A Comprehensive List of Food Safety Tips

Whether you have a career in food preparation, entertain privately, or just cook for your family, food handling has some science to it that you should know. What with hearing a story in the news every other day about yet another Salmonella or E. Coli outbreak, we could all stand to hear a refresher course in the sanitary preparing of food.

Handling food
Wash and dry hands thoroughly before handling food. Always use clean kitchen utensils for handling foods. Keep raw and cooked food apart at all times. Apply this especially to raw meat, fish, and poultry. Keep these away from cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods. Wash and dry hands, utensils, cutting boards, knives, and flat surfaces thoroughly after preparing raw meat, fish, poultry and other raw foods and before contact with other food. Ideally you should use separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods. Never put cooked food onto a plate which has previously held these raw foods until it has been washed. Do not use the same utensil to stir or serve a cooked meal that was used to prepare the raw ingredients.

Vegetables of the root family such as potatoes, leeks and carrots often have traces of soil on them which can contain harmful bacteria, so wash them thoroughly before use. As a rule you should wash other fruit and vegetables too, especially if they are going to be eaten raw. Avoid preparing food for yourself or others if you are sick.

Defrosting
When cooking packaged frozen foods always follow instructions provided for defrosting or cooking directly from frozen. If cooking from frozen allow sufficient time for food to be thoroughly cooked and check it before serving; an extra minute in the fryer won't hurt it. When defrosting foods make sure they are fully defrosted before cooking; being sure to allow food enough time to thaw. Never re-freeze food once it has started to thaw.

Thaw food by placing it on the bottom shelf of the fridge in a container to catch any juices, or in a bin or rack over a sink. These juices will often be contaminated so wash dishes and hands thoroughly after use. Only thaw food in a microwave oven if it is to be cooked immediately. To thaw very large meat items like turkeys, leg of lamb, etc. more quickly, let them defrost outside of the fridge. Put them in a cool place and make sure they are completely thawed before cooking.

Cooking and heating
Follow recipes and label instructions on cooking times and temperatures.
Remember to preheat the oven properly - the instructions for preheating take into account that the cooking time should be at the full temperature. Cook all foods until they are piping hot. Remember that sausages, burgers, pork and poultry are cooked all the way through and they should not be rare or pink in the middle. As a test, pierce it with a knife; any juices that run out of the meat should be clear, not bloody. Lamb and beef (except when minced or rolled) can be eaten rare, but you should make sure the outer surface is thoroughly cooked to kill any germs on the surface of the meat.

Elderly or sick people, babies, young children and pregnant women should only eat eggs cooked until both yolk and white are solid and should never eat raw or partially cooked seafood. Don't cook foods too far in advance. Once cooked, foods should be kept covered and piping hot (above 145F) until it's time to serve them. Keep prepared cold foods in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.

When using a microwave, stir foods and drinks and allow them to stand for a couple of minutes to avoid hot or cold spots. Check that food is hot throughout before serving. Foods that are not thoroughly cooked should be re-heated for another few minutes, but when it comes to microwaves food should not be reheated more than twice.

Cooling
Never put hot food directly into the fridge or freezer, let it cool sufficiently first. Cooling should be completed within one or two hours after cooking. To speed cooling you can divide foods into smaller portions, place in a wide dish and stand this in a shallow tray of cold water.

Extra care for babies
Because babies' immune systems are less developed than those of an adult, they are at a greater risk of illness. To take extra care for young babies, wash bottles and utensils in hot soapy water and sterilize them using a sterilizing solution or a steam sterilizer. When adding water to baby foods, milks and other drinks always use bottled water and never water straight from the sink tap. Cook foods thoroughly until piping hot and cool them rapidly until they are comfortable to eat.

Extra care with barbecues and grills
Cooking food outdoors, particularly for large groups, can increase the risk of food poisoning. It's harder to keep foods very hot or very cold and to keep everything clean. But with a little extra care barbecues and outdoor grills can be used safely.

