Finding a list of healthy foods to eat is not as easy you would think. There are a lot of amazing foods in the world that can increase your well being and make you look amazing. It is just about finding them.
What is healthy food?
Healthy food is food that is healthy. Now that might sound oversimplified but that is what it is. You can generally tell what food is healthy and what food is not. Fruit and vegetables are the obvious choice. The problem is that every corner seems to be filled with a fast food joint. This makes making the healthy choices a little bit harder.
Why fruits and vegetables?
They may seem dull to eat but they are the "bread and butter" of healthy foods. You could make a list of healthy foods to eat right now by simply visiting the fruits and vegetables section of any supermarket. Why is this?
Fruits and vegetables contain all the vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis. This includes vitamins A, B, C, D and E. They all serve different areas of the body. On top of this they are also very low in fat. So you are eating food but not storing anything. The low quantity of carbohydrates that they are made of is burnt of quickly throughout the day. Celery for example is in fact considered a negative calorie food. You actually lose weight eating it.
What else is healthy?
To be completely healthy and find a list of healthy foods to eat, you are however going to need more than just fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates and proteins are the base of any meal. Breads, cereals, rice and pasta are all excellent carbohydrates. The wholemeal choice is always the best option.
Proteins are essential for muscle repair and include meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Of course the right kind of meat must be chosen. Chicken breast is an excellent choice, along with turkey and tuna. When eating eggs it is always best to keep the egg yolks to a minimum. A ratio of 1 yolk to 3 eggs is ideal.
Milk, yoghurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium which greatly benefits your bone strength. The low fat choice of both is also recommended.
What about fats?
The right kind of fats in the right quantities is absolutely essential. Sweets and fried food generally do not fit in to this category. Fish oil and nuts are rich a source of healthy fats including Omega-3.
How much do I Eat?
This really depends on your daily activity level. To lose weight, carbohydrates and fats should be restricted to a low amount. Weight maintenance can be done simply by making the healthy choices and avoiding junk food.
Can I ever eat junk food?
At the end of the day, we are all human and it is impossible to suppress cravings for junk food for the rest of your life. So you certainly can eat junk food but only once in a while. For example you could reward yourself for a week of healthy eating by going out of a meal. This is fine as long as you are back to healthy eating the next day.
Where can I find a complete list of these healthy foods?
This is a basic overview of a list of healthy foods to eat. There are many guides available that can help you with this and actually do provide you with a list of healthy foods to eat. They can be very affordable and well worth the money.
If you would like some recommendations click here to visit a review page for these guides.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Paz
Sunday 31 January 2010
Saturday 30 January 2010
Healthy Eating Tips Aimed At Children
If you stay on top of the news, you probably already know that obesity is the number one health problem and type II diabetes is becoming epidemic among US children. Yet, many parents are baffled at how to get their children to eat more healthy foods. Getting children to eat healthy isn't as complicated as it first appears. By following a few healthy eating tips for several months to a year, children will begin to prefer healthy food choices, because that's what the body craves, anyway. The tips include healthy choices, variety, color, avoiding junk food and...very important, do-it-yourself instructions.
Make Healthy Food Choices: Controlling food choices is essential for children to begin eating healthy. Food choices don't have to be controlled in the home if they are controlled at the supermarket, cafeteria and restaurant. If only this tip were used, children would be far healthier than they are today. If it doesn't get into the basket, it doesn't come home. If it doesn't come home, it can't be eaten there. Simply by choosing low fat, non fat, sugar free, and fresh, unprocessed foods, you can deal a death blow to obesity. "But my son won't drink diet soda." Fine, there's the water faucet! Which one of you is responsible for his health? "But my daughter's school serves processed food meals for lunch." Give her no lunch money...Send her with a bag lunch...if they insist she eat their lunch, find a more flexible school or one that serves only healthy food choices. You can always make ice cream or cake an occasional treat, but if someone is loading your child up every day on sugars, fats and salts, they are literally poisoning and addicting the child to things that will destroy their health.
One 4-year-old I knew naturally preferred vegetables over everything else. Her mother forced her to eat pork chops like mine forced me to eat spinach. If your child naturally prefers things that are healthy, don't fight it. You can find creative ways to add foods like soy beans, nuts and beans that are high in proteins. Don't fight success! Don't accept failure, either. Another family I knew had the mother scurrying to meet every tiny food preference the children had. It turned out that the only thing all of them liked was pizza, beef (especially hamburgers), cheese, corn and ice cream. Needless to say, the whole family struggles with weight issues. The tip of making healthy food choices is only successful if you use the discipline to make those healthy choices consistently. Skipping back and forth can't be an option if your aim is to teach your children to make healthy food choices.
Use Variety In Texture, Flavor And Color: One of the most helpful tips in aiming kids toward healthy foods is to use a variety. Young children are attracted to bright primary colors, which is one of the reasons yellow corn is popular. I didn't like salad as a kid, but it was always the same...iceberg lettuce and tomatoes...on Thanksgiving we got croutons. There are so many beautiful colors and interesting flavors in the vegetable section, there is no reason to use one boring recipe over and over. Fruits are naturally colorful, full of many nutrients and unprocessed sugar. Fresh fruits are excellent snack and dessert substitutes. Many ideas for variety and color of snacks are in my article Making Healthy Snack Choices which is too long to duplicate here. Please...if you want kids to like vegetables, don't use those mushy canned ones...they have no nutrients and are the most unpleasant things for a kid to eat. Almost everything in cans is also available frozen and is simple to cook, using a microwave. Use pepper, garlic powder, ground dill or basil for added flavor with no salt. Also, use variety in preparation methods by going from stir-fry, to baked, to BBQ, etc. The very changes in texture, color and flavor of foods gives kids an appreciation for the natural flavors of healthy foods.
