How do you eat?

3 Low-Calorie Herbs and Spices Snacks for a Healthier and Slimmer Body

More and more people are starting to eat healthy - not just to lose weight but also to maintain a stronger body. If you're new to this lifestyle, it's easy to get bored with portioned meat, steamed vegetables and low-fat everything. Jazz up your healthy dishes with the kick of natural spices and the delicious flavor of fresh herbs. Snack on these 3 low-calories herbs and spices recipes and you'll know how good healthy eating is!

Creamy Cilantro Pizza

What you need:

• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 3/4 cup ground lamb
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 green chiles, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons canola or grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
• Handful of mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 pieces frozen naan, thawed

Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in ground lamb, toasted coriander and cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes or when lamb is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside. Mix together cilantro, 1/4 cup yogurt, green chiles and water in a blender (season with salt and pepper if desired) and process until smooth. Divide the cilantro-yogurt sauce among naan followed by cooked lamb then top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven (450F) until cheese starts to bubble. Garnish with remaining yogurt, raw onion and cilantro leaves.

Basil and Lavender Fruit Bowl

What you need:

• 2 peaches, diced
• 1 cup grapes
• 1 cup watermelon cubes
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh sweet basil

Heat the lime juice and the honey over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir until well-combined. Remove from heat when heated through then add lavender buds and basil leaves. Set aside and let sit for 8 to 10 minutes. Place peaches, grapes, watermelon cubes and blueberries in a large bowl and pour basil and lavender syrup over fruits.

Healthy Herb Summer Salad

What you need:

• 2 ears corn, husked and cooked
• 12 lettuce leaves
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly slices
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

In a medium bowl, mix together scallions, cilantro, parsley, lime juice and olive oil. Strip the corn from the cob carefully using a sharp knife and add the kernels to the herb mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined. Divide the mixture into 12 and scoop into lettuce leaves. Top with feta cheese and season with ground pepper.

Eating nutritious hasn't been this good - try these amazing low-calorie herbs and spices snacks for a healthier and slimmer body!

Source: Adrian T Cheng

Tips for a Healthier Heart

It is clear as crystal - your diet has a profound effect on your physical and mental health. When combined with a regular physical exercise routine, adequate sleep and minimal-stress lifestyle, you pave way towards a long and healthy life!

In terms of cardiovascular health, it is a well-known fact that a healthy diet comprising of certain heart-friendly foods work wonders to keep heart diseases at bay. With cardiovascular diseases being the numero uno killer of men and women globally, it is important to maintain a healthy heart by consuming foods that help lower cholesterol levels, control blood pressure and blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy body weight. Here are a few heart-healthy diet tips that work towards preventing heart diseases.

1. Control your portion size

Eating right begins with eating the right size! Stuffing yourself with food is a sure way to add unwanted calories. Try using a small plate to control your portion size. Incorporate larger portions of fruits and vegetables, while lowering the portions of processed foods. It is a good idea to track the number of portions or servings that you consume. For starters, use a measuring cup, spoon or scale to track the size and weight of your servings.

2. Reduce unhealthy fats

Saturated and trans fats increase the levels of 'bad' cholesterol - Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) - in your body, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Work towards limiting or entirely cutting out trans fats from your diet. Limit your consumption of processed or packaged foods such as chips and cookies. Replace solid fats such as butter and hydrogenated margarine with liquid vegetable oils such as olive oil or sunflower oil. You can also swap whole milk with low fat or skimmed milk.

3. Incorporate healthy fats

Not all fats are bad for you! Omega 3 fatty acids, Omega 6 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats work towards increasing HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol levels that are good for the heart. Fatty fish such as salmon, trout and herring are rich sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. Vegetable oils and soy nuts are great sources of Omega 6 fatty acids, while peanuts, pecans, almonds, cashews and avocados are good sources of monounsaturated fats. A simple way to add healthy fat to your diet is to grind flaxseed and add it to cereals, breakfast mixes or any baked foods. However, the key is moderation; all types of fats have a high calorie count.

