Nutritious and Healthy food

By Health Tips & Technics

Healthy and nutritious food is very important for maintaining a good health. Healthy food involves, regular and timely food, juices, nuts, snacks and much more. A balanced diet, good food habits are essential for a healthy life.

In the normal course of life, we forget to take necessary nutrition that is required for our body and hence we tend to get into many life style diseases. It is very essential for a person to know and understand the benefits of nature's creation like fruits, vegetables, nuts,etc.

You can find useful articles on nutrition and health benefits of various fruits and vegetables. Read on and add these to your daily life. The value of food is more when it is taken in a systematic manner and also by understanding the benefits of every bite we take.

Apples are rich in vitamins and helps to reduce risks of colon cancer, prostrate cancer and lung cancer. Apple also
Radishes and their greens provide an excellent source of vitamin C and a powerful antioxidant. It has anti-inflammatory properties too. Radish leaves are a good source of calcium. Radishes contain cancer-protective properties.Â
Chives are known for their beneficial effect on the digestive system and blood pressure. Chives are said to reduce the risk of several types of cancers.

Coconut : Coconut is known for its antifungal, anti bacterial properties. Coconut oil forms the base of many Ayurvedic medicinal preparations.

Cherries : Cherries are good source of many vitamins, minerals and are tasty to eat.

Plums : Plums are sweet, juicy fruit. It is a good source of vitamin c.

Spinach : Spinach is rich in iron and calcium. It helps overcome iron deficiency.

Beetroot : Beetroots contains good amount of folate, potassium and manganese. They are less in calories and are effective in curing skin problems.

Cauliflower : Cauliflower is highly nutritious and is effective in curing many ailments. It is rich in folate an dis good for pregnant woman.

Mango : Mangoes are a very popular and widely available fruit. It is rich in potassium and is a known antioxidant.

Tomatoes : Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant.

Musk Melon - Tropical Delight : Musk melon is a tropical fruit which is been cultivated for a very long time. It is a rich source of vitamin 'C' and is effective in reducing body heat.
C
abbage - Healing Properties : Cabbage is a well known common vegetable. Its is low in calories and is long known for its healing properties.

Bitter Gourd - Health Benefits : Bitter Gourd is a tropical vegetable. It is a well known cure for diabetes.

Avocado - for fitness and health : Avocado is rich in pottasium content. The fruit is also a good source of vitamins.

Papaya - A rich source of Minerals and Fibre : Papaya has high nutritional benefits. It is rich in Anti-oxidants, Minerals and Fibre. It also helps in Skin Treatments.

Oats - Fibre food that cures constipation : Oats have some unique fatty acids and antioxidants which together with Vitamin E slow cell damage.

Nutritional benefits of Watermelon : Watermelon is highly refreshing during summer. It does not contain cholesterol and helps in eye sight also.

Nutritional benefits of Banana : Banana helps in the treatment of Depression, Anemia, Blood Pressure, Brain power, Constipation, etc.

Almond: A highly Nutritious fruit : Consumption of Almond lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of lifestyle diseases and gives overall wellness

Egg: A nutritious food : Egg is a healthy and nutritious food. Lecithin in eggs prevents the absorption of cholesterol of egg and other sources too

Calcium: The bone builder: Calcium Builds Strong Bones. Get calcium from greens, beans, or fortified foods. Vitamin D controls your body's use of calcium.
Healthy food for Stress Free Life: Nutritious and balanced diet is a must to free ourself from the physical and mental diseases and relieve stress

Mushrooms - A highly nutritious food: Mushrooms are rich in minerals, vitamin D (ergosterol), thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), dietary fibre as well as all the essential amino acids and are low in fat and calories.

Gooseberry (Amla) : Rich in Vitamin C: Amla or Gooseberry has many nutritious benefits. The amla has been found to be the most abundant source of Vitamin C in the plant kingdom

http://www.healthtips.in/nutritious-food.asp

The 7 foods experts won't eat

By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION

How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a "banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:

20 ways to feed your family for $100 a week.

