food corner

Quick Healthy Meals and Extra Information On What We Eat

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:18:00 +0000

A quick and healthy meals is the ultimate challenge for parents harassed. Your children are always on the go, and you have many demands on your time. Family meals are not comfortable affairs, but that does not diminish their importance. In fact, family dinners are probably more important than ever because our hectic lives.

Research shows that children who eat family meals, more fruits and vegetables and less saturated fatty acids, and an overall higher quality diet. Gathering at the table allows you, with your loved ones in your busy day to connect. Parents and other caregivers serve as role models and meals helps younger family members, good table manners and healthy eating habits to learn.

Family life may be chaotic, but it is possible to receive meal and family maintain a hectic schedule. Here are some simple strategies and tips to help you fast, healthy meals on the table in no time. Experts agree: If there is an important meal, it needs to breakfast.

"Studies show that children who skip the morning meal at greater risk of obesity," says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, a Boston-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. In addition, it is almost impossible for children and adults, to lose the nutrients by skipping breakfast.

"Provide healthy breakfast foods like milk and whole grain products, a number of necessary nutrients for healthy growth and good health, including iron, calcium, vitamin D and fiber," said Salge Blake. Breakfast effect on academic performance is a snap: after about 10 hours or so without food, eating in the morning fuels the brain and body for the next day.

Salge Blake WebMD that breakfast eaters to be less disruptive in the classroom and may also tend to be better because their stomachs are content and learners, it is easier for them to concentrate on school work. Eat a thing in the morning is a good idea, but the ideal breakfast provides enough complex carbohydrates, protein and some healthy fats, according to Bonnie Taub-Dix, MS, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It (Plume).

Complex carbohydrates to keep blood sugar level in blood, which makes for a more sustained supply of energy for brain and body. Protein and healthy fats as found in trans-fat free tub margarine, olive oil, and nuts help keep you and your family in full longer. Well i'm prone to chaotic advises Salge Blake simplicity and planning. "If one lunch, breakfast, to put, especially on days when children throw themselves out the door to pack early."

If you or your children are not like typical breakfast foods, do not worry. Go for a non-traditional breakfast such as whole grain crackers, cheddar cheese and grapes. Or serve a small piece of cheese pizza and a glass of 100% juice - or a half sandwich, milk and fruit.

Fruit
Fruit contains important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, water and fiber that are important for growing children and are associated with a lower risk of certain chronic diseases. There are many ways to get your family to eat more fruit. Mix fresh pieces of fruit such as berries and bananas in cold or hot cereal, yogurt and cottage cheese. Add fruit purees, like pumpkin pancakes, applesauce or mashed banana to mix waffles or muffins. Make trail mix with dried fruits and nuts. Dip pieces of fresh fruit such as apples and pears in peanut butter. Make fruit smoothies by blending yogurt with frozen fruit, like mango, strawberries and blueberries.book Anti-aging advice consult with Zak to plan your own lifestyle longevity goals.

Vegetables
Vegetables are important for good health and with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. It is important to serve your children a variety of vegetables per day. Get your kids involved by their own pizzas and they add a variety of healthy toppings on your pizza, such as olives, peppers and mushrooms. Add shredded zucchini and carrots into muffin mix. Dip raw vegetables such as carrots, celery and jicama in humus. Add frozen vegetables to soups, stews and pasta. Serve grilled vegetables over brown rice. Make the main course a big salad and have more components that your family, your salad, such as carrots, jicama, cucumbers, peppers, avocados and tomatoes add.

Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in important nutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin E, magnesium and fiber. A variety of whole grain cereals, bread, tortillas and crackers are available in grocery stores. Vary your whole grain intake to oatmeal, brown rice, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet include spelled and bulgar. For breakfast, the children add their favorite nuts and dried fruits have oatmeal. You can also make mashed banana banana flavored stir in oatmeal. For lunch, pack your children an almond butter, honey sandwich on whole wheat bread or spread of almond butter, honey on a whole wheat tortilla. For dinner, add barley to your favorite soup and garnish with whole grain bread.

Protein
Protein is important for a wide range of functions in the body and is essential for normal growth of children and adolescents. Protein is found in a wide range of foods, including nuts, nut butter, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, soy products, lentils, beans and whole grains. There are many ways to protein meals. Try stirring nuts, peanut butter or almond butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, cereal or hot cereal. Make a sandwich with egg on whole grain bread or scrambled eggs wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. Add lean meat for soup, salads, pasta, burritos, quesadillas and tacos. Make a smoothie with yogurt, soy milk and frozen fruit. Add tofu to fry, mix rice, pasta and chili.

Advice of Getting Nutritious Food For Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:02:00 +0000

The Answer To Your After-Meal Crash

I wonder how many people struggling with the after-lunch and after-dinner "blues. " By the "Blues" I believe that to be the crash after the meal that hits you like a freight train and send you drool the candy jar and coffee pot in a position to make it the rest of the way through the day.