4. Consume low-fat proteins

Lean meats such as poultry and fish, eggs and low-fat dairy products such as skimmed milk are excellent sources of low-fat protein. As previously mentioned, fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel are rich sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. Alternatively, you can consume flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts and soybeans for vegetarian sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. You can completely substitute animal protein for plant protein by using legumes such as beans, lentils and peas. These are good sources of protein, contain less fat and no cholesterol.

5. Indulge in fruits and vegetables

Besides being super-rich sources of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables are low on calories and may curb your pangs for high-fat foods such as processed foods and snacks. Always keep a bowl of fruit or a box of cut vegetables handy in the refrigerator for some healthy snacking, or to whip up a fresh salad! Incorporate vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, into your cooking. Add legumes such as beans, lentils and beans to your diet. Carrots, tomatoes and celery are rich in insoluble fibre while berries, citrus fruits, beans, nuts, apples and pears are rich in soluble fibre. Both types of fibre are heart-healthy.

6. Be a fan of whole grains!

Whole grains are rich sources of fibre and other vital nutrients that help in regulating blood pressure, thereby maintaining a healthy heart. Substitute white rice and refined flour products such as white bread, biscuits and so on with whole wheat flour, whole grain bread, oatmeal, high-fibre cereals, and whole grains such as brown rice.

7. Reduce your sodium intake

High sodium levels can increase your blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Limit your sodium intake by reducing the amount of salt and salty foods in your diet. Avoid foods and condiments with high sodium content such as table salt, canned soups and foods, soy sauce and tomato juice. Replace them with herbs and spices, low sodium labelled foods and sauces and salt substitutes.

Besides following a heart-healthy diet, it is important to lead a stress-free life, combined with adequate physical activity and regulated sleep to keep your body energised, your mind fresh and your heart ever-healthy!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9243176 Karthic Guduro

What will you choose?

What will you choose?

Healthy of course!

8 Things You Don't Know About Calories

8 Things You Don't Know About Calories

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled?

Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

1. Portions sizes are out of control

You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more—up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

2. Serving sizes are deceiving
“There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing,” explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts. Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain 2 to 3 servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories…for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Stop the confusion: This is as simple as reading nutrition labels before you open the bag. To make it even easier, opt for instant portion control with whole fruit, like apples and bananas, or buy items you typically overeat in single serving packets. Especially for healthy, but higher calorie, foods, portioning out servings prevents pig-outs. For instance, Trader Joe’s carries what they call “Just a Handful” of almonds, which are packets containing just one 200-calorie serving.

3. Not all calories are created equal
“You hear a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, but I’m not convinced that’s the case,” says Leslie Bonci, RD, coauthor of The Active Calorie Diet. Studies show that foods that take more effort to chew—like fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains—can increase your calorie burn. “More calories are required to digest them, and they’ll keep you satisfied longer,” she adds. Not only that, but other ingredients can up the burn: caffeine and other compounds in coffee and tea, and spices such as chiles, cinnamon, and ginger fire up your central nervous system and can boost your metabolism. So is 500 calories worth of celery really different than 500 calories of French fries? A 2011 breakthrough study discovered that the quality of calories might matter more than the overall quantity. Those who ate a greater amount of certain unhealthy foods, like processed meat, French fries, and sugar-sweetened beverages, gained more weight faster over time than people with healthier diets. Unsurprisingly, eating more notoriously healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and low-fat yogurt were associated with less weight gain.

Stop the confusion: Eating plenty of low-calorie fruits and vegetables at every meal ensures you’re keeping your calories in check. “Fruits and veggies do double duty,” says Bonci. “They’re rich in fiber, which works extremely well to keep you satiated, and they take a while to chew.”

4. Gym machine counts are bogus
Seeing you burned 600 calories on the treadmill in the morning may make you think you have a free pass to pig out for the rest of the day. But be wary of exercise machines’ calorie counts. The University of California, San Francisco, used a V02 test to track down calories burned while on machines. The VO2 analyzer calculated how hard the body is working with its height, weight, age, and body fat. The machines’ calorie counts and the VO2 counts didn’t match up—at all. Machines overestimated calorie burn by 19%!

