11 Sep 2014
Australian science TV show Catalyst recently aired a 2-part special called Gut Reaction. The first part What You Eat Could Be Making You Ill investigates whether what we feed the bacteria deep inside our gut could be contributing to a whole litany of diseases. This covered an amazing range of research looking at the role good bacteria in our bodies contributes to good health in unbelievable ways. Eating the right kinds of foods helps feed and develop these cultures. Healthy looking on the outside does not equal healthy on the inside. Better eating for just a month can significantly improve your insulin responses and high quantities of vinegar can cure asthma!
Part 2 Let Food By Thy Medicine investigates whether the Western diet could be contributing to a whole litany of diseases by causing an imbalance in the bacteria deep inside our gut. This then went into methods of restoring a healthy balance. This can be achieved through diet, but for serious cases there is currently an operation called a faecal transplant that has been shown to improve irritable bowel syndrome. It is what it sounds like and the scientist jokingly call it a trans-poo-sion!
01 Sep 2014
Whether you are in a rush or looking for a healthy snack in a jiffy, the best bet is to turn to a protein bar as it provides you immense benefits primarily adding a high level of protein in your diet.
If you are a gym regular and exercise habitually with heavy weight lifting, then you must take protein supplements right before or after a strenuous workout. This will enable your body to sustain the sufficient protein needs especially within an hour of your workout. You can easily carry them to your gym and consume as and when required.
People who are on a diet or weight conscious generally include these protein bars as a meal replacement item in their daily dietary schedule. Limiting the amount of calories by consuming protein bars can conveniently help them cut down those extra pounds.
Protein Bars nowadays come with a huge variety of flavours and serve as a wonderful snack with different calorie values to cater to all kinds of dietary requirements. People munch around chocolate and peanut butter bars when they want to crunch on something tasty and filling. So choose to live healthy with these super nutritious health bars.
Per 100 gram of protein product, a protein powder shake will offer slightly more protein than the bar.
Protein Bars and Powders come in different flavours and forms which serve as a healthy snack and protein building supplement. With the variety of flavours, it is now becoming a much sought after option for convenient and handy snack cravings. However, how exactly do they help your body or system? Find out here:
- It’s one of the best sources for protein intake as the macronutrient “protein” has multiple benefits for your hair, nails, tissue building, enzymes, bones, muscles, skin and other components.
- Protein Powders such as whey, casein and others when taken after a workout or exercise give your body enough protein to recover the energy loss instantly.
- The protein supplements in the form of protein bars and powders help to build lean muscles while curbing hunger and maintaining a healthy weight.
- As a snack meal, you can be satisfied that you are consuming something useful with the protein bars and get a healthy lifestyle rather than munching upon other junk or processed foods which are good for nothing.
- Who doesn’t want a better physique? Whey and Casein are an excellent way to attain a protein rich diet for getting into that macho shape.
Protein bars have high calorie content than its powder equivalent. Therefore, a gym-goer or weight conscious person would want to try protein powder shakes in order to avoid excess calories. If on a low-fat diet, prefer protein powders.
Shakes
Protein Powders are frequently used by gym-goers, sportspersons and athletes as the protein shakes prepared from whey and other protein powders give a speedy recovery after exercise, workout, a strenuous game or run. With its low fat and high protein features, it is preferred by diet conscious people and serves a great fit within one hour of exercise.
Formerly used to substitute merely as a protein supplement, these powders are now available in flavours to make for a healthy and tasty drink which not only helps to cut down excess fat, but also serves as a refreshing change. Whey Protein is much in demand owing to its high protein content.
For exercise and recovery after the same, carbohydrates and protein are equally important, so protein powder alone does not suffice for the recovery needs for people after workout and must be balanced with a protein bar for carbohydrates to fuel the body.
Bars
Protein bars have a wide market with popular brands producing new variations and flavours in protein bars. With the convenience that protein bars offer and the high energy demands of sportsmen and athletes being complemented with these bars, they have become a great option which comes handy. Also, it serves as a filling snack for busy professionals.
It is not merely a food option for muscle building. Protein Bars are used by people who want to gain weight, lose weight, curb hunger, and fill up for protein in their bodies along with various other factors.
