General

The advantages offered with the consumption of healthy foods are numerous. To start with, you should choose a food item based upon the ingredients it consists of and the amount of calories it consists of. Staying healthy is what everyone desires but there are very few who show others how to stay fit and healthy. Consult a nutritionist and seek the details of food products and understand the importance of each of them. This will allow you to assess the difference between healthy foods and unhygienic foods. Make a list of food items that should be made mandatory in your daily menu. Healthy foods provide your body with all the vital nutrients needed for the proper functioning of your body. For example, regular consumption of carrots is good for your eyes. Include your daily menu with food items that can be digested easily. Remember that enzymes can be produced in more quantities when you take different fruit juices as part of your menu of healthy foods. Regularly following it will not only let you stay fit but also makes you to look young. Do not forget to wash vegetables and fruits before you consume them. The consumption of healthy foods in raw form is encouraged provided that they are not grown with synthetic fertilizers. The impact of such foods is so severe that they tend to work in retrospect on your body than what it should actually provide your body with. Insist on the quality of healthy foods by boiling it properly. This will kill any germs or bacteria those foods consists of. Make sure that your diet consists of all the food items so that your body can be supplied with all the vital nutrients. If you are unsure about a food item, then you should know about the benefits by getting the information from the Internet or by consulting a health expert. Source by Alessandro E.

It can be really hard for some parents to get their kids to eat healthy. It is one big challenge, especially when the kids start going to school and they see the variety of tasty junk foods that their classmates consume. But with careful planning and creativity, you can effectively maintain your child’s good diet even if there are all sorts of temptations around them. You just have to be very resourceful and learn from health experts about a few healthy eating tips for kids. First, add more nutritious ingredients to their favorite recipes. Identify the different ingredients your little ones should be consuming regularly to support their development and see how you can obviously or discreetly incorporate them into their favorite dishes. Serve everything in portions. This will prevent overeating. This will also serve as their measurement. Additionally, create a healthy snack station in your fridge and pantry, especially if your kids already know how to rummage through the fridge and pantry for food. Get rid of anything that you don’t want your kids to consume. Leaving them only with healthy options will prevent them from straying from the good path. Get creative with food presentation. Young people can easily get bored if they’re served the same selection frequently, but if you make their meals and snacks interesting in appearance, they’re not likely to complain that their options are often limited. Always check food blogs for kids. Don’t tire in looking for new healthy recipes to try for your children. Make the Internet your food preparation go-to; it is abundant with recipes intended to promote healthy eating for young eaters. Don’t ever use junk food as reward, treat or bribe. Avoid making that association to maintain your children’s positive mindset about good and healthy food. Don’t force your kids to clean their plate, because at times, doing this can override their physical intuitions and may lead to the unhealthy habit of overeating. Also, this can make meal times less pleasant for the little ones which will make them even more reluctant to eat the next time. Lastly, ask your kids about their favorite meal. Involve them in food selection and even food preparation. Giving them some power over what they eat can actually encourage them to uphold healthy eating. In addition to that, children are naturally curious, so if you include them in these processes, and have them taste and smell ingredients, you can feed their curiosity. These are only some of the healthy eating tips for kids health experts share to parents struggling to feed their kids healthy types of food. Source by Karl P Borrows

“He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything”. (Thomas Carlyle) Health is far better than wealth. Better health is considered essential for human happiness and well-being. Persons who are physically and mentally healthy also play a very vital role in the economic growth of their country as they are more productive and live longer. Being healthy is considered a dynamic process as our health changes with the course of time. Every one of us has times when we feel fit and healthy and then we have times when we feel sick and unwell. Diet plays an important role in personal health it can be described as a pattern of eating and balanced diet provides nutrients that are considered necessary to maintain our health. Studies have revealed that diet is one of the sources through which diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease, birth defects and cataracts can be prevented. There are many food items which are suggested by doctors and experts that are considered healthy and must be included in every meal. Some of these food items are green tea, oats, curd, olive oil, salad etc. We can also lose weight by adjusting some of our diet plans and eating habits. Mentioned below are some diet tips to lose weight while staying healthy: Eat fresh and organic foods. Recent research and studies have revealed that pesticide, herbicides and other chemicals used on food and vegetables are one huge cause of obesity and weight gain. Bite slowly and chew it. This tip is very helpful as your brain gets the message that you are eating more than you actually are. One should use smaller plates and bowls for eating as it also one way to fool your brain into believing that you have eaten more. Water is a very important essential element of human’s body. One should drink at least 8-10 glass of water per day. During a glass of water 15 minutes before having your meal as it makes you feel fuller without eating any kind of food. Do not drink sodas, Pepsi; cola etc. as they are full of chemicals and sugar. One bottle of Pepsi contains at least 20 tablespoons of sugar so there is no point in drinking any of these. Other things that can help you to lose weight without losing your health are: 1- Eat your favorite meal once in every 15 days it will help you in starting afresh for your upcoming days and you will not feel deprived. 2- Include salads and vegetables in your every meal. 3- Exercise daily and consistently. If you exercise with gaps it will lead you to nowhere. Instead, you will feel frustrated. Eating healthy is important however one should not overlook the exact meaning of the statement. Eating to stay healthy does not mean suppressing your appetite; it means to eat “smartly”. A proper and balanced diet plan can also help you to reduce your weight without losing your health. Source by Syeda Nida Ali Rizvi

