Tuesday, July 12, 2011

This Blog has Moved

Thanks for following, I have moved to WordPress. To continue following Jughandle's Fat Farm please visit me at www.jughandlesfatfarm.com

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Bread Subsitute

If you are looking for a bread substitute for sandwiches and the like, try tortillas. Wheat tortillas have a glycemic Index value of 30 and are excellent for wraps and toasting.

Or, better yet, make your own -

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Ok, I've already had a question about the Glycemic Index value of Spaghetti. Not to worry Pam in Australia, the GI of white pasta spaghetti is just 64, but even better is the Value of 32 for whole wheat spaghetti.

Farm On you Fat Farmers and thanks for the question,
Jug

Spaghetti with Egg and Pangritata

This recipe is borrowed from the Circle B Kitchen and is a great example of a filling delicious meal made very inexpensively. Please check it out and follow Circle B Kitchen's blog, it's great! - Jug

Monday, July 4, 2011

Venison Burgers with Mushrooms

For my hunter friends and family with deer in the freezer, here is a recipe from "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook" blog that I thought sounded good for the 4th. Farm On - Jug

Photos borrowed from their site and taken by Holly A Heyser

http://honest-food.net/2011/07/03/venison-burgers-with-mushrooms/

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Morning After

Soooooo, how did it go yesterday? Hope your introduction to a new way of eating got off well. Today I'm just going to reiterate a couple of standards.

1. SUGAR is the enemy. It changes the glucose level in your blood and triggers your pancreas to secrete insulin which in turn will make your body store the unused glucose as fat and wear out your pancreas. We all need to keep our blood sugar over 60 and less than 120. Not just if you are a diabetic, which you certainly will become if you keep up your evil ways. Sugar also makes you want more sugar. A death spiral.

2. Learn the Glycemic Index of the foods you eat most often and only eat food with an index rating under 60. Why, because I said so..... Sorry I morphed into my father for a second. Why, because high index carbs or foods with sugar and carbs in them are metabolized by the body quickly and turned to glucose, raising our blood sugar levels (see number 1). Lower index carbs are metabolized for energy over a longer period of time and USED by the body for energy instead of being STORED as fat.

Too cheap to by a book? Write me and ask, I'll tell you.

That's it!! Easy peasy. More recipes tomorrow - jug out.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Let's get started Living better - Recipe of the Day Enclosed

Alright Fat Farmers, let's get all the hoopla out of the way and start becoming more healthy today. We're going to start slowly, by promising to eliminate all food that has been processed or has more than 3 ingredients listed.

Really shouldn't be that hard. How important is your health anyway?

Now, if you are really serious and aren't going to look back, I'd go to the pantry and either finish off ("waist" not want not) or throw away all, yes ALL of the snack food you have lingering there. (potato chips, crackers, chocolate bars, candy etc, etc)

Do it!!

We are going to have 3 or even 4 meals per day and at least 2 snacks in between. You won't starve, trust me.

Breakfast:
Start the day by having eggs and bacon or sausage. Really. No toast today. Orange or tomato juice or water and or coffee or tea.

Lunch:
Eat at Subway if you have one near by. Have one of their salads or even a sandwich on wholewheat. Get one the the ones rated around 500 calories. Drink water, not soda, especially not diet anything.

If you are hungry in between meals have an apple, tomato, celery, or even a pickle. No carbs for snacks!

What we are shooting for is protein in the morning that will stick to your ribs and not turn to sugar quickly. This should easily hold you until lunch if you don't put sugar in your coffee. A nice hardy lunch will maintain your energy until dinner. If you are tired and hungry eat some fruit in between.

See, this really isn't that hard, you just have to want to. We will get more adventurous in the near future. Start simple, don't cheat, please.

If you find yourself cheating a lot, you really need more help than I can give you. Either give up and stay fat, cheating your family out of having you around in the future, or get professional consulting.

Let me also explain that our goal is NOT to lose weight, but to be HEALTH. The weight loss will follow.

Dinner:
Try this recipe and let me know what you think. You can have it with a simple salad and home made dressing or oil and vinegar (better yet, lemon and a little olive oil). Drink water or the wine you cook with. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.

Baked Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS
1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, cut into 4 oz portions
1 oz olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, cut in half then sliced thin
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped, (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock (home made if you've got it, low sodium if you don't)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat dry.Place an ovenproof skillet over moderate heat. Once warm add oil. When the oil is hot, add half the onions to pan and place chicken in the pan with the onions.
Cook chicken for about 8 minutes or until it will release itself easily from the pan then flip to cook the other side. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. Stir the onions to keep from burning.

Remove the chicken from the skillet. Set aside.

Place remaining onions and tomatoes over the caramelized onions in pan. Allow the onions and tomatoes to sweat in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and add wine. With a spoon stir the pan to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This deglazing technique will remove the flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan and release it to the vegetables.

Add chicken back to the skillet. Add stock just until the liquid level reaches halfway up the sides of the chicken. Add oregano and pepper to taste. Cover with tight fitting lid and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes.

Enjoy.

No ice cream tonight. Promise!

Friday, July 1, 2011

How to eat more produce

Interestingly our veggies are color coded. Yes, we can chose our nutrition by the color of the vegetables we eat. According to a so called recent government study 69% of us don't eat enough green, 78% not enough red, 86% white, 88% purple/blue, and 79% of us don't eat enough yellow/orange fruit and vegetables. Believe it or not even the difference between eating green bell peppers exclusively and avoiding yellow, orange, purple and red bells, makes a difference in the health benefits. We need a full spectrum of colors.

According to Women'sHealth here are a few examples:

Green:
Artichokes- March to June
Asparagus- February to June
Avocados- year round
Broccoli- October to April
Green Beans- May to October
Kiwis- year round
Romaine Lettuce- year round
Yellow:
Pears- August to March
Pineapples- March to July
Orange:
Peaches- May to October
Oranges
Carrots
Red:
Bell Peppers- year round
Strawberries- April to September
Tomatoes- June to September
Watermelons- June to August
Blue and Purple:
Blueberries- May to October
Grapes- May to October
Eggplant
Prunes
White:
Cauliflower- Summer
Onions
Potatoes
Jicama

For a list of many, many more go to Disabled World
Also in the same article by Darrell Miller January 12, 2008

The nutrients found in the above fruits and vegetables have a significant impact on our health.

Quercetin, which is found in apples, onions and other citrus fruits, not only prevents LDL cholesterol oxidation, but also helps the body cope with allergens and other lung and breathing problems.

Ellagic acid, which is mainly found in raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, and walnuts, has been proven in many clinical studies to act as an antioxidant and anticarcinogens in the gastrointestinal tract. This nutrient also has been proven to have an anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells, because it decreases their ATP production.

The best-known of the carotenoids, beta-carotene, is converted into vitamin A upon entering the liver. Although being known for its positive effects on eyesight, it has also been proven to decrease cholesterol levels in the liver.