Most people think that this decline is normal in energy levels and only a part of our hectic day. And it was normal for me. But honestly, after dealing with this problem for untold years, I have to the point that I dreaded lunch every day. It seemed that no matter what I eat for lunch, even a 100% raw lunch, I was almost unconscious with brain fog and drowsiness in one and a half hours. It was so embarrassing and uncomfortable. God forbid that I have to finish an important task or attend meeting after lunch have. My afternoons would be so wasted the feeling when I tried to keep my eyes open and get my mind the realignment. And forget it if I had a lot of carbs with my meal! I might also check out the rest of the day.

Do I have diabetes ?.... NO
Do I have hypoglycemia ?.... NO
So why all the complications? ... It's called insulin sensitivity.

The increase in blood sugar after a meal directly corresponds to the amount of carbohydrates consumed and absorbed during the meal. The more carbohydrates included, go to the higher blood sugar. The first 30 to 45 minutes after large meals - this is when blood sugars are at the highest levels of the day and cause significant damage. And live for millions of peoples with type 2 diabetes, this is the time window that must be carefully monitored.

Eating healthy nutritious food simple and easy!

A few months ago, I returned to the "working world" as I call it. After 14 years stay at home and care for a family and home schooling, I have all 5 of my children in public schools and landed a job outside the home.
In my office of 6 people, it was not long until I find out that I was the odd man when healthy eating nutritious foods. That I was not much surprised, since this is usually the case in my family and church group also.
Just about every day I bring my lunch from home and sometimes even prepare and cook it in our small kitchen at work, I get the same old question "What is it?". The question is, of course, with a look of disgust almost total.
My snacks consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts and the like. I eat about every 2 hours, which really makes them all crazy. Plus, I killed a half gallon jug full of water to, so remember that I drink all day. Now, all this is artificial, mind you. It's just me, that's developed over the years by the integration of new, healthy habits to my lifestyle.
I was thoughtful the other day that it's a novel idea, an abundance of healthy snacks in the office that people could choose from to have. They know how to keep these providers machines heaped full, because people sit there on their rumps all day in their chairs at their desks "need" sugar, caffeine (to the max), NutraSweet, MSG, artificial color-flavor, love etc. ..Why is there not a provider with an alternative?
Well, no sooner had I thought of this when I found out that there is indeed such a dealer.
You absolutely must go, must and look at my new friends ...http://www.thefruitguys.com/
Get this ... they provide a fresh fruit crate each week nationwide at home and in offices. They get their fruit from locations in your area and the fruit you get only 3 days before from the farm!There are 3 different packed boxes to choose from. The prices are affordable and your office people can finally an alternative to the junk that surrounds them.
You are probably thinking, "Yes, but my office folk actually choose the good stuff?"I know I was a little skeptical. However, I had delivered a deluxe box to my office. When it arrived, we just happen to have a meeting in our facility, which had just been released.Let me tell you, I was shocked beyond words, these people want to see a piece of fruit and one to save for the next day! They went "bananas" over the fruit Guys. I was so proud and happy. I almost wanted to cry ... "Wait, save me!". But I sat back and smiled with great satisfaction when I work the power of suggestion to the cause of the food looked.
The quality and variety of the fruit they sent me I was just blown away. Not a bad piece of fruit in the crowd. There were different types of apples, pears, oranges. There was even exotic fruit type that I never tried. Oh, I was in heaven!

Eating Healthy Nutritious Food Asks: What's So Bad About MSG?

I must admit that although I for years that I should eat healthy nutritious food knew seemed to be something inside me still floating on the foods that I knew were ultimately detrimental to my health.
I asked, ". Why is that I do not know a good choice I make, but I do not care I want it!" And I would, of course, choose the "bad" things. I think this proves that knowing what to do, and doing it are two different things ... and just to know the information is not enough to make us of the old, familiar foods, keep us long pants by little.
So what is the drive that takes us back to the proverbial abyss of bad eating habits?
I honestly think our taste buds to newly qualified (for lack of a better word). And there are certain ingredients that manufacturers deliberately in food to keep you coming back for more.
One of them is MSG.I remember hearing this ingredient as a teenager. We thought the Chinese restaurants were the only ones to use it. I thought, "Well, I do not eat a whole bunch of Chinese, so I guess eating it once in a while will not kill me!"I think that might be true, if Chinese food was the only place you could find MSG.
But I would like to ask us all to the truth about this ingredient, which we call "flavor enhancers" look. Since the FDA continued to vouch for their safety, scientists have known that MSG causes obesity since the 1960s! MSG makes you want to represent more of what it's put in or on.

MSG is an excitotoxin, so it excites your cells over the point of damage, as a poison and the creation of apparent "explosion" in the cells of the brain does. The cells are rapidly after consumption of MSG ... not slowly damaged over a long period of time. MSG has multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Lou Gherig's Disease associated with.

