Saturday, June 12, 2010

Succulent Strawberries

Strawberries are probably one of the most popular fruits. They are a great source of fiber and phytochemicals. They are very sweet-tasting and inexpensive. Many people suggest eating them several times a week.
The phytochemicals in strawberries act as antioxidants, preventing free radical damage. Besides that, strawberries are also abundant in vitamin C. In fact, there is almost as much vitamin C in strawberries as oranges. Let's look at some of the health benefits of eating strawberries:
Better Vision

One of the antioxidants in strawberries, lutein, might help decrease the chances of macular degeneration. This is true of many fruit.
Heart Health
Like many other fruits, strawberries are high in potassium and low in sodium. This is great for the heart. They are also high in folate, which helps keep homocysteine levels in check. Higher homocysteine levels increase the risk of heart disease. Finally, strawberries have chemicals that hepl reduce inflammation in your arteries.
Painkiller
Some of the phytochemicals in strawberries act in much the same way that over-the-counter painkillers work by helping to reduce inflammation. The good thing is that there are no side-effects.
Strong Immune System
The higher vitamin C levels in strawberries is used by the immune system for different functions. As a side note, vitamin C is used for building tissue.

Cancer Prevention
Again with the phytochemicals, the phenols in strawberries have been linked to reduced risk of cancer. In fact, this is true of many berries.
Strawberries are easily found in any grocery store. When selecting them, it's important to find strawberries that are bright red and firm. You can buy frozen strawberries as well, but fresh is always better. Make sure there is no added sugar if you're buying the frozen kind.

Many people enjoy picking strawberries from the farmer's field. This is a pretty common activity and you can see signs for this driving down many country roads during the summer. Or you can just grown your own strawberries; it's pretty easy.
You'll want to eat them pretty quickly, as they go bad in a matter of days. You can store them in the fridge to keep them fresh. Make sure to wash them thoroughly before eating them. You can always freeze them, however, if you've bought more than you can handle. The vitamin C levels will diminish, but all of the other nutrients remain as they are.

These are another versatile fruit. You can eat them as they are. You can mix them in with different breakfast options like oatmeal or cereal. You can make some home-made yogurt. You can mix them into a fruit smoothie. You can make a fruit salad. Of course, you can make desserts out of them as well...just keep the sugar levels in check. Obviously any strawberry syrups or toppings are going to be composed almost entirely of sugar, with almost no nutritional value. You should probably steer clear of these.
These are a great fruit, though. If you eat them just a few times a week, while mixing some other berries into your diet (like blueberries) then you can enjoy great nutritional benefits.
Mark is an Internet Marketer and Electrical Engineer. His interests include meeting new people, making music, listening to music, travel and psychology. Come visit his latest website which helps people find the best information on Sennheiser wireless headphones and gauge the quality of a wireless headphones review.

Healthy Eating - Brown Rice

Oryza sativa of the Poaceae family, is the Botanical name for what could be considered the most commonly consumed grains in the world. It is included in the diets in many Countries and of many cultures around the world. It is especially popular in South East Asia where it is consumed on an almost daily basis.
As far as production goes, Rice is likely second only to Maize, more commonly known as Corn.
Rice is likely the basis of at lest 20% of the calorie intake in the world by humans. Although its popularity is high, it is still a relatively untapped source of food security in third world countries where it has the potential to improve nutrient intake and improve health dramatically.
Rice can grow to almost 2 metres tall though it rarely reaches this height in annual cultivation. There are both Annual and Perennial species of rice. Most are treated as annuals and re-sown each year. Rice can grow almost anywhere providing it receives ample water. It can often be seen growing on the side of mountains in China and other countries in swale-like cut outs in the side of these mountains.
Rice is traditionally grown in flooded Rice fields or paddies. This serves many purposes including providing the water it requires to grow as well as keeping weeds away, since most weeds won't grow under water.
Brown Rice differs from white rice in that it has only had the outermost layer (the hull) removed which maintains the nutritional value of the rice. White rice goes through a process of further milling and polishing which removes a large quantity of the nutrient value.
Rice is one of the most nutritious grains available for human consumption. Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), and Vitamin B6. Brown rice is high in biotin, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. It is rich in Folate and contains pantothenic acid.
Brown rice is high in Dietary Fibre and Carbohydrates.
Brown rice can be cooked and used in several ways. I prefer to use it in savoury based dishes, but I have seen it used in deserts and sweet dishes.
Brown rice is ideal to use as fried rice, typically with bacon pieces and egg.
Brown rice can be boiled and used plain with meat and salad, mixed with a sweet and sour sauce or sweet chilli sauce.
I like to replace noodles or white rice with any Chinese meal that suggests anything other than Brown rice be used.
Brown rice can be added to soups and stews though I would not add as much as I would pearl barley
Brown rice is a very versatile grain with many health benefits and should be included in a healthy diet at least 2 days a week. With its high carbohydrate content I always recommend dishes with rice be consumed as a mid day meal to allow the body to use its excess energy. Eating carbohydrates as an evening meal can prevent sustainable weight loss.
Eric describes himself as being "Passionate about Organics". Eric is Married and has 2 Children. Eric and his wife Narelle represent Miessence Certified Organic Skin Care, Cosmetics, Home & Nutritional Products. www.buy-organic-products.com Brown Rice is an ingredient in In-Liven Probiotic Superfood