Eating Healthy Saves Time And Money: Many people have the misconception that eating healthy is expensive and takes a lot of time. In my personal experience doing both, preparing healthy foods is no more time-consuming than preparing unhealthy foods. In fact, most recipes are faster and easier to prepare, and there's no driving or waiting in line for the prepared foods. Time is just an excuse! As far as cost goes, well, there's a huge difference. Eating healthy is far less expensive. The average family could save at least 75% of their food budget if they switched to fresh meats, fruits and vegetables and eliminated the prepared snacks and meals. Anyone can do this and improve the health practices of their children. All it takes is the decision to change and the discipline to stick to it.
Do It Yourself-Avoiding Junk Food: You may have noticed I talk a lot about preparing this and cooking that. That's because one of the healthy eating practices every child should learn is the practice of doing it yourself. By doing the cooking yourself, you set the example that it can be done...you don't have to bring your meal home already cooked from the store or restaurant. Doing it yourself puts you in charge of the amount of salt, fat, carbohydrates and proteins in your foods. It's much healthier! Also, one of the things that makes food interesting is cooking it. If your kids get to take part in the preparation, they have a vested interest in eating the foods. You can't do that with dinner-in-a-box.
When we talk about using "do-it-yourself" to aim your kids toward eating healthy, there is one tip that outweighs all others. If you want your kids to eat healthy, do it yourself. You can't eat ice cream and tell them it's only for grown-ups. While puffing on a cigarette, my Dad told us never to smoke "It's a filthy habit." I'll bet you know how that turned out...four out of five of his children smoked. If you want your kids to eat healthy, set the example by eating healthy, yourself.
Of course, where kids are concerned, there is no guarantee, but the vast majority of children will eat healthy if their parents make healthy food choices, use variety, plan and prepare the meals, and provide a healthy eating example in their choices. The bottom line in most cases, childhood obesity isn't an epidemic... it's a choice. Choose health!
Glen Williams is Webmaster for http://www.e-health-fitness.com, founder and CEO of EHF, Inc. He has done extensive research on personal and family health and fitness issues and has been helping and advising people on health since 1987. You can comment on his articles at Health And Fitness Forums.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glen_D._Williams
Friday 29 January 2010
The Benefits of a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is essential because it's difficult to feel good without eating nutritious food. If you aren't healthy what do you really have in life?
People usually will not follow a healthy diet because they either don't value their health or they are uneducated about what "real" food actually is.
When you consider the benefits of a healthy diet you may be surprised to learn that an estimated 61% percent of the population of the United States is over weight. What's more, there are an estimated 50% of adults that have so many pounds of weight on their bodies that they are considered obese.
This has gotten out of hand. People need to start to look at their lifestyles and make some serious changes. Be true to yourself and ask:
Do I look good?
Do I feel my best?
Isn't there something you can do, starting right now, to change your health and your diet?
A Healthy Diet Isn't Found At The Drive Thru Window
Giving up on fast food intake is essential to a healthy diet. Processed and fast food is literally "expanding the waist lines of people all over the world," most noticeably in the United States. This unhealthy food is filled with fat, sugar, preservatives and harmful chemicals that cause massive weight gain.
A healthy diet of "real" food is organic or natural food that is free of chemicals, preservatives, or additives. A healthy diet is full of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and meat (optional) that is freshly bought or prepared. A healthy diet should become a very important value to you if you want to consistently get the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Keep in mind that following a healthy diet doesn't have to taste bad either. There are plenty of helpful organic cook books out there to help you make the same foods you have always loved.
If you want to feel the benefits of a healthy diet replace as much of your processed food as you can with the "real" food listed above. Your body will thank you for it.
After three weeks of following a healthy diet you should see an increase in energy levels, feel better, lose weight, have less stress and anxiety, be motivated, have a healthier complexion, and be committed to following a healthy diet for the rest of your life.
I feel that today more than ever before people are abusing their bodies by not following a healthy diet. Obesity, disease and illness have become ever increasing problems.
People need to wake up, get motivated, and start following a healthy diet today. Good luck on your journey towards health and wellness!
Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health information and resources on the web. Visit DietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brue_Baker
Thursday 28 January 2010
5 Key Benefits of Healthy Eating
Everybody tells us all that we should change our eating habits to “become healthier” but it’s not always easy to do that; we need incentives and / or threats to actually do something about our eating habits. So the question that many people might ask is “Why should I bother with healthy eating? I’m quite happy as I am, and I’ve never had any / many problems of health up to now”. Well, this article is going to show you 5 benefits of healthy eating, but we’ll leave the threats out!
1. Promotes more Energy
People who are inactive, face greater risks of premature death, heart disease, depression, obesity, high blood pressure and / or a stroke, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis, and colon cancer. Lack of regular exercise and tobacco use are two of the major preventable risk factors for a variety of diseases.
The right balance of foods will increase your energy and then you are more capable of doing some form of exercise, which in turn will burn off more calories.
2. Cooking
It is all too easy to get a take-away or buy a ready-made meal that you just stick in the microwave and 10 minutes later it is ready to eat, but what does this achieve, apart from satisfying your hunger as quickly as possible? If you start to do more cooking, it can give you the following benefits:
* Cooking fresh, healthy meals can be an enjoyable way to spend time, either on your own or with others.
* By occupying your time, you are less likely to become bored and hence eat some snack that you don’t really want.
* Cooking gives you a chance to reflect on your inner state.
* Healthy cooking is more nutritious and makes food more tantalizing.
Some good cooking tips are:
* Cook food rapidly with a small amount of oil in a hot pan.
* Cook by stirring small pieces of food in a hot pan (often a wok) with a small amount of oil.
* Experiment with cooking exotic fruits and vegetables.
* The look of the food is very important so use green vegetables to decorate your plate with. They will also fill you up and cost you very few calories.
3. A better variety of foods
Healthy eating gives you an opportunity to expand your range of foods that you wouldn’t normally eat, such as vegetables, grains, and fruits, and which will help you to achieve good health. This can relieve the boredom of having the same foods each day. Boredom is one of the factors that cause us to eat to excess and become tired and lethargic.
