Organic food health benefits are debated more than ever. With people demanding to buy organic food more, researchers are tying to find the benefits and risks of eating organically.
Sometimes researchers have said that the organic food health benefits are really nonexistent, while with other studies, multiple benefits have been found. By researching organic foods, a person can find the real story about organic food health benefits.
Organic food health benefits may begin with the debate of the nutrition level of certified organic food versus regularly grown food. Depending on what information is read, different information is given.
According to the research on organic food that the New York Times did in 2003, their report was that "recent preliminary evidence suggests that the levels of certain nutrients, especially vitamin C, some minerals and some polyphenols -- naturally occurring antioxidants that may help bolster the immune system -- are higher in organically grown crops."
This comment alone reinforces such food health benefits that a person can gain by eating fresh organic food.
Outside organic growing, many farmers, in order to have their plants grow larger and more bountiful, add pesticides and toxins. Such food health benefits stem from the lack of these toxins and pesticides.
Pesticides have been linked to making people ill, and can cause a person to avoid fresh vegetables that are needed for an overall healthy diet. Toxins in the body can cause problems such as headaches and tremors.
Because organic food health benefits help reduce the risk of these undesirable benefits, natural and organic food should be definitely taken into consideration when choosing foods.
One particular such food health benefit occurs when the additives that are found in almost all foods are not used. Organic food production prohibits the use of food additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated fat.
This in itself is excellent for all people but especially children. The less artificial sweeteners that children can be exposed to the better according to most doctors.
Organic food health benefits are numerous. Debates rage as to what exact benefits organically grown food can offer the public. Some claim that the nutrient levels are higher, others say they are the same.
But one thing is for sure. Organically grown food offers little to no pesticides, and this can help everyone be healthier. No matter whether studies are right in linking certain ailments to pesticides or not, even children can gain from such food health benefits.
Because of the lack of artificial ingredients, children can be healthier and happier. This fact alone is enough to make anyone start enjoying fresh organic food.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon
Friday, August 31, 2007
The Pros and Cons Of The Food We Eat
Within my lifetime, we ate from the land. Even though we lived in town, we had a garden, apple trees, hogs and milk from goats. We preserved all the food we could for the winter. How different we eat today with our supermarkets and such.
We are now fast food junkies. We live on what I call “belly wash”.
The food we buy must be fast, convenient and easy to prepare. We have slide from the soul food of the past to the fast food of the present.
This has led to a diet of processed foods filled with empty calories. Our foods are full of grains and sugars that are the causes of the overweight population.
We are now overweight with an excessive amount of inflammation in our bodies. Our health has gone to hell and back. It seems everyone has Type II Diabetes or has a heart condition or cancer. In my own body, I am experiencing the pains of inflammations. As I alter the foods I eat, the pain is less. I want to share with you what I am experiencing.
I am coming to the conclusions that many of our discomforts can be corrected by altering what we eat. It plays an important role in all our known dis-eases.
The diet I am experiencing now limits my intake of grains and no sugars. I am finding it very difficult to find foods that have no grain or grain products in them. Corn is in everything.
Corn sweeteners accounts for 55% of the sweeteners on the market. If you read the labels, you will find high fructose corn syrup in everything like breads, cereals, etc.
Eighty percent of our farmland is used to grow corn. Other than soy, corn is the most genetically modified crop on the market. We don’t know yet what the effects that will have on the body.
The word organic is the buzzword in the market signifying that the food is free from man’s interferences such as pesticides, hormones, special feeds, etc. This usually indicated a small farmer conforming to all the rules. Now big money is coming into the picture. Watch out. I don’t trust the corporate world; they are paper tigers without liability. The mindset of the people running the show is the bottom line.
I have been avoiding grains in my diet. The other night I was snacking on baked whole grain wheat crackers. My body rejected them by up-chucking them. I assume that my body is allergic to wheat, if I pay attention to what it is telling me. I had experienced the same sensation in the past when eating Rudi’s whole grain breads. I love to eat bread as a snack. Now I can’t.
Corn and corn fed animals we use for food are coming under scrutiny by the scientists. The studies are beginning to show a parallel of when we started consuming great amounts of grain products with our decline in health. Corn as well as rice, wheat, barley, rye and oats are processed to the point that the body converts them to instant sugars. In the process of processing, the husk and the germ cell are removed leaving only the endosperm, which is all starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate.
That’s bad.
This causes a spike in insulin. This causes an overall resistance to insulin and an elevated blood sugar level. This leads to the physiology of Type II Diabetes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Walt_Lineberry
We are now fast food junkies. We live on what I call “belly wash”.
The food we buy must be fast, convenient and easy to prepare. We have slide from the soul food of the past to the fast food of the present.
This has led to a diet of processed foods filled with empty calories. Our foods are full of grains and sugars that are the causes of the overweight population.
We are now overweight with an excessive amount of inflammation in our bodies. Our health has gone to hell and back. It seems everyone has Type II Diabetes or has a heart condition or cancer. In my own body, I am experiencing the pains of inflammations. As I alter the foods I eat, the pain is less. I want to share with you what I am experiencing.
I am coming to the conclusions that many of our discomforts can be corrected by altering what we eat. It plays an important role in all our known dis-eases.
The diet I am experiencing now limits my intake of grains and no sugars. I am finding it very difficult to find foods that have no grain or grain products in them. Corn is in everything.
Corn sweeteners accounts for 55% of the sweeteners on the market. If you read the labels, you will find high fructose corn syrup in everything like breads, cereals, etc.
