Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Importance of Eating Healthy

       
     Eating healthy is one of the foundations of a healthy lifestyle. More importantly, a healthy diet is a key factor in personal fitness. Healthy eating is especially crucial for the teenage athlete because it allows the body perform at its peak level. There are many benefits to eating healthy, some of which will immediately impact the teenage athlete (short-term benefits), and some that will carry on to his later years (long-term benefits).

Short-Term Benefits
       The short-term benefits of eating healthy include, but are not limited to:
  • Sustained energy : Food is fuel. Nourishing the body with the best forms of fuel will provide it with sustained, consistent energy to fulfill any activity needs. For example, iron helps your muscles and brain to function at optimal levels, as well as boost your immune system. The correct diet will make you perform, feel, and look your best on a daily basis.
  • Proper Growth : The most important time to nourish the body is during young adulthood — when puberty occurs. It is important to take advantage of this stage of rapid growth and development. Healthy eating helps teens grow to their potential.
  • Feel Better : While it may seem obvious, your body does feel better when you eat more healthily. Your body is getting more nutrients. These nutrients help your blood flow better, and it increases the efficiency and effectiveness of your endorphins, hormones in the brain that produce a chemical that gives the feel of happiness.
  • Perform Better : Eating healthily provides nutrients that your body needs to perform well, whether it be academically or physically. There have been studies that have shown that there are certain nutrients and vitamins in foods like dark leafy green vegetables and milk that can improve concentration and memory in academic subjects. Eating healthy also helps in sports. It can help a person train longer and harder, prevent fatigue for a longer period of time, help to quicken recovery and to adapt to a workout more effectively and more quickly. It can also help to get rid of mid-activity inconveniences such as cramps, headaches, or side pain.
  • Assists in Building Muscles & Bones : Building muscle and bone mass is important at an early age because teenage and childhood years are the times at which a person absorbs the most nutrients and uses them most effectively. When a person enters their adult or senior years, their body cannot absorb or use the nutrients that the same teenager could have. For example, if a person acquires osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease, later in life, they can try to take heavy calcium supplements to regrow the bone mass. This doesn't work, however, because their body can't take the calcium and use it the way they could have 30-50 years ago. Muscular growth is also very effective in the teenage years, and it works the same way that bones do, except with protein instead of calcium.

Long-Term Benefits
       The long-term benefits of eating healthy include, but are not limited to:
  • Good Eating Habits : Eating healthy during adolescence will build eating habits that will benefit you throughout life. 
  • Disease Prevention : Healthy foods can lower the risk of fatal diseases. For example, eating foods that are high in vitamin D levels can help prevent cancer, and eating foods that are low in sugars lowers the risk of getting diabetes. Some foods have even been proven to cause cancer, heart disease, and increased chances of heart attack, such as overcooked meats and hydrogenated oils.
  • Increased Vitality & Longevity : A healthy diet supplies your cells with the right nutrition to keep them going strong for years to come. As you get old, your cells and body start to degenerate. Eating plenty of vitamins C and E help prevent against cell damage and can add years to you life.
  • Weight loss : Again, it sounds obvious. Eating healthily can help a person lose weight. But some people don't realize how important and how big of a role a person's eating habits play in their weight loss. Of course, exercise is just as, if not more important to a healthy lifestyle, but you can't go wrong with healthy eating. Eating fruits and vegetables can be a huge benefit because they have very few calories, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats in them, while still holding a high volume. This means that your body can easily be filled up without any issues of overconsumption. You can fulfill your bodies needs with less, and maintain the same metabolism. This causes a higher burning of fat, causing a person to lose weight.
  • Habit Building : Eating healthily at an early age starts to build habits. Your body becomes able to adapt to eating certain types of foods, while losing the cravings for the more unhealthy consumables. Your body then "thinks" that the healthier foods that you're eating more and more are the normal foods you should be eating. It works the same way with unhealthy fast foods and sweets, but it's a better idea to get in the habit of eating the foods that provide you more health benefits.
Sources:
Padilla, Michael J., Martha Cyr, and Ioannis Miaoulis. Prentice Hall Science Explorer: Human Biology and Health. Needham, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/452031-why-is-it-important-to-eat-healthy-foods/ 
Posted by at No comments:

Measuring Daily Caloric Intake

       When nutrients are used in the body for energy, the amount of potential energy they release is measured in calories. One calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of on gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. However, food contains so much potential energy that scientists developed an ingenius term for this dietary unit of energy — the Calorie, with a capital "C", equal to 1,000 calories (one Calorie raises one liter of water by 1 degree Celsius). The dietary Calorie is used so often that we now simply refer to it as a "calorie". The caloric intake for teenagers varies from person to person. There are several factors that can change it.

