READ THE INGREDIENTS! The most important step so you know what you’re eating. (I’ll explain the reasons later)
The most important ingredients to AVOID are:
1. High Fructose Corn Syrup
2. Partially Hydrogenated Oil (including canola)
3. MSG or natural flavor
4. Modified or Genetically Modified anything
5. Soy products
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Reading Labels
A few little secrets you may or may not know when it comes to reading labels:
• Read the Ingredients before you buy! Don’t buy it if it has something harmful.
• The first ingredient means it’s the largest ingredient in the product
• “Partially Hydrogenated” means it’s a trans fat
• “Genetically Modified” or just “Modified” means it’s unnatural and unsafe
• “Natural Flavor” is not necessarily natural, and can include MSG!
• “No Trans Fat *per serving” means there IS trans fat! Check the ingredients and you’ll find it. (it’s a small amount per serving but nonetheless it’s still there!)
• Added vitamins and minerals don’t necessarily make it healthier – it’s mostly a marketing scheme to make you feel like you’re making a healthy choice when the product itself doesn’t have much value to your health
• Read the Ingredients before you buy! Don’t buy it if it has something harmful.
• The first ingredient means it’s the largest ingredient in the product
• “Partially Hydrogenated” means it’s a trans fat
• “Genetically Modified” or just “Modified” means it’s unnatural and unsafe
• “Natural Flavor” is not necessarily natural, and can include MSG!
• “No Trans Fat *per serving” means there IS trans fat! Check the ingredients and you’ll find it. (it’s a small amount per serving but nonetheless it’s still there!)
• Added vitamins and minerals don’t necessarily make it healthier – it’s mostly a marketing scheme to make you feel like you’re making a healthy choice when the product itself doesn’t have much value to your health
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Balancing Your Plate
We have lost our connection to the power of food and our sense of balance. We need to return back to the basics; the food mother earth provides us with. This diagram is a representation of the balance of food we should have on our plate at each meal and snack. To get you started, I will just scratch the surface of these topics and the purpose of this balance to help you understand why it works.
Food is used for one of three purposes: rebuilding the body, energy, or storing fat for later. When you don’t eat properly, these functions will be disrupted, resulting in poorer health. When you eat a balanced meal, your body uses the nutrients for energy and in rebuilding your body (nails, hair, bones, skin, cells, etc). And when you don’t eat a balanced meal, not only does your body store it as fat, but also your body is unable to rebuild properly, and becomes susceptible to inflammation.
The GOAL in following this balanced plate is to maintain your blood sugar levels (or insulin) throughout the day. I’ll talk about why this is so important later, so for now just go with me! Ok, so each meal (have 3) and snack (have 3) should consist of a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and non starchy vegetables, and healthy fat. (Some foods can be categorized in more than one group).
PROTEIN: Animal sources have the best protein such as fish, eggs, meat, dairy. Protein is also in nuts, seeds, lentils, and whole grains. Grass fed is the best choice for eggs and meat choices, not grain fed.
CARBOHYDRATES: Pay attention! This is the tricky one. Whole grains are your best source, but you must watch how much you eat here! Avoid anything refined (ex. white flour, white bread, table sugar, crackers) as they have little nutritional value and raise your insulin (we don’t want it raised!).
Ok, so how many carbs? I have a table I’ll post soon but in general, don’t go above 35 g of carbs per meal, and 15 carbs per snack. (It’s different depending on how active/sedentary you are and your weight). If you’ve never counted carbs you’ll be shocked at how many you’re used to consuming! This is where the balance comes in, and is really the only numbers I want you to focus on. Oh, BTW, NEVER eat a carb alone! (that doesn’t mean eat it with friends…), as it will spike your insulin. Eat your dessert with dinner instead of waiting until later.
I will give plenty of tips about carbs from my own experience and education so stay tuned. But for now here are some healthy choices: starchy veggies such as artichokes, cooked carrots, corn (select organic as non organic is genetically modified), as well as beans, ½ medium potato, ½ sweet potato, brown rice (it’s better cooked in broth!), oatmeal (I have a great recipe I’ll post), yogurt (whole fat), hooray for popcorn! (don’t you dare microwave it! I’ll include my recipe soon) Small amounts of fruit starting with berries, then apples and citrus, and the most sugar in bananas, grapes and dried fruit. Whole wheat is good but whole grain is better.
NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES: Vegetables for breakfast?! Bring it on! You should have at least 5 servings a day of fresh non-starchy veggies (they’re most of the colorful ones). You cannot overeat here (so it can be bigger than 1/3 your plate) so start trying something new and experimenting with different recipes for salad. Examples are: raw carrots, broccoli, salad greens, celery, cucumber, peppers, raw tomatoes, asparagus, etc. BTW, raw is best.
FAT: Eat Fat Lose Fat! Fat is your friend, so pick your friends wisely! Some are not good for you, others are fantastic and help you out. I will go in depth in this area later as well since there is so much to say! But for now, just know that fat slows down the induction of sugar into the blood stream, therefore eliminating a spike in insulin levels (which we’re trying to maintain, remember?) Also, your fat soluble vitamins (A an D) do not get absorbed if you are not consuming fat. And low fat and non fat products are usually filled with chemicals or fillers that are not good for your body. God purposely did not create skim milk cows!
