The Chocolate Diet
No CommentsThe chocolate diet? That sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? In my world i could never put the words chocolate and diet in the same sentence but truth it seems is stranger than fiction and there is a diet that based around eating chocolate. The Chocolate Diet is an attractive Fad Diet because it includes everyone’s favorite food, i mean, who doesn’t love chocolate? Besides Chocolate it also includes pasta and popcorn. This sounds like the tastiest diet ever. Some credit should be given to Lenny Neimark and author who wrote the book The Pasta, Popcorn, and Chocolate Diet although I am unsure if he invented it or was just repeating something he has heard before. Enough of that now, here’s the diet:
Here Is The Chocolate Diet Plan: Each day is the same, you have to use different lowfat pasta sauces and different varieties of fruits to make it less monotonous.
Breakfast:
• fresh fruit
• fruit salad
• shredded wheat with non-fat milk and strawberries
Morning Snack:
• popcorn
• fruit
Lunch:
• salad*
• pasta salad*
• spaghetti
* = w/low-cal dressings
Afternoon Snack:
• popcorn
• vegetable sticks
• fruit smoothie: Blend 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen peaches (or other fruit of choice) with 1 cup non-fat skim milk.
Dinner:
• fettuccini w/garlic tomato sauce
• whole wheat pasta primavera
• salad
• steamed vegetables
Evening Snack:
• popcorn
• up to 1 oz. chocolate
All Day:
• water
• carbonated water
• mineral water
The following items are to be avoided while on the Pasta-Chocolate Diet:
• Alcoholic beverages
• Salt/sodium
• Sugars (artificial sweeteners are okay)
• Oils
• Oily fruits (avocados, olives, coconuts)
• High sugar/cal fruits (raisins, figs, dates)
• Fried foods
• Dairy products
• Red meats
• Nuts and seeds
• Unauthorized snacks (chips, junk food, candies, cakes, pies, etc.)
• Coffee/caffeine
• Carbonated soft drinks
I haven’t tried this diet and i don’t really know anyone who does and i find it hard to imagine that it would work. Have any of you tried it? Does it work?
Article Source: http://fatlossschool.com/blog/the-chocolate-diet-review/
The Grapefruit Juice Diet
No CommentsAnother diet i came across recently is called the grapefruit juice diet, i can’t really understand how it works and i can’t find anything online that actually describes the science of process behind it. The promise is that you will lose 52 pounds in 10 weeks! Yeah that’s a lot of weight to lose. Here’s the grapefruit juice diet plan:
The Rules:
* You must drink eight 8oz. glasses of water daily (64 oz. total per day).
* At any meal you may eat until you are full.
* You must eat the minimum listed at each meal. (yep, this diet list the minimum you should eat).
* You cannot eliminate anything from the diet. Especially the bacon at breakfast and the salads. You must eat the bacon and salads. These combinations of food burn the fat, omitting one part of the combination will cause the whole thing not to work.
* The grapefruit or fruit juice is important because it acts as a catalyst that starts the burning process. Don’t add or reduce the amount of grapefruit or juice.
* Cut down on coffee, it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process. Try to limit to 1 cup at meal time.
* Don’t eat between meals. If you eat the suggested foods you will not get hungry.
* You can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables.
* Do not eat desserts, breads, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes.
* You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad or vegetables.
* Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat the more weight you will lose.
* Stay on the diet 12 days, then stop the diet for 2 days and repeat.
Diet Plan:
Breakfast:
* Either 1/2 grapefruit OR 8 oz. juice (unsweetened)
* 2 eggs any style
* 2 slices of bacon
Lunch:
* Either 1/2 grapefruit OR 8 oz. juice (unsweetened)
* Salad with any dressing
* Meat any style and any amount.
Dinner:
* Either 1/2 grapefruit OR 8 oz. juice (unsweetened)
* Salad with any dressing OR a red or green vegetable cooked in butter or spices.
* Meat or even Fish any style cooked any way.
* Coffee or Tea (1 cup)
Bedtime Snack:
* 8oz. glass of tomato juice or 8 oz cup of skim milk.
