Once in a while mistakes occur and one could end up with burnt foods. While this is clearly a cooking error to some individuals, a few category of people intentionally prefer all their meals or certain meals to get burnt. From fried eggs to yam, beans, jollof rice and even toast breads, the burnt odour and colour seem to thrill them beyond ordinary explanation.
Let us get it straight, at the moment, there is no proof that consuming burnt foods actually cause any health hazard at all but there is growing concern as regards the relationship of burnt foods and some certain types of life threatening diseases which every reader of this post would want to avoid.
What Actually Changes In Your Food When It Gets Burnt
There are potentially harmful chemicals which are Acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs found in foods especially starchy ones. This chemical increases in these foods with higher temperature. They are produced when sugar and protein are heated up during cooking process. Some of the foods that contains acrylamide and PAHs are toast breads, potato chips and many of the fries.
These harmful compounds have been associated with different forms of cancer tumour but a proper convincing research had not been carried out to ascertain this claim. Some research suggests the development of cancer in test animals that were fed with acrylamide and PAHs while others do not see any compelling evidence.
Furthermore, it is in record that in the year 2007, the European Union’s health advisors decided to take a precautionary approach, and recommended that people avoid eating burnt toast or golden-brown chips as they may contain unacceptably high levels of acrylamide.
Asides the fact that these burnt foods are high in this potentially dangerous compounds, the foods are as good as empty calorie since they supply no nutrient to your body. All the vitamins had been lost at the extremely high temperature. Most people who subscribe to these kinds of foods are sometimes confronted with other health complications.
Friends, do not get caught up in any hazard that could make you regret in years to come. Stay clear of burnt foods. They do not taste good and considering these dangerous compounds associated with them, they are not worth the risk.
During raining seasons, cold had always been a major problem to people which sometimes leads to poor performance at work, school or anywhere they find themselves. From sneezes to coughs, the discomfort continues while keeping the host helpless.
No one dares underrate the effectiveness of foods in combatting diseases and illnesses. Decades back when there was no popularity of drugs, our fore fathers combat cold and its allies effectively with foods. Without doubts, If you include some of this nutritious and immune boosting foods into your diet and that of your children, your family might just be on the way to a cold free raining season.
You must note that asides including these foods into your daily meals, you should avoid exposure to rainfall and cold temperatures as much as you can during this season. Let us check out the list.
Top Four Foods That Help Combat Cold
1. ONIONS: If there is any food condiment I am in love with, definitely it is onions. In fact when I slice them, I enjoy the fact that tears drops down from my eyes. I believe my eyes are getting cleansed of dust and other particles in the process. The healing power of onions cannot be underestimated. Asides fighting cold and flu, it is an effective detoxifying food substance that helps release toxins from the liver. It has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Slice onions into all your stews and meal including boiled rice, potato and yam this season and avoid any invading cold.
One thing about onion is just that some people can’t stand the eyes stings that come with cutting the onion. If you fall into that category, you should read this article — there are tips to help you in cutting onions without getting the eye stings and tears that follow.
The beginning of hyper-cholesterol — Nigerian men are the culprit in this act. Recently, I visited a restaurant to buy food on my way to the ancient city of Abeokuta. As I ordered for rice and plantain with two pieces of 50 Naira meats, I was in complete shock when I saw a man in a paramilitary uniform carrying a bowl of meat containing majorly the inner parts (popular called inu eran by the Yorubas) with only two wraps of N50 Amala. In his full paramilitary regalia, his belly can be akin to that of a pregnant woman in her third trimester.
As I intentionally eat my meal slowly, the man did not waste time to funnel the entire meat combination gluttonously into his oversized body. Would you describe the action as a sign of wealth and good health? The answer is completely yours.
While I critically ponder about the action of this man, I noticed many other men order for similar combination of meal but not the same quantity as the man in the uniform. Then I felt sharing this piece with you might be helpful.
In a post published on FoodsNG recently, we informed you about this new type of Pizza made by Musclefood that helps in busting fat. It is a low carbohydrate and high protein Pizza that still contains many of the ingredients you would find in a regular Pizza.
There are ingredients such as beef, chicken, mushrooms, flour, pepper, etc in the Pizza mentioned in the post linked to above. This video we are sharing below shows you how to make one of such Pizza that is low in carbohydrate. You would see for yourself that the title of the video is “Musclefood teach you how to make a low carb meat pizza”.
