In Today's World having good health is the result of making informed decisions. This blog helps one "Get in the know"
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Healthy Food for Kids
Healthy Food for Kids
Imagine if your body was a fancy sports car. What kind of fuel would you put in it? Would you give it the best fuel you could buy or whatever was around? Your body actually is a little like a sports car. When you give your body good food every day, you have energy to grow and play. You get sick less often. You grow and become strong. If you give your body poor fuel, it won’t work as well. You might have less energy or get sick more often.
So what kind of fuel does your body need? Your body needs minerals, vitamins, fibre, fats and protein every day. Each of these foods has a different purpose.
Fun Facts about Healthy Food for Kids
1. Minerals make healthy skin and strong bones and teeth.
2. Fibre helps your body digest food. It is found in vegetables, whole grains and fruit.
3.Vitamins help your body stay healthy and fight disease. Vitamins are found in fruit and vegetables.
4. Fats in milk products, meat and fish help your body build healthy nerves and fight off disease.
5.Protein, which is found in meat, milk products, beans and fish, builds muscles and repairs damage.
Source: Kids Nutrition Facebook Page. Healthy Food for Kids. Posted 30/10/2015
https://www.facebook.com/Kids-Nutrition-469055966607108/?fref=photo
Imagine if your body was a fancy sports car. What kind of fuel would you put in it? Would you give it the best fuel you could buy or whatever was around? Your body actually is a little like a sports car. When you give your body good food every day, you have energy to grow and play. You get sick less often. You grow and become strong. If you give your body poor fuel, it won’t work as well. You might have less energy or get sick more often.
So what kind of fuel does your body need? Your body needs minerals, vitamins, fibre, fats and protein every day. Each of these foods has a different purpose.
Fun Facts about Healthy Food for Kids
1. Minerals make healthy skin and strong bones and teeth.
2. Fibre helps your body digest food. It is found in vegetables, whole grains and fruit.
3.Vitamins help your body stay healthy and fight disease. Vitamins are found in fruit and vegetables.
4. Fats in milk products, meat and fish help your body build healthy nerves and fight off disease.
5.Protein, which is found in meat, milk products, beans and fish, builds muscles and repairs damage.
Thank you for reading!
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
Dietary Fibre Lesson
https://www.facebook.com/Kids-Nutrition-469055966607108/?fref=photo
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Lose Weight Now! Get Jogging!
Thirty minutes of jogging can burn 300 calories. Do that five days every week and you could lose almost two extra pounds per month (Source:How Many Calories? @HowManyCaloriee )
Thank you for reading!
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Thursday, August 6, 2015
The 1-minute Dietary Fibre Lesson
Fibre is good.
Fibre is great.
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate but is classed as a non-nutrient because it is not digested or absorbed by the body.
Fibre is found in plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, peas, fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, roots, tubers and starchy fruits. It is not found in any foods from animal, naturally.
The fibre in these foods come in two main forms-insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre also known as roughage, which moves through the digestive track untouched, while, soluble fibre moves through the blood stream before it is eliminated.
Nevertheless, both forms of fibre aid in promoting good digestive; colon and heart health.
Consuming at least 20 grams of fibre a day has shown to reduce risk of heart disease, colon cancer, aid in weight management and aid in reducing insulin resistance.
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| Here is an example of how I got 30 g fibre in one day |
Beware, consuming too much insoluble fibre, as it can cause you to be constipated or have harden bowel movements. Insoluble fibre absorbs fluid in the large intestine. This only becomes an issue when inadequate amounts of water is consumed throughout the day, thus resulting in stiff and bulky stools that is hard to pass.
Examples of foods with insoluble fibre: Wheat bran (e.g. bran stix, bran flakes), oatbran (e.g. oatbran flakes), oatmeal, edible skin of fruits, brown rice, dark-green leafy vegetables (e.g. dasheen leaves, spinach, bhagi, kale), cooked beans and peas amongst others.
