Site Info
Monthly Archives: December 2011
Eight Healthy, Nutritious Snack Foods That Taste Good
Nutrition is a science that studies nutrients and other substances in foods and in the body and the way those nutrients relate to health an disease. Nutrition also explores why you choose the foods you do and the type of diet you eat. Nutrients are nourishing substances in food. They provide energy and promotion of the growth and maintenance of the body. Six classes of nutrients are carbohydrates, fats (sometimes called lipids), protein, vitamins, minerals, and water.
A nutritious diet has four characteristics:
1. Adequate
2. Balanced
3. Moderate
4. Varied
An adequate diet provides enough kcalories, essential nutrients, and fiber to keep you healthy. A moderate diet avoids taking in excessive amounts of kcalories or eating more of one food or food group than recommended. For example, if you consume too many kcalories it will lead to obesity. The concept of moderation allows you to choose appropriate portion sizes of any food as well as to indulge occasionally in high-kcalorie, high fat foods like french fries or ice cream. This may sound simple (eat enough but not too much of the necessary nutrients), but surveys show that most adult Americans find it hard to do.
Before the body can use the nutrients in food, the food must be digested and the nutrients absorbed through the walls of the stomach or intestine into the blood system. People need to choose meals and snacks that are high in nutrients but low to moderate in energy content. Doing so offers important benefits like normal growth and development of children, health promotion for people of all ages, and less risk of chronic diseases.
The intake levels of the following nutrients might be of concern for these groups of people:
* Adults: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E.
* Children and Adolescents: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Here is a helpful list of some healthy nutritious foods you can snack on.
1. Toasted Oats Snacks. Try taking a handful of oats to a frying pan and toast them slightly. If you like, you can top off the oats with yogurt, or a fruit spread.
2. Whole Grain Cereals, like toasted oats.
3. Whole Grain or Oatmeal cookies.
4. Whole grain popcorn can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt or butter.
5. Whole grain snack chips, like baked tortilla chips.
6. Snack on ready to eat, whole grain cereals like toasted oat cereal.
7. Oatmeal cookies.
8. Applesauce.
Omega 3 Salmon is Hard to Beat – Ocean Friendly, Nutritious, and Delicious
When talking about salmon and why wild salmon is incredible, it is hard to know where to begin. Do you begin with its nutritional value? Omega-3′s maybe. Known as the heart-healthy fats, Omega-3′s help decrease blood lipids, blood clotting factors, as well as decrease inflammation in the blood vessels (to name just a few positive side affects). Wild Salmon also contains many vitamins, including A, D, B6 and B2, as well as niacin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus. Few foods can pack in all this nutrition and still be a crowd pleaser, but Wild Salmon is the exception. These recipes rank high on most seafood lovers lists, and with its light flavor and firm texture, even the least adventurous foodie should be pleased to try a serving.
What is the HGC Diet and is the HGC Diet Safe?
HGC Diet: Amazingly Fast Weight Loss
The headlines ” Lose 1 to 2 lbs. a Day” caught my eye! I began reading about a diet plan that I had never heard of before, well, I had heard about it just a few minutes ago when my Wife asked me if I’d like to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, that’s why I was researching the hGC diet. It’s kind of funny, because all the articles I was reading seemed to point out the dangers of the hGC diet with authors lamenting the woes of extreme low calorie dieting but the comments below articles all seemed positive, most of the commentators were extolling the virtues of this diet and how they had finally lost weight after years of trying and lost it amazingly fast.
HGC Diet: Really It’s hCG
Actually it is the hCG diet and not the hGC diet. hCG stands for Human Chronic Gonadotropin which is a hormone that is made by the cells in the placenta. During a woman’s pregnancy this hormone helps in the development of the placenta and in the development of gonads in the growing fetus. It is present in both men and women but during pregnancy, the levels in women skyrocket. The hCG hormone also causes the hypothalamus to mobilize the fat cells, in other words open them for business. This helps supply nutrition to the growing baby from the mother’s fat cells. This is where the idea of using this hormone for dieting came from. Besides its natural occurrence in the body and its use in weight loss the hCG hormone is also used in treating infertility in both men and women.