Gender
       The average boy needs 2,100 to 2,400 calories per day. The average girl needs around 1,700 calories per day. Why is there a difference? Boys have a higher level of testosterone and so they typically  have more muscle mass than girls. Muscle requires more calories and energy than fat does, so boys need more energy than girls.

Activity Level
       Activity level is another factor that can affect caloric intake. Active people need more calories than non-active people do. For example an active teenaged boy needs around 900 more calories than a non-active teenaged boy and an active teenaged girl needs 750 more calories than a non-active girl does. The reason active people need more calories is because when they workout, they burn a lot of calories, so they need to refill them or they aren't going to be able to function well.


Age
       Age can also affect caloric intake. After age 25, a person's caloric needs start to drop around 2% every 10 years. The reason for this drop in caloric needs is because as someone grows older, they start to loose their muscle and gain fat instead. Since fat doesn't require as much calories as muscle, older people don't need as many calories as young people do.

Size
       The size of a person can change how much calories they need. Generally a person with a bigger muscle to fat ratio will need more calories because muscle needs more energy than fat, and a person with a smaller muscle to fat ratio needs less calories.

Sources:
Posted by at No comments:

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the majority of what should be consumed in a teenager’s diet. One gram of carb provides 4 Calories of energy. 45-65% of the foods that active teenagers should consume are foods composed of carbohydrates. For older and more active teens, a diet composed of 55-65% of carbohydrates should be a goal to be set. Carbs are the body’s “preferred” source of energy. Some of our body’s most vital cells can only use carbohydrates for their energy usage needs, this list including red blood cells and brain cells.
All carbohydrates are composed of the basic building block called the glucose molecule. It consists of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms — three of the essential atoms for life — in the ratio 1 : 2 : 1. Due to the structure of a glucose molecule, it can to broken down more efficiently than most other compounds. They can either be split apart for energy (molecules create energy when broken down), or used to build larger molecules the body creates on its own.
All forms of carbs must be broken down into glucose for the body to use it. When any carb is at its final stage, it is broken down into individual glucose molecules. All carbs are grouped into one of two categories: simple and complex, based on their structure.
    Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates, also known as “simple sugars” or just “sugars”, are either a single glucose molecule or a short chain of a few. The shorter the chain, the easier it is processed. Because of this, sugars make for a quick energy boost; however, they are also quickly depleted. Since they are so small, they are usually dissolved into fats and liquids. They are naturally abundant in fruit, dairy products, and grains, as these contain substances necessary to nurture new life, such as a seed or a newborn mammal.
    Complex Carbohydrates
In contrast simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates are long chains of glucose. There are three types of complex carbs: starches, glycogen, and cellulose. Starches are found in plants such as potatoes, rice, and corn. Glycogen is found in animal tissue, particularly the liver and muscles. Cellulose,  A.K.A. fiber, is found in all plant cells. Starch and glycogen must be broken down into simple sugars for absorption; cellulose cannot be digested, but is still beneficial. Fiber keeps you full throughout the day, regulates bowel movements, lowers blood cholesterol, and stabilizes your blood sugar. Since fiber is the main structure of all plants, it is found in whole grains,  fruits, and vegetables.

Proteins
Proteins are the things that  perform practically all cell functions. Everything that a cell does requires different kinds of proteins. If a cell is thought about as a factory, each different kind of protein is a type of machine that the factory requires to produce something or perform an action. A diet of an active teen should consist of 10-35% proteins.
Proteins are long chains of amino acids. There are twenty different kinds of amino acids and different proteins are made from different combinations of the amino acids. There are so many different kinds of proteins in the body that we need all 20 amino acids to survive. Only twelve of the twenty amino acids can be made in the human body, so that means the other eight have to be taken in through food. Proteins build and repair our bodies. Most of the things in our body are made of proteins. When we work out and our body needs something to burn for energy, protein ensures that our body burns fat and carbohydrates, and not muscle. The human body can’t store protein the way it does with fat and carbohydrates, so a constant flow of protein is needed to be healthy. Meat, milk, eggs, beans, and nuts are great sources of complete proteins, or proteins that have all the essential dietary amino acids.