Eighty percent of our farmland is used to grow corn. Other than soy, corn is the most genetically modified crop on the market. We don’t know yet what the effects that will have on the body.
The word organic is the buzzword in the market signifying that the food is free from man’s interferences such as pesticides, hormones, special feeds, etc. This usually indicated a small farmer conforming to all the rules. Now big money is coming into the picture. Watch out. I don’t trust the corporate world; they are paper tigers without liability. The mindset of the people running the show is the bottom line.
I have been avoiding grains in my diet. The other night I was snacking on baked whole grain wheat crackers. My body rejected them by up-chucking them. I assume that my body is allergic to wheat, if I pay attention to what it is telling me. I had experienced the same sensation in the past when eating Rudi’s whole grain breads. I love to eat bread as a snack. Now I can’t.
Corn and corn fed animals we use for food are coming under scrutiny by the scientists. The studies are beginning to show a parallel of when we started consuming great amounts of grain products with our decline in health. Corn as well as rice, wheat, barley, rye and oats are processed to the point that the body converts them to instant sugars. In the process of processing, the husk and the germ cell are removed leaving only the endosperm, which is all starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate.
That’s bad.
This causes a spike in insulin. This causes an overall resistance to insulin and an elevated blood sugar level. This leads to the physiology of Type II Diabetes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Walt_Lineberry
Mauritian Food - An Overview
Mauritius is an island of about 1 million inhabitants situated in the Indian Ocean. The ethnic diversity of the local people is reflected in its cuisine. As a result, the cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Indian Cuisine, Creole, Chinese and European. In Mauritius, local fruits and vegetables used under the influence of culinary traditions of France, India, China and Africa with its variety of flavours and aromas have resulted in a cuisine that is unique to the island.
The most commonly served in Mauritius, and tasty dishes include Creole rougailles, Indian curries and biryanis, Chinese “mine frite”, and French “gratin de crabes sur coeur de palmiste”. All these are part of the cuisine of Mauritius. The commonly used ingredients in Mauritius are tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and chillies while the traditional base is definitely the curries and "rougailles" which is made from the blends of home crushed spices. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine. The extensive use of spices such as saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves provide a powerful, yet subtle flavour to the dish. This interblending of spices give the cuisine of Mauritius its charm and uniqueness.
Locals in Mauritius would eat a combination of curries and rougailles along with beans (lentils, kidney beans, yellow split lentils) and white rice. Vegetables are usually greens either grown in the back garden or freshly bought from the market prepared as “bouillons” (like a soup) or “touffés”(like a stir fry). On the sidewalks of main streets, the Mauritian community loves to buy dholl puris (flat bred with peas), faratas and gateaux piments (spicy balls of peas). As far as drinks are concerned , the Alouda bought in Mauritius, which is a milk drink prepared with basil seeds is the favourite with all communities.
The pluri-ethnicity of the dishes from Mauritius is reflected in the cuisines of Mauritius. Over the years, the communities have blended each others’ spices and ingredients to their own tasted resulting in a tasty mixture sure to flatter the senses. For example, a Creole rougaille is best served with a variety of achards (pickles), a Chinese “mine frite” (noodles) is often served with various “chatini” (chutneys).
The tourist visiting Mauritius must absolutely taste this extensive variety of dishes. There is a variety of Chinese restaurants where one can taste cuisine of Mauritius under Chinese influence. The best sellers are fried rice and mine frite (fried noodles), crab soup, sweet and sour fish. For more adventurous ones, the sidewalks of Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius, is the best place to go. The must-eat are boulettes (meat or fish balls), “mine frite”, dholl puris, gateaux piments and samosas. For meat lovers, Creole restaurants offer a wide choice of the tastiest cuisine of Mauritius including, grilled prawns, venison curry, gratin de coeur de palmiste, a Mauritian delicacy and many more. For dessert, a fresh exotic fruits salad is the best of the best, served with French wine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Ramah
The most commonly served in Mauritius, and tasty dishes include Creole rougailles, Indian curries and biryanis, Chinese “mine frite”, and French “gratin de crabes sur coeur de palmiste”. All these are part of the cuisine of Mauritius. The commonly used ingredients in Mauritius are tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and chillies while the traditional base is definitely the curries and "rougailles" which is made from the blends of home crushed spices. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine. The extensive use of spices such as saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves provide a powerful, yet subtle flavour to the dish. This interblending of spices give the cuisine of Mauritius its charm and uniqueness.
Locals in Mauritius would eat a combination of curries and rougailles along with beans (lentils, kidney beans, yellow split lentils) and white rice. Vegetables are usually greens either grown in the back garden or freshly bought from the market prepared as “bouillons” (like a soup) or “touffés”(like a stir fry). On the sidewalks of main streets, the Mauritian community loves to buy dholl puris (flat bred with peas), faratas and gateaux piments (spicy balls of peas). As far as drinks are concerned , the Alouda bought in Mauritius, which is a milk drink prepared with basil seeds is the favourite with all communities.
The pluri-ethnicity of the dishes from Mauritius is reflected in the cuisines of Mauritius. Over the years, the communities have blended each others’ spices and ingredients to their own tasted resulting in a tasty mixture sure to flatter the senses. For example, a Creole rougaille is best served with a variety of achards (pickles), a Chinese “mine frite” (noodles) is often served with various “chatini” (chutneys).