Clinical studies have proven that lycopene, mainly found in tomatoes, may decrease the risk of prostate cancer, as well as protect against heart disease. Lutein, which is found in blueberries and members of the squash family, is important for healthy eyes. However, it does support your heart too, helping to prevent against coronary artery disease.

Along with the above stated nutrients, there are even more nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that provide a great deal of support to our body. Almost everyone has heard of vitamin C, which keeps our immune system strong; speeds wound healing, and promote strong muscles and joints. This nutrient is scattered throughout the spectrum of fruits, but commonly associated with oranges and other citrus fruits. Potassium, which is the nutrient most Americans are deficient in, does great things for our hearts, and lowers blood pressure.

Another good food component many people don't get enough of if fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Flavonoids, which include anthocyanins, flavones, isoflavones, proantocyanidins, quercetin and more, are found almost everywhere. They are responsible for the colors in the skins of fruits and vegetables and help to stop the growth of tumor cells and potent antioxidants. They also can reduce inflammation.

Beta-glucan, found in mushrooms, stabilizes and balances the body's immune system by supporting white blood cells. EGCG is found in tea and has been shown to reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer. It boosts the immune system and encourages T-cell formation, which defends our body against sickness and disease.

Bioflavonoids, which are found in citrus fruits, are considered a companion to vitamin C because they extend the value of it in the body. These nutrients have the capabilities to lower cholesterol levels and support joint collagen in arthritis cases.

The number one excuse for not eating the required five servings of fruits and vegetables each day is they are too expensive. However, as compared to the amount of money spent on prepackaged, processed, and fast foods, most fruits and vegetables (with the exception of those that are not in season) are not all that expensive.

Because frozen fruits and vegetables retain the majority of their nutritional value, they can be an excellent alternative when certain foods are out of season.

Someone who is not able to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day can also drink fruit and vegetable drinks in their place. Although this shouldn't become a habit, fruit and vegetable drink mixes can be an excellent substitute when you're rushed or traveling.

The need for fruits and vegetables in our diet is growing rapidly with the type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol, hypertension that result from the "Typical American Diet" of fatty meats, processed sugars, and refined grains.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Gut Check - found by Darlene Myer

Food Sensitivities: 10 Best and Worst Foods for Your Tummy

By Jennifer Gruenemay, Special to Lifescript

Published August 23, 2010

Gas, stomach aches, constipation and diarrhea are
common signs your digestive system is off-kilter. But
did you know that brittle hair and low energy can also
point to tummy troubles? Find out which foods will keep
your gut clogged or moving. Plus, test your yogurt IQ
with our quiz…A healthy digestive system begins with a
good diet. Eat the right stuff and improve digestion. Eat badly
and you feel like a human garbage can. How you eat can affect
the way you feel too.

"If you don't digest your food properly, your cells don't get
what they need to function optimally," says Liz Lipski, Ph.D.,
a clinical dietitian and author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw-Hill).

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also home to our most
precious disease-fighting resource: the immune system.

"Two-thirds of the immune system is in the digestive tract,"
Lipski says. "There are more neurotransmitters in the GI
than in the brain and more nerve endings than in the spine,"
she adds.

Your digestive system is vital to your health and happiness.
So how do you keep it working well? For starters, avoid these
5 gut enemies:

5 Worst Foods for Your Gut

1. Red meatThe more red meat you eat, the higher your
risk of colorectal cancer risk. That's because it's typically high
in saturated fat, which is tied to cancer of the small intestine,
according to a 2008Cancer Research study.

How to avoid it: Choose lean cuts of beef, lamb and pork.
Eat more protein- and iron-rich legumes in place of red meat.
Grill a Portobello mushroom instead of a burger; it's meaty flavor
will fill you.

2. Processed meatLunch meats, hot dogs, sausages and
other processed meats are packed with saturated fat, sodium
and nitrates.Processed meats have been linked to colon
cancer, possibly because they are cooked at high temperatures,
which can increase carcinogens.

How to avoid it: Stick to fresh, lean cuts and eat other forms
of protein (legumes and grains) as much as possible.

3. Hydrogenated oilsTrans fats, created when liquid oils are
hydrogenated (so they become solid at room temperature),
aren't found in nature. They’re an inexpensive way to make
fats last longer on supermarket shelves, but your body pays
a high price: They’re tough to digest and have been linked to
many health problems, including increased bad (LDL) cholesterol,
decreased good (HDL) cholesterol and colon cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires trans fats to
be labeled on food products. But the federal agency also allows
manufacturers to claim zero trans fats if there are fewer than
0.5 grams per serving.

Don't be fooled: If a food lists hydrogenated oils as an ingredient,
it contains trans fats.

How to avoid it: Get nutrients in foods that are fresh,
whole and natural, and ditch the packaged, processed stuff.

4. GlutenAbout 2 million Americans suffer from gluten
intolerance, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, spelt, wheat and countless
other foods such as processed meats, soy sauce, ice cream, cheese,
cookies, pasta, ketchup, salad dressings and more.

Food sensitivities affect 10%-20% of us, and can cause lots of
digestive complaints and stomach aches (gas, cramping, bloating,
heartburn, indigestion) and other symptoms, including chronic
headaches, aching joints and muscles, depression, concentration,
memory problems and poor energy levels, Lipski says.
How to avoid it: A gluten-free diet is the only solution to this
food sensitivity; it’s a challenge but possible.

Check out 7 Gluten-Free Recipes.

5. Lactose
Another cause of stomach aches is lactose, the principal sugar
found in milk. Lactose intolerance affects 30-50 million
Americans, according to the NIH.

Avoiding milk will help, but you don't have to give up all dairy.
Some lactose-intolerant people do fine with small amounts of milk.

How to avoid it: Drink lactose-free milk and eat cultured
dairy products, like yogurt, which break down lactose. Aged
cheeses (like Cheddar and Swiss) have less lactose and may
be easier to digest.

5 Best Foods for Your Gut

1. Dietary fiber

Our Pick: PrunesFiber keeps things moving through your
digestive system and out. Otherwise, your colon is stuck with
toxins that can build up and cause major health problems.

Your body then begins reabsorbing toxins, hormones and
other substances.

"If you don’t have regular bowel movements, you're retaining
wastes that your body has finished with," Lipski says. "It’s like
not moving a stinky garbage bag out of your kitchen.”

A diet rich in fiber protects against colon cancer and cancers of
the small intestine, according to a 2008 study in the journal Gastroenterology.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all packed with healthy fiber. But when it comes to staying regular, prunes, because of their mild laxative effect, is the go-to fruit. They're also a great source of energy, nutrition and disease-fighting phenolic compounds. 2. Probiotics

Our Pick: YogurtProbiotics are those "good bugs" you hear health nuts raving about. Why would anyone willingly eat bacteria?

Because our intestinal flora is made up of trillions of good bacteria that aid in digestion and promote immunity and health. In fact, four pounds of our body weight comes from the bacteria that live in the digestive tract.

