Category Archives: Food News

Healthy Cooking Oils

Posted on September 30, 2011 | Comments Off

Healthy Cooking Oils

What happens when consumers go to the grocery store to look for a cooking oil is they are overwhelmed by the variety, choices, grades, quality and conflicting information.

The flavors of oils are all different with unique burning temperatures and range from: corn oil, sunflower, canola, sesame oil, almond oil, grape seed oil, walnut oil and lastly melted butter.

Basically, there are different types of oils for different uses and it is dependent on what your cooking to chose the right kind of oil. 

Healthy Cooking Oils Healthy Cooking Oils

For some types of food that you may be cooking you will need a high temperature burning oil. and others may be fine for lower temperature cooking.

There are Two Types of Oils- Cooking Oils and Oils Consumed without Cooking

Oils Consumed without Cooking

Butter

Butter is used as a spread or can be melted to cook with and is the most favorite North American cooking oil while margarine on the other hand is not for cooking but more of a spread in place of butter.

Margarine

We call it fake butter, because it is not a healthy substitute due to the high levels of cholesterol which is linked to heart diseases. Margarine is made from old rancid vegetable oil and is heavily laced with additives.

Olive Oil


Olive Oil can be used on salads as a dressing or in cooking various vegetables, baking and with selected meats from veal cutlets to meat balls. 

Olive Oil is by far the most popular cooking oil on the planet, thanks to the Italian culture most of North Americans now use Pure Virgin Olive Oils made from the first pressing of olives.

Healthy Cooking OilsHealthy Cooking Oils

This first pressing or Virgin olive oil gives the oil a deep green color that shows the quality and rich flavor of the olive oil fresh from the olive trees.  A second pressing of the olives would render a less green color and more yellowish color.  Now, some oil producers mix canola oil with olive which cheapens the prices but also the flavor.

The original pure grade Virgin Olive Oils come from Italian name brand companies and you can find these in specialty food stores and some high end grocery stores. Oil made from olives contain approximately 75 percent oleic acid which is the monounsaturated fat, 13 percent saturated fat and only smaller amounts of polyunsaturated fats.

Oil Oil Use:

Olive oil is used both right out of the bottle in salads, appetizers with a side of fresh bread and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or are used for frying fish, veggies, lean meats and chicken. In the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is used generously and faithfully at most every meal in reasonable amounts.

Healthy Types of Cooking Oils

Coconut oil is the highest value of healthy cooking oils one can consume on earth, however it is not used in frying or cooking foods as much in North America but quickly gaining in popularity.


Healthy Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a stable oil that does not harm or attack your arteries, and in some countries is considered and used for medicinal purposes.  Coconut oil is actually an anti-viral used in injections such as HIV, pneumonia, colds, flue, food poisoning and fights yeast and bacteria in the body.

Coconut oil is low i fast, is quickly broken down in the body by the liver and gives one quick energy.

There are many other health benefits of coconut oil such as: protection against infection and keeps blood platelets from sticking to each other which also lowers the chance of hardening of the arteries. But the best part of eating coconut oil is that it actually reduces the bad cholesterol while raising the levels of good cholesterol and helps prevent aging.  All good healthy benefits of coconut oil used in cooking.
Keeping Oils Stored

The best way to store oil for long periods of time is in a cool, dry place preferably with the lid tightly shut on the top of the bottle. Normally a bottle of oil will last a few months, or up to one year for olive oil. Coconut oil can be kept in the fridge for long periods of time since it is sold more a solid form than a liquid.

Cooking with Cooking Oils

Nature's Way Organic Coconut Oil, 16 Ounce Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 15-Ounce Tubs (Pack of 2) Barlean's Organic Oils Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16-Ounce Jar Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 29-Ounce Jars (Pack of 2) Jarrow Formulas Coconut Oil (Extra Virgin), 1000mg, 100% Certified Organic, 120 Softgels

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Benefits of Dragon Fruit

Posted on June 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Benefits of Dragon Fruit

The most healthy foods are sometimes the exotic, unique fruits that look like the Dragon Fruit and it its own beauty there are many health benefits.

