Low cab diets have some great benefits on our health. Low carb foods can help you shed a few extra pounds. With such a diet you would be able to have more energy, feel more energetic and healthier and you have more stable blood sugar levels.

Breakfast

 Eggs and bacon for breakfast have zero crabs. Tea, coffee and water are also zero carb beverages. If you have a single slice of white or wheat bread with a little butter then also the intake of carb is less than oatmeal oatmeal doesn’t even give you the full feeling and hence you tend to consume more of it.

 Lunch

 If you go for sandwiches during lunch then you would be consuming a lot of cheese. Instead of the cheese you can use mayonnaise or mustard sauce in your sandwich. Breads add a lot of carbs to your body and you can cut down the carbs from it by adding things that have low carbs.  Raw vegetables and fruits can be used for an interesting lunch. Mix some fresh cream or yogurt. It won’t be just tasty but healthy too. This also makes a good snack to enjoy at any time during the day.

 Dinner

 Fish and meat are all choices that are carbohydrate free. You need to keep in mind that the seasoning on these foods should be carbs free. Most salad dressings have carbohydrates but butter does not have. Don’t forget that butter has a lot of fats so you can’t have too much of butter also.  Seasonings can have carbohydrates in them, so check the packages for exact information. You include some form of pasta, rice or bread in your dinner which adds a lot of carb.

A better choice as a side dish with any dinner, or other meal, is fresh vegetables. A large stalk of cooked broccoli only has 20 grams of carbs. A cup of cooked, sliced carrots only has 6.5 grams of carbs.

Counting the carbs and limiting the intake of them can be challenging. However, the benefits of increased energy, weight loss and better blood sugar control make the changes worthwhile and worth continuing for a lifetime.

Low carb diets are said to be healthy and there are many benefits of low carb diets too. Low carb foods can help you reduce a few extra pounds. With such a diet you would be able to have more energy, feel more energetic and healthier and you have more stable blood sugar levels.

You are a working woman and have to leave house in the morning soon after your kids leave for school. You don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen and therefore you resort to cooking food that takes less of cooking time. Is the food that you are cooking healthy? You can save cooking time but you should not compromise on nutritional value.

Tips for Fast Healthy Eating

Shopping for food items

Food preparation starts from grocery shopping. This is the most important part of your cooking. Don’t just buy products, buy products that have nutritional values and are low cholesterol, high energy etc. for products like butter and cheese look for low fat versions. You just need to spare a little valuable time for some healthy cooking.

How to cook

There are many who cannot cook and use it as an excuse to munch on anything and everything. Cooking is not difficult, and can be done easily if you really wish to. The internet is loaded with recipes and shelves in the book stores are staked with recipe books. Find out fast recipes and learn them to make your diet healthy.

Easy and healthy cooking

Go to the market and fetch the ingredients. Bring fresh vegetables and fruits. Make a meal that you don’t have to cook and that would be ready for consumption without much of your time and efforts. Fruits require no cooking so fruits are a great option to fill your stomach and keep you healthy. Prepare a quick salad that you would relish. For cooking vegetables you may use your microwave as well, which would reduce your cooking time.

Freeze your food

You may not get time for a healthy cooking everyday so you may cook when you find time and put it in the freezer. When you eat you can just warm the food and eat it. This is another good option to have healthy food without spending much time.

Eating out

I am sure you like to eat out but you should not make it a habit. Once in a while it is good to eat out but if you eat out regularly then it may may be harmful to your health. Make your own healthy food at home for 15 days and when you achieve your goal then gift yourself a classic dinner in a restaurant.

It is true that in this competitive world life is very busy but you cannot compromise with the food that you eat. You will be able to handle you work and other activities well only if you are healthy and good food can keep you healthy.

Easter sunday is fast approacing and I am sure you are planning to host a dinner or a special treat fro your family. You would wish to serve delicacies  that are not only tasty but also easy to cook. I have a few recipes that you can try at home for the Easter Dinner. 

