Healthy Snacks

Snacking has become a way of life for both adults and children. A recent study reported that over 95 percent of the women and children in this country have at least one snack each day. Many common snack foods are high in fat, sugar and sodium. If these foods are used for snacks frequently, they can affect our health. Snacks can be good for us if we make good choices. Children especially may benefit from healthy snacks. They often cannot eat enough at three meals a day to satisfy their hunger and provide all of the nutrients they need. Snacks can provide the additional foods they need. Snack Tips Plan snacks as a part of the day's food plan. When shopping, let children help pick out fruits, vegetables, and cheeses for snacks. They will be more interested in eating these foods if they have been involved in selecting them. Set aside a "snack spot" in the refrigerator and cupboard; keep it stocked with nutritious ready-to-eat snacks. Offer snacks at regular times, such as midmorning and midafternoon. Don't let children nibble constantly during the day. Avoid high sugar, fatty and salty snacks, such as candy and soda pop. Snacks are a good way to introduce new foods. Include a game or activity to learn about the new food and let the child help fix it. Plan snacks to help meet the suggested number of servings per day from the Food Guide Pyramid: 6 to 11 servings from the breads, cereal, rice and pasta group; 3 to 5 servings from the vegetable group; 2 to 4 servings from the fruit group; 2 to 3 servings from the milk, cheese and yogurt group; and 2 to 3 servings meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and dry beans group. Never offer food as a reward for good behavior. Simple Healthy Snack Ideas Raw vegetables, such as celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, green beans, cucumbers, mushrooms or zucchini may be served with a lowfat dip. Fresh fruit in season, cut in slices or halves, such as apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, grapefruit, grapes, melons, pears, plums or strawberries. Lowfat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana or bran. Non-sugared cereals, snack mixes made with popcorn and whole grain cereal. Lowfat yogurt with fresh, frozen or canned fruit. Shakes with lowfat milk or yogurt and fruit. Unsweetened fruit juices. Pyramid Tortilla Recipe Here is an easy to do snack. For each person you will need: 1 8-inch tortilla 2 ounces thin sliced turkey or ham 2 Tablespoons shredded cheese 1/4 cup shredded lettuce 1 Tablespoon raisins Lowfat mayonnaise, cream cheese, or margarine Give each person a tortilla. Have them spread with mayonnaise, margarine or cream cheese. Then layer on the meat, cheese, lettuce and raisins. Roll up and enjoy. This snack could also be made using a slice of bread or an English muffin. Written by: Barbara Farner, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness, University of Illinois Extension. Manteno Extension Center. Edited by: Katherine J. Reuter, Educator, Consumer and Family Economics Countryside Extension Center

Healthy eating tips

A healthy diet should include a good variety of nutritious foods. These include breads, pastas, fruits and vegetables. Eating breakfast is also an important part of a healthy diet. Healthy diets contain a variety of foods In general, we should all eat: A wide variety of nutritious foods Plenty of breads and cereals (particularly wholegrain), vegetables, legumes (such as chickpeas) and fruit Low salt foods, and use salt sparingly Small amounts of foods which contain added sugars. Physical activity A good balance between exercise and food intake is important, as this helps to maintain a healthy body weight. About 30 minutes of physical activity, such as walking, is recommended every day. Keep fat to a minimum Adult diets should be low in fat, especially saturated fat. Saturated fat, which is the predominant fat in animal products, is more easily deposited as fat tissue than unsaturated fats. Saturated fat can also be converted into cholesterol and cause blood cholesterol levels to rise. Small amounts of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats may have some health benefits when they are part of a healthy diet. Polyunsaturated fats are generally thought to lower blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, are thought to have an anti-clotting effect on blood and may lower blood pressure. Eat less high kilojoule foods The total amount of energy-dense (high kilojoule) foods you eat may be as important as the total amount of fat in your diet. To reduce the energy density of your diet, you need to increase the amount of plant foods you eat. This will provide essential nutrients, help to make you feel ‘full’ and also reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Eat foods rich in calcium and iron It is important for all Australians to eat foods which contain iron and calcium. In particular: Calcium – is important for infants, women and girls. Iron – is important for women, girls, vegetarians and athletes. Drink alcohol in moderation A healthy diet can include a moderate amount of alcohol (men should drink less than two standard drinks per day and women less than one standard drink per day). Alcohol should not be given to children. Healthy diets for babies and children Follow these guidelines to help encourage a healthy diet for your infant or child: Babies – encourage your baby to breastfeed for the first year of life. In most cases, breastfeeding should be the only source of food in the first six months. If you use formula, be careful not to overfeed or underfeed your baby. Sugar – children should eat only a small amount of foods that contain sugar. Low fat diets – these are not appropriate for infants and young children under two years of age. A diet low in fat, especially saturated fat, may be considered for older children. Drinks – infants and children should be encouraged to choose water as their preferred drink. Don’t let children skip breakfast Children who skip breakfast generally have below average nutrition. Their diets contain less: Calcium Iron Dietary fibre Vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin. Skipping breakfast becomes more common as children get older. Some schools have introduced breakfast programs because they were concerned about children who skip breakfast. Children did better in school once the program was introduced. Tips for easy breakfasts Here are some easy-to-prepare, healthy breakfast ideas: Fresh fruit with wholegrain breakfast cereal and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated). Toast with cheese and tomato. Hot or cold reduced fat milk. Rolled oats with sultanas and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated). Orange juice. Baked beans on toast. Orange juice. Where to get help Your doctor An accredited practising dietitian (APD) www.daa.asn.au Nutrition Australia www.nutritionaustralia.org Things to remember Calcium and iron are important nutrients in our diets. Infants and young children should not be placed on low fat diets. Encourage infants and children to choose water as their preferred drink. Children will have better nutrition and do better at school if they eat breakfast.

