Vegetable Fiber For Better Health

Vegetables have been a bone of contention in the child rearing process for centuries. While many parents have told their children to eat their vegetables, they often omitted the reasons why they should. One big reason is that fiber vegetables perform quite a task for the human body.

Vegetable fiber is classified as soluble and insoluble. Neither form is digested but rather both pass from the body. The soluble mixes with bile acids to prevent their appearance in the bloodstream; this has a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels. The insoluble adds bulk to aid passage of digested food through the intestinal system.

Government dietary guidelines suggest daily consumption of twenty-five grams of fiber. Avocados are rated at fourteen grams in a typical serving. Technically avocados are fruit since they come from a tree but this rating is so high and it is so popular as a snack, it deserves mention. It is also a redemption of the avocado's reputation.

At one point it was castigated for high levels of cholesterol; true enough but the naysayers omitted the fact that the HDL/LDL (good cholesterol/bad cholesterol)ratio was off-the-charts positive. Split peas, lentils, black beans and lima beans all are rated at 13 grams or higher per serving, while artichokes check in 10.3.

These are some of the stars in the vegetable world where fiber is concerned. In some cases, for instance potatoes, much of the beneficial content is found in the skin. In most cases, the vegetables are best eaten raw rather than cooked although that generally has no effect on the fiber content. Most important is that all vegetables have fiber, some more than others and while nobody has to become a vegetarian to realize the positive benefits, all these fiber vegetables can be prepared to be tasty, much anticipated side dishes rather than the source of generational disputes.

Five Kinds of Healthy Drinks at Dinner Party

At the end of the year, different holidays come one after another. After having been busy for a whole year, everyone wants to have a good rest, so there will be a lot of gatherings and dinner parties among friends. At the dinner party, people always drink too much alcohol, which may easily harm the body. Then what kinds of drinks should we choose at the dinner party, so as to protect our health? The following section will recommend five healthy drinks for everyone.

First, yoghurt
Yoghurt contains a large number of active lactic acid bacteria, which can regulate the flora balance in the intestinal tract. If you have to drink alcohol at the party, it is best to drink a glass of yogurt first, which can play a good buffering function in the stomach. What's more, yoghurt has a certain feeling of fullness, so it can make you eat less oil and fatty food after drinking.

Second, fruit juice
Fruit juice contains a large number of vitamins, minerals, and a certain amount of biologically active substances and dietary fiber, so it can make up for the lack of nutrition when you drink alcohol. It is best to drink freshly squeezed juice, which has the best nutrition. If the juice has been placed for a long time, it is easy to be oxidized.

Third, tomato juice
Tomato juice contains a lot of nutrients, such as vitamin C, minerals, lycopene, and so on. Especially lycopene, it has the most prominent health benefits on human body, and has strong antioxidant activity. What's more, lycopene has a good effect of clearing away the free radicals in the body, which is far better than that of other carotenoids and vitamin E. As a result, it is also known as "plant gold".

Fourth, soybean milk
Soybean milk contains various kinds of nutrients, including unsaturated fatty acids. It is low in saturated fatty acids and contains no cholesterol. What's more, soybean milk also contains a small amount of soluble dietary fiber, which can help to promote the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract and prevent constipation. Sugar-free or low-sugar soybean milk has much better effect.

Fifth, tea
The tea polyphenol and caffeine contained in tea have the effect of preventing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and so on. Green tea, Oolong tea, Pu'er tea, black tea, and scented tea are all good choices. During the winter, it is best not to drink the tea which has become cold, because it is easy to cause diarrhea, which is very bad for the health of the body.

Daily Foods Give You a Healthy Life

Do you want to maintain a healthy life? You can achieve this purpose by taking in appropriate nutrients. Following are eight kinds of best and nutritious food, which not only can meet the essential needs of modern people, but also have a lot of health-care effects on human body.

Firstly, spinach:
Spinach contains a large number of iron and vitamin B, which can effectively prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. What's more, spinach contains little calories, so it is very suitable for the women who want to lose weight.

Secondly, nuts:
Nuts not only can increase the level of "beneficial" cholesterol in human body, but also can reduce the triglycerides in the blood, so it is the best food to prevent heart diseases. No matter peanut or almond, they are all good choice.

Thirdly, cauliflower:
A large number of studies have pointed out that cauliflower is rich in carotene and vitamin C. Long-term eating cauliflower can reduce the rate of suffering from breast cancer, rectum cancer, and gastric cancer.

Fourthly, oats:
Eating oats every day can reduce the level of cholesterol in the body. Research has found out that oats can also reduce the blood pressure. The high content of fibers contained in oats can bring people a satiety feeling in a short time. In such a case, this can reduce the intake of other oil and fatty food, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the weight.

Fifthly, strawberry:
Strawberry contains the most abundant antioxidants in all the fruits and vegetables. Apart from preventing heart disease and cancer, it can also promote the development of intelligence.

Sixthly, tomato:
Many researches have found out that the lycopene contained in tomato can greatly reduce the probability of suffering from cancer. During the cooking process, lycopene can release naturally. What's more, tomato is also the best source of vitamin C.