4. Milk Products
Milk Products are important because they contain calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, and other nutrients to help build strong bones, and Vitamins A, B12, and often Vitamin D is added to milk we buy. Milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt are also rich in protein. However milk products are high in fat content, so the USDA recommends choosing fat-free or low-fat dairy products such as skimmed milk rather than whole milk and yoghurt rather than cream.
If you must eat chocolate, (who doesn’t!), then choose dark chocolate, as milk chocolate and white chocolate have more sugar and fat than dark chocolate.
5. You become more Healthy!
Healthy eating habits established in childhood can remain with an adult all their life and make the difference between a life racked with pain and discomfort, or a life full of energy and zip. Healthy eating that includes variety, balance and moderation, has proven to be the key to longevity and helps raise the quality of life. Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to reduced risk for mortality and the prevention of developing many chronic diseases in adults.
Scott Whiskeye is a retired programmer who has now turned his skills towards website design. His website at http://www.weightloss-fast.co.uk has another article on the benefits of healthy eating
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Whiskeye
1. Promotes more Energy
People who are inactive, face greater risks of premature death, heart disease, depression, obesity, high blood pressure and / or a stroke, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis, and colon cancer. Lack of regular exercise and tobacco use are two of the major preventable risk factors for a variety of diseases.
The right balance of foods will increase your energy and then you are more capable of doing some form of exercise, which in turn will burn off more calories.
2. Cooking
It is all too easy to get a take-away or buy a ready-made meal that you just stick in the microwave and 10 minutes later it is ready to eat, but what does this achieve, apart from satisfying your hunger as quickly as possible? If you start to do more cooking, it can give you the following benefits:
* Cooking fresh, healthy meals can be an enjoyable way to spend time, either on your own or with others.
* By occupying your time, you are less likely to become bored and hence eat some snack that you don’t really want.
* Cooking gives you a chance to reflect on your inner state.
* Healthy cooking is more nutritious and makes food more tantalizing.
Some good cooking tips are:
* Cook food rapidly with a small amount of oil in a hot pan.
* Cook by stirring small pieces of food in a hot pan (often a wok) with a small amount of oil.
* Experiment with cooking exotic fruits and vegetables.
* The look of the food is very important so use green vegetables to decorate your plate with. They will also fill you up and cost you very few calories.
3. A better variety of foods
Healthy eating gives you an opportunity to expand your range of foods that you wouldn’t normally eat, such as vegetables, grains, and fruits, and which will help you to achieve good health. This can relieve the boredom of having the same foods each day. Boredom is one of the factors that cause us to eat to excess and become tired and lethargic.
4. Milk Products
Milk Products are important because they contain calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, and other nutrients to help build strong bones, and Vitamins A, B12, and often Vitamin D is added to milk we buy. Milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt are also rich in protein. However milk products are high in fat content, so the USDA recommends choosing fat-free or low-fat dairy products such as skimmed milk rather than whole milk and yoghurt rather than cream.
If you must eat chocolate, (who doesn’t!), then choose dark chocolate, as milk chocolate and white chocolate have more sugar and fat than dark chocolate.
5. You become more Healthy!
Healthy eating habits established in childhood can remain with an adult all their life and make the difference between a life racked with pain and discomfort, or a life full of energy and zip. Healthy eating that includes variety, balance and moderation, has proven to be the key to longevity and helps raise the quality of life. Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to reduced risk for mortality and the prevention of developing many chronic diseases in adults.
Scott Whiskeye is a retired programmer who has now turned his skills towards website design. His website at http://www.weightloss-fast.co.uk has another article on the benefits of healthy eating
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Whiskeye
Wednesday 27 January 2010
Daily Healthy Eating Plan
Body weight is one of the sensitive issues that many individuals have to face. They tried diet pills, creams, cures and other weight loss programs. These activities do help shed some unwanted weight off. However, you cannot use these forever and after a few months of losing weight, some people regain the lost weight. You need to do something so that the weight will stay off once it's shed off. The answer to this problem is having a daily healthy eating plan because the pounds that you have had to come from somewhere. It came through the mouth, through too much eating.
Just from the name itself, daily healthy eating plan involves eating food that is healthy and non greasy. It does not include eating everything in site or those more delicious foods, which are usually favorites. Eating healthy does not mean that you will have to starve or you will forever suffer from eating bland foods or less delicious food. Healthy foods are as delicious as other foods, although, it may take some time for others to get used to its taste. You can still eat your favorite food but in lesser amounts. Eating healthy ensures you that you will not suffer from problems that are weight related. You will stay in better shape and feel better about yourself because your body won't be filled up with junk.
Once you decide to strictly enforce this plan, you won't have serious weight problems in the years to come because daily healthy eating plan prevents you from entering the horrible cycle of weight loss and weight gain. As already mentioned, weight is put on because of what you put through your mouth, if you eat healthy foods for the rest of your life; you won't have to deal about going through starvation diets to shed a few pounds. You do not have to shock your system with a sudden 180 degree turn towards the healthy side of eating. On a daily basis, you can cut down the extra soda, butter, grease etc.
If you will pursue a daily healthy eating plan, you should start learning about calories and the kind of foods that contain many calories. To prevent yourself from ever buying non healthy foods, write down healthy food and recipes. Stick to this when you do your groceries. If things get bad for you because you miss your old eating habits and the food that you used to enjoy and gave you comfort, just remember that this is for your own good. In time, you will start to notice the effects and benefits of pursing a healthy eating plan and have a stronger drive to stick to your plan.