Eating nutritionally lacking food is as good as eating no food at all. Even if you’re making sure your food is rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and other nutrients, there is a great chance it loses nutritional value before eating it. Few people are aware that most of the nutrients in food are lost while cooking if the cookware is not made of the right material. It happens in the following three ways: Conventional cookware (metals or ceramic) leach toxins into food while cooking. At cooking temperature, metals like Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Titanium, Cast Iron etc., leach ions and react with food — a biochemical entity, with heat acting as a catalyst. As a result, food gets contaminated and becomes unhealthy. These toxins cause serious health issues in the long run ranging from short-term illnesses to chronic diseases. Also, heat from these pots is destructive to the delicate nutritional cells in food. Touch a metal pan five minutes into heating, it burns your skin and leaves a scar, food is made of the same tissue and is subject to damage while cooking. The steam has to be released through a vent before you open the lid. So, the water-soluble nutrients evaporate. This is another way nutrients are lost. You can check your cookware at home with a simple alkaline baking soda test to see if it’s leaching toxins into your food. How is Pure Clay different? Pure clay is 100% safe and healthy for making cookware as it is made from primary clay – clay without natural contaminants. The following features of pure clay pots ensure food cooked in them is healthy: These pots do not leach any chemicals or metals into food while cooking. They cook with a unique far-infrared heat that penetrates deep into the grains without damaging them. This heat is food-friendly and cooks gently thus keeping the nutrients intact. This healthy cookware has excellent steam management properties. The ergonomically designed pot & lid uniquely allow steam to circulate inside and let food cook with its own steam pressure. The straight walls of the pot, its concentric circles, the inner flute on the lid and a cool underside of knob allow for steam to rise, get condensed and drop right back into the pot. This prevents water-soluble nutrients to evaporate as steam like in conventional metal/ceramic cookware. All these great features make food nutritionally rich and truly healthy for you and your family. No more worries about toxins entering your food or losing nutrients, choose healthy pure clay cookware today and enjoy healthy food for the rest of your life. Source by Sharon Ray

One Step at a Time If you are just starting to change into a healthier lifestyle, then do it slowly. Your body has been accustomed to old ways and if you change drastically, it is likely that you will also give up easily. Eat At Home Whenever you eat out, you do not have any control on the portions that you will have. You might end up eating more than you need to. Stop Counting the Calories Do not be obsessed about that. Instead, look at food in terms of color and freshness. Greens are always good. Colorful fruits are also great for a person’s body. These are the food that your body needs more of. So do not feel afraid to eat more of these. Do Not Skip Meals If your goal is to lose weight, then it is much better to eat small portions of food 5- 6 times a day. Skipping meals will only retain the fat in your body and may result in overeating. Snack Healthy When you’re feeling hungry, instead of reaching out for the cupcake, grab that carrot stick instead. Some good examples of food to snack on are fruits, nuts, raisins, cranberries, whole grain crackers, etc. Enjoy Your Meal Do not rush the eating process. Take your time and chew your food slowly. When you’re already feeling full, then stop eating. Listen to what your body tells you. Fill that Plate Up With the Right Kind of Stuff What a person eats greatly affects their weight loss or weight gain. This is why dietitians encourage people to go for quality over quantity. A good example is you might have eaten only crackers for lunch today but also had a huge jug of sweetened drinks. Then that sweetened drink is the culprit when it comes to your weight gain. If you had a large bowl of fresh salad and water, then that would have been considered a better meal on a diet than the crackers with a sweetened drink. It is much better for the body to take foods that are less in carbohydrates. Taking away bread, pasta, rice or potatoes and replacing it with vegetables will definitely help cut back on fat. If you are the type of person who will feel full only if you see large portions of food on your plate, then the solution is to fill your plate with the right kind of food. Think colourful fruits and vegetables. Deep colours means higher content of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. All of these is what your body needs every day. Remember To Drink a Lot of Water Sometimes people confuse thirst with hunger and eat when all they needed was just a glass of water. Drinking water is also good for cleansing the body from toxins and helps in having better digestion. Along with these tips, you should always remember to have not just good eating habits but also a healthy lifestyle. This means making an effort to exercise regularly. If you are a smoker, then consider quitting and lastly, drink alcoholic beverages moderately. Source by Andrew Eli