Watch the video on how to make the Pizza below
If you try it out, please share your experience with everyone here!
How would you feel to eat as much Pizza as you want and not be scared of getting fat? Well, this seems a reality now as musclefood.com has come out with a Pizza recipe that does not only help burn fat, but also contains as much protein as three chicken breasts and 5 times less carbs than a standard slice. Should we call this a “SUPER PIZZA”?
This new development in Pizza processing has been making the rounds for some weeks now and I had to wait to see a lot of information about it before deciding to share with you. The manufacturers of this Pizza claim that you can now get slim by eating this pizza. I am waiting for more testimonies from people as much as you are. However, looking at the ingredients and composition of this pie, I would say their claims make sense.
Photo: dailymail.co.uk
This chicken and peppers pizza has 73 calories and 2.4g of fat per slice
One of the that have eaten this Pizza said:
I was a bit sceptical at first as I was expecting a dry and crumbly base but I was pleasantly surprised.
You can’t actually taste the difference from a regular pizza even though there’s protein in the base.
Composition of the Pizza
The online retailer, musclefood.com claims that the high protein pizza contains just 82 calories per slice. This is way below the calories of more than 300 in some fast food alternatives.
They also claim that it contains the same amount of protein as three chicken breasts and five times less carbohydrates making it perfect for people on a weight loss plan or those body building.
Darren Beale from Musclefood.com has the following to say:
High protein isn’t just for bodybuilders and fitness fanatics, it’s for those wanting to lose weight – increased protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer – and for those wanting to lead a much healthier lifestyle.
He continues;
We’re expecting these pizzas to be popular. Products like our high protein cookies and bread have flown off the shelves as soon as they’ve gone on sale and we’re expecting these to be the same.
The gluten and soy-free pizza comes in two different toppings, Chicken and Pepper, and Ham and Mushroom, with the pea protein base adding approximately 10g of protein to the pizza.
Here is a video from MuscleFood that teaches you how to make such low carb meat pizza. Click here to watch it now!
Our skin is made up of three main layers: Epidermis (the outer layer), Dermis (the middle layer) and Subcutaneous or Hypodermic (the deepest layer). Stretch marks form in the middle layer of the skin when the connective tissue is “stretched” beyond the power of its flexibility as a result of rapid expansion or contraction of our skin. Skin expansion usually occur due to sudden weight gain or pregnancy.
The purpose of this article s to show you foods that help you remove the stretch mark and your body and we are going to stick strictly to that. Stretch marks appear on the body for a number of reasons and we are not going to be going into that today. We are only going to discuss how you can make use of foods to remove them from your body.
This is going to be in two part — (i) foods that you should eat to get rid of stretch marks, and (ii) foods that you can apply on your body (not eat), to remove stretch marks. Let’s take this journey together to see these foods and how they work their wonders.
Foods To Eat To Get Rid Of Stretch Mark
The visibility of stretch marks can be reduced by making few changes to your diet. There are foods that, if included in the meals that we consume can help fade the stretch marks away. These are the foods we will be discussing in this section.
Click on 2 below to see the first group of foods that heal stretch marks…
HOW HEALTHY IS THE CONSUMPTION OF TOMATO PASTE OR PUREE? — Food processing has been quite helpful to our development as humans and I am proud to have been part of such movement during my undergraduate days. However, the proliferation of processed foods that do not conform to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) has left many food experts like me in doubt of the proclaimed health benefits associated with the consumption of processed foods.
Recently there has been a push for the ban of certain food products in Nigeria due to health concerns. While I seem to agree in a way with the government on such actions, on the other hand, I feel there is need to critically look into the situation.
Over the years, busy mothers have opted for fast ways of preparing foods for their families and that is one of the reasons pureed or paste tomatoes seem to have taken over the shelves of many store both in urban and rural areas. The need to share this article is due to the many question I have received concerning if tomato paste or puree is healthy to consume. Before we dissect that, let us find out what pureed tomato is.
WHAT IS TOMATO PUREE OR PASTE:
This can be described as liquid obtained from cooking and pulverizing tomatoes. The major difference between paste and puree is its consistency. The process of making both is usually the same. As I continue in this write up, I will be using the word tomato puree to describe all other liquid form of tomatoes.