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

14 worst health mistakes even smart women make.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

25 ridiculously healthy foods you should be eating now.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

Your nutritional guide to grocery shopping.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

14 ways to make veggies less boring.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

Delicious and easy fish recipes


6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

Don’t be fooled by these 11 health food imposters.


7. Conventional Apples

The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-7-foods-experts-wont-eat-547963/

A Guide to Beauty Nutrients

By CutestPrincess October 26 2009 Quazen.com

Dieters need to pay particular attention to their shopping list: everything that you plunk into your grocery cart shop more chock-full of vitamins and minerals to avoid shortchanging yourself nutritionally.

Your local supermarket stocks as many “beauty products” as a department store cosmetics counter. These includes beautifying agents like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, lean meat, chicken, fish and other foods listed in the following guide. Certain key nutrients supplied by those foods are indispensable to healthy-looking skin, hair and nails and strong teeth and bones.
In addition to the vitamins and minerals featured here, remember that fiber-the indigestible framework of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains-is considered important to the prevention of varicose veins.
Dieters need to pay particular attention to their shopping list: everything that you plunk into your grocery cart, shop more chock-full of vitamins and minerals to avoid shortchanging yourself nutritionally.

Vitamin A
Beef liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe and other green, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables

Can help to keep skin soft and supple; prevent dry, flaky skin; build strong bones by fostering reproduction of bone cells.

Iron
Beef liver, lean beef, blackstrap molasses, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, dark mea meat, poultry (best eaten with a rich source of vitamin C to boost iron absorption.)

These foods can help to prevent anemia which leads to brittle nails, hair, lips and skin.

A Guide to Beauty Nutrients
Published on October 26, 2009 by CutestPrincess in Shopping
Dieters need to pay particular attention to their shopping list: everything that you plunk into your grocery cart shop more chock-full of vitamins and minerals to avoid shortchanging yourself nutritionally.

Your local supermarket stocks as many “beauty products” as a department store cosmetics counter. These includes beautifying agents like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, lean meat, chicken, fish and other foods listed in the following guide. Certain key nutrients supplied by those foods are indispensable to healthy-looking skin, hair and nails and strong teeth and bones.
In addition to the vitamins and minerals featured here, remember that fiber-the indigestible framework of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains-is considered important to the prevention of varicose veins.
Dieters need to pay particular attention to their shopping list: everything that you plunk into your grocery cart, shop more chock-full of vitamins and minerals to avoid shortchanging yourself nutritionally.



Read more in Shopping
« Money Boxes Can Very UsefulNikon Digital Camera Coolpix 5700 with New Technology »Vitamin A
Beef liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe and other green, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables

Can help to keep skin soft and supple; prevent dry, flaky skin; build strong bones by fostering reproduction of bone cells.

Iron
Beef liver, lean beef, blackstrap molasses, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, dark mea meat, poultry (best eaten with a rich source of vitamin C to boost iron absorption.)

These foods can help to prevent anemia which leads to brittle nails, hair, lips and skin.

Vitamin E

Wheat germ and wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds and oil, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts and other nuts.

Can help to heal dry, rough, red skin; protect skin against damaging effects of sunburn; prevent dry hair; slow down cellular aging at all levels. (Shortage of vitamin E may cause yellow nails.)

Vitamin D
Sunshine, vitamin-D fortified milk, fish-liver oil, herring, mackerel, salmon, and tuna.

Vitamin D can help to get strong bones.

B vitamins
Whole grains, poultry, legumes, leafy vegetables, brewer’s yeast

B vitamins can help to provide sufficient folate, which teams up with other nutrients to protect against receding or bleeding gums. (Too little vitamin B12 can cause darkened nails)

Calcium
Skim milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon (with bones), tofu, broccoli, calcium carbonate supplements

Can help to build strong bones; prevent rounded shoulders and ensure straight posture, preserving youthful stride; protect against tooth decay and gum recession.

