 Foods products
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Posted on 07.22.08 by Anthony Stalter @ 8:44 pm
Men’s Fitness.com posted an interesting article about common ingredients in meals that surprisingly come jammed-packed with calories.
DROWNING FOOD IN OIL
Yes, it’s heart healthy, but also high in calories. Sautéed vegetables only need to be misted with oil—not swimming in it. Buy an empty spray bottle and fill it with olive oil. Then spray your food and the pan lightly before cooking.
USING REAL SUGAR
Switch to artificial sweeteners; some of them can even be used for baking. If you can’t stand the aftertaste, try combining two different sweeteners—this blending helps impart more sweetness and less artificial taste, says Stokes.
COOKING TOO MUCH MEAT
No substitute can emulate the taste of a steak, but if you’re making a meal like chili or tacos, swap some of the ground beef for less fatty soy crumbles or tofu, suggests Stokes. Not a fan of soy? Try mixing ground beef with black beans, diced cherries, or any other fresh vegetable or fruit.
USING FULL-FAT CHEESE
Not even our expert would touch the fat-free stuff, but Stokes does recommend switching to a reduced-fat version. “It adds flavor, melts well, and retains the normal properties of cheese,” he says. Cabot light cheddar, for one, tastes almost identical to the full-fat stuff.
Oil is an interesting note. We all hear about how Olive Oil is great for you, but over-doing it obviously has its disadvantages.
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Posted on 07.01.08 by Anthony Stalter @ 6:48 pm
Looking for a natural sex boost, gentlemen? Skip the pills and head straight for the fruit section at your local grocery store, because according to THE HUFFINGTON POST, watermelon is the new Viagra.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.
Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.
“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”
While there are many psychological and physiological problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
“Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra,” Patil said, “but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.”
I’ve also read that blueberries contain a lot of the same health benefits as watermelon because of the amount of antioxidants that come packed in the fruit. It’s recommended to pop a handful of blueberries a day to keep your ticker running strong and your Johnson pointing north.
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Posted on 07.01.08 by Anthony Stalter @ 5:07 pm
MensFitness.com has low down on some surprise foods that can help you build muscle. MF also fills you in on how to prep the muscle foods, as well as properly cook them.
1. CLAMS
Why they’re good for you: Clams are loaded with iron and are one of the few meats high in vitamin C — one serving contains nearly half of your recommended daily intake.
Prep: None needed. Just toss the shells on the grill.
How to cook ‘em: Grill over high heat until they pop open.
2. LOBSTER
Why it’s good for you: In or out of the shell, lobster meat is significantly lower in fat than pork and beef, with a healthy dose of calcium.
Prep: While the lobster is still alive, cut it in half lengthwise, drain and reserve the juices, and brush with olive oil or butter.
How to cook it: Place the cut side down on a very hot grill for 3 minutes, then flip and pour the juice over the top; grill for another 4-5 minutes. The heat caramelizes the meat, giving it more flavor.
3. VENISON
Why it’s good for you: Deer meat has fewer calories than chicken breast and twice as much iron as beef.
Prep: Marinate in red wine or olive oil before grilling.
How to cook it: Lean meats are best cooked to medium rare, so 3 to 4 minutes per side over high heat.
4. OSTRICH
Why it’s good for you: This long-necked beast is very lean and contains a large amount of iron.
Prep: Drizzle with or marinate in olive oil. Since the meat is lean like venison, it needs added fat to stay moist.
How to cook it: Grill over high heat, allowing the meat to cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
5. SWORDFISH
Why it’s good for you: Besides being the ultimate sailing trophy, swordfish has virtually the same number of calories per serving as chicken or beef, and it’s loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Prep: Brush with olive oil and top with a squirt of fresh lemon juice.
How to cook it: Just like ostrich. Grill over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
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Posted on 02.08.08 by Anthony Stalter @ 7:34 pm
How do baked potatoes stack up against their brothers, the sweet potatoes? Cooking light.com pits them head to head.
Calories
6 oz. Baked: 189
6 oz. Sweet: 214
Fat Grams
6 oz. Baked: .17 grams
6 oz. Sweet: .19 grams
Fiber
6 oz. Baked: 4.2 grams
6 oz. Sweet: 7.1 grams
As the article notes, while baked potatoes have less calories and fat grams, sweet potatoes have almost three grams more of fiber and have more beta carotene, which helps build immunity and strengthen bones. Both are loaded with vitamins, but it’s important to eat the skin (especially with a baked potato) because that’s where most of the vitamins are stored.
While either baked or sweet potatoes are healthier than bread, try to reach for the sweet the next time you’re at the grocery store.
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Posted on 01.04.08 by Anthony Stalter @ 10:50 pm
Here’s an interesting recipe from Men’s Health for a breakfast pita:
4 white mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp chopped red bell pepper
Pinch of ground black pepper
1 egg
1 egg whites
½ small tomato, seeded and chopped
3 Tbsp water or 1% milk
1 whole-wheat pita, halved and toasted
½ avocado, sliced
Coat a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, tomato, and water or milk. Whisk together until frothy. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the eggs are firm. Fill each pita with half the eggs and top with the avocado slices. Makes 1 serving.