The second part of the equation is that MSG can literally hidden in food labels under names like broth, casein, hydrolyzed, autolyzed, and more that it is extremely difficult to identify.
It is clearly not worth a few bites of delicious junk food to give your body the green light for visceral fat, the most dangerous kind, that your organs and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, insomnia, diabetes type 2 and surrounds generate much more.
But that is exactly what we do when we foods contain MSG eat. Eliminating MSG from your diet is a wise choice for everyone, including pregnant women. A simple step to eliminate MSG is sticking with natural, unprocessed foods.
And if you want to eat processed foods are to find the many hidden names for MSG on food labels. They include (but are far from limited to):

GelatinHydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Yeast extract
Malting barley
Rice syrup or brown rice syrup

Get out there and read the labels. Some of the stuff reads like rocket fuel or what! Again and again you will realize that return healthy eating real food in its natural state of the funds.It is simple food, and it is not supposed to be difficult. Ask yourself ... "If my body is not identified this chemical to be used as fuel?"
Time to re-train our taste buds, our minds and our bodies! Does that mean you or I should be aware of every bite we consume paranoid? Absolutely not! Just be aware and make the healthiest choice you can, if you can.

Food Nutrition Facts and Balanced Diet

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Balanced Diet, Health And Nutrition

A balanced diet consisting of diverse and healthy food is the key to promoting good health. Finally, we are what we eat - more research to prove that healthy food is healthy and unhealthy eating habits lead to a diseased body. Foods contain important nutrients that aid our body's metabolic function. However, an absence of consumption of these nutrients or feeding the wrong kind of food to an accumulation of toxins in the body, leading to chronic diseases in the long run.
A nutritious diet at the same time ensuring the general well-being helps to have a healthy body mass index (BMI), reduces the risk of several serious illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. Thus, a nutritious and healthy diet is important in the prevention and cure of various diseases.

Diet for diseases

There are several health conditions are caused or aggravated by the food we can eat. However, there are some foods you can include in your diet to prevent or treat diseases. The easiest way is to draw up a balanced diet chart plots as this ensures that you get all the nutrients you need on a regular basis. A diet diet diet chart is a chart that you keep track of your nutritional diet helps requirements and is a very useful tool in creating a personalized diet plan.

Heart diseases: Coronary heart disease is a very common health problem, and they are closely related to a diet that is rich in unhealthy fats combined. Decreasing your intake of fatty foods, especially fried foods go a long way in preventing heart disease. On the other hand, a healthy diet chart with a sufficient amount is seen by fiber-rich foods to prevent heart disease. People suffering from heart problems are often advised to follow a special diet for heart disease, which is rich in raw fruits and vegetables.

Diabetes: While genetics play an important role in the development of diabetes, an unhealthy lifestyle and poor eating habits has, factors. A diabetic diet chart is a diet plan rich in fiber and low in fat with a minimal amount of saturated fats. Vegan diet is very effective in combating this problem.

Anemia: Anemia is usually caused by malnutrition and is usually with a diet low in iron connected. Iron-rich foods should be as green leafy vegetables, a diet for anemia should be included.

In addition to these diseases and conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gout and even cancer are influenced by the individual diet. There are several diet plans such as Acid Alkaline Diet plan, low glycemic index diet and the DASH diet plan that actually certain medical conditions are treated.

Healthy Food Groups
Since no single food group can nourish the body with all the vital ingredients it requires, it is important that we consume a variety of healthy foods to derive the nutrition our body needs. There are five main food groups, they are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products

A healthy and balanced diet of the five food groups provides essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. The food group serving size is determined by various factors such as age, activity, body size and gender. It is also important to eat a variety of healthy foods from within and between food groups. Because some foods within a food group provide more nutrients than others. This ensures that you get the maximum recommended diet from the food group to make in addition to the food variety for an interesting meal.

Diet for weight loss

Problems associated with excessive weight gain are common, as we lead a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits tend to have. People with excessive weight gain often try to crash diet in hopes of obtaining a slim figure. However, this type of a restrictive diet chart for weight loss extremely unhealthy and not easy to hold and so the individual succumbs to the temptation to go back to their unhealthy eating habits. The cycle repeated trial and failure of the individual can become disillusioned and finally try the person ceases to lose weight. However, a simple and easy weight loss diet chart work wonders for overweight and obese people. It is best to follow a daily diet chart, as this will help you to stick with your diet. A diet chart balance, it is important to consider your physical activity as a person who exercises daily will have a higher caloric need as compared to a person who leads a sedentary life.
You can healthy snacks in the daily diet charts, because they permit you snack, make without worrying about excessive weight gain worries. It is important to set realistic goals and dieticians have often that overweight people should not focus on weight loss, but try to follow a healthy eating plan. Once a person has decided that holding on is to a healthy diet chart on a daily basis their main goal, they will not unnecessarily on their progress in losing weight waistband. This allows a person to lose weight at a steady pace with a higher probability of sticking to their diet plan. Once a person has lost a significant amount of weight, can it ensure a follow-up diet chart to that weight loss is permanent. Note that is a healthy and balanced diet for a slimmer and healthier you lead!
In summary, it is clear that traditional medicine, the symptoms rather than causes of the disease, which usually lead by poor eating habits treated to an accumulation of toxins causes the system. While fix a nutritious healthy diet can cause disease and to restore wholeness of body and mind. Once we realize the connection between a healthy balanced diet and good health, our food is our medicine and the preservation of health is a question of the proper food choices and healthy lifestyles will be.