Lipids (Fats)
Fats are the basic unit of energy storage in the body. They are essential for the creation of cells (being a major ingredient to the lipid bilayer and creating a means of transportation for cell intake and disposal of waste). 20-35% of a diet should be composed of lipids. Even though fat is often viewed as unhealthy and detrimental to your health, fat plays many vital roles in you body. Fat stores energy, insulates nerve cells, protects the internal organs, and makes up hormones that regulate bodily functions.
  All fats are composed of fatty acids. A fatty acid has a carbon-based "head" called a carboxyl group. Attached to it is a "tail" of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
A single "free" fatty acid.


A triglyceride molecule.
       The most common form of fat has 3 carboxyl groups chained together to form glycerol, and thus has 3 fatty acids. This is called a triglyceride.
       The fats we eat are basically different fatty acids grouped in triglycerides. Fatty acids differentiate based on the length of their tails and the number of double bonds in its tail. Notice that when a carbon chain is "maxed-out" on hydrogen atoms, it is straight; however, when some hydrogen atoms are missing, the carbon atoms bond to each other, and the fatty acid becomes bent due to the double bonds.
A saturated and an unsaturated fatty acid in a triglyceride.

       When all of the carbon atoms have attached to as many hydrogen atoms as they can, then the fat is saturated. If the fatty acid contains only one double bond in its tail, then the fat is monounsaturated ("mono" = single ; monounsaturated = single unsaturated area). If the fatty acid is unsaturated in lots of places, then it is polyunsaturated ("poly" = many ; polyunsaturated = multiple unsaturated areas).
       Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, since their structure allows them to pack tightly together. Most polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature due to their bent shape. Foods that contain saturated fat are butter, animal fat, and processed meat. Foods that contain polyunsaturated fats are walnuts, sunflower seeds, and olive oil. Foods that contain monounsaturated fats are avocados and peanut butter.
   When unsaturated fats are artificially saturated with hydrogen atoms, then they become trans fats. Like unsaturated fats, trans fat has double bonds; however, its tail is straight as if it were saturated. Foods that contain trans fat are doughnuts and fast foods.
A trans fatty acid in a triglyceride. Notice the double bond and the lack of a bend.

       There are also essential fatty acids the body cannot create on by itself. These are categorized into omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Both are polyunsaturated and used to make hormones that control cell growth, the immune system, and blood clotting, among other things. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in most fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and trout. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in seeds, nuts, and extracted oils, especially refined vegetable oil.






Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033/
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61
http://www.whatdoesproteindo.net/
http://www.allinahealth.org/ahs/healthwellness.nsf/page/foods_protein
http://www.livestrong.com/article/269772-what-are-carbohydrates-fats-proteins-made-of/
http://www.carbsmart.com/functionfat.html#.T_vp4s1fqqk
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400149/balancing-omega-3-and-omega-6.html
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/fattyacids.html
http://www.supplementquality.com/news/fatty_acid_structure.
http://health-club.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/carbohydrates.jpg
http://mmorris.webs.com/protein-diet-image.jpeg
http://www.shaysways.com/fats-oils.jpg
http://happydietitian.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/omega3.jpg


Posted by at No comments:

Micronutrients

Vitamins
Vitamins are substances containing carbon that an organism can’t produce on it’s own. While vitamins can be found in a variety of different foods, there are also supplements that can be taken such as daily vitamins, which cover many different kinds, and specific supplements, which are more concentrated, but have more of a specific kind of vitamin than daily vitamins. However, supplements are not quite as effective as getting vitamins through eating regular foods. Processed vitamins take out many of the important nutrients that can be gained from eating food that has those specific vitamins in them.

Vitamin
What does it do?
Where can I get it?
What happens when there isn't enough?

A
Vitamin A protects eyes, supports the immune system, helps cells grow, and helps keep skin in good shape.
The best place to get vitamin A is from dark green and orange vegetables, liver, and egg yolks.
Vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness, a weaker immune system, which can make infections and diseases more severe and can lead to death, and it can also hurt a pregnant mother or even kill her.