The tourist visiting Mauritius must absolutely taste this extensive variety of dishes. There is a variety of Chinese restaurants where one can taste cuisine of Mauritius under Chinese influence. The best sellers are fried rice and mine frite (fried noodles), crab soup, sweet and sour fish. For more adventurous ones, the sidewalks of Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius, is the best place to go. The must-eat are boulettes (meat or fish balls), “mine frite”, dholl puris, gateaux piments and samosas. For meat lovers, Creole restaurants offer a wide choice of the tastiest cuisine of Mauritius including, grilled prawns, venison curry, gratin de coeur de palmiste, a Mauritian delicacy and many more. For dessert, a fresh exotic fruits salad is the best of the best, served with French wine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Ramah
Fast Food for the Fit Life
Go go go…that is what you do all day long. We live in a fast paced society, everything has to be high speed from our internet connections right down to the foods that we eat! Millions of Americans are consuming fast food meals on a daily basis and it is having a serious effect on our health and our waistlines! If you are a fast food junky listen up. By making smarter and healthier choices at the drive through, fast food actually can be incorporated into a fit and healthy lifestyle!
Fast food is available virtually everywhere, it is usually lacking in nutritional value and is high in fat and calories. Fast food is quick, convenient and cheap. It is part of our society and part of the lifestyle of millions of Americans. If you are looking to lose weight, increase your energy levels and improve your health but are limited on grocery shopping or food preparation time, I have some tips that will help you make healthier choices even when your chow is coming through a drive through window!
Choose grilled not fried foods. Skip the fried foods and you will cut back on unhealthy trans fats and excess calories, as well as get a jump start on your weight loss goals. Choose chicken. Most fast food joints have some type of grilled chicken sandwich. Picking chicken over beef will significantly decrease the amount of calories and fats you are consuming.
If you aren’t ready to give up your burgers just yet, start by choosing a junior burger and order it without cheese. If you feel like you can’t give up the fries just yet start by ordering a small size and don’t eat the whole thing. When you are committed to your fitness goals and motivated enough to eliminate these items from your diet you will be amazed at how much better your body will feel, how much easier weight loss will be, and how much more energy you will have!
Skip the dips and nix the mayo. Sauces including barbeque and even ketchup are typically loaded with sugar, check out the ingredients on a ketchup package and you may be surprised to see that high fructose corn syrup is at the top of the list! Mayonnaise is very high in fat and calories. Eliminating it is the best choice, but if you do choose to use it, practice moderation! Mustard is a better condiment choice.
Beware when ordering salads! Just because it has something green in it doesn’t automatically make it healthy. Salads laden with items such as bacon, cheese, fried chicken or wontons can contain as many calories as a burger, so be sure you know what you are ordering. Choose salads loaded with veggies and a good protein source such as chicken, fish, turkey, beans, or egg whites. Don’t sabotage your healthy eating efforts by drowning your salad with high fat high calorie dressings! Stay away from any dressing that is cream based, choose a light dressing or vinaigrette and keep it on the side for dipping purposes. Choose a fresh made sandwich over a burger. Sub shops allow you to load your sandwich with plenty of veggies and usually give you a whole wheat bread option. Skip the fried chips and choose baked or pretzels instead. Order a small sandwich. If you do order a large eat half of it and save the rest for your next small meal in a couple of hours.
When you have to eat on the go, popping into the grocery store for a fresh made salad or sandwich is also a great alternative to burgers and fries, it may take a few seconds longer than the drive through but it will give you the opportunity to grab a piece of fresh fruit to go with your meal!
Remember that a calorie is a calorie even when it comes in liquid form. Sodas, fruit juices and even sweetened iced teas are typically packed with sugar. In a super sized beverage you may be consuming over half of your daily calories! Water is always the best choice, but if you must have a soda make it a diet.
In a perfect world we would all have time to prepare meals that we could eat consistently throughout the day in order to keep our metabolism up and keep our bodies properly fueled. Let’s get real! With hectic lifestyles, busy jobs and families to care for the importance of food preparation is easily pushed to the side in exchange for a fast food alternative. Since quick meals on the go are part of our culture it’s high time that we recognize the fact that you CAN make healthy choices and lead a fit life even if your next meal comes in a paper bag.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Chaloux
Fast food is available virtually everywhere, it is usually lacking in nutritional value and is high in fat and calories. Fast food is quick, convenient and cheap. It is part of our society and part of the lifestyle of millions of Americans. If you are looking to lose weight, increase your energy levels and improve your health but are limited on grocery shopping or food preparation time, I have some tips that will help you make healthier choices even when your chow is coming through a drive through window!
Choose grilled not fried foods. Skip the fried foods and you will cut back on unhealthy trans fats and excess calories, as well as get a jump start on your weight loss goals. Choose chicken. Most fast food joints have some type of grilled chicken sandwich. Picking chicken over beef will significantly decrease the amount of calories and fats you are consuming.
If you aren’t ready to give up your burgers just yet, start by choosing a junior burger and order it without cheese. If you feel like you can’t give up the fries just yet start by ordering a small size and don’t eat the whole thing. When you are committed to your fitness goals and motivated enough to eliminate these items from your diet you will be amazed at how much better your body will feel, how much easier weight loss will be, and how much more energy you will have!
Skip the dips and nix the mayo. Sauces including barbeque and even ketchup are typically loaded with sugar, check out the ingredients on a ketchup package and you may be surprised to see that high fructose corn syrup is at the top of the list! Mayonnaise is very high in fat and calories. Eliminating it is the best choice, but if you do choose to use it, practice moderation! Mustard is a better condiment choice.