HGC Diet: Is the HGC Diet Really OK To Try?
If a person could consume enough hCG to cause of their fat cells to “open for business” and they could combine that with a low-calorie diet, voila, dramatic weight loss would occur. The theory was that the body would turn to the open fat cells for fuel when it was denied calories from the regular diet.
The question still remains is the diet safe? Many so-called experts out there decry this diet as dangerous and unsafe. They point to several reasons including the fact that the FDA has not approved this hormone for a weight-loss. (Although it is approved for infertility treatments and pregnancy related issues.) They also point out that 500 calories a day does not supply sufficient energy to even run your brain let alone your whole body. They claim this could cause severe organ damage, and that such a low calorie diet will cause your body to cannibalize its muscle tissues for energy. To add a final nail to the coffin, these experts claim that you’ll eventually become so hungry you’ll give in and go on an eating binge. The fact is, most of these authors do not know what they’re talking about. They are basing their a knee-jerk reactions on the separate factors of this diet rather than understanding the diet as a whole.
HGC Diet: 500 Calorie-A-Day Diets Are Dangerous
A 500 calorie-a-day diet by itself would be dangerous and certainly would do damage to your body organs and lean muscle tissues. But what they failed to take into account is the action the hCG hormone takes on the hypothalamus which then in turn activates the fat cells to accept or release fat. Since the body is only receiving 500 calories of food fuel a day it turns to the fat stored in it cells. Since the hypothalamus has made this fat readily available, the body makes up the calorie deficit by consuming its own fat, up to 2000 to 2,500 calories of fat a day.
HCG Diet: Bad Experiences?
People who have a bad experience usually have not followed strictly the instructions that come with the diet. The hCG diet is quite unforgiving and demands that you follow the instructions to the letter! Since you’re fat cells are open for business you can not cheat. Any cheating will lead to immediate weight gain. This is both a curse and a blessing. The blessing comes from the fact that you don’t cheat so the fat melts off your body. Because of the action of the hormone you are rewarded every morning when you step on the scales. I have been on this diet twice and both times had great success. I lost 60 lbs. in as many days.
Having said all of this, I will readily admit that this diet is not for everyone and I could not possibly know how each individual will react to the hormone and to the hGC diet itself but if you use common sense and stop dieting if you feel weak, dizzy, or have any other negative side effects you should be OK. Millions of pregnant women around the world have significantly higher levels of this hormone coursing through their veins than you will ever have during the duration of this diet. But if you are looking for rapid, safe weight-loss perhaps you should consider trying this method.
Choosing a Drug Treatment Center
Alcohol may be like a great addiction you will be least to bother about, but the reality is, it is beginning to occur with youths with very ahead of time ages along with the numbers these cases are generally rising these days. The at a minimum you might like to find available is that the loved you recognize has become plagued by alcohol. The results have risen as a result of many motives and just about the most easy method to explain it’s the fact that this has become this embedded component of our activities, an addiction could very well be the last item to care about. In fact it can be an issue that’s subject to help everyone consequently, you must be aware.
If you will be suspecting anyone below the negative side effects of meds, don’t stop to scream for help. Where does one call it’s possible you’ll wonder? The company of drug treatment center is the one that is preparing to respond everytime of when real and you will be delighted to own you to see for you how some are struggling in hand to relieve the effects of drinking. Your family and friends definitely isn’t the merely one but this fails to change the reality that treatments available are tailored to accomodate specifically to get a single individual not a web template of measures that request for all.
The facility is situated in very in close proximity to and in truth, you will be in the cardiovascular system of lovely sceneries that can never omit to take ones breath gone. Staying near to the nature has estimated to be of great be an aid to the several and available them a way to self-recover together with stand on the feet all over again. This is incredibly effective precisely as it functions as the main safety world-wide-web after an individual returns property, a promise that as a result of one’s potency and spirit they also have went about getting out independently.
Health Benefits Of Basil
Basil is a popular herb in Italian cooking, particularly in pesto. This fragrant and flavorful herb, a relative of peppermint, is an excellent, nutritious addition to your pasta sauce, soup, or salad.