Article Source: http://fatlossschool.com/blog/the-grapefruit-juice-diet/
The Cabbage Soup Diet
No CommentsHere’s another fad diet that you might have heard of. It’s the famous cabbage soup diet. The principle is that you make a cabbage based soup which you can eat at any time of the day, whenever you are hungry. This is a 7 day diet and i’d take a bet that you would probably not want to eat cabbage again for a long long time after you try it. Here’s the cabbage soup diet recipe:
Ingredients:
* 1 Green Pepper
* 1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes
* 6 Stalks Celery
* 1 Large Onion - Chopped
* 1-2 Cubes of Bouillon (if desired)
* 1 head cabbage. A nice, big green one.
* 48 oz. of V-8 Juice (low sodium works best)
* 4 cups of water
* 1 teaspoon of olive oil (no more)
* 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Cut vegetables into small pieces. Saute the onion in the olive oil for two minutes, then add the celery and peppers and saute for 4 minutes more. Then cover with the water and V-8 juice. If you want the bouillon add it now. Add the hot sauce and tomatoes.
Bring the whole mixture (which now includes everything but the cabbage) to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes to an hour depending on how large you cut the celery).
Core the cabbage (take the stem out of it). Shred the cabbage and then add the cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes. Adding the cabbage near the end preserves some of its nutritional content and keeps your kitchen from smelling like a latrine.
During the Cabbage Soup Diet you can eat as much of this soup as you want, whenever you want it. Eat it all day and night if you want.
Diet Plan:
Day One:
Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (EXCEPT BANANAS). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks- unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and water.
Day Two:
Vegetables: Eat until you are stuffed will all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat leafy green vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. At dinner, reward yourself with a big baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit today.
Day Three:
Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits (but not bananas) and vegetables you want. NO BAKED POTATO.
Day Four:
Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets.
Day Five:
Beef And Tomatos: Ten to twenty ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomtoes. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash the uric acid from your body. Eat your soup at least once this day. You may eat broiled or baked chicken instead of beef (but absolutely no skin-on chicken). If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef one one of the beef days (but not both).
Day Six:
Beef and Vegetables. Eat to your heart’s content of beef and vegetables this day. You can even have 2 or 3 steaks if you like, with leafy green vegetables. NO BAKED POTATO. Eat your soup at least once.
Day Seven:
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables: Again STUFF,STUFF,STUFF yourself. Be sure to eat your soup at least once this day.
There you go, you can try it out and see. If it does work for you please comment and let everyone know. The problem for me with this is that you are going to lose mostly water and muscle and very little fat so only do this if you are keeping muscle mass is not important to you. Goog luck with the cabbage soup diet.
Article Source: http://fatlossschool.com/blog/the-cabbage-soup-diet-review/
Body for Life Diet
No CommentsBody-for-Life is an intense exercise and nutrition program based on the premise that you’re more likely to stick with a diet and workout if you see results quickly. Indeed, founder Bill Phillips makes this promise: Follow his program for 12 weeks and you’ll have the best body you’ve ever had. The program is challenging. It involves training with weights for 45 minutes three days a week, then alternating with aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes three days a week.
The diet involves eating six small meals each day for six days a week, drawing from a list of healthy foods such as vegetables, brown rice, poultry, and fish. On the seventh day, you rest — free to eat anything you want and take a day off from the rigorous workout.
Open the best-selling Body-for-Life book and you’ll see before-and-after photos of people who went from flab to fab. They don’t just look slimmer. They look terrific. Their fab abs and chiseled muscles in the “after” photos are in stark contrast to the “before” pictures that look, well, like most of us. But remember, strenuous exercise virtually every day is the key to this program. Odds are, your body would improve significantly with such workouts, even if you weren’t also dieting.