Healthy Eating Habits

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0000

EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies remain unrealistically thin, or avoiding the foods you love. It's more about feeling great, with more energy and keep as healthy as possible-all that can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and with them in a way that works for you.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to "Eat Smart" it's just not what you eat, but how you eat. Your eating habits can reduce your risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and to defend against depression. In addition, learn the habits of a healthy diet you can increase your energy, sharpen your memory and you stabilize your mood. Can you offer to your healthy eating habits and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

In order for success, you think healthy eating plan as a series of small, manageable steps instead of one big dramatic change. If the changes step by step approach and commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.

Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the basis for a healthy diet, they are poor, close to calories and nutrients, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Fruit and vegetables should form part of every meal and your first choice for a snack, aim for at least five portions a day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:

Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible

The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy sources of carbohydrates and fiber, especially whole grains for sustained energy. Besides being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants that help protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs

Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the US, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the strength to get up and go and move on. Protein in the diet is in the 20 amino acids, which are the body's basic building blocks for growth and energy broken, and essential for the maintenance of cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diets can slow growth, reduced muscle mass, lower immunity and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is especially important for children whose body grows and changes daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the most important nutrients that your body remain to be strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in men and women, among many other important functions.

You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body's calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K nutrients that help fulfill its mission calcium .

Recommended levels of calcium are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg, if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you do not get enough of these nutrients from food.

Good sources of calcium include:

Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

cane sugar or maple syrup
corn sweetener or corn syrup
honey or molasses
brown rice syrup

crystallized or evaporated cane juice
fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear
maltodextrin (or dextrin)
Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium.
Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Healthy eating tip 10: Plan quick and easy meals ahead

Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

In general, healthy food ingredients to the outer edges of most grocery stores, fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain bread and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores with overpriced, processed foods that are not well filled for you.

Shop the amount of memory for most of your food (fresh products), add a few things from the freezer (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the corridors with spices, oils and whole grains (like oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

Cook when you can

Try to do one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening to cook and make extra block or set aside for one night. Cooking in front saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you wait for a home cooked food to be eaten.

Challenge yourself to get even with two or three, which together dinner, without the use of the memory-use things in your pantry, refrigerator and spice rack to be taken. A delicious dinner of whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce or quickly a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat tortilla (with endless other recipes) could as an act of your go-to meal when you just too busy to buy or cook.

Weight-loss discoveries

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:58:00 +0000

Psychological insights into lasting weight-loss, and practical strategies for dealing with the foods you can’t live without.
All of us who have struggled with losing weight know that diets don’t work. But we often blame ourselves and our lack of discipline or willpower, rather than looking at the real reasons, which are more complex. Two experts have recently released books in which they offer new psychological theories about why we struggle so much with weight-loss, and what we can do to lose weight healthily, and for good.

Why willpower doesn’t work

In his book, Weight Loss for Food Lovers – understanding our minds and why we sabotage our weight loss, psychiatrist Dr George Blair-West says, “It is perfectly normal to be unable to stick to a traditional weight-loss plan. They are doomed as they simply ask too much of normal people. I argue that rather than people failing diets, diets fail people.”

What’s more, Dr Blair-West says when diets don’t work, it can set up a cycle where we feel like failures, not just at weight-loss, but as people. “This is tragic, when what has happened is perfectly normal!”

In her book, My Bum Looks Brilliant In This – the one true secret of lasting weight loss, Wellington psychologist Karen Nimmo says when we have spent years dieting, we often lose the ability to read the body’s signals of hunger. “Dieting trains the body to ignore the physical signs of hunger. So instead of trusting your body to alert you when it’s hungry, or full, you follow the ‘rules’ of your latest diet. This teaches you to eat with your mind or according to external cues. Our bodies supply all the cues we need – if we listen to them.”

In fact, says Nimmo, ‘willpower’ as a way of losing weight permanently only ever works when we have a really big reason to lose weight – like an upcoming wedding, a new relationship, or a major health issue. And, as many of us know, once that event or concern is over, weight often creeps back on, plus a bit extra.

“Willpower is a dated and unhelpful concept,” she says. “You don’t fail to lose weight or regain weight because you lack willpower. You ‘fail’ because your mind and/or body do things without your permission.”
Dr Blair-West also focuses on our thought processes. He outlines the concept of Restraint Theory (see below). It’s a simple but often overlooked idea: when foods are forbidden, they become more desirable and we come up with all sorts of psychological strategies to ‘cheat’ and find ways to get around it.

“Deprivation, of anything, has powerful psychological ramifications for all of us,” he says. “We don’t like it and we will do anything in our power to overcome it. Restricting or depriving ourselves of certain foods is the beginning of a sabotage process that will ultimately bring our dieting undone.”

Restraint Theory
Two ways our minds sabotage our best efforts to lose weight:
The ‘last supper’ effect When we anticipate going on a diet, the mere thought of what is to come can trigger overeating. When our food supply is under threat, we eat up big while we still can.
The ‘what the hell’ effect Once we succumb to temptation and break the diet, we decide ‘What the hell, I’ve blown it now. I might as well have a good time’– and start rebound overeating.

How our heads can change our bodies

There are lots of reasons why we gain weight. Health problems, hormonal fluctuations, and life stages such as post-pregnancy and middle age are physical reasons. But other reasons, says Nimmo, are psychological: misery, boredom, stress, low self-esteem, and lack of meaningful goals in life. Address these, she says, and weight-loss will follow.
“If you can understand the way you behave and where it’s come from, you can address the real reasons you’re overweight. You can change your mind and your thinking.”

