MERRY CHRISTMAS

Some of the most popular ingredients for your Christmas Feast have very beneficial qualities. Here is a list so you can easily see what you are eating.  Combining foods are a solution for a lot of people who have digestive issues and who need to lose weight. If you have trouble enjoying your feast because of excessive bloating and pain afterward, try eating just the meat with green vegetables like the green beans and the salad or enjoy all the side dishes but leave the meat for a snack later. Don't eat dessert with the meal. Wait three hours to let your big meal digest properly and then indulge but try to eat less than you normally would or share dessert with a friend.

Ham:
Ham contains a high level of some of the essential B vitamins, such as B1, B12, and niacin. It is also rich in other nutrients, such as phosphorous, zinc, potassium, iron and magnesium, which are important to our daily diet. Our bodies require a certain amount of protein daily and the body does not store protein so we need to replenish it each day. A 3-ounce portion of ham provides approximately 30% to 50% of our daily requirement for protein, depending on the type of ham.

Ham is high in sodium due to the curing process. It can contain half of the daily-recommended intake for sodium. When planning a menu that includes ham, you should add items that are low in sodium to try to keep your total sodium intake down.

Turkey:
Compared with other meats, turkey has fewer calories, less fat, less cholesterol, and very little sodium, but it is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Most of the fat in turkey is within the skin and most of the fat within the meat is in the dark meat. The white meat with the skin removed is a good food source for people on low-fat and/or low sodium diets. The meat fiber is easier to digest than other types of meat, which makes it a good choice for individuals that may have digestive problems. Turkey is an excellent source of several important vitamins and nutrients such as iron, niacin, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins.

Cranberries:

Contain excellent vitamin C, very good dietary fiber, manganese and vitamin K. Cranberries Combat Herpes Virus...
Laboratory studies published in the October 2004 issue of the Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture have shown that a phytonutrient isolated from cranberries is effective against the herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes. In a manner similar to the way the tannins in cranberries protect against bladder infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, cranberries' antiviral compound, proanthocyanidin A-1, inhibits the attachment and penetration of the herpes virus.

Pumpkin:
This fall favorite is very high in carotene content, just like its winter squash cousins, butternut and Hubbard. All are fiber rich too. Harvard researchers recently found that women who ate of fruits and vegetables high in carotene including beta carotene had a 39 percent lower risk of cataracts requiring surgery than women who had the lowest carotene intake. Winter squash was one of the strongest protectors.

Sweet Potatoes:
These pack almost twice as much fiber and significantly more beta carotene than white or red potatoes. In the Harvard Nurse's Health Study, women who took 15 to 20 milligrams of beta carotene a day (1/2 cup of mashed sweet potatoes has 13 milligrams) had a 39 percent lower risk for heart attack than women who consumed less than 6 milligrams of beta carotene a day.

Chocolate:
Yes, chocolate can be good for you, but it has to be the dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Milk will bind to the antioxidants in the chocolate and make them unavailable to your body. For this same reason, you also do not want to drink milk when eating dark chocolate.  Chocolate contains procyanidins & epicatechins. These are flavonoids that are part of a group of antioxidants called polyphenols.

Dark chocolate can, in moderation, be an important part of a daily balanced diet.  Dark chocolate has been known as a brain enhancement and even a substitute for sex.  That not all bad.

Nutrition Facts - White Potatoes - The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

There are pros and cons when it comes to white potatoes. Everyone is probably aware that sweet potatoes are great additions to any diet plan, even for weight loss programs. Most weight loss gurus warn against eating anything white, even the white potato. The pro side of the white potato is that it is very low in sodium, very low in cholesterol and very low in saturated fat. These are all great things. It is also a source of Manganese, Potassium and Vitamins B6 and C. This is also very great. The calorie count for one large potato is about 278 with only 3 from fat, zero trans fat and 26 percent fiber.
Is the white potato as good a source of vitamins and minerals as green vegetables or fruit?

The white potato is a tuber type of vegetable and will have either a yellow, white, brown or red exterior. With the skin intact the white potato can provide the recommended daily allowance or RDA of several minerals and vitamins. Everyone knows that the banana is a good source of Potassium that the body must have but the white potato has about 620 mg of Potassium which is much higher. Another must have mineral is iron which is also an ingredient in the white potato.