What You Can Eat
The good news is that with all the work Body-for-Life requires, you have to eat. Grazing, not gorging, is the key. The program requires you to eat six moderate-sized meals a day. Each meal consists of a fist-sized portion of protein — lean mean, poultry, fish, egg whites, or cottage cheese — and a fist-sized portion of carbohydrates such as potatoes or brown rice. You must also eat at least two portions of vegetables, and drink 10 glasses of water each day. Nutritional supplements (sold by another company that Phillips founded) and a tablespoon or two of healthy oil (such as flaxseed) round out the diet.
The diet breaks down to about 40%-50% protein, the same for carbohydrates, and very little fat. (A traditional weight-loss diet is 60% carbohydrates, 20-25% protein, and 20-25% fat.)
Body-for-Life provides this list of authorized foods to choose from:
Proteins
* Chicken breast
* Turkey breast
* Swordfish
* Haddock
* Orange roughy
* Salmon
* Tuna
* Crab
* Lobster
* Top round or top sirloin steak
* Lean ground beef
* Buffalo
* Egg whites
* Lean ham
* Low-fat cottage cheese
Carbohydrates
* Baked potato
* Sweet potato
* Yam
* Squash
* Pumpkin
* Steamed brown rice
* Steamed wild rice
* Pasta
* Oatmeal
* Barley
* Beans
* Corn
* Strawberries
* Melon
* Apple
* Orange
* Fat-free yogurt
* Whole-wheat bread
Vegetables
* Broccoli
* Asparagus
* Lettuce
* Carrot
* Cauliflower
* Green beans
* Green pepper
* Mushrooms
* Spinach
* Tomato
* Peas
* Brussels sprouts
* Artichoke
* Cabbage
* Celery
* Zucchini
* Cucumber
* Onion
How It Works
Bottom line: You eat fewer calories and you burn more calories in exercise.
The foods on Body-for-Life’s authorized list tend to be lower in calories than standard American fare. By eating fist-sized portions, you’re sure to consume fewer calories, even if you are eating six meals a day.
Also, the intense weight lifting will build muscle, which lifts your metabolic rate all day. By exercising strenuously six days a week, eventually you’ll burn more calories around the clock.
What the Experts Say
Body-for-Life’s program is effective if you follow it closely, but it may require too much exercise for most people.
“There’s an element of truth and an element of science and a lot of hype to this program,” says fitness expert Steven N. Blair, PED, director of research at the renowned Cooper Institute in Dallas.
“Is this the solution to our huge national problem of obesity? No, people will not do that much exercise, other than a tiny percentage,” Blair tells WebMD. “As it is, fewer than 15% of adult Americans get as much exercise as the recommended three 10-minute walks a day. But if a person who by sheer force of will is able to do the BFL program — and tolerate the injuries from such intense effort — there is nothing wrong with it.”
Experts disagree on the value of a diet that’s 40-50% protein. If you have normal kidneys, it’s probably not a problem, says Conrad Earnest, PhD, direct of human performance at the Cooper Institute. “If you are not blessed with well-functioning kidneys, you may have a problem.” The body uses carbohydrates first for fuel. When you limit carbohydrates, your body turns to stored fat for fuel. This process burns fat, but it also increases the strain on your kidneys.
Food for Thought
Six small meals a day is a very good idea, as long as the total number of calories you eat doesn’t go up, says Peter W.R. Lemon, PhD, director of the exercise nutrition research laboratory at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada.
“If you go to grazing instead of (large) meals, you alter how your body handles energy intake,” he explains. “The body is predisposed to store energy as fat when you eat a few large meals. When you graze, you tend to use stored fat as energy. So eating many meals will make you more efficient.”
But don’t expect to look like the “after” pictures in just 12 weeks, warns Earnest at the Cooper Institute. “Intensity like this does produce both a functional and a cosmetic result, but nobody gets bodybuilder muscles just by following the basic program for 12 weeks,” he says. “That takes more advanced training.”