Ham with Appricot & brown sugar

Ingredients

1 (10 pound) fully-cooked spiral cut ham
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

steps to prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).

2. Place the ham onto a sheet of aluminum foil, put the cut ide down. you may put the shiny    side up.

3. Mix together the brown sugar, apricot jam and mustard powder in a small bowl.

4. With a pastry or barbeque brush smear the ham with the mixture . Reserve any leftover glaze.

5. After coating the hams enclose foil around the ham and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

6. Roast for 2 hours in the preheated oven, or if you ham is a different size, figure 14 minutes per pound. Apply the remaining glaze 20 minutes before the ham is done.

Pepper and honey Chops

Ingredients

3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 1/8 pounds lamb or mutton chops
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon diced green chile pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon anise seed

Directions

1.Mix honey, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce in a shallow baking dish.

2. Place the lamb chop into the mixture then cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

3. Heat olive oil in a shallow wok over medium-high heat.

4. Add the anise seed, garlic, onions and green chilies, and saute until the onion is tender. this might take about 5 minutes.

5. before the onions start taking the brown colour place the lamb chops and marinade into the pan, and stir.

6. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove lid, and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated.

7. Now Stir in green onions, and cook, stirring, until the internal temperature of the meat has reached 145 degrees F (63 degrees C)

There won’t be anybody who would not enjoy shopping. Normally , women love shopping for jewelry or clothes and men love to shop for gadgets . But when it comes to shopping for grocery most people do it half heartedly . You can make your grocery shopping also interesting . When I go grocery shopping I make sure utilize the time and procure the best of the items.

Shopping plan

Discount or gift coupons

You may collect the local grocery store’s coupons and flyers from your mail and the newspaper. With these advertisements you can find out the best possible bargains and accordingly decide your menu for the week. Look for discounts and other offers but be very careful while buying frozen stuff on discount, they may be nearing expiry, so the discount . Keep the coupons that you would require . Don’t carry extra coupons; they would only entice you to buy extra stuffs, blowing your budget.

Check pantry

When you make your shopping list check your refrigerator, freezer and pantry for the available stuff. You would not want to buy extra food stuff and store them at your place. Purchase only those food stuffs that are not there and you would need to consume.

Shopping list

Prepare your shopping list rationally. Normally you would visit the store that you visit regularly so you can make the list according to the layout of the store. This way you don’t forget important items. Add some treats to your list so that you don’t get tempted to buy many interesting food items that are displayed.

Shopping at the Grocery Store

 Shop for produce first

Shop the produce section first. Produce is generally located as soon as you pass the main entrance to the grocery store, pick up your fruits and veggies first. You may look for discounts here but don’t forget to check the freshness. These are perishable stuffs and may be discounted when they get a bit old.

Staple food stuffs

Next in line are the staple food items. Your coupons may have money offs for these stuffs so check your coupons to avail the discounts. You can always talk to the customer service people before picking up the stuffs. They may help you finding the products available on the coupons. While picking up the items watch for the damaged cans and boxes. Damaged boxes may contain spoilt foods within.

Frozen items

Once you are done with all your purchases of regular requirements, its turn for you to move to the refrigerated section. These are perishable goods. Check their expiry dates before picking them up. You should pick the frozen items last because they tend to get spoilt in room temperature. 

Treat

So, you are done with your shopping and now its time for the treat that was on your list. My treat is always an ice cream. Even you can try one!!

Garlic not only adds flavor to your food but also has many health benefits. A few flakes of garlic change the taste and nutritional benefits of your food. I put garlic into the hot oil before putting onions into it for caramelizing. Here are a few benefits of garlic that I have known from people and through internet.