Protein
Lean meat, chicken, fish, skim milk and cheese, tofu, combination of beans, seeds, nuts and grains

Protein can help to maintain firm, smooth, glowing skin, strong hair and nails.

Vitamin C
Citrus juice, cantaloupe, peppers, strawberries, potatoes and other fresh fruits and vegetables

Vitamin C can keep joints lubricated; guard against infection; build strong bones by facilitating absorption of calcium and iron; keep gums firm and pink; heal cold sores (especially when taken with bioflavonoid, also found in citrus fruits and fresh vegetables).

Zinc
Lean beef, liver (chicken, beef, and calves’), turkey, pumpkin seeds, and various legumes

These can help to maintain healthy hair and scalp; keep complexion clear; strengthen fingernails; fight body odor; aid calcium in the prevention of weak brittle bones and poor posture from osteoporosis.

5 Ways to make food shopping healthier

By Brett Blumenthal - Sheer Balance

Healthy eating starts with healthy grocery shopping. When we arrive at the grocery store, however, and our kids (or we) are yammering for the newest sugared cereals, cookies or ice cream, it’s easy to get distracted and pulled off-course from even the best of intentions to keep your cart full of the good-stuff and devoid of the bad. The solution? It’s easy. Follow these rules and you’ll be ready to fight off the unhealthy expenditures.

Make a List. There are times when I run to the store without a list, and when I get there, I “add” things I might not necessarily need…like ice cream. Make your list and categorize your foods by the aisles they are in. When you get to the store, make sure you stick with the list.
Eat a Pre-Shopping Snack. Studies have shown that people who grocery shop on an empty stomach are more likely to buy more food and foods that are less healthy than if they go shopping on a full or half-full stomach.

Leave the Kids at Home. If possible, leave your kids at home with your spouse or their grandparents while you do the grocery shopping. Kids, unfortunately, don’t always appreciate your attempts to keep the household healthy. I’ve seen many parents succumb to their child’s demands to spare an embarrassing scene in the grocery store, only to find their cart filled with unhealthy foods.
Stick to the Perimeter. Avoid aisles that contain “junk” or unhealthy foods.

Many of these foods tend to be located in the center or inner aisles of the grocery store. Most healthier or “whole” foods are located in the perimeter aisles.
Keep it Fresh. Each store gets deliveries at different times. Buy meats, eggs, produce and fish, as fresh as possible. Unfortunately, delivery times may vary, depending on the food. So if you have to choose one delivery to go by, prioritize purchasing fresh produce, as produce is most likely to lose nutrients over time. Also, look at expiration dates...often, the freshest foods are located on the bottom or in the back of the shelf.

How to Keep a Food Journal

By Gabrielle Reece

I was talking to a nutritionist friend of mine to get some good ideas on how to food journal correctly. She showed me an example of the journal she gives her clients and offered some pointers on analyzing it.

Categories that should be included in your journal:

■Food you ate (this includes all drinks)
■Time of day you ate
■Your mood (stress level and hunger level)
Write down if you were hungry, or just grabbing food out of stress or boredom. What kinds of snacks were you consuming? Are these the best ones for you? How much time did you wait between meals? Were you skipping meals? On the nights you drank alcohol, was your eating pattern different? Also make notes about how you are sleeping.

I would keep the journal for at least a month - this will give you time to really see what your eating patterns are all about. A few important suggestions:

■Don't skip breakfast. It's proven that people who eat a good breakfast tend to eat less throughout the day.
■Watch out for the easy to grab, sugary snacks as well drinks high in calories.
■Don't wait too long in between meals and snacks.
■Avoid booze before dinner because it can lead to over eating. If you are going to have a drink then have it with your food.
So many people who have been successful at losing weight and keeping the weight off swear that food journaling helped them monitor their nutritional intake. We eat all kinds of food for various reasons that we may not even be aware of. By keeping track of our patterns, we can adjust or eliminate any habits that are holding us back from reaching our goals.