The No. 1 probiotic food is yogurt. Yes, it's a dairy product – the bane of millions of lactose intolerant people – but eating yogurt calms digestive complaints. That's because it contains live cultures, typically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, that help lactose digestion.

When choosing a yogurt, make sure the cultures are listed as "live" or "active." Yogurts with added fiber are even better.

But steer clear of yogurts with a lot of sugar, which hurts digestive health because it feeds the bad bacteria in your GI tract. Plain, unsweetened yogurt is best. Add some fiber-rich berries or honey, which has prebiotic properties, if you need to sweeten it up.

3. Prebiotics

Our Pick: LentilsPrebiotics are food for probiotics.

"Bacteria multiply very quickly but need food once they reach the intestines," Lipski says.

Prebiotics help good bacteria thrive while driving down the number of disease-producing bacteria trying to invade the digestive tract.

They also promote a more acidic intestinal environment, which helps the body absorb nutrients in food such as the minerals calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.

Luckily, prebiotics are found in many of the foods we already eat.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin are two naturally occurring prebiotics in onions, garlic, leeks, legumes, bananas, asparagus, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) and more.

Lentils, a legume, are a great natural source of prebiotics and dietary fiber. They're a good substitute for red meat because of their high protein and iron content. To help your body better use the iron in lentils, prepare them with a vitamin C-rich food such as tomatoes.

4. Gluten-free grains

Our Pick: QuinoaGluten – a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye – isn't necessarily bad for you. But it does cause stomach aches for many people.

Because of genetics, about 30% of us poorly digest gluten-containing grains, Lipski says. But many people, regardless of family history, feel better when they stop eating them.

Expanding your grain repertoire is a good idea whether or not you're gluten intolerant. Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is an excellent option. This gluten-free grain is a complete protein, meaning it provides all eight essential amino acids. It's also fiber-rich and bursting with minerals.

It cooks up like rice (two parts water to one part grain) and adds a unique texture (chewy yet crispy) to side salads, casseroles, soups and more.

5. Fermented foods

Our Pick: Sourdough Sometimes your GI tract just needs a break. Fermented foods are the solution.

"Fermenting or culturing makes food more digestible by actually 'predigesting' it for you," Lipski says.Fermenting also increases our absorption of the other nutrients in the food. Pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh and Japanese tamari or soy sauce are all easy-to-digest fermented foods.

So is sourdough. It can sub in for wheat bread if you’re sensitive to gluten. Sourdough breads areoften made with wheat flour, but the fermentation weakens the gluten.

If you don't want wheat at all, many grocery stores offer 100% gluten-free sourdough.

Something to wash it all downDon't forget the most essential "food" of all – water. Digestion can't occur without water, so be sure to drink eight 8-ounce glasses throughout the day.

For more information, check out our Digestive Health Center.

What’s Your Yogurt IQ? Whether plain, topped with granola or fruit-laden, Americans enjoy their yogurt for breakfast, an afternoon snack, even dessert. But how much do you know about this versatile food and how can it help improve digestion? Take our yogurt quiz to find out.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Yellow Mustard Recipe - French's Clone

This is a recipe that I found at Grouprecipes.com and it was posted by "Tuilelaith."

Ingredients (T = tablespoon; t = teaspoon):

4 T ground yellow mustard
1/2 t Wondra flour (to thicken)
3/8 t salt
1/8 t turmeric
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of paprika
1/4 c water
3 T distilled white vinegar

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients together in a small sauce pan.
Whisk in water and vinegar until the mixture is smooth.
Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it boils.
After it begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes (I simmer mine for 7.5 minutes).
Remove pan from heat and leave uncovered for 1 minute.
Then cover pan and let the mustard cool.
Put mustard in a covered container and store refrigerated

Yield: 1/4 cup

The Wondra flour is used to thicken the mixture. You probably could use all purpose flour if that's all you had and you probably wouldn't notice a difference in the taste. The Wondra won't clump as easily as all-purpose flour, making it a more convenient thickening agent.

Hellman's Mayonnaise Copycat Recipe

Total time: 7 mins
Yields: 1 cup
Recipe comes from: http://www.food.com/recipe/just-like-hellmans-mayonnaise-copycat-clone-110801

1 - egg at room temperature
1 t - dry mustard
1 t - salt
1 dash - cayenne pepper
1 1/4 c - vegetable oil
3 T - white vinegar or lemon juice

1. Place egg, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper and 1/4 cup oil in blender or food processor and blend on low.

2. While blending, very slowly drizzle in another 1/2 cup of oil

3. stop and scrape sides

4. Add the lemon juice/vinegar and the remaining oil

5. blend until well combined.

Jughandle recommends:

Try using a pasteurized egg for safety.

I use olive oil for a different and healthy taste

Try a dash of your favorite hot sauce in stead of the cayenne pepper.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Condiment Replacement Recipes- Heinz Ketchup Copycat

In our last post, I hopefully put the fear of God in you about some of the additives in processed foods. We all love our condiments. God knows, I'm a hot sauce and ketchup freak. That said, how can we avoid the additives in our favorite condiments. Largely, we can make our own. And we can make them BETTER!

This will be an on going feature. Look for your favorite recipes under the "recipe" tab on our home page.

Heinz Ketchup Copycat Recipe:

This recipe came mostly from http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Heinz-Ketchup-Recipe.html

23 Calories per serving
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1 - 6 oz can of Italian tomato paste (read the label)
1/2 c - light corn syrup (or honey for a healthier version)
1/2 c - white vinegar
1/4 c - water
1 T - sugar
1 t - salt
1/4 t - onion powder
1/8 t - garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth or use a stick blender

When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning on the bottom.

Remove Pan from heat and cover until cool. Chill and store in a covered container.

Jughandle recommends:

Try using whole fresh tomatoes, fresh onion and garlic

Monday, June 27, 2011

Food Additives to Avoid - Seriously

Why are cancers on the rise? Keep Reading -

I'm sending this our Fat Farm group, because I think it is very, very serious. If you aren't already reading the label of food you buy, you should start NOW. Please watch out for and avoid eating these food additives. If you want more information on how these might effect you, please email me and I'll do more research. The Fat Farm has been on a anti - HFCS and MSG kick for over a 3 years now. These others are being added to our target. It is especially important for you new and expecting mothers to avoid these additives for your children's health.

You are smart people that want to be informed or you wouldn't be reading this. It is obvious that all of these additives can't be completely avoided. Do what you can. Start NOW - please - Jug

The following article was largely taken from Men's Health Mag

Eat Natural ingredients!!!

The 11 Most Controversial Food Additives

Do you know what's hiding in your food? We reveal the truth

1. Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame-K)

A calorie-free artificial sweetener 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is often used with other artificial sweeteners to mask a bitter aftertaste.

FOUND IN More than 5,000 food products worldwide, including diet soft drinks and no-sugar-added ice cream.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Although the FDA has approved it for use in most foods, many health and industry insiders claim that the decision was based on flawed tests. Animal studies have linked the chemical to lung and breast tumors and thyroid problems.