C
Vitamin C keeps gums, bones, & blood vessels healthy, helps the body to take in minerals, helps wounds heal faster, helps with brain functions, and protects against colds & diseases.
The best place to get vitamin C is from citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, cantaloupes.
Vitamin C deficiency is a disease known as scurvy that can cause bleeding of the skin, gums, and eyes, loosened teeth, swelling of the bones, fever, diarrhea, weakness, and pathologic fractures (where a bone breaks for no real reason). 

D
Vitamin D helps with bone structure because it helps the body to take in and accept calcium better.
The best place to get vitamin D is from fish, milk, and egg yolks. However, if our bodies are in sunlight, we will make our own vitamin D without having to eat food (but eating vitamin D rich foods can't hurt).
Vitamin D deficiency can cause several problems. It causes a disease known rickets. Because vitamin D helps the body take in calcium, a lack of vitamin D can make bones weak and even deformed. Vitamin D deficiency can also cause things such as cancer, osteoporosis, and depression.

E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant, so it protects cells by taking toxins such as toxic oxygen away from them.
The best place to get vitamin E is from nuts, dark green vegetables, and vegetable oils.
The lack of vitamin E can cause several things to happen to a person. Some things it can cause are bad reflexes, ataxia, loss of eye control, or even loss of the ability to walk.

Minerals
Minerals are substances that aren’t organic that an organism can’t produce on it’s own. Like vitamins, minerals can be obtained through daily or specific supplements, but it is more beneficial to be obtained through eating foods that contain that mineral.

Mineral
What does it do?
Where can I get it?
What happens when there isn't enough?

Calcium
Calcium helps to build bones and teeth and can help with nerves and blood clots.

The best place to get calcium is from dairy products and green vegetables.
Blood needs calcium, but a lack of calcium won't affect blood calcium levels because when there is a lack of calcium in a body, it will take calcium out of the bones in order to keep the blood normal. Although, when the body takes calcium out of the bones, it can lead to osteoporosis, which is where the bones are weak and more susceptible to breaking.

Iron
Iron helps red blood cells be more efficient in their job to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Iron can also help white blood cells and the immune system.
The best place to get iron is from red meat and green leafy vegetables.
When the body doesn't have enough iron, it causes a disease known as anemia that affects the red blood cells. The red blood cell's job is to deliver oxygen in the body, but when there isn't enough iron the body makes less red blood cells and the ones that do get made aren't very efficient. Anemia can make a person tire quickly, get out of breath, and even lead to heart problems. Generally women are at a higher risk of anemia then men due to menstruation, which causes women to loose red blood cells. 

Magnesium
Magnesium helps the body to make the bones strong, fix cells, and make energy and protein.
The best place to get magnesium is from whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and chocolate.
Magnesium deficiency can affect multiple parts of the body and can cause twitches and spasms, sensitivity to light and noise, insomnia, restlessness, and tingling feelings.

Zinc
Zinc helps with the immune system, helps the body grow and function normally, and breaks down macronutrients.
The best place to get zinc is from meat, nuts, and whole grains.
Zinc deficiency can affect sight and hearing, make the immune system weaker, stunted growth, and anemia.


Sources:
Posted by at No comments:

Foods to Avoid & Limit

       While there are plenty of healthy foods out there, there are also plenty of unhealthy foods, too. Here are just a few out of the many you should avoid and/or limit.

Avoid: Trans Fat & Preservatives
       Certain ingredients in some foods, like trans fat and sodium nitrite preservative, can lead to plaque buildup in the bloodstream, which can eventually lead to illnesses such as heart diseases, increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, and high blood pressure. Some of these ingredients have even been proven to cause cancer later in a person's life. Preservatives and trans fats are not needed in your diet and only do harm to the body. They should be avoided at all costs.
       As you learned, trans fat is an unsaturated fatty acid that is synthetically saturated. The body recognizes trans fat as an unsaturated fat. When it tries to incorporate it in bodily functions, the saturated-like nature of trans fat interferes with the process. This can cause serious health problems, such as liver failure, infertility, and Alzheimer's Disease.
       Trans fat can also raise a persons' LDL cholesterol and lower their HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is bad because it builds up plaque in the arteries, so high levels of this is bad. HDL cholesterol on the other hand is good because it cleans up plaque from the arteries, so high levels of this is good whereas low levels of this are bad. With a high LDL level and low HDL level the arteries are at a high chance of becoming clogged and causing heart disease. Some foods that contain trans fats are fried foods, pizza dough, pastries, and crackers. Some foods that contain sodium nitrite are bacon, salami, ham, and hot dogs.
Avoid: Carcinogens
       Carcinogens greatly increase the risk of cancer. It doesn't matter if you've only eaten carcinogens as a child — they will definitely come back to get you in your senior years. While eating some carcinogens in your lifetime is unavoidable (even plain sugar is carcinogenic), it is important to limit your carcinogen intake and avoid the highly-carcinogenic foods. Highly-carcinogenic foods include burnt or charred food, trans fat, artificial flavors and additives, and excessive alcohol.