What is a Dragon Fruit

Often called a Pitaya the Dragon Fruit is a hot pink colored fruit with green tips that look like scales and has a funky look to it and readily grown on plantations in South America, the Phillipines and Central America tropical zones.

The fruit is also grown in Mexico, China, southeast asia countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan and is often called the Dragon Cactus since it is part of the cactus family. The fruit can grow in a California climate also or in greenhouses or your own backyard if your lucky enough to live in a warm climate.


Benefits of Dragon FruitPhoto: A Dragon Fruit Farm-where the dragon fruit plants grow 15 feet tall

The following picture will give you a better look at this exotic looking fruit on the outside it seems even prehistoric in nature.

The flowers of the Dragon Fruit mysteriously bloom only at night, hence it is called ” Queen of the Night” also. By sunrise, the flowers start to fade and by noon the flowers will die in the hot sun.

The Amazing Dragon FruitPhoto: The Dragon Fruit on the outside has a hot pink skin with green tipped scales that looks Pre-historic

If you think this is strange you should see the inside of the Dragon Fruit

Benefits of Dragon FruitPhoto: Inside the Dragon fruit it has tiny black seeds similar to a Kiwi Fruit, and a white fleshy part approximately 4 inches long.

What does the Dragon Fruit Taste Like?

For some people, the less adventurous of us would say what does this dragon fruit look like anyway? Well, I tasted one for the first time yesterday and was left amazed at how this fruit looks and tastes like which is a cross between a kiwi and a pear flavor.

It is juicy, in the center and I sliced the fruit in half and removed the flesh with a spoon from the skin.  All parts of the fruit are edible and in some countries they make a jam from the Dragon Fruit pink skin.

I kept the fruit in the fridge until I was ready for it and just ate the whole thing which was marvelously refreshing due to the amount of juice it contained.  The Dragon Fruit has a smooth texture, tasty and juicy

Dragon Fruit’s Medicinal Properties

Dragon fruit has been reported to reduce bad cholesterol, promotes appetite, moisturizes skin, prevents constipation, urinary tract infections, clears vision and promotes balanced blood sugars. As well Dragon Fruit is said to strengthens bones and teeth formation in children.

In the Asian culture the Dragon Fruit is revered and treasured for its medicinal properties especially in lowering blood pressure for the elderly. Also for those with a poor diet, the prevention of diabetes Type II is also a desirable benefit of this super food.

Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit

This healthy fruit is rich in vitamin C, protein, fiber, iron, riboflavin, calcium, Vitamin A and is packed with nutrients that fight cancer, prevent disease and can be found virtually in every store that sells fruit.

Health Tip of the Day

For people that are bored with their fruit intake and limiting themselves to apples, oranges and bananas each day, the tip of the day is to try a new fruit each week.  Introduce yourself to a new fruit or vegetable each week and get away from the apples and oranges for a change.  Researchers prove that a variety of fruits and vegetables provides a greater range of nutrients instead of eating the same types all the time.

Sara

I chose the Dragon fruit for this article because it intrigued me enough to investigate this marvelous fruit and I urge you to take the time to enjoy this fabulous healthy- Super Food.


Benefits of Dragon Fruit

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How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet

Posted on June 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

June 8, 2011  How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet

How to avoid salt in your diet when most of the food you buy in a grocery store are laden with salt.   Over 75% of the salt intake today comes from processed foods, bread, cereals, sauces which can cause stroke, high blood pressure, heart diseases and heart attacks.

Prepared pizza, pizza pockets, TV dinners, frozen dinners, sausages, soup mixes, canned soups and prepared sandwiches and crackers are all high in salt or sodium chloride.