I do not recommend every fruit for everyone on a good day but this time, I can confidently say that golden melon is a fruit for all. The balance in its taste, colour, crunchiness and water content is a perfect combination for any one hoping to consume a delight.
Golden melons or honeydew as it is popularly called, is among the best choices for those who have chosen the path of healthy living through maximizing the nutrients inherent in it. I recently notice an influx of the fruit around mile12 market Lagos, Nigeria and I am glad to inform you of the relevance of golden melon to the overall nutrition and well being of every one.
Usually, I am always careful to recommend pineapple to certain people because of its sugar content but Golden melon presents an opportunity to people who has been diagnosed of diabetes or high blood sugar while still enjoying a fairly sweet taste of the fruit.
Golden melon contains a light green pigment called Zeaxanthin. This is a powerful antioxidant that have been found to be helpful to protect vision. Aside this, the fruit is a low calorie food with high fibre that can be helpful for those hoping to lose some pounds of fat. Some other essential micro nutrients contained in this fruits are potassium; which is an important electrolyte to maintain cells, folic acid which is ideal for pregnant women and fetal health, vitamin c; which is key to keeping ill heath at a distance among others.
One whole average size melon is good to snack with but what disturbs me is that it is only a few number of people here in Nigeria that have opted to maximize this wonderful gift. When consuming the fruit, certain people scrape off the outer skin but I consume them completely and their is no toxicity associated with it. Do not forget to scoop out the seed portion inside the fruit just like you would do to pawpaw. I bet you would love it
Look around when driving or walking around any major market; you might just be lucky to see the bright yellow golden melon fruit. Do not forget to buy for your kids……They will certainly love it either in whole form or as a juice.
Poor eating habits has been the major topic of discussion among many nutrition gatherings and symposia while neglecting the various cooking practices that many individuals have personalized thereby making them remain in the path of unhealthy living. It would even interest you to know how unconcerned these people are regarding their method of preparing certain meals and they keep neglecting whatever health issues this can result into.
Few days ago, I kick started a discussion in this area and I was completely shocked with the words spewing out from the mouth of some people, expressing the cooking practices performed by them. Let’s see some the very funny ones.
1. Adding Seasoning Like Maggi, Knorr To Beans
I was in a friend’s house, as we were discussion about football teams and matches, we heard a louder conversation from his neighbours in the ground flat. One of them who is a Hausa woman said with clear boldness that she can not cook beans for her family without adding 4 to 6 cubes of seasoning such as Maggi, Knorr, etc., with many containing Monosodium Glutamate. The other said she uses just two cubes. Immediately, we both became completely speechless. My friend later said she (Hausa woman) only has three children all below age 10.
Friends, food condiment like this does not have any nutritive value it supplies to our body. It is best to reduce the amount we add to our meals. Instead, use natural food condiments like ginger, garlic and onions that have been found to be helpful in human health.
2. Adding Sugar To Yam
Growing up in a family where we never used sugars in tea, pap, custard and garri, it became culture shock when I recently discovered that many house wives add some table spoons of sugar to yam when cooking in their quest to make it sweet. I can only laugh in Ijebu.
Yam is a calorie dense food. Adding some sugars to it will only increase the calorie. No wonder the sudden rise in the cases of diabetes. For me, it is only a bad cook who does this. I stand to be corrected.
3. Frying Two Eggs With A Whole Bottle of Oil
This apparently sounds like an exaggeration but the truth has to be told. During my undergraduate days, a friend of mine appeared to have made a joke out of this – he was serious. He explained how a lady fried 2 eggs for him with close to a bottle of vegetable oil. Then, I never believed him until something of same extent happened to myself and a friend when we both visited a lady who obviously wanted to impress us. Sincerely, it was in the ratio of two eggs to 1 bottle of vegetable oil. We managed to eat three slices of bread each. As she steps out to pick her clothes when it was drizzling, I quickly rushed to drain the oil. No wonder she is overweight.
4. Adding Salt To Garri
This does not taste nice at all. I cannot fathom why anyone would do this. You would probably think this is an habit for the young children but as I surprised to hear of individuals who still do this. There has been a lot of campaign concerning the effect of consuming high amount of sodium. Yet, some people still indulge in this habit of soaking garri of all foods with pinches ofsalt. Haba…..Take am easy.