If you want to go it alone after a month, then try it. If you hit a rough patch then just go back to keeping a journal again. The journal is almost a safe guard against feeling like you are out of control. By writing it all down, you will be able to see exactly what is going on with you and your life, and what's going into your mouth.

Now I would like you to add notes about your exercise habits to your journal. Try your best to be active at least twice a week for the first two weeks. Then, increase the frequency to three days a week. Notice how your eating patterns, stress levels, and food choices are affected by exercise.

You might journal with a friend and swap them at the end of every week. Each of you may learn from the other and also see patterns that you both didn't recognize. Good luck.

Building a Diet That Lowers Inflammation

By Deborah Kotz

Certain foods reduce inflammation, while others raise it. What to eat, what to avoid
Inflammation, normally part of a healthy immune response, is increasingly thought to play a leading role in encouraging a number of major killers, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's.

Dangerous chronic inflammation occurs when the immune system stays turned on and starts attacking healthy cells and tissues-triggering, say, cancer-causing genetic mutations or the bursting of artery plaque. What you eat, though, helps determine how much inflammation you produce. Certain foods promote it, while others are inflammation-fighting superstars, says nutritionist and family physician Ann Kulze, author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet. Some recommendations:

GO FOR ...

Omega-3 fats. These are among the most potent anti-inflammatory foods. Best sources: fatty fish like salmon and tuna; walnuts and other nuts; flaxseed; and canola oil.

Colorful produce. Red onions, tomatoes, broccoli, red grapes, berries, and oranges all are packed with chemicals called flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Herbs and spices. Ginger and turmeric, either dried or fresh, are among the most healthful spices. For herbs, sprinkle on some fresh rosemary.

Chocolate and wine. Red wine has anti-inflammatory chemicals like resveratrol. Dark chocolate-look for 70 percent or higher cacao-protects against inflammation, and research suggests that hot cocoa does too.

CUT BACK ON ...

Omega-6 fats. They trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals. Oils rich in omega-6 fats include corn, safflower, and vegetable oils; mayonnaise; and many salad dressings.

Trans fats. They're disappearing from packaged foods as more and more research shows they drive inflammation. And now they're on nutrition labels, so they're easier to avoid.

Rancid fats. Don't heat oil to the point that it's smoking, since that oxidizes fats and turns them into inflammation boosters. Also, avoid old peanut butter and that chocolate bar stashed away for years in your pantry.

White starches. Flour, sugar, white rice, and instant mashed potatoes, for example, all cause quick spikes in blood sugar levels, causing the production of advanced glycation end products that spur inflammation.

Animal fats. Foods high in this fat-egg yolks, red meat, poultry skin, whole-milk dairy products-also contain high amounts of arachidonic acid, a molecule used by the body to create inflammation.

Excess alcohol. Avoid drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages a day; too much alcohol can cause changes in the intestinal lining, allowing bacteria to pass through into the bloodstream, triggering inflammation.

The Best Get-Happy Foods

By Abigail L. Cuffey

Fight stress and depression with five nutrient-buffed snacks

Sorry, ice cream isn't on the list! But the following foods do have nutrients that can help fight stress and depression, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

Food: Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Vitamin C
This vitamin helps you cope better in stressful times by lowering your levels of stress hormones. If you get a lot regularly, you'll feel calmer during tough situations.

Food: Nuts
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid) and magnesium
A handful of nuts will keep you full and satisfied because they have a low glycemic index-which means they don't jack up your blood sugar levels and cause mood swings. It also makes you feel good to eat something that seems decadent (they're considered a little bit naughty because they're high in fat) but actually has health benefits.

Food: Leafy greens
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Folic Acid
Research has shown that the folic acid in leafy greens such as kale and spinach can reduce depression and even improve blood flow to the brain. If you're not eating at least one serving per day you're more than likely low in folic acid, so try getting more or consider taking a multivitamin that contains it.