Article Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/body-for-life-what-it-is
Biggest Loser Diet
No CommentsAlthough I’ve only seen part of one episode of the TV show “The Biggest Loser”, I’ve been curious about the Biggest Loser Diet I’ve been hearing about. I was sure it is low in calories, but how were the calories distributed? In particular, did contestants cut down their carb intake? To aid me in my research, I took the description of the Biggest Loser Diet in Prevention magazine, and created menus for three different days of the diet. I tried to choose menus that I thought would be typical when following the guidelines, and deliberately avoided making choices that were the highest or lowest in carbs in each category. Here’s what I found out about the Biggest Loser Diet:
1) Calories: The diet has about 1100 calories per day - all three days came to within 35 calories of this in either direction.
2) Carbohydrate: The menus I chose were between 88 and 120 grams of carbohydrate per day, which was between 42% and 53% of the calories. The diet does not allow any added sugar, refined grains, or potatoes, so most people would be eating a diet that is somewhat lower in carbs, and much less glycemic than the way most people eat.
3) Protein: The diet is relatively high in protein. The menus I chose were between 100 and 120 grams of protein per day, which was between 35% and 46% of the calories.
4) Fat: The diet is very low in fat. The highest fat day was the one where salmon was included; that one had 20 grams of fat at 16% of calories. Other days were around 12% fat.
Thoughts on the Biggest Loser Diet:The whole point of the Biggest Loser TV Show (and the part I object to, which is why I will not watch it) is to lose large amounts of weight as fast as possible. Of course, this makes great TV, but outside the confines of the strictly-regulated regieme of the contestants (and probably not even there), it’s really not a good idea.
For most people, this diet would not be sustainable, as after awhile hunger will assert itself forcefully into the equation. Small, relatively inactive women might be able to sustain it for longer periods, but part of the idea of getting healthy is to become active. For this reason, I’m not a fan of low-calorie diets, as I think they tend to set people up for failure in the long run. At the very least, the number of calories should be customized to the individual.
I am also not thrilled with diets which are very low in fat, as our bodies need fat to run well. In this diet, the fat is mostly replaced with protein, rather than carbohydrate, which is an improvement over the usual low-fat diet. Still, I can’t imagine many people living with this for more than a few months, and most of them would drop out long before.
The diet is said to be “carbohydrate modified” in that all refined carbs are eliminated, and other high-carb foods are limited to moderate amounts. This is a good thing, and this amount of carbohydrate restriction works for many people (though some people require a lower-carb diet).
Conclusion: The Biggest Loser Diet could be the basis for a workable diet. I suggest that anyone who tries it and has difficulty add sources of healthy fat if they get hungry. For example, add avocado, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, flax seeds, etc. (Saturated fats are probably also fine, at least in the context of a low-carb diet.) If they continue to have trouble, they can try cutting out some of the grain servings. Or check out my Low-Carb Food Pyramid.
Best Life Diet
No CommentsBob Greene, author of the Best Life Diet, met Oprah at a spa in Colorado. He later would become the guy behind Oprah’s 90 pound weight loss and first marathon achievement. Subsequently, due to Mr. Greene’s association with Oprah and his success rate with weight loss, the Best Life Diet has become a top selling diet book.
Basics of the Best Life Diet
In its book format, the Best Life Diet covers chapters on healthy food choices, beneficial physical fitness exercises, motivational tips, recipes, and more. Furthermore, this plan is not about quick weight loss or counting calories, but rather an action plan for permanent eating behavior changes meant for the long haul. With this in mind, the basics of the program include four specific parts to the plan. These are:
* The 3 Big Questions
* 8 Ways to Curb Your Appetite
* 6 Foods to Avoid
* Your Hunger Scale
The 3 Big Questions
First and foremost, according to the author, a person struggling with food issues must determine the root of the cause in order to make appropriate lifetime changes. For this reason, the following questions are important to the success on the Best Life Diet.
1. Why am I overweight?
2. Why do I want to lose weight?
3. Why have I been unable to maintain my weight loss in the past?
By answering these questions and contemplating the responses, the hope is that you will be directed toward deep mindful changes in your eating habits. Think of it as a mini psychology session with yourself.
8 Ways to Curb Your Appetite
The nuts and bolts of this aspect of the program are basic nutrition principles for weight loss.