Limit: Omega-3s & Omega-6s
       Okay, omega fatty acids shouldn't necessarily be limited in your diet, but rather balanced. While omega fatty acids are an essential part of a healthy diet, they should be limited — that is, in relation to each other. Balancing your omega-3 and omega-6 intake is important to stay healthy, as these two fatty acids have opposite effects on the body. Omega-6s generally increases inflammation, blod clotting, and cell multiplication processes; omega-3s tend to do the opposite. An imbalance of dietary omega fatty acids can lead to heart disease, asthma, depression, dyslexia, and cancer. You've already learned the sources of omega fatty acids in the Macronutrients section of this blog. Since omega-6s are commonly found in extracted oils, it is important to watch your intake of processed foods to stay in balance.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat#Health_risks
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=384385&rel_no=1
http://www.quenchvending.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/trans-fat.jpg
http://www.suburbanhomesteading.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/sodium-nitrite.jpg
Posted by at No comments:

3-Day Meal Plan

       Now that you've gained more knowledge about your nutrition, it's time to apply it in your daily life. The following are some suggestions on what you should include in your meals. Remember, nutritional needs and preferences are different for everyone — these are in no way guidelines. In fact, the only guideline that should be universally set is proper portion control.
Basic portion control for a healthy meal.
     While we're not going to tell you to eat this many cups of this or this many ounces of that, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

  • Lifestyle & Physique : Similar to how your daily caloric intake is determined by a set factors, your meal plan should be based around who you are as a biological organism and as an athlete. As yourself: "What does this food have and how am I going to use it?" You don't eat foods high in calcium simply because the Nutrition Facts label says it helps fulfill a seemingly arbitrary daily requirement. No, you understand that as a growing young adult, it is important to consume plenty of calcium to build strong bones and teeth. You also consider when to eat a specific amount of a macronutrient. For example, if you've got a big game after a meal, you should focus on loading up on carbs for quick energy.
  • Breakfast : A healthy breakfast should be high in fiber and protein. The fiber stabilizes your blood sugar so it doesn't spike during the day. Both fiber and protein keeps you full throughout the day while providing long, sustained energy. If you're eating a lot of carbs, then try to eat as little fats as possible. A high intake of carbs causes glucose levels in your blood to rise. This causes the pancreas to produce insulin, which makes body tissue to use sugars exclusively as energy. This leaves any consumed fat to be stored in the body. It's also important to eat vitamins and minerals involved with energy conversion in your breakfast, such as thiamin or riboflavin, which help the body use energy efficiently.
  • Eating Around Exercise : Before exercise, your food portions should get smaller as the activity draws nearer. Large meals should be eaten at least 3-4 hours before exercise, small meals should be eaten 2-3 hours before, and small snacks should be eaten within 1 hour of the activity. The foods you should eat varies depending on your activity. As a general rule, carbs should comprise a majority of your meals before exercise, as they provide quick energy. To help muscle recovery and replenish glycogen in your body, eat a combination of carbs and protein within 2 hours after said activity.

     From there on, it's all about your lifestyle. Some people choose to eat the standard 3 meals a day, while others prefer up to 5. Count your calories and monitor your nutrient intake, and adjust if necessary. The key to choosing the right diet is how you feel.


Example Day #1: The Student Athlete
Breakfast
  • Whole grain cereal: a good cereal has at least 5 grams of fiber and no more than 5 grams of sugar. Some cereals have whole grains other than oats and wheat. Most of these grains are high in protein as well. Tastes too much like cardboard? Either man up or add fruit for flavor.
  • A glass of skim milk or orange juice: milk is rich in a bunch of vital nutrients, and boosts energy as well as alertness. Vitamin C in orange juice helps the body absorb the calcium and iron in your cereal. Orange juice has a lot of antioxidants as well.
  • A small serving of fruit: a cup of strawberries or a banana will do.

