Of course, the logical place to start the healthy shopping trip to the grocery store is at the produce section.  Most large modern supermarkets have huge produce sections, often taking up a large portion of the store.  It is not unusual for the produce section alone to contain hundreds of choices, so it can be difficult to know the best foods to choose.

When it comes to the produce section of the supermarket, however, it is difficult to make a bad choice.  That is because almost all fruits and vegetables are healthy, low in calories and delicious.  While there are some high fat fruits and vegetables, such as avocados, they are the exception rather than the rule.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for fruits and vegetables is the old saw that variety is the spice of life.  Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may never have heard of before.

Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to enjoy a healthier diet without becoming bored.  Many new diets fail due to boredom, but eating a large number of different fruits and vegetables every day can virtually eliminate that problem.

One way to introduce this variety into a healthy diet is to seek out fresh, in season produce on every trip to the grocery store.  Not only are fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables usually less expensive, but the changing variety will help guarantee fresh new recipes week after week.

Of course the produce section is not the only place to find healthy, nutritious foods.  The other parts of the supermarket are also full of both good and bad choices.  For instance, when choosing bread, it is best to buy whole grain breads and avoid the more processed varieties.  The same is true of baked goods.  Whole grain products contain large amounts of fiber and other nutrients that the more refined baked goods may lack.

Important healthy eating decisions need to be made in the meat section of the grocery store as well.  This means buying the leanest cuts of meat you can find.  In addition, extra fat should be trimmed from the edges of steaks, roasts and chops.  You can do this trimming at home, or, better yet, have the butcher do it at the store.  After all, why pay extra for what you won’t use?

Even though poultry is generally low fat, not all poultry is created equal.  Some varieties, like duck and goose, contain significant amounts of fat.  A roast goose or duck can be great for Christmas or other special occasions, but these meats are generally too greasy to be used for everyday meals.

Even low fat poultry like chicken breasts can benefit from some additional trimming.  Removing the skin from chicken significantly cuts the amount of fat and calories it contains.  In addition, using low fat white meat chicken instead of fattier dark meat is a smart move.

When buying ground meats, always try to buy the leanest varieties you can afford.  Ground beef that is 97% lean is a good choice.  In addition, ground turkey or ground chicken makes a good, lower fat substitute for ground beef, and it can be used in all recipes that call for ground beef, including tacos, burritos, barbeque, burgers, etc.

One important note about ground turkey and ground chicken, however.  Processed ground poultry products can often contain surprisingly high levels of fat.  That is because manufacturers often grind up unwanted skin and fat in addition to the lean turkey or chicken.  This is a particular problem with lower priced varieties of ground chicken and turkey, so it pays to read the labels and monitor fat content carefully.

Learning to be a smart shopper is a vital part of enjoying a healthy lifestyle..  No matter what your reason for eating healthy, learning to shop smart and buy healthy foods is an essential first step.

Keith Ckardwell is a  Author, Blogger, Health Advocate,and helps people lose weight and stay  healthy. For more resources visit: Weight loss After lifestyle Change website and to find the best weight loss guides, its available at: http://www.weightlossafter.com/losemanboobs.htm
Article Source

The right time for healthy snacks is often the time after school, in the evenings, when kids are hungry and the body demands energy and nutrition. But if you indulge in preparing exhaustive and tedious varieties, that consume time to prepare, your kid will look for other simpler options like biscuits and wafers. Hence, just like it is important to prepare nutritious snacks, it is also important to do it quickly.

Here we bring to you a list of healthy snacks that hardly consume time to prepare and will keep junk food out of your kid’s vocabulary.….

1. Paneer wrap  (Preparation time: 20min)

Ingredients: 100 gms grated paneer; 100 gms boiled French beans and carrots; one cup chopped coriander; one chopped onion; one tsp jeera; juice of one lemon; half tsp red pepperika (red shimla mirch); one tsp extra virgin oil; 100 gms whole wheat flour

Method: Make four rotis from the whole wheat atta . Grate the paneer and add all the ingredients to it besides oil. Sauté it in oil and place it on the roti and roll it. Have it with green chutney. The dough can be prepared the day before. All the ingredients can be chopped the day before.

