans never killed anyone.
- Most of all, K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Sistah)
- Bagels (with low-fat cream cheese, lox, butter, PB&J, etc.)
- Baked potatoes
- Breads (with dips, cheese, veggies, or quick soups)
- Chicken or turkey sausages
- Cottage cheese
- Couscous mixed with anything (chopped vegetables, beans, etc.)
- Crackers with toppings of your choice
- Eggs (omelets, scrambled, sandwiches, baked, etc.)
- Fruit
- Grilled or broiled chicken or pork tenders
- Mashed black, pinto, or cannellini beans
- Oatmeal (sweet or savory, a la Mark Bittman)
- Pasta (with sauce, vegetables, cheese, etc.)
- Pierogies (boiled/steamed)
- Pizza bagels/English Muffin pizzas
- Portobello mushrooms
- Raw vegetables with simple dips (hummus, baba ghanouj, etc.)
- Rice mixed with vegetables and/or salsa
- Salads (vegetables, fruit, bean, or otherwise)
- Sandwiches (hummus, PB&J, grilled cheese)
- Shish kabobs (meat, veggies, or fruit broiled on a stick)
- Smoothies
- Steamed or sautéed veggies
- Stir fry
- Turkey burgers
- Wraps and/or soft tacos
- Yogurt
- Autumn Apple Salad
- Baked Eggs
- Black-Eyed Pea Salad
- Bodega Beans
- Broiled Eggplant Japonaise
- Creamy Parmesan Orzo
- Egg Drop Soup
- Egg McMuffins
- Eggplant Mini Pizzas
- Garlicky Broccoli Rabe
- Grape and Feta Salad with Rosemary
- Hummus
- Light Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
- Light Garlic Bread
- Miso Soup
- Moroccan Beet Green Omelet
- North African Style Chickpea Salad
- Pancakes (Buttermilkand Whole Wheat Buttermilk)
- Parmesan-crusted Portobello Mushrooms
- Pea Soup
- Polenta
- Refried Beans
- Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Parmesan
- Shaksouka (Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce)
- Stuffed Peppers
Friday, February 7, 2014
A Snarky Rant on Sodium and Blood Pressure
Quick rant today, related to my recent obsession with all things blood pressure (see here and here). I just found this quote on the CDC website that really steamed my clams...
"Sodium intake from processed and restaurant foods contributes to increased rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Decreasing sodium intake to within recommended limits could prevent thousands of deaths annually, because nearly 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to high blood pressure." (1)
To me this is short-sighted, oversimplified, and quite frankly ignorant. Sodium reduction can be a good thing because it often occurs simultaneously with elimination of processed junk, like said "processed and restaurant food". But being all narrow-minded and reducing sodium intake to the level they recommend can be dangerous (2, 3).
There is a better option... We can get the same outcome by simply increasing potassium intake... aka, replacing shitty junk foods with vegetables, meats, fruits, dairy, and starchy tubers (4). And I see no reason not to add a little salt for flavor.
Why, oh why, cant we just teach people how to eat real food?? This would solve so much. But NO, thats never the answer... lets just encourage everyone to buy low-sodium processed shit... because low-sodium HoHos are SO much better than regular HoHos.
We COULD... recommend more potassium, found in fruits, veggies etc., and end up ACTUALLY TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO EAT FOOD... or we could teach them to look for "low-sodium" on a box of Cheez-Its.
REAL FOOD?
or
low-sodium twinkies.
REAL FOOD?
or
salt-free french fries.
Come on people, get real. Just eat real food.
Why, oh why, cant we just teach people how to eat real food?? This would solve so much. But NO, thats never the answer... lets just encourage everyone to buy low-sodium processed shit... because low-sodium HoHos are SO much better than regular HoHos.
We COULD... recommend more potassium, found in fruits, veggies etc., and end up ACTUALLY TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO EAT FOOD... or we could teach them to look for "low-sodium" on a box of Cheez-Its.
REAL FOOD?
or
low-sodium twinkies.
REAL FOOD?
or
salt-free french fries.
Come on people, get real. Just eat real food.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Why Ice cream and Chocolates Can Be Dangerous
Dear friends, Each one of us like to enjoy those tricky chocolates and ice creams as the mouth watering taste cannot be resisted in any case. But, are you aware of the harm and danger of eating chocolates and ice creams. Do you know that those colorful looking chocolates and ice creams can be dangerous to your health? So, you should be caul while eating them especially when they carry some dangers with them.
The first and most obvious danger that you must know is that these tempting favorites of all are overloaded with artificial sugar. This sugar can cause diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, hardening of arteries and lot more. In children it causes anxiety, difficulty in concentrating, hyperactivity and overweight.
Secondly many chemicals are added to keep chocolates & ice creams fresh most of these chemicals are not healthy for your body. Artificial Colors & Sweeteners are also added to enhance the taste and visual effects for making an strong appeal to eat the stuff, but these can harm liver and kidney.
A lot of Emulsifier & Thickeners are added to maintain the desired structure/texture and to enhance the smooth texture of ice creams & chocolates. These chemicals are harmful for the body can cause allergies too.