Also beware of fibre supplements, "Purified dietary fibres may reduce acutely the absorption of some vitamins and minerals (e.g. calcium) by binding them in the small intestinal." FAO
Bottom-line, eat a variety of fibre-rich foods daily to promote good digestion, heart health and ward off colon cancer. However, remember to consume adequate amounts of water to ward off constipation.
Thank you for reading!
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Skip the Jello. Eat Vegan Agar Agar Jelly Treats
Agar or agar-agar is a jelly-like substance, obtained from the ocean (algae). It is a great alternative for persons who do not consume animal products and gelatine. It comes in long translucent sticks or powdered or flakes and is relatively economical. It is flavourless and can be used just like gelatine for most recipes, however, the texture of the final product may be a little denser than if gelatine were used.
Nutrition-wise, agar agar contains very little nutrients compared with the dried or raw algae form. Check out Food Thesaurus for more. Nevertheless, here are 3 lovely recipes you can use agar agar in, boost vegetable and fruit take.
Thank you for reading!
Nutrition-wise, agar agar contains very little nutrients compared with the dried or raw algae form. Check out Food Thesaurus for more. Nevertheless, here are 3 lovely recipes you can use agar agar in, boost vegetable and fruit take.
1) Mango Coconut Jelly Cubes (Agar Agar)
2) Pouched Fruit Jelly
3) Carrot Jelly
Thank you for reading!
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
❹ Unhealthy Food Safety Practices
Over 30% of food poisoning cases occur within the home environment due to risky food handling, storage and preparation practices. In fact, food safety in the home is one of the issues many individuals
take lightly and as much as 90 % of home cooks and
home chefs unknowingly contaminate food. (1)
Poor food safety practices not only compromise food but leads to contamination all around the kitchen, including on handles, counter-tops, faucets and trash cans. (1)
However, research shows that getting individuals to change poor food safety habits can take longer than simply exposing them to food safety messages before cooking. (2)
Habits are often hard to break especially when they have been passed on from generation to generation or done out of convenience. This does not mean educators should stop trying to get the message of food safety out there but should seek out innovative ways to present the message. (3)
Nevertheless, listed below are ❹ unhealthy food safety practices. Accompanying each point is a video from USDAfoodsafety.com explaining how to these practices can be improved.
① Washing meat and poultry before cooking -70 %of consumers rinse or wash raw poultry before cooking it (1)
② Relying on the colour of meat/poultry/seafood to indicate when it is fully cooked- Less than 10 % of food thermometer owners actually use it to check for done-ness of all types of poultry (1)
③ Putting raw meat/poultry on the top shelf in the refrigerator - only 18 % of consumers correctly store raw poultry products in the refrigerator (1)
④ Defrosting frozen meat/poultry at room temperature- only 11 % of consumers who thaw raw poultry in cold water do it correctly (1)
References:
1) Kansas State University. "Food safety fumble: Research finds 90 percent of home chefs contaminate food." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 January 2015..
2) Katherine M. Kosa, Sheryl C. Cates, Samantha Bradley, Edgar Chambers IV, Sandria Godwin. Consumer-Reported Handling of Raw Poultry Products at Home: Results from a National Survey. Journal of Food Protection, 2015; 78 (1): 180 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-14-231
3) North Carolina State University. "Food safety social media guide developed by researchers." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 August 2014.
Poor food safety practices not only compromise food but leads to contamination all around the kitchen, including on handles, counter-tops, faucets and trash cans. (1)
However, research shows that getting individuals to change poor food safety habits can take longer than simply exposing them to food safety messages before cooking. (2)
Habits are often hard to break especially when they have been passed on from generation to generation or done out of convenience. This does not mean educators should stop trying to get the message of food safety out there but should seek out innovative ways to present the message. (3)
Nevertheless, listed below are ❹ unhealthy food safety practices. Accompanying each point is a video from USDAfoodsafety.com explaining how to these practices can be improved.