Light the barbecue well in advance, making sure that you use enough charcoal and wait until it is glowing red with a powdery gray surface before starting to cook. Keep meats, salads and other perishable food in the fridge, or in an ice-packed portable cooler box, until just before you are ready to cook them. Serve salads at the last minute. Ideally use separate cooler boxes for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods. Cooler boxes can only keep food cool for a limited period so cook sooner rather than later. Better still,
if possible, fully pre-cook all poultry and sausages in an indoor kitchen and then take them straight to the barbecue to add the final barbecue flavor.

During cooking, turn food often. If it starts to burn on the outside raise the grill height or reduce the heat of the charcoal. You reduce charcoal's heat by dampening the coals slightly or partially closing the air vents. As always, cook poultry, burgers, pork and sausages throughout with no pink bits in the middle. Keep raw and cooked foods apart at all times.

Don't handle cooked foods with utensils that have touched raw meats and don't put cooked or ready-to-eat foods such as salad and bread on plates that have held raw meats.

Submitted by JoshStone

Healthy Cooking Does Not Mean Eating Bland And Boring Food

Eating healthy should always be a priority. Healthy eating can be accomplished by simply changing eating habits and changing the methods you use to cook. There is no need to cook bland or boring dishes, many options are available. Understanding the flavors your dishes use means eating well and feeling well.

Leaner Cuts of Meat

Choosing leaner cuts of meat, such as low fat chicken and fish, will help you on your path to healthy cooking. When selecting red meats for instance, chose meats that do not contain high amounts of fat like sirloin and round cuts. Make sure you also check and buy only meat that has low marbling. Any visible fat should also be trimmed off prior to cooking. When buying ground beef make sure that it is as much as ninety-five percent lean when establishing healthy cooking habits.

Solving the problem of lean meat drying out is easy, simply include in your healthy cooking of these lean meats marinades that do more than flavor foods. Acidic liquids can easily decompose the connective tissue of the meat, so be sure to add some acidic ingredients, like vinegar, in your quest for healthy cooking. Many low fat marinades are available to choose from, but do not overlook the opportunity to prepare the marinade yourself. Twenty minutes of marinating should be sufficient for average sized meat cuts, but in general longer marinade times add flavor and tenderness.

The age-old Indian cooking technique of using a yogurt marinade is wonderful for chicken and lamb. Leave this marinade on for eight hours or even overnight for a wonderful flavor. The acid in the yogurt will tenderize the meat.

Vegetables

Healthy cooking does not mean eating only bland vegetables. One excellent healthy cooking technique is sautéing your vegetables. Use tiny quantities of chicken or vegetable broth as a substitute for oil, along with a few herbs and chopped chives. This healthy cooking technique gives vegetables a new, zesty flavor. Another alternative is using roasted vegetables. The best choices for roasting are root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots.

Do Not Forget Dessert

Healthy cooking does not mean having to do without your dessert. Fruits are always a welcome addition to healthy cooking. Wonderful as a side dish, mixed berries with a topping of fat free vanilla yogurt will make your taste buds happy, while keeping you healthy as well. Another good option, sautéed bananas, is an unbelievably sweet treat will make you wonder if you are still on a diet.

Remember, it is important to live healthy, but at the same time with some knowledge of healthy cooking and changes in your diet, you can have better, healthier meals that will not have you craving those unhealthy foods you have been trying so hard to give up.

by tresero

Professional Cookware for professional chefs

Whether you are just starting out in the kitchen or have many years experience you will produce better quality meals by using professional cookware. There are a multitude of brands, makes and styles to choose from. The best cookware for you is a matter of personal choice. The professional cookware used by one person could easily be considered unacceptable by another. This article will give you impartial advice on the different types of cookware available.

A popular material for professional chefs is stainless steel cookware. This is popular due to the fact that stainless steel cookware is resistant to scratches and dents. However, there are many professional chefs that do not like stainless steel cookware as it does not conduct heat on an even basis. As a result it is quite possible to ruin a meal you have spent a lot of time on.

Another option is to use aluminium cookware which is particularly popular for bake ware. It is important that aluminium cookware is coated or anodised to give it protection. This protection is necessary as aluminium has a tendency to scratches and dents. It is also subject to reacting with alkaline and acidic substances which results in the food it is contact with changing colour. The food will look burnt even though it isn't. If this happens you will certainly lose marks for presentation even if you don't for taste.

