Food & You
Archived Posts from this Category
Drinking Green Tea
Posted by slang on 24 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Food & You
There have much researches on the medical benefits of drinking green tea which as as follows:
- drinking green tea lowers the riskof liver, pancretic, breast, lung, esophageal and skin cancers
- green tea lowers the risk of cardio-vascular disease by inhibiting the production of platelets, which form blockages of the coronary arteries
- green tea reduces the risk of stroke
- green tea lowers blood sugars. Animal experiments have shown that animals who maintain moderate blood sugar levels live longer.
- Green tea and its active components combat viruses.
So drink more green tea less coffee for your health and well being!
What’s On The Plate?
Posted by slang on 21 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Food & You
It’s important to understand what food you eat as it affects your health and well being.
Append below are a rough guide for Malaysians on
- Always foods -Nutrient-dense foods you can have at every meal
- Sometimes foods-Not as nutrient-dense and higher in fats
- Seldom foods- High in fats and/not very nutrient-dense. You should not have these so often.
SELDOM FOODS comprises:
- Char koay tewo ,
- Pizza,
- Fried chicken,
- Beef rendang,
- Salad dressing(mayonnaise),
- Meat burger,
- Seafood,
- Ice-cream,
- Fried eggs,
- Butter and margarince,
- Cured meats(luncheon meat),
- Organ meat(liver,intestine),
- Cookies(sugary,chocolate),
- Soft drinks(sugary)
- Pickled food ( cucumber,papaya)
SOMETIMES FOODS:
- Roti canai
- Nasi lemak
- Chicken rice
- Soupy noodles
- Durian
- Assam Laksa
- Tosai
- Curry chicken
- Boiled eggs
- Canned foods
- Nuts
- Sugar-coated cereals
ALWAYS FOODS:
- Whole wheat bread
- Fruits and vegetables
- Cereals(oats,barley)
- Lean meats(chicken without skin,fish)
- Steamed or poached meats ( with low salt)
- Taufu and soyabean products
- Legumes/beans
- Herbs and spices
- Mushrooms
- Fresh fruit juices (unsweetened)
Diet Tips to Keep your Heart Healthy
Posted by slang on 17 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Medical Articles, Food & You
· Avoid trans fatty acids
Trans fatty acids are most commonly found in commercially prepared baked goods, partially-hydrogenated margarine, snack foods and processed foods. For instance, French fries and onion rings which have a great deal of trans fatty acids. Trans fats are bad for cholesterol levels as they increase bad
· Limit foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol Continue Reading »
Atkins Diet
Posted by slang on 16 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Food & You
An interesting article on Atlkins Diet which came out first amongst a survey/study of four diet:
- the Zone (40 per cent carbs, 30 per cent protein, 30 per cent fat);
- the LEARN diet, a food pyramid-based low fat, high carb plan that also includes exercise, lifestyle, and relationship recommendations; and
- the ultra low-fat, vegetarian Ornish programme.
Healthy Food:Sprouting Grains/Pulses
Posted by slang on 13 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Food & You
For healthy living, one suggestion is to sprout your own grains/pulses and use them in your diet.
Sprouting grains/pulses are easy to do. When a seed is put in water,enzymes are activated, mucus is reduced and digestion is aided, protein changes to essential amino-acids and starch changes to simple sugars and vitamin content multiplies.
Suggestion on sprouting:
- Choose seeds that are not too old and free from chemicals. Look for young,viable and whole seeds ( get them from organic farmer or healthshop).
- Seeds that can be commonly sprouted in a jar are alfalfa, beans, lentils, soyabeans, shelled sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds,wheat, rye and spice seed(fenugreek,mustard seeds).
- Wheat grass, lentils, beans and oat grass can be grown
- Begin by washing the seeds well with fresh,pure water and then remove any broken ones.
- Soak the seeds in water overnight and rinsed thoroughly. Use the purest water for washing the seeds.
- Then drain the water and the seeds should be rinsed well
- The jar of seeds should be set upside down in a dish rack to drain off all the water for ten minutes or longer.
- Good rinsing & drainage give good healthy sprout. The sprouts need water two or three times a day. Then rinse thoroughly.
- Cover the jar with a mesh screen, cheesecloth or nylon stocking.
- Shake the jar several times a day to loosen the grains from the bottom of the jar. Excess water will spoil the grains
- The sprouts are usually ready in two or five days depending on the temperature.
- Do not place them in direct sunlight- it is too hot for the tender baby sprouts. Hence place them under indirect sunlight to bring the chlorophyll into the leaves.
- Remember to rinse the sprouts to give them a constant supply of fresh water. Do not let them dry up. If the sprouts are not rinsed, they will get spoilt.
- Eat the sprouts at their peak of their nutrititional value; sprout gardening is growing and eating fresh food at its peak of vitality!
High Cholesterol Lifestyle
Posted by slang on 13 Apr 2007 | Tagged as: Food & You
Do you know whether you are living a high cholesterol lifestyle?
Answer the following indicators truthfully:
The food you buy:
- do you buy butter and other whole-fat dairy products such as whole milk and cheese?
- do you eat a lot of steaks, chops and meats?
- do you always eat the skin on chicken and the fat off meat.?
The way you live:
- have you been putting off losing those extra pounds of weight?
- do you make time to exercise regularly?
- when have you had your cholesterol checked- has it been five years or more since your last test?
The food you eat:
- do you eat a lot of fried food?
- do you like food with gravy and sauces?
- when eating out, do you choose food for taste, not your health?
So what if the above applies to you - you may asked.
Nothing great- just simply that you stand a higher chance of getting a heart disease. Just do not think that high blood cholesterol levels are limited to overweight people but can affect everyone. Even fit people can have a high cholesterol!
Here are some basic knowledge of cholesterol:
- cholesterol is a fatty-like,waxy, yellowy substance that comes from two sources: blood/serum cholesterol manufactured mainly by the liver and dietary cholesterol.
- blood/serum cholesterol is necessary to help carry fat to parts of the body that need it for energy and repairs or for storage
- dietary cholesterol is absorbed from foods of animal origin like red meat, poultry, fish,cheese, eggs and milk. If a food comes from a source that walks or swims, it has cholesterol
- the main influence on cholesterol is saturated fat ( found in animal foods such as dairy products and meat)
- over a period of time cholesterol builds up in the walls of our arteries forming plaque. This plaque can eventually block arteries and rob the surrounding tissue of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. When this happens in the blood vessels leading to the heart, a heart attack can occur.