Stop the confusion: If you really want to get an accurate number of calories burned, invest in a heart rate monitor, which will help you learn how intense your workouts are. If you don’t feel like splurging and you’re a treadmill lover, multiplying your weight times 0.75 will give you a solid estimate of the calories burned per mile of running. Multiply your weight by 0.53 to get an estimate of the calories burned per mile of walking. For ellipticals, stair climbers, and stationary bikes, assume the calorie count is off and aim to work out for a certain length of time, not a certain amount of calories burned.

5. Exercise makes you hungry
Though studies are mixed when it comes to whether exercise actually stimulates or suppresses appetite, many people think of working out as a way to eat whatever they like. “There’s definitely a mentality of ‘I have sweated therefore I deserve,’” says Bonci. However, with most people burning about 100 calories per mile, a short workout won’t give you a free pass to eat junk food. “If you walk two miles, eating a handful of chips post-workout can undo the calories you burned,” says Bonci. As mentioned above, gym machines don’t accurately measure calories burned, either.

Stop the confusion: To stop an after-workout binge, fuel up pre-gym, Zied suggests. “Have something before—something with carbs and a little protein, like whole wheat toast and peanut butter or a banana and milk.” Depending on the intensity of your workout, you may need something afterward as well. After a workout longer than 45 minutes, you should aim to eat about 200 calories.

6. Liquid calories are ignored
“People are spending hundreds of calories on beverages each day,” says Zied. Unfortunately, a lot of those calories are from sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol, not milk and 100% fruit juice. According to a 2007 study, beverage intake accounted for roughly 12% of total calories in 1965 and steadily increased to 21% in 2002—that’s 222 extra calories a day from drinks alone! Because bottled drinks often contain multiple servings, it’s best to either pour a serving in a glass or look for mini soda cans and juice boxes.

Stop the confusion: The best way to minimize the calories you drink is to stick to calorie-free water and unsweetened coffee and tea. However, if you’re craving some flavor, consider making your own low-cal flavored water (Or try out tasty Flat Belly Sassy Water!). Even though whole fruit is preferred over fruit juice, Bonci advises doing a glass check before pouring yourself some OJ. “Very few people have 6-ounce glasses, the recommended serving of juice. Most glasses are 10 to 12 ounces, which means you’re getting more than you need.” If you don’t want to buy new glasses, Bonci recommends mixing juice with seltzer water for a bubbly treat

7. Snack time is more like mealtime
Between 1977 and 2006, Americans nibbled and noshed approximately 580 calories each day from snacks, according to information presented at the 2011 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo. Though researchers debate as to whether this uptick in snacking is causing obesity or not, they can agree that the foods people choose as snacks aren’t always healthy choices. “Snack foods are tremendously popular, and Americans are eating tons of nutrient-poor, calorie-dense foods like energy drinks, candies, cookies, and cakes,” says Zied. These items often come in oversized packaging, and not the recommended 200-calorie snack portion, leading to extra calories consumed throughout the day.

Stop the confusion: Instead of buying a huge jar of almonds and noshing all day, pre-portion your snacks ahead of time. Even healthy foods can cause you to gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn off, so portion control is key. Try filling up on lower-calorie foods as snacks—baby carrots, grapes, etc.—or saving half of your lunch sandwich to eat in the afternoon.

8. “Health” foods contain hidden ingredients
“The so-called health halos are everywhere,” says Bonci. “But just because a cookie is trans-fat free doesn’t mean it’s calorie free.” She adds that buzzwords such as “natural” and “few ingredients” trigger people to think foods are healthier and lower in calories than they actually are. “Natural” foods still contain sugar, sodium, and other health-harming nutrients. Reduced fat and reduced calorie versions of your favorite foods should be eyed with caution too. “Usually when something gets taken away, something is added,” says Zied. “Reduced in fat usually means the product has added sugar.”

