Posts Tagged ‘Nutritional Value’

Healthy Diets – Is this the World’s Healthiest Diet?

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

The Japanese enjoy one of the healthiest diets on earth. Japan’s population has the lowest level of obesity in the developed world and people tend to live longer than any other country.

The Japanese diet is an easy and fun diet to follow.

Healthy Diets should be Effortless

There are major concerns over low or no carb diets, such as the Atkins diet. These diets are not natural, and aside from health concerns, many people find them difficult to follow.

The Japanese diet is natural and a sensible way to eat (similar to the Mediterranean diet) and like most healthy diets it is not difficult to follow.

The Perfect Healthy Diet for Everyone

The traditional Japanese diet is very low in cholesterol, fat, and calories and high in fiber and here are the eight secrets of its success:

1. Eat Rice

How many times in a week do you eat rice? For the Japanese it is normally daily.

Rice is rich in carbohydrates and proteins it is the basis of the Japanese diet.

2. Eat More Fish

The Japanese eat about 70kg of fish per person per year, that’s four times as much as the average for the rest of the world.

Eating fish (particularly oily fish) lowers the risk of disease and increases vitality.

3. Eat Soya

The Japanese eat 10 times more Soya produce than any other nation. Low in calories and fat and high in protein Soya is also packed with plant oestrogen.

4. Variety

A recent study showed that Japanese people eat an average of 100 different foods a week, compared to just 30 in other western countries. This well balanced diet provides all the nutrients the body needs.

A premium is also placed upon freshness and natural flavor; people like to eat ingredients at their “shun” or “now-in-season” in Japanese.

Eating the ingredients in season provides variety and a better way to get all the nutrients you need naturally; also a lot of raw foods are eaten that have a higher nutritional value than heavily cooked foods.

5. Portion Control

Portions tend to be smaller and are savored, and it is this portion control that stops binging and over eating.

Each portion is eaten slowly, so the stomach has more time to register when it is full. Eating slowly also aids digestion and absorption of the nutrients in the food.

6. Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, giving a boost of energy and preventing hunger pangs later.

A typical breakfast might include green tea, steamed rice, miso soup with tofu, spring onions and maybe omelette and grilled salmon. Sounds better than Muesli to me!

7. Cook Light

In the Japanese diet, food is usually steamed, pan-fried, simmered or stir fried over intense heat. This method of cooking helps the food retain more of the nutrients and particularly anti ageing antioxidants.

8. Enjoy Sweets

The Japanese diet has room for these treats.

They love chocolate, pastries, ice cream and cookies.

The difference is they view them as a regular treat and do not overdo the portions.

One of the Best Diets on Earth

When looking at healthy diets it is clear that the Japanese have one of the best diets on earth:

· Low in cholesterol and fat

· Well balanced

A huge variety of foods to enjoy so you will never get bored.

Article Source: ADB Article Directory

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Which Low-Carb Diets Are Healthy?

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

There are many diets on the market today that call themselves low-carb diets, but which ones are healthy. That is what is important. You may lose weight on all of them, but some of these low-carb diets are also high in fat and that is not necessarily good either. The best kind of low-carb diet is one that is balanced. You are not looking to eliminate all carbs, but you want to stick mostly with the whole and unprocessed carbohydrates.

You should have about 5 servings of carbohydrates per day and if possible, you want get them from foods that are as close to natural as possible. Here are a few suggestions for making healthy choices on a low-carb diet:

1. Legumes-they are a great choice for a carbohydrate serving. Beans, peas and peanuts are all examples of legumes. Legumes are high in protein and fiber. They are also low in fat and very economically priced.
2. Select whole grain foods-this is not always easy, because so many foods today are highly processed. Look for foods that list a whole grain as the first ingredient on the ingredients list. Whole grains are usually high in fiber, low in sugar and they also keep your blood-sugar levels more even.
3. Try to eat more soy products-Unfortunately soy is not known for its taste, but soy products have a lot of nutritional value. Most low-carb diets do not allow soy products, because they do contain carbohydrates. The nutritional value of soy far outweighs any negative impact that its carbs may have. Soy is high in protein and has been known to reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease.

Here are some foods that are normally limited on most low-carb diets, but they are natural and can be eaten within reason:

1. Fruits-they are low in calories and high in vitamins and fiber making them a healthy choice. They have a natural sweetness that can be used to satisfy that craving to eat sugary foods. However, not all fruits are created equal. Some do have more sugar than should be consumed on a low-carb diet.
2. Leafy green and non-starchy vegetables-They are full of vitamins and a healthy choice at any time.

The things that you will want to limit as much as possible are refined sugars and carbohydrates. They add calories to your diet and do not have much nutritional value. These bad carbs come in the form of breads, pastas and starchy vegetables. These food products do not do anything for you nutritionally and they cause your blood sugar levels to be very inconsistent.

Low-carb diets are very healthy as long as you do not load them with high fat protein. Like any other weight loss plan, this one is all about the choices you make and how well you can make it fit into your lifestyle.