① Washing meat and poultry before cooking -70 %of consumers rinse or wash raw poultry before cooking it (1)
③ Putting raw meat/poultry on the top shelf in the refrigerator - only 18 % of consumers correctly store raw poultry products in the refrigerator (1)
④ Defrosting frozen meat/poultry at room temperature- only 11 % of consumers who thaw raw poultry in cold water do it correctly (1)
Bottom-line, habits are hard to break but that should not stop anyone from at least trying their best every day to practice good food safety practices (see poster below).
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| Be Food Safe! |
Thank you for reading!
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
References:
1) Kansas State University. "Food safety fumble: Research finds 90 percent of home chefs contaminate food." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 January 2015.
2) Katherine M. Kosa, Sheryl C. Cates, Samantha Bradley, Edgar Chambers IV, Sandria Godwin. Consumer-Reported Handling of Raw Poultry Products at Home: Results from a National Survey. Journal of Food Protection, 2015; 78 (1): 180 DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-14-231
3) North Carolina State University. "Food safety social media guide developed by researchers." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 August 2014.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
10 Healthy Foods I Dislike & Regret Buying
① Chia seeds & chia pudding -
The gooey texture and appearance is off putting. I do not mind using it within muffin batters.![]() |
| ☑ Pricey |
② Hemp Seeds-
The soft texture of the seeds is great but the strong musty (earthy) taste is not welcomed. When added to smoothies or oatmeal it imparts a noticeable taste. I however, enjoy and find hemp milk quite tasty.![]() |
| ☑ Pricey |
③ Stevia-
☑ Pricey
④ Coconut
Flour
Boy, oh boy, Coconut flour is one of the most challenging gluten-free flours I have tested out. It soaks up a lot of water, it requires a binder (e.g. egg), products made with it can have a grainy texture, etc. etc. I honestly, made 3 recipes with this and I gave up.
⑤ Unsweetened
Almond milk (homemade or store-bought)-
I will stick to chewing my almonds, considering it is packed with more nutrition that unfortified almond milk per ounce.
⑥ Seaweed
⑦ Carielle or Bitter melon-
The vegetable, despite it's health and nutritional properties is really bitter. It smells really good when fried but the bitterness is just to strong for my taste buds. ![]() |
| source |
⑧ Quinoa-
It tastes bland when cooked without herbs or spices but the miniature seeds are creepy. ![]() |
| ☑ Pricey |
⑨ Coconut
oil and Olive oil-
These impart a strong flavour on foods. I will stick to sesame oil and use coconut oil and olive oil in my hair.
⑩ Whole-wheat /Whole-Grain
![]() |
| ☑ Pricey |
Thank you for reading!
What are the health foods you dislike?
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
RE: 6 Foods with More Protein Than an Egg
This post is in response to the Eat This, Not That article about 6 Surprising Foods with More Protein Than an Egg.
I enjoyed the fact that they provided alternative fibre-rich, plant-based protein sources (excluding the cheese) and informed us (the readers) about the micro-nutrient (vitamin/mineral) properties. My issue with the article relates to the claim 'these foods contain more protein than an egg'. On one hand, the claim is valid but on the other, it is somewhat misleading.
When examined on a per meal basis, it is practical for one to consume 1 large (64 g) boiled egg by itself or paired with other foods. After-all, 1 large egg is equivalent to 1 serving of protein according to most national food guides. This cannot be said for the other foods listed (excluding the cheese).
1 serving of pumpkin seed is 35 g (1 oz.)
1 serving of kamut, uncooked is 42 g (1/4 cup) and ½ cup when cooked
1 serving of chickpea flour is 42 g (1/4 cup)
1 serving of spinach, raw is 29 g (1 cup)
1 serving sun-dried tomatoes is 4 pieces (14 g)
1 serving cheese is 1 oz. (1 slice)
The quantities listed for some of the foods in the article contain more than one serving size, which is not a bad thing; if consumed throughout the day. However, the fact that most of these options are fibre-rich, make it challenging to consume in one meal.