Both the Protein Bars and Protein shakes (made from whey or other protein powder) have much nutritional value with its high protein content. Both are effective and can substitute one another in filling for the protein needs for your body.
Choose what works for you best and make the most of these high protein supplements.
22 Aug 2014
Paleo Diet
The Paleolithic (Paleo) diet has increased in popularity recently, and is especially popular with Crossfit devotees. The Paleo diet is based on whole foods, but excludes grains, beans and legumes, dairy, salt and sugar.
The Paleo diet claims to reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, assist weight loss, and improve energy levels. There is some evidence to support these claims. The obvious benefits of the Paleo diet are that it emphasises whole foods, fruits, vegetables and lean protein. It also encourages organic produce, free of pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones.
The Paleo diet incorporates a lot of meat. While this meat can be lean, there is a potential to be consuming too much saturated fat, which can lead to complications like heart disease. Eating too much protein also means excess energy will be converted and stored as fat. The diet also excludes entire food groups, such as wholegrains, legumes and low-fat dairy, which have many noted health benefits.
If managed well, the Paleo diet can be healthy. Any followers, however, should be careful to avoid high intakes of saturated fat, and should consider whether they want to miss out on the health benefits of the excluded food groups.
Raw Food Diet
One thing everyone seems to agree on is that we should eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. But what about cooked?
In essence, the raw food diet is exactly as it sounds: no food is cooked. The diet is based almost exclusively on plant foods. Sometimes it includes animal foods, but they are consumed raw (for example, unpasteurised milk). Some versions eschew all animal products, and so are vegan.
The clear benefit of moving to a plant-based diet is that fruits, vegetables and nuts are some of the richest sources of essential nutrients. The raw food diet also excludes most processed foods, eliminating trans fats and reducing levels of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Many foods are also most nutritious when eaten raw, as heat destroys many nutrients, including some water-soluble vitamins and unsaturated fats, including omega-3s.
Claims that raw food is better, however, because cooking destroys plant enzymes, are questionable. The hydrochloric acid used in digestion also destroys most plant enzymes. Some foods are also more beneficial when cooked, for example cooked tomatoes provide more of the antioxidant lycopene than raw tomatoes. And some beneficial plant foods, for example beans and legumes, are largely indigestible raw.
Cooking also can remove harmful bacteria from some foods, like salmonella and E. coli. While raw milk may be on trend, pasteurisation does greatly reduce the risk of ingesting these harmful bacteria.
While most of us should be eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, rejecting cooked food completely may lead to missing out on valuable vitamins and minerals.
Coconut Oil
In contrast to the low-fat diets of the past few decades, many have started to incorporate high levels of fats and oils into their diets. Many aficionados of high-fat diets say that it helps with satiety, energy, and strong hair and nails. One of the most popular fats is coconut oil.
Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. It helps the body absorb some nutrients, and is a source of energy and vitamins. Fat also provides essential fatty acids which the body can’t produce itself. Most nutrition guidelines recommend limiting food high in saturated fat, while eating more unsaturated fats (for example, oily fish, nuts and seeds, sunflower and olive oils).
Coconut oil is becoming extremely popular, despite being made up of more than 90 per cent saturated fats. The majority of the saturated fats in coconut oil are medium-chain saturated fats, which the body tends to use quickly to produce energy. This means that less of it accumulates in fat tissue. Some researchers consider that because of the structure of the saturated fat, coconut oil does less damage than other saturated fats, such as those found in animal products. Coconut oil is also free from cholesterol, which makes it a better choice than butter and trans fats.
The evidence on coconut oil is still emerging, and isn’t yet convincing. At this stage, most nutritionists seem to recommend that that coconut oil is treated like any other saturated fat, and is used in moderation.
18 Aug 2014
The idea of dieting is as American as the apple pie that leads to it. Some blame the obesity epidemic or the standards placed upon us by the media, but one thing is for sure, this over thirty billion dollar per year industry is here to stay. With so many new diets on the market along the old standbys our mothers used, it can be difficult to decipher which diet fits best with you and your lifestyle. Luckily, there are plenty of options. From counting calories and points to becoming a culinary caveman, any person can develop a meal plan and, in the long run, a healthy lifestyle.