Besides the minerals that you would expect this vegetable to contain because it grows underground, it is also a good source of Vitamins B6 and C. There is almost no cholesterol, fat or sodium in potatoes. If that isn't great enough they also have about 2 grams of vegetable protein that is easy to digest. The skin carries a lot of the natural fiber plus all the other nutritional benefits and lots of flavor. There is almost as much protein present as there is in four ounces of milk.

Comparison based on 5 oz white potato with the skin:

• Provides 45% of daily recommendation for Vitamin C
• No fat
• Small quantities of riboflavin, magnesium, iron, zinc, thiamin, phosphorous and folate About the same Potassium as spinach, broccoli and bananas

Is it true that all of the nutrients are in the skin?

No, actually this is not so. The nutrients and fiber are contained in the whole potato but the skin is flavorful and does help to keep the nutrients contained during the cooking process.

This all sounds really good but why are white potatoes considered a no-no food in diet plans?

Along with all the valuable components of the white potato is starch. Vegetables like the potato are considered sugar vegetables like corn, peas, carrots, rutabagas, turnips and beets. The starch of the potato turns into sugar which is not something you want to consume if you are trying to lose weight. Potatoes and corn have the highest sugar potential. This is why diet plans consider these vegetables a no-no.

Potatoes have something called a resistant starch which means the body's enzymes are not able to break it down. The starch in potatoes is the same as found in baked goods and cereals because it will digest quickly. Beans, long grained brown rice or barley also have resistant starch but it will break down very slowly because it has an outer casing. Resistant starch cannot be digested in the small intestine so it acts much like fiber in the body.

Potatoes in the raw state are the highest in starch. The more the potato is cooked the more the starch breaks down. Newer potatoes have less starch than the older ones. Potatoes with less starch will break down quickly while cooking. New potatoes can be any variety and are harvested in the spring while the old potatoes are larger, have thicker skins, more starch and are harvested in the fall. The Idaho or Russet variety is high in starch as well as the long white but the small long white is lower in starch like the new potato. The round or red potatoes that are used for boiling have a thinner skin and less starch. Yukon Golds have medium starch level and lots of flavor and texture.

When cooking potatoes it is best to cook them with the skin intact, especially when boiling as it will prevent the water used in the cooking preparation from getting into the potato. To bake a potato the best way is cut in strips like home fries and tossed with some oil and seasoning salt. To fry potatoes the best method is to fry them twice. Fry them first at a low temperature and then again at a high temperature for a crunch outside and a soft inside. To make them better on a weight loss program, use organic, unrefined, virgin coconut oil. This is great at high temperatures, is loaded with health benefits and will break down and digest very quickly making it a weight loss aide. It also adds amazing flavor. Salt with seasoning salt to taste and you have an amazing treat.

Nutrition - Understanding Why Broccoli Needs to Be an Important Part of Your Diet

What are the nutritional benefits of broccoli?

Broccoli actually has two times as much vitamin C as you will find in an orange and nearly the same amount of calcium as whole milk. In fact, the calcium found in broccoli will be absorbed into the body much easier than the calcium found in milk. It also contains minerals that are known for fighting off diseases like cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and heart disease. It has antioxidant capabilities and several vitamins besides vitamin C. Some researchers have discovered that broccoli can be as efficient in lowering cholesterol as the most popular drugs.

What is the best way to eat broccoli?

The calories contained in broccoli are good calories carrying many health benefits. The dark green color of the broccoli plant indicates that it has a high percentage of beta carotene. The flower part of the plant is what most people eat although the leaves are also edible but a bit bitter to the taste. They are loaded with vitamin A.

Although cooked broccoli in a one cup portion will offer 71.8 mg of calcium which is equal to a half a glass of milk, eating broccoli raw the calcium is 42.2 mg. One half of a cup of broccoli that has been cooked has 1083 IU of Vitamin A while in its raw state there are 678 IU. The Vitamin C content is also higher in the cooked version than in the raw. However, if you are counting calories, one half cup of cooked broccoli will have about 22 calories but in the raw state there are only 12 calories. As far as protein content, the cooked version has 2 grams of protein while the raw version has only 1 gram.