Copper cookware is a strong preference for professional chefs for the simple reason of copper's ability to conduct heat evenly. Copper cookware is probably the most popular cookware used by chefs. It is generally considered to be a good investment. However, it is generally the most expensive cookware. On the downside, copper cookware suffers from similar problems to aluminium cookware in that it scratches easily and food tends to stick to the bottom and sides.

Cast iron cookware is very resilient and can last a lifetime if looked after properly. New cast iron cookware needs to be seasoned (also known as cured) to make it effective. Seasoning is achieved buy rubbing fat over the cookware. The fat can be any type such as vegetable oil or animal fat. The cookware should be then left in a hot oven for at least an hour. The process should be repeated several times until the cast iron cookware becomes black. This makes the cookware non stick. It is a bit more labour intensive at the beginning but the end result is that you have cookware that will last for years and years. One last thing to remember here is that when you clean the cookware you should not leave it to soak in water. This not only makes it susceptible to rust but it also tends to dissolve the fat coating on the cookware.

Glass cookware remains a popular favourite. It can be very decorative and is generally a lot easier to clean than metal cookware. It can withstand variations in temperature and in most cases can be used on top or the range. It is important that the correct methods of cleaning are used. These should be non-abrasive self polishing cleaners. Stubborn stains can be removed by leaving the cookware to soak in water.

The phrase ‘you get what you pay for' applies to professional cookware as much as anywhere else. You should avoid buying cheap cookware as the odds are it will not last long and will not perform as well as better quality cookware. Look to buy a brand name. Many of the better brands have online advice and tips as well as recipes to try. Compare prices online to those in the good department stores.

by : Michael Saville

Teach Your Kids To Eat The Healthy Way Without All The Complaining

With the fast food restaurant down the street, it can be a tempting convenience, but an unhealthy food choice for your family. It is getting harder and harder to please families with whatever type of meals you cook. Even packing lunches can be a struggle - the fruit and veggies get thrown out, while all that's left of the chocolate treat is the wrapper. Here, we give you tips on following the food pyramid, cutting down on sweets and giving your kids healthy food tips for life.

Help you and your kid's follow the food pyramid by avoiding fast food and unhealthy food choices.

With the fast food restaurant down the street, it can be a tempting convenience, but an unhealthy food choice for your family. It is getting harder and harder to please families with whatever type of meals you cook. Even packing lunches can be a struggle - the fruit and veggies get thrown out, while all that's left of the chocolate treat is the wrapper. Here, we give you tips on following the food pyramid, cutting down on sweets and giving your kids healthy food tips for life.

The Food Pyramid

The food pyramid is a recommended guide to how many different food groups should be consumed each day. Many people and parents do not even know the proper amount of servings they should feed their kid's. As concerned parents, your child should follow this food guide for healthy eating:

Dairy: 2-3 servings
Meat: 2-3 servings
Fruit: 2-4 servings
Vegetables: 3-5 servings
Grain: 6 to 11 servings

Spice It Up

A long time ago, healthy eating was dreaded at the dinner table. Thanks to new food inventions and creative new chef's, new seasonings and flavors can be added to almost any food recipe. Adding extra seasoning to bland food can make a huge difference with cooking healthy recipes for your children. Also, kid's love fun and different recipes. Plain peanut butter and jelly sandwiches aren't as appealing as sandwiches cut into little animals or shapes. Let your creative and imagination flow when cooking for your kids!

Getting Your Kid's To Eat The Food

Get your child active in helping prepare lunch or dinner. Let them set the table and prepare the food for cooking. This will give them a sense of accomplishment and hopefully will give them the incentive to eat at the table. Mixing great flavor and color into your meals will get the kid's excited. We suggest trying "Make-Your-Own" Taco Kit, which gives kid's their own hands on food experimenting. Forcing kid's to eat their food is not the answer either. I have found that lots of children's eating habits are from habit and conditioning, too. Just imagine the nutritional impact you will be showing your child by eating healthy yourself.