2. Artificial Flavoring

Denotes any of hundreds of allowable chemicals such as butyl alcohol, isobutyric acid, and phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal. The exact chemicals used in flavoring are the proprietary information of food processors, used to imitate specific fruits, butter, spices, and so on.

FOUND IN Thousands of highly processed foods such as cereals, fruit snacks, beverages, and cookies.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The FDA has approved every item on the list of allowable chemicals, but because they are permitted to hide behind a blanket term, there is no way for consumers to pinpoint the cause of a reaction they might have had.

3. Aspartame

A near-zero-calorie artificial sweetener made by combining two amino acids with methanol. Most commonly used in diet soda, aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar.

FOUND IN More than 6,000 grocery items including diet sodas, yogurts, and the table-top sweeteners NutraSweet and Equal.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Over the past 30 years, the FDA has received thousands of consumer complaints due mostly to neurological symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and, in rare cases, epileptic seizures. Many studies have shown aspartame to be completely harmless, while others indicate that the additive might be responsible for a range of cancers.

4. BHA and BHT

AKA, Butylated HydroxyAnisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene are petroleum-derived antioxidants used to preserve fats and oils.

FOUND IN Beer, crackers, cereals, butter, and foods with added fats.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Of the two, BHA is considered the most dangerous. Studies have shown it to cause cancer in the forestomachs of rats, mice, and hamsters. The Department of Health and Human Services classifies the preservative as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”

5. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

A corn-derived sweetener representing more than 40 percent of all caloric sweeteners in the supermarket. In 2005, there were 59 pounds produced per capita. The liquid sweetener is created by a complex process that involves breaking down cornstarch with enzymes, and the result is a roughly 50/50 mix of fructose and glucose.

FOUND IN Although about two-thirds of the HFCS consumed in the United States is in beverages, it can be found in every grocery aisle in products such as ice cream, chips, cookies, cereal, bread, ketchup, jam, canned fruits, yogurt, barbecue sauce, frozen dinners, and so on.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Since around 1980, the US obesity rate has risen proportionately to the increase in HFCS, and Americans are now consuming at least 200 calories of the sweetener each day. Some researchers argue that the body metabolizes HFCS differently, making it easier to store as fat, but this theory has not been proven.

6. Interesterified Fat

A semi-soft fat created by chemically blending fully hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated oils. It was developed in response to the public demand for an alternative to trans fats.

FOUND IN Pastries, pies, margarine, frozen dinners, and canned soups.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Testing on these fats has not been extensive, but the early evidence doesn’t look promising. A study by Malaysian researchers showed a 4-week diet of 12 percent interesterified fats increased the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol. Furthermore, this study showed an increase in blood glucose levels and a decrease in insulin response.(think diabetes)

7. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

The salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, used to enhance the savory quality of foods, MSG alone has little flavor, and exactly how it enhances other foods is unknown.

FOUND IN Chili, soup, and foods with chicken or beef flavoring.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Studies have shown that MSG injected into mice causes brain-cell damage, but the FDA believes these results are not typical for humans. The FDA receives dozens of reaction complaints each year for nausea, headaches, chest pains, and weakness.

8. Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

A manufactured fat created by forcing hydrogen gas into vegetable fats under extremely high pressure, an unintended effect of which is the creation of trans fatty acids. Food processors like this fat because of its low cost and long shelf life.

FOUND IN Margarine, pastries, frozen foods, cakes, cookies, crackers, soups, and nondairy creamers.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Trans fat has been shown to contribute to heart disease more so than saturated fats. While most health organizations recommend keeping trans-fat consumption as low as possible, a loophole in the FDA’s labeling requirements allows processors to add as much as 0.49 grams per serving and still claim zero in their nutrition facts. Progressive jurisdictions such as New York City, California, and Boston have approved legislation to phase trans fat out of restaurants, and pressure from watchdog groups might eventually lead to a full ban on the dangerous oil.

9. Red #3 (Erythrosine) and Red #40 (Allura Red)

Food dyes that are orange-red and cherry red, respectively. Red #40 is the most widely used food dye in America.

FOUND IN Fruit cocktail, candy, chocolate cake, cereal, beverages, pastries, maraschino cherries, and fruit snacks.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The FDA has proposed a ban on Red #3in the past, but so far the agency has been unsuccessful in implementing it. After the dye was inextricably linked to thyroid tumors in rat studies, the FDA managed to have the lake (or liquid) form of the dye removed from external drugs and cosmetics.

10. Saccharin

An artificial sweetener 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar. Discovered in 1879, it’s the oldest of the five FDA-approved artificial sweeteners.

FOUND IN Diet foods, chewing gum, toothpaste, beverages, sugar-free candy, and Sweet ‘N Low.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Rat studies in the early ‘70s showed saccharin to cause bladder cancer, and the FDA, reacting to these studies, enacted a mandatory warning label to be printed on every saccharin-containing product. The label was removed after 20 years, but the question over saccharin’s safety was never resolved. More recent studies show that rats on saccharin-rich diets gain more weight than those on high-sugar diets.

11. Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) and Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)

The second and third most common food colorings, respectively.

FOUND IN Cereal, pudding, bread mix, beverages, chips, cookies, and condiments.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Several studies have linked both dyes to learning and concentration disorders in children, and there are piles of animal studies demonstrating potential risks such as kidney and intestinal tumors. One study found that mice fed high doses of sunset yellow had trouble swimming straight and righting themselves in water. The FDA does not view these as serious risks to humans.

One glance at the back of a label and you’ll see the food industry has kidnapped real ingredients and replaced them with science experiments. And lots of them. Milkshakes with 78 ingredients? Bread with 27? Even more troubling is the fact that some of these additives have been linked to bad news, like cancer in mice or ADHD in children. Next time you’re scanning labels in the aisle, look out for these 11 downright frightening food additives. For the complete list, including the nutritious additives, check out our book, Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Glycemic Index diet

The Glycemic index is a way of measuring a foods carbohydrate effect on a person's blood sugar levels, or "blood glucose levels". As you might be aware, spikes in your blood sugar level cause cravings.

The long and short of it is that a healthier diet consists of foods that fall in the lower range of the index, generally under 55. Foods that fall in the high range (70 and up) are risky. Complex carbohydrates low on the index can even raise your metabolism and help you lose weight more quickly.