Another issue with the article is that some of the protein content listed relates to the raw and uncooked form of certain foods. This is true for the spinach and kamut. Kamut like many grains, digestibility increases once cooked.
1 serving of cooked kamut contains 5 g protein; not more than an egg.
1 cup cooked spinach contains 5 g protein; also not more than an egg.
Bottom-line:
Food is so much more than its nutrients. Nevertheless, check out the poster above and pay attention to the macros (carbs, protein & fat) on the foods listed and be the judge for yourself.
I enjoyed the fact that they provided alternative fibre-rich, plant-based protein sources (excluding the cheese) and informed us (the readers) about the micro-nutrient (vitamin/mineral) properties. My issue with the article relates to the claim 'these foods contain more protein than an egg'. On one hand, the claim is valid but on the other, it is somewhat misleading.
When examined on a per meal basis, it is practical for one to consume 1 large (64 g) boiled egg by itself or paired with other foods. After-all, 1 large egg is equivalent to 1 serving of protein according to most national food guides. This cannot be said for the other foods listed (excluding the cheese).
1 serving of pumpkin seed is 35 g (1 oz.)
1 serving of kamut, uncooked is 42 g (1/4 cup) and ½ cup when cooked
1 serving of chickpea flour is 42 g (1/4 cup)
1 serving of spinach, raw is 29 g (1 cup)
1 serving sun-dried tomatoes is 4 pieces (14 g)
1 serving cheese is 1 oz. (1 slice)
The quantities listed for some of the foods in the article contain more than one serving size, which is not a bad thing; if consumed throughout the day. However, the fact that most of these options are fibre-rich, make it challenging to consume in one meal.
Another issue with the article is that some of the protein content listed relates to the raw and uncooked form of certain foods. This is true for the spinach and kamut. Kamut like many grains, digestibility increases once cooked.
1 serving of cooked kamut contains 5 g protein; not more than an egg.
1 cup cooked spinach contains 5 g protein; also not more than an egg.
Bottom-line:
Food is so much more than its nutrients. Nevertheless, check out the poster above and pay attention to the macros (carbs, protein & fat) on the foods listed and be the judge for yourself.
Thank you for reading!
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Sugar, Sugar, Sugar! Sugar! Too Much is Bad for the Brain
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| source |
Nevertheless,the issue with sugar consumption is not that it can be found in both natural and processed food products but has to do with the concentrated food sources; also known as the sugar dietary bombs or sugar bombs.
These sugar bombs are defined as foods with little or no nutritional value outside of fats and carbohydrates due to large amounts of refined or processed sugar contained within the product.For example, the primary nutrient gained from the mauby drink is carbohydrates, more specifically sugar (43 grams of sugars or 10 teaspoons).
While mauby is said to have health benefits, the amount of sugar in the beverage negates this effect.
✑ Suggested Reading: Why do we crave the sweet stuff? Science points to your brain
Constantly, being exposed to concentrated sources of added sugar increases our tolerance for sweetness and overtime, the body begins to crave more and more sugar. (Read More) This can lead to poor dental health and a gradual increase in fat storage in certain areas of the body, especially when physical activity levels decrease and the daily diet lacks nutrient-rich foods such as whole-grains, legumes, vegetables etc. (Read More 1, 2, 3)
To get control of your sugar habit:
First, start tracking your sugar intake.
This can be done over the course of a day or a typical week. Write down all that is consumed. no matter how small. Take note of the time of day, the mood you were in and environment. All these details can help you identify eating patterns (e.g. afternoon candy, breakfast coffee beverage and doughnut) or triggers (e.g. loneliness, boredom, socialising etc. ).
Second, become aware of the foods that contain added sugar
Reading the ingredient list of all packaged and commercially made items would help you identify whether the product has sugar added. If there is no ingredient list, then thread with caution.