* eat every 3 – 4 hours
* load up on fiber rich foods and water
* protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates are important inclusions of each meal and snack
* delay going for seconds or the next course for 20 minutes to give the brain enough time to signal satiety level
* avoid food environments when it is not time to eat.
* exercise
* figure out triggers that cause you to overeat
* get enough sleep
6 Foods to Avoid
You may have heard this before, but the following foods are on Bob Greene’s list to avoid during phase 1 and 2 of his program:
* soft drinks
* trans fat
* fried foods
* white bread
* white pasta
* high fat dairy products
Your Hunger Scale
This component is essential to the Best Life Diet in order to mindfully choose and eat in accordance with your body’s needs. The scale is based on ten descriptions to assess level of hunger at any given time, ranging from “stuffed” at #10, to “weak and light-headed” at #1. Depending on where your hunger level falls will determine if and when you eat.
The Three Phases
Phase 1: Rev Up
It is during this 4 week period that followers begin the journey of behavior modifications. These changes involve moving more, eating three meals and one snack each day, including a breakfast meal, eliminating alcohol, drinking a glass of water with each meal, taking a multi-vitamin with omega-3 and calcium if food choices are not supplying adequate amounts, not eating two hours before bedtime, avoiding the six identified foods, and weighing yourself at the onset of the phase and after the fourth week.
Phase 2: The Switch
Advancement to this stage is followed if no weight was lost in the first phase of the program. However, if at least a pound of weight was lost during the first phase, then phase one is to be continued until no further weight loss is experienced. Again, this phase is followed for at least 4 weeks and weight loss is expected to be quite evident with at least one pound a week. Fine-tuning certain behaviors, such as eliminating those higher calorie foods you are eating, increasing exercise, keeping a food diary, preparing healthier recipes, and weighing yourself once a week is part of this stage.
Phase 3: Happily Ever After
This step in the Best Life Diet eases up food restrictions and allows for a happy medium between occasional indulgences and old habits of overeating. Termed “luxury calories”, foods such as dark chocolate, pizza, and a glass of wine can be consumed without guilt. However, since weight loss is determined by the number of calories in versus the number of calories used, exercise is an important criterion here. For example, Bob recommends that if you are at level one of fitness, you can add a 100 calorie treat to your day, while a fitness level of five will allow for a 300 calorie indulgence.
Other Tools
Printable shopping lists, recipes, food journal, meal plans, including Oprah’s seven-day meal plan, message board, free diet profile, cardio workouts, strength training exercise suggestions, advice on nutrition and several articles pertaining to weight loss are all part of the Best Life Diet.
Pros and Cons
The Best Life Diet works because it is a healthful, life-long, instructional book about proper nutrition and exercise. Oprah’s input helps too, as whatever she touches or speaks of generally turns to gold. However, the plan may not be for everyone trying to lose weight for a few reasons. First, if you are not a cook or do not have a chef to prepare your meals, it may not be as easy and simple as it seems. Similarly, the shopping list includes pricey brands, such as Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen, and 8th Continent which may not be affordable for everyone. The idea that other brand names are part of that list seems a bit unsettling as well, adding a rather strong marketing element to the program. However, whether you “buy” into it or not, the Best Life Diet is a path to a healthy lifestyle. It is wise to check with your medical practitioner before beginning any exercise or dietary regime.
Article Source: http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Best_Life_Diet
The Atkins Diet Plan
No CommentsThe Atkins Diet is also known as the Atkins Nutritional Approach. It was created by Dr. Robert Atkins, an American cardiologist. Dr. Atkins read about a diet in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) and devised one in order to reduce his own weight. He then used his devised diet to help his patients. Robert Atkins wrote a series of books; Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution was his first book and was written in 1972. Later books revised his original specifications - however, he never moved far from the original concepts of low carbohydrates (carbs) and insulin control.
This article is part of a series called What Are The Eight Most Popular Diets Today?.