Beware when ordering salads! Just because it has something green in it doesn’t automatically make it healthy. Salads laden with items such as bacon, cheese, fried chicken or wontons can contain as many calories as a burger, so be sure you know what you are ordering. Choose salads loaded with veggies and a good protein source such as chicken, fish, turkey, beans, or egg whites. Don’t sabotage your healthy eating efforts by drowning your salad with high fat high calorie dressings! Stay away from any dressing that is cream based, choose a light dressing or vinaigrette and keep it on the side for dipping purposes. Choose a fresh made sandwich over a burger. Sub shops allow you to load your sandwich with plenty of veggies and usually give you a whole wheat bread option. Skip the fried chips and choose baked or pretzels instead. Order a small sandwich. If you do order a large eat half of it and save the rest for your next small meal in a couple of hours.
When you have to eat on the go, popping into the grocery store for a fresh made salad or sandwich is also a great alternative to burgers and fries, it may take a few seconds longer than the drive through but it will give you the opportunity to grab a piece of fresh fruit to go with your meal!
Remember that a calorie is a calorie even when it comes in liquid form. Sodas, fruit juices and even sweetened iced teas are typically packed with sugar. In a super sized beverage you may be consuming over half of your daily calories! Water is always the best choice, but if you must have a soda make it a diet.
In a perfect world we would all have time to prepare meals that we could eat consistently throughout the day in order to keep our metabolism up and keep our bodies properly fueled. Let’s get real! With hectic lifestyles, busy jobs and families to care for the importance of food preparation is easily pushed to the side in exchange for a fast food alternative. Since quick meals on the go are part of our culture it’s high time that we recognize the fact that you CAN make healthy choices and lead a fit life even if your next meal comes in a paper bag.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Chaloux
Defy Aging By Eating The Right Food
Americans spent $44.6 billion on anti-aging products and services last year, according to Norwalk, Connecticut - based research firm Business Communications Company Inc. Expenditures included $37.6 billion spent on drugs and supplements targeted at specific diseases of aging, $7.7 billion spent on appearance products and services and nearly $280 million spent on anti-aging products that use advanced technologies such as hair regrowth.
Growing at an average annual rate of 9.2 percent, the total market is estimated to reach nearly $72 billion by 2009. Still, if people ate the right foods, perhaps they wouldn't spend so much money on Botox, caviar crème, facelifts, and other expensive anti-aging regimens.
The benefits of eating healthy are endless. Health experts said some foods can even help you look and age better. Beans and lentils, for instance, can reduce cholesterol and are rich sources of antioxidants, folic acid and potassium. Try kidney, black, navy, pinto, chickpeas, and soybeans for starters.
You can't go wrong with a handful of nuts a day. Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia and pistachio nuts contain omega 3 fatty acids which are great for your heart. Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are the best.
Acai berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world. It can often be found in juice form in health food and gourmet stores. Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots can all help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.
Barley can be used as a breakfast cereal in soups and stews, and as a rice substitute. Barley is also high in fiber and helps metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates.
Green foods like wheat and barley grasses can be bought in powder, tablet or juice form, and offer greater levels of nutrients than green leafy vegetables. They also help control cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and immune response.
Buckwheat is loaded with protein and high in amino acids. It stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces hypertension.
Both bell and chili peppers contain antioxidants, have twice the Vitamin C as citrus fruit and work as great fat burners.
Numerous varieties of sprouts are great with any meal. They're a great source of protein and Vitamin C. Try adding them to any dish to boost your immune system.
Yogurt and kefir contain healthful bacteria that aid immune function, and calcium helps burn fat. Try using them as a base for a smoothie.
So what makes certain foods such powerful age-defying weapons? Antioxidants, special substances found in these foods, have the ability to scavenge free radicals, compounds whose unstable chemical nature accelerates the effect of aging on our cells.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_A_Bell
Growing at an average annual rate of 9.2 percent, the total market is estimated to reach nearly $72 billion by 2009. Still, if people ate the right foods, perhaps they wouldn't spend so much money on Botox, caviar crème, facelifts, and other expensive anti-aging regimens.
The benefits of eating healthy are endless. Health experts said some foods can even help you look and age better. Beans and lentils, for instance, can reduce cholesterol and are rich sources of antioxidants, folic acid and potassium. Try kidney, black, navy, pinto, chickpeas, and soybeans for starters.
You can't go wrong with a handful of nuts a day. Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia and pistachio nuts contain omega 3 fatty acids which are great for your heart. Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are the best.
Acai berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world. It can often be found in juice form in health food and gourmet stores. Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots can all help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.
Barley can be used as a breakfast cereal in soups and stews, and as a rice substitute. Barley is also high in fiber and helps metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates.
Green foods like wheat and barley grasses can be bought in powder, tablet or juice form, and offer greater levels of nutrients than green leafy vegetables. They also help control cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and immune response.
Buckwheat is loaded with protein and high in amino acids. It stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces hypertension.
Both bell and chili peppers contain antioxidants, have twice the Vitamin C as citrus fruit and work as great fat burners.
Numerous varieties of sprouts are great with any meal. They're a great source of protein and Vitamin C. Try adding them to any dish to boost your immune system.
Yogurt and kefir contain healthful bacteria that aid immune function, and calcium helps burn fat. Try using them as a base for a smoothie.