Analysing our thoughts and beliefs

Nimmo advocates first exploring your relationship with food. This means asking questions about how your family ate, your parents’ attitudes towards food, and your eating behaviour. The answers can offer insights into why we overeat, which will be different for each person. “We get so many messages from our parents, with the best of intentions,” she says. “It’s impossible to tell which ones will stick. For example, you might have been told to always eat everything on your plate. It can be a real revelation to a person to realise they don’t have to keep doing this as an adult.”
Another step is to take a look at our eating behaviour. As well as analysing the more obvious – when (our eating patterns) and what (our choice of food) – we also need to look at our ‘style of eating’. This means asking questions like: Do you eat standing up in kitchen? Do you eat in front of the TV? Do you eat fast or savour the taste of your food? Are you finished first or last? Recognising these behaviours means we can take steps towards more conscious or ‘mindful’ eating.

How to be a more mindful eater (and how it helps you lose weight)

Both experts say that when we associate guilt with certain foods, we’re less likely to enjoy them and we’re more likely to wolf them down without even really tasting them. “Nearly everybody who is trying to lose weight tells me that when they eat their forbidden foods the dominant emotion they feel is guilt, and the dominant behaviour is to eat quickly,” says Dr Blair-West. He suggests when we do this, we miss the pleasurable experience of eating our favourite foods, and we’re unlikely to feel satisfied. So if it’s a bad idea to forbid ourselves foods, how do we deal with the foods we can’t live without?
Dr Blair-West’s approach forms the basis of his ‘low sacrifice diet’. The idea will be novel for many dieters: to include danger foods in daily eating lifestyles. “Nothing increases our desire for something like not being able to have it,” he says. When we know we can have something, we eat less of it.
If that sounds like a recipe for disaster, it’s important to note when we eat our forbidden foods, we must really take time to savour them. He recommends a savouring exercise’ (see below) to slow down and enjoy the forbidden food. The goal? To taste more, to eat less.

How to savour your favourite foods

Dr George Blair-West does this ‘savouring exercise’ in his weight-loss workshops.
Get yourself some yummy food – the more decadent the better.
Take it in with your eyes. Notice its texture. Is it smooth or rough? If it has been cut or broken, look at this edge. Turn it around and look at it from all sides. What do you notice?
Next, use your sense of smell. Give it a good long sniff. What do you notice? Does it have a weak or strong smell? How would you describe its qualities?
Now, bite off a piece and place it in your mouth. What is the feeling against your lips as you bite it off to put it in your mouth? Are you salivating? Don’t chew it just yet. Just let it sit there on your tongue. What do you notice? You want to chew it, don’t you? Okay, so chew it. Is it soft and crumbly or does it have a bit of rebound to it? Notice the flavours being released. How many different flavours are there? Where do you taste them on your tongue?

The remaining sense is hearing. Listen as you chew – what is the sound of chewing your forbidden food? Focus on this sound. It is the sound of pleasure.

Now, as you start to swallow, be aware of two things. One, the sensation of swallowing, the complex coordination of the muscles in your throat; two, the fact that as you swallow the food the taste experience reduces dramatically! This is why we must not swallow food that we have not fully savoured and appreciated. We have no taste buds in our stomach!

Now, finish it off – SLOWLY. Pause between each mouthful. Make the most of it.
Was that a little different from how you normally eat your favourite food? If ‘yes’, great – you now know how to savour.

What most people find is that if they have eaten this way it is much, much easier to stop at two pieces of rich chocolate or a small slice of chocolate fudge brownie.

Healthy Fast Food

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:46:00 +0000

Healthy Fast Food

Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices

Fast food is cheap, convenient, filling, and to many of us it tastes good. If you are eating out, a fast food restaurant is often the cheapest option, but unfortunately not a healthy one. Eating just one fast food meal can pack enough calories, sodium and fat for an entire day or more. Eating fast food on a regular basis can lead to a host of different health problems, both physical and psychological.
Still, in a bad economy the quick-and-cheap temptation can often be hard to resist. As an informed customer, though, you can make healthier choices and still enjoy the price and convenience of fast food restaurants.

When is it healthy to eat fast food?

The short answer is: rarely. Typically, fast food is low in nutrition and high in trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, and calories. Some examples:

One sack of hash bites or potato snackers from White Castle , for example, contains 10 grams of very unhealthy trans fat. The American Heart Association recommends we consume less than 2 grams of trans fat per day. So in one side order, you’ve just eaten more than five days’ worth of heart-busting trans fat!
A single meal of a Double Whopper with cheese, a medium order of fries, and an apple pie from Burger King contains more saturated fat than the American Heart Association recommends we consume in two days.

Moderation becomes the key. It’s OK to indulge a craving for French fries every now and then, but to stay healthy you can’t make it a regular habit. Finding a healthy, well-balanced meal in most fast food restaurants can be a challenge, but there are always choices you can make that are healthier than others.