Set a Limit to the Junk Food

Allowing your child to eat the odd chip bag or chocolate bag is okay. They are most likely not to complain or throw tantrums as much. Remember, always give them small portions of junk food. Tell your children that sugars can be found naturally in fruit. A great snack idea is to chop up the child's favorite fruit into a bowl of milk. Sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar over and eat with a spoon. Replace potato chips with trail mix, peanuts, popcorn or pretzels. Chop up veggies and serve with dip. There are many optional ideas that the kid's will love.

There are some nights in people's hectic life's when there is absolutely no time to cook dinner. This is when fast food comes in. Although fast food is fast, the food doesn't usually come with it. Try a healthier food stop such as Subway, Extreme Pita or Tim Horton's. If you end up in McDonald's, order small proportions. Keeping these trips to a minimum can help you enjoy at least one small fries. Savor and enjoy every last bite.

By Janna Hagan

Acid Reflux, Foods To Avoid And Acid Reflux Causes

If you’re looking for a natural cure for acid reflux or if you are just looking out for the acid reflux foods to avoid then perhaps you would first like to know a little more about it. Acid Reflux sometimes called GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) or acid indigestion is a condition suffered by thousands of people from all walks of life. The main symptoms include frequent heartburn, a burning type of pain in the lower part of the mid chest, behind the breastbone, and sometimes in the mid abdomen.

So just what is Acid Reflux? Acid Reflux is a condition in which acid from the stomach escapes and moves up into the oesophagus. This is not a normal process of digestion and so can cause severe discomfort. If you have too much acid in your stomach it can eat away at the stomach lining and affect the muscles in the stomach and the oesophagus.

Some of the more common acid reflux causes include diet and lifestyle. It may not be so easy to change your lifestyle, maybe because of the type of job you do, which may be hectic and stressful. However making a small change in your diet and knowing what acid reflux foods to avoid can make a huge difference to how much you suffer.

Watching what you eat is essential if you suffer from acid reflux, and knowing what acid reflux foods to avoid is vital, as a poor diet is one of the main acid reflux causes. And it’s not just what you eat; it can also be how you eat. Try eating smaller more frequent meals as opposed to large heavy meals. Having less food in your stomach at any one time, means that your stomach does not have to produce such a large amount of acid to digest it.

Natural remedies for acid reflux can include just eating the right foods, and knowing what acid reflux foods to avoid. Fatty foods, acidic foods such as oranges or tomatoes should all be avoided, as should onions, chocolate, and any milk based products. Fast foods and fried foods are known to be some of the worst acid reflux causes.

As well as acid reflux foods to avoid, there are also foods that can be beneficial (thank goodness I hear you cry). Try switching to more fruit and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates in your diet. Some of these beneficial foods include apples, bananas, carrots, rice (brown or white), bread (wheat, multi grain, or white), corn bread, pasta, and cereals.

Meat and fish can also be part of a healthy diet as long as they are cooked the right way. Avoid frying and always buy lean meats. Fish can be steamed and things like beef and pork can be grilled. Chicken breasts are fine as long as you remove the skin. Also some dairy products are ok, fat free cream cheese, soy cheese, or feta cheese will not cause you any problems.

Along with these acid reflux foods to avoid there are also certain drinks and beverages to be aware of. Coffee, tea, or anything else with caffeine should be avoided. Alcohol is another no no, as is milk or any milk products. Smoking is also one of the worst acid reflux causes, so the cigarettes will have to go if you want to start feeling some improvement. Just by making these few changes in your diet can act like a natural cure for acid reflux.

by MIKE LEGG

Salmon Recipes: Valuable Source Of Omega-3 And The Ultimate Gastronomical Delight!

Salmon Recipes have emerged as a hot favorite among countless fish-food lovers across the globe. If you are looking to include some flavorsome dishes in your diet but don’t want to gain weight, salmon recipes are definitely the best option!

Salmon recipes are amazingly tasty and high in nutritional levels. Salmon recipes are rich in protein and contain the essential fats, or rather, the “good fats”. Surprisingly, a certain amount of salmon can fulfill your entire day’s Vitamin D requirement. In fact, salmon is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are the real players behind the high nutritional-value present in this delectable food-item.

