Weight Loss and Health Tips: Powerful Legumes

We live in a society where eating has become more of a pleasure than real need. Maintaining a healthy body weight has become a problematic task. When starting out a diet, the first thing we should take care is our nutrition. If we fix this, everything will fall into place sooner or later.

In this weight loss and health tips, I will speak about a very nutritional food;the legumes. Legumes are seeds, or pods of leguminous plants. They are known since antiquity, and are among the most nutritious natural foods. There are currently 600 types of legumes, and 13, 000 varieties. Some of the most popular are: soy beans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, black eye beans, red beans, peas. Legumes are low in calories, have 0 cholesterol, and are very inexpensive, making them an ideal part of a healthy diet.

All legumes are rich in essential nutrients including; protein, fiber, fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, potassium, b vitamins, folic acid. They are good substitutes to animal protein. Soya beans are the legumes with the most protein. Thanks to the protein, legumes can help repair cells from free radical damage, build muscle, burn fat, and assist digestion in the body.

A meal with legumes will fill you fast, and for longer without the insulin levels go up, because they contain a lot of fibre. According to recent studies, people who consume often legumes have low risk to develop a heart disease, and colon cancer. Other studies have shown that legumes have strong anti-aging elements.

You can buy them raw, frozen, or in cans. Preparation and cooking methods vary, but usual cooking time is between 30 to 60 minutes. Some of them, you might need to soak them into the water for a few hours before cooking. If you choose to eat them straight from the can, rinse them once to get rid of the extra sodium. You can make many different meals all nutritious and delicious; salads, dips, soups, and stews.

Legumes have a bad reputation because of the gasses they produce, the reason for that, maybe is the lack of enzymes in the digestive system, to avoid these problems, start introducing them into your diet slowly, and in moderate portions, or pick a legume that is not as gas producing as others, i. e black eye beans;and don't forget to drink lots of water.

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Red Cabbage Is a Healthy and Delicious Addition to the Diet

Red cabbage is a member of the Brassica family of cruciferous vegetables. Other members of the brassica family include green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and broccoli, among others. The name cruciferous comes from the thought that the flowers with four petals are in a cross shape.

Though it has the same cancer fighting properties and antioxidants and vitamins, the anthocyanin polyphenols that give red cabbage its color also give additional health benefits. In addition to the whopping extra helping of Vitamin A, higher in any vegetables and fruits in the red and yellow color range, it is also higher in calcium and iron. Vitamin A is beneficial for eyes and skin. The additional iron is great for everyone, though women need more iron than men. Red cabbage also contributes a large portion of the Vitamin C needed daily. There are many more wonderful health benefits in red cabbage, but how do we incorporate it into the diet.

Quick and Simple Uses

Red cabbage has similar taste to green cabbage and can be used similarly. Grate red cabbage and add to green cabbage when making your favorite cole slaw. Slice it finely and mix it with thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers with an Asian dressing for a great treat. Cabbage of either color can easily be roasted. Cut the heads in half or quarters, depending on their size and roast in the center of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until done as desired. Mix together some balsamic or apple cider vinegar and honey and drizzle over the roasted cabbage.

Cooked Red Cabbage Loses its Color

Know that when cooking red cabbage the lovely purple red color goes a dull blue gray. To rectify this, vinegar or lemon juice is often added, reviving the color to a beautiful and more palatable looking magenta. There are many wonderful recipes for cooked red cabbage, but this is my particular favorite. It is an amalgamation of many recipe ideas, made into my own delicious dish. Red Zinfandel wine is the best choice because of its fruitiness, but another red wine will work, also.

Red Cabbage with Bacon and Apple

3 slices bacon, in 1/2 inch cubes

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 large apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup red zinfandel wine

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

In a large fry pan, deep enough to accommodate the cabbage when raw, fry the bacon. When nearly brown, add onion and fry until onion begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add cabbage and saute, tossing with tongs until it has collapsed slightly and is no longer stiff, about 2 to 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir to coat with the spices. Add apple slices and wine, cover the pan and reduce heat to medium low and cook till almost tender, about 40 minutes. If the wine has not cooked out, remove cover and boil to reduce to a sheen on bottom of the pan.