10 Tips To Healthy Eating

Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them. Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices. Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly. If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern. Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

Chinese Green Tea: The Mystical Concoction

Citing an ancient Chinese proverb, which undermines the importance of tea was the best commencement of the article, so I thought! Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one. Understanding the gravity of the proverb automatically makes believe the importance of green tea. Prayed in China the mystical light coloured concoction has captured the world and a sort of a cult of green tea lovers has been formed.

Cow's Milk-Retracing Footsteps In Time

Although very difficult to ascertain documents suggest that the practice of drinking cow’s milk is ancient, calculated as old as 6,000 – 8,000 B.C. Milk and other dairy products were so highly valued in ancient Egypt that only the very wealthy could afford to consume them. Beginning in the 5th century A.D., the milk of cows and sheep began to be especially prized in Europe, but it wasn’t until the 14th century that the demand for cow’s milk began to outpace that of milk from sheep. Dairy cows did not make an appearance in America until the early 17th century, when they were brought over from Europe. Milk pasteurization began in the very late 19th century, although it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that a more refined technique, ultra-high temperature pasteurization, was introduced.

Super Foods

Cancer And Super Foods: Their World The most dreaded and rampart diseases today are diabetes and cancer. The interesting thing is that recent researches have proved that both these can be controlled by nutrition and diet. In the same league as social and preventive medicine c is the mantra for today's health conscious people. Cancer is a condition when the cells in the body start behaving abnormally and divide at a very fast rate. This interferes with the normal functioning of the body and is the cause of alarm. Progressive researchers have identified 10 super foods, which help in controlling and preventing cancer. No cure is on offer as yet, but they certainly work like magic foods. What follows, will be your visit and a peep in the world of these Super foods. 1.Apples 2.Berries 3.Broccoli Sprouts 4.Garlic 5.Pineapple 6.Pumpkin 7.Soyabeans 8.Spinach 9.Tea 10.Tomato

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods

Australia's leading health research body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), suggests that Australians should eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly - one or two serves weekly - may reduce the risk of diseases ranging from childhood asthma to prostate cancer. Healthy ways to enjoy fish include baked, poached, grilled and steamed.

