Summer Barbecues With Healthy Smoothies

When it's that time of year, and you are ready to take the cover off the barbecue, picnic food comes to mind. The perfect hamburger or hot dog, potato chips, and just in case there's just too much stodge on the table, plates of assorted delicious salads.

I love creating colorful plates of vegetables and cheese as well as adding some home made dressings, usually made from crumbled goats cheese, fresh herbs and a touch of olive oil and wine vinegar. In the past, we've stopped there, but this year we've taken our picnic menu one stage further and incorporated drinks. Not corn syrup fueled, canned concoctions, but wholesome fruits and vegetables but together in a smoothie.

Frozen bananas make a great base, providing a creamy texture that's unbeatable. Then it's simply a case of collecting and combining what's available in the shops at a reasonable price.Strawberries make fabulous smoothies, combine them with the frozen banana, a little apple juice and some yogurt for a creamy drink, or perhaps a little ice cream. Best of all you can really brighten any picnic by having a strawberry theme. Add strawberries to your green salads, or join the celebrities by enjoying them Wimbledon style, served with real whipped cream, after all if you have a blender it can probably whip cream too, and the real thing is so much nicer than the aerosol can!

Best of all are strawberries with cream cheese, or strawberries with champagne. Eat a strawberry, take a sip, or use your blender to create a fabulous strawberry champagne sorbet to finish off your summer barbecue in style.Another wonderful thing about strawberries is that they are easy to grow. Even if all you have is a balcony or small patio you can grow strawberries in towers, and be certain that what you are eating has not been contaminated in any way. If there is anyone in your family who suffers from a strawberry allergy, grow the white variety as the allergic reaction is linked to the red pigment.

Bananas make an excellent base for smoothies, especially when frozen, but some people really hate the texture. What's more it can take searching to find good organic juices without extra sugar or flavorings to add to your blended creations. One way to solve that problem is to buy a juicer. A lot of people get confused about juicers thinking they are just the same as blenders, but no. Blenders work by chopping things up into really fine pieces. Juicers actually separate the juice from the pulp, so if you are looking for the best option, use a juicer to extract the juice from your apples, pears etc (or green vegetables) and mix that juice in your blender to build a smoothie you can be confident has no additives at all.

So many people think only of canned drinks when planning a picnic. They seem so convenient, but there is very little effort in preparing a pitcher of cold, delicious smoothie, the ideal healthy drink for spending time in the sun.

Why Healthy Food is Important

Your body uses good healthy food to create the energy needed for you to move around, work and enjoy life. The fruits, vegetables, meats and fish that you eat on a regular basis all provide your body with what it needs through the nutrients they contain. Energy by definition is the ability to do work. Your body takes the foods you eat and breaks them down so that their stored energy can be used on a daily basis. The amount of energy that a food provides is measured in the number of calories that it contains. The more calories means the more energy available.

In addition to a certain amount of calories each day your body also requires a balanced variety of six different kinds of nutrients in order to function well. These provide the necessary energy and materials to help repair your body after an exercise session. You may have heard the term essential nutrients, but what are they? Basically these are the nutrients that your body cannot make for itself and need to come from eating good healthy food.

Water

We are made up of about 80% water. You can live a few days without eating, but you need water on a daily basis. Did you know that you continually lose water from your body when you breathe and sweat? Many people don't realize that they lose water when they are sleeping at night. Here is a good health tip, drink one to two 8oz. glasses of water as soon as you wake up. You will start hydrating your body and give what it continually needs, water. Then spread out another six to eight glasses throughout the day to maintain a good water balance in your body.

Carbohydrates

Carbs as they are commonly called, along with fats are needed by your body to produce energy. One (1) gram of carbohydrates contain about four (4) calories. So if you are feeling tired, listless or irritable, it may be because you aren't getting enough good healthy energy producing carbohydrates. Add some good vegetables and fruits to your daily diet plan and avoid the sugary drinks and candies. Yes they have carbohydrates in them, but in the form of sugars and they are not as good for your body as the fruits and vegetables are.

Fats

Fats are shunned by many people especially when they start dieting and are trying to lose weight. However, your body needs a certain amount of fats to function properly and maintain healthy skin, nails and hair. Also, one (1) gram of fat contains a whopping nine (9) calories. So don't cut out all the fat in your diet, instead, switch from eating bad fat sources to good fat sources.

Proteins

Protein is a very important nutrient that many people do not get enough of. Protein can be used by the body as energy, one (1) gram of protein has four (4) calories. However, it serves a much more needed function by providing the necessary materials that your body needs to repair and heal itself, especially after a grueling workout. It is well known that if you are exercising regularly you need to take in good quality sources of protein to help recover from your workouts.

Here is something that most people don't realize:

Your body uses fats to help properly breakdown proteins so they can be absorbed better. That is one of the reasons that low carb, high fat and protein diets are used by people trying to reduce their body fat. These type of diets work in the short term, but after a while those people become irritable and cranky because they cut out all carbohydrates. I know when I cut my carbs when I prepared for a bodybuilding contest, I would be moody and grumpy, but then on my cheat day my attitude improved.

Vitamins & Minerals

Your body needs an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals on a daily basis. These two nutrients work in your body to help in all its functions. Everyday functions such as moving around, thinking, healing sore muscles and injuries as well as helping to break down the carbs, fats and proteins you eat for energy all require vitamins and minerals. One of the best ways to make sure you get enough is to take a good multivitamin everyday.

So, in order to build and maintain a strong healthy energetic body, you need to eat good healthy food and drink water. Avoiding any one form of nutrients will through your body out of balance as well as affect your energy levels. Make sure you add enough water to your diet and balance out the amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins so you can live healthy, well and enjoy life.

Staying Healthy With an Asian Food Diet

If you are looking for a healthy form of diet to stick with, why not try the Asian food diet plan? The food, when well-planned and eaten moderately, is one of the healthiest types of food you can find. Some Asian foods are found to decrease the chances of getting heart diseases, cancer, and other types of diseases.

The foods that are emphasized in the Asian culture are different from the Western food diet. While the Western diet mainly seek for protein from milk and meat, the Asian diet have a variety of sources for protein, like rice, beans, fish, grains and nuts, which allows them to attain other nutrients that come with such ingredients. Food like meat, poultry and eggs are taken sparingly, which happens to be a good thing as research has found that meat and meat products are associated with heart diseases and cancer.

The foods that are eaten in every meal would usually consist of rice, noodle, bread, or grains, which would then be complemented with meat, vegetable, and fruit dishes. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, so it provides the antioxidants needed to dispel free radicals in the body that can cause cancer. They are also a good source of vitamins to help with the bodily functions.

Soy is also a popular component in the Asian diet. You can especially find them in Japanese food, where soy is made into a variety of products like beverage, soup, food, or even snack, and can be easily found in supermarkets, making it an accessible choice of food. People with lactose intolerance often choose soy products for their source of protein and calcium. It also helps lower cholesterol, apart from many other of its goodness. When it comes to dairy products, except for India, they are not taken as often as in Western countries. Many Asian women suffer from osteoporosis, thus, you will need to include calcium in the diet as well to make perfect your diet.

To complete the Asian diet would be the beverage. The traditional drinks consist of tea, which helps lower cholesterol while flushing out free radicals that causes cancer and heart diseases. If you are looking for healthy Asian recipes, Japanese food is one of the best examples around, as their population is one with the longest life expectanc