Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Lose Weight Naturally And Fast: Bad Cholesterol Foods Are Your Enemy

Is it possible to lose weight naturally and fast? People who go on low-fat diets compared to high fat diets ultimately don't lose any more weight according to studies.
Dr. William Sheldon categorized people into 3 different body types back in the 1940's as being:
EndomorphsMesomorphsEctomorphs.
Endomorphs
typically have the most body fat, Mesomorphs are blessed with little fat and Ectomorphs usually have a hard time gaining weight.
This goes to show people are not "one size fits all". These 3 body types have different food needs based on their basic genetic makeup.
You will read a lot on contradictory information about whether you should count calories or focus on the foods you eat. Regardless of who you believe, calories are important.
Is a calorie a calorie or is it something else that matters? Yes, junk food (bad cholesterol foods) are poor quality calories and fruits and vegetables good cholesterol foods) are good quality calories.
Are there any "REAL" differences between the types of fat you can eat? Unsaturated fats are the healthiest types of fats that include plant oils and fish oils:
Olive oilCanola oilNut oils (almonds, walnuts, and pistachios)Avocado OilSalmon
Eating unsaturated fat is one of the best ways to lose weight naturally and fast. Healthy fats can provide you with the quickest way to lose belly fat.
Unsaturated fat called omega-3 fats
are your best choice (good cholesterol foods) for a healthy diet. The most common foods for Omega-3 fats are:
FishWalnutsFlax seedsCanola oil
Omega-3 fats are quality fats that come from marine sources such as fish and shellfish and provide health benefits more than omega-3 fats from plant sources, like walnuts and flax seeds. If you aren't a fish-eater, the omega-3 fats from plant sources are still a great choice.
It's hard to pin the blame on the food companies. They are providing us with what we want. And so what if they can sprinkle in a few profits for themselves, right?
It doesn't matter if you are eating baked chips (better junk food) or regular chips (bad junk food), it does not help you lose weight!The question is are you making any progress in moving away from empty calories (bad cholesterol foods) and focusing in on good fats (good cholesterol foods)?
Bad cholesterol foods are adding to the symptoms of obesity because we "believe" we're eating better. If you had to choose the best foods to lose weight naturally and fast, do it by eating good cholesterol foods and not bad cholesterol foods.



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Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Low-Calorie Vegetables - The Kinds Of Veggies To Pick and Their Nutrition Value

How many servings of vegetables are you supposed to consume in a day? The answer would be 5 to 13 servings but surprisingly, you eat only 3 servings a day or maybe less, an amount too far below the recommended amount. Including lots of vegetables in the diet can help prevent various diseases; among these are heart ailment, high blood pressure, some types of cancer and macular degeneration.
Vegetables contain important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. Loaded with nutrients, vegetables are usually low in calories and are very beneficial to people who want to lose weight. More colorful vegetables are more nutritious thus try to pick those that are dark in color - green, yellow and orange.
These foods are good sources of vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin A promotes eye and skin health. Vitamin C makes your immune system stronger. They are rich in potassium which is necessary in controlling high blood pressure. Folic acid is essential in forming red blood cells. These low-calorie foods do not contain cholesterol thus lowering your risk of heart ailment. Full of anti-oxidants and dietary fiber, you lower your risk of colon cancer.
Here is a guide to the most nutritious kinds of vegetables. There are three essential tips in choosing the kinds to include in your diet. Pick the green colored vegetables, especially the leafy ones. You should also choose summer veggies and less starchy kinds. These are all healthy but are low in calories.
The suggested green leafy vegetables that are low in calories are lettuce, spinach and cabbage. Other low-calorie greens are celery and cucumber. A cup of shredded cabbage contains 32 calories; the same amount of spinach has 40 calories. A cup of celery has only 20 calories, sometimes zero or negative calories. This is because it takes too much energy to digest the celery which may even consume some of your stored energy. This is the reason why celery is very good for people on weight loss regimen.
Try to stick to the summertime vegetables which are dark in color. You can have summer squash and zucchini. Other summertime veggies that are low in calories are tomatoes, radishes and mushrooms. A cup of cooked mushrooms has 40 calories; half cup of radishes contains only 10 calories while a medium-sized tomato has 25 calories.
If you are counting your calories, you should refrain from eating too starchy foods. Most of these are loaded with calories. A cup of starchy vegetables normally contains 150 calories. Two kinds of squash belong to this category. These are the butternut and acorn varieties of squash. Other starchy vegetables are potatoes, parsnips, peas and corn. The non-starch kinds are broccoli, lettuce, turnips, cauliflower, celery and green bell peppers.
As you eat these low-calorie dark green-colored leaves, summertime and non-starchy veggies, you should be careful in preparing them. Adding too much dressing can defeat the purpose. Many low-calorie vegetables have low-calorie content but end up with high count when served.