Learning to make healthier choices at fast food restaurants

Making healthier choices at fast food restaurants is easier if you prepare ahead by checking guides that show you the nutritional content of meal choices at your favorite restaurants. Free downloadable guides help you evaluate your options. If you have a special dietary concern, such as diabetes, heart health or weight loss, the websites of national non-profits provide useful advice. You can also choose to patronize restaurants that focus on natural, high quality food.
If you don’t prepare ahead of time, common sense guidelines help to make your meal healthier. For example, a seemingly healthy salad can be a diet minefield when smothered in high-fat dressing and fried toppings, so choose a salad with fresh veggies, grilled toppings and a lighter dressing. Portion control is also important, as many fast food restaurants serve enough food for several meals in the guise of a single serving.

Tips for making healthy choices at fast food restaurants

Make careful menu selections – pay attention to the descriptions on the menu. Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, Alfredo, au gratin or in cream sauce are usually high in calories, unhealthy fats or sodium. Order items with more vegetables and choose leaner meats.
Drink water with your meal. Soda is a huge source of hidden calories. One 32-oz Big Gulp with regular cola packs about 425 calories, so one Big Gulp can quickly gulp up a big portion of your daily calorie intake. Try adding a little lemon to your water or ordering unsweetened iced tea.
“Undress” your food. When choosing items, be aware of calorie- and fat-packed salad dressings, spreads, cheese, sour cream, etc. For example, ask for a grilled chicken sandwich without the mayonnaise. You can ask for a packet of ketchup or mustard and add it yourself, controlling how much you put on your sandwich.
Special order. Many menu items would be healthy if it weren't for the way they were prepared. Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces. Ask for olive oil and vinegar for your salads or order the dressing "on the side" and spoon only a small amount on at a time. If your food is fried or cooked in oil or butter, ask to have it broiled or steamed.
Eat mindfully. Pay attention to what you eat and savor each bite. Chew your food more thoroughly and avoid eating on the run. Being mindful also means stopping before you are full. It takes time for our bodies to register that we have eaten. Mindful eating relaxes you, so you digest better, and makes you feel more satisfied.

Tips for what to AVOID at fast food restaurants

Super-sized portions - An average fast food meal can run to 1000 calories or more, so choose a smaller portion size, order a side salad instead of fries, and don't supersize anything. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for two meals. Take half home or divide the portion with a dining partner.
Salt. Fast food restaurant food tends to be very high in sodium, a major contributor to high blood pressure. Don’t add insult to injury by adding more salt.
Bacon. It’s always tempting to add bacon to sandwiches and salads for extra flavor, but bacon has very few nutrients and is high in fat and calories. Instead, try ordering extra pickles, onions, lettuce, tomatoes or mustard to add flavor without the fat.
Buffets – even seemingly healthy ones like salad bars. You'll likely overeat to get your money's worth. If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with olive oil & vinegar or low-fat dressings, broiled entrees and steamed vegetables. Resist the temptation to go for seconds, or wait at least 20 minutes after eating to make sure you're really still hungry before going back for more.

Watch your fast food sodium intake

High salt/sodium intake is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association recommends that adults stay under 1500 mg of sodium per day, and never take in more than 2,300 mg a day. A study by the New York City Health Department surveyed 6,580 meals bought at fast-food restaurant chains and found that:

About 57% of the meals exceeded the 1,500-mg daily sodium level.
Fried chicken outlets including KFC and Popeye's were the worst offenders, with 83% of meals exceeding 1500 mg of sodium and 55% of the meals surpassing 2,300 mg of sodium.
At only one of the 11 chains included in the study, Au Bon Pain, did more than 7% of meals contain less than 600 mg, the FDA’s "healthy" sodium level for meals. But even there, 46% of meals had 1,500 mg or more of sodium.
Even those eating lower calorie meals were likely to exceed their daily sodium limit within a single meal.

Guides can help you make healthier meal choices

Many fast food chains post nutritional information on their websites. Unfortunately, these lists are often confusing and hard to use. Instead you can go to other websites that provide health and nutrition information, but in easier to follow formats. Some even publish comparison downloadable guides or inexpensive pocket guides. Learn how to make a healthier meal selection at your favorite restaurant:

HealthyDiningFinder.com – allows you to search for restaurants offering a selection of healthier menu options and view the nutrition data for selected items. You can search for area restaurants or a specific restaurant.
Stop&Go Fast Food Nutrition Guide – this guide is particularly convenient and easy to use. Look up any of the major chain restaurants and find out how to make healthier choices. For more information, see below.

Guides for your individual needs

There are many websites geared toward how to make healthy choices at restaurants depending on your specific dietary needs, whether it is for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or weight management.

Healthier fast food at burger chains

Figuring out healthier options at your favorite fast food burger chain can be tricky. A typical meal at a burger joint consists of a "sandwich", some fries and a drink, which can quickly come in at over 1700 calories for something like Burger King's Triple Whopper with a large fries and a 16 oz. soda. A better option would be a regular single patty burger, small fries, and water, which is about 500 calories. Alternatively you may enjoy a veggie burger smothered in grilled onion and mushrooms. Or if you want a large beef burger, then skip the fries and soda and have a side salad and water instead.