The following are just a few to get you started:

Glycemic Index List Of Foods from The RightHealth Community

Glycemic Index list of foods
Sugars
Fructose - 12-25, average 19
Glucose - 85-111, average 100
Honey - 32-87, average 55
Lactose - 46
Diary products
Milk, regular (full fat) 11-40, average 27
Skimmed milk - 32
Yogurt without sugar - 14-23
Bread
White bread - 64-87, average 70
Whole wheat bread made with whole wheat flour - 52-87, average 71
Muffins, cakes, pancakes, waffles etc - vary between 38-102, mostly between 55 and 80
Crackers
Rice Cakes - 61-91, average 78
High fiber rye crispbread - 59-69, average 64
Cold Cereal
All bran - 30-51, average 42
Bran buds - 58
Corn flakes 72-92, average -81
Corn Chex - 83
Fruit loops - 69
Rice chex - 89
Special K - 54-84
Hot cereal
Quick cooking oats - 66
Instant cream of wheat - 74
Grains
Barley - 22-48
Barley, cooked - 50
cornmeal boiled in water - 69
long grained white rice - 50-64
Short and medium grained white rice - 83-93
Brown rice - 66-87
Pasta
Rice pasta - 40-92
Mung bean noodles - 26-39
Fruit
Apples - 28-44, average 38
Raw apricots - 57
Dried apricots - 31
Underripe Banana - 30
Overripe Banana - 52
Cherries - 22
Dates - 103
Grapefruit - 25
Grapes - 46-49
Pears - 33-42
Plums - 24-53
Strawberries - 40
Fruit juice
Carrot juice - 43
Cranberry juice cocktail - 52-68
Grapefruit juice - 48
Orange Juice - 46-53
Pineapple juice - 46

Glycemic Index List Of Foods from The RightHealth Community

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

For New Moms

Bouncing Back into Shape after Baby

Returning to Fitness Once the Baby Arrives
-- By Krista Carroll, BabyFit.com Expert
That new bundle of joy can make dramatic changes in your life. The vast majority of changes are worth it, but some make it hard to keep up with the important things like regular exercise and adequate sleep.

You're not alone. Just about every woman, at one time or another, has struggled with exercise after pregnancy. Here are some ideas to help you get back into exercising and get back into shape!

Make exercise a priority
Not only is your body sleep deprived, but it has also just gone through intense labor which requires healing. You find yourself watching the dust, dishes, and laundry pile up while you tend to your little one. Feel like exercising? Probably not! However, exercising can be the energizer you need to get more motivation. Make it a priority.

Baby steps
Start out slow. Within the first 6 weeks after delivering your baby, your body is healing and requires extra time to get back into shape. Taking care of your baby and managing the basic housework is enough exercise for you now. Be sure to discuss postpartum precautions and limitations with your doctor.

Be creative
Once cabin fever has set in and your body feels up to it, head to a mall and enjoy some cardiovascular exercise: mall walking style. Set a goal to walk for a certain number of minutes before you go. Don't over do it. If you get tired, sit and rest on one of the mall benches. If the weather is nice, opt for a walk in the park or through your neighborhood.

Exercise time doesn't have to be separate from baby time. Let your baby watch you exercise. Place him or her in a bouncy seat or swing while you do your favorite exercise tape, perform sit ups and other exercises on a large exercise ball, or run on a treadmill. Some days just playing and carrying your baby can be a good workout in itself!

Get by with a little help from your friends
Exercise with a friend or relative, or another new mom. Having someone to exercise with is a big motivator. Plan on a day and time to meet and stick with it. It's amazing how time flies when you're walking with a friend and chatting about baby stuff. Join a fitness center and enroll in classes or contact a local mom's club if you have trouble scheduling times with friends.

You can also get online and chat with other new moms. Find somebody interested in exercising and keep in contact with her each week. Motivate and encourage each other. Having a friend to set exercise goals with will help you succeed and stay motivated.

You can do it, mom!
By staying fit, you will be able to keep up with your little one's activeness. You will have more energy to play with your baby. Keep in contact with other new moms to share your stories and keep each other motivated. Stay in shape and enjoy every moment of motherhood.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Make your own Flour Tortillas FAST

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (not bread flour, AP)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup hot milk

1 Light up the stove or griddle. Get a large non-stick surface hot and ready to go. I like these to cook fast, so fire that baby on up. Set out a heavy plate (that will hold heat) and a spatula to handle the hot bread.

2 Put a smidgen over 3/4 cup of milk into the micro and set on high for 60 seconds and leave it. We'll cover why it's just over 3/4 cup shortly...

3 Measure out all of the dry ingredients into the mixer of your Kitchen Aid or a large bowl that you can mix in by hand.

4 Add in 2 tsp of vegetable oil. Yes, vegetable oil. No, I don't mean butter. It works, trust me. Now mix those items together just a bit.

5 Slowly mix the hot milk in until the dough ball comes away cleanly. You may need to add a little more or less and you may need to adjust with additional flour.

7 Mix the dough for 3-4 minutes then turn out on a floured surface and knead once or twice to shape it some. (Note: To this point you should have taken no more than 5 minutes tops! Yes, the clock is running, come'on! Didn't you read the post title?)

8 Divide the dough into 12 equal balls, if you are measuring with scales each ball will be somewhere around 2oz in size.

9 Here's the fun part that you may want some help with the first couple of times. Roll each ball into a 6" circle on a lightly floured surface and cook them on the skillet/griddle. Each one will take about 30 seconds per side to cook so you can put one on and roll out a second tortilla. Once the second one is ready you can flip the first one and place the second one on the surface. By the time the third one is ready the first will come off and the second will be ready to flip. Lather, rinse, repeat until done.

10 Be standing at the door when your SO walks in with one of these lathered up in butter and waiting for him/her. Don't ever send them to the store again for something that's so easy for you to whip out. Seriously, that's just mean. :)

Cooking time (duration): 25 Number of servings (yield): 12 Meal type: snack Culinary tradition: Mexica

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Fat Farm: ALTON BROWN'S DIET

Beverly forwarded this to me this morning and it is GREAT. All we need now is a weekly menu. Please everyone think of good menus for a day or a whole week and send them to me to post. If you do that I'll develop the shopping list and I'll even do the math for everyones nutritional break out. - jughandle

Alton Brown on Good Eats told how he lost 50lbs in 9 months. He has 4 lists that he goes by.

Things to Eat Everyday

Fruits

Whole Grains

Leafy Greens

Nuts

Carrots

Green Tea

Breakfast

Three Times a Week

Oily Fish

Yogurt

Broccoli

Sweet Potato

Avacodo

Once A Week

Red Meat

Pasta

Dessert

Alcohol

Never

Soda Drinks

Fast Food

Processed Meals (Frozen Dinners)

Canned Soup

Anything Diet

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Fat Farm: FIGHT FAT WITH FIBER

Poop, Crap - have I gotten your attention, I hope so!

This article is from Menshealth.com

This is very important to read. Our daily allotment of fiber is hard to get unless we concentrate on it. - jug

30 Tricks to Make Fiber Taste Better

If a rabbit doesn't eat enough high-fiber foods, its teeth may grow uncontrollably, piercing the roof of its mouth and knifing the base of its brain.

Your brain is safe, but we're not so sure about the rest of your body. Forgo the fiber and you extend an open invitation to several different cancers. You also raise your risk of diabetes and heart disease by up to 20 and 40 percent, respectively.

And in the fate-worse-than-death category, you increase the odds that you'll end up fat and impotent. So while you may not die like a bunny rabbit, you won't be doing it like one, either.