Dr. Atkins graduated from the University of Michigan in 1951, received his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in 1955 - he went on to specialize in cardiology and complementary medicine. On 8th April, 2003, Dr. Atkins slipped on ice while on his way to work - he fell and hit his head on the ground, causing bleeding around his brain. He became unconscious on the way to hospital and died in hospital after two weeks in an ICU (intensive care unit).
The thrust of the Atkins Nutritional Approach is to significantly reduce one’s carbohydrate (carbs) intake. The craze for low carbs comes mainly from the popularity of the Atkins’ books. The Atkins diet is a four-phase eating program, combined with vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as regular exercise.
Dr. Atkins said there are crucial unrecognized factors in our eating habits which make us fat. The main factor that causes us to put on weight is our consumption of refined carbs, especially sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and flour. When on the Atkins Diet, the dieter’s body’s metabolism switches from burning glucose as fuel to burning its own stored body fat - this switching is called ketosis. When our glucose levels are low our insulin levels are low. Ketosis kicks in when our insulin levels are low. In other words, when our glucose levels are low our bodies switch to using our own stores of fat as a source of energy.
Our insulin levels, because of our low glucose levels, are low just before we eat. As soon as we eat our glucose levels rise, which triggers our insulin levels to rise. Refined carbohydrates are full of glucose which enters our blood rapidly. Other types of carbs, what we call “good carbs” do not have such a strong impact on blood glucose levels, compared to refined carbs. During ketosis, some of the fat (lipid) stores in fat cells are transferred to the blood (lipolysis).
According to Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, a diet which is low in carbs triggers a metabolic advantage - the body burns more calories than it would on other diets. During this metabolic advantage the body also gets rid of some unused calories. According to a study published in The Lancet such a metabolic advantage does not happen - saying that lower calorie consumption is the cause of the weight loss.
Dr. Atkins talked a lot about Net Carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels. The best carbs, said Dr. Atkins, are those with a low glycemic load. Dr. Atkins also said that a person´s saturated fat intake should be kept to a maximum of 20% of all his consumed calories.
Atkins said that for patients with Diabetes Type 2 or metabolic syndrome, the Atkins diet lowers, and sometimes even eliminates the need for medications. However, professional diabetitians warn that although watching carbs and glucose intake are a vital part of diabetes care, the Atkins Diet is not a simple solution for diabetes.
What are the four phases to the Atkins Diet?
* Phase 1: Induction
Calorie consumption from carbs limited to 20 grams each day. Carb sources are mainly from salad and vegetables which are low in starch.
* Phase 2: OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss)
Nutrient-dense and fiber rich foods are added as additional carb sources, at an increased rate of 25 grams during the first week of this phase, 30 grams during the second week, and 30 grams each subsequent week until your weight stops going down. At that point - when weight loss stops - take away 5 grams of carbs from your daily intake until you are starting to lose weight slowly.
* Phase 3: Pre-Maintenance
Increase your carb intake by 10 grams each week until your weight loss is very gradual.
* Phase 4: Lifetime Maintenance
Start adding a wider range of carb sources, while carefully monitoring your weight does not go up. Your sense of well-being must continue. If your weight starts to go up, ease back on two things - the amount of carbs you consume each day, and any of the new carbs you have been introducing. Dr. Atkins says that “this lifestyle is the foundation for a lifetime of better health”.
The four principles of the Atkins Diet
According to Dr. Atkins, the Atkins Diet has four principles which form the core of the Atkins Nutritional Approach. They are:
* You Will Lose Weight
* You Will Maintain Your Weight Loss
* You Will Achieve Good Health
* You Will Lay The Permanent Groundwork For Disease Prevention
How effective is the Atkins Diet?
If you stick to it, it is effective. You will lose weight and keep it off. The problem is sticking to it - compliance. During the early part of this decade approximately 10% of adults in the USA were on some kind of Atkins low carb diet. However, obesity and overweight continued to rise rampantly during this time. The low-carb craze made virtually no dent at all in the fight against obesity - not nationally, anyway. The problem was not that low carbs or good carbs do not work - they do. The problem was, and still is, that people drop out of the diet, as they do with most other diets. Study after study found that after two or three years, the vast majority of people who started well on Atkins did not continue long-term. In the medium-term the Atkins Diet tends to fare better than most other diets.