The whole world is obsessed about weight-loss and getting a sleek figure. Wherever you go, you find pills to lose weight and herbal teas that guarantee weight loss. Some companies have even gone to an extent of inventing gadgets like calorie reader spoons and electric powered waist belts that reduce belly fat. While a majority of us are obsessed about are weight and read diet tips for weight loss, there are a few who are actually trying to add some fat to their body. An athletic figure may surely seem appealing to many. But those who are thin, do feel disheartened at times, when they can’t find clothes or accessories that fit them. As there are very few resources available on weight-gain, I personally thought it would be appropriate to write an article on weight-gain through Indian foods. You may ask why Indian foods in particular? Well, Indian cuisine offers an assorted range of recipes that are high in nutrition and have a high content of healthy fats. Moreover, they are easy to modify as per individual requirements. So here it is. A complete Indian healthy food guide that helps in natural weight gain. The key to develop muscle mass is to increase the consumption of healthy calories and proteins. It is by slowly increasing the quantity of their meals and with regular physical exercise that an individual gains weight. Vegetarian Indian recipes that include low fat dairy products like milk and cheese, almonds, walnuts, dried beans, soybeans and chickpeas aid in increasing body mass. Chapatis made of multi grain flour, with a starchy vegetable dish like potato, carrots, green peas, sweet potatoes, beetroot, etc. increase the calories while providing the right amount of nutrition to the body. Including more of colorful and leafy vegetables in your diet balances the nutrition and calorie level. Many stereotype that Indian food recipes cater only to vegetarians. However this is not true. India has a rich cuisine that offers delicacies for meat lovers too. Adding a small serving of lean ground beef, steaks, chicken breast, pork, ham and lamb on a daily basis helps in steady weight gain. Any sea food that includes salmon, tuna, shrimps and cod should also be included in diet as they are highly nutritious and help build lean muscle. As per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, 10 -35% of an adult’s daily calorie intake should be sourced from proteins. That is about 45-157.5 grams of protein per day. As whole eggs are rich in proteins and vitamins, you can also include them in your diet. However be mindful of what you eat, as eggs are high in cholesterol too. Source by Seetha N

Cooking a healthy meal day after day, night after night is not at all easy. However, if you want to start eating healthy, you need to pay close attention to the foods that you buy and serve on the dinner table. Be aware that eating health foods (and vitamins) involves knowing what the right foods are and making a conscious effort to consume more of them. * Potatoes are good, as long as they are eaten in moderate amounts. * Ideally, no more than five ounces of meat, beans and other sources of proteins (e.g., peas, nuts and fish) should be consumed per day to ensure that your diet has sufficient amount of protein. Bake, grill or broil meat instead of frying it. * Consuming six ounces of grain each day is ideal. You can do this by consuming 3 ounces of whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, rice, pasta or crackers every day. A slice of bread and a cup of cereal roughly contain about one ounce of grain each. * A nutritious meal consists of health foods rich in vitamins and other nutrients, which is why it is important to incorporate fruits and vegetables in your meals. Eat more of dark vegetables (e.g., broccoli and spinach). Sweet potatoes and carrots are rich sources of vitamins and nutrients too, and so are dry beans (e.g., peas, kidney beans and pinto beans. Instead of eating ice cream for dessert, try eating fruits, at least two cups per day. Eat a variety of fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits. * Fats, in reality, are essential to our health. Fats adversely affect the body and our health if they are consumed in excessive quantities. Among the adverse affects are high cholesterol levels, weight gain, cancer and heart disease. When cooking, avoid using solid fats (e.g., butter, margarine, shortening and lard). Use olive oil or canola oil instead. Learn to read food labels and check how much saturated fat and trans fat, as well as sodium, canned goods contain. * Pay attention to serving sizes. A lot of people eat more than they actually need. Avoid making the same mistake; eat in accordance to your daily activities. For instance, reduce your serving size on days when you aren’t doing any type of physical activity. You can increase meal portions when your schedule includes doing physical activities, as you will need the energy. Take also into consideration the particular needs of your family members when cooking a meal. If you decide to follow the advice above, you’ll discover that cooking healthy meals is, in fact, extremely easy. Here’s an example of a healthy, well balanced meal (one serving): * grilled or barbecued chicken breast (5-oz. per person) * 1/2 baked potato * mixed green salad * fruits and frozen yogurt for dessert With a little bit of will, consuming the right health food, vitamins and minerals your body requires is not going to be too hard at all. Source by Deborah Prosser