No doubt, some of you are practicing some or all of the above listed habits. The need to avoid them is critically important as they can lead you to unwanted debilitating health conditions. As a practicing nutritionist, the conditions I see and hear of on daily basis are scary and some of these unhealthy habit could be the leading cause.
You could share some other ones you do or you are aware of.
Often, when we write articles highlighting the dangers or potential hazards inherent in some foods and how they cause harm to our health when we consume them, we get a lot of abusive comments, telling us how “dirt cannot kill Africans”. On a particular article where we explain the potential dangers in eating Suya, someone — surprisingly a lecturer in one University of Technology commented in pidgin, “na over sabi dey kill pass” (meaning knowing too much kills more).
We would like to implore people to just try and take their health issues more seriously. When they see warning on foods they consume, even when they doubt the source, they should try to seek more information elsewhere to clear any doubts they might have.
People sometimes get food poisoning by eating foods prepared by themselves at home and sometimes by eating foods at eateries and restaurants. I have seen more cases of people having food poisoning after eating foods at eateries than in their homes.
First of all, let me share with you some statistics and information on occurrences and cases of food poisoning in Nigeria;
Professor of Food Science and Technology, Alfred Ihenkuronye, has said that more than 200,000 persons die of food poison in Nigeria annually. The sad thing is that, many would not even know it is food poisoning. They just look at the symptoms and try to treat that alone.
Managing Consultant at First HACCP System, Mrs. Zainab Akanji reported that 99% of Nigerians eat outside (eateries, restaurants, parties) and adverse effects are underreported.
She added,
So I feel there is need because most times a lot of people fall sick, there is high increase in diseases now traced back to food issues and when you compromise food safety it causes adverse effect on people ranging from cancer to stomach ache, diarrhoea. In fact almost everybody in the world has had food poisoning case at one point or another either from the minute one of frequent going to the toilet, to vomiting, to the acute one that sometimes people don’t live to tell the stories, which causes death sometimes due to the contamination of food.
Here are Tips For Avoiding Food Poisoning At Eateries
Click 2 (page 2) below to start reading the tips to follow… 1. Read the labels on the food container
One cannot overemphasize the importance of reading anything and everything written on food packs. I have mentioned the importance of reading labels in one article in the past and I can only hope people have learnt a great deal from it.
I travelled to Abeokuta some months ago and went to a popular eatery with branches all over the South-western part of the country. I ordered for food which included a container of vegetable salad. While waiting for my change, I just started reading things written on the container then I saw something boldly written on it;
Consume Salad Within 15 Minutes of Purchase
What came to my mind was, “why do they sell to people in take-away packs?” If you know that this food will only be in its best condition for only 15minutes after taking it out of the refrigerator, why sell to people to take away, when they may not get to their destination in one hour.
Forget the the organoleptic attributes of the food now, what about the safety. Raw vegetables (ingredients of salad), carry the risk of salmonella and E. coli – which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. When they are not well refrigerated and left under ambient temperature for long, these microorganisms multiply and cause problems for whoever eat them.
2. Make sure of the hygiene level as it affects the food
Although one cannot totally be sure of the hygiene level of a food you are buying in a restaurant or eatery, one should make effort to verify those he can. Whenever I want to buy food, I look at the environment, the food and the person that is going to serve it.
Sometimes, we cannot see what is being done to the food where it is being cooked but when we can, we should also check these things too — the neatness of the person cooking, how does he/she gets rid of sweat on their face, does the water used for cooking appear clean and things like that. I can scan to assess things like these within 30 seconds of getting to the eatery.
When I can, and have made sure of all these, what I do next is to monitor the serving. I wouldn’t allow any server to use bare hands to unwrap “moin moin” or “eba” for me, I am not going to allow it. When I see that’s what the server wants to do, I talk. If he/she goes ahead and uses bare hands, I am not taking the food.
When I gave some information about food poisoning above, some people would have started asking if I meant that food poisoning is just a Nigerian issue. No! It is everywhere in the world.
Norovirus, which is usually called “cruise ship virus,” is more often caused by infected restaurant workers than outbreaks on the high seas — this is according to U.S. health officials.