The advantage of eating raw broccoli is the fiber content. There is a great deal more bulk found in the raw vegetable. When broccoli is cooked the bulk or volume is broken down. Broccoli that has been frozen has about 35 percent more beta carotene than is measured in fresh broccoli. This is because the florets are usually the only parts that are in frozen packages and the florets are where the majority of the carotene is stored by the plant. The stems of the plant are also edible for the most part and the stems have a lot of extra iron, thiamin, calcium, niacin, vitamin C and riboflavin.
What is the best way to buy broccoli?

As you can see, buying frozen broccoli is a good choice but if you are buying fresh then the darker the green of the plant the more beta carotene it will contain. The stems of the plant should be firm and not woody. When you buy the fresh plant you can cook a lot of the stems and leaves to add more nutritional content to your meals.

Broccoli can be sauteed, boiled, broiled, stir-fried and most importantly steamed. Steaming this vegetable will give you the most color, flavor and nutritional content of any cooking method. Cutting the broccoli into small spears for eating raw is also a good choice. This is a vegetable that adds a lot to almost any dish you can imagine and is easily pared with other vegetables in stir-fry dishes or served alongside meats or fish. It is a wonderful addition to any pasta dish.

The colors of fruits and the colors of vegetables give you nutritional information at a glance just by their appearance. The color pigment determines the amount of plant substance that is naturally contained in the plant that will be an agent in the prevention or protection from disease. From the following list you will see that different colors have different nutritional benefits. When preparing meals, color is always a consideration for making your recipes eye appealing. Color is also a consideration for included foods in your recipes that will potentially provide preventative qualities against disease.

ORANGE:
Vegetables like carrots that are orange in color contain a lot of beta carotene. Fruits that are orange in color like mangoes and cantaloupes also have quantities of beta carotene. Beta Carotene is actually a red or orange pigment that the plants contain that is important to nutrition. Besides mangoes and carrots, beta carotene is found in papayas, yams and even green leafy vegetables. Like spinach, kale and sweet potatoes leaves. Beta carotene is known to be a preventative agent fighting against several major diseases and also fights against aging. Eating carrots will not only help your eyesight but will slow down the aging process.

RED:
Fruits that are red like pink grapefruit, watermelon and tomatoes contain lycopene which is a very important ingredient as it is a potent antioxidant. The antioxidant is used in dietary supplements for the purpose of preventing heart disease and cancer. Ingesting foods that are high in natural antioxidants is an amazing preventative measure against disease.

YELLOW:
The yellow in vegetables and fruits like oranges, peaches and pineapples have quantities of beta cryptothanxin. Foods that contain beta cryptothanxiun are a possible preventative measure against heart disease. The list of these foods include apricots, golden beets, yellow grapefruit, yellow passion fruit, persimmons, summer squash, kumquats and nectarines.

GREEN:
Green vegetable like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli all contain indoles. Indoles are good for detoxifying tissues and also encourage hormone balance as they nourish the cells. This is believed to be a valuable preventative measure against breast cancer.

PURPLE:
Everyone knows about the benefits of blueberries now. Included in this group are purple vegetables and fruits like eggplant and grapes. These contain amounts of anthocyanins which is the pigment that produces the dark violet or purple color of the plants. Anthocyanins are high in ORAC or oxygen radical absorption capability which fights free radicals of the body. These properties are known to be a protective agent against several different diseases like heart disease, cancer and even eye diseases.

Why not put together a savory dish of mixed vegetables that are not only colorful and tasty but will provide significant quantities of nutritional benefits that assist you body's immune system. For dessert, why not mixed fruits making sure to include the colors of fruits that provide large amounts of disease preventing agents? Your body will thank you.

Chocolate - Should This Hidden Superfood Be a Part of Your Daily Diet?