Home-made or ready-prepared items such as stews, coleslaw, potato salad, pelau, cooked vegetables, tomato-sauce and soups, pose less of a challenge as long as the diet is not being compromised by the addition of sugar-laden beverages, and sugar-laden treats -fruity yoghurts, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, candy, Indian sweets, sweet breads, sweetened nuts etc. Nevertheless, if you are making it yourself, it is best to cut back on the amount of sugar added. If these items are purchased, then be mindful of portion consumed, the beverages consumed with the meal, beverages consumed throughout the day, and be mindful of the snacks chosen.
In all, many foods have sugar added to them during processing for set reasons. The foods that pose a challenge to most, are the unlikely sources of added sugar or hidden sources.
✑ Suggested Reading: 56 Different Names for Sugar
Reading the ingredient list of all packaged and commercially made items would help you identify whether the product has sugar added. If there is no ingredient list, then thread with caution.
Home-made or ready-prepared items such as stews, coleslaw, potato salad, pelau, cooked vegetables, tomato-sauce and soups, pose less of a challenge as long as the diet is not being compromised by the addition of sugar-laden beverages, and sugar-laden treats -fruity yoghurts, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, candy, Indian sweets, sweet breads, sweetened nuts etc. Nevertheless, if you are making it yourself, it is best to cut back on the amount of sugar added. If these items are purchased, then be mindful of portion consumed, the beverages consumed with the meal, beverages consumed throughout the day, and be mindful of the snacks chosen.
In all, many foods have sugar added to them during processing for set reasons. The foods that pose a challenge to most, are the unlikely sources of added sugar or hidden sources.
✑ Suggested Reading: 56 Different Names for Sugar
Thirdly, know the daily limit for added sugar
The World Health Organisation suggests adults aim for 25 grams (6.5 teaspoons) of added sugar a day. While, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (36 g) of added sugar a day (4 teaspoons of added sugar children, 6 teaspoons of added sugar women; 9 teaspoons of added sugar men).
Fourthly, enjoy foods that do not require the addition of sugar
The World Health Organisation suggests adults aim for 25 grams (6.5 teaspoons) of added sugar a day. While, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (36 g) of added sugar a day (4 teaspoons of added sugar children, 6 teaspoons of added sugar women; 9 teaspoons of added sugar men).
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| Too much sugar in the diet makes you a fat-builder, not a fat-burner. Limit all added sugar in your diet to 4 to 9 teaspoons per day. |
Sticking to three or five balanced meals a day can help control appetite and cravings for sugar. Often, times sugary foods are consumed as a snack or light meal when main meals are skipped or consumption is delayed. The trick is to eat on time (no more than 4 hours a part) and ensure each meal comprise at least 20 grams of protein. (Read More: 1, 2, 3, 4)
There are so many amazing foods to enjoy.
Do not feel deprived, simply enjoy food from different food groups throughout the day.
There are so many amazing foods to enjoy.
Do not feel deprived, simply enjoy food from different food groups throughout the day.
![]() |
| An example of day's worth of balanced eating |
Thank you for reading!
Hope you enjoyed the post.
Hope you enjoyed the post.
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
For view video:
New study finds sugar is also bad for your brain
Monday, June 22, 2015
Combat Protein Powder Experience [Review]
Reason
for consumption:
My focus is on building strength and decreasing my body fat. As such, I switched up my workouts by increasing my reps of body weight and weight-based exercises. I workout 3-5 days a week for a maximum of 30-minutes. I do one workout a day, either at 6 am or 6:30 am or 8 pm.To help achieve this goal, I started consuming Combat Protein Powder (net weight: 2 lbs. cost: $240) in snickerdoodle flavour for the past 3 weeks (Jun 3rd -20 Jun 2015). My experience thus far includes:
Highlights:
1) Flavour-wise, it is tasty and free of an off putting flavour and after-taste. It is on the sweet side due to the artificial sweeteners. ☻☻(note: I mix 1 scoop with 1 cup water and add either 5 balls of frozen spinach and or 1/4 cup rolled oats)
2) Blends well with a blender, however, manually it requires a lot of shaking to get to a smooth consistency.☻
3) Appetite is suppressed for about 4-5 hours.☻
On the days I consume the protein shake, I am not hungry as often.