The Big Burger Chains

Less Healthy choices

Double-patty hamburger with cheese, mayo, special sauce, and bacon
Fried chicken sandwich
Fried fish sandwich
Salad with toppings such as bacon, cheese, and ranch dressing
Breakfast burrito with steak
French fries
Milkshake
Chicken “nuggets” or tenders
Adding cheese, extra mayo, and special sauces

Healthier choices

Regular, single-patty hamburger without mayo or cheese
Grilled chicken sandwich
Veggie burger
Garden salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing
Egg on a muffin
Baked potato or a side salad
Yogurt parfait
Grilled chicken strips
Limiting cheese, mayo, and special sauces

For a healthier fast food option at a burger restaurant try:

McDonald's Hamburger: 260 calories, 9g fat (3.5g saturated fat).
Wendy's Jr. Hamburger: 280 calories, 9g fat (3.5g saturated fat).

Healthier fast food at fried chicken chains

Although certain chains have been advertising “no trans fats” in their food, the fact is that fried chicken can pack quite a fattening punch. According to the restaurant’s nutrition info, just a single Extra Crispy Chicken breast at KFC has a whopping 440 calories, 27 grams of fat, and 970 mg of sodium. A healthier choice is the drumstick, which has 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 370 mg of sodium. Alternatively, if you like the breast meat, take off the skin and it becomes a healthy choice at 140 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 520 mg of sodium.
Some tips for making smarter choices at fast food chicken restaurants:

The Big Fried Chicken Chains

Less healthy choices

Fried chicken, original or extra-crispy.
Teriyaki wings or popcorn chicken
Caesar salad
Chicken and biscuit “bowl”
Adding extra gravy and sauces

Healthier choices

Skinless chicken breast without breading
Honey BBQ chicken sandwich
Garden salad
Mashed potatoes
Limiting gravy and sauces

For a healthier fast food option at a fried chicken restaurant try:

KFC Original Recipe Chicken Breast (with breading and skin removed) and a side of green beans: 190 calories, 4.5g fat (1.5g saturated fat).

Healthy fast food: Mexican chains

Fast food chains that specialize in tacos or burritos can be caloric minefields or they can be a good option for finding healthy fast food. Rice, beans, salsa and a few slices of fresh avocado can make a very healthy meal. But adding cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips can turn even a good meal unhealthy. Be sure to also remember portion control since these types of restaurants can have enormous menu items (eat half and take the rest for another meal).
Several chains, like Taco Bell and Baja Fresh, have “healthy” menu options that feature less fat and fresher ingredients.

The Big Taco Chains

Less healthy choices

Crispy shell chicken taco
Refried beans
Steak chalupa
Crunch wraps or gordita-type burritos
Nachos with refried beans
Adding sour cream or cheese

Healthier choices

Grilled chicken soft taco
Black beans
Shrimp ensalada
Grilled “fresco” style steak burrito
Veggie and bean burrito
Limiting sour cream or cheese

For a healthier fast food option at a Mexican restaurant try:

Taco Bell Taco Salad (without the shell, sour cream or cheese): 330 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated fat)

Healthy fast food: Sub sandwich chains

Americans love all types of sandwiches: hot, cold, wrapped, foot long. Usually eaten with a salad instead of fries. The ads promote the health benefits of sandwich shops. Easier said than done... studies have found that many people tend to eat more calories per meal at a sub shop than at McDonalds. This may be because people feel so virtuous eating “healthy” like the ads promise, that they reward themselves with chips, sodas, or extra condiments.
You can make healthier choices at a deli or sub shop but you need to use some common sense.

Subs, Sandwich and Deli Choices

Less healthy choices

Foot-long sub
High-fat meat such as ham, tuna salad, bacon, meatballs, or steak
The “normal” amount of higher-fat (cheddar, American) cheese
Adding mayo and special sauces
Keeping the sub “as is” with all toppings
Choosing white bread or “wraps” which are often higher in fat than normal bread

Healthier choices

Six-inch sub
Lean meat (roast beef, chicken breast, lean ham) or veggies
One or two slices of lower-fat cheese (Swiss or mozzarella)
Adding low-fat dressing or mustard instead of mayo
Adding extra veggie toppings
Choosing whole-grain bread or taking the top slice off your sub and eating it open-faced

For a healthier fast food option at a sub sandwich restaurant try:

Subway 6" Roast Beef Sub (on whole wheat bread with veggies, no mayo): 290 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat)

Healthy Asian food

Asian cultures tend to eat very healthfully, with an emphasis on veggies, and with meat used as a “condiment” rather than being the focus of the meal. Unfortunately, Americanized versions of these ethnic foods tend to be much higher in fat and calories – so caution is needed. But here’s a great tip for all Asian restaurants – use the chopsticks! You’ll eat more slowly, since you can’t grasp as much food with them at one time as you can with your normal fork and knife.