Yes, chocolate is a high calorie food when it is in the form of a candy bar, especially when it is mixed with milk. Chocolate mixed with milk products is bad for your health because it will actually bind the amazing good qualities of the cocoa bean in the chocolate. The Internet is flooded with information about the new 'Superfood' called the Acai berry which contains plenty of flavonoids which are group that are referred to as antioxidants. Other foods that are no classified as Superfoods are flax-seeds, colostrums, blue-green Algae, Chlorella supplements, ginger, Royal jelly, Gobi berries, and Salmon roe.

Why should dark chocolate be added to this list? Cocoa and dark chocolate naturally contain ingredients that are essential for maintaining good health like magnesium, potassium and copper. The average bar of chocolate can provide twelve percent of the daily magnesium requirement which is the mineral that helps prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type '2' diabetes. Cocoa and dark chocolate actually have a higher antioxidant amount than cranberries or blueberries. The antioxidants are in a concentrated form in the dark chocolate and cocoa making them a real life Superfood. The cocoa bean possesses a high concentration of stearic acid which actually changes the bad fats in the blood into good fats so that the body can metabolize them.

Because chocolate made from the cocoa bean is a plant-based food it does not have bad cholesterol. It is loaded with antioxidants that help the body by promoting a better flow of blood which eases the strain on the heart when pumping blood. It also helps to reduce plaque from being built-up in the arteries.

ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity) is the measurement for antibiotic ingredients in foods. The latest statistics show that raisins, almonds, and red grapes have around 1500 ORAC levels while cranberries and strawberries have around 5000 ORAC levels. Blueberries have 8708 ORAC and natural cocoa has 8260 ORAC. Dark chocolate has 9080 ORAC while black plums have 10,350

ORAC levels. As you can see, dark chocolate is right up there with the best of them.
Adding three squares of a large dark chocolate bar to your daily intake will add a few extra calories but it will also add antioxidants and vital minerals that your body desperately needs. One serving or three squares of a large 6.8 oz. dark chocolate bar is 36 g. and 170 calories. There is no bad cholesterol plus 8 percent daily fiber and 10 percent iron. As in all things in life, the key here is moderation. Chocolate may not be officially considered a Superfood but looking at the statistics it is a mystery why it is considered a 'no no' to most people.

Healthy Foods - Legumes Are Amazing Health Foods

What is a legume? Any food that develops a seed pod that will split on both of its sides when it is ripe is in the legume food group. Grasses, alfalfa and clover are legume foods that are fed to animals because of their high nutritional value. Legumes have two times more protein than grains; contain vitamin B and high iron content. These are easy foods for your digestive system and contain no cholesterol. We know them in our diet as lentils, peanuts, soybeans, beans and peas.

Prebiotics, which is a dietary supplement in the form of non-digestible carbohydrate that favors the growth of desirable microflora (plants that can be seen only under a microscope) in the large bowel, is found in legumes, as well as in bananas, asparagus, garlic, leeks, sunchokes, onions and the list goes on. Lentils which are legume have a naturally large quantity of dietary fiber and prebiotics. Instead of eating a lot of red meat in your diet which is very hard for your body to digest you can get high quantities of iron and protein by eating lentils especially when you cook them along with foods that are rich in vitamin C like tomatoes.

Yogurt without added sugar is also an excellent prebiotic. Like the legume, yogurt that has either active or live ingredients listed, especially if there is added fiber, is a culture that works wonders for your intestinal bacteria. This is good bacteria that promote health and immunity. Yogurt without added sugar promotes the growth of these good bacteria that aid digestion. Besides aiding the intestinal track these foods can also assist the body in absorbing important minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium.

The following is a detailed list of legumes:

• Adzuki beans (Asian cooking)
• Anasazi beans (Southwestern cooking)
• Black-eyed peas
• Butter beans
• Chick peas or garbanzo beans
• Green beans (snap or string)
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Mung beans (sprouted beans that can be made into noodles)
• Navy beans
• Peas (dried or split)
• Pinto beans
• Soy beans
• Licorice (Used to flavor or sweeten products, such as candies, beverages, and medicine)
•  Peanuts

Peanuts are legumes and actually are not technically nuts. They do come from a split pod and seed which is part of the leguminosae family of foods. The plant does bear flowers so there is a confusion of which family it should be classified as, the nut or the legume. The very name indicates there is a confusion, pea-nut. Bottom line, is the peanut has the nutritional values of the legume family of foods but is used in cooking like nuts, besides the flavor is nutty.