Photo: All Packaged Foods are High in Salt

High Salt Foods Include all Canned and Packaged Foods

High Salt Foods Include all Canned and Packaged Foods

 

The biggest culprit in salty foods are snack foods, processed foods, foods in a boxed, meals to go and any foods prepared in a food factory have high salt content.
The salt is used as a preservative in processed foods to extend shelf life for profits however, this practice is causing hypertension, high blood pressure and sickness in human health for the public.

Governments have requested food manufacturers to reduce salt as an ingredient however very little change has been initiated.

Salt as a Preservative in Food is Not Healthy

Salt as a Preservative in Food is Not Healthy

When dieters eat a great amount of these types of food, they are loaded up with salt and weight gain is accelerated. The added side effect is high blood pressure which will require a life time of medications to balance, therefore avoiding HBP is always a prevention method.

What Foods to Eat to Avoid Salt

Salty Chips, peanuts, processed sauces, side dishes in a box and just about any food sold in a cardboard box will contain high amounts of salt. Bacon is also high in salt, ham, salami, processed meat slices, gravy mixes, cheeses, olives, pickled products and salty fish.

What Foods to Eat to Avoid High Blood Pressure

Fruit, vegetables, whole foods, organic foods, naturally grown foods, unprocessed foods and food that grows in the ground without chemical additives, preservatives and pesticides.

Photo: LOW SALT FOODS

Low Salt Foods-Fresh Fruits and Vegetables are all Low Salt

Low Salt Foods-Fresh Fruits and Vegetables are all Low Salt

Kidney Damage Due to High Salt Diets

Human kidneys cannot handle excess sodium and causes a fluid build up in the body and especially the blood stream.  Edema or swollen legs, hand or face will be present in a high salt diet and shortness of breath is another side effect to a high salt diet.

Especially in babies kidney damage is due to high salt in the diet and adults also will retain water with a high salt diet. Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD will require a managed diet, medical attention and a change in food choices. If kidney disease progresses, dialysis will be necessary as well as blood pressure drugs for a lifetime.  Prevention is much cheaper than these two end results of a high salt diet.

Read the Food Labels

How much salt is too much salt?  For accuracy read the label of any products you buy in the grocery store.  Salt is labeled: Sodium Chloride.

Read the Food Labels for Salt or Sodium

Read the Food Labels for Salt or Sodium

How Much Salt is Safe?

Salt Content of more than:  1.5 grams per  100 grams (0.6 grams sodium) HIGH

Salt Content of less than: 0.3 grams per 100 grams (0.1 grams sodium) is BETTER

Any Food in Between:   0.3 grams  and 1.5 grams  USE CAUTION

Babies and Children’s Salt Intake

Children should never be fed as much salt as an adult because their bodies are much smaller and their kidneys cannot process excess salt.

Breast Fed Children get enough salt from breast milk which is adequate.

Keep a Food Diary

Keep track of the foods you eat in a Diet Diary will teach you which foods you are eating that you can avoid and which foods you can eliminate to keep your body healthy.  This includes all beverages from soft drinks, juices, bottled mineral water to any liquid intake.

Eating in Restaurants

When eating out at any restaurant, ask for low salt or no salt alternatives in your meal choices. Most restaurants used packaged rice mixes, soup mixes and salty ingredients in their menus.  Always ask for alternatives and order fresh organic foods like fruits and vegetables be included in your food orders when eating out for  meals.  All fast food outlets will contain high salt menu items that are very high in sodium and rarely do they label the quantity of sodium or fat.

Video: How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet

 

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Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

Posted on May 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

May 28, 2011  Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution in the United States was kicked off in the worst and unhealthiest city in America in Huntington, West Virginia where 50 % of the population of 50,000 people are considered obese.

Why is America So Fat?

Obesity causes major lethal diseases such as: Cancer, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, blood clots, high cholesterol and major heart diseases.

What’s the Food Revolution?

Jamie’s goal here is to educate American on how to eat again after the decades of the Fast Food Industry that has contributed highly to the demise of many children and American families.  Eating healthy is not expensive or more difficult and people need to look at their diet to make quick and healthy food choices for meals.