Notice, we haven't even mentioned the c-word (constipation).

But even if you have the will to eat more fiber, you almost certainly don't have the way. Especially since the recommended daily dosage was recently raised from 25 to a throat-choking 38 grams.

The obvious solution—eating 19 slices of whole-wheat bread a day—isn't practical. What you need instead is subterfuge. Dietary deception. In other words, this plan for smuggling more roughage into your life.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/high_fiber_foods/?cm_mmc=ABSNL-_-2010_01_11-_-HTML-_-dek#ixzz0cPJZNSSM

At Breakfast

1. Fill your juice glass with nectar instead of a watery juice from concentrate. Nectar is apricot, peach, pear, or papaya juice, mixed with fiber-rich pulp. It packs more than a gram (g) of fiber per 8-ounce glass.

2. Drop a whole orange into the blender to flavor your morning smoothie. (Uh, peel it first.) One orange has nearly 3 g more fiber than even the pulpiest orange juice.

3. Spice up your eggs. A third of a cup of chopped onion and a clove of garlic will add a gram of fiber to a couple of scrambled eggs. Or fold the eggs omelette-style over a cup of cooked broccoli for 2 additional grams.

4. Heat up a bowl of oat bran instead of oatmeal; it has nearly 2 g more fiber. And add even more flavor and fiber by stirring in a quarter cup of raisins or chopped dates before nuking it.

5. Sprinkle toasted wheat germ over your favorite cold cereal, or stir a few spoonfuls into yogurt. Two tablespoons equals close to 2 extra grams of fiber.

6. Grab an Asian pear instead of the regular kind. They taste similar, but the Asian variety has significantly more fiber—4 g per pear.

7. Buy spreadable fiber, a.k.a. almond butter, for your whole-wheat toast. Two tablespoons adds a couple of grams of fiber, along with a healthy dose of heart-protecting fats and vitamins like E.

8. Whip up a pack of hot-chocolate mix instead of a second cup of coffee. Most instant-cocoa mixes have up to 3 g fiber per cup.

At Lunch

9. Hate whole wheat? Make your sandwiches with rye bread. One slice has almost 2 g fiber—twice the amount found in white bread.

10. Opt for burritos instead of tacos. Flour tortillas have more fiber than taco shells. Even better, make the burrito whole wheat for still more fiber per serving.

11. And order that burrito with meat and beans instead of meat alone. Half a cup of beans adds 6 g fiber to your meal.

12. Stow some microwavable soup in your desk for when you need to work through lunch. Lentil, chili with beans, ham-and-bean, and black-bean each have between 6 and 10 g fiber per cup.

13. Shower your pizza with oregano or basil. A teaspoon of either spice gives you an extra gram of fiber. Order it with mushrooms and you'll get one more.

14. Build your burger with a sesame-seed bun instead of the plain variety. Sesame seeds add half a gram of fiber per burger.

15. Order your dog with sauerkraut. Every quarter cup you pile on adds close to a gram of fiber to your frank.

In the Afternoon

16. Pop a pack of light popcorn instead of popping open a bag of potato chips. There's 8 g fiber in every bag of popcorn.

17. Drink bottled chocolate milk, not white. The combination of the chocolate and the compounds needed to keep it suspended in the milk provides 3 g fiber in every 16 ounces.

18. Say nuts to candy bars. Bars with almonds—like Almond Joy and Alpine white chocolate with almonds—have almost twice the fiber content of bars without.

19. Don't tell yourself you could have had a low-sodium V8. Have one. Unsalted V8 has 2 g fiber. The V8 that comes spiked with salt has half that amount.

20. Graze on trail mix instead of a granola bar. Most granola bars have only 1 g fiber, while trail mix with dried fruit has nearly 3.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/high_fiber_foods/?cm_mmc=ABSNL-_-2010_01_11-_-HTML-_-dek#ixzz0cPL44FHM

At Dinner

21. Toss 1/2 cup of chickpeas into a pot of your favorite soup. They'll take on the flavor of the soup and tack 6 g fiber onto your bottom line.

22. Swap a sweet potato for your standard spud. Sweet potatoes have 2 g more fiber per tuber than the typical Idaho variety. Not a fan? At least eat the skin of the regular potato—it alone has 1 g fiber.

23. Shake 'n' bake some fiber into your chicken by coating it with a mixture of 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, and 1/2 cup flour. You'll get 4 g fiber, thanks to the flaxseed.

24. Go wild when you make rice. Cup for cup, wild rice has three times the fiber of white.

25. Doctor your favorite jarred pasta sauce with 1/2 cup of frozen chopped spinach. The spinach will adopt the flavor of the sauce and pad the fiber count by more than 2 g.

26. Prepare whole-wheat or spinach pasta instead of the regular semolina kind. A cup of either has 5 g fiber.

27. Cook your broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots and you'll take in 3 to 5 g fiber per serving, up to twice what you'd have gotten had you eaten them raw. (Heat makes fiber more available.)

28. Use uncooked oatmeal instead of bread crumbs in your next meat loaf. Add 3/4 cup of oats per pound of ground meat and you'll boost the total fiber count to more than 8 g.

At Dessert

29. Top a bowl of ice cream with sliced fresh berries in lieu of syrup. A half cup of raspberries provides 4 g fiber; strawberries and blueberries pack half that amount.

30. Introduce your pie hole to a slice of apple, cherry, or berry pie and you'll be up a couple of grams of fiber. Cake doesn't have nearly as much fiber—unless you eat the candles.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Fat Farm: WHAT IS IN YOUR FOOD?

Another article taken from Men's Health Mag.

The Fat Farm says - This is just the tip of the iceburg! Read your labels. If an item has more than 5 ingredents, think twice about buying it let alone eating it!!!!

What is in Your Food?

Once upon a time, back when Ray Kroc was still pushing milk-shake machines, a hamburger and fries meant a wad of freshly ground chuck and a peeled, sliced, and fried potato. Now, these two iconic foods—like nearly everything we consume—has taken on a whole new meaning. Sadly, many of our favorite foods today (especially fast foods) weren’t merely crafted in kitchens, they were also designed and perfected in labs. We uncovered the ugly truth when doing research for our latest, most up-to-date book yet: Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide. What we found was not pretty.

Before you mindlessly chew your way through another value meal, take these mini-mysteries (conveniently solved in this slideshow) into account. Sometimes the truth is tough to swallow.

What’s in a Wendy’s Frosty?

Wendy’s Frosty requires 14 ingredients to create what traditional shakes achieve with only milk and ice cream. So what accounts for the double-digit ingredient list? Mostly a barrage of thickening agents that includes guar gum, cellulose gum, and carrageenan. And while that’s enough to disqualify it as a milk shake in our book, it’s nothing compared to the chemist’s list of ingredients in the restaurant’s new line of bulked-up Frankenfrosties.