Food: Salmon
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid)
The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines have been found to improve your mood while lowering the risk of depression and age-related memory loss. The depression link is so strong that American Psychiatric Association suggests that anyone taking antidepressants and/or going through therapy also boost her intake of omega 3s.

Food: Dried cherries
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Potassium, magnesium and vitamin C
These nutrients all work to curb your body's stress response. Dried cherries also keep your brain healthy because they're packed with antioxidants (including vitamin C), which prevent damage to your brain cells that can lead to memory problems.

Super Foods

If, like I am, you are any kind of food lover, you will think of a phrase like super food and will have your own associations. When I hear or see super food, I think of pizza, juicy burgers on steamed buns, triple-dip, psycho rich chocolate mousse tortes, hearty stews and homemade spaghetti sauces packed with al dente veggies and meats. Super food to me is food that you indulge in when you have the munchies or food that in a way gives you the munchies…as you cannot stop eating it once you start.

But I suppose my version, my philosophy, and my interpretation are all telling here, as antithetical to what the Super Food line consists of and represents. That is, the Super Food line is not fast food or junk food or even gourmet. The Super Food line is a series of healthy, vitamin- and mineral-rich food sources for the health-conscious (and healthy).

One seller of Super Foods, online at EBay under the vendor name mlhbabe1, for instance, describes the benefits of such foodstuffs and food supplements as the Green Super Food Powdered Drink Mix as containing “forty-nine (49) superfoods, extracts, and concentrates.” Included in this drink with the potential of ten (10) servings of fruits and vegetables, for example, are “probiotics, antioxidants, soluble and insoluble fibers, herbs & spices, flavonoids, plant enzymes, and lecithin.” These super food ingredients are, she writes, ideal for increasing energy, raising metabolism, and burning fat, and as well assist in digestion, detoxification, immunity, repair, recovery, rejuvenation, and add to one’s longevity.

I am in no way affiliated to the above vendor, and am writing this not to help hawk trumped-up nutritional items for any particular company. Instead, I write to gain a better understanding of Super Foods in general and personal health choices in particular. I am new to the Super Foods product, though I do remember years ago educating myself on and practicing healthy living by eating well and exercising often. I shopped at a health foods store, was into whole grains and non-white, non-processed flours and sugars (which were once and are now again my addiction, my nemesis), and power-walked every day. I also had more time, or made more time, to focus on myself and my body. The Super Food concept may not be new, that is, but as a newer product line, provided it does not taste, look, or contain ingredients similar to Soylent Green, Super Food seems to be an effective and appealing way to go.

Food Portion Sizes

When dieting, so many fail to realize that eating the right foods is not all that you have to worry about. Eating too much of the right stuff will still leave you at your current size, and might lead you to believe that there is no diet out there that will work. When you choose good foods, you are half way to where you want to be, but you also have to remember that the food portion sizes are just as important as getting what is good for your diet. That, along with exercise, will truly be the keys you need to get those pounds off of your frame and to make you feel better and better each day.

In fact, if you talk with a doctor, they may tell you that food portion sizes are the biggest problems that face dieters. When you go to a restaurant, you may find healthy options on the menu, and those are a great idea when ordering. However, what you may not realize is that the food portion sizes are often way too big, and you are packing on more calories than you think. You are putting less in your body than you would with some of the other entrees, but you are not getting too far ahead. When dining out, cut the size of your portions down to a good size and take the rest home.

You also have to watch your food portion sizes when eating lower fat or lower calories foods. Many think that because the food is lower in calories that they can eat more. They end up eating the same amount of calories they would have if they had gotten the regular version of the food. This happens most often with reduced calorie or fat free ice creams and cookies. If you want to have these in your diet, look for portion size information on the side of the package so you know what you are truly getting when you eat. If you can’t stick with the size recommended, skip them all together.