Just 1 percent of more than 1,000 food-borne outbreaks examined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were traced to a cruise ship. Most outbreaks were caused by infected kitchen employees touching food with their bare hands, according to a new agency report.
3. Insist on microwaving/heating your food
When you buy food from a eatery and would either like to eat in there or take it away in a pack, please insist that they microwave it for you. We have previously explain how microwaving foods helps to kill microorganisms in food and make them safe.
Many people have complained about how microwave heating affect the taste and appearance of foods. Yes, this might be true but they usually don’t affect food that much, sometimes they are even unnoticeable. The only noticeable change I have ever noticed when I microwave my food is that it makes my fried plantain harder like it was first fried, then boiled.
Well, even if this happens, I would rather eat a harder fried plantain than end up lying up lying on hospital bed clinging to life.
4. Avoid foods displayed inside show glasses with bulb
When food are stored in show glasses with light bulbs (e.g meat pie, doughnuts, samosa, spring rolls, etc), the change of making the microorganisms present multiply increases. The temperature provided by this bulb is very good for survival and multiplication of many organisms.
I have been a victim of this before — eating burger displayed like this and ended not going forward for a presentation I should because I thought my bowel would come out that day. Fortunately, the course I was supposed to make the presentation for was a Food Microbiology course and the lecturer talked about food poisoning.
I raised my hand and explain what just happened to me. I was informed it could be food poisoning from the burger I ate. When I got home, I met my house mate in the same condition — we had bought and eaten the burger together.
Avoid foods that are displayed without cover, a lot of air-borne microorganisms might have found their way into that type of food. If restaurants want to customers to see what is inside the display containers, they should use covers made of clear, transparent glass.
5. Plates, Spoons, Food Containers and other utensils
Cooking and eating utensils are as important when it comes to safety of our foods as the food itself. You can cook a food in a very hygienic way, process it to remove most of the pathogenic microorganisms but end up serving them in contaminated plates. Restaurants should have a form of heater, where washed plates are kept for some time before they are used to serve food.
If I have not mentioned it before, this article is not just for people that patronize restaurants and eateries, managers and restaurants workers will also benefit a lot from this article because there is so much a customer can do to ensure safety of food. The most important parts lie with the processors and handlers of foods.
I was at a fast food joint last week to buy popcorn, to my dismay, the attendant was trying to increase the volume of the paper bag by blowing air into it with her mouth. I asked her if she was new on the job there and she asked me why I asked her that. I made my mind known to her that what she did was unhealthy and unsafe.
I demanded that she changed the pack and desist from that act.
6. Ensure that your own hygiene level is good too
The last of the tips I a sharing here has to do with your own hygiene. You need to make sure your hands are clean when you want to it. For me, it does not matter if I am going to use a spoon or fork and knife.
Washing hands, especially fingernails are even more important when eating foods that we use our our fingers for in this part of the world. Eba, amala, semo, akpu, tuwo are examples of foods people use their bare hands to eat in many parts of Africa and other places where they are consumed.
Finally, as we age, our immune systems become weaker. As a result, older people are more likely to suffer from foodborne illnesses or food poisoning than the younger ones. This does not mean that younger people should shun all safety tips that ensure food safety but to advise older people to be more careful in their choice of foods and restaurants.
I know I have only tried and may have left some tips out; if you have any other tip you wan to share with people, you are welcome to drop them as comments on this page. Thank you!
A balanced diet within appropriate quantityis what has help many to stay quite healthy while others are battling with many conditions. Clearly, based on a simple questioning I carried out, a lot of people are of the opinion that a balanced diet is usually expensive to prepare. Far from it, you can eat a well balanced diet from your everyday food supplies without breaking the bank.
Beans and corn (locally called Adalu in Nigeria), is one combination of food that can provide you a balanced diet without hassles.While it appears like a meal of only protein and carbohydrate, other macro and micro nutrients which constitute a balanced diet are all present. I had never looked deep enough into this meal until recently when my mum came visiting and cooked the meal for me. It tastes so delicious, its been more than 2 years that I had a taste of the meal.
What Is A Balanced Diet?
This is a meal which contain the right amount of all the food groups which have the ability to supply adequate energy and nutrition to the body for growth, repair and development. The bolded words are very key. Too much of healthy food may no longer be healthy. It is essential to get adequate amount.