Finally you will be shocked to know that these stuffs especially ice creams have products which contains animal source ingredient known as gelatin (made by boiling tissue, bones and skin of cows or pigs). Being a vegetarian you might be unintentionally eating it.
Besides all the above drawbacks these stuff contain a lot of Caffeine and bad fats- Chocolate is partially made of cocoa bean which is loaded with caffeine. Kids eating lot of chocolate are hyper due to presence of this caffeine. Calorie content of ice creams and chocolates is too high due to presence of a large amount of sugar. You can easily put on weight while eating such stuffs.
So be caul next time when you see such tasty devils ...... ha ha
A lot of Emulsifier & Thickeners are added to maintain the desired structure/texture and to enhance the smooth texture of ice creams & chocolates. These chemicals are harmful for the body can cause allergies too.
Finally you will be shocked to know that these stuffs especially ice creams have products which contains animal source ingredient known as gelatin (made by boiling tissue, bones and skin of cows or pigs). Being a vegetarian you might be unintentionally eating it.
Besides all the above drawbacks these stuff contain a lot of Caffeine and bad fats- Chocolate is partially made of cocoa bean which is loaded with caffeine. Kids eating lot of chocolate are hyper due to presence of this caffeine. Calorie content of ice creams and chocolates is too high due to presence of a large amount of sugar. You can easily put on weight while eating such stuffs.
So be caul next time when you see such tasty devils ...... ha ha
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Almonds Can Prevent Diabetes and Assist Weight Loss Efforts
(Article first published as Include Almonds to Lower Risk of Diabetes, Assist Weight Loss Efforts on Technorati.)
It’s hard to imagine that a natural food that tastes as good as an almond can have such a profound beneficial effect on health. Regular almond consumption is shown to lower the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease in part due to the high fiber content and concentration of monounsaturated fats.
Post meal blood sugar spikes are known to contribute to the development of metabolic disorders including diabetes and initiate the chain of events that lead to cardiovascular disease. Any intervention that can help to minimize the post meal rush of blood sugar will reduce the risk from these conditions.
Almonds are high in protein, fiber and healthy monounsaturated fats that are all known to influence how our body stores and metabolizes fat for energy. Almonds are rich in complex carbohydrates that require significant energy to be broken down by our body. The International Journal of Obesity published the results of a study that shows almonds are “a feasible option for consideration and have a potential role in the public health implications of obesity.” The study concluded that almonds provide a sensation of satiety and are beneficial for people trying to lose weight.
Readmore...
Further research demonstrates that almonds contribute to accelerated fat metabolism and can reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity by influencing healthy blood glucose control and insulin response. Just a handful of almonds every day can improve your health profile and lower the risk of serious disease.
Almonds Help to Stabilize Blood Sugar Spikes
The results of a study conducted at the Loma Linda University’s School of Public Health and published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition shows how almond consumption can blunt the effect of high blood sugar, prevent insulin resistance and lower levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol. The study involved 65 prediabetic adults that were broken into two groups to determine the effect of almond consumption. The control group ate a healthy diet low in carbohydrates for 16 weeks and excluded all nuts. The intervention group consumed the same diet but included 20% of total calories from almonds.
Blood analysis showed that the almond group had significantly better insulin levels and improved markers for insulin resistance and beta-cell function. The study authors concluded that the high fiber content and unsaturated fats in almonds “help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Almonds in the Battle Against Obesity
Almonds are a perfectly balanced food source that can benefit health. This powerful seed has a balanced ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats that are in perfect alignment with human macronutrient requirements. Nutritional studies confirm that almonds regulate blood sugar and prevent insulin resistance that lowers the risk from diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, almonds help regulate fat metabolism and can be used as a tool to assist weight loss. Include a handful of almonds every day to reap the many health benefits.
Aspirin and omega 3 fatty acids work together to fight inflammation
Experts tout the health benefits of low-dose aspirin and omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like flax seeds and salmon, but the detailed mechanisms involved in their effects are not fully known. Now researchers reporting in the February 21 issue of the Cell Press journal Chemistry & Biology show that aspirin helps trigger the production of molecules called resolvins that are naturally made by the body from omega-3 fatty acids. These resolvins shut off, or "resolve," the inflammation that underlies destructive conditions such as inflammatory lung disease, heart disease, and arthritis.
"In this report, we found that one resolvin, termed resolvin D3 from the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, persists longer at sites of inflammation than either resolvin D1 or resolvin D2 in the natural resolution of inflammation in mice," explains senior author Dr. Charles Serhan of Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "This finding suggests that this late resolution phase resolvin D3 might display unique properties in fighting uncontrolled inflammation."
The researchers also confirmed that aspirin treatment triggered the production of a longer acting form of resolvin D3 through a different pathway. "Aspirin is able to modify an inflammatory enzyme to stop forming molecules that propagate inflammation and instead produce molecules from omega-3 fatty acids, like resolvin D3, that help inflammation to end," explains coauthor Dr. Nicos Petasis of the University of Southern California.
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