Raise heat to medium and add the vinegar, stirring to deglaze the pan, and then add the brown sugar. Stir and cover again, reducing heat to medium low. Continue to cook until liquid is absorbed and cabbage is very tender - about 30 minutes. If cabbage is done, but still has liquid in the pan, raise heat and cook uncovered until liquid has reduced to a glaze.





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The Health Benefits of Peas

Peas are not a poor man's meat or a cheap restaurant side-dish that puts 'green' on your plate! Peas not only add flavour to food but are also used in various dishes and salads. Actually these are little powerhouses of nutrition and a boon to your health. It's a starchy vegetable, which is a good source of energy, protein, essential vitamins, fibre, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Including peas as one of your vegetable choices adds a number of benefits. Let's have a look.

Good for your eyes

Lutein and Vitamin A present in peas protect your eyes. Lutein is a natural plant pigment that's concentrated in the eye, and its antioxidant activity protects you from both cataracts and macular degeneration by preventing oxidation. Vitamin A helps to keep the surface of your eyes healthy.

Prevents heart disease

The formation of plaque along your blood vessel walls starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds support healthy blood vessels. The generous amounts of vitamin B1 and folate, B2, B3, and B6 reduce homocysteine levels which are the risk factors for heart disease.

Prevents stomach cancer

Peas contain high amounts of a polyphenol called coumestrol. A study says that consuming 2 milligrams per day of this phytonutrient prevents stomach cancer and a cup of peas has at least 10. So, you see how healthy it is!

Avert constipation and bad cholesterol

The high fibre content in peas improves bowel health and peristalsis. The niacin in peas helps to reduce the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which results in less bad cholesterol, increased HDL ("good") cholesterol, and lowered triglycerides.

Antioxidants work like magic

As mentioned earlier, peas contain high levels of anti-oxidants. They include flavonoids like catechin and epicatechin, carotenoids like alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, phenolic acids like ferulic and caffeic acid, and polyphenols like coumestrol. These boost your energy level and immunity and also helps to fight ageing signs.

Needed for healthy bones

One cup of peas contains 44% of Vitamin K which helps to anchor calcium inside the bones. Its B vitamins also help to prevent osteoporosis and promote healthy bones.

Benefits of anti-inflammatory elements

Peas have strong anti-inflammatory properties. These properties include anti-inflammatory phytonutrients like Pisumsaponins I and II and pisomosides A and B, Vitamins C and E, zinc and omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). These prevent wrinkles, arthritis, bronchitis, candida, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's.

Manage your weight

A cup of peas has less than 100 calories but lots of protein, fibre and micronutrients. This keeps you full for a longer time and helps you to manage your weight.

Peas provide you iron

The iron you consume can be found in haemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Inadequate intakes of iron decrease oxygen delivery, which makes you feel tired, decreases your ability to concentrate and increases your risk of infection. A 1/2-cup serving of peas contains 1.2 milligrams of iron which can solve the problem of iron deficiency.

Regulates blood sugar

All carbohydrates are natural sugars and starches with no white sugars or chemicals to worry about. High fibre and protein slow down the digestion of sugars. The anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties prevent or reverse insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes).

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Pork - A Different Perspective

Pork is one of the most patronized food products worldwide. You can find different pork cuisines in every culture which are commonly presentable in various cuts. It can be enjoyed grilled, fried, stewing and many other cooking methods. But because pork mainly lacks in fiber, it became a primary suspect in various known diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

If you are a health advocate, you probably preferred promoting vegetables and fruits instead of meat products especially pork meats. Although people sees pork as a food that gives higher health risks, there are still a number of positive health benefits that pork products are known for. Let me site some information about pork's important health benefits.

To change your perspectives about pork, let me give you some of the nutrients that pork offers which less people are aware of. First thing you should know is that pork contains less salt and a perfect source of protein. As you know, protein is a very important component to produce body energy and for building muscles and strength.

This food also contains important minerals and vitamins that our body needs. It includes the following.