Salmon can be cooked in a number of ways. A salmon recipe can be grilled or prepared in various methods. However, a salmon recipe tastes best if cooked with fresh salmon. Fresh salmon can be identified by their clear eyes and clean red or pink gills. Salmon recipes can be prepared with farmed salmon and canned salmon as well.

Salmon recipes offer the most striking variety when compared to other fish. Some of the most popular salmon recipes are discussed in this article. Sockeye Red Salmon is one of the most popular choices from the Salmon family when it comes to preparing delicious and healthy salmon recipes. The chief ingredients of one particular dish are sockeye salmon fillets; some special pre-made sauces such as Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce, a zip lock bag (large), aluminum foil and a small wire grill. Marinate the fish, cook on the grill and then wrap in the aluminum foil when you serve.

‘Salmon Dip’ is another popular salmon recipe. It is prepared with some sour cream, a little butter, 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped), 2 tablespoon pepper, 1 can salmon skinned and bones-removed, grated onions and some dried dill weed. Put all the ingredients together, leaving the fish, and mix with an electric mixer to make a smooth paste. Then, put in the salmon and dill. Next, cover up this salmon recipe and refrigerate until you serve.

An interesting aspect of salmon recipes is that since the preparation of the dish involves an oily fish, most recipes include a variety of sauces, rub and marinades. Moreover, at times salmon recipes are covered with pesto or are served with limejuice toppings as well. Dill is the most common herb consumed along with salmon, together with several vegetables and mushrooms.

One delicious salmon recipe with dill as the primary ingredient is the ‘Grilled Dilled Salmon’ recipe. The ingredients of this recipe are Salmon fillets, sweetener or brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, a bunch of fresh dill, vegetable oil, pepper, olive oil and salt to taste. Put some sweetener on the salmon, followed by adequate amount of salt and vinegar. Then put enough olive oil on the chopped dill with some added salt and black pepper. Toss the entire preparation and wrap the fish with the dill, marinate it for at least half an hour; you can even keep it overnight. Heat the grill and oil it well. With the skin side down, put the salmon on the grill. Cook it till it turns opaque or obtains the shape you require. Make sure the fish is cooked properly. Interestingly, this particular salmon recipe contains about only 1-gram of carbohydrate, with essentials proteins, fiber, and calories in it.

Another special salmon recipe for all lovers of baked-food is “Oven Baked Salmon with Herbs”. In this dish, the chief ingredients are salmon filet, some fresh herbs, a bit of pepper, 1-tablespoon oil, and some salt. Remove all the bones from the fish and season it with some oil on both sides. Get the herb finely chopped and mix it with some salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 200 F and put the fish on it. Remember to smear some oil on the platter too. Bake it for almost 45 minutes and then serve with homemade sauces. This salmon recipe brings you the essential amount of protein and calories with practically no carbs.

Now, since salmon is rich in Omega-3 fats and is affirmed as a nutritious food, salmon recipes surely have great value! Salmon also contains B12, niacin, and selenium and is high on B6 and magnesium. On the other hand, calcium content is rich in canned salmon. Moreover, intake of salmon recipes helps to bring down inflammation, which again helps you to prevent certain serious diseases such as diabetes, heart-diseases, arthritis and many types of cancer. Additionally, the Omega-3 fats present in the fish assists in avoiding strokes, preventing blood-clots and bring down aggression and depression.

So, are you ready to feast on mouthwatering salmon recipes and lead a healthier life?

SalmonRecipes.net is an online collection of over 700 delicious salmon recipes provided by some of the worlds top chefs

Physical Hunger Versus Head Hunger

Are you hungry? How hungry? Can you tell how hungry you are? By using the Rate Your Hunger Chart, you'll be able to distinguish between true physical hunger and head hunger. You'll be able to tune into your own body to nourish it to physical satiety. You'll be able to identify for yourself when you should begin eating and when you should stop. Weight loss and maintenance will naturally occur. Tune in rather than tune out to your hunger.