Asian Food Choices

Less healthy choices

Fried egg rolls, spare ribs, tempura
Battered or deep-fried dishes (sweet and sour pork, General Tso’s chicken)
Deep-fried tofu
Coconut milk, sweet and sour sauce, regular soy sauce
Fried rice
Salads with fried or crispy noodles

Healthier choices

Egg drop, miso, wonton, or hot & sour soup
Stir-fried, steamed, roasted or broiled entrees (shrimp chow mein, chop suey)
Steamed or baked tofu
Sauces such as ponzu, rice-wine vinegar, wasabi, ginger, and low-sodium soy sauce
Steamed brown rice
Edamame, cucumber salad, stir-fried veggies

For a healthier fast food option at a Chinese restaurant try:

Panda Express Tangy Shrimp with a side of mixed veggies: 260 calories, 7.5 g fat (1.5g saturated fat).

Healthy Italian fast food

The anti-carbohydrate revolution has given Italian food a bad rap, but Italian is actually one of the easiest types of cuisine to make healthy. Stay away from fried, oily or overly buttery, as well as thick crust menu items, and you can keep your diet goals intact.
Watch out for the following terms, which are common culprits of high fat and calories: alfredo, carbonara, saltimbocca, parmigiana, lasagna, manicotti, stuffed (all have heavy amounts of cream and cheese). Generally Italian places have lots of veggies in their kitchen so it’s easy to ask to have extra veggies added to your meal.

Italian and Pizza Restaurant Choices

Less healthy choices

Thick-crust or butter-crust pizza with extra cheese and meat toppings
Garlic bread
Antipasto with meat
Pasta with cream or butter-based sauce
Entrée with side of pasta
Fried (“frito”) dishes

Healthier choices

Thin-crust pizza with half the cheese and extra veggies
Plain rolls or breadsticks
Antipasto with vegetables
Pasta with tomato sauce and veggies
Entrée with side of veggies
Grilled (“griglia”) dishes

For a healthier fast food option at a pizza restaurant try:

Pizza Hut Fit 'N Delicious Chicken & Veggie Pizza (2 slices): 208 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat)

Chains with natural, high-quality fast food

Whether you choose to eat fast food at a McDonald’s, a Subway, or a local deli, there are always menu choices that are healthier than others. However, some fast food restaurants offer a greater variety of healthy menu choices than others. In a recent survey of the 100 largest fast food chains in America, Health magazine compiled a list of the healthiest fast food restaurants. The top 5 were:

Panera Bread – provides a wide variety of healthy menu options, half-sized portions, and organic chicken. Plenty of healthy choices on the kids’ menu, too, but avoid the sticky buns on display at the counter.

Jason’s Deli – uses organic ingredients and encourages portion control by offering smaller meals at a discounted price. Beware of the sodium content of their sandwiches, though.

Au Bon Pain – serves healthy, low calories soups, salads, and sandwiches using whole grains and organic chicken. Nutritional information is posted at each restaurant, so it’s a good idea to check the sodium content before ordering.

Noodles and Company – cooks noodle bowls using healthy Soybean oil, fresh vegetables and organic meat and tofu. The desserts, however, are much less healthy.

Corner Bakery and Café – offers healthy breakfast choices, plus healthy salads, sandwiches, and soup. Check their website for nutritional information first, though, as it’s not available in the restaurants.

Healthy Eating Pyramid

noreply@blogger.com (akmal) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:24:00 +0000

Healthy Eating Pyramid
The food pyramid, which is actually based on the latest and best science.

5 tips on eating behavior:

1. Start with exercise.

   A healthy diet is based on regular exercise, which keeps calories in balance and built the weight under control. Read active five short tips for staying healthy and always on your weight, and a dozen ideas for fitting exercise into your life.

2. Do not focus on food, grams

   The Healthy Eating Pyramid does not worry about certain portions or grams of food, so neither should you. It is a simple, general guide, you should eat like when you eat.

3. Go with plants.

   Eating a plant-based diet is healthiest. Choose plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats, like olive and canola oil. Check out this delicious, healthy recipes, healthy food pyramid to bring in your kitchen.

4. Cut way back on American staples.

Red meat and processed meats, refined grains, potatoes, sugary drinks and salty snacks are part of American culture, but they're also really unhealthy. Go for a plant-based diet rich in non-starchy vegetables, fruits and whole grains. And if you eat meat, fish and poultry are the best choice.

5. Take a multivitamin, and maybe something to drink. In a multivitamin, a good nutrition insurance. Moderate drinking for many people to real health benefits, but it's not for everyone. Who should not drink do not feel that they need to start.

We can not look at a pyramid these days without thinking about food and healthy eating. It was the U.S. government's Food Guide Pyramid, is the substitution, My Pyramid, which was basically the same, followed only opened to the page. The problem was that these efforts, while well intended, as a rule, were actually quite on, the people, what makes a healthy diet deficient. Why? Their recommendations are often based influences on out-of-date science and people with business interests in their messages.

But, there is a better alternative: the Healthy Eating Pyramid, built by the faculty in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Based on the latest scientific findings and influenced by businesses and organizations with a stake in their embassies, the Healthy Eating Pyramid, a simple, reliable guide to choosing a healthy diet. Its foundation is daily exercise and weight control because those two elements you are great your chance to influence healthy. The Healthy Eating Pyramid builds from there which shows that you should be more food from the bottom of the pyramid (vegetables, whole grains) and less food from the upper (red meat, refined grains, sugary drinks and salt).