So what are good fat choices? Natural sources are best such as meat, fish, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, eggs, organic salted butter, followed by oils such as unrefined coconut oil, cold, pure or expeller pressed vegetable oils like EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), peanut oil, flaxseed, and more I’ll post soon. But fats can be damaged easily and some shouldn’t be heated so I’ll get you a table soon about it all.
This balanced plate should be the building block of your food choices and eating habits for the rest of your life! Each meal and snack should contain healthy choices of protein, carbs, non-starchy veggies and good fat. This balance will help your body maintain insulin levels, absorb nutrients effectively, curb hunger cravings, give you energy and more. Our diet needs variety so that our food can work with each other to offer our bodies the most nutrition from what we eat.
From here on out I will focus on specific areas pertaining to details about this balanced plate, as well as other healpthful information. Don’t be overwhelmed! Next up: Cleaning out the pantry, and also Good Fat
Friday, February 12, 2010
Getting Started
This is my first blog so please be patient with me as I get started! I am SO excited to do this as I have recently become more passionate about nutrition and want to spread the word! I will be meeting with my mom to pick her brain for anything and everything so that I can post her research periodically (as she is not very computer savvy, nor has the time! Wait, neither do I!)
It is my goal to update weekly, and besides all the great nutritional information there will be so much more! Including great tasting recipes, shopping hints, website links, and hopefully a lot of comments and questions by my readers!
To get you started here is one of my favorite recipes!
It is my goal to update weekly, and besides all the great nutritional information there will be so much more! Including great tasting recipes, shopping hints, website links, and hopefully a lot of comments and questions by my readers!
To get you started here is one of my favorite recipes!
Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup – serves 6 medium portions
Not your typical broccoli soup! The best recipe I have come across!
4 T butter
1-2 well-washed leek (looks like a giant green onion), white part only, sliced
1 minced garlic clove
1 diced carrot
1 minced shallot (little funny shaped onion)
3 diced medium red potatoes, peeled if desired
4 C chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 whole bay leaf
½ t dried celery seed
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 t dried
¼ C slivered fresh basil or 2 t dried (You’ve GOT to use fresh!)
2 bunches well-washed broccoli, heads and stalks chopped
1 C all dairy heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 C + shredded Monterey Jack cheese
In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. When hot, add leeks, shallots, and carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic and potatoes and cook 3 minutes.
Add stock, bay leaf, S & P, celery seed, thyme and basil. (If using fresh basil, layer leaves together, roll up tight, and cut into slivers with kitchen sheers). Bring to a boil and cook about 15 minutes on medium heat until potatoes are tender, without a lid. **Add chopped broccoli and cook another 10 minutes.
In a blender puree soup in batches and pour back into pot. Stir in the cream. Cook over low heat until heated through without boiling. Stir in cheese just before serving.
**My favorite variation:
I prefer to do the broccoli in a different way as follows: Chop the broccoli stalks into small pieces and cook with the potatoes. Chop the broccoli heads into 1 inch or smaller pieces and reserve. Cook and puree the soup as normal and when ready to serve, steam the broccoli heads until tender (about 5 minutes). Scoop a spoonful of broccoli into each bowl and serve! This is our favorite way of doing it – it has a great unique flavor this way and smoother texture. It’s great for dipping bread in too, though watch those carbs!
4 T butter
1-2 well-washed leek (looks like a giant green onion), white part only, sliced
1 minced garlic clove
1 diced carrot
1 minced shallot (little funny shaped onion)
3 diced medium red potatoes, peeled if desired
4 C chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 whole bay leaf
½ t dried celery seed
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 t dried
¼ C slivered fresh basil or 2 t dried (You’ve GOT to use fresh!)
2 bunches well-washed broccoli, heads and stalks chopped
1 C all dairy heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 C + shredded Monterey Jack cheese
In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. When hot, add leeks, shallots, and carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic and potatoes and cook 3 minutes.
Add stock, bay leaf, S & P, celery seed, thyme and basil. (If using fresh basil, layer leaves together, roll up tight, and cut into slivers with kitchen sheers). Bring to a boil and cook about 15 minutes on medium heat until potatoes are tender, without a lid. **Add chopped broccoli and cook another 10 minutes.
In a blender puree soup in batches and pour back into pot. Stir in the cream. Cook over low heat until heated through without boiling. Stir in cheese just before serving.
**My favorite variation:
I prefer to do the broccoli in a different way as follows: Chop the broccoli stalks into small pieces and cook with the potatoes. Chop the broccoli heads into 1 inch or smaller pieces and reserve. Cook and puree the soup as normal and when ready to serve, steam the broccoli heads until tender (about 5 minutes). Scoop a spoonful of broccoli into each bowl and serve! This is our favorite way of doing it – it has a great unique flavor this way and smoother texture. It’s great for dipping bread in too, though watch those carbs!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)