Lunch
  • Deli sandwich: pick a lean meat, like chicken or ham. Load up on as much veggies as you like; just go easy on the condiments. Remember to use whole grain bread.
  • Salad: For the main greens, opt for romaine over iceberg lettuce. It has far more vitamins and minerals. In fact, your salad should be a rainbow of mixed veggies and fruits to cover the whole spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The only thing that can go wrong with a salad is its toppings. So show some restraint when adding dressing or bacon bits.
  • Fruits: Eat a variety of fruits for lunch! Chances are, you'll be exercising before or after lunch, so it's important to stock up on sugar. As for post-exercise fruits, some prevail over others. Fruits such as pineapple and papaya contain enzymes that help break down protein and reduce inflammation to help you recover.


Dinner
  • Pork tenderloin or lean beef fillet: Tasty, high-protein, rich in vitamins and minerals. Enjoy. (Just don't overcook it.)
  • Mixed vegetables: Steamed veggies should be preferred over stir-fried. You don't need the extra oils.
  • Healthy starches: Make starches healthier buy adding your own ingredients. Mash in some extra vegetables with your mashed potatoes, or cook a mixture of whole grains instead of plain rice.

Snacks
  • The first thing you should reach for are fruits and vegetables. You can never go wrong with those. If you're feeling hungry, eat a handful of nuts or some whole grains.


Example Day #2: Grazing on Mother Nature
Morning
  • Cottage cheese & berries: You've got your protein & fiber for a breakfast that will produce slow and steady levels of blood sugar. And you'll feel like Lil' Red Riding Hood in the forest. Congratulations.
  • Low-fat yogurt & granola: Keep the yogurt plain, preferably greek, and then add fruit for flavor. Your yogurt and granola should be low fat — remember, the high sugar in the yogurt causes your blood sugar to spike, telling your body to store fat.
  • Fruit & toast: Another perfect combination. By now you should automatically think "whole grain" whenever you see a source of carbs. But especially for this diet, you bread should have large and distinct grains and seeds. Heck, why not just replace your toast with raw grains and seeds. Yeah.


Midday
  • Tofu: a great substitute for meat. It lowers LDL levels and helps prevent cancer. If tofu is too gelatinous, just eat plan soybeans.
  • Turkey/chicken breast: These lean meats can be prepared in a variety of ways; their versatility on the plate makes for an excellent main dish. Just be sure to buy them as natural as it gets. No preservatives, no additives, and no growth-hormones. Cover them up in greens for that hippie flair you always wanted.
  • Beans: Beans, beans, the magical fruit. Except they aren't fruits, but rather legumes. These magical legumes have fiber and protein in one package. They also lower cholesterol and blood pressure, lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease, and improves health of the prostate and bones, among many other benefits.
  • Fruits & veggies: You know the drill, pile them on! Make a salad, blend them into a smoothie, throw them in with your entrées — eat 'em up! While we're on the subject of produce, it's important to eat the best. Some fruits are better than others. Better how? On having more vitamins, having less sugar, having a variety of micronutrients — you'll have to decide for yourself. Do some research and compare different produce to maximize your nutrition.

Evening
  • Seared fish: Fish is a delicacy from the sea — and a very healthy one at that. Fish is loaded with protein, omega-3s, and many, many nutrients such as calcium and iron. The nutrients found in fish benefit your heart, brain, and immune system. Be careful, though. Some species of fish, as well as farmed fish, are high in mercury and other nasty contaminants. Wild salmon and farmed rainbow trout are some of the most nutritious and cleanest fish out there. Remember to use unsaturated, non-hydrogenated oils such as olive oil to sear you fillet. Or you can eat it raw. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe.
  • Exotic grains: Replace your boring rice with something more exotic and healthy. Kamut is high if vitamin E, omega fatty acids, and contains 40% more protein than wheat. Quinoa is loaded with manganese, an important component of many enzymes involved in critical functions.
  • Super Salad: Replace the old romaine lettuce with nutrient-rich spinach or alfalfa sprouts. If you must have dressing, lightly coat your salad with olive oil for a dose of healthy monounsaturated fats.