Check out the Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty, for instance. It seems harmless enough; the only additions, after all, are “coffee syrup” and “coffee toffee pieces.” The problem is that those two additions collectively contain 25 extra ingredients, seven of which are sugars and three of which are oils. And get this: Rather than a classic syrup, the “coffee syrup” would more accurately be described as a blend of water, high-fructose corn syrup, and propylene glycol, a laxative chemical that’s used as an emulsifier in food and a filler in electronic cigarettes. Of all 10 ingredients it takes to make the syrup, coffee doesn’t show up until near the end, eight items down the list.

What’s in a Filet-O-Fish?

The world’s most famous fish sandwich begins as one of the ocean’s ugliest creatures. Filet-O-Fish, like many of the fish patties used by fast-food chains, is made predominantly from hoki, a gnarly, crazy-eyed fish found in the cold waters off the coast of New Zealand. In the past, McDonald’s has purchased up to 15 million pounds of hoki a year, each flaky fillet destined for a coat of batter, a bath of oil, a squirt of tartar, and a final resting place in a warm, squishy bun. But it seems the world’s appetite for this and other fried-fish sandwiches has proven too voracious, as New Zealand has been forced to cut the allowable catch over the years in order to keep the hoki population from collapsing. Don’t expect McDonald’s to scale down Filet-O-Fish output anytime soon, though; other whitefish like Alaskan pollock will likely fill in the gaps left by the hoki downturn. After all, once it’s battered and fried, do you really think you’ll know the difference?

What’s in my salami sandwich?

Salami, the mystery meat: Is it cow? Is it pig? Well, if you’re talking Genoa salami, like you’d get at Subway, then it’s both. Most salami is made from slaughterhouse leftovers that are gathered using “advanced meat recovery,” which sounds like a rehab center for vegans but is actually a mechanical process that strips the last remaining bits of muscle off the bone so nothing is wasted. It’s then processed using lactic acid, the waste product produced by bacteria in the meat. It both gives the salami its tangy flavor and cures it as well, making it an inhospitable place for other bacteria to grow. Add in a bunch of salt and spices—for a total of 15 ingredients in all—and you’ve got salami. But now that you know what’s in there, you might need to check yourself into an advanced meat recovery center.

What’s in a Chicken McNugget?

You’d think that a breaded lump of chicken would be pretty simple. Mostly, it would contain bread and chicken. But the McNugget and its peers at other fast-food restaurants are much more complicated creatures than that. The “meat” in the McNugget alone contains seven ingredients, some of which are made up of yet more ingredients. (Nope, it’s not just chicken. It’s also such nonchicken-related stuff as water, wheat starch, dextrose, safflower oil, and sodium phosphates.) The “meat” also contains something called “autolyzed yeast extract.” Then add another 20 ingredients that make up the breading, and you have the industrial chemical—I mean, fast-food meal—called the McNugget. Still, McDonald’s is practically all-natural compared to Wendy’s Chicken Nuggets, with 30 ingredients, and Burger King Chicken Fries, with a whopping 35 ingredients.

What's in an energy bar?

One word describes what Americans want from their diet these days: Convenience. So stock the supermarket with compact “energy-on-the-go” food touted to fight fatigue, fuel muscle growth, or help you lose weight and it’s guaranteed to fly off the shelves. That’s why sales of energy bars have seen incredible growth over the last decade, with more than $700 million in sales, according to research in Dietitian's Edge.

Cut through the hype and flashy packaging, and you're often left with a hefty (and expensive) dose of sugar, oil, and a mass of added vitamins and minerals. With little research to back up the bars claims, many are nothing more than protein-containing candy in disguise. And here's the worst part: They may not have as much protein as you think. You won't find pig's feet or cattle hide listed in the fine print, but that's because they're hidden behind names like gelatin, hydrolyzed collagen, or hydrolyzed gelatin. Both collagen and gelatin lack an essential amino acid required to make them a complete protein. That means the quality of the protein is inferior to products that lack gelatin or collagen.

What's in fruit juice?

You may be a savvy enough grocery shopper to be able to spot the juice impostors (we’re looking at you, sugar-jacked cranberry cocktail). But when you smugly pull a Tropicana Pure 100% Juice Pomegranate Blueberry off the shelf, do you know what kind of juice you’re actually buying?

Drinks may be labeled 100 percent pure juice, but that doesn’t mean they’re made exclusively with the advertised juice. With respect to the Tropicana in question, pomegranate and blueberry get top billing, even though the ingredient list reveals that pear, apple, and grape juices are among the first four ingredients. These juices are used because they’re cheap to produce and because they’re super sweet—likely to keep you coming back for more. Labels loaded with of-the-moment superfoods like açai and pomegranate are especially susceptible to this type of trickery. Beware.

To avoid the huge sugar surge, pick single-fruit juices. POM, Lakewood Organic, and R.W. Knudsen all make some reliably pure products.

What's in pre-made guacamole?

Not all pre-made guacamole dips are truly made with avocados. In fact, Dean's "Guacamole" dip is comprised of less than 2 percent! The rest of the green goo is a cluster of fillers and chemicals, including modified food starch, soybean oils, locust bean gum, and food coloring. Dean's isn't alone in this guacamole caper; most guacs with the word "dip" attached to them suffer from a lack of avocado. This was brought to light when a California woman filed a lawsuit against Dean's after she noticed "it just didn't taste avocado-y." Similarly, a British judge ruled that Pringles are not technically chips, being that they have only 42 percent potato in them.

If you want the heart-healthy fat, you'll need avocado. Wholly Guacamole makes a great guac, or mash up a bowl yourself.

What's in an energy drink?

Most energy drinks laud their herbal supplements, but the science behind the add-ins is somewhat fuzzy. Ginseng, for example, won't give you an energy blast, although it might boost your brainpower. For instance, Australian researchers found that people who swallowed 200 mg of the extract an hour before taking a cognitive test scored significantly better than when they skipped the supplement. And guarana's benefit may simply be due to its caffeine content-a guarana seed contains 4 to 5 percent caffeine (about twice as much as a coffee bean). And taurine? What is taurine, anyway?

Every can of Red Bull boasts the exotic-sounding ingredient. So do AMP Energy and Sobe Adrenaline Rush, among a slew of high-octane others. But can it really spike your performance, hone your concentration, and keep you up for hours? In a word: No. See, taurine is an amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter. And researchers at Weill Cornell Medical found that it might actually work more as a sedative than a stimulant. Meaning: It doesn’t give you wings—it clips them.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Fat Farm: CRAVINGS

Thanks to Steve for his input on caffeine yesterday. All comments, corrections and additions are always welcome. - jug

The following information is from an article in Men's Health Mag:

8:00 a.m.: A Box of Cap'n Crunch

A big appetite in the morning is your body's way of coming out of starvation mode after hours of not eating. Going without food triggers your brain to release a substance called neuropeptide Y that helps to increase your appetite, says Janine Whiteson, M.Sc., a New York City nutritionist and author of Get a Real Food Life. The longer you've gone without food, the greater your hunger when you wake up.