Food Combining Review--Cure Constipation and Lose Weight

Food Combining techniques have changed my life!

Using the simple techniques for combining foods has corrected my life-long struggle with chronic and very severe constipation.  Using the program for food combining is not difficult and in time will become second nature.  

Good old turkey for dinner or any meat is fine but when  you combine it with your starchy potatoes or bread you have a problem.  The two in combination, although all-American traditional foods combo, is difficult to digest and bad digestion causes many problems with your health in general.  So....

 

Just eat the meat or omit the starch like the potato and or bread and save that for a later snack.  You might want to eat all the side dishes at dinner time and save the meat for a later snack.  You can eat either with things like tomato or salad or green veggies.  Just do not combine starchy foods with proteins, your meats.  Also, save the fruit for a snack and wait a couple hours so the heavy foods can digest.  Fruit is hard for your body to digest so eat it all by itself to aid your digestive process.

I have been using these techniques for four months now and my life-long problems with debilitating constipation have been completely corrected.  Not only that but with a couple simple additions to the program I have been losing about two and a half pounds a week without exercise. 

The benefits I have found from personal experience by using the food combining principles:

• *Improved digestion(including acid reflux issues)
• *Life-long chronic constipation symptoms cured! (now completely normal every day for four months)
• *Weight loss--slow, safe and natural (because digestion is normal, food is assimilated naturally and hunger has diminished)
• *Improved general health (better digestion means nutrients of foods are absorbed into the body’s system)
• *Portion control (because nutrients are absorbed, hunger subsides and eating less is natural plus you eat more often but in smaller amounts that become natural)
• *Stabilized metabolism (because you eat more “little” meals your metabolism remains level which is essential for good health and weight loss)

Three food ingredients I added to my daily diet:

Be sure to make your water alkaline to keep your pH in balance for your body.  Simply add a little lemon juice to your drinking water.  If you pH is out of balance you will have difficulty losing weight.  Water is extremely important and you MUST drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses each day.  This is a MUST!!!  To lose weight faster, drink only alkaline water (not tap water).

1)  Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil - This oil breaks down in your system almost immediately unlike other oils and also contains many healthy nutrients your body needs.  Use two to three tablespoons per day in your oatmeal for breakfast or as a very tasty salad dressing are two good was to include the oil.

2)  Nuts - Nuts are extremely good for providing tons of fiber, nutrients, and keeping your appetite under control.  Eat gourmet nuts with no or low salt five times a week an ounce at a time.  Nuts will also lower your blood pressure. 

3)  Organic Apple Cider Vinegar - Take a tablespoon a day especially if you have insulin issues.  Vinegar will help with acid reflux and stabilize sugar in your blood stream. 

*If you have any infections in your body your weight loss will be at a stand-still.  Some medications will interfere with weight loss.  Ask your physician.

Digestive Health - Discover the Causes of Gas in Your System and the Foods to Avoid

Ever wonder why you have gas after eating your meals? Burping is actually a normal experience and is caused from undigested foods. The body releases certain amounts of gas several times a day which is a normal response. However, if there is excessive gas or if it becomes uncomfortable or painful then it is time to find the cause and make some changes.

What causes my episodes of burping?
There are several foods that can potentially be the cause of gas. Other factors like chewing gum, eating too quickly, adding extra fiber foods to your diet, and smoking can all cause bloating and burping. There are drugstore remedies to help with excessive gas issues but eliminating the main food culprits may also work just as well. Eating extra fiber in your diet is a healthy choice but when high fiber foods are added to your daily intake they will probably cause gas for a while until your body adjusts to digesting these foods. Other activities that you do like smoking and chewing gum can cause you to swallow air which means burping episodes.

Why does my body create gas?
A normal side effect of undigested foods is gas which is released from the body either as burping or belching. Soluble fiber and certain sugars like lactose, fructose, sorbitol and raffinose are all materials that cannot be processed by the stomach so they gravitate to the intestines where a bacterium there attempts to process them. This is why the release of gas occurs.