Stop the confusion: Chances are “natural” gummy bears are still going to be almost as unhealthy for you as plain gummy bears, but if you see the word “natural” on a loaf of bread, read the item’s nutrition label and ingredient list. Look for unhealthy ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, large amounts of sodium, or small amounts of important nutrients.

Source Mara Betsch

Christmas Challenge Weight Loss Tips

Christmas Weight Loss Tips

Source - Dietitian Juliette Kellow kicks off with a series of top hints and tips to get you healthier and slimmer for the Christmas party season.

1. Don't be scared of hunger

After months or years of constantly overindulging and never really feeling hungry, it's easy to forget what that gnawing, empty sensation in our stomach feels like. It's no wonder then that when we initially change our eating habits, hunger pangs make us feel uneasy and uncomfortable - and leave us reaching for the biscuit tin! While many diets claim you'll never feel hungry, this is often an unrealistic promise.

Experiencing hunger, especially when you first start a new way of eating, is quite normal.

The key is to learn to recognise the sensation, not be scared by it, and then deal with it appropriately. Firstly, rather than looking at hunger in a negative way, think positively. Doesn't it actually feel nice to be hungry and to really look forward to a meal or snack? Secondly, before eating, you may find it helpful to identify how hungry you really are: rank your hunger on a scale of one to 10, where one is fully satisfied and 10 is starving. Only reach for a snack when your hunger ranks at seven or above.

2. Breakfast like a King (and don't skip meals)

Okay, you've heard it a hundred times before, but skipping breakfast (or any other meal) will give you hunger pangs that quickly leave you reaching for chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks to boost flagging energy levels!

Studies at the University of Leeds found that eating earlier in the day helps to prevent people from getting hungry, losing control and overeating in the evening. But what if you never feel hungry in the morning? Chances are, if you can last until mid morning or lunchtime before eating, you're having too much to eat in the evening - I guarantee if you have a smaller dinner, earlier in the evening, you'll wake up with a ravenous appetite! Bottom line: by spreading meals evenly throughout the day - and always eating breakfast - you'll feel satisfied for longer and be less likely to give in to snack attacks.

3. Fill up on fibre

When it comes to kicking hunger, swap all things white for all things brown. This means ditching bagels, white spaghetti, cornflakes and white rice and instead opting for wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain cereals and brown rice.

There are several reasons why high-fibre foods help to combat hunger. Firstly, foods containing a lot of fibre generally take longer to chew. As well as helping you to feel more satisfied, this automatically slows down the speed at which you eat, giving your brain time to register feelings of fullness so that you're less like to overeat.

Secondly, fibre acts like a sponge and absorbs and holds on to water. This means fibre-rich foods swell up in your stomach, helping to fill you up. But best of all, because fibre is harder to digest, it stays in your stomach for longer keeping you feeling fuller for longer, so you're less likely to want to snack between meals.

The following foods are all good sources of fibre:

• Wholemeal, granary and softgrain varieties of bread
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals, eg. Weetabix, branflakes, unsweetened muesli, Shreddies and porridge oats
• Wholemeal pasta and brown rice
• Beans, lentils and peas
• Fresh and dried fruits - particularly if the skins are eaten
• Vegetables - particularly if the skins are eaten
• Nuts and seeds

4. Go for low GI foods

Foods with a low Glycaemic Index (GI) slowly release sugar into the blood, providing you with a steady supply of energy. This leaves you feeling satisfied for longer so that you're less likely to snack. In contrast, foods with a high GI cause a rapid - but short-lived - rise in blood sugar, leaving you lacking in energy and feeling hungry within a short time, so that you end up reaching for a snack. Bottom line: eating foods with a low GI prevents swings in blood sugar, helping you to have better control over your appetite because you feel fuller for longer.

Good low GI choices include most fruit and veg, wholewheat pasta, porridge, wholegrain cereals, lentils, beans, nuts, brown and basmati rice and wholemeal bread.