So what makes certain foods such powerful age-defying weapons? Antioxidants, special substances found in these foods, have the ability to scavenge free radicals, compounds whose unstable chemical nature accelerates the effect of aging on our cells.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_A_Bell
All About Healthy Food Recipes and Why You Should Learn Them
So where can you get healthy food recipes? First of all what is healthy foods? Foods without meat? No! Foods with low or no fat and without any excessive sugar or salt. You can eat meat, you don't have to be a vegetarian to be healthy.
Let me show you the benefits of eating low fat meat. The brain in the human body uses approx. 60-70% of all the body's available energy at any given time. The brain runs on proteins, like cars runs on gasoline. Meat contains lots of proteins, so it's good to eat meat, but with any other food, you have to know your limits.
Here is a short list of unhealthy foods and healthy foods.
Unhealthy Foods
* Battered and deep fried foods
* Sugary sodas
* Processed lunch meats
* Greasy snack chips
* White bread and refined pasta
* Most canned spaghetti and ravioli
* Sugary breakfast cereals
* Frozen fried chicken, fish sticks and corn dogs
Healthy Foods
* Green and brightly colored vegetables
* Dark leafy greens and lettuce
* Fresh fruits and berries
* Lean turkey and chicken
* Nuts, dried fruits and healthy snacks
* Whole grain breads and pasta
* Healthy cooking oils like canola and olive oils
* Grass fed beef and bison
* Cold water oily ocean fish
* Low fat milk or soy beverages
* Nuts, seeds, and legumes
The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so choose more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren't good for you.
Shop for lean meats and don't forget the fish. The omega-3 essential fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison are healthier than higher fat beef. Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages have a lot of junk in them you don't want in your body, but if you love these meats, find healthier versions sold at health food stores.
Stick to water as your main beverage and limit soft drinks. If you get tired of plain water, add a slice of lemon or lime to add a touch of flavor. For kids, try some fruit juice jazzed up with carbonated water. Some herbal and green teas may add great benefits to your health, but avoid too much caffeine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gyorgy_Fekete
Let me show you the benefits of eating low fat meat. The brain in the human body uses approx. 60-70% of all the body's available energy at any given time. The brain runs on proteins, like cars runs on gasoline. Meat contains lots of proteins, so it's good to eat meat, but with any other food, you have to know your limits.
Here is a short list of unhealthy foods and healthy foods.
Unhealthy Foods
* Battered and deep fried foods
* Sugary sodas
* Processed lunch meats
* Greasy snack chips
* White bread and refined pasta
* Most canned spaghetti and ravioli
* Sugary breakfast cereals
* Frozen fried chicken, fish sticks and corn dogs
Healthy Foods
* Green and brightly colored vegetables
* Dark leafy greens and lettuce
* Fresh fruits and berries
* Lean turkey and chicken
* Nuts, dried fruits and healthy snacks
* Whole grain breads and pasta
* Healthy cooking oils like canola and olive oils
* Grass fed beef and bison
* Cold water oily ocean fish
* Low fat milk or soy beverages
* Nuts, seeds, and legumes
The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so choose more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren't good for you.
Shop for lean meats and don't forget the fish. The omega-3 essential fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison are healthier than higher fat beef. Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages have a lot of junk in them you don't want in your body, but if you love these meats, find healthier versions sold at health food stores.
Stick to water as your main beverage and limit soft drinks. If you get tired of plain water, add a slice of lemon or lime to add a touch of flavor. For kids, try some fruit juice jazzed up with carbonated water. Some herbal and green teas may add great benefits to your health, but avoid too much caffeine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gyorgy_Fekete
Overboard – Fast Food and Obesity
Drive-up restaurants, milkshakes, fries, and time-honored burgers and dripping Coney Islands – that’s what makes the American cuisine – since the 1950’s. This has been America’s characteristic manner of preparing food – Fast Food – the epitome of the American life. Yet should tradition hinder improvement?
When it comes to health, the answer should be a big NO. When America is at risk of the fast food and obesity outbreak, the consumer should think twice before he takes a huge gulp of his sweet soda.
Fast food and obesity has been a major link that makes the American dinning experience and unfortunately American Health most noteworthy to world specialists. About 60M of the American population is considered obese. Australia only comes second in the fast food craze and obesity maze. Most significantly is that the impending danger of fast food and obesity concern has become a world phenomenon. The problem of obesity has crept quickly as fast as the spurt of fast foods all throughout the world. Though, we could not blame McDonaldization and Globalization.
What makes fast food so appealing not only to Americans is that it’s not just hot, tasty, and greasy; it’s also constant and convenient. The cheeseburger that you so loved since childhood have never changed a bit – a constancy that is so hard to find in the constantly changing society. Additionally, the fast-paced lifestyle of the current generation only leaves fast food in the high-ladder for convenience. Preparing everything with minimum fuss has just become so valuable. And you can also add the joy of indulgence. But what about the cons?
Primary is over-indulgence. Not only is fast food expensive and isolating; it is also over-eating tolerant. It’s true that it is sometimes a wonderful thing to be able to overcome your guilt to have yourself a treat, yet can you take the guilt of burdening your body with fast food and obesity?
The problem with fast food and obesity is that it has become socially acceptable, even encouraged. Some call it expression, even freedom, equality. You see commercials of all sorts urging you get the latest dessert. You go to the mall and there’s a special line of plus sizes. It all seems purely natural but it doesn’t mean it’s totally right. This isn’t to say that fast food can’t be consumed occasionally, and that fat people should be detested. The point is that these can be avoided, and that there are better choices.