Vegetarianism is Gaining Popularity Among German Teens

Vegetarianism is growing in popularity in Germany and an increasing number of teenage boys and girls are choosing to follow meat-free diets. But if you are considering dropping meat and fish from your diet, then make sure to get enough essential nutrients from other food sources. Mandy Kritz has not eaten meat or fish in eight years. "When I was 14 it became clear to me that the cow grazing in a meadow is the same animal that ends up as meat on my plate," says the 22-year-old from the southern German town of Tuebingen about what motivates her. She stopped eating meat but that brought new problems. "My mother thought it was a bad idea for me to become a vegetarian," Kritz recalls. But she kept to her decision and began cooking for herself, she added. "I showed my family that vegetarian cooking has more to offer than just potatoes with vegetables," Kritz says. Dietician and author Dagmar von Cramm agrees. Von Cramm says there is nothing to be said against following a vegetarian diet, not even for schoolchildren. "The only thing that might be in short supply is iron which is found in large quantities in meat," says von Cramm. Young girls should take ensure that their iron levels do not sink when menstruating as the loss of blood leads to a loss of iron in the body. Alternative sources of dietary iron are nuts and whole food products. As long as a good source of iron has been found there is nothing wrong with a child becoming vegetarian, according to the Research Institute for Child Nutrition in Dortmund. "But you do need greater awareness of food products than most people have," says Mathilde Kersting, the institute's deputy head. Kersting says you just need to know which food products supply which nutrients. But Kersting and von Cramm are critical when it comes to a vegan diet. Vegans do not eat meat and fish and exclude all animal products from their diet such as milk, eggs and honey. "It's possible to follow this form of diet but it requires a very high degree of knowledge of nutrition," says von Cramm. Kersting says she doubts whether young adults are able to follow a balanced vegan diet, but advises seeking professional advice if they should choose to do so. Norbert Moch, nutrition expert at Germany's Vegetarian Association, agrees. Moch says vegans must pay special attention to their intake of the B12 vitamin, which is normally found in animal products. Vegans no longer have B12 in their body after following the diet for a time. Moch has been a vegan for 12 years and advises anyone thinking of becoming vegans to inform themselves thoroughly beforehand. Source-IANS SRM/B

Milk Replaces Fluids and Salts Better Than Water and Sports Drink

Water and sports drink don't hold a patch to milk when it comes to replacing the fluid and salts lost through sweat after exercising. Milk is rich in sodium, potassium and other salts that are vital for health but lost in large quantities through sweat. Physiologist Susan Shirreffs at Loughborough University's school of sport found that drinking a glass of milk is what people should be doing after a workout, for it keeps the body rehydrated four times longer than either water or sports drinks. Dr Shirreffs, as a part of her study, analysed the effects of different drinks a group of young men and women in their early 20s after they had trained on exercise bikes in a hot room. She found that not only did milk keep the subjects rehydrated for four hours as compared to the one hour with Water and Powerade, a sports drink by Coca-Cola, but that the combination of sugar, fat and protein in milk is removed from the body less slowl. Dr Shirreffs said that the study showed that milk was a good alternative to water and costly sports drinks for people, especially athletes. "It will give them a little bit of protein and a little bit of carbohydrate and is cheaper as well," the Daily Mail quoted her, as saying. Dr Carole Lowis, of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, said: 'As a means of getting fluid back into your system, milk offers a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent drink for anyone who is serious about their health and wellbeing.'

Chinese Green Tea: The Mystical Concoction

Citing an ancient Chinese proverb, which undermines the importance of tea was the best commencement of the article, so I thought! Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one. Understanding the gravity of the proverb automatically makes believe the importance of green tea. Prayed in China the mystical light coloured concoction has captured the world and a sort of a cult of green tea lovers has been formed.

Broccoli and Cabbage Slash Prostate Cancer Risks By Half

A new study from the US National Cancer Institute in Maryland says that eating cauliflower and broccoli twice a week, can almost halve a man's chances of developing an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Between them, cauliflower can cut the chances of developing the cancer by 52 per cent, while broccoli can reduce the risk by as much as 45 per cent, say researchers. Although the two vegetables have long been thought to protect against the disease, this is the first study to show they are particularly good at preventing dangerous forms of prostate cancer. At the same time, this study shows that other fruits and vegetables do not have the same impact. The findings stemmed from a survey of 29,000 men spanning four years. They were regularly screened for signs of prostate cancer. Researchers also monitored their eating habits, particularly their intake of different vegetables. The results published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute also question the cancer-preventing powers of foods such as tomatoes. In the study, the researchers could notice that the numbers diagnosed with fast-growing tumors likely to spread through the body, were much lower for those who ate broccoli or cauliflower at least once a week. Incidentally, these vegetables are thought to be rich in compounds that protect against damage to DNA. Almost 32,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in Britain, and 10,000 men die from it which is, more than one an hour. The risks increase with age; men over 50 more likely to develop a tumor. A strong genetic link exists too.