Give in or Fight It?
Give in—just don't go overboard. "It's fine to eat a doughnut or a bowl of sweetened cereal in the morning, as long as you also eat some high-protein food with it," says Laura A. Lees, Psy.D., a Wisconsin-based eating-disorders specialist. Studies show that protein keeps your appetite in check longer than carbohydrates or fat can. So go ahead and eat a bowl of Cap'n Crunch, but combine it with a couple of slices of Canadian bacon or a small block of cheese.

(The Fat Farm says - that may be true but you'd be better off finding a cereal that is high in protein and low in sugar in the first place- jug)

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/weight_loss_food_cravings/8_00_a_m_A_Box_of_Cap_n_Crunch.php#ixzz0c1IHxWS9

8:45 a.m.: A Jelly Doughnut

Why?
You probably didn't eat enough at breakfast. "It's normal for cravings to pop up every 2 to 3 hours," says Heidi Skolnik, M.S., a sports nutritionist for the New York Giants and a contributing editor to Men's Health. That's roughly how long it takes for your body to break down the sugars in the food you eat, release them into your bloodstream, and convert them into energy, she explains.

Give in or Fight It?
Fight it. Instead of sugar, you need something that's high in fiber—it'll fill you up now but won't interfere with snack time later. "Mid-morning snacks are great, but this isn't midmorning, and you don't want to break out your big snack too early," says Skolnik. Instead of the doughnut, reach for dried fruit, a handful of nuts, or an energy bar. "Eat enough to satisfy your craving, but not enough to keep you from being hungry an hour or two later," she says.

(The Fat Farm says Drink a glass of water, it will help fill you up and give you some of the H2O you need - Jug)

10:30 a.m.: A Coke

Why?
You could be craving the caffeine. The coffee or soda you drank on the way to work is wearing off, and you want another hit to get your energy level back up to what feels like normal.

Give in or Fight It?
Fight it. Swear off the regular soda and opt for the caffeine-free diet variety. "Caffeine gives you a false sense of energy because it doesn't give your body any real fuel to burn," says Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E., a Vermont-based nutritionist. If you switch to caffeine-free soda, not only will you break the caffeine/craving connection, but you probably won't even notice a difference in the taste. In a study from Johns Hopkins University, researchers found that fewer than 10 percent of people were able to tell the difference between regular and caffeine-free soft drinks.

(The Fat Farm says, "I can tell the difference and you are still taking in sugar which will continue the blood glucose spikes. Drink water and have a couple of salted nuts to kill the cravings")

Noon: Macaroni and Cheese

Why?
You're stressed out about your boss, your dog dying, your boss's dog dying, something—and that craving is your body's attempt to make you feel better. "Carbs trigger the production of a feel-good hormone called serotonin, which helps to boost your mood and temporarily relieve your stress," says John Foreyt, Ph.D., director of behavioral-medicine research at Baylor University.

Give in or Fight It?
Give in—occasionally. "Using food for temporary relief from a problem is fine, as long as you don't do it all the time," says Lees. A better alternative: Trick your mind into thinking about something else. "Use your lunch break to go running or lift weights," says Skolnik. "Or try to outthink your craving. When the urge to eat strikes, rate your hunger on a scale of one to 10. "Unless you're at a level of seven or eight, don't allow yourself to eat."

Still Hungry?
Go ahead and eat, but opt for a very small portion and eat it along with a high-protein food like steak, chicken, or tuna salad. "The last thing you want for lunch when you're working is something like macaroni and cheese," says Deborah Gleason, Ph.D., a psychotherapist in Rochester Hills, Michigan. A few carbs may boost your mood, but too many can overload your brain, leaving you sluggish and tired, she says.

(The Fat Farm recommends that you eat something crunchy like celery or radishes. Those will satisfy your oral needs and sprinkle a little hot pepper salt or sauce on the greens to add capsaicin. The chemical that makes the hot, hot, will increase your metabolism for up to 3 hours.- Jug)

2:45 p.m.: Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Why?
You might not be getting enough magnesium. Semisweet chocolate chips are one of the top sources of magnesium, and, according to one theory, not having enough of the mineral in your system could generate a desire to eat chocolate. Or, if you eat chocolate all the time, maybe you're a chocoholic. Spanish researchers found that chocolate and cocoa contain some of the same potentially mood-altering compounds found in alcohol.

Give in or Fight It?
Give in. "If you have an intense craving for a bit of a very specific food like chocolate, it's best to go ahead and eat it," says Skolnik. "If you don't, your craving is going to get more intense until you eventually give in anyway, and you'll have eaten a lot of unnecessary calories in an attempt to make it go away."

Make sure you keep your portions under control, meaning take two or three cookies at most—and then put the rest away. You may feel as if you want more, but according to a study from Pennsylvania State University, people who were served the smallest portions of a food felt just as full and satisfied after eating as people who were given unlimited helpings of the same food.

8:00 p.m.: Potato Chips

Why?
You want to relax. In this case, the craving is less about the food and more about what the food signifies. "A lot of guys feel stressed out and tired all day, and when they get home, they just want to relax and forget about their day with a bag of chips and the remote control," says Skolnik. "They feel like they've been in control and used restraint all day, and the chips are part of their reward for that good behavior."

Give in or Fight It?
Fight it. You're eating for the wrong reason. "It might not seem so bad in the short term, but over time, this kind of emotionally driven eating is one of the primary reasons men gain weight," says Skolnik. To break the habit, go cold turkey: no food while the TV's on. "Even healthy snacks won't help break the association between food and relaxing," says Gleason.

To make the process easier, rearrange your living-room furniture or watch your favorite show in a room where you typically spend less time. Studies from Brookhaven National Laboratory suggest that hanging out in a spot where you've indulged past cravings can help trigger future ones.

(The Fat Farm says - most bad eating is about habits. Break the habits by making changes. Find something else to do while relaxing, scratch your ass, groom your dog, read instead of watching TV, anything, just change those evil ways)

11:00 p.m.: Ice Cream

Why?
You want to watch Letterman but your body wants you to go to bed. Men may crave foods like ice cream and crackers late at night because carbohydrates help to boost levels of a sleep-inducing compound called tryptophan. As tryptophan levels in your brain increase, you naturally become sleepier, say researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Give in or Fight It?
Give in. "Hunger can keep you awake at night, so you're better off eating something than eating nothing at all," says Lees. Her advice: Keep the serving small and pick a regular, full-fat ice cream, not the fat-free kind. According to a study from Purdue, tastebuds can detect fat, and that may be why fat-free foods aren't as satisfying as full-fat foods.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/weight_loss_food_cravings/11_00_p_m_Ice_Cream.php#ixzz0c1N0jEBI

Jughandle says - Nice article, but the sooner you remove ALL processed sugar from your diet the sooner the cravings will stop. No gum, no candy no cookies, no ice cream. The sugar actually creates a cycle in your system where your blood sugar level rises and falls creating the cravings. Balance your blood sugar level and you will not have cravings. You can't fool mother nature, or your body for very long.

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