Colds

From ages it is believed and established that garlic has the power to cure cold. You might think as to how garlic flakes cure common cold. Well, it has been seen that garlic cloves improve the immune system. This gives a boost to the natural defense system . Regular consumption of garlic improves the immune system and protects the body from viral infections

Cancer

As I mentioned earlier, garlic improves the immune system therefore a healthy immune system has the ability to fight cancer. Scientific researches on humans and animals have determined that garlic has the capability to reduce the formation of cancerous cells. Garlic restricts cancer causing compounds from forming, and slow the growth of tumor cells. Garlic is especially helpful in blocking oesophagal, breast, stomach, prostate and bladder cancer. Researches have shown that compounds in garlic also have the ability to reduce the size of tumor by half.

Heart Disease

Heart diseases are caused by many factors but the many benefits of garlic also have therapeutic values too. High level of cholesterol causes heart diseases and garlic has a quality to lower the cholesterol level. Age, poor diet, smoking and some environmental factors cause the heart’s blood vessel, aorta, to stiffen. This makes it difficult for the blood vessel to maintain the blood pressure. Studies show that consumption of garlic helps to keep the blood vessel flexible and hence keeps heart diseases away.

Hypertension

Garlic has the ability to control your blood pressure by thinning the blood. It also prevents forming of clots. Researches show that people who consume garlic have fewer incidences of hypertension and heart disease.

Infection

Garlic is said to have anti bacterial properties. It also has antiviral and antifungal abilities. It is effective against intestinal parasites, recurrent yeast infections and the growth of candida albicans is slowed by garlic. Garlic can help by stimulating T-cells that help fight infection.

Garlic is just an aid to antibiotics in fighting infections, but it is not enough to replace them. Moreover, your doctor needs to know if you plan to begin supplementing garlic. If you are under medication for high blood pressure or are scheduled for surgery, garlic intake can affect due to its blood thinning and anticoagulative properties, so it is a must to consult your physician before making any changes in your diet.

Is a raw vegetable diet too cumbersome to maintain?

I feel it’s easy to maintain raw food diet rather than cooking them and spending hours in preparations. If you have an organized kitchen with proper storage containers and you are able to store then it is easy for you to maintain the diet. You may explore the produce markets and find out the new fruits and vegetables available. You may experiment with recipes too.

Will you consume bacteria with raw vegetables?

All vegetables are required to be stored carefully and they must be touched with clean hands and stored in clean places. It is recommended that you consume fresh vegetables and fruits as soon as possible. Avoid storing too much of raw vegetables at home. Bacteria tend to grow on old food stuffs. Raw cultured vegetables have lactobacilli which is also present in our digestive tract. These bacteria are beneficial for your body. Moreover, it is not necessary that all bacteria die when the food is cooked.

Does a raw food diet supply enough nutrition?

Yes, a raw foods diet supplies all vital vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that the body needs to thrive. It hydrates the body with its natural water contents so you don’t have to consume 8-10 glasses of water per day. Fresh vegetables have the capacity to detoxify the body to remove the toxic substances from the body. Green leafy vegetables have the highest protein content and are very good for the body.

Do raw foods taste bad?

Taste of the food depends on how you prepare the food. Even if you don’t cook the food you can make it tasty and presentable. The natural juices in the food are so tasty that you won’t even require seasoning the food stuffs. All this depends as to how present the food.

Do you need to eat only raw food diet to avail the benefits?

Raw food diet can give you a flawless skin, high vitality, immunity for many diseases but this does not mean that your diet should be 100% raw. Have raw food for a few days and then reward yourself regularly by eating some cooked delicacies. More of raw vegetables is good but it is not necessary to have all of raw food. 

Can we have variation in raw food diet?

Why can’t we have a variety in raw foods, there are so many fruits, vegetables nuts, seeds and grains to eat. Try to mix and match them and place them on the plate to make look interesting and attractive.

Is raw vegetables diet costly?

When you start consuming raw vegetables you may initially feel that your expenses are going beyond your budget. You would shop more for fresh, organic, local produce or because you would be buying different cooking tools for your kitchen. It’s a one time expenditures not a regular one. In spite of this if you try raw diet then you would realize that you are actually saving money on it.

