Weight Loss

Soy Sauce Nutrition Information #WeightLoss #Weight Loss #Diet

Aug 27th

Posted by G in Diet

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Soy sauce nutrition is something you should know about. Soy sauce is used as a marinade for steaks and chicken. The majority of oriental dishes use soy sauce as a main ingredient when stir-frying or mixing other seasonings. You also use it as a condiment when you eat Chinese food. Soy sauce adds color and brings out the flavor of food better than most other condiments. Although it’s great for these things, it has ingredients that may not be healthy for your diet.

Sodium

Sodium is linked to high blood pressure, edema and several other health problems. It’s widely used in the majority of foods you eat. Unless you cook your own Chinese food, you’re probably consuming large quantities of this nutrient. Soy sauce is a major concern if you are on a low sodium diet. Regular soy sauce has almost 1,000g per tbsp. of sodium. This large amount adds up if you use more than one serving. You can find low sodium brands on the market. However, be aware that even half the sodium in soy sauce is extremely high.

Soybeans

Soybeans are used to make soy sauce. Soybeans are a great source of protein, calcium and iron. Although it has excellent nutritional benefits in its natural state, the process to make soy sauce changes this. Soybeans are taken through a process called fermentation. This procedure uses high amounts of sodium as well. If you read the nutrition labels on some brands of soy sauce, you won’t see many vitamins and minerals listed. You will see small amounts of protein and iron.

Wheat

Wheat is another healthy ingredient that loses its good nutrition after undergoing fermentation. Wheat also provides a nice source of protein in your diet. Although wheat is a good food source, it can give you allergies. If you have allergies to this grain, then choose a sauce made with tamarind. This ingredient is milder in taste as well.

Calories, Carbohydrates and Fat Content

One serving of soy sauce has about 10 calories. Almost all brands of this sauce have 0 to 1g of fat. The carbohydrate content is 0 to 2g in soy sauce. This is a good condiment if you are on a low carb, low fat diet.

Preservatives

Manufacturers use a good number of preservatives to make the soy sauces you use. Sodium benzoate is a preservative used to destroy bacteria in the sauce during processing. This preservative is also considered unsafe to consume because it turns into benzene, an unhealthy chemical that causes cancer.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

You may find this unhealthy ingredient in some of the soy sauces you eat. It’s used to prolong the life of soy sauce. High fructose corn syrup may also lead to obesity and heart-related problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s better for your health if you cut back on processed food products containing this ingredient.

Although soy sauce adds flavor to your food, consider skipping it the next time you order Chinese or cook at home.

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source: High Diet

Tofu, Seitan and Tempeh: A Guide to Vegetarian Proteins #WeightLoss #Weight Loss #Diet

Aug 27th

Posted by G in Diet

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If you’re one of those many people who are looking for more healthy ways to fill up a supermarket shopping cart, you might be really curious about some of the modern choices that grocery stores have started to stock, including meat substitutes like tofu, seitan or tempeh. Navigating these meatless choices can be tough if what you’re used to it is buying beef, pork and chicken, but with a little knowledge about the nature of these health foods, you’ll be cooking vegetarian with the best of them in no time.

Tofu

The soy-based food that we call tofu has burst onto the food scene in recent years, with almost all major supermarkets now stocking it for vegetarians and others who want it as part of a soy-based diet. Tofu is also called bean curd in some places. It is made from the curds of soy milk, where the solid material is separated and pressed into chunks. Tofu is a low-calorie, low-fat food that is rich in nutritional elements like iron.

The problem that many people find with tofu is in preparation. Firmer varieties may hold up in a skillet, but the silky tofu that is commonly on sale at your food store will fall apart in the pan. Some use alternative cooking methods, but frying is still popular. With some trial and error, you’ll probably find that you can pan-fry firmer tofu without too much trouble.

Seitan

This strangely named food is actually made of wheat gluten. This gives it its tough, almost leathery texture. If that doesn’t sound appealing, understand that seitan can be a good substitute for meat, where the tougher texture is actually a positive. With the right flavoring, seitan can be a tasty part of a hot dish. It’s similar to the “mock duck” used in some Asian eateries, a favorite with vegetarians.