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Healthy Foods to Lose Weight Fast

In today's society it can often be very confusing when it comes to nutrition. There are many conflicting views to the point where you don't know where to turn. If you are somewhat overwhelmed and want to know some healthy foods to lose weight fast keep reading this article.
The first rule to keep in mind is that the less processed a food is the better. Most things that come in a box are not that good for you. Frozen TV dinners are a prime example.
One of best foods you can eat to lose weight is oatmeal. This is one of the greatest sources of starchy carbohydrates you will find.
It has a very low glycemic index which means it is a slow digesting carbohydrate. This is exactly what you want when you are trying to lose weight.
Make sure you don't buy the pre-packaged flavored oatmeal though. This kind contains things like preservatives and sugar.
Next are egg whites. They are a great low fat source of quality protein and they are also low in calories. They are also relatively inexpensive.
You can cook them using non-stick cooking spray and there are tons of ways to cook them. Omelets, scrambled etc. You can even buy pure egg whites in cartons that will save you the time of separating the yolks yourself.
The yolk does contain a lot of nutrition such as vitamins and protein but they are also much higher in calories than the whites. So if you are going to eat them I would do so sparingly.
Another inexpensive source of protein is tuna. You can get one can for under a dollar and you can store it for long periods of time. It is also portable which is a great benefit.
You should avoid buying tuna packed in oil because it will add extra calories that you don't need. You can use the tuna in sandwiches or you can throw it into a salad.
If you become tired of tuna there are always chicken breasts. While they do cost a little more they are also a great source of lean protein. Only make sure there is no skin on them.
You can grill them or bake them for the best results and you can add different types of seasonings to add to the taste. It also mixes well with brown rice.
If you are looking for another great source of carbs there is also brown rice. It takes a little longer to make than white rice but it is much healthier for you and will be much better for losing weight.
It contains a lot of fiber which helps to make you feel full longer and it mixes well with a variety of foods. You can also make it in bulk to save on cooking time and you can store the rest in the refrigerator for later.
So if you are in a hurry I highly recommend that you try these healthy foods to lose weight fast. They have been proven to work and they should be the staple of any fat loss diet.
Did you find this article helpful? You can learn many more healthy weight loss diet tips by grabbing a free copy of Healthy Weight Loss Revealed. It teaches 12 powerful metabolism boosting keys to permanent weight loss.

Monday, June 7, 2010

What Are Potassium Rich Foods?

Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the human body and, this being the case, it is very important in maintaining healthy bodily function. This mineral is crucial in regulating blood pressure and fluid levels and it is also instrumental in proper brain and heart function. Potassium also plays the role of a pain desensitizer, controlling headaches and convulsions, and it helps to speed the healing process with cuts and bruises. Because potassium is such an important mineral, individuals should be sure they are getting enough of it in their everyday diets. Most research suggests that between 2,000mg and 3,000mg daily is an adequate dose of potassium and this goal is easily reached by consuming potassium rich foods which are a part of many people's diets already. It is possible to take potassium supplements in 99mg tablets, but doctors recommend doing so with caution. The body cannot digest supplements as easily as natural sources of potassium and, in some cases, stomach problems result from taking too many supplements. In many cases, it is easy to add some potassium to your diet by just eating different foods and the benefits of doing so are numerous.
Many people know that bananas are rich in potassium, but it is less commonly known that there are many other foods rich in potassium as well. Fruits such as papaya, oranges, kiwi, cantaloupe, honeydew, raisins, and all dried fruits are good sources of potassium. Many vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, leafy greens, asparagus, and sweet potatoes have high levels of potassium. In addition to these fruits and vegetables, there are several sources of potassium within popular proteins like beef, salmon, poultry, lima beans, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of any diet but individuals who take their health seriously should be sure they are getting adequate daily doses of potassium as well. Without enough potassium, the human body may fall victim to muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, headaches, fatigue, even more serious conditions like diabetes and heart failure. In order to keep your body running strong, be sure to balance your diet well and include several potassium rich foods in your everyday routine. It may be easier than you think to do this - all you have to do is become aware of what foods you eat on a regular basis and find some areas where you can add or switch a food that is rich in potassium.
Include potassium rich foods in your diet today for healthy eating. Visit our site today for a list of foods rich in potassium.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Top 10 Fat Burning Foods to Help Burn Belly Fat

Everyone would like to reduce the amount of fat on their bodies, whether it is to achieve a toner look for the beach, or simply to feel better about yourself when you look in the mirror. For those of you looking to burn off fat, and potentially to increase your muscle as well, this article offers a list of Top 10 Fat Burning Foods to help you reach your goals.
Here is a quick-list before we look at each in a little more detail:
  • Broccoli
  • Almonds
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach
  • Chicken Breast
  • Fish
  • Oatmeal
  • Yams
  • Grapefruit
  • Apples
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Broccoli - this is the original super food, which unknown to a lot of people actually helps burn fat well too. It is delicious prepared either steamed or boiled, better still with a little garlic salt applied.
Almonds - Almonds are one of the best nuts available, full of good protein and oils. Eat Almonds as a snack to feel fuller for longer. Raw Almonds are the best kind.
Asparagus - another good vegetable for burning fat, asparagus is one of the more under the radar fat burning elements. Lightly steam them and add a bit of herb salt to ad taste.
Spinach - not just good for building muscles, as Popeye knew so well, Spinach burns fat off effectively too.
Whole Eggs - Whole eggs should be consumed in limited quantities, but they are full of goodness, the old thinking that whole eggs are bad for you have recently been proven wrong. These are a proper superfood, two or three a day is perfect. Boiled, never fried!
Chicken Breast - Another lean protein, this is a building block for the body which is also useful for reducing the body's fat content. Cooked on a grill, like one of George Foreman's, this becomes even healthier, as the little bit of fat which is in the meat literally melts off and trickles away.
Oily Fish - Fish is the perfect protein. All kinds of fish are nutrient dense because of the lean protein and extremely good fish oils. Hake is low in nutrients, rather go for Salmon or Trout.
Oatmeal - By this, we are not referring to the many new varieties which come with cream, brown sugar, or some other sweetener included. We are talking about the old fashioned variety that your mother used to make on the weekends or before school.
Yams - Again another starchy food, it can also be classified as a vegetable, and it does help with burning fat.
Grapefruit - fruits do have sugars in them, but some of them help to burn fats off better than others, and grapefruit is no exception.
Apples - another healthy fruit, apples are both delicious and good for burning off that extra body fat.
Extra virgin olive oil - although this has been considered an essential oil, which may be confusing at first for those of you trying to burn off fat, extra virgin olive oil has many benefits for the body. It flushes out the body's toxins, and helps your food to digest better as well, aiding in the reduction of fat indirectly. On top of that, it sure helps to make some of the other foods listed above taste better when you saute them in extra virgin olive oil!
A Last Thought
Remember to mix healthy eating with a well developed personal training program. To lose weight and sculpt a toned body it is important to do weight training or resistance training.
Getting healthy, feeling great and getting the perfect body is about two things - Lose that extra layer of fat and replace the bad fat with lean muscle mass. To lose fat quickly, change your diet to consist mostly of whole foods. To build lean muscle get a training program that fit your unique fitness goals. Truth About abs is the only system I know of that covers every detail of getting a healthy body, check out this short and to the point Truth About Abs Review. Check out my website for more exercises to get a six pack.