Article Source: ADB Article Directory

Marjorie Salada is the owner of Weight Loss 3000, a website that contains information on weight loss, exercise, weight loss surgery and living a healthy lifestyle.

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Losing Weight Through Healthy Dieting

Sunday, July 26th, 2009

The hallmark of a successful diet is one on which you are able to lose weight, while still feeling as if you are getting enough to eat. While that may sound impossible, making healthy choices about what to eat is just as important as how much you consume. Learning to diet sensibly can help you to lose or maintain your current weight, while getting all the nourishment and emotional satisfaction that your body needs. Following are some expert tips to help you get the most out of your diet.

Diet Tips for Losing Weight
Dieting is never easy, but knowing how to avoid some common dieting traps can help you to stick to your resolve.

1. Eat a Healthy Breakfast Every Day. While many dieters opt to skip breakfast, doing so actually hurts your attempt to lose weight. If you wait until lunch to eat, your bodys metabolism will slow down and any calories you consume for the rest of the day will take extra time to burn. Even a piece of fruit or a slice of whole wheat toast can give your metabolism the boost that it needs.

2. Get a Diet Buddy. If you have a friend who is also trying to lose weight, team up to keep each other honest and provide moral support. Knowing that there is someone else you can turn to for encouragement can help you to stay true to your diet plans.

3. Read About Ingredients. Instead of just finding out how many calories a certain product contains, look at the complete nutritional value of the item. Reading the label can tell you how much sodium, fat and carbohydrates are loaded into your meal. Calories are very important to weight loss, but they are not everything.

4. Supplement Your Diet with Vitamins. When you are trying to lose weight by reducing certain types of food, you may be unconsciously limiting important nutrients and vitamins from your diet. Adding a vitamin supplement to your plan will help you to keep balanced and healthy.

5. Plan Ahead When Eating Out. Knowing what you want to order before you even arrive at the restaurant can help you to avoid looking at the menu and giving in to temptation. Try to frequent restaurants that have fresh salads and offer a variety of low calorie choices.

6. Stop Eating When You Are Full. It may seem like common sense, but many people feel the need to finish everything on their plate, or eat until they feel stuffed. It also helps to eat slowly since the brain can take up to 20 minutes to register that the stomach is full.

7. Add an Exercise Program. Combining a sensible, healthy diet with even a moderate exercise regime will significantly enhance the results you see on your waistline.

Article Source: ADB Article Directory

Wendy Wood is a full-time mom in the process of losing extra pounds and loves to show other moms how they can lose weight and be healthier as well. Sign up for your free healthy recipes at www.DietMamma.com

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Which Low-Carb Diets Are Healthy?

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

There are many diets on the market today that call themselves low-carb diets, but which ones are healthy. That is what is important. You may lose weight on all of them, but some of these low-carb diets are also high in fat and that is not necessarily good either. The best kind of low-carb diet is one that is balanced. You are not looking to eliminate all carbs, but you want to stick mostly with the whole and unprocessed carbohydrates.

You should have about 5 servings of carbohydrates per day and if possible, you want get them from foods that are as close to natural as possible. Here are a few suggestions for making healthy choices on a low-carb diet:

1. Legumes-they are a great choice for a carbohydrate serving. Beans, peas and peanuts are all examples of legumes. Legumes are high in protein and fiber. They are also low in fat and very economically priced.
2. Select whole grain foods-this is not always easy, because so many foods today are highly processed. Look for foods that list a whole grain as the first ingredient on the ingredients list. Whole grains are usually high in fiber, low in sugar and they also keep your blood-sugar levels more even.
3. Try to eat more soy products-Unfortunately soy is not known for its taste, but soy products have a lot of nutritional value. Most low-carb diets do not allow soy products, because they do contain carbohydrates. The nutritional value of soy far outweighs any negative impact that its carbs may have. Soy is high in protein and has been known to reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease.

Here are some foods that are normally limited on most low-carb diets, but they are natural and can be eaten within reason:

1. Fruits-they are low in calories and high in vitamins and fiber making them a healthy choice. They have a natural sweetness that can be used to satisfy that craving to eat sugary foods. However, not all fruits are created equal. Some do have more sugar than should be consumed on a low-carb diet.
2. Leafy green and non-starchy vegetables-They are full of vitamins and a healthy choice at any time.

The things that you will want to limit as much as possible are refined sugars and carbohydrates. They add calories to your diet and do not have much nutritional value. These bad carbs come in the form of breads, pastas and starchy vegetables. These food products do not do anything for you nutritionally and they cause your blood sugar levels to be very inconsistent.

Low-carb diets are very healthy as long as you do not load them with high fat protein. Like any other weight loss plan, this one is all about the choices you make and how well you can make it fit into your lifestyle.

Article Source: ADB Article Directory

Marjorie Salada is the owner of Weight Loss 3000, a website that contains information on weight loss, exercise, weight loss surgery and living a healthy lifestyle.

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Posted in Low Carb Diet | No Comments »