Sure you can look at fast food as just a way of life; but also look at obesity as what it is – a disease, and a serious one – something you wouldn’t want to indulge in.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Milos_Pesic
When it comes to health, the answer should be a big NO. When America is at risk of the fast food and obesity outbreak, the consumer should think twice before he takes a huge gulp of his sweet soda.
Fast food and obesity has been a major link that makes the American dinning experience and unfortunately American Health most noteworthy to world specialists. About 60M of the American population is considered obese. Australia only comes second in the fast food craze and obesity maze. Most significantly is that the impending danger of fast food and obesity concern has become a world phenomenon. The problem of obesity has crept quickly as fast as the spurt of fast foods all throughout the world. Though, we could not blame McDonaldization and Globalization.
What makes fast food so appealing not only to Americans is that it’s not just hot, tasty, and greasy; it’s also constant and convenient. The cheeseburger that you so loved since childhood have never changed a bit – a constancy that is so hard to find in the constantly changing society. Additionally, the fast-paced lifestyle of the current generation only leaves fast food in the high-ladder for convenience. Preparing everything with minimum fuss has just become so valuable. And you can also add the joy of indulgence. But what about the cons?
Primary is over-indulgence. Not only is fast food expensive and isolating; it is also over-eating tolerant. It’s true that it is sometimes a wonderful thing to be able to overcome your guilt to have yourself a treat, yet can you take the guilt of burdening your body with fast food and obesity?
The problem with fast food and obesity is that it has become socially acceptable, even encouraged. Some call it expression, even freedom, equality. You see commercials of all sorts urging you get the latest dessert. You go to the mall and there’s a special line of plus sizes. It all seems purely natural but it doesn’t mean it’s totally right. This isn’t to say that fast food can’t be consumed occasionally, and that fat people should be detested. The point is that these can be avoided, and that there are better choices.
Sure you can look at fast food as just a way of life; but also look at obesity as what it is – a disease, and a serious one – something you wouldn’t want to indulge in.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Milos_Pesic
Caribbean Food - A Little History
The Arawak, Carib, and Taino Indians were the first inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. These first inhabitants occupied the present day islands of British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Trinidad, and Jamaica. Their daily diet consisted of vegetables and fruits such as papaw, yams, guavas, and cassava. The Taino started the process of cooking meat and fish in large clay pots.
The Arawaks are the first people known to make a grate of thin green wood strips on which they slowly cooked meat, allowing it to be enhanced by the flavor of the wood. This grate was called a barbacoa, and the word we know today as barbeque is taken from this early Indian cooking method.
The Carib Indians added more spice to their food with hot pepper sauces, and also added lemon and lime juice to their meat and fish recipes. The Caribs are said to have made the first pepper pot stew. No recipes exist since every time the Indians made the dish, they would always add new ingredients. The Carib had a big impact on early Caribbean history, and the Caribbean sea was named after this tribe.
Then the Caribbean became a crossroads for the world . . .
Once the Europeans brought Africans slaves into the region, the slaves diet consisted mostly of food the slave owners did not want to eat. So the slaves had to be inventive, and they blended their traditional African foods with staples found on the islands. The Africans introduced okra, callaloo, fish cakes, saltfish, ackee, pudding and souse, mangos, and the list goes on.
Most present day Caribbean island locals eat a present diet that is reflective of the main ingredients of original early African dishes, and includes cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas and corn meal.
African men were hunters in their homeland, and often away from home for long periods of time. They would cook spicy pork over hot coals, and this tradition was refined by the early slaves in Jamaica. The technique is known today as “jerk“ cooking , and the secret involves a slow meat cooking process. Jamaica is famous for jerk chicken and pork, and you’ll find jerk all over the island.
After slavery was abolished, the Europeans went to India and China for labor, and more cooking styles were introduced. Much of the Indian cooking culture remains alive and well in the Caribbean of today with the introduction of curried meats and curry powder. Indians call it kari podi, and we have come to know this pungent flavor as curry.
The Chinese introduced rice, which is always a staple in home cooked island meals. The Chinese also introduced mustard, and the early Portuguese sailors introduced the popular codfish.
Most visitors to the Caribbean have no idea that the fruit trees and fruits so familiar to the islands were introduced by the early Spanish explorers. The fruit trees and fruits brought from Spain include orange, lime, ginger, plantains, figs, date palms, sugar cane, grapes, tamarinds and coconuts.
Even the Polynesian islands play an important role in Caribbean cooking. Most of us remember the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty”, but do not know that particular ship carried breadfruit, which was loaded on board from the islands of Tahiti and Timor. In the movie the crew took over the ship, forced the captain into a small boat to fend on his own, and they threw the breadfruit, which they considered “strange fruit” overboard. Another ship was more successful in bringing breadfruit from Polynesia to Jamaica and the St Vincent and the Grenadines. Breadfruit is a staple diet in the current day Caribbean
America is responsible for introducing beans, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili pepper to the Caribbean. In fact these particular foods had never been seen in Asia, Europe or Africa, so America actually introduced these foods the rest of the world via the Caribbean.
So it's no wonder Caribbean cooking is so rich and creative with the flavors of Africa, India, and China, along with Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, French and British influences. Food served in the Caribbean islands have been influenced by the cultures of the world, but each island adds its own special flavor and cooking technique.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Thompkins
The Arawaks are the first people known to make a grate of thin green wood strips on which they slowly cooked meat, allowing it to be enhanced by the flavor of the wood. This grate was called a barbacoa, and the word we know today as barbeque is taken from this early Indian cooking method.