Advantages of green tea on our health are diverse and a cup of green tea can be like panacea for many ailments . For thousands of years Asians have been using green tea as a medicine to cure many ailments but with fresh researches scientists have found out that it has therapeutic values and hence it is now being widely used throughout the globe.

1. Increases vivacity

It is not only medicinal but it has values which can increase your spirit and energy.

2. weight management

A regular and balanced intake of green tea assists weight loss. It accelerates the energy usage of the body. It has the capacity to increase the metabolism in the body and therefore effects in reducing weight. It also effectively reduces cholesterol levels in the body.

3. Cancer

Some studies say that green tea diet can remove cancer cells and causes no harm to other healthy cells and tissues. This is a possible cure for cancer. Green tea has high content of EGCG anti-oxidants which have the ability to curb the growth of new cancer cells.

4. Blood Clot

The content of EGCG also stops the formation of blood clots. Blood clots normally cause thrombosis which may cause strokes or heart attacks.

5. Skin care

Including green tea in your regular diet can keep your skin protected from ultra violet rays of the sun. It is a great natural treatment for acne and a cheaper alternative to expensive toners or astringents. Many cosmetics these days contain green tea.

6. Tooth decay

It prevents tooth decay. So if you include green tea in your diet that means you are increasing your bacteria destroying power. This not only helps to prevent food poisoning but also kills the bacteria that cause dental plaque.

7. Cure for many diseases

It is used to prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It also helps in treating impaired immune functions.

It is believed that green tea causes sleep disorders or insomnia because of the available caffeine but if you compare the caffeine level with that of coffee then coffee has more caffeine. Green tea has become a part of home remedies for many regular and serious diseases . Include it in your diet and feel the ecstasy of this tasty, hot beverage.

Surfing through the internet I came across an shocking data; it says, 300,000 cases of hospitalization occur due to food poisoning and this even takes away 5000 lives annually . Eating adulterated or contaminated food is the reason for what causes food poisoning. Bacteria from old food and drinks get into the body and attack the body. 

Frozen food

We normally buy frozen food stuffs. When you go out for shopping don’t purchase the frozen stuff first. Once you are over with your shopping and ready to head off to home then purchase your frozen foods. Thinking why I am insisting on this? Well, cold foods are kept in deep freezers and when they are exposed to normal temperature, which is much higher than the freezer, they get infected by bacteria. These bacteria finally attack our body when we consume the food stuff. So it is rather better to buy them late and freeze them as soon as you are home.

Expired Food

Expired food stuffs are the most hazardous . Before buying any food, check the expiry date. Close to expiry date, shop owners reduce the cost of the foods. You may get lured towards the cheap rates but before buying , stop for a moment to think why the price has been brought down. They decrease the price of the stuffs when they realize the food would expire within a few days or has already expired. You can’t jeopardize any life just to save a bit of money.

Frozen Meat

Frozen poultry, meat or fish must be cooked within two days of purchase. You may find it convenient to store food items in your freezer for a week but it is recommended not to do so. Two days is the maximum time to store meat stuffs. You might have to go for food shopping quite often but then it is worth it if you are healthy.

Storing meat

You must store red meat and poultry separately. Together they might get cross contaminated and cause troubles to you.

Uncovered food

Many a times we forget to cover our food. We keep food uncovered in the kitchen or on the dinning table and consume the food after a few hours. Bacteria and other germs settle on the food stuff making it unhygienic and impure. Even if for a minute, it is highly recommended to keep all food stuffs covered.

Eating while Traveling

You food is attacked by bacteria and germs when you eat while traveling or while walking on the road. I would say, never have food while traveling but I would say keep your food covered with a foils etc. while eating so that only the portion that is to be eaten in a bite is exposed and the rest is covered and safe for eating.

Food infections can be avoided easily but only if you take a little precaution and care while storing and buying your food stuffs. Without food there cannot be life so don’t make your food a life taker.