For the second year in a row, DASH Diet tops the list of U.S. News diet ranking. DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, was developed in the interest of lowering blood pressure, but also aimed at improving overall health. The diet is considered a flexible option because it does not require the elimination of any food groups. Instead, the aim is a balanced diet with an emphasis on produce, whole grains, and low-fat dairy; foods we’ve been told are healthy throughout our lives. Age and lifestyle determine the amount of calories that should be consumed in a day and the amount of servings is dependent upon that caloric goal. As expected, sugar, alcohol, and red meat are limited. Additionally, this diet does not provide support groups or an abundance of resources, so it also requires a lot of discipline. Studies show that while the diet shows consistent overall health improvement, especially for those with hypertension, this is a much slower approach to weight loss than many other diets on the market today. DASH sounds like a quick fix, but it is a very methodical lifestyle change.
If counting calories and servings sounds too complicated for a diet, perhaps counting points makes a diet more livable. Weight Watchers is synonymous with points and has stood the test of time for over fifty years as one of America’s top weight loss plans. Weight Watchers is based on a points system, in which every food has a points value and every member has a points budget. Points are based on the fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and protein makeup of food. All fruits and most vegetables have a points value of zero, nudging dieters to lean toward those foods. Dieters keep a food journal, or a tracker, where points are logged and deducted from one’s target like balancing a checking account. Each person also has the option of using “Weekly Points,” extra points that act as a sort of overdraft protection, throughout one week, in case a wedding, birthday, or other splurge-worthy event occurs. Extra points can also be earned through activity. Weight Watchers encourages healthy eating habits, but does not forbid any foods, and does not necessarily require dieters to avoid processed products. Though Weight Watchers originally required weekly weigh-ins and meetings for members, it has remained relevant in the twenty-first century with its online program, smartphone apps, and celebrity endorsements. Members can expect to lose half a pound to two pounds on average per week and once they’ve reached their Goal Weight, can continue to use Weight Watchers services for free as Lifetime member, in order to maintain their health and weight loss.
While Weight Watchers prides itself on keeping up with the times, some prefer to revert to the eating habits of our ancestors. One of the latest trends in dieting and weight loss is the Paleo Diet, a diet that simply states that if a caveman couldn’t eat it, neither should you. There is no counting or label-reading required, and the only measuring of food is a measurement of one’s satisfaction state of hunger. Every human is now a hunter-gatherer, even if only doing so in a supermarket. Meats, vegetables, seeds, and nuts are encouraged for higher protein, lower carbohydrate diet. No grains, sugars, processed foods, and for most, no dairy. Fruits and sweet potatoes calm that sweet tooth and those carb cravings and the ability to eat eggs without separating whites and yolks is can be liberating. In addition to the many cookbooks and blogs now dedicated to caveman life, there are several Paleo apps and Paleo restaurants are even popping up in major cities. Hunting and gathering has never been easier.
Whether your weight loss goal involves following advice from your doctor or following in the footsteps of Jessica Simpson or the Flintstones, there is a health plan for you. Eating well can often feel taxing on the budget, but in the long run, you’ll be saving money on medical bills and adding longevity to your life. Whether your new diet choice is classic or trendy, looking and feeling better will always be in style.
15 Aug 2014
This is what Goodies Bandit intends to show you. Once exposed with little effort you will eat better. Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink goes into details of this big problem:
This book will literally change the way you think about your next meal. Food psychologist Brian Wansink revolutionizes our awareness of how much, what, and why we’re eating—often without realizing it. His findings will astound you.
- Can the size of your plate really influence your appetite?
- Why do you eat more when you dine with friends?
- What “hidden persuaders” are used by restaurants and supermarkets to get us to overeat?
- How does music or the color of the room influence how much—and how fast—we eat?
- How can we “mindlessly” lose—instead of gain—up to twenty pounds in the coming year?
Starting today, you can make more mindful, enjoyable, and healthy choices at the dinner table, in the supermarket, at the office—wherever you satisfy your appetite.
Understanding why we eat too much is a useful tool. Knowledge however is rarely enough. A strict diet is very hard to follow and sets you up for failure. Again. The author's point is that we don't monitor every calorie. We can't. Goodies Bandit makes it easy to see with frictionless tracking via photos and accountability for encouragement and support.
Try out Goodies Bandit today and know what you eat.