The best way to be sure you are getting the correct food portion sizes, you have to look them up online. For the most part, a portion of meat is the size of a deck of cards. If you think about it, that is about the size of a smallish pork chop. Chances are good you are eating bigger food portion sizes than that. Look around and make sure you are sure of all sizes for many common foods, and then find good ways to measure. If you have to get a scale to weigh your portions, that is far better than guessing. It might seem like a pain at first, but once your start feeling and looking better, you are going to be thankful that you did it.

6 Salads that Help You Live Longer

By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Fri, Aug 21, 2009, 4:34 pm PDT

The long, hot days of summer aren’t much encouragement for cooking in the kitchen over a hot stove. Instead, why not take advantage of the bounty of local seasonal fruits and veggies and cool yourself down with a fresh salad?
Quick and simple to make, salads with the right ingredients also bring you some serious health benefits.

Produce Pointers: Start with Healthy Ingredients
When making these salads, be sure to use organic, locally-grown produce from farmers’ markets and health food stores. Fresh, local produce contains more nutrients and is picked when naturally ripe. Commercial produce, on the other hand, is picked unripe and treated with ethylene gas to ripen artificially late. Then it is shipped on a week-long, sometimes even month-long, cross-country trip before it is served on your dining table—how’s that for fuel efficiency?
While the waste of gas is bad enough, studies regularly emerge about the hazardous effects of pesticides and herbicides used on commercial crops: cancer risk, inflammation, reproductive imbalance, among other dangers. So eat food grown close to home: it’s better for your health, better for the environment, and has an unbeatable taste!

6 Summer Salads
Nature has the perfect plan in providing the right foods for the season and summer foods tend to be on the cooling side, helping prevent overheating. One item to note: Eating raw food all the time requires more energy for digestion and tends to put out the digestive fire, so don't forgo the stove altogether. As you will see below, many of these salads require some cooking, as well.

1. Classic Beet Salad
Steam beets and slice into a salad of mixed greens, sliced avocado, and a handful of pine nuts and walnuts. If you want to bulk up the salad, add crumbled soft tofu or shredded chicken.

What is this salad doing for you?
This is an all-in-one anti-aging salad. Beets contain powerful nutrients that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and cancer, especially colon cancer. The avocado and pine nuts are healthy fats and walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids, which bring heart health benefits.

2. Cooling Cucumber Salad
Thinly slice cucumbers, removing the peel if you prefer, and toss with red onions. Let this sit for 30 minutes, then top with apple cider vinegar mixed with Dijon mustard.

What is this salad doing for you?
Cucumbers are a cooling food and also a natural diuretic, helping to hydrate you and lower the pressure in your arteries. The vinegar has antiseptic and antibiotic properties and may also help to reverse hardening of the arteries, as well as dissolve gall stones and kidney stones.

3. Tomato Basil Salad
Cook whole cherry or grape tomatoes in olive oil over medium-high heat until they are lightly browned. Cool, and then toss with fresh basil. For dressing, combine olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of fresh oregano.

What is this salad doing for you?
Cooking partially breaks down your food, making the nutrients accessible to your body's systems; for example, lycopene, an essential carotenoid antioxidant that has been found to reduce the risks of heart disease, macular degeneration, as well as prostate and other cancers, is more available in cooked tomatoes than uncooked. Basil is filled with luteolin, a bioflavonoid that studies have shown to be the best protection of cell DNA from radiation.

4. Fennel and Dried Plum Salad
Combine sliced fennel, sautéed or raw, and dried plums on a plate. Drizzle with a ginger vinaigrette. (Olive oil, vinegar and minced ginger, if you are making yourself.)

What is this salad doing for you?
This salad soothes digestion and supports weight loss. Fennel helps digestion in two ways: It stimulates the production of gastric juices and also calms the nervous system, regulating the action of the muscles that line the intestine. Packed with vitamin C and essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, dried plums contain a perfectly balanced proportion of soluble and insoluble fibers, ensuring bowel regularity and preventing insulin resistance—making them a great ingredient for weight management.