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If Your Kids Are Anything Like Mine, Empower Them to Make the Right Choice

If your kids are anything like mine:
Because I am a health food educator and mom to two teenagers, people assume that my family eats healthy 24/7. I wish that would be the case but let's debunk this myth.
My family lives in the US of A and like any other family is more influenced by TV, commercials, video games, peers, school, internet, billboards, smell of junk food stores, well anything besides mom. If we don't change as a society our kids won't change either and that's why I really admire what the first lady is trying to do, even I must say I started my business a year before she came to the White House.
My kids like burgers and fries and full fat ice cream topped with junk like any other kid given the choice. How can we fix this?
Long ago, I realized that we can't change it by force feeding them broccoli and cauliflowers. They will hate it and hate us too. So I started to change them marginally by teaching them how to make chocolate chip cookies only a bit healthier with no white sugar and with fewer and darker chocolate chips that have flavanoids. Adding a bit of flax seeds to them. They actually loved it.
Also, keep in mind that opening and closing the refrigerator is an epidemic of their generation. I think they do it when they don't know what else to do with themselves. So the best tip I have for you is to have some washed and chopped veggies and fruits ready to be eaten on a shelf they can see so when they open that door they have no choice but to go for them.
Empower them to make their dinner. For example, If they like French fries, teach them how to make oven baked fries, which have less calories and actually taste better too. Or introduce them to very easy to make kale chips. Simply deveine them, rub them with olive oil and salt and put in oven on 200 degrees for 10 minutes and voila.
I have learned that peer environment works best for any type of learning. I have observed at my own summer camps that when kids are together they would even eat stones if the kid next to them tried it. My daughter has tried things like salsa, hummus, vegetable chili, zucchini pancakes and kale chips at camp, which she would have never had at home!!! And then she has a Eureka moment and screams: mommy I tried salsa and I really liked it.



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Indian Takeaway - The Healthier Way

