Archive for April, 2008

The two fats are considered “bad” are Trans Fat and Saturated Fat:
Saturated Fats occur naturally in nearly all fatty foods, but mostly in fatty red meats, full-fat dairy products, butter, and tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut. Saturated fat is also in many of western society’s most popular foods, including pizza, hamburgers, tacos, ice cream, lasagna, and cheese.

Trans Fats are the worst type of “bad” fat, and are man-made fats. Most trans fat is created when manufacturers turn liquid oils into more solid fats like shortening and margarine. Trans fats are found in many packaged foods, including margarine, cookies, cakes, cake icings, doughnuts, and potato chips. Trans fats are worse than saturated fats. They are bad for our blood vessels, nervous systems, “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, and waistline.

In addition to eating less fat, we also need to balance the types of fats that we consume in our diet. For example, Japanese, European, and Mediterranean diets typically have two-to-one ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and people in these countries generally live longer and have a much lower incidence of heart disease.

Cutting down on foods that are rich in omega-6s means avoiding foods fried in vegetable oils such as corn and safflower, and eliminating processed foods, many of which contain omega-6s. Other sources of omega-6 fatty acids include meats, seeds, nuts, and grains. At the same time, boost the amount of omega-3s in your diet by eating more cold-water marine fish, such as salmon and mackerel, as well as green leafy vegetables. And, if you do need to use oil in your cooking, then use canola oil instead of vegetable oil.

You want to give your family the best, but time is in short supply and preparing a healthy meal has become a chore. Too often take out or frozen dinners have to do. Is there a way to combine healthy eating with convenience?

Healthy Family Meals – Better for Children, Easier for You
Yes! Quick and easy recipe, new methods of cooking and easy to prepare staples can change your eating habits and lead to a better eating style for your family. According to the ‘Kid’s Health’ Program created by the Nemours Foundation, family meals are an important part of developing healthy habits in your kids.

Eating as a family will encourage your kids to eat healthy foods like whole grains and vegetables. It will discourage unhealthy snacking and even make them less likely to try smoking, alcohol or marijuana.

There are lasagna recipes for vegetarians, low-carb, low-fat and even diabetic diets. Lasagna noodles now come in instant, no-cook preparations that cut time and energy when making this hearty dish.

For lasagna or other pasta dishes, try using whole wheat pasta and shredding carrots or zucchini into the meat sauce for an easy way to up the nutritional value. Using lean ground beef or even substituting with ground turkey or chicken can make for a surprising, yet nourishing result. Buy bottled pasta sauces for even faster preparation – many grocers carry a wide assortment that will add variety to your dishes.

We’re all concerned about our children eating healthier foods. Regular family meals will encourage kids to develop healthy eating habits – an important key to good health later in life. By making meal time less stressful you can focus on the joys of spending time together instead of the hassles of preparing healthy family meals.

Good foods mainly refer to foods that rich on nutrient content. For a better night sleep it advisable to eat various sleep inducing foods such tuna, halibut, pumpkinartichokes, avocados, almonds, eggs, bok choy, peaches, walnuts, apricots, oats, asparagus, potatoes, buckwheat, and bananas before going to sleep. Similarly drinking a glass of milk will help to sleep better. Milk not only being rich on protein but also contains tryptophan which helps in inducing better and peaceful sleeps. On the other hand don’t over cook the food, this may drain out the essential nutrients in the food.

It has been proved scientifically that less food is processed better. For a better night sleep avoid heavy meals at bedtime. Sleeping directly after meals creates problem for digestion which results to a restless sleep. Indigestion leads gas and acidity problems which significantly hamper sleeps in individuals. On the other hand sleeping hungry also affects the sleep.