Why Is Beans & Corn (Adalu) A Balanced Diet?
The major food groups are protein, carbohydrates and fat which fall into macro nutrients and vitamins and minerals which fall into micro nutrients. For your food to be balance, it must contain all of these nutrients in the right proportion with the macro nutrients taking most of the portions.
The beans will be supplying adequate amount of primary protein while the corn will supply carbohydrates and fibre. You will remember clearly that the meal is prepared with pepper including tomatoes supplying vitamins and minerals while palm oil isproviding some amount of fats. One thing mum does to make her beans and corn a delight is to slice up to two big bulbs of onions to a six servings of the meal. Onions is loaded with plenty anti oxidants and vitamins.
Mum does it in a very simple way and it turns out very well. Get your corn, usually more than the beans. Wash properly and cook until it is almost ready to be consumed and keep. Wash your beans and pour into a pot containing boiling water, slice one or twobig bulbs of onions into it. Cook for over an hour depending on the variety of the beans. When it is soft, pour your per boiled corn and cook for another 20 minutes. Add palm oil, salt and blended pepper as appropriate and cook for another five minutes. Your beans and corn porridge (called Agbado ati ewa by the Yorubas and generally Adalu)is ready.
Meals like these are fast going into extinction particularly among young breeds. We prefer to choose other foods options many of which are processed foods that do not seem to supply adequate amount of nutrients. Try to give this meal called Adalu a trial on a Sunday evening. I bet you would love it.
There are many fruit smoothies all around but it does seem that many Nigerians do not find fruit smoothies as a healthy way to start their day. Certain people are used to consuming heavy high calorie foods like yam, rice and potatoes as breakfast while smoothies of different types exist for them to explore.
One of the best ways to kick start your day is to consume a light and healthy food usually in liquid or pureed consistency. In view of this I have decided to share with you a fruit smoothie that both children and adult will find delicious whether as breakfast or as snacks.
Making A Healthy & Very Tasteful Fruit Smoothie
Yes, this smoothie looks very inviting and things you need to make it are very cheap and easy to come by. Just follow the rest of this post to make something like this for yourself.
Ingredients for making the Smoothie
One big size apple
Two fingers of banana
Water (To your preferred consistency)
Two oranges or tangerines
One sachet of Milk 25gram
Equipment
A blender
Method Of Preparation
Clearly, the step by step method of making this smoothie is so simple. Thanks to my powerful blender that helps produce smoothies of creamy consistencies.
Wash your hands clean and also your fruits. Do not spare the blender. You do not want to battle with food contamination.
Dice your apple into smaller pieces for ease of blending and keep aside.
Peel and dice the bananas and keep aside.
Peel the oranges using your hands. This time you do not only need the juice but you also need the fibre. Usually, I prefer tangerines. Try as much as possible to remove all the seeds except you bought seedless variety.
Pour all the prepared fruits into the blender and add water based on your prefer thickness or consistency. Actually, I love mine slightly thick. Do not forget to add the 25g of milk.
Blend at both high speed and low speed until a creamy solution is made. Hey, your heathy fruit smoothie is ready.
I hope you will find this lovely. This is the way I make my smoothie. You could be adventurous with this recipe by adding a few carrots to increase the fibre content. But for every added fruit, you might want to add one more finger of banana. Anyways, the choice is all yours based on your preference. I definitely love bananas.Hey do not forget to place the whole mixture in the fridge to make it chill.
By my estimation, this smoothies is about 500kcal. It can be served for two people during breakfast or mid snack supplying an average of 250kcal of healthy food.
Trying to lose some pounds of flesh? This is a great way to start your day – low calorie, yet filling and highly nutritious to the body. Do give it a try.
I do not know where people get the notion that a “No fat diet” is good for the body or for those in the train of weight lost. No other food macro nutrient has been demonized and labelled in the bad light as much as Fats. It also surprises me to hear of how some nutritionists or dietitians plan such Zero fat diets for patients who seek professional advice on weight loss. I have never done it before and I would not.
The results of weight loss and improved nutrition based on a calculated fat inclusion diet which I have planned for all of my clients have been remarkable. Hey, I am not say you should go all out for those burgers, deep fried foods, and other trans-fat loaded meals. I am saying; for you to effectively ensure you lose those pounds of fats and never see them again, there is need for you to include some amount of healthy fats.