Clifford Young is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about healthy eating plans [http://healthyeats.info/daily-healthy-eating-plan], please visit Healthy Eats [http://healthyeats.info] for current articles and discussions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clifford_Young
Top Ten Tips to Healthy Eating
Most people are familiar with the "Top Ten List" regularly presented by that late-night talk show host from Indiana. Although his lists tend to be tongue-in-cheek and irreverent, the following is a top ten list with some real gravitas. Without any drum roll or special music, here is the list of Top 10 tips for Healthy Eating:
Number 10 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat fresh, whole foods whenever possible. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the futuristic cartoon show "The Jetsons," especially the part where they ate their meals, which, rather than being real food, consisted of little pills dispensed by a clever machine. A roast beef pill, a mashed potato pill, with an apple pie pill for dessert. Although we haven't gotten there yet, there is so much in the grocery store aisles these days that would barely qualify as real food, when you take into account its nutritional value, lack of fiber and the potentially harmful ingredients it contains. Even if you are on a limited budget, try to choose as many fresh, whole foods as you can afford, and leave the over-processed, "futuristic" foods on the shelf. I don't think much of the Jetsons' concept of food, but I would like one of those robot maids to clean my house!
Number 9 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Buy local, and even organic, if possible. There is a whole movement out there of people who are choosing to buy from local growers and foregoing out-of-season items and items shipped in from far away places. The advantages of this choice are many. Your food will be fresher, cost less, you will support your local economy and you will have fewer worries about the growing practices that may affect the healthfulness of your food. Along with that, the advantage of buying from farms and orchards that are not only local, but also organic, is that you will be consuming fewer toxins for your body to contend with and encouraging fewer chemicals to be added to our soil and water.
Number 8 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat lots of fresh, colorful vegetables-either raw or lightly cooked. Vegetables are at the core of any healthy eating plan, and the substances that give them their vivid color seem to protect against many health-destroying maladies. Vegetables are loaded with nutrients, low in calories and are available in so many varieties as to satisfy any palate. Keep in mind that cooking can destroy some of the nutritional value in vegetables, so choose methods such as steaming or lightly sautéing whenever possible. When you were a kid, and your mom said, "Eat your vegetables," she was giving you excellent advice!
Number 7 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Wash all fresh produce with a commercial vegetable rinse-sometimes called a "Veggie Wash" -or a weak solution of vinegar and water. (I have also heard that baking soda works, but I have never tried it.) Don't just use plain water. Even if you are removing the skin, such as with melons or avocados, wash the item first to avoid contaminating the inner flesh. It goes without saying, that you should keep meat separate from fresh produce, both in the refrigerator and during preparation, sanitizing your utensils and cutting boards in between. I would not recommend using dish soap or other poisonous products to wash fresh produce. Instead, use a product that will kill the germs, but will not harm you, should any residue inadvertently remain on the food. It would be counter-productive to get rid of the bacteria only to get sick from the soap!
Number 6 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Limit your consumption of meat by treating it more as a condiment or side dish. Even if you are a meat lover, it is better to eat smaller portions in favor of items from the other food groups, including whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. It does not take a lot of meat to provide your protein requirements for a meal-some experts say a serving the size of a regular deck of cards will do-and many of the other foods you eat have some protein, too. In this way, you can reduce the amount of artery-clogging, saturated fat in your diet as well as increase your intake of fiber and other nutrients, and make your meal easier to digest. You might even try some meatless meals once in a while! After all, even Popeye ate a meal of spinach at least once on every show!
Number 5 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Know the difference between good carbs and bad ones. Although carbs in general have gotten a bad reputation with the popularity of the low-carb diets, your body needs carbohydrates to be healthy. Then again, there are what we might call "good carbs" and "bad carbs." Good carbs are all those wonderful fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes that you know about, while bad carbs are the white flour products, such as cookies, pastries, doughnuts, cakes, pies, chips-you get the drift. A rule of thumb is, if it's in the lunchroom at work as a birthday treat or in a vending machine, it is probably a bad carb-except, of course if the birthday boy is the office health-nut or the vending machine is at the health foods store!
Number 4 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat healthy fats. I was visiting a friend recently, and she told me her grandmother, who lived to be ninety, grew up on cooking done exclusively with lard. I knew her grandmother, and she was a diminutive, feisty old lady who never sat still and worked like a Trojan all her life. Unfortunately, we are all not like that. It's possible that if you are extremely active, eat simple, unprocessed food all your life, grown on yours or your neighbor's farm, cooked in lard (that you probably rendered yourself), and you have good genes, you will also live to be ninety. However, the odds are against you. More studies than I can cite, have shown that consuming more mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, instead of the more saturated varieties, will significantly lower your risk of developing heart disease and even some cancers. I know. I know. Lard still makes the flakiest piecrust. If only your arteries got a vote!
Number 3 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Choose more fiber-rich foods. Even if you are sick of hearing the word fiber, it's better than being sick from not getting enough of this important carbohydrate. It's not difficult to get sufficient fiber if you know what you are doing. Each time you choose whole grain over processed grains, each time you eat a piece of fruit instead of a piece of candy, each time you snack on raw veggies instead of potato chips, each time you order a bean burrito instead of a chicken one, you have added fiber to your diet. Even a sesame seed bun has more fiber than a plain one. Put some blueberries on your cereal. Have a baked sweet potato. Add some shredded zucchini to your pancake batter. Every little bit helps you to reach the 25-30 grams of fiber recommended for adults each day. In addition to the health benefits of getting enough fiber, just think, with all that time you won't be spending in the "throne" room, waiting for-well you know-you could maybe take up a new hobby!
Number 2 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Limit junk food, and if possible, find a healthy but satisfying substitute. In case you're wondering, "junk food" is all of those over-processed, empty-calorie foods that we love to eat. It may not be easy for you, but you can change your palate to prefer healthier foods. One thing you can do is to find a healthier substitute for your favorite junk foods. For instance, when was the last time you popped some popcorn in a little oil with a bit of good quality unprocessed salt? It tastes wonderful and it's a whole food without the chemicals or additives or anything that would adulterate it into a junk food. Of course, it still has calories, but just remember to eat it in moderation. I have one of those old-fashioned poppers that stirs the oil and seeds while they pop, but my dad used to make the best popcorn in a Dutch oven on the stove. Try it, you'll like it!