An array of flavonoids exist in basil, which help to protect cells and chromosomes from damage. Studies have shown that two of these flavonoids in particular, orientin and vicenin, are useful in protecting cell structures and chromosomes from damage by radiation and oxygen.
Essential oil of basil has been shown to inhibit the growth of several types of bacteria, many of which have become resistant to antibiotics. This essential oil has been found to inhibit growth of the widespread staphylococcus, enterococcus, pseudomonas, and e. coli bacteria, among others. Adding basil to your vinaigrette will both enhance the flavor, and ensure that the fresh salad greens are safe to eat.
Eugenol, which is found in essential oil of basil, provides an anti-inflammatory effect, by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase. Aspirin and Ibuprofen work by blocking this same enzyme. So, basil can have healing benefits, and provide relief from the symptoms of inflammatory problems, like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions.
Basil is also a good source of vitamin A, which helps to prevent damage to the cells by free radicals. Vitamin A also prevents free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol in the blood stream, preventing the cholesterol from building up in the blood vessels.
Magnesium is also present in basil. This essential mineral helps the heart and blood vessels to relax, improving blood flow. Other nutrients found in basil include iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.
The fresh, spicy flavor and scent of basil will wake up any boring salad or soup. Use fresh basil whole, or shredded to add a burst of flavor to your dinner. If you are using fresh basil in a cooked dish, add it towards the end of cooking, so that the volatile oils will not be dissipated by the heat.
Insalata Caprese is a simple salad, utilizing tomatoes, fresh mozzerella cheese, basil, and olive oil.
1/2 pound, fresh mozzerella, sliced 1/4 inch thick.
2 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick.
1 cup fresh basil leaves.
salt and pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
On a serving plate, arrange the mozzerella and tomato around the edge, alternating mozzerella and tomato slices.
Tear up the basil leaves, and sprinkle them on top of the tomatoes and mozerella cheese.
Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Just before serving, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salad.
Serves 4.
Picnic Food Ideas for a Nutritious and Simple Picnic
When deciding the menu for a picnic, the name of the game is flavor. But, flavor doesn’t have to mean unhealthy. A picnic menu can be just as healthy and easy as a meal you would prepare at home.
Picnic appetizers keep guests from getting bored while they wait for the grill to heat up. Make or purchase a container of veggie dip. If you purchase the dip, buy the light variety. When whipping up a dip, opt for ranch seasoning mix and a container of low fat sour cream. The taste is just as flavorful minus all of the added calories.
To accompany your dip, try a raw vegetable platter. Vegetables are lighter than chips and they won’t adversely impact your waistline if you eat too many. Preparing the vegetables the night before gives you more time the day of the picnic. Vegetables can be sliced into decorative chips with a crinkle cutter for added variety.
If the kids must have salty snacks, choose the baked variety. Most snack companies sell a baked, lower fat version of their popular snacks. More importantly, one hundred calorie snack bags will keep them from consuming too many of their favorite snacks.
Frozen burger patties don’t have to be fattening anymore. Choose from turkey burger patties or 98% lean hamburger. These alternatives are tasty and will benefit your family’s health. When dressing the burger, add a generous slice of tomato, onion, and/or lettuce.
The more food items you can prepare before hand, the more relaxed the actual picnic will be. Chicken breast or seafood kabobs can be bought fresh directly from the meat department of the local grocer. Keep them cool until ready to toss on the grill. A side dish of brown rice can be served with the kabobs for a complete meal.
Dessert at a picnic usually consists of cake or some other sweet confection. Fruit salad is a healthy twist on dessert. A combination of sweet fruits topped with coconut pieces or served with a fruit dip satisfies the sugar craving. Try grilled fruits like pineapples or peaches for a tangy tasting dessert.
When it comes to drinks, opt for bottled water or juices. Sugar free flavor packets can be mixed into bottled water for a fruity drink if you don’t want to drink juice. If picnickers will be active, water offers better hydration than soda drinks.
A picnic doesn’t have to equate to a departure from a healthy eating regimen. Nutritious menu items can be managed even on the grill. Pre-planning can keep the menu less filling not to mention simple and stress-free.