Photo: vipfitness.zone
So, How Does Fat Make One Lose Fat
One interesting thing about fats is the satiating effect it gives to your entire body system. It takes longer time for fats to be digested and so they stay longer in your digestive tracks while keeping you less hungry unlike other food groups like carbohydrates which are quickly digested. When food manufacturer come up with a low fat or no fat snacks, they most like would have added loads of sugars and its ally in order to sweeten or flavour the foods. Be careful, it is a scam.
It is clear that many certain vitamins can only be digested and transported with the help of fats. These are fats soluble vitamins which include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Many body functions, including: Vision, healthy skin and hair quality function better if you eat a diet rich in healthy fats. When you limit your fat intake, you’re limiting your ability to transport and absorb these fat soluble vitamins which eventually help your body to metabolize fat.
Many people that I have seen following a regime of “No fat diet” always gain back the weight as they cannot sustain a continuous diet without fats. I have repeatedly said to those who care to listen that include foods like peanuts, canola oil, avocados and coconut oil are critical in weight management. Research has also reiterated that individuals who include a certain percentage of fats in their weight loss diet lose fat easily than those who do not include any fat in their diet.
You should note that fat is good and healthy. You should not be scared of eating healthy fats at calculated amount, what you should be scared of is high calorie foods with very low nutrients, usually those loaded with sugars and no nutrients carbs.
Customs officials at an American airport got more than they bargained for when they found 67 live giant Snails (African Giant Snail). The snails were confiscated July 1 and a sample was sent the next day to a federal mollusk specialist in Washington, D.C., who identified them as a prohibited species. The U.S. Department of Agriculture incinerated the snails after they were inspected.
Those were the words used to describe the event that happened on 1st July, 2014. Customs officers in the United States of America found 67 live giant snails in a passenger’s luggage. They later confiscated and burned those snails because they have been banned in the United States.
Why The United States Govt. Banned African Giant Snails
The African giant land snails (Archachatina marginata, Achatina achatina and their family members) are delicacies in many African nations, especially the West African countries. So, it would come as a surprise that some countries could see them as a threat to their own survival. If you are interested in knowing the reasons why the the US Government banned the African snails, then you should read on.
1. They are carriers of a Parasitic Nematode
The African snails carry a parasitic nematode that can be a vector for meningitis in humans. The snail acts as an intermediate host between the parasite and its natural final host in rodents. Unless we eat snails raw or undercooked, one should not be in danger of these nematodes and ultimately, meningitis.
In places where the snails are eaten, they are usually well cooked and even fried. Hence, the danger of the nematodes causing diseases in eaters of these snails is not even there.
I am certain that a few people would probably be reading about moringa seeds for the very first time. It is clear that the plant has just recently become a major inclusion in some people’s diet in Nigeria. Moringa, no doubt is a wonderful plant that has a lot of health benefits which are numerous.
Excessive weight gain is becoming a wide spread health concern among different age groups and sex. This has led to the sales of different supplements on the shelves of drug stores. Many supplements meant to help in weight loss are actually not effective and the result is that those that are obese or overweight remain in their unhealthy weight status.
Moringa without the addition of any other nutrient is a very healthy supplement not only for weight management but for other various health conditions ravaging our world. From its seed to leaves and pods, one can benefit immensely from an array of micro nutrient that trigger and boost metabolism which directly helps in the breakdown of fat.
While moringa seeds can be quite healthy, it is advisable not to indulge in them like you do to nuts. 2 to 3 seeds of moringa seeds should be okay per time while not consuming more than 10seeds on daily basis but for a starter, 4 seeds in a day will help you ascertain your body’s tolerance. Basically, the seed supports the weight loss by reducing the food cravings and providing your body with essential nutrients (vitamins, mineral, carbohydrates and proteins) that offer your body the energy it needs for the day-to-day activities.
Many moringa extracts are available as nutraceutical. if you do not love to eat the seed directly, consuming the supplements at Recommended Daily Intake will definitely aid your weight loss aim with less hassle. Moringa seeds are high in fibre and protein with an appropriate amount of healthy fats such as mono unsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats which are heart health friendly and reduce the concentration of unhealthy fats in your body. Its super detoxifying ability helps to cleanse your body system which eventually aid your metabolism and cause weight loss.