Are you hungry? Physically hungry? How do you know? People that have issues with weight find it difficult to tell the difference between physical hunger and head hunger. Many times the head hunger is so convincing by its persistence and intensity that we think it is physical hunger. Does this sound loike you? If so, you need a strategy to be able to tell the difference. By using the chart below, you'll be able to nourish your body when it needs it and to the level that maximizes your weight loss and maintenance.

Physical hunger starts to occur about two to four hours after your last meal. Symptoms include an empty or rumbling feeling in your stomach. If you ignore this signal you body sends you a stronger physical signals in the form of a headache, dizziness or lightheadedness. This type of hunger is your body's way of telling you it is time to nourish it. The physical hunger gives you true physical cues.

Head hunger occurs at any time and has no physical symptoms. They may seem like physical cues but if you pay attention, they really aren't. Thinking compulsively about food, emotional situations, specific personal triggers, or food cravings may cause you to think that you are hungry when you're really not. Watching television, being bored and wanting to eat is head hunger. Grazing is head hunger. You almost feel as though you're feeding an empty hole and can't eat enough to feel satisfied.

Think of your stomach as a fuel tank. You wouldn't overfill your own vehicle's fuel tank? No! The same applies to your body too. Visualize a food gauge similar to your fuel gauge.

To help you to identify which type of hunger you're feeling and what action you should take, the Rate Your Hunger chart is helpful. Again, by using this chart regularly, consider your stomach as your fuel tank with its very own gauge.

RATE YOUR HUNGER CHART:

1: Extremely uncomfortable, feel "starving" physically, dizzy, irritable, headache.

2: Very hungry, empty or rumbling in your stomach, feeling lightheaded.

3: Hungry and need to eat.

4: Signals of true hunger are starting to occur.

5: Content and satisfied, neither full or hungry sensations.

6: Knowing that you have eaten and feel satisfied.

7: You don't need to eat any more food as you feel satisfied physically.

8: Uncomfortably full, you are overly full.

9: Very uncomfortable, you need to loosen your clothes.

10: Stuffed to the point of feeling sick (similar to the full feeling at Thanksgiving).

You can use this chart to rate your hunger. Check in with yourself every time you want to eat. Is it head hunger or true physical hunger? Listen to your body and it will tell you. As dieters, we're not used to listen to our body. Some of us don't trust our bodies. We're so used to a diet telling us what to eat and when to eat it that we've turned off the physical cues. When you're aware of your body and use the Hunger Chart, you'll get back in tune with it. You'll be able to distinguish the various levels in the chart.

On the chart, if you're at number 6 or 7, you have satiety. You're comfortable and feel physically nourished. If you're above this number on the chart you have overeaten. If you are at number 5, you are neutral, nether hungry or full. If you are at a number 4, then you are beginning to get hungry and need to consider eating soon. If you let your hunger go for a while you will start to feel the physical signs of hunger of number 3. To avoid overeating because you're overly hungry, set a goal to eat at the number 3 level. You will tend to eat too fast and eat beyond a comfortable feeling of satiety or fullness to get rid of those bad physical feelings. Pay attention and tune into your body. Begin eating when you are at a number 3. Stop eating when you are comfortably satisfied at a number 6 or, at a maximum, of a number 7.

Keep a log of your feelings of hunger using the Hunger Chart. This will assist you to become more familiar with your body's physical cues. You can identify if you are waiting too long to eat or eating beyond a comfortable, satisfied level. Also note what and how much you're eating and the hunger rating when you started eating and the level you at to and stopped.

Just as with your vehicle's fuel tank you are in charge of how much you put into it, you're in control of your own body's fuel tank too. Weight loss and maintenance will occur naturally by eating when you're truly hungry and stopping when you're satisfied.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cathy Wilson is a weight loss life coach. Cathy lost 147 pounds six years ago. Her passion is helping clients achieve their weight loss and life goals. Cathy works with clients to create a weight loss life plan that is customized to each client. Cathy is a member of the International Coaching Federation, International Association of Coaches, and Obesity Action Coalition. Visit Cathy's website: http://www.LoseWeightFindLife.com