United States Food is Unregulated

Both as a country and as a leader in movements the United States has become the Land of the Fat and who ever coined the phrase : Heart Attack on a Plate was not kidding.  Today, fast food contains high sugar, high salt, high levels of chemical additives, fillers, hormones, antibiotics and many unnecessary additions that makes food a danger to human health.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Attempts to get Consumers To Change in their Diets

The choices are up to the consumer and either they by pass the fast food outlets completely until there is change and regulation in the safety agencies that are supposed to keep Americans healthy or make your own foods at home and travel to high quality restaurants.

The nutritional values of food in the United States have declined tremendously as more corporations try to squeeze out profits from low grade and often dangerous ingredients.

It appears that ANYTHING goes in US food safety,  in what once were higher standards in American foods, today most of what you see in a grocery store almost 95% is garbage with no nutritional value.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has started and it is up to the consumer to finish the job and demand better quality, better regulations from our schools, politicians and our state and federal governments to clean up their act.

 

Jamie Oliver-Creator of the Food Revolution and World Famous Chef

Jamie Oliver-Creator of the Food Revolution and World Famous Chef

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Video-Where it all Started

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Super Food Acai Berry Health Benefits

Posted on February 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

Recent claims about the acai berry have been pretty astounding. While there is some scientific evidence that has been conducted on this fruit, it has still been advertised as one of the best nutritional finds ever and it has been advertised as a miracle cure for everything from obesity to cancer.

The Super Food Acai Berry and its Health Benefits

Well, the acai berry is really quite a miraculous nutritional discovery. It is brimming with vitamins and minerals, Omega fatty acids and an array of crucial antioxidants. However, it is not really that much more astounding than many other more common super foods. There are many exceptionally healthy super foods such as blueberries, tomatoes, spinach, oranges, walnuts, salmon, green tea and the list goes on and on. The acai berry is just a more recent discovery.

In order to have a health promoting diet you must eat a combination of health promoting foods. Our bodies require a balance of nutrition in the form of the macro nutrients of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats and the micro-nutrients of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals and oxygen damage that has a proven causal relationship in everything from aging to disease. When we improve the quality of what we eat we add to our health and longevity. But the addition of just one super food like the acai berry cannot do this. We must have a combination of healthy foods.

If you are on a weight loss program you will benefit from the addition of acai berry products. However this alone will not assist you in losing weight. You also need to start a regular exercise program and eat fewer calories. You can receive superior nutritional support from acai berry products but all alone that will not help you. In addition you must also do other things if you need to lose weight.

Our bodies react powerfully to superior nutrition. We were born to eat abundantly from nature’s own bounty. That means a healthy combination of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This does not necessarily mean that you need to become a vegan because omnivores, or those who eat meat and animal products, can also have an extremely healthy diet. However there are some animal products that are more nutritious than others and you may want to know where your food comes from but of course, that relates to fruits, vegetables and grains also.

The foods that we need to avoid are the unnatural and man made boxed foods. If your food will not spoil on its own within a short period of time it probably is not very nutritious to consume. If bacteria won’t eat the food then you probably shouldn’t either! The acai berry starts to lose its nutritional value as soon as 24 hours after it is removed from the tree so it needs to be freeze-dried or frozen almost immediately.

While it is not a miracle food the acai berry can still be an amazing addition to your healthful diet. The nutrients within this astonishing berry can protect your body from damage from free radicals, which in turn will help prevent diseases. It can support your weight loss efforts because of the superior nutritional advantages.

But the acai berry is not a miracle cure for anything but it sure improves your health. Improve your diet all around by adding in all kinds of nutritious foods like blueberries, spinach, broccoli, salmon, walnuts, green tea, tomatoes and more. Healthy foods come from everywhere and are found all over the world. To get the highest benefit from acai berry products improve the quality of your diet all around. Your body will appreciate it.

TAGS: Super Foods Acai Berry, healthy diets, amazing healthy foods, acai berry fruit, super foods in a healthy diet.

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