For the chutney:  (Preparation time: 10 mins)

You can either prepare the chutney with coconut, coriander, peanuts, green chilies, spices, and lime or you can also add onion and tomato in the same, and it would taste all the more good.  Grind all the ingredients in a blender and add some water to make the right consistency.

But as coconut is high in saturated fats i.e. bad fats, you can replace it with chana dal or udad dal that are nutritious and healthy.

You must know: As this delicacy contains wheat, paneer and vegetables, it promotes growth and energy.

2. Moong dal chilla  (Preparation time: 15 mins)

Ingredients: 1 cup moong dal (split, skinless green gram), 2-3 green chillies, 2-3 spring onions, 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped, 1 small piece of ginger finely chopped or paste, ¼ tsp of hing (asafoetida),
salt to taste.

Method:

Wash the moong dal and soak for at least 2 hours – longer if you have the time.
Drain the water and grind along with rest of the ingredients.
Use water as required – idea is to get a pancake type consistency
Heat a non-stick pan and spread just a little oil over it.
Keeping the gas on low flame, pour a tablespoon of batter in the centre and then spread the batter outwards in a circular motion into a thin circle.
Add just a drop of oil over the chilla and after it turns lightly brown turn it over to cook the other side.

Stuffing
Mash some fresh paneer (take the quantity as per your need) and add salt, lime and chopped fresh coriander to it. (You can even add chopped cabbage and grated carrots to the mixture).

You must know: The 1st chilla takes longer to cook than rest of the chillas. Also, keep the gas on very low flame when pouring the batter – it gives you a better chance to spread the batter and make the chilla thinner. Using a really good non-stick keeps the need for oil very low. One can also use different stuffings to make the chilla much more delicious.

3. Go Fruity (Preparation Time: 20 mins)

Ingredients: Apples cut in cubes, Banana cut in slices, Chikoo cut in cubes, Strawberry / Kiwi, Whipped Fresh Cream (easily available in India), Lemon, Mint leaves, Chocolate sprinkles, Milk, Sugar.

Method: After washing the fruits thoroughly, cut them into cubes (and in slices for bananas). Now mix all the fruit pieces in a huge bowl and add one tablespoon of milk to the mix with a teaspoon of powdered sugar. Now in the bowl full of fruits, add whipped cream as much as you think fit for your child. To garnish, decorate the dish with a mint leaf over the cream and you are set!

You must know: Don’t add too many fruits as that will make it soggy. Fruits provide fibre which is a must for growing children and a preparation like this is the only fun way to make you child eat fruits!

4. Milkshakes (Preparation Time: 10 mins)

2 fruits of your choice (Either bananas, chikus or mangoes)
Milk (quantity that makes up for one glass)
Vanilla/Chocolate Ice cream (one family pack)

Method: Grind fruit, milk and the ice cream in a blender. Serve it frothing and chilled with four to five ice cubes!

You must know: Milkshakes are an healthier option to soft drinks and other beverages which kids normally tend to consume. Fruit milkshakes provide a child with all the essential dairy nutrients and fibre content. You can treat your kiddo with this mouth-watering preparation twice a month.

5. Spinach tikki with vegetables (Preparation Time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients: One bunch spinach finely chopped; half grated white radish; one grated carrot; two boiled potatoes; salt to taste; one-two tsp green chillies and ginger paste; quarter cup crushed peanuts, oil (either mustard or olive oil preferably). To read more about Healthy and quick snacks for kids after school

Medimanage Health Insurance India
Article Source

Fast food or junk food, more often than not leads to health complications including acidity, constipation and sometimes even weight gain, hence, the best option is to eat healthy and nutritious snacks while in office at your work desk. We bring you these 8 quick-n-easy foods you can munch at your desk, and even binge on it without inhibitions! These foods are powerhouses of good nutrition and give you that instant energy! Here, we take into mind a standard working day and give you a list of foods that do not require exhaustive cooking, or culinary expertise.