And the Number 1 item on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Drink water as your beverage of choice. Years ago, when bottled water first hit as a beverage choice on fast food menus and in vending machines, I can remember a friend being shocked that I would actually pay money for water. Soda she could understand, but water? I told her then that water is a better value for your money than soda, and I still believe that. Our bodies need water to function well. Not soda. Not energy drinks. Not coffee. Not juice. Not tea. Clean, pure water. Of course, when we drink any liquids, or even when we eat juicy foods, we get some water. The problem is that everything that we eat or drink except water has to be digested and filtered and processed in varying degrees by our bodies, and that requires-you guessed it-more water! So, don't save that beautiful stemware just for when you are drinking wine. Fill a glass to the brim with the best beverage around-ice cold, crystal clear, thirst quenching water-and relax and sip your way to vibrant health
I am convinced that what we eat and how we eat plays a major role in how we feel and particularly, how well we are. For this reason, I would like as many people as possible to become more aware of what healthy eating involves, and of the extreme benefits that can be found in being conscious of what and how we eat.
Eat and be healthy with my warmest regards,
Suzy Staywell
http://healthy-eating-support.org
http://www.healthy-eating-support.org/healthy-eating-nutrition.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzy_Staywell
Number 10 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat fresh, whole foods whenever possible. When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the futuristic cartoon show "The Jetsons," especially the part where they ate their meals, which, rather than being real food, consisted of little pills dispensed by a clever machine. A roast beef pill, a mashed potato pill, with an apple pie pill for dessert. Although we haven't gotten there yet, there is so much in the grocery store aisles these days that would barely qualify as real food, when you take into account its nutritional value, lack of fiber and the potentially harmful ingredients it contains. Even if you are on a limited budget, try to choose as many fresh, whole foods as you can afford, and leave the over-processed, "futuristic" foods on the shelf. I don't think much of the Jetsons' concept of food, but I would like one of those robot maids to clean my house!
Number 9 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Buy local, and even organic, if possible. There is a whole movement out there of people who are choosing to buy from local growers and foregoing out-of-season items and items shipped in from far away places. The advantages of this choice are many. Your food will be fresher, cost less, you will support your local economy and you will have fewer worries about the growing practices that may affect the healthfulness of your food. Along with that, the advantage of buying from farms and orchards that are not only local, but also organic, is that you will be consuming fewer toxins for your body to contend with and encouraging fewer chemicals to be added to our soil and water.
Number 8 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat lots of fresh, colorful vegetables-either raw or lightly cooked. Vegetables are at the core of any healthy eating plan, and the substances that give them their vivid color seem to protect against many health-destroying maladies. Vegetables are loaded with nutrients, low in calories and are available in so many varieties as to satisfy any palate. Keep in mind that cooking can destroy some of the nutritional value in vegetables, so choose methods such as steaming or lightly sautéing whenever possible. When you were a kid, and your mom said, "Eat your vegetables," she was giving you excellent advice!
Number 7 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Wash all fresh produce with a commercial vegetable rinse-sometimes called a "Veggie Wash" -or a weak solution of vinegar and water. (I have also heard that baking soda works, but I have never tried it.) Don't just use plain water. Even if you are removing the skin, such as with melons or avocados, wash the item first to avoid contaminating the inner flesh. It goes without saying, that you should keep meat separate from fresh produce, both in the refrigerator and during preparation, sanitizing your utensils and cutting boards in between. I would not recommend using dish soap or other poisonous products to wash fresh produce. Instead, use a product that will kill the germs, but will not harm you, should any residue inadvertently remain on the food. It would be counter-productive to get rid of the bacteria only to get sick from the soap!
Number 6 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Limit your consumption of meat by treating it more as a condiment or side dish. Even if you are a meat lover, it is better to eat smaller portions in favor of items from the other food groups, including whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. It does not take a lot of meat to provide your protein requirements for a meal-some experts say a serving the size of a regular deck of cards will do-and many of the other foods you eat have some protein, too. In this way, you can reduce the amount of artery-clogging, saturated fat in your diet as well as increase your intake of fiber and other nutrients, and make your meal easier to digest. You might even try some meatless meals once in a while! After all, even Popeye ate a meal of spinach at least once on every show!
Number 5 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Know the difference between good carbs and bad ones. Although carbs in general have gotten a bad reputation with the popularity of the low-carb diets, your body needs carbohydrates to be healthy. Then again, there are what we might call "good carbs" and "bad carbs." Good carbs are all those wonderful fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes that you know about, while bad carbs are the white flour products, such as cookies, pastries, doughnuts, cakes, pies, chips-you get the drift. A rule of thumb is, if it's in the lunchroom at work as a birthday treat or in a vending machine, it is probably a bad carb-except, of course if the birthday boy is the office health-nut or the vending machine is at the health foods store!
Number 4 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Eat healthy fats. I was visiting a friend recently, and she told me her grandmother, who lived to be ninety, grew up on cooking done exclusively with lard. I knew her grandmother, and she was a diminutive, feisty old lady who never sat still and worked like a Trojan all her life. Unfortunately, we are all not like that. It's possible that if you are extremely active, eat simple, unprocessed food all your life, grown on yours or your neighbor's farm, cooked in lard (that you probably rendered yourself), and you have good genes, you will also live to be ninety. However, the odds are against you. More studies than I can cite, have shown that consuming more mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, instead of the more saturated varieties, will significantly lower your risk of developing heart disease and even some cancers. I know. I know. Lard still makes the flakiest piecrust. If only your arteries got a vote!
Number 3 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Choose more fiber-rich foods. Even if you are sick of hearing the word fiber, it's better than being sick from not getting enough of this important carbohydrate. It's not difficult to get sufficient fiber if you know what you are doing. Each time you choose whole grain over processed grains, each time you eat a piece of fruit instead of a piece of candy, each time you snack on raw veggies instead of potato chips, each time you order a bean burrito instead of a chicken one, you have added fiber to your diet. Even a sesame seed bun has more fiber than a plain one. Put some blueberries on your cereal. Have a baked sweet potato. Add some shredded zucchini to your pancake batter. Every little bit helps you to reach the 25-30 grams of fiber recommended for adults each day. In addition to the health benefits of getting enough fiber, just think, with all that time you won't be spending in the "throne" room, waiting for-well you know-you could maybe take up a new hobby!