If weight loss is one of your goals, you may benefit from the herbal formulation B-Slim, a nutrient-rich dietary supplement designed to be part of a sensible overall weight management program.

5. Asian Carrot Salad
Combine shredded carrots, green onion, and sprouts (alfalfa, red clover, daikon radish, and bean sprouts will all work). Dress with sesame oil and rice vinegar. Then sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. For extra kick, add a small amount of grated ginger or chili pepper.

What is this salad doing for you?
Carrots are antioxidant-rich foods filled with beta-carotene, beneficial to eye health. Sprouts are packed with many nutrients with a bounty of health benefits. And sesame oil, the oil most commonly consumed oil by Chinese centenarians, is rich in phytic acid, the antioxidant that may prevent cancer. Studies have also indicated that one variety of sesame oil, called lignan sesamin, radically reduced cholesterol levels in the bloodstream and liver of rats.

6. Watercress with Tofu Dressing
To make the tofu dressing, combine 1/2 pound of plain tofu with a 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of rice or apple vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of tamari soy sauce (or a pinch of salt), and 1 tablespoon of tahini. Simply blend until creamy and drizzle over a bed of salad greens.

What is this salad doing for you?
Watercress contains a rich supply of vitamins A and E as well as the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorous, iodine, and zinc. It is also a natural diuretic that cools you down, and helps alleviate excess water retention and the bloated sensation that comes with it.

I hope you enjoy these six summer salads! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

How Technology Affects Your Food

By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Tue, Oct 06, 2009, 5:13 pm PDT

When it comes to food, there is no shortage of questions about how to get the most nutrients out of the food we eat. In this modern world, even more questions arise as we contemplate the effect of brand new technology on the quality of our food. Read on to find out how processing and technology is affecting what you eat.

1. Microwave: Destroys nutrients
Microwaves use super-fast particles to radiate the water inside food to bring it to a boil. Convenient? Yes. A good way to heat up food? Studies say No.

In fact, one study by the Spanish scientific research council, CEBAS-CSIC published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, found that microwave cooking destroys some important nutrients in vegetables. Broccoli, when microwaved, lost 97 percent, 74 percent and 87 percent of three cancer-protecting antioxidants (flavonoids, sinapics and caffeoyl-quinic derivatives) compared to steamed broccoli, which lost 11 percent, 0 percent and 8 percent of these compounds respectively.

If you must, use the lowest setting just to heat the foods. Better yet, use a small toaster oven to warm your foods. It might take more time, but it is much healthier.

2. Freezing food may preserve nutrients
Water is the main element of fresh food, usually making up between 50 to 90% of the food's weight. Freezing is a way of maintaining these water levels and temporarily stopping the growth of microorganisms and bacteria. In general, freezing food doesn't lessen nutritional value if you freeze the food when it is at peak quality. For example, if berries are flash frozen right at picking, there's very little loss of nutrients. In fact, nutrients are better retained in frozen fruits and vegetables than in those that are transported long distances to their destination. Produce actually begins to lose valuable vitamins and minerals soon after picking, especially at room temperature and above. Freezing for a few hours after harvesting can help prevent this. It is only when food is stored and sits for a long period of time that it starts to lose nutritional values of the vitamins, especially the B and C Vitamins.

3. Dried Fruit vs. fresh fruit
In general, when you dry a food, you are taking the water content out and dehydrating it. You don't necessarily destroy the nutrients, although in fruits, certain vitamins can be easily destroyed. Vitamin C, for instance, is fragile, so it may be destroyed in the process. That is why fruits are generally better fresh. Dried foods are nearly as beneficial, though you end up eating a higher quantity of dried foods than you would the actual fresh food. For example, you might eat five to seven dried apricot pieces in one sitting, but you most likely wouldn't be eating the same amount of fresh apricots.