What foods create gas?
There is actually a long list of foods in all categories; fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and beverages that have the potential to create excessive gas in the system. Everyone has a little different digestive capability and the foods that will be a problem for you will probably not be a problem for someone else. In general terms any beverages that have fructose to sweeten them are potential problems like fruit juices and colas. Dairy products are notorious problem makers especially milk products or processed foods containing milk products. Artificial sweeteners are big culprits for creating gas. The digestive system always struggles to process 'non-food' substances especially chemicals like artificial flavorings and sweeteners. Processed foods are just trouble makers in general. Legumes like beans are responsible for many individuals having excessive gas as well as foods like pasta and potatoes that contain a lot of starch. Some individuals are allergic to oat bran and wheat with the result being excessive gas.

Do I need to stop eating foods that make me really gassy?
Eliminating foods from your diet that make you really gassy might be a good idea if it is causing you too much discomfort or pain. However, as you can see by checking out the complete list of foods that could be problematic, most of them are actually really healthy food choices full of essential nutrients. Before you decide to eliminate these valuable food sources try giving your body a little time to see if it can adjust to the foods and successfully process them without discomfort to you. You might consider trying an herbal product that aids digestion. If the things that are causing you the most problems are empty calorie type of foods or foods with preservatives and chemicals then eliminate them quickly.

Understanding Antioxidants

An antioxidant is composite of electrons that work in the body to stop the damage that free-radicals do to the cells.

A free-radical is a composite of electrons that do not have a mate. These free-radicals are determined to find an electron to join and will steal from cells that are healthy to find an electron to join. Because they are without a mate so to speak, they are an unstable or unpredictable element in the body. If they manage to steal electrons from healthy cells, which make up organs and tissues, the healthy cells become compromised and subject to disease. When an electron is taken from the healthy cell it then becomes unstable and will then try to steal electrons from other healthy cells causing a grouping of unstable cells to form and the damage spreads. This is where disease and aging has its entrance and the result is problematic.

The Job of Antioxidants

The antioxidants enter the body and take on the task of halting the damage caused by the free-radicals. They are the warriors that fight against the damage that unpredictable electrons can cause to healthy cells. They can give electrons to the unstable free-radicals without causing problems to themselves or any other cells. The free-radicals become stabilized and damage to healthy cells is abated. We need these warriors.

Where are Antioxidants Found?

There are a number of foods that are loaded with antioxidants like apricots, broccoli, mango, spinach, germ, beans and lentils, and healing teas. Antioxidants can also be found in alpha-lipoic acid, flavonoids, selenium, carotenoids, and Vitamins E and C.

How to Get More Antioxidants into your Diet

Of course, eating more vegetables and more fruit is a good way. Most fruits and vegetables do contain antioxidant agents. Some like those listed here have larger quantities and should be first choices for your daily menu. You can also take supplements with antioxidants which are usually part of the multivitamins you take each day. The label on your vitamins should list antioxidants as part of the ingredients.

Flavonoids can be found in soy and green tea. Selenium is an enzyme that helps Vitamin E in the fight against free-radical cell damage. Alpha-lipoic acid is an agent that helps make antioxidants more powerful. Vitamin E is a potent agent working against the damage of free radicals and is considered a fat-soluble antioxidant.

Healthy Eating Tips

Every meal should include a serving of a fruit, vegetable or grain. Most of the calories in each meal should come from these foods. Including germ whenever possible will help to increase the amount of antioxidants in your diet. Germ is packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, fiber and good fats and selenium.

Instead of adding a starchy side dish add a vegetable or a fruit. If you have digestive problems you will want to eat fruit by itself and give your body at least three hours to digest the fruit in any form. Drinking fruit juice from a can that is not freshly squeezed will mean added calories and not much else. Read your labels. Steam your vegetables when possible and try not to overcook your foods. The deeper the color of the vegetable or fruit the higher the amount of antioxidants it will contain.

When you snack, think vegetables or fruits. If you fill up on healthy foods you will be less likely to have any desire for foods that are just empty calories like sweets and chips. Pomegranate juice has amazing benefits and is a very refreshing change of pace from the sodas.