Article Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7379.php
Foods High in Zinc
No CommentsZinc is one of the most important minerals used by the body for various functions and fortunately, there is a wide variety of zinc food sources available naturally for you to take advantage of. To give you an idea just how important it is, zinc helps in the production of about 100 enzymes in your body, builds you a healthy immune system, maintains your senses of smell and taste and is needed for DNA synthesis.
Foods Containing Zinc
Zinc is very much associated with protein foods. Thus, you may assume that most foods high in zinc are protein-rich as well. The best sources of zinc include beef, lamb, pork, crabmeat, turkey, chicken, lobster, clams and salmon.
If you are a vegetarian, you will most probably intake less zinc that those who have meat-based diets. Good zinc food sources aside from meats are dairy products such as milk and cheese, yeast, peanuts, beans, and wholegrain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat bread, potato and yogurt. Of all these vegetarian zinc foods, pumpkin seeds offer one of the most concentrated non-meat food sources of zinc.
Zinc Foods: Foods Rich in Zinc Content
Many foods contain some amounts of zinc, but to be considered a good zinc food source, the food must contain a substantial amount of the mineral relative to the calorie content. It should also contribute at least about 10% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance in one standard serving size.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Zinc
For adults, the RDA for zinc should be about 11 milligrams per day for adult men and 8 milligrams for women. If you are lactating or pregnant, you need to put in about 3 mg more. For children, about 5 mg is needed for 4-8 year olds, and 8 mg for 9-13 year olds, while infants need only about 3 mg.
The Truth about Zinc Nutrition
The downside of taking these high zinc foods is that no matter how much of them you take in, only a mere 15%-40% of the zinc actually gets absorbed by your body overall. This is especially true for non-meat zinc food sources. Dietary fibers and phytic acid in brain prevents the absorption of zinc in your body. Phytic acid found in your brain forms a complex with the zinc that you take in, and this compound is insoluble so that it cannot be absorbed readily by your body. Whole grains are a better source of zinc than refined grains as they have the ability to produce enzymes that can destroy phytic acid. On the other hand, the zinc you get from eating meat is four times more bio-available than in grain foods.
It has been found that increasing intake of vitamins such as Vitamin C, E and B6 and minerals such as magnesium can increase zinc absorption in the body. So, it will be a good idea to add these to your daily vitamin and mineral intake.
Risks in Taking Too Much Zinc
If you are healthy and you eat a well-balance diet, you will rarely need supplements to complete your body’s zinc needs. You should be careful in taking zinc supplements because too much of zinc can be potentially harmful to your body. It has been reported that intake of more than 50 milligrams of zinc (both from diet and from supplements) can lead to improper copper metabolism, altered iron function, reduction of HDL’s (good cholesterol) and reduced immune function.
Zinc is very important to your body and you should make sure that you have enough zinc food source intake to complete your dietary needs. However, as always, taking too much can lead to harsh consequences, so make sure that you only take what is needed.
Article Source: http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/zinc-food-sources.html
Calories in Red Wine
No CommentsWith evidence to support the health benefits of drinking wine, many health conscious individuals are particularly interested in the red wine calories in each glass they pour.
Is Wine Good For You?
There is a great deal to be said for “everything in moderation.” While massive amounts of wine will definitely up your daily caloric intake, choosing a glass of healthier red wine each day isn’t bad for you.
In recent years, studies began to immerge about the health benefits of wine, including cardiovascular system improvements and decreases in certain types of cancer. Of course, that doesn’t mean to drink a bottle at a time. Despite the benefits, red wine calories range from 90 to 105 or more per glass. Those calories add up, and since wine is a beverage, you will be mostly consuming empty calories. Wine fans can, however, rest easy because the calories in your daily glass of wine will not wreck a healthy diet.