4. Organic for nutrients and safety
One of the biggest complaints about organic foods is that it is so much more expensive than commercially grown produce. So why spend more? What you may be saving in money now on commercial produce you are surely losing in health later. Many scientific studies have shown that organic foods have a much higher percentage of antioxidants. And studies regularly emerge about the negative effects of pesticides and herbicides used on commercial crops: cancer risk, inflammation, and reproductive imbalance in humans and animals.

The primary reason for buying organic is that you get wholesome, nutrient-rich foods that aren't covered in dangerous chemicals. Even the foods that are grown below ground or have peels are not always safe from pesticides.

If you have to make a choice between the two, make an informed decision.

• These fruits and vegetables tested the worst for chemicals, so buy organic: apples, bell peppers, carrots, celery, cherries, grapes (imported), kale, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, and strawberries.

• When tested, these have the least amount of chemicals: avocados, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelon.

I hope your nutrition questions have been answered! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

8 Foods That Fight Fat

By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief - Posted on Thu, Oct 08, 2009, 3:32 pm PDT

Want to lose weight as you chow down? Your wish is granted! (I promise, this is no fairy tale.) Your supermarket is filled with foods that studies show have lipid-melting powers to help melt fat and keep you slim. Stock up on these fat-fighting super bites, and you'll be trimmer even as you indulge. Read on to discover the eight foods that deserve a permanent spot in your fridge—and in your diet!

Almonds These yummy nuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can accelerate your metabolism of fats. In fact, dieters who ate 3 ounces of almonds daily slashed their weight and body-mass index by 18 percent, while those who skipped the nuts reduced both numbers less— just 11 percent—a study in the International Journal of Obesity revealed. Chomp almonds à la carte (limit yourself to 12 per serving to keep calories in check). I get a pack at Starbucks and nibble throughout my day. Or sprinkle them into a recipe such as Black Bean–Almond Pesto Chicken. Go nuts!

Berries I tell my daughter, "These are nature's candy!" Turns out they're also your body's best friends. Strawberries, raspberries and other vitamin C–spiked fruit can supercharge your workout, helping you burn up to 30 percent more fat, research from Arizona State University at Mesa has found. If they're not in season, buy the little gems frozen in a bulk-sized bag so you'll always have them on hand to whip up a Berry Bliss Smoothie or Strawberry-Sunflower Pops, regardless of whether berries are in season.

Cinnamon Adding 1/4 teaspoon to your plate may prevent an insulin spike—an uptick that tells your body to store fat. Sprinkle it on your morning cereal or coffee or on your yogurt in the A.M., or savor it in Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal.
Mustard It's heaven on a soft pretzel, but mustard may also be a weight loss wonder. Turmeric, the spice that gives mustard its color, may slow the growth of fat tissues, a study in the journal Endocrinology finds. Use it on sandwiches instead of mayo, or sprinkle turmeric on cauliflower pre-roasting to give it a kick. Try it on tuna salad—I promise it adds zest.

Oranges This citrus fruit, which contains fat-blasting compounds known as flavones, deserves to be your main squeeze. Women who ate the most flavones had a much lower increase in body fat over a 14-year period, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes. Eat oranges sliced or swig fresh OJ (including pulp!) to get the best benefit from the fruit
Soybeans Reason to toss a half cup on your salad? Soybeans are rich in choline, a compound that blocks the absorption of fat and breaks down fatty deposits. Oh, and they're addictively delish! But if breast cancer runs in your family, experts suggest you should talk to your doc before adding soy to your diet.

Sweet potatoes The colorful spuds' high-fiber content means they keep your insulin steadier than their white sisters, which means less fat packed on your hips, research finds. Top a small baked tater with lowfat cottage cheese for a tempting side dish, or whip up Miso Soup With Sweet Potato Dumplings.

Swiss cheese Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown, and Swiss has more calcium than many of its cheesy peers. Choose the reduced-fat variety, such as Sargento. Slip it into your sandwich, put it on top of high-fiber crackers or use it for a healthier grilled cheese. Yum!