The Carib Indians added more spice to their food with hot pepper sauces, and also added lemon and lime juice to their meat and fish recipes. The Caribs are said to have made the first pepper pot stew. No recipes exist since every time the Indians made the dish, they would always add new ingredients. The Carib had a big impact on early Caribbean history, and the Caribbean sea was named after this tribe.
Then the Caribbean became a crossroads for the world . . .
Once the Europeans brought Africans slaves into the region, the slaves diet consisted mostly of food the slave owners did not want to eat. So the slaves had to be inventive, and they blended their traditional African foods with staples found on the islands. The Africans introduced okra, callaloo, fish cakes, saltfish, ackee, pudding and souse, mangos, and the list goes on.
Most present day Caribbean island locals eat a present diet that is reflective of the main ingredients of original early African dishes, and includes cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas and corn meal.
African men were hunters in their homeland, and often away from home for long periods of time. They would cook spicy pork over hot coals, and this tradition was refined by the early slaves in Jamaica. The technique is known today as “jerk“ cooking , and the secret involves a slow meat cooking process. Jamaica is famous for jerk chicken and pork, and you’ll find jerk all over the island.
After slavery was abolished, the Europeans went to India and China for labor, and more cooking styles were introduced. Much of the Indian cooking culture remains alive and well in the Caribbean of today with the introduction of curried meats and curry powder. Indians call it kari podi, and we have come to know this pungent flavor as curry.
The Chinese introduced rice, which is always a staple in home cooked island meals. The Chinese also introduced mustard, and the early Portuguese sailors introduced the popular codfish.
Most visitors to the Caribbean have no idea that the fruit trees and fruits so familiar to the islands were introduced by the early Spanish explorers. The fruit trees and fruits brought from Spain include orange, lime, ginger, plantains, figs, date palms, sugar cane, grapes, tamarinds and coconuts.
Even the Polynesian islands play an important role in Caribbean cooking. Most of us remember the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty”, but do not know that particular ship carried breadfruit, which was loaded on board from the islands of Tahiti and Timor. In the movie the crew took over the ship, forced the captain into a small boat to fend on his own, and they threw the breadfruit, which they considered “strange fruit” overboard. Another ship was more successful in bringing breadfruit from Polynesia to Jamaica and the St Vincent and the Grenadines. Breadfruit is a staple diet in the current day Caribbean
America is responsible for introducing beans, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and chili pepper to the Caribbean. In fact these particular foods had never been seen in Asia, Europe or Africa, so America actually introduced these foods the rest of the world via the Caribbean.
So it's no wonder Caribbean cooking is so rich and creative with the flavors of Africa, India, and China, along with Spanish, Danish, Portuguese, French and British influences. Food served in the Caribbean islands have been influenced by the cultures of the world, but each island adds its own special flavor and cooking technique.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Thompkins
Food is Not Your Friend
Food is not your friend. Stop saying it is. Stop saying that you eat to be comforted by a dependable friend. Food is not, I repeat, not your friend.
Food is fuel for your physical body. Food can taste delicious. Food can satisfy physical hunger. Food is a reason to get together with friends, but food is not one of the friends.
Here is a definition of friend:
Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more humans. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them. Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating on a consistent basis:
the tendency to desire what is best for the other, sympathy and empathy, honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart, mutual understanding.
So let's play this out to make the point. How much does food know you? How much affection does it have for you? How much does it welcome your company? Does it have the same tastes as you do? Does food engage in mutually helping behavior? Does it give you advice? Can you trust food not to harm you? Do you have food's best interests at heart? Do you empathize with your food and does it do the same for you? Are you honest with food? Do you tell your food the truth? Does it tell you the truth? Does it understand you?
Oh, and here is my favorite question: Does food really comfort you? Seriously…..
Food just is. It doesn't love you. It doesn't hate you. It doesn't care if you eat it or don't eat it. It doesn't care if you are sad. It doesn't care if you are happy. Food doesn't give one damn about you. Food doesn't taste good on purpose so you will be happy. Food doesn't try to be dependable so you can rely on it. Food doesn't care if you like it and FOOD DOES NOT WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND.
So some of you might say that you feel better after you eat something that tastes good. But is that really true? Think about it. How do you really feel afterward? Ok, so you might say that you feel better when you are actually eating it. I will give you that even though I am not convinced that it is true either. But while you are eating food, the reason you feel better for a very miniscule amount of time is because you are focused on the food tasting good and not your thoughts. Your negative thoughts are what make you feel negative emotion. And maybe for that one-minute you are eating a cookie, you are distracted from your thinking, and focused on the taste of the food. You just gave yourself a state change by changing your focus. You didn't make a new friend.
If you need a friend, be your own. Read the definition above and see what kind of friend you are being to yourself. See how much you are paying attention to treating yourself well. Maybe you think food is a good friend because you are a terrible friend to yourself. Maybe if you put a little effort into being kind and warm and trusting and understanding and honest to yourself, you could beat out the Doritos and the Weight Watcher crackers in the "good friend" category.
Food is not your friend. You are.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brooke_Castillo
Food is fuel for your physical body. Food can taste delicious. Food can satisfy physical hunger. Food is a reason to get together with friends, but food is not one of the friends.
Here is a definition of friend:
Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more humans. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them. Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating on a consistent basis:
the tendency to desire what is best for the other, sympathy and empathy, honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart, mutual understanding.