5. Pick at some protein

Eating small amounts of lean meat, chicken, fish, dairy products and eggs may help to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Research shows that protein-rich foods help to improve satiety - the feeling of fullness you get at end of a meal - and the more satiated you feel after eating, the less likely you'll be to feel hungry between meals. More research is needed to prove this conclusively. Nevertheless, chances are you'll feel fuller for longer if you swap a couple of biscuits mid afternoon for a skinless chicken breast, tuna (canned in water) or lean ham with salad.

6. Go to work on an egg

According to recent research from the Rochester Centre for Obesity in America, eating eggs for breakfast can help to prevent hunger sufficiently so that calorie intakes are reduced by more than 400 calories throughout the rest of the day!

In the study, 30 overweight or obese women ate either an egg-based breakfast or a bagel-based breakfast, containing the same amount of calories and almost identical levels of protein. The researchers recorded the women's eating habits and found that just before lunch, the women who had eaten eggs for breakfast felt less hungry and ate a smaller lunch as a result. Better still, over the next 36 hours the group eating the egg-containing breakfast consumed, on average, 417 calories less than the bagel-eating group.

It seems that eating eggs for breakfast makes you feel fuller for longer so that you eat less at your next few meals. Combine them with wholemeal toast and a glass of vitamin-C rich unsweetened orange juice, which will help the body make the best use of the iron in the eggs.

7. Eat slowly

The brain requires around 20 minutes to receive the signal you are full, so no matter how much you eat during this time, your satiety signal won't come any sooner. That's why it's a good idea to eat slowly.

Having a low-fat starter is a great idea if you're trying to lose weight as it takes time to eat and will reduce your appetite for the main course. It also explains why it's a good idea to wait a while before deciding whether you really want a dessert or a second helping.

Try these tips to slow down the speed at which you eat:

• use chop sticks instead of a knife and fork - you can't get as much food onto chopsticks as you can a fork so your meal will take longer to eat.
• serve food in a bowl so that it stays hotter for longer - chances are the food in the bottom will still be so hot you won't be able to gulp down the last few mouthfuls.
• don't watch TV or read while you're eating - if you're distracted at mealtimes, chances are you'll shove food into your mouth without paying any attention to it.
• chew each mouthful slowly - if you find this difficult, set yourself a target of 10 bites per mouthful before swallowing.
• put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls - it's the oldest trick in the book, but it works!

8. Quench your thirst

Before grabbing something to eat, check whether you're really thirsty rather than hungry. It's easy to confuse thirst and hunger with the result that many people grab a snack or fill their plate for a second time when what they really need is a glass of water. Better still, water is needed for every chemical reaction in the body, including burning fat. And not only will it help to fill you up, it'll work wonders for your skin and hair. For maximum 'filling power' opt for sparkling water - the bubbles will help to fight those hunger pangs.

9. Cut down on caffeine

If you're in the habit of drinking loads of caffeinated drinks because you think they'll rev up your metabolism, think again. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that too much caffeine in the form of diet cola, tea and coffee might have the opposite effect and leave you feeling more hungry. In some studies high caffeine intakes have also been found to prepare the body for storing fat whenever food is eaten. So to prevent hunger, you might be better off swapping cola for a glass of sparkling water and tea and coffee for a cup of herbal or fruit tea.

10. Stock up on low-calorie fillers

Keep your fridge and cupboards stocked with a selection of low-calorie foods that can easily be turned into hunger-busting snacks or tasty starters.

Try the following when hunger hits:

• bowl of salad with fat-free dressing or balsamic vinegar
• vegetable sticks with salsa or tzatziki (or make your own yogurt dip by mixing 1 small pot low-fat plain yogurt with 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1tsp mint sauce and 1 tsp lemon juice.)
• bowl of ratatouille (made without oil)
• bowl of low-fat soup or a low-cal cup-a-soup
• slice of melon
• prawn cocktail with a fat-free seafood dressing
• Florida cocktail made from orange and grapefruit segments
• corn-on-the-cob without butter
• 1/2 grapefruit with artificial sweetener
• bowl of fresh fruit salad or piece of fresh fruit