Seventhly, green tea:
Study has found out that drinking green tea can prevent cancer. People who drink green tea every day are less likely to suffer from stomach cancer, esophagus cancer, and liver cancer. In addition, Japanese researchers also find out that drinking ten cups of green tea every day can reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease.

Eighthly, red wine:
Red wine contains a great amount of antioxidants, which can increase the level of "beneficial" cholesterol in the body, and reduce angiosclerosis. But you should pay attention not to drink too much red wine each time. Otherwise, it will make you easily suffer from breast cancer and may even induce stroke.

Vegetable Cookies For Children

My grandbaby is a tiny little toddler, and she does not eat well. I told her mommy, that I used to make vegetable cookies for her when she was little, to get her to take in nutrition. Thus, my daughter is feeding her daughter vegetable cookies now for nutrition.

The concept is so simple. Just use your favorite cookie recipe and add 1 can of mixed vegetables, drained, to it and you have vegetable cookies. The kids love them!

You can even puree the veggies if you like and add them to the recipe. Another suggestion is add only ground up or pureed carrots to the recipe.

I would cut back on the sugar to make them more nutritious. You can add raisins or blueberries to make it super nutritious.

Can you just imagine the relief you will have knowing that your toddler or child is eating something for a snack as nutritious as a vegetable cookie?

You can serve them with every meal they are so nutritious.

For a sweet treat, just add some butterscotch or chocolate morsels to the mixture and your cookies become sweet dillyitious!

In some recipes you may want to use less oil if the veggies are pureed.

You can use sugar cookie or oatmeal cookie recipes. You can also make muffins and add vegetables. All you need is imagination to take you further with this nutrition aspect in mind.

Sit back and enjoy watching your child eat and grow with these vegetable cookie treats.

Pass this on to your friends and family with little ones. They will love your for it!

Add Frozen Yogurt to Your Diet and Enjoy the Health Benefits

In regards to frozen yogurt, those in the know have already been enjoying its health benefits for years. It truly is a healthy option for dessert when you contemplate the alternatives. Consuming fro-yo is a healthy option to unhealthy dessert items like ice cream and custard, so add it to your diet and you'll be doing yourself a considerable favor. There is not a noticeable difference between ice cream and fro-yo, so your family probably won't even realize you've switched.

Frozen yogurt offers something ice cream doesn't, and what it offers makes it a much smarter choice. Common yogurt has live and active cultures that help the body in numerous ways. Scientific tests have shown that the cultures in yogurt may also play a role in joint health. They help your body digest the lactose in milk, plus they help with digestion in general. This helps people who are lactose intolerant with the digestion of yogurt. The cultures will remain in the yogurt when it's chilled, as long as the mixture isn't heated up too much prior to being flash frozen. After you consume frozen yogurt containing the inactive cultures, they become active again as they begin to warm up.

Frozen yogurt is much lower in fat than ice cream because it is made with a smaller level of milk fat. As opposed to using nearly 15 percent milk fat like ice cream does, it only uses approximately half a percent by volume. This helps it to still incorporate ample milk fat to maintain a smooth consistency, while holding the degree of added fat to a minimum. Individuals who are trying to find ways to eliminate undesirable fat from their diet should consider frozen yogurt as it's a good choice to replace ice cream.

There is one area where frozen yogurt and ice cream are equals, and it isn't a good one. With regards to sugar content, frozen yogurt and ice cream are both equally unhealthy for you. They each include excessive amounts of sugar, and as a result should be eaten in moderation. Check with your health practitioner prior to consuming frozen yogurt to ensure it's the best choice available for you. There may be reasons above and beyond the scope of this report as to why you should not make it a component of your diet plan. Calling your doctor now could save you from major problems later on.

Frozen yogurt is becoming much easier to locate than it once was, and you can get it in a number of places. It is now found at a large variety of restaurants, ranging from high-class institutions to smaller at your local strip mall. Dining establishments use big machines to make it, and the mixes they use occasionally doesn't contain the live and active bacteria that are beneficial to your system. You can also get it in the chilled foods area of your neighborhood grocery store. Again, the health advantages could be compromised based on how it was processed.

The only way to make sure that you are receiving the optimum health value is to produce it yourself at home using a frozen yogurt machine. Because you're procuring the yogurt on your own, you know that you will get the maximum health advantages from it. An additional advantage to making it on your own at home is it's possible to create toppings and flavors you are not able to locate at the store. You'll be able to sleep well knowing that you're generating the healthiest possible frozen treat for your spouse and children.

How to Make Healthy Smoothies at Home

If you really think about it, the main reason why people love smoothies is that they're delicious. The fact that they also happen to be nutritious is a bonus. Smoothies are popular because they provide a quick and easy way for people to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables they need each day. You don't even have to go to a smoothie bar for a delicious drink. You can make your own delicious beverage if you know how to make healthy smoothies at home.