4) Reduced soreness.☻☻☻
I have not experienced any major soreness post workout since consuming the protein shakes. I will take that as a sign that the protein powder is doing its job.
Downsides:
1) Bloating. ☹☹☹The bloating I get with this protein powder seems to last for hours. I tried halving the dose of the protein powder and consuming it with a meal (rather than by itself, directly after my workout) and the bloating still occurs. I tried consuming it once a day instead of twice a day and the bloating still occurs.
2) Sugar cravings.☹
Whenever, I consume a protein shake especially in the morning, I get an intense urge for something sweet before lunch (12 pm). This craving is not satisfied with fruit. (The fruits I have been munching on are bananas, julie mango, watermelon and or frozen strawberries)
3) Weight gain.☹☹☹
According to my scale I have gained about 5 lbs in 3 weeks. Honestly, I'm not sure if the weight gain is due to the bloating alone or a slight increase in muscle mass.
4) Thirsty. ☹
My thirst level increases when I consume a protein shake. Normally, my water intake is usually good seeing that water is my primary beverage of choice; I rarely consume fruit juice, coconut water, carbonated beverages (soda), alcoholic beverages or hot tea (cocoa/malt drinks).
In all, I am not completely satisfied with this protein powder because the bloating is ridiculous. I will be on the hunt for another protein powder without artificial sweetener. In the meanwhile, I will resume training but without the protein shake.
Thank you for reading!
Hope you enjoyed the post.
Hope you enjoyed the post.
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Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Say YES to Eat Your Vegetables Day.
Despite the general public being constantly told of the many benefits of consuming vegetables every day. 90.8% of the Trinidad and Tobago population consume less than 3 servings of vegetables a day. Bear in mind, 1 serving of vegetables is not that much (see photo below, each vegetable illustrates 1 serving).
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| Image Source |
Nevertheless, there are many ways to sneak this nutritive food group into ones diet, such as:
1) Consuming it raw as a smoothie or well seasoned, low-sodium chow.
2) Seeking out recipes that use the vegetables in savoury items e.g. muffins, quick breads or breads.
3) Seeking out recipes that utilise herbs and spices as flavourings in cooked vegetable dishes.
4) Consuming the vegetables raw or dehydrated, with a dip e.g. dried beet root with salsa, jicama sticks with ranch dressing, radish with hummus etc.
5) Add grated or shredded vegetables to sandwich fillings or spreads e.g. grated carrot to cheese paste, grated zucchini to tuna paste etc.
Experiment until you find at least 6 vegetables you can consume on a daily basis in ample amounts.
The following collage shares 7 ways vegetables can be used as snacks, best part they are low-calorie.
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| Say yes! to Veggie Snacks |
However, to vegetable newbies, try selecting vegetables with a high-water content (Click here for a qualitative list). Vegetables with a high-water content often have a mild taste that is tolerable and can be consumed raw or cooked. They also tend to be fibre-rich despite being low in calories and packed with variable amounts of minerals and vitamins.
Aim to consume two servings a day, working your way up to at least 4 vegetable servings per day. Once this is achieved, slowly add vegetables with stronger flavours e.g dark green leafy vegetables- spinach, watercress, patchoi (bac choi) and purple vegetables- purple cabbage, eggplant etc.
Here are some great starter vegetables:
1) Christophene or Chayote
132grams (g) uncooked christophene conatins about 93% of its weight in water. It is a.member of the squash family, and is classed as a vegetable-fruit (because of the seed). It is oblong and pear shaped, with a rough skin that is mild to dark green. The flesh is pale green to colourless and has a mild taste that is comparable to zucchini or cucumber. There is a single seed and the flesh can be consumed in many ways -raw or cooked.
