I know that I've talked about food frequently as of late! I hope that at least some of it is helpful to your health, budget, and your taste buds.
from family circle Oct. 09
clever combos
Putting together the right foods can result in better health, quicker weight loss and a super energy boost.
by Karen Ansel, R.D.
1. bread + vinegar =
easier weight loss
Love bread, pasta and potatoes but fear they'll go straight to your hips? Sprinkle them with a little vinegar. "In most instances, when we eat high-carb foods like bread, the amount of glucose in our blood rises rapidly. But very quickly it plummets, triggering feelings of hunger that cause us to eat even more", says Carol S. Johnston, Ph. D., R.D. director of the Nutrition Program at Arizona State University in Mesa.
"The good news is that vinegar moderates that spike in glucose, so you feel full longer.", Johnston explains. In fact, in a recent study people who consumed 4 teaspoons of apple-cider vinegar along with some bagels and juice ate 200 fewer calories throughout the entire day than those who feasted on the exact same meal minus the vinegar. Take small steps to cut 200 calories a day from your diet and you'll lose 21 pounds in a year.
2. tomatoes + olive oil + broccoli =
fewer colds
In addition to being loaded with vitamin C, broccoli and tomatoes are also prime sources of beta-carotene, which further strengthens your immune system. But you must consume beta-carotene with fat for it to be well absorbed. That's where olive oil comes in. According to a recent study, add just 1/2 teaspoon of monounsaturated fat (the good fat in olive oil) allows the body to get five times more beta-carotene from the vegetables you eat.
Steam your veggies for immune-enhancing benefits. Heat loosens beta-carotene from the vegetables' cells, so you soak up even more of it.
3. spaghetti + roasted peppers =
more energy
Iron is a must for staying energized, yet 12% of women don't get enough. "Iron helps carry oxygen through your body," says American Dietetic Association spokesperson Keri M. Gans, R.D. "If your lacking this element, your brain won't get the oxygen it needs to function, and you'll end up feeling tired and have trouble concentrating."
But not all iron is created equal. For instance, iron from plant foods like grains, vegetables and beans isn't absorbed by the intestines very readily. Adding something high in Vitamin C, like red peppers, to a pasta plate causes a chemical reaction in your body that helps convert the iron in the grains to a from that's easier to absorb. About 10% of your daily iron requirement can be found in 1 cup of cooked spaghetti.
4. bananas + yogurt +
less tummy trouble
Good bacteria help ward off gastric upsets by bolstering you digestive system's immune defenses. "Increase the activity of this beneficial bacteria by eating both probiotic and prebiotic foods," says Magee. Most yogurts contain healthful probiotic bacteria, but once consumed the bacteria need food of their own to thrive. Bananas supply insulin and oligofructose, prebiotics that the probiotics in your gut like to feast on--helping those good bugs fight off stomachaches.
5. salmon + bok choy =
less pms
Many experts believe PMS is actually a symptom of low calcium and low vitamin D levels. When Harvard Medical School researchers tracked the eating habits of more than 3,000 women, they found those whose diets included plenty of calcium and vitamin D (an average of 706 IU of vitamin D and 1,283 mg of calcium per day) were 30% to 40% less likely to develop PMS.
Salmon with a side of bok choy provides the necessary one-two punch. Just 4 ounces of sockeye salmon, one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, provides 739 IU of vitamin D (many experts now recommend 1,000 IU a day). Two cups of bok choy has 148 mg of calcium. That's about 15% of the 1,000 mg of calcium you need in a day.
Sorry, I can't finish tonight - there are 2 more which I will post tomorrow night.
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