When you think of an Indian takeaway, it is likely that you will conjure up the image of a greasy curry being eaten in a hurry. This will then be followed by the obligatory pangs of guilt and cries of 'why did I eat SO much?' However - this doesn't always have to be the case!
Indian cuisine is there to be enjoyed and as with any cuisine, there will be healthy options and unhealthy options. Finding the right balance is important no matter which type of food you are eating. If you are one of the more health conscious among us, you may be keen to hear our recommendations for healthier Indian cuisine options.
Our top tips to enjoy Indian takeaway, the healthier way, include:
Avoiding Fried Dishes
Deep fried dishes, such as Indian starters like bhajis, pakoras and samosas will be high in calories due to the frying cooking method which they are subjected to. When health is in mind, deep fried dishes are best avoided! If you want to be extra good, skip starters altogether and head straight for the main!
Swapping Creamy Curries For Tomato Based Alternatives
Creamy curries such as Korma and Masala are laden with calories due to the use of ingredients such as cream, coconut milk and nuts. Swap cream based options for tomato based curries or go a step further and opt for fibre rich lentil curries such as Dansak.
Chapattis vs Nan Bread
When it comes to choosing between chapattis and nan bread, chapattis lead the way from a calorie saving perspective. Of course, when you are trying to minimise your calorie intake, accompanying breads are best avoided altogether. However if you need to satisfy your need for Indian bread, opt for wheat based chapattis.
Banishing Oil & Opting For Tandoori Dishes
Dry tandoori dishes, such as famed chicken Tikka and Shashlick, are cooked in the tandoor without oil. These dishes can offer a considerable calorie saving in comparison with sauce based curries.
Turning Up The Spice
Be brave and go for something a little spicier than normal. If a dish gets you hot under the collar, chances are that you will eat more slowly and start to feel full sooner. This comes with the added bonus of potentially eating less and saving any additional calorie intake.
Choosing Leaner Meats
Chicken and seafood based dishes are lower in calories than beef or lamb options. Simply opting for a different meat can help reduce your calorie and saturated fat intake. Going a step further and selecting a vegetarian option is likely to offer further calorie reductions for your meal.
Choosing Your Rice Wisely
Boiled rice, whilst perhaps not as exciting as colourful pilau or egg fried menu items, is a far healthier choice. Boiled rice will help you to avoid any additional oil intake.
Avoiding Chutneys
When it comes to chutneys and dips, raita is a healthier yoghurt based option in comparison to sweet, sugary chutneys such as mango chutney.
Staying Off The Booze
For many, having a curry goes hand in hand with a glass of nice cold beer or lager. Whilst this may complement your meal, it leads to additional calorie intake and bloating. Instead, drink something non-carbonated, such as a juice or even water.




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Tuesday, 23 October 2012

Organic Foods - 10 Things You Need To Know

You are about to learn several important reasons why you may want to even consider buying Organic Baby Food for your baby. I know if you haven't done your homework on this type food, this may sound a little crazy. However, after reading this article it will certainly make a lot of sense to you. So go ahead and grab a pen and paper now.
This food is pesticide free! Are you aware of the many types of pesticides that's put into a lot of food that we eat? This is a very serious health matter. Be sure and check it out for yourself.
Helps greatly with nursing mothers. You must keep in mind, whatever a mother eats goes into the milk that she feeds to her newborn baby. Do you want your baby full of all this mess that a lot of our foods contains in your baby's body?
Because this is all natural and Organic food, the soil is much healthier. This means that everything that grows from the soil where this type food is harvested, will be much safer! This really is a win, win situation.
You get to taste the natural flavor of foods. You may not even be aware of how much the taste of food is changed with all the different additives that are added. One of the myths is that this food has a bad taste, but it's actually the best food you've probably ever tasted!
No more preservatives in your food. Did you not know in order to make food last longer, food companies have to add lots of these ingredients? Although, this is not to good for the consumers. It's all about saving them money!
Helps you to lose weight. Whenever companies have to add all those preservatives, it usually causes the consumers to pick up a lot of extra weight. I'm sure you can see why natural organic foods will definitely be better for you if you are trying to lose weight.
Much more nutritious for the entire family. Eating foods of this nature will allow all your nutrients to be deposited into your body. Your meals will be much more healthier and natural. You won't have to worry about what was put into foods you buy any more.
Contains a lot of the vitamins the body needs. Your overall body will be stronger, therefore fights off all those terrible diseases easier. When you eat natural foods, the stuff that mother nature put into it will definitely be deposited into you and your family's bodies.
Organic food delivery services are everywhere. You don't have to go to a regular grocery store to find food. You can simply have it delivered right to your home. This way you don't to worry about choosing the wrong products.
Lesser chance of getting one of those terrible diseases. When you eat all natural foods, it really helps prevent a lot of sickness. You have to remember when pesticides are added to the food you eat, it's very easy to get the wrong thing into your bloodstream.
Well, you have just received a wealth of information. Although, there is a lot more that could be said on this issue, you can now see why eating this type of food is a very good choice. So be sure and do your own research too.



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