Christophene can be stir-fried and served with brown rice or whole grain pasta or served as a simple salad .For more nutrition information go to nutritiondata.com: raw and cooked
2) Tomatoes
The water content in tomatoes range from 80- 93% or even higher per 100g of edible flesh. The water content does diminish depending on how it is prepared and how much salt is added. Taste-wise, the darker the shade of red, the more intense the flavour appears to be. Yellow and orange tomatoes, tend to have a mild taste. Regardless, tomatoes are best served raw, but studies have shown that the anti-carcinogenic properties are activated when the vegetable-fruit is cooked. For more nutrition information go to nutritiondata.com: raw, cooked and dried
3) Cucumbers
Cucumbers eaten without the skin is more tolerable to persons on therapeutic diets e.g. renal diet. Outside of that cucumbers have a strong odour but the taste is very mild. They are best consumed raw for the nutritive properties (low-calorie, rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, and fibre) but can be consumed cooked or pickled. Sliced cucumbers sprinkled with a pinch or salt and black pepper can be a great side dish to most rice based dishes. Cucumbers have been known to aid in lowering blood pressure due to its potassium content along with containing a number of disease-fighting antioxidant compounds, like tannins and flavonoids, says Michelle Dudash, Registered Dietitian and Chef Consultant. In the homoeopathy lifestyle, cucumbers are a coolant or an alkaline food, "their moist flesh makes them cool to the touch and they contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, two natural compounds that can help prevent water retention" says Dr Andrew Weil M.D, Health Advisor. For more nutrition information go to nutritiondata.com: raw.
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| source |
4) Lettuce- Iceberg
Iceberg lettuce is most commonly consumed because the price attached and crisp texture. It is no surprise that iceberg lettuce is cheap compared to romaine and arugula. The pale green hue, comes off non threatening to many non-veggie lovers along with the low calorie and minimal vitamins and fibre contents. Regardless, iceberg lettuce has a mild and slight 'leafy' taste compared to other salad greens. One bonus of iceberg, lacking from other lettuce varieties is the high water content. This component allows iceberg to mix well with other food items without contributing an overpowering flavour, for this reason adding iceberg lettuce to salads can help eliminate the bitterness of the leaf lettuce, e.g romaine, watercress etc. Bear in mind, iceberg lettuce can have a pale to dark green hue. For more nutrition information visit nutritiondata.com: raw.
Other vegetables with high water contents that could be included into the diet easily are:
Cabbage- green (93% water) & purple (92% water)
Cauliflower (92% water)
Broccoli (91% water)
Carrots (87% water)
Sweet peppers (92% water)
Thank you for reading!
Hope you enjoyed the post.
Hope you enjoyed the post.
Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.
NOTE: To the botanist cucumbers, tomatoes & christophene are classified as fruits because they contain seeds but in the culinary sense they are vegetables because of their low-sugar content compared to traditional fruits.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Startling Facts About Smoothies Revealed
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| getty |
Smoothies are ⒼⓇⒺⒶⓉ.
Smoothies are smooth.
Smoothies can fill the gap between meals.
Smoothies can be ⓝⓤⓣⓡⓘⓣⓘⓞⓤⓢ treats, if made right.
Smoothies can be made from fruit, vegetables, or a combination of both.
ⒻⓇⓊⒾⓉ smoothies made from ❶ portion of whole/crushed fruit and ❶ portion of 100% fruit juice, count towards your daily fruit intake.
ⓋⒺⒼⒼⒾⒺ smoothies made from ❶ portion of fruit and ❶ portion of vegetables, count towards your daily fruit and vegetable intake.

#2 THE UGLY
Be wary of the sugar content and fruit acids found in fruit smoothies, as they can contribute to tooth decay and tooth erosion. It is recommended, one limits their smoothie consumption to 250 mL (8 oz or 1 cup) and rinse their mouth well with water after drinking.