1. Fats
Pork fats depends on the meat cuts. A 100 grams lean meat contains six grams of fats. If the meats are cut well, you can enjoy more unsaturated fat that saturated fat which are more beneficial to health.

2. Iron
Iron is abundant in various meat products especially in pork. A 100 grams of pork can give you 15% of your daily iron needs.

3. Vitamin B12
100 grams of pork meat can give you 70% of your daily needs of vitamin B12 which promotes better nerve health.

4. Zinc
Pork is also a good source of zinc than any other foods. A regular dose of pork can give you adequate body requirements of zinc.

The only thing that makes pork bad is the lack of fiber. This is the reason why pork should be taken in moderation to prevent serious diseases. It is wise to apply a balanced diet in your daily meals.

So the next time you dine-in to your favorite restaurants, it is okay to choose a pork dish from the menu because not all things are bad when it comes to pork. Just make sure that you consume meat moderately and never indulge too much in its fats because that can give you more health problems. So in summary, avoid fats and it is considered safe to eat pork!

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Top 7 High Protein Foods

Why is protein important?

Protein makes up every cell in your body; your nails, bones, skin and hair are practically all protein. But protein does even more than that, helping to create enzymes, hormones and other physiological chemicals needed for the proper functioning of your body. So you can probably see why it's important that you get the right amount of protein to function.

Another aspect of protein is that it cannot be stored in your body, like carbohydrates and fat, so once it runs low there are no reserves for your body to take from. Experts state you need at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Below are some excellent sources of protein.

1. Salted cod

The protein content of fresh cod is considerable (around 20g) but the salted cod is a real protein concentrate with a contribution of 75g per 100g. A small portion of salted cod is sufficient to meet your daily needs for protein.

2. Fresh tuna

Fresh tuna is another animal protein source that provides 21,5g of protein per 100g. Similar to those of other fish such as salmon, halibut or sea bass, these endless sources of protein can bring diversity to your dishes.

Chicken breast / turkey: both lean poultry hover around the same amount of protein content. They both have about 22g per 100g. The difference lies in the fat intake, which is lower in the case of turkey meat.

3. Beef

Lean beef protein is around 21g per 100g. If you're not sure whether to go for red meat or white, choose a combination of the two:

4. Beef liver

Beef again, but this time in the form of liver. This is a another great source of protein: 19,4g / 100g. A good option to add not only for proteins, but also for adding folic acid, iron and zinc to your diet.

5. Seafoods such as prawns

Seafood is always a good source of animal protein, and specifically the prawns coming in at 24g of protein with only 0.8 grams of fat and a tiny 100kcal per 100g of food. A perfect choice for dieters.

6. Soybeans

Protein is not just or the meat eaters. Soybeans are legume that have more protein and less carbohydrate. Among the vegetable protein content is 3 0g per 100g of product.

You can also choose products like Tofu or Quinoa as a vegetable protein source. And there are nuts such as almonds and pistachios which have 20 g of protein along with a healthy dose of omega 3.

7. Gelatine

Gelatine is the star regarding food protein percentage. 100g of gelatin containing no less than about 84g protein. There are plenty of commercial varieties of gelatin, so it's important to look at the packets nutritional information to choose the right option for you.

Always remember your caloric intake when choosing your protein and remember balance is key.

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WHOLEMEAL PASTA

People who are on diets typically avoid pasta, but really it is the sauce that cause various problems. If you want you can eat pasta, but made from wholemeal flour – there is also pasta without wheat ingredients. These noodles have more nutrients than white flour pasta.

Nutritional components: vitamin B5 and B6, folic acid, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, fiber.

Due to the fiber content, body slows down the absorption of sugars, in addition it is more satiating than light pasta-because you eat less of it.

Quick recipe for a healthy pasta with herbs:

Pasta with herb pesto

– Wholemeal pasta

– 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

– 1 peace garlic, chopped

– 2 Handfuls of chopped leaves of basil and parsley

– Pepper, salt, a touch of lemon

– You can add balsamic vinegar

– Marjoram, thyme

Remember that pasta should be cooked al dente. This is very important. Add ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly (preferably mix, to get the sauce).

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Top 10 Healthiest Foods