Dispelling the Protein Myth

The myth that we do not need to watch our protein intake is deeply embedded in American traditions and has become one if the backbones in the Standard American Diet. The National Meat and Dairy Councils are the most prevalent and therefore influential resources of information on nutrition in the U.S. These councils also have leaders that switch back and forth between the industry and regulation sides of the U.S. food supply. Normally, it is not ideal that an industry also be involved in the regulation and education of their product.
Our health care is ranked #41 and yet it is the most expensive of any other country. Our leading causes of death are heart disease, followed by medical care, and then cancer. Both heart disease and cancer are nutrition-related. So, our current state of health & diet confirm that the Standard American Diet & protein intake is not working for us.
With respect to protein, the National Dairy Council recommends we get 13-17% of our total calories coming from protein. This is a curious number, since T. Colin Campbell found in his 40 year study on diet and health that eating any more than 3-5% of our calories from protein led to disease onset. It is also curious that 13-17% of calories in the Standard American diet is from protein. Their protein recommendation comes from a study conducted in 1914 by Osborn and Mendel on rats where the carnivorous animals grew faster on animal than plant protein. However, rats and humans have completely different digestive systems with rats being designed for rapid digestion and expulsion of animal protein, while humans are designed for slow digestion and absorption of every last nutrient in plant foods. Also, no tests were ever conducted on humans to verify the results applied also to humans. Lastly, in a laboratory setting, everything is controlled except one thing, the variable, however, since humans do not live in a laboratory setting, results would be difficult to compare. Nonetheless, these results became adopted as the Official Nutrition Doctrine of the United States. Since then, there has been more than 77 years of research suggesting otherwise, but we do not hear about any of this from our common modalities of nutritional information do we?
The leading scientific authorities say there is a direct correlation between diet and disease and that we need to cut out animal products, processed foods and sugary foods from our diet. This requires a complete revamping of the Standard American Diet.
Harvard researchers investigating strict plant food diets say we cannot become protein deficient by eating a mixed vegetable diet. The conservative National Academy of Science says that athletes do not need any more protein than non-athletes, they need more calories. Dr. McDougall, a leading medical authority on nutrition has stated that Osteoporosis is a disease caused by many factors, but the most important factor is an excess of protein in the diet, where there is an inversely related relationship between protein and calcium loss. A March 1983 article in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported in the largest study of this kind ever conducted that "male vegetarians had an average measurable bone loss of 3%, male meat-eaters had an average measurable bone loss of 7%, female vegetarians had an average measurable bone loss of 18%, and female meat-eaters had an average measurable bone loss of 35%." An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association entitled "Rapid Growth-Shorter Life" found that "animal-protein measurably shortened the life spans of a number of different animals."
T. Colin Campbell, a professor in the division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, senior science advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research, lead scientist on the most comprehensive nutritional study ever conducted and author of The China Study has recently stated that there is a strong correlation between dietary protein intake and western disease (cancer, auto-immune, Alzheimer's, liver, kidney and bone diseases, obesity, heart disease and many more).
John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America stresses the point from many angles in saying that eating vegan would enable us to re-allocate the enormous amounts of grain we feed to our livestock to the world's hungry. He also says, if we were to become vegan, we would be able to feed the world five times over. It would also end the great deal of suffering we cause to animals who support our meat eating habits. Sunrider International makes raw vegan products made with the 5,000 year old knowledge of Chinese herbs.
Serra Lynn Kelley has graduated from California State University with a Degree in Biology & a concentration in Marine Biology. During her college years, she was an undergraduate research scholar in a Marine Ecology lab. When she graduated she applied her research & writing skills towards nutrition. Today she owns & operates a Sunrider business selling pure & concentrated, raw Chinese herbs & also owns & operates A Sacred Space: Yoga & Meditation ( http://scartsupply.com/asacredspace/schedule.html )
Related Posts with Thumbnails