#3 THE BAD
It is also wise, not to get into the habit of drinking multiple smoothies in a row or super-size smoothie combos. In this case, more is not better. While, a 250 ml smoothie count towards one's fruit/veggie intake, 5 smoothies or even a 15-20 oz smoothie, does not. Reason being, smoothies by nature can be packed with more calories and sugar, needed or used by the body at a given time. This not only harms your teeth but can increase your waistline.
While, it is very easy to consume 12 oz. of a beverage (e.g. paw paw smoothie (see image)). Trying to eat the same components used in the beverage, individually will be a challenge.
ACTIVITY:
THINK ABOUT IT: Can you eat 1 cup of paw paw cubed, 1 medium banana and drink 1/2 cup apple juice and in one sitting?
#4 THE HIGHLIGHT Before I end, let it be known smoothies are a more nutritious option over fruit juice. Smoothies are made from the blended pulp, flesh, skin, seeds, leaves, root and or stalk of the fruit or veggie. These components are then consumed rather than strained and discarded as in fruit juice. It is widely known, most of the nutrition found in plants are within the fibrous matter and edible portion [skin, pulp, flesh, root, leaf, stalk etc.].
Smoothies are a great way to add variety to a sensible diet as long as a serving of 250 mL (8 oz/ 1 cup) is adhered to.
Smoothies can fill the gap between meals.
Smoothies can be ⓝⓤⓣⓡⓘⓣⓘⓞⓤⓢ treats, if made right.
ⒻⓇⓊⒾⓉ smoothies made from ❶ portion of whole/crushed fruit and ❶ portion of 100% fruit juice, count towards your daily fruit intake.
ⓋⒺⒼⒼⒾⒺ smoothies made from ❶ portion of fruit and ❶ portion of vegetables, count towards your daily fruit and vegetable intake.

#2 THE UGLY
Be wary of the sugar content and fruit acids found in fruit smoothies, as they can contribute to tooth decay and tooth erosion. It is recommended, one limits their smoothie consumption to 250 mL (8 oz or 1 cup) and rinse their mouth well with water after drinking.
#3 THE BAD
It is also wise, not to get into the habit of drinking multiple smoothies in a row or super-size smoothie combos. In this case, more is not better. While, a 250 ml smoothie count towards one's fruit/veggie intake, 5 smoothies or even a 15-20 oz smoothie, does not. Reason being, smoothies by nature can be packed with more calories and sugar, needed or used by the body at a given time. This not only harms your teeth but can increase your waistline.
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| Don't drink away your calories! |
ACTIVITY:
THINK ABOUT IT: Can you eat 1 cup of paw paw cubed, 1 medium banana and drink 1/2 cup apple juice and in one sitting?
#4 THE HIGHLIGHT Before I end, let it be known smoothies are a more nutritious option over fruit juice. Smoothies are made from the blended pulp, flesh, skin, seeds, leaves, root and or stalk of the fruit or veggie. These components are then consumed rather than strained and discarded as in fruit juice. It is widely known, most of the nutrition found in plants are within the fibrous matter and edible portion [skin, pulp, flesh, root, leaf, stalk etc.].
Smoothies are a great way to add variety to a sensible diet as long as a serving of 250 mL (8 oz/ 1 cup) is adhered to.
ADDED CONTENT UPDATE:
Should you drink smoothies?
Time. com answers the question [date accessed July 24, 2015] Watch the video
Thank you for reading!
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SOURCES:Loesche, W. Microbiology of Dental Decay and Periodontal Disease.Medical Microbiology; 1996; chap 99. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8259/
Palmer et al. It's More Than Just Candy Important Relationships Between Nutrition and Oral Health. Nutrition Today, 2010; 45 (4): 154 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100805103926.htm
Rukon.C.H. Smoothies: one portion or two? British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin, 2008; 33, 129–132 http://nutrition-communications.co.uk/uploadedfiles/file/2008%20BNF%20smoothies%20opinion.pdf
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