Snacks

  • A smorgasbord of fruits and nuts will keep you full and energized, all the while providing a wide range of micronutrients and antioxidants.

Example Day #3: Master Chef
Breakfast

  • Eggs benedict: Low-fat yogurt with a dash of lemon juice and hot sauce makes a fine substitute for the traditional fat-filled hollandaise sauce. Now you've got a delicious, nutritious main course: you've got fiber from the English muffin, lean protein from the Canadian bacon,  a host of antioxidants, omega-3s, and iron from the egg, and enough vitamins and minerals to fill a textbook in the spinach. Just limit yourself to 3 eggs a week to keep your cholesterol in check. If a slice of Canadian bacon is too little, add a salmon fillet for a heart-healthy substitute.
  • Acai berries & oatmeal: The acai berry is perhaps the king of all fruits. It's packed in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. The oatmeal will keep you full throughout the day — it'll stick to your stomach like dried cement.

Lunch

  • Shrimp tacos: Shrimp is one of the leanest proteins you can eat, and is a great source of vitamin B12 and D, which aids in growth of new cells and the protection of bones. Switch the cheese and sour cream for some antioxidant-rich salsa or heart-healthy guacamole. Opt for corn tortillas over flour — they have 50% more fiber and half the calories.
  • Caesar salad: By now you should be familiar with salad-etiquette. Go easy on the dressing, choose your greens wisely, and top it with lean protein, such as grilled chicken or seared tuna.

Dinner

  • Pizza: The thinner the crust, the better. Top it with healthy ingredients, like pineapple, artichokes, chicken breast, or spinach. Be sure to use natural cheese. If you're going to top it with pepperoni, go for the turkey version, which has half the calories an a third of the fat. And boy, does pepperoni have fat.
  • Tomato & cheese with toasted rye: Much classier than bread and butter, rye is loaded with fiber and micronutrients such as manganese, selenium, and tryptophan. It helps you feel better and perform better. Tomatoes are 95% water and loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants, which makes for a topping thats easy on your gut, but hard on disease. And don't be afraid to go full-fat cheese (just eat sparingly). Unlike low-fat cheeses, the full-fat counterpart is an excellent source of casein, one of the best muscle-building proteins in food.
  • Milk: This is more of a magic potion than a typical beverage. Milk builds muscle; strengthens bones; helps prevent arthritis, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes; signals to body when to store and burn fat; protects against viruses; and keeps you alert and energized. Milk can be in any on of your meals, snacks, and even desserts — and it's always beneficial. Just remember, if you're watching you fat intake, drink skim milk.

Snacks

  • Hummus on whole wheat: Aside from the usual fruits, veggies, and nuts, if you're feeling extra hungry, try spreading some hummus on whole wheat crackers or pita bread. The fiber and manganese keeps your blood sugar in check. This low-fat, low calorie spread is great for any snack or meal.


Sources:
http://www.foodclipart.com/food_clipart_images/assorted_fruits_0071-0901-2402-4606_SMU.jpg
http://www.foodclipart.com/food_clipart_images/meat_and_eggs_0071-0903-0314-3748_SMU.jpg
http://www.eastsidefood.coop/sites/default/files/Marketing/clip%20art%20Grains.jpeg
http://nutritionexpert.com/blog/2010/06/5-ways-to-control-your-portions/english-portion-control-plate-webstore-size/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ00594_D
http://www.foods-healing-power.com/health-benefits-of-beans.html
http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/health-risks-and-benefits-of-sushi/
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-health-benefits-of-tofu-is-it-nutritious-enough-to-replace-meat.html#b
http://www.lestout.com/modules/article/images/lestout/article-choose-the-best-sandwich-healthy-tips-and-tricks.jpg
http://www.gourmetproject.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/180_seared_salmon_with_balsamic_glaze_p290.jpg
http://www.familyherbalremedies.com/image-files/105-pizza.jpg
Zinczenko, David, and Matt Goulding. Eat This, Not That! New York: Rodale, 2008. Print.
Zinczenko, David, and Matt Goulding. Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide New York: Rodale, 2009. Print.
Zinczenko, David, and Matt Goulding. Eat This, Not That! The Best (& Worst) Foods in America! New York: Rodale, 2008. Print.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)