If you think smoothies are difficult to make, you're in for a big surprise. A good blender is the only equipment you need to make a healthy smoothie at home. Fruits are an important ingredient in smoothies. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even throw in a vegetable or two.

Keep It Simple

You need a liquid foundation for your fruit smoothie. Use fruit juices, milk, or yogurt. If you're watching your weight, use water, green tea or low-fat milk. Some smoothie bars use ice cream as a base. You may not want this in your drink.

Adding ice makes your smoothie thicker.

Add Fruits

When you're making smoothies at home you can add lots of fruits to ensure that it's healthy. Add your favorite fruits. If you enjoy bananas, strawberries, blueberries, apples and oranges, add them to your drink. You may want to start with a single type of fruit but it won't be long before you'll be experimenting with different fruit combinations.

Bananas are sweet but have a bland flavor. They go well with most fruits including berries, melons, mangoes, papayas and peaches. Bananas provide carbohydrates, potassium and vitamins. They also make smoothies thicker.

Add Extra Nutrition

Fruit smoothies are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants. But did you know that you can make them more nutritious? The following tips will show you how to make healthier fruit smoothies at home:

Add yogurt, tofu, milk or soy milk to incorporate protein and calcium in your smoothie.

Avocado or crushed flaxseed adds healthy fats to your smoothie.

For extra nutrition and fiber, add vegetables such as spinach and carrots. Add a little at a time to get the taste and consistency that you like.

You can save a lot of money if you know how to make healthy smoothies at home. These delicious recipes only take a few minutes to make.

Citrus Berry Smoothie

1-1/4 cups fresh or frozen berries

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tbsp nonfat milk powder

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp toasted wheat germ (optional)

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Banana Strawberry Fruit Smoothie

1 banana, sliced and frozen

6 strawberries, frozen

1-1/4 cups water

1 tbsp skim milk powder

1 tbsp protein powder (optional)

1 tsp flax oil (optional)

Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Nutrition Facts About Chicken Breast

Losing weight, or even just trying to eat healthier, is a very challenging thing to do, but it can be easier if you understand what is in the foods you eat every day, so that you can make good choices in your diet. One thing that many people do not think about, is adding extra protein to your diet. Not only will protein help build muscles, it also helps you to feel fuller longer. Chicken breast can be a great source of protein and a wonderful addition to many diets.

Chicken breast is very easy to adapt and use in many different recipes, so you will not easily tire of eating it like you would some foods. Compared to many other meats, like steak or pork, chicken breast is much lower in fat and calories. The best way to insure that you are enjoying chicken and not hurting your diet is by preparing it with the skin removed. Removing the skin will drastically reduce the fat content and somewhat lower the calorie content. The flavor is not harmed by removing the skin, as long as the chicken is carefully prepared. Serving it grilled, baked or roasted will also make it much healthier than serving it fried or seared.

A skinless, grilled chicken breast has around 225 calories per eight ounce serving. This serving size can be cut down if you were serving it on a salad or in a dish, making it even more diet-friendly. The fat content in this size serving is around 5 grams, but this is mostly unsaturated fat which is the healthiest type of fat. Chicken is low in sodium, but you must be careful when preparing it not to overload it with salty sauces or spices. In addition to being a good source of protein, chicken breast is also a great source of niacin, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin b 6.

As you can see, chicken breast can be an important food for those who are dieting or simply trying to eat healthier. Simply, take care when choosing how it is prepared and it will help you to reach your nutritional goals.

Healthy Snacking - Your Way to Healthy Life

Healthy snacking is vital to stay healthy and it can include chips, crackers, bars, puffed snacks, and pretzels etc. Healthy snacks not only provide immense amount of energy to your body but also contribute in maintaining your body weight.

Most doctors recommend eating less amount of food at main meals and rather going for frequent smaller meals throughout the day. This improves your metabolism and the food that you eat gets digested faster by your body. Gone are the days when snacking was considered unhealthy. The availability of snacks such as Beanito's Bean Chips, Stacy's Pita Chips, Boulder Canyon, and Yoga chips etc. have encouraged a large number of people to get into healthy snacking habits.

The ingredients present in these snacks are natural and do not include trans fats or preservatives. These snacks are excellent for people who experience difficulty in maintaining blood sugar levels because they are a good source of carbohydrates which help with blood sugar control.

These snacks are great to satiate the frequent hunger pangs. The long gap between the regular meals can be easily handled by relying on some healthful choices such as Terra chips, Deep River Snacks, etc. Instead of feasting your body on snacks that are rich in calories, make a habit of munching snacks that can provide your body with some essential nutrients and vitamins. Above all, these naturally snacks also act as a great source of energy.

All you need to do is to develop the habit of healthy snacking and you will surely be amazed to see the number of benefits that it will provide you with. There are numerous websites that offer delicious but healthy snacks. The best part about these snacks is that they are packaged under extremely hygienic conditions and offer limited portion size. These snacks are free of viruses and bacteria that often lead to a number of diseases. Buying the snacks from a reliable online snack warehouse provides you with easy access to the whole range of delicious and healthy snacks. So, you can now enjoy healthy snacking anytime you want!