You Are What You Eat - Nutrition Basics For The Clueless

In order to reach a goal to reduce your weight, you need to burn more calories than you intake. Of course, that can be very difficult when you want to see overall body health improvement as well as weight loss. Good nutrition skills are a must in this case. Proper nutrition can help to reduce your risk of a variety of health problems including heart disease and cancer. This, Of course, entails eating many different foods, watching your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets are balanced for nutrition and reduce cholesterol, and of course blood pressure.
1. Nutrients
To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients. Carbohydrates are one nutrient your body requires. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses them to build glucose that can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, though, is stored as fat. There are both simple and complex types of carbohydrates. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates. Proteins are another important nutrient. Proteins help your body build and fix muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.
2. Proteins
The two major types are animal and vegetable proteins. Too much animal protein, though, can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat. Odd as it may sound; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat. Vitamins are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease.
3. Essential
Vitamins For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist
with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot. Minerals and trace elements are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in all sorts of different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.
4. A Well Balanced Diet
Here are some guidlines to create a well balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. Select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week. You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid. Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcohol dehydrates you and increases toxins in the blood stream and liver, and should be taken in moderation.

Author : John

Great Salad Recipes

Salads are nutritional and can be the great source of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and lot more. They are considered as light meal and much more than an appetizer. Their preparation mostly involves vegetables (leafy vegetables) sometimes fruits. The dressing of the salads forms the crux of it, which differentiates the taste of different salads. Occasionally the salad is prepared with meat, fish cheese or nuts, which makes the salad of high calorie-content. Basically the salads are healthy with low calories most commonly found on every dining table in US

The most commonly consumed green salad consists of variety of vegetables like lettuce, spinach or arugula. This is not all green salads can be seen with tomato, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spring onions, and red onions, carrot and reddish. We come across people who love to try different things in their daily diet they make different combinations in the same dish to give it different taste and flavor. For this reason we find green salads complimented with pasta, olives, cooked potatoes, croutons, beans, rice meat, cheese and fish. That is why salad is not just any mixture of leafy vegetables but needs proper garnishing and serving with of course the right mix of ingredients.

There are wide array of sumptuous chicken and summer salad recipes with tantalizing taste and mouth-watering aroma.
Lets look at one of the recipe called Chinese chicken salad recipe which easy to prepare and tasty to eat. The almonds and noodles in the salad adds a crunchy taste to it and the dressing makes it spicy and sweet. Take a quick look at the ingredients needed.


Chinese chicken salad

Ingredients:
Coleslaw
1 packet of chicken noodles
1/2-cup of chopped green onions
Few sliced almonds to add crunch
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Dressing essentials:
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of olive oil
Wine vinegar or same quantity of rice preferably 1/2 cup rice
2 tsp. of soy sauce
Seasoning from the ramen

Method
To start with the Chinese chicken salad, you need to bake/grill and cube the 4 chicken breasts properly. Once this is done you have to combine all ingredients together. When the ingredients are mixed properly put the dressing on salad immediately before serving.
During summer the intake of regular diet is less but the salads with nice dressings and variety of toppings can actually work a appetizers. The summer salad recipe give involves fresh vegetables. Just go through the recipe to more about it.

Mid- summer Italian bread salad

Ingredients
1 clove of garlic
1 (1 pound) loaf or Italian bread preferably
1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes
1 cup of peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
1 cup of chopped red onion
1 clove crushed garlic
2 cups of chopped fresh basil
1/8 cup of chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
If the bread is too fresh toast it till it becomes dry and crunchy.

Preparations
First of all rub the peeled clove of garlic from inside of wooden salad bowl. After that chop the bread into small size pieces. Mix bread, tomato, tomato, cucumber red onions, garlic, basil and thyme in the prepared salad bowl. Finally add oil and vinegar for lightly coating. Toss and serve the Mid- summer Italian bread salad.

By: Dhiraj

Healthy Trans Fats vs. Unhealthy Trans Fats Revealed

I'm going to talk about something today that most of you have probably never heard...that there is a distinction between good trans fats and bad trans fats. There is some evidence that the good trans can help you with fat loss, muscle building, and even cancer prevention, while the bad trans fats have been shown to cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the general blubbering of your body.