Number 2 on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Limit junk food, and if possible, find a healthy but satisfying substitute. In case you're wondering, "junk food" is all of those over-processed, empty-calorie foods that we love to eat. It may not be easy for you, but you can change your palate to prefer healthier foods. One thing you can do is to find a healthier substitute for your favorite junk foods. For instance, when was the last time you popped some popcorn in a little oil with a bit of good quality unprocessed salt? It tastes wonderful and it's a whole food without the chemicals or additives or anything that would adulterate it into a junk food. Of course, it still has calories, but just remember to eat it in moderation. I have one of those old-fashioned poppers that stirs the oil and seeds while they pop, but my dad used to make the best popcorn in a Dutch oven on the stove. Try it, you'll like it!
And the Number 1 item on the list of 10 Tips to Healthy Eating is:
Drink water as your beverage of choice. Years ago, when bottled water first hit as a beverage choice on fast food menus and in vending machines, I can remember a friend being shocked that I would actually pay money for water. Soda she could understand, but water? I told her then that water is a better value for your money than soda, and I still believe that. Our bodies need water to function well. Not soda. Not energy drinks. Not coffee. Not juice. Not tea. Clean, pure water. Of course, when we drink any liquids, or even when we eat juicy foods, we get some water. The problem is that everything that we eat or drink except water has to be digested and filtered and processed in varying degrees by our bodies, and that requires-you guessed it-more water! So, don't save that beautiful stemware just for when you are drinking wine. Fill a glass to the brim with the best beverage around-ice cold, crystal clear, thirst quenching water-and relax and sip your way to vibrant health
I am convinced that what we eat and how we eat plays a major role in how we feel and particularly, how well we are. For this reason, I would like as many people as possible to become more aware of what healthy eating involves, and of the extreme benefits that can be found in being conscious of what and how we eat.
Eat and be healthy with my warmest regards,
Suzy Staywell
http://healthy-eating-support.org
http://www.healthy-eating-support.org/healthy-eating-nutrition.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzy_Staywell
Thursday 21 January 2010
Healthy Eating Tips
A Diet is very important to your heart health and bad diet habits can cause heart disease. Healthy eating is a method of balancing the nourishment you eat to preserve your body well fit and energized. Healthy eating means picking up a variety of foods from these groups: meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, grains such as breads and pasta. It is essential to limit amount of fats and sweets. It includes enjoying nutritious food in the amounts our bodies need to perform best.
Healthy eating is very important in preventing sickness. If we do not get the right food, it can decrease our body's natural defense system, so viruses and bacteria can attack the body.
Healthy eating affect picking food that gives the body essential nutrients that allow it to function normally. All food groups contain different nutrients that provide the body with the capability to perform specific functions. Healthy eating means eating the proper amounts of nutritious foods, eating a variety of foods from all food groups and choosing foods with low levels of fats and sugar.
It is known that adults should get 20-35 percents of their calories from fat. Fat is essential to your daily diet but most people eat fat too much, often without even knowing it. The damage of saturated fats can be deadly, including clogging your arteries and shorting your life. Saturated fats can be found in animal products, palm oil and coconut oil.
To reduce dietary cholesterol, eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low fat or nonfat dairy products, and medium amounts of lean meats, skinless poultry, and fish. Diets based on whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats with small amounts of meats have been shown to provide all of the nutrition needed for healthy living.
Vitamins are supplements not substitutes. They don't provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals the body needs. Vitamins are not as expensive as you think. Some vitamins like vitamin B12 can be only found in meat.
If your goal is to reduce body weight you may need to limit the amount of food you eat and include regular physical activity into your life.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be dull or time consuming. Meals don't have to taste bland or distasteful. It is only a matter of getting a good cooking book.
Healthy foods contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Not-so-healthy foods contain lots of sugar and fat. Healthy eating is a key factor of health. Healthy eating can profit in positive impact on your blood glucose level, your blood fats, blood pressure and body weight.
Plan meals in advance and keep your cupboards stocked with foods that can be made into quick well-balanced meals on days when there isn't time or energy to plan.
A Diet is very important to your heart health and bad diet habits can cause heart disease. If we do not get the right foods, it can decrease our body's natural defense system, so viruses and bacteria can attack the body.Healthy eating affects picking foods that gives the body essential nutrients that allow it to function normally. Healthy eating means eating the proper amounts of nutritious foods, eating a variety of foods from all food groups and choosing foods with low levels of fats and sugar. If your goal is to reduce body weight you may need to limit the amount of food you eat and include regular physical activity into your life.
Tom Donne is an online writer and maintains Men's corner to help anyone who is seeking information about men's health.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Donne
Healthy eating is very important in preventing sickness. If we do not get the right food, it can decrease our body's natural defense system, so viruses and bacteria can attack the body.
Healthy eating affect picking food that gives the body essential nutrients that allow it to function normally. All food groups contain different nutrients that provide the body with the capability to perform specific functions. Healthy eating means eating the proper amounts of nutritious foods, eating a variety of foods from all food groups and choosing foods with low levels of fats and sugar.
It is known that adults should get 20-35 percents of their calories from fat. Fat is essential to your daily diet but most people eat fat too much, often without even knowing it. The damage of saturated fats can be deadly, including clogging your arteries and shorting your life. Saturated fats can be found in animal products, palm oil and coconut oil.
To reduce dietary cholesterol, eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low fat or nonfat dairy products, and medium amounts of lean meats, skinless poultry, and fish. Diets based on whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats with small amounts of meats have been shown to provide all of the nutrition needed for healthy living.
Vitamins are supplements not substitutes. They don't provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals the body needs. Vitamins are not as expensive as you think. Some vitamins like vitamin B12 can be only found in meat.
If your goal is to reduce body weight you may need to limit the amount of food you eat and include regular physical activity into your life.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be dull or time consuming. Meals don't have to taste bland or distasteful. It is only a matter of getting a good cooking book.