With the array of restaurants available to us these days, dining out has become the norm rather than the exception. Gone are the days when going out to a restaurant was a unique event saved for special occasions with family or friends. Hectic lifestyles and busy schedules often make dining out a necessity, and for many it may mean eating out several times per week and for more than one meal in a day. The trouble is that it can very quickly put a stop to your healthy eating plan or weight loss program. The good news is that these days it is a lot easier to eat out healthfully than it has ever been. Here are 10 tips to help keep you stay on the right track to better health and a slimmer you. 1. Plan ahead of time. Try and pick a restaurant that has more options of healthy food. Avoid buffets. They often do have some healthy food options, however loading your plate and overeating can be an issue. 2. Take Charge and choose wisely.. Ask your server.. How is this dish prepared? Does it contain butter? Cream? Sauce? How big is it? What else is in this salad? Dressing? Croutons? High-fat cheese? Bacon? Ask that food be prepared without added salt, MSG or salt-containing ingredients. Order off the menu. Many chefs will prepare poached or steamed fish or vegetables rather than fried. Stay away from deep fried. 3. Skip or limit bread, chips, or whatever is in the basket while you await your meal, at the very least skip the butter. If it is too tempting, ask the server to remove it from the table. Out of sight, out of mind. 4. Request salad dressings and sauces on the side. They often contain more calories than the food they are flavoring. The salad dressing of choice would be a light one or even better vinaigrette, again, served on the side. Limit condiments, such as mustard, ketchup, pickles and sauces with salt & sugar-filled ingredients. 5. Avoid dishes with cream, mayonnaise, sour cream, butter and go easy on the cheese. 6. Exchange the french fries for a side salad. 7. Trim visible fat off meat and poultry. Even very lean meat and poultry still contain fat. Peel the skin off chicken. 8. Ask that your dish be prepared with olive oil, rather than butter or fat. 9. Remember that you do not have to clean your plate. Keep portions small. Put half the meal in a takeout container before you even start eating. Do not gulp your meal down. Digestion starts in the mouth. Chew well. 10. Wait a while before ordering your dessert to let your main meal settle. If you really must order dessert, choose fresh fruit or fruit sorbet rather than sugar laden desserts. If you really can not resist, consider splitting it and share with a friend. Copyright 2009, Brendan McCarthy. All Rights Reserved. Source by Brendan McCarthy