Tempeh

Tempeh is another food that takes its origin from the soybean, although some varieties are now made from barley or oats. The process for making tempeh is different than the one for tofu. To make tempeh, soybeans are fermented and therefore cultured to create a binding element. Tempeh is made into blocks. Those who are cooking it often cut it into small pieces or thin strips, then fry it or otherwise cook it up for inclusion in all kinds of dishes. Tempeh has a tougher, more solid texture than either tofu or seitan. That’s why cutting it into smaller pieces makes so much sense.

Take a look at all of these vegetarian alternatives for dishes that replace fatty, high cholesterol meats with nutritional alternatives. Some of these foods have a great deal of protein and other positive elements that the body needs to function well. These can also be pretty tasty with the right condiments; since many of them originated from Asian cuisine, home cooking vegetarians often combine them with quantities of ginger, garlic or other flavor-rich plant foods. Using these meatless substitutes can bring additional flare to your vegetarian menu or help you cut down on meat when your doctor recommends a modified diet. It can also help with your weight loss and fitness goals.

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source: High Diet

Benefits of Using Turmeric in Cooking #WeightLoss #Weight Loss #Diet

Aug 27th

Posted by G in Diet

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The Benefits of turmeric are many. The peppery, golden spice has been used for thousands of years throughout India and China. Turmeric is also known as Indian saffron because of its similar hue.  Although originally used as a dye, it was soon discovered that turmeric had many healing properties. Today, the spice is used in mustards and curies as much for its yellow color as for its warm and earthy flavor.

The health benefits of turmeric are due to its primary active ingredient, curcumin. Curcumin is also the compound that gives turmeric its vivid yellow color. There are so many health benefits attributed to the use of turmeric; it’s definitely worth it to try to incorporate this spice into your diet. The following are just some of the many health benefits of turmeric.

Antioxidant Properties

Turmeric has strong antioxidant properties. Consuming turmeric on a regular basis can help prevent free radical damage associated with premature aging, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. Indian populations have a fraction of the incidences of Alzheimer’s disease than Americans do. Traditional Indian diets are rich in curry based dishes. It’s thought that the turmeric in their curry dishes is at least partially responsible for the low incidences of Alzheimer’s in India.

Anti-inflammatory Properties

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The active ingredient curcumin has been shown in several studies to be as effective as many prescription and over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs. And unlike traditional medications, curcumin is nontoxic. Many sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis have found relief from painful joint pain by adding turmeric to their diets.

Anti-tumor Properties

Regular use of turmeric is associated with lower risks of lung, breast, prostate and colon cancers. A recent study concluded that turmeric may also slow the spread of existing cancers. Scientists were able to keep breast cancers from spreading to the lungs of mice by giving them curcumin.

Asian children have a much lower risk of childhood leukemia. Some scientists feel that the use of turmeric is partly responsible for the lower childhood leukemia rates. Turmeric has been shown to destroy leukemia cells in laboratory tests.

Liver Detoxifier

Turmeric has been used for centuries for its ability to detoxify the liver. Several studies support this historical use with findings that turmeric can protect the liver from alcohol and other toxic substances.

Natural Blood Thinner

Turmeric can help to keep blood platelets from sticking together. This anti-platelet activity can have numerous health benefits. Not the least of which is helping to prevent blood clots, heart attack and stroke.

Digestive Aid

One of the traditional uses of turmeric is as a digestive aid. The spice works by increasing bile production in the liver which helps with fat digestion. This same effect may also aid in weight loss.

Contraindications

Although turmeric is a fairly safe substance, large quantities should be avoided by those with bile obstructions or gallstones. Also, if you have a clotting disorder or are on blood thinning medications, consult your doctor before using turmeric.