So let's play this out to make the point. How much does food know you? How much affection does it have for you? How much does it welcome your company? Does it have the same tastes as you do? Does food engage in mutually helping behavior? Does it give you advice? Can you trust food not to harm you? Do you have food's best interests at heart? Do you empathize with your food and does it do the same for you? Are you honest with food? Do you tell your food the truth? Does it tell you the truth? Does it understand you?
Oh, and here is my favorite question: Does food really comfort you? Seriously…..
Food just is. It doesn't love you. It doesn't hate you. It doesn't care if you eat it or don't eat it. It doesn't care if you are sad. It doesn't care if you are happy. Food doesn't give one damn about you. Food doesn't taste good on purpose so you will be happy. Food doesn't try to be dependable so you can rely on it. Food doesn't care if you like it and FOOD DOES NOT WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND.
So some of you might say that you feel better after you eat something that tastes good. But is that really true? Think about it. How do you really feel afterward? Ok, so you might say that you feel better when you are actually eating it. I will give you that even though I am not convinced that it is true either. But while you are eating food, the reason you feel better for a very miniscule amount of time is because you are focused on the food tasting good and not your thoughts. Your negative thoughts are what make you feel negative emotion. And maybe for that one-minute you are eating a cookie, you are distracted from your thinking, and focused on the taste of the food. You just gave yourself a state change by changing your focus. You didn't make a new friend.
If you need a friend, be your own. Read the definition above and see what kind of friend you are being to yourself. See how much you are paying attention to treating yourself well. Maybe you think food is a good friend because you are a terrible friend to yourself. Maybe if you put a little effort into being kind and warm and trusting and understanding and honest to yourself, you could beat out the Doritos and the Weight Watcher crackers in the "good friend" category.
Food is not your friend. You are.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brooke_Castillo
Homemade Baby Food
Why would your baby just want to eat the bland ready made foods available in jars? No spice, no exciting tastes, no peppers, no… taste? There is no reason.
It is not dangerous to introduce more exciting foods, but key is to introduce it slowly, and just one new meal per week. This is to be able to pinpoint any allergies.
Don’t let the scare tactics from huge food industries scare you into only serving boring, bland food to your little one. Let him or her taste new things, you’ll be surprised how much goes down well. The best part is that he or she will be less likely to discard exotic food later on. I know of kids who will only eat hamburgers and fries. Only! A scary thought.
However, most would recommend waiting until the child is about 8 months before introducing spices.
Ok, so what can you serve? Baby taste buds are different, they taste savory, bitter, sweet and salt foods stronger and indeed differently than us adults, so you can’t serve a spicy enchilada for breakfast. But try introducing a new fruits like Pomegranates, Passion Fruit, Figs and Dates, Lychees, Persimmons, and Star Fruit. That’s just some of the fruits covered which are very low on the allergy list and any rare occurrence of a reaction has been traced to a cross reactivity, usually birch pollen.
Then we have the veggies, many seem to be concerned about whether it’s safe to use mushrooms, celery, leeks, onions, peppers etc. Sure it is, but as I mentioned earlier, introduce new things one at a time to be able o pinpoint any allergies. You can introduce them at the age of about eight to ten months. The vegetables can be sautéed and added to your child's food.
I wouldn’t just purée these veggies in the raw and serve them to a child, but certainly add them to other dishes to spice them up, make them more exciting and let her acquire the tastes. Make sure you cook them (you know, the way your mother overcooked your vegetables when you where little – that’s perfect for the baby). Hard foods, not cooked soft can pose a choking hazard.
Get educated, get cooking and relax a bit when it comes to introducing new things to your baby and I am sure you are in for a treat and a healthy growing child!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Wahlgren
It is not dangerous to introduce more exciting foods, but key is to introduce it slowly, and just one new meal per week. This is to be able to pinpoint any allergies.
Don’t let the scare tactics from huge food industries scare you into only serving boring, bland food to your little one. Let him or her taste new things, you’ll be surprised how much goes down well. The best part is that he or she will be less likely to discard exotic food later on. I know of kids who will only eat hamburgers and fries. Only! A scary thought.
However, most would recommend waiting until the child is about 8 months before introducing spices.
Ok, so what can you serve? Baby taste buds are different, they taste savory, bitter, sweet and salt foods stronger and indeed differently than us adults, so you can’t serve a spicy enchilada for breakfast. But try introducing a new fruits like Pomegranates, Passion Fruit, Figs and Dates, Lychees, Persimmons, and Star Fruit. That’s just some of the fruits covered which are very low on the allergy list and any rare occurrence of a reaction has been traced to a cross reactivity, usually birch pollen.
Then we have the veggies, many seem to be concerned about whether it’s safe to use mushrooms, celery, leeks, onions, peppers etc. Sure it is, but as I mentioned earlier, introduce new things one at a time to be able o pinpoint any allergies. You can introduce them at the age of about eight to ten months. The vegetables can be sautéed and added to your child's food.
I wouldn’t just purée these veggies in the raw and serve them to a child, but certainly add them to other dishes to spice them up, make them more exciting and let her acquire the tastes. Make sure you cook them (you know, the way your mother overcooked your vegetables when you where little – that’s perfect for the baby). Hard foods, not cooked soft can pose a choking hazard.
Get educated, get cooking and relax a bit when it comes to introducing new things to your baby and I am sure you are in for a treat and a healthy growing child!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Wahlgren
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)