Healthy foods contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Not-so-healthy foods contain lots of sugar and fat. Healthy eating is a key factor of health. Healthy eating can profit in positive impact on your blood glucose level, your blood fats, blood pressure and body weight.
Plan meals in advance and keep your cupboards stocked with foods that can be made into quick well-balanced meals on days when there isn't time or energy to plan.
A Diet is very important to your heart health and bad diet habits can cause heart disease. If we do not get the right foods, it can decrease our body's natural defense system, so viruses and bacteria can attack the body.Healthy eating affects picking foods that gives the body essential nutrients that allow it to function normally. Healthy eating means eating the proper amounts of nutritious foods, eating a variety of foods from all food groups and choosing foods with low levels of fats and sugar. If your goal is to reduce body weight you may need to limit the amount of food you eat and include regular physical activity into your life.
Tom Donne is an online writer and maintains Men's corner to help anyone who is seeking information about men's health.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Donne
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Health Food Matters
Some of my friends say that they would rather not know anything about health food and how exactly they are eating because ignorance is bliss and enjoying food is more important than anything else. But I would say knowledge is power, that’s what drives me to read and understand what healthy eating is all about, why some people become so interested in health food, and what convicts people want to change their lifestyle. Knowing what is good to eat helps you plan your diet more wisely and safeguard what is most important, your health. Here, I have put together four most talked about topics in healthy eating and health food: Fats, Meat, Fiber, and Sugar. If you never know these facts before, perhaps they would change your whole perspective about eating right, just as it had for me.
1. Meat for Strength
Meat may not exactly be called a health food but it provides us many micronutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin that a growing body needs and is a major source of protein. For instance beef contains highly absorbable trace minerals like iron, zinc, and manganese. Poultry and seafood contribute vitamin B6, and pork is a rich source of thiamine. However, meat and poultry contain quite a bit of fat, and about one-third of that fat is saturated. Saturated fatty acid in the diet has been shown to be positively correlated with total blood cholesterol levels, cholesterol levels, and negatively correlated with (beneficial) HDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fat intake is at least as closely related to arterial clotting. A high intake of animal fat may increase the risk of a number of cancers, including cancer of the colon, breast, prostate and pancreas. I used to care nothing about health food and crave for meat because of its taste and even insisted that I have meat for every meal. But after having learnt so much about healthy diet, I wouldn’t dare whisper “long life to all meat-lovers!” like I have so blatantly in the past.
I realize that eating grilled or barbecued meat, or seafood also exposes us to carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These health hazardous substances form on foods as they cook on open flame or under the high heat of the grill, regardless of whether or not char is formed. Also, it’s interesting to note that when fat drips onto the heat source, it creates flare-ups and smoke which then deposits on the food yet another group of carcinogens, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
One way to avoid these carcinogens and still enjoy grilled meats as health food is to put them under foil wraps before putting them on the fire. In addition, the food gets the aroma of grill, especially if you leave the top loosely sealed. Baking and roasting are healthier cooking methods. They are less likely to produce HCAs as the cooking temperature is lower, and cooking with liquid (boiling, steaming, poaching, stewing, etc) generates no HCAs.
2. Fiber for Digestion
Dietary fiber is found in plant foods, namely cereals, beans, peas, wheat, fruits and vegetables, and is the magic ingredient which helps maintains our digestive system in perfect shape. It’s made up of the indigestible parts or compounds of the plant that pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines, although bacteria in the large intestine can partly digest fiber through fermentation. Fiber slows down the rate of digestion of food, leading to a more gradual emptying of the food from the stomach into the small intestine. This basically means food gets digested sooner, and the indigestible bits, including the fiber, are moved out faster. Healthy digestion contributes to lower weight and increased health, which means less risk of getting many of the modern diseases such as colon disease and even diabetes. By slowing stomach emptying, fiber helps avoid the situation where the body has to produce large quantities of insulin (as a result of repeated rapid release of glucose into the intestine). This in turn helps protect against diabetes. A high fiber diet is even more important for older people as our digestive system slows down with age.
Fiber is also known to absorb water to become lighter, bulkier and easier to move along. This is why it helps prevent constipation. When it absorbs water in the stomach, it gives that feeling of fullness and therefore lessening the amount of food consumed. Thus, don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day, so that the fiber you eat can swell to be as light as possible.
3. Good Fats Makes the Difference
"Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol health food" is a very common advice given to me. But what really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Remember, not all fats are created equal. What’s clear is bad fats, meaning saturated and trans fats, pose risk to health while good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower the risk.
The key in getting health food is substituting good fats for bad fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products like meat, seafood, whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream), poultry skin, and egg yolks and dairy. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol because they tend to boost both good HDL and bad LDL cholesterol. Trans-fats are found in commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, fried snack foods like French fries and onion rings, processed foods, and margarine; many of them are produced by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen. This process is known as hydrogenation. The more hydrogenated an oil is, the harder it will be at room temperature. For example, soft margarine is less hydrogenated and so has fewer trans fats than a stick margarine. Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL.
Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats are found in health food products derived from plant sources and fatty fish such as salmon. The two main categories are polyunsaturated fats found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils and monounsaturated fats, which are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils. These healthy fats not only improve cholesterol levels but also protect the heart.
4. Sweets for Pleasure
Almost every food we eat contains sugar. It’s better to enjoy a really extravagant dessert once in a while than to fill your daily diet with "fat-free" sugary treats which are basically empty calories and devoid of nutritional benefits. Other than table sugar, watch out for other forms of sugar, especially those words ending with “ol” or “ose”. Consuming sugarless artificial sweeteners in so called health food may be more damaging than helpful to our health.
In order to keep the amount of sugar floating through your blood vessels at around a teaspoon, your body releases insulin whenever you eat foods that result in sugar entering your blood stream. Most carbohydrates fit this category. Sugar, most sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes, pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes all lead to a release of sugar into your blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your blood stream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to fat tissue. Excess insulin is known to cause weight gain due to storage of fat and sodium retention which leads to holding excess water and high blood pressure.