I'm sure most of you have heard all of the ruckus in the news over the last few years about just how bad man-made trans fats are for your health. If you've been a reader of my newsletter and my "Truth about Six Pack Abs" e-book program, then you definitely know my opinion that these substances are some of the most evil food additives of all and are found in the vast majority of all processed foods and fast foods on the market today. In my opinion, man-made trans fats are right up there with smoking in terms of their degree of danger to your health. After all, they are one of THE MAIN factors for the explosion of heart disease since approximately the 1950's.

As you may have heard recently, the FDA has mandated that food manufacturers include the grams of trans fat on all nutrition labels starting back at the beginning of this year. This means that as inventory is replaced in the grocery stores, you should start to see grams of trans listed on all packages from now on, providing you with an easier way to avoid them.

With all of the talk about trans fats in the news these days, I wanted to clarify some things, particularly regarding bad trans fats vs. good trans fats. If you've never heard of good trans fats before, let me explain in a bit.

The Bad Trans Fats

First, the bad trans fats I'm referring to are the man-made kind. These are represented by any artificially hydrogenated oils. The main culprits are margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oils that are in most processed foods, junk foods, and deep fried foods. These hydrogenated oils are highly processed using harsh chemical solvents like hexane (a component of gasoline), high heat, pressure, have a metal catalyst added, and are then deodorized and bleached. A small % of the solvent is allowed to remain in the finished oil. This has now become more of an industrial oil rather than a food oil, but somehow the FDA still allows the food manufacturers to put this crap in our food at huge quantities, even with the well documented health dangers.

These hydrogenated oils cause inflammation inside of your body, which signals the deposition of cholesterol as a healing agent on artery walls. Hence, hydrogenated oil = inflammation = clogged arteries. You can see why heart disease has exploded since this crap has been loaded into our food supply over the last 5 to 6 decades. As time goes on, and science continues to unveil how deadly these oils really are, I feel that eventually they will be illegal and banned from use. The labeling laws were just the first step. In fact, certain countries around the world have already banned the use of hydrogenated oils in food manufacturing or at least set dates to phase them out for good.

However, keep in mind that as companies are starting to phase out the use of hydrogenated oils in processed foods, they are replacing them, in most instances, with highly refined polyunsaturated oils. These are still heavily processed oils using high heat, solvents, deodorizers, and bleaching agents. Even refined oils are known to produce inflammation in your body...a far cry from natural sources of healthy fats. Once again, for the best results, your best bet is avoiding highly processed foods altogether and choose whole, natural, minimally processed foods. Your body will thank you!

The Good Trans Fats
Ok, after having trash talked the man-made trans fats, let me clearly state that there IS such a thing as healthy natural trans fats. Natural trans fats are created in the stomachs of ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, goats, etc. and make their way into the fat stores of the animals. Therefore, the milk fat and the fat within the meat of these animals can provide natural healthy trans fats. Natural trans fats in your diet have been thought to have some potential benefit to aid in both muscle building and fat loss efforts. However, keep in mind that the quantity of healthy trans fats in the meat and dairy of ruminant animals is greatly reduced by mass-production methods of farming and their grain and soy heavy diets. Meat and dairy from grass-fed, free-range animals always have much higher quantities of these beneficial fats.

One such natural trans fat that you may have heard of is called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and has been marketed by many weight loss companies. Keep in mind that these man-made CLA pills you see in the stores may not be the best way to get CLA in your diet. They are artificially made from plant oils, instead of the natural process that happens in ruminant animals. Once again, man-made just doesn't compare to the benefits of natural sources.

Now that all of your labels should be listing grams of trans fat, keep in mind that if a quantity of trans fat is listed on a meat or dairy product, it is most likely the natural good trans fats that we've discussed here. Otherwise, if the quantity of trans is listed on any processed foods, it is most likely the dangerous unhealthy crap from artificially hydrogenated oils, so stay away!

I hope you've enjoyed this interesting look at good trans fat vs. bad trans fat and use the info to arm yourself with more healthful food choices for a better body.

By: Mike Geary
at truthaboutabs.com