With the tempting smile of McDonald’s “golden arches” and the addicting scent of Whoppers hitting the air as you pass by Burger King, healthy fast food choices are probably the furthest from your mind. The dark cloud hanging over fast food restaurants is pretty overrated, as there are plenty of nutritious and fulfilling selections to mull over. Being equipped with the knowledge of how to make healthier choices at fast food eateries is key to getting the most out of a dining possibility that is convenient, inexpensive and truly speedy. Hamburger Heaven A single hamburger at a fast food restaurant is pretty reasonable. The McDonald’s plain ‘ole hamburger with its signature onions contains 250 calories with a reasonable saturated fat count and decent serving of protein. To cut back on the calories associated with a fast food hamburger, you can eliminate some of the extras that increase the overall fat content of the meal. For example, forgo the slice of cheese on a Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe and save 40 calories. Take off the mayonnaise to reduce your burger by 25 calories. Want to save carbs and calories regarding your healthy fast food selections? Eat your burger on half-a-bun and save 60 calories. All together, the 125-calorie cut still allows you to savor the taste of bacon and juicy hamburger accompanied by nutritious tomatoes and lettuce. Additionally, you can also select smaller burger choices, as a Whopper Jr. without mayo (290 calories) tastes just as good as its 510-calorie cousin. Chicken Delight With all of the Crispy Chicken Sandwiches and Chicken Nuggets lining the fast food strip, it’s hard to pass on the spicy blend of seasonings that tickle the tongue. Once again, the real reason you order a chicken sandwich is to savor the crispy coating, so why waste calories on the bun, which takes up 120 calories of the 340-calorie sandwich? Some people eat the chicken completely without bun, while others only use half. At McDonald’s, the Honey Mustard Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken is a sandwich offering the second lowest number of calories on the menu with 260. A four-piece Chicken Nuggets offers only 170 calories. In order to reduce the number of calories associated with healthy fast food chicken choices, pay attention to your sauces, as a Creamy Ranch Sauce runs 200 calories alone. Pizza, Pizza Scan the menus of popular chains, such as Pizza Hut, and you will learn about healthy fast food choices, such as the Thin-n-Crispy selections, which offers less bread and crust. To create a healthier pizza meal, eliminate the meat toppings and load up on popular veggie creations, including onions, olives, peppers, and jalapenos. Pizza Hut also offers “Fit-n-Delicious” pizzas, where the diced red tomato, mushroom, and jalapeno selection provides 150-calorie slices. Additional Healthy Fast Food Often overlooked as a fast food restaurant, Subway is a great way to stick with a healthy meal plan. Some of the best selections include tons of vegetables and lean chicken. My personal favorite is the 1/2 sub daily special, on honey oat bread, spicy mustard and loaded with every veggie in the place. What a taste explosion and it’s so healthy. Overall, the continuous pressure to lead a healthier lifestyle has encouraged numerous eateries to bring lower calorie food choices to the forefront. Today, popular healthy fast food menu items include the likes of Chicken Garden Salads, Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce, 2% Milk, Bacon Ranch Salad, Apple Dippers, and Fruit-n-Yogurt Parfait. Making healthy fast food decisions is not boring. Make it an adventure in good dinning. Bon Appetit! Source by Terry Schierer

These recipes for healthy living need not to be bland and expensive; here is a list that can help you create the healthy foodie in you. 1. Light Entrees Let’s begin with low-calorie entrees. One popular healthy recipe for weight loss that is both tasty and below 300 calories is, Grilled Chicken Pineapple salad. This healthy food recipe is a combination of all the nutrients you will need but on a minimal calorie intake. Use skinless chicken breast, get some spinach leaves, pineapple bits, and plate with bell peppers. Dress it with orange juice to give that sweet-spicy twist. You can also add onions for an extra surge of spice. 2. Low-Calorie Breakfast Breakfast might be the king of all meals for the day, but it doesn’t really have to be loaded with so much calories. A lot of recipes for healthy living are interestingly delicious; one that you should try is Poached Eggs with Tomatoes and Mushrooms. To set the egg white, you can pour a little vinegar to make the perfect poach. Sauté the mushrooms and tomatoes separately and do not forget to season with pepper and salt. This healthy recipe for weight loss is tastier when you sprinkle a tablespoon of freshly-chopped chives. 3. Healthy Food Lunch Recipe It sure is hard to control your hunger pains and food urges during lunch time. However, you should not be disheartened because there are a lot of yummy healthy recipes for weight loss that you can cook for lunch! A usual favorite for the health-conscious women is the Taco and Rice Salad. You can do this easy recipe by first cooking beef along with garlic until brown. Stir in long-grain rice, add seasoning, and top with cheese. Eat with tacos on the side and enjoy! 4. Guilt-free treats Who says you can’t divulge on sweets while having a healthy recipe for weight loss? Hang in there because there is hope for those who have a sweet tooth. One recipe for healthy living that you can count on as dessert is the low-calorie Choco Fudge Brownie. How to make it? Create a mixture of cocoa, salt, and flour whisked into a batter. Microwave the dark chocolate and butter at high mode for 1 minute, stir and let it cool. Add a cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, low-fat milk, egg, and combine by whisking. Pour the batter into pan and bake for 20 minutes. 5. Go light during dinner If you are a vegetable lover, then you will love this healthy recipe for weight loss that you can eat for dinner. The Coconut and Tofu in Curry Sauce is the next big thing on your dining table. This healthy food recipe has very simple ingredients, you will only need the following: coconut milk, curry powder, cubed tofu, tomatoes, mushrooms, and seasoning. In a large pot, combine coconut milk, curry powder, add soy sauce, ginger, and brown sugar. Bring to boil and stir in the tofu, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions. Cook for 6 minutes until the vegetables are crisp. Source by Thelma Okoro