 

 

 

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source: High Diet

Fat and Friendship, Part 2: How Does One Affect the Other? #WeightLoss #Weight Loss #Diet

Aug 27th

Posted by G in Diet

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A few months ago the folks at the That’s Fit website asked their loyal readers to respond to an online survey on the subject of overweight as it pertains to personal friendships, specifically whether and to what degree being fat can affect or disrupt them. Since the survey uses feminine pronouns in its questions, the survey population is presumably mostly female, and also concerned with fitness, and so may not be representative of the American public in general. Even so, That’s Fit says they got nearly 500,000 responses, and than ain’t hay.

What Are Friends For? If You Answered, “Support and Honesty,” Not so Fast.

For whatever it may be worth, here are some of the more intriguing numbers. For openers, fully 90 percent of the survey respondents say that at least one of their friends needs to lose weight, while 64 percent say that at least two and as many as five of their friends need to lose. Five percent say all their friends are too fat.

How fat? Of the 90 percent with overweight friends, over half, 56 percent, say their friends need to shed at least 20 pounds. But nearly as many, 49 percent, insist they would never mention it to those friends. Perhaps that’s because a whopping 95 percent say they would still wish to be friends with someone who had become obese.

And why not, when 49 percent say that overweight friends, especially those fatter than themselves, make them feel better about their own weight, and one-third admit that their self-esteem rises when they’re with fat friends.

But there’s a downside to having overweight friends. Fully 92 percent claim that they sometimes, or always, eat more when dining with persons who overeat, and 39 percent claim that those friends undermine their own weight control efforts by eating unhealthily in their presence or badmouthing their attempts to diet.

And hey, with friends like those …

(By Robert S. Wieder for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News):

Fat and Friendship, Part 2: How Does One Affect the Other? is a post from: CalorieLab Diet News

source: High Diet

4 Surprisingly Unhealthy Soups #WeightLoss #Weight Loss #Diet #Healthy

Aug 26th

Posted by G in Diet

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Though many women assume that soups are generally rich in nutrients and low in calories and fat, it’s oftentimes surprisingly hard to find healthy soups. Many of the most famous and popular brands of soup that you’re likely to find on the market today are actually quite unhealthy for one reason or another.

Knowing how to avoid those unhealthy soups is the first step toward removing them from your diet or moderating them. As with all other unhealthy foods, enjoying some of these soups in moderation is perfectly healthy and fine. However, it’s important to keep track of which ones are healthy for you and which should be included in your diet as only a special treat, so that you can best avoid the unhealthy ingredients that they’re made up of.

1. Maruchan Top Ramen

The quintessential easy-to-make soup may not seem like it could have any unhealthy ingredients, given that it contains only broth and noodles. However, while this soup is low in fat, it contains a huge percentage of your daily sodium intake. Increased sodium levels can lead to blood pressure problems, cardiovascular disease and obesity, amongst many other health concerns. For this reason, and because this brand of soup offers little in the way of positive nutritional content, it’s best to avoid it except for rare occasions.

2. Progresso Soups

While not all Progresso soup is unhealthy, a good portion of them contain either a high level of sodium or dangerous trans fats. Trans and saturated fats raise your cholesterol and do not provide the same benefits as unsaturated fats that you’ll find in nuts and other food items. If you enjoy Progresso soups, avoid the “full flavor” varieties and instead opt for the lighter choices. Always check the nutrition label if you’re interested in learning about the contents of your soup.

3. Chowders and Bisques

Soups that are based on cream broths, like chowders, bisques and other types of seafood soup, are almost entirely unhealthy for you. The reason for this is that the base of the soup, the cream, is full of saturated and trans fats. It’s likely that most of these soups also contain high levels of sodium as well. Rather than cream based soups, opt instead for those with broths based on chicken stock, vegetable broth, tomato or other vegetables and meats.

4. Campbell’s Tomato Soup

Campbell’s tomato soup is healthy in some respects; it contains a good mixture of antioxidants and certain other helpful nutritional elements. However, it also is full of sodium, as are most of the other soups in Campbell’s line. When people add crackers to their tomato soup, it only increases the total level of sodium, without adding any additional nutritional content.

For the healthiest soup options, look to organic and natural soups or consider making your own soups with vegetables and light meats at home.

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source: High Diet

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