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Posted on 11.17.07 by Mike Furci @ 2:03 pm
Yes, there are people who actually argue that conventionally grown food is as nutritious as organically grown food. And as the popularity of organic foods increases, so does the debate. Well, the debate over whether organic food is healthier than conventionally grown food may be coming to an end, according to results from the largest study of it’s kind into organic food.
The four-year, European-Union-funded 25 million dollar study found that:
* Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
* Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
* Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants
The researchers obtained their results after growing fruit and vegetables, and raising cattle, on adjacent organic and non-organic sites.
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Posted on 11.02.07 by Anthony Stalter @ 5:45 pm
While walking through the local grocery store, you reach the cereal aisle and notice the various types of oatmeal. There’s your standard rolled oats (i.e. the ones that come in a big Quaker box), steel cut oats and instant oats. So what are the differences?
First and foremost, both the rolled and steel cut oats are in the whole grain family, which are necessary for a balanced diet. Oatmeal is extremely better for you than refined bread or pasta, and any kind of sugary cereal. So don’t pass the Quaker man for the Sugar Smacks Frog your next trip to the grocery store.
However, in effort to add more oatmeal to your diet, stay away from instant oatmeal that usually comes in individual packets. Instant oats are usually pre-cooked, loaded with sugar and less nutritious than rolled or steel cut oats.
Instead, make sure you’re buying standard rolled or steel cut oats. In short, steel cut oats typically are more natural and go through less processing than rolled oats, so their nutritional value is usually higher. They often take longer to cook, however, so keep that in mind if you’re on a time crunch. They have a much nuttier flavor too, so they usually don’t taste as bland as rolled oats do when you cook them. Rolled oats, on the other hand, take less time to cook, but are more processed than steel cut oats and sodium is often added for flavor. As previously noted, however, both types have a ton of nutritious value to them, especially if they can take the place of refined cereal, bread or pasta.
Filed under: Nutrition and Diets and Foods products
Comments: None
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Posted on 08.08.07 by Mike Furci @ 1:09 pm
Today in the United States one person will die from CVD every 36 seconds. This year in the U.S. approximately 1.2 million people will have a heart attack and just short of half will die. Approximately 79,400,000 people or 26.5% of The U.S. has cardiovascular disease. In 2004 CVD was the underlying cause of death in 36.3% of “total mortality” in the U.S.
Since 1953 cholesterol has been touted by so-called experts as the cause of heart disease in the U.S., otherwise known as the Lipid Hypothesis But, reality tells us different.
Did you know…
…cholesterol is a substance vital to the health of all cells in your body?
…your body produces 3 – 4 times more cholesterol than you eat?
…when you decrease your consumption the body increases it’s production and visa-versa?
…despite the same amounts of cholesterol flowing through them, veins never become sclerotic?
…arteries that pass through the bony channels of the skull and the few branches that pass through heart muscle never become sclerotic?
…studies of the hearts of people who have died from heart attacks showed approximately 1/5th of the victims had no evidence of coronary atherosclerosis?
…oxidized cholesterol is what accumulates in vessels not normal cholesterol?
…3/4’s of the lipids found in plaque is polyunsaturated?
…in Japan more people die of cerebral hemorrhage than in most other countries, and is greatest in those with the lowest cholesterol levels.
…there is no correlation between saturated fat consumption and cardiovascular disease? In fact, many societies have decreased their animal fat consumption with a corresponding increase in cardiovascular disease.
…there are countless scientific and observable contradictions to the Lipid Hypothesis? Only one scientific contradiction is needed to disprove a hypothesis.
Do your homework and judge for yourself. The Lipid Hypothesis is the biggest health scam in history.
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Posted on 07.12.07 by Mike Furci @ 6:03 pm
Before you order you or your child a fast-food strawberry milkshake, check out the full article in the Guardian. This article exposes some interesting facts about flavouring and other ingredients in food.
Now take a look at the ingredients you might find in a fast-food strawberry milkshake: milkfat and nonfat milk, sugar, sweet whey, high-fructose corn syrup, guar gum, monoglycerides and diglycerides, cellulose gum, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, citric acid, E129 and artificial strawberry flavour.
And what does that “artificial strawberry flavour” contain?
Just these few yummy chemicals: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphrenyl- 2-butanone (10% solution in alcohol), ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, undecalactone, vanillin and solvent.
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Posted on 06.26.07 by Anthony Stalter @ 11:51 am
By now, everyone knows the benefits of fruit, with vitamins; minerals and fiber are all reasons to down the colorful stuff daily. But even if we already know why fruit helps, are we eating enough of it daily in order to cash in on all the benefits? The daily recommendation is to eat at least two cups of fruit daily, but some people may be tired of just grabbing a piece of fruit from the bowl and need a shake up.
For you, here are 10 different and interesting ways to add fruit to your diet by MSN.com
· Grilled fruit slices.
· Peach honey spread.
· Lemon-lime fruit dip.
· Frozen fruity pops.
· Romaine and fresh strawberry salad.
· Blueberry-banana smoothie.
· Plum salsa.
· Broiled fruit kebabs.
· Berries a la mode.
· Mango salsa pizza.
To read the entire article along with the complete recipes, click here.
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