Benefits of Red Wine
Red wine is made from red grapes, including the skins and seeds, providing plenty of antioxidants that offer health benefits. Researchers are looking at the effects that Mediterranean people who consume red wine experience, including lower rates of heart disease. Additional health gains include:
* Prevents blood vessel clotting
* Increases HDL (good cholesterol)
* Prevents formation of bad cholesterol (LDL)
* Prevents heart disease
* May prevent cancer
* Aids with digestion
* May protect the brain from the damage of a stroke
The antioxidants, or flavonoids, are available in many types of red wine, but the highest flavonoid counts are in Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Syrah. Merlot and Zinfandel have less flavonoids. Additionally, the vitamins and minerals in red wine, as well as potassium and low sodium provide additional health benefits.
Medical Studies
The latest study from the Harvard Medical School and National Institute of Aging looked at the effect of the resveratrol in red wine on a diet high in calories. Remarkably, early findings indicate that resveratrol contributed to overweight lab mice living a healthy life. Heavy doses of the extract provide significant benefits, lowering the rate of fat-related illnesses, diabetes and liver problems.
Learn the best shape glass for red wine.
Learn the best shape glass for red wine.
Determining Red Wine Calories
While the calorie count will vary among the different types of red wine, you can safely assume that you will be drinking about 100 calories in each serving. A serving of wine is four ounces, so be aware when pouring your wine. Those large wine glasses are beautiful, but remember not to overfill or you will be increasing the calorie load. Red wine calories are also impacted by alcohol content, with higher alcohol content equating to more calories. To make sure you’re not drinking too many calories, use a measuring cup to determine what a four ounce serving looks like.
Wine for Weight Loss
If you are concerned about your weight and finding ways to cut calories, you may want to consider limiting your wine intake until you reach your target weight. Once you reach that magic number, you can include the occasional glass of wine without too much guilt. If you are tracking your daily calories, visit a calorie counter for red wine calories to get the exact number.
Final Thoughts
Based on the newest research about resveratrol, consumers shouldn’t be misled into thinking they can drink massive amounts of red wine and reap nothing but benefits. The study involved lab mice who were given large quantities of the wine extract, and further research is necessary to explore the exact health benefits of resveratrol. The early results are exciting in the scientific community – the extract lowers the rate of liver problems, diabetes and other illnesses related to obesity.
Article Source: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Red_Wine_Calories
Calories in Eggs
No CommentsHere’s an interesting article on the calories in eggs and how many calories in the standard products made from an egg:
Calories in Egg Yolks
The yolk is extremely high in cholesterol, containing more than two-thirds of the recommended daily limit of 300 mg! However, the yolk has many health strengths necessary for immunity, healthy skin, nerves and vision. The yolk contains good amounts of B Vitamins, Vitamin A, iron and riboflavin.
Interesting Yolk: Many tempera paints, which artists have used for centuries, contain an egg yolk base.
Calories in Egg Whites
Egg whites are very low in calories, have no fat, no cholesterol, and are loaded with protein. The egg white is less likely than the yolk to harbor dangerous salmonella, but due to the health risks that raw eggs present, consumption is highly discouraged by medical experts.
Many athletes drink raw egg concoctions, and other than being unsafe, it is not for the ‘weak at stomach’ individuals.
Calories Based on one large egg:
Egg White 17 calories
Egg Yolk 59 calories
Fried Egg 92 calories
Hard-Boiled Egg 76 calories
Poached Egg 76 calories
Scrambled Egg 100 calories (includes addition of milk in recipe)
Diet Tip - Reducing Recipe Calories Containing Eggs
For those on a very restrictive diet, there are some wonderful health-smart egg products on the market that aid in reducing unhealthy cholesterol levels. EggBeaters is a wonderful egg substitute and if you are watching your waistline, you could reap very good results by incorporating this product into your diet.
Even though the egg is a relatively low calorie food, when one is dieting they want to cut every calorie possible to achieve maximum weight loss. To cut back on the calorie of your eggs, try using one yolk and two whites. For less than 100 calories, you’ve got a luscious and light meal.
What can you do with the extra yolk? How about a painting…
Article Source: http://dietbites.com/eggcalories.html
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