Reduce your intake of sugar and all foods that contain sugar. Some of the most concentrated sources of sugar are soda, cookies, chocolate bars, donuts, pastries, ice cream, and ketchup. Avoid sweeteners like molasses, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and maple syrup, and replace table sugar in your beverage, cooking and baking with natural sweeteners such as honey. Do activities and exercises that build or maintain your muscles. Muscle tissue acts as a storage site for extra sugar. The more muscle tissue you have, the better you can regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Health food really matters.
Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/health-food.html
R. Tan is the owner of the website http://www.benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone's daily life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Tan
1. Meat for Strength
Meat may not exactly be called a health food but it provides us many micronutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin that a growing body needs and is a major source of protein. For instance beef contains highly absorbable trace minerals like iron, zinc, and manganese. Poultry and seafood contribute vitamin B6, and pork is a rich source of thiamine. However, meat and poultry contain quite a bit of fat, and about one-third of that fat is saturated. Saturated fatty acid in the diet has been shown to be positively correlated with total blood cholesterol levels, cholesterol levels, and negatively correlated with (beneficial) HDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fat intake is at least as closely related to arterial clotting. A high intake of animal fat may increase the risk of a number of cancers, including cancer of the colon, breast, prostate and pancreas. I used to care nothing about health food and crave for meat because of its taste and even insisted that I have meat for every meal. But after having learnt so much about healthy diet, I wouldn’t dare whisper “long life to all meat-lovers!” like I have so blatantly in the past.
I realize that eating grilled or barbecued meat, or seafood also exposes us to carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These health hazardous substances form on foods as they cook on open flame or under the high heat of the grill, regardless of whether or not char is formed. Also, it’s interesting to note that when fat drips onto the heat source, it creates flare-ups and smoke which then deposits on the food yet another group of carcinogens, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
One way to avoid these carcinogens and still enjoy grilled meats as health food is to put them under foil wraps before putting them on the fire. In addition, the food gets the aroma of grill, especially if you leave the top loosely sealed. Baking and roasting are healthier cooking methods. They are less likely to produce HCAs as the cooking temperature is lower, and cooking with liquid (boiling, steaming, poaching, stewing, etc) generates no HCAs.
2. Fiber for Digestion
Dietary fiber is found in plant foods, namely cereals, beans, peas, wheat, fruits and vegetables, and is the magic ingredient which helps maintains our digestive system in perfect shape. It’s made up of the indigestible parts or compounds of the plant that pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines, although bacteria in the large intestine can partly digest fiber through fermentation. Fiber slows down the rate of digestion of food, leading to a more gradual emptying of the food from the stomach into the small intestine. This basically means food gets digested sooner, and the indigestible bits, including the fiber, are moved out faster. Healthy digestion contributes to lower weight and increased health, which means less risk of getting many of the modern diseases such as colon disease and even diabetes. By slowing stomach emptying, fiber helps avoid the situation where the body has to produce large quantities of insulin (as a result of repeated rapid release of glucose into the intestine). This in turn helps protect against diabetes. A high fiber diet is even more important for older people as our digestive system slows down with age.
Fiber is also known to absorb water to become lighter, bulkier and easier to move along. This is why it helps prevent constipation. When it absorbs water in the stomach, it gives that feeling of fullness and therefore lessening the amount of food consumed. Thus, don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day, so that the fiber you eat can swell to be as light as possible.
3. Good Fats Makes the Difference
"Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol health food" is a very common advice given to me. But what really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Remember, not all fats are created equal. What’s clear is bad fats, meaning saturated and trans fats, pose risk to health while good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower the risk.
The key in getting health food is substituting good fats for bad fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products like meat, seafood, whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream), poultry skin, and egg yolks and dairy. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol because they tend to boost both good HDL and bad LDL cholesterol. Trans-fats are found in commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, fried snack foods like French fries and onion rings, processed foods, and margarine; many of them are produced by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen. This process is known as hydrogenation. The more hydrogenated an oil is, the harder it will be at room temperature. For example, soft margarine is less hydrogenated and so has fewer trans fats than a stick margarine. Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL.
Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats are found in health food products derived from plant sources and fatty fish such as salmon. The two main categories are polyunsaturated fats found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils and monounsaturated fats, which are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils. These healthy fats not only improve cholesterol levels but also protect the heart.
4. Sweets for Pleasure
Almost every food we eat contains sugar. It’s better to enjoy a really extravagant dessert once in a while than to fill your daily diet with "fat-free" sugary treats which are basically empty calories and devoid of nutritional benefits. Other than table sugar, watch out for other forms of sugar, especially those words ending with “ol” or “ose”. Consuming sugarless artificial sweeteners in so called health food may be more damaging than helpful to our health.
In order to keep the amount of sugar floating through your blood vessels at around a teaspoon, your body releases insulin whenever you eat foods that result in sugar entering your blood stream. Most carbohydrates fit this category. Sugar, most sweeteners, grains, cookies, pastries, cakes, pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes all lead to a release of sugar into your blood stream. Insulin works by stimulating your cells to sponge up this excess sugar out of your blood stream. Once inside your cells, sugar is used for energy, with any excess amount being converted to fat tissue. Excess insulin is known to cause weight gain due to storage of fat and sodium retention which leads to holding excess water and high blood pressure.
Reduce your intake of sugar and all foods that contain sugar. Some of the most concentrated sources of sugar are soda, cookies, chocolate bars, donuts, pastries, ice cream, and ketchup. Avoid sweeteners like molasses, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and maple syrup, and replace table sugar in your beverage, cooking and baking with natural sweeteners such as honey. Do activities and exercises that build or maintain your muscles. Muscle tissue acts as a storage site for extra sugar. The more muscle tissue you have, the better you can regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Health food really matters.
Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/health-food.html
R. Tan is the owner of the website http://www.benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone's daily life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Tan
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