The seeds may be cooked or roasted as you would prefer. As senior citizens you should include these seeds as part of your diets because they are effective in high blood pressure conditions due to many antioxidants loaded in them.
To effectively manage your weight, it is advisable you speak to a Dietitian or Nutritionist, who will take you on a step by step method of weight loss therapy. No one food item solves your problem of overweight. A healthy lifestyle and calculated menu are key to helping everyone facing such challenge.
Whether you are on a weight loss mission or you are fasting and want to resist the urge to eat by suppressing your appetite for food, you should know that there are some foods that you can add to your diet in order to achieve this. Some of these foods are foods that we see and eat often for their taste but they have other functions we may have not noticed; others, many people don’t like to eat because of their taste.
The objective of fasting (not for religious reasons) and weight-loss plan is to make you eat less and burn more calories than you consume, therefore, you cannot afford to eat large quantities of foods.
So what now happens when you get hungry?
When your body needs food, it produces a hormone called ghrelin that causes hunger — it signal hunger to the brain when it gets secreted. You start having some elevated level of appetite — this you can suppress by eating some of the foods listed in this article.
Foods That Help To Curb Hunger & Appetite for Foods
When you add these foods to what you eat in the right manner, you won’t get hungry like you usually would.
1. One piece of Apple can do the magic
Of course you know the saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. This is very true and one of the ways it is true is that eating an apple before or after a meal helps keep you full faster and for a longer period.
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It has been reported that the pectin in a piece of apple can keep you full for 1-2 hours. So, why don’t you just eat apple before and after your food. It tastes great and even contributes to whitening of teeth amongst other benefits.
2. High-Water, High-Fiber Foods help curb hunger
These type of foods that are high in water and fibers give us the feeling of being full and prevent us from eating too much. Example of such foods is the vegetable family — they fill the stomach, and helps digestion. These foods, even when you eat large volumes of them, are usually low in caloric density. Therefore, they help you shed weight without feeling like you’re on a restrictive diet.
Often when we want to lose weight, what we do is to eat less foods. But what if you could cut calories, yet still eat plenty of food, and not be feel hungry? This is the dream of any dieter and these type of foods should be incorporated into your diet.
These vegetables, for example Lentils, Lima beans, Spinach, etc., will help you through your diet plan and not make you give up when it matters most. You are often full, less hungry and cutting on your calorie intake. These high fibre foods also help prevent constipation and relieve it in case we have it.
Barbara Rolls, PhD, and some of her colleagues at Pennsylvania State University have done extensive research on the “volumetric” theory of eating more low-calorie, high-volume foods.
They have this to report; ”We have found in numerous studies that when you allow people to eat as much as they want of foods that are high in volume yet low in density (calories), they eat less at the meal or during the day.”
3. Lean Protein Helps To Reduce Hunger Too
If you are wondering about what lean protein is, here is a quick description; many proteins are high in saturated fats that contribute to cardiovascular disease, so it is better to consume lean proteins. These lean proteins are described as a 1-ounce serving that has 2 to 3 grams of fat.
There is evidence of the ability of lean protein from foods such as lean meat, fish, poultry (chicken, turkey, for example), soybeans, and eggs, to help with fullness and weight loss. The white meat from chicken and turkey are especially good sources of lean protein. Fish provides lean protein together with omega-3 fatty acids that lower cholesterol and inhibit inflammation.
Wayne Campbell, PhD, a professor of Nutrition at Purdue University said “You are most likely to feel fuller after eating protein than other nutrients, including fiber, and one of the theories behind why higher-protein diets work well with weight loss is because it helps you not feel hungry.”
It may also interest you to know that even though you can add lean protein at any meal you want to take, research has shown that adding it to your breakfast may be better than other meals in the day. A research that was conducted on this theory revealed that when people eat foods like eggs that rich in protein for breakfast, they tend to eat less during the day compared o when they eat foods that are rich in carbohydrates.
With this knowledge in your head, you can actually start your weight loss diet by including these foods in your meal. If you are going to fast for religious or health reasons (fasting has a lot of health benefits), you can also ad these foods to those that you eat in the morning as they make you full without adding calories to your body. It is not surprising that breakfast is regarded as the most important meal of the day.