Sprouts:

Did you know that  sprouts are one of the most concentrated natural sources of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and proteins? What’s more, sprouts make up for a great snack in office as its easiest to prepare, all you have to do is soak the beans overnight and the next day morning you can get it as a snacker to office by sprinkling in some spices and lime. Other than this, no chopping, or peeling is needed. Also, another way of relishing sprouts is by cooking for a few minutes and garnishing it with salt and spices. Sprouts are more nutritious when raw, and contain anti-carcinogenic properties.

Popcorn:

You must have hardly ever thought that there was much more to popcorn than a feast in the movie halls! Yes, Pop corn has now entered not only the theatres but our office desks as well. For a start, popcorn is very healthy, as it contains a good amount of fiber, protein and Vitamin B. All the more, it is a complete low calorie snack. As popcorn is a whole grain food, all you have to do is to cut open the Packs available in the market, put it in a can, heat and wait two minutes to binge on it.

Dry fruits and Nuts:

When you want to simply sit at your desk and have something nutritious, without having to get up from your seat, nuts come to the rescue. These include figs, raisins, cashews, dried apricots. Nuts contain fatty acids which are what your body needs. Recent studies show that nuts do not contain high calories; in fact their fat is mainly in the form of the healthier monounsaturates. If you consume small amounts of nuts while you are working on that important project, glued to the desktop, you would be at a lower risk of heart disease and would get much of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, folic acid, B2, B6, and other essential minerals.

Fruits and Juices:

The best thing you can do to your body while working in office is to have fruits in between times. An apple, pear or orange goes a long way in boosting metabolism and increasing productivity. To go a step further, a fruit chaat or mixed fruit salad, in your tiffin will do wonders to your health if you consume it after lunch in between hours when hunger pangs get onto you. However, make sure, you do not add bananas if you making a food salad, as from morning until noon, they would darken in colour. While eating one piece of fruit may be satisfying, eating several different kinds of fruits is more pleasing to the palate.

Health Biscuits:

If you think just having biscuits will last you for the day, think again. As Shweta Iyengar, a well-known nutritionist puts it, “biscuits should be consumed in moderation, as they do contain fats. Also they can be clubbed with nuts, to make them wholesome and filling”. Health biscuits or nutri biscuits, that contain oats, have a high amount of energy. Besides, there are granola bars (low fat variety cookies) as options that can be carried in your bag. But again, moderation is the key here. To read more about 8 nutrition packed foods for your workdesk

Medimanage Health Insurance India
Article Source

Nutrition for Kids

In today’s hectic world, busy parents often succumb to the pressures of time by satisfying a child’s hunger at the local fast-food joint, all because they didn’t have time to plan, and no healthy alternative was readily available. Let’s face it, sometimes the tail wags the dog and life takes over!

Health club owners who already have a juice bar or café can seize this opportunity to reach members who are zipping away after a workout with kids in tow; adding healthy shakes and snacks for the kids can dramatically increase profits. This piece of your club’s real estate could yield a tangible return on your investment while you offer your members and their children superior nutrition.

Why do Kids Need Nutrition?

Kids constantly need nutritious food because they are growing at an incredible rate; nutrients in food are the building blocks of strong cells that lay the foundation for a healthy body. A well balanced meal promotes healthy growth both mentally and physically.

Nutritious Foods are Important for Adults Too

Although eating nutritious foods is especially important for kids, adults need them almost as much. Some may suggest “Our bodies are already well developed, so we don’t need nutritious foods; our bodies can adjust,” but that’s an unwise argument. The cells in our bodies have a limited life span and continue to regenerate. Each cell lives a maximum of one year; most of them less. In fact, 98% of all cells in our bodies will die and regenerate in one to nine months at least once. Just consider the cells that line your stomach; 50 million of these cells die and are recreated every two days!

Good Dietary Choices Affect Kids Lives

Simply put, giving kids nutritious foods will not only give them strong cells and strong bodies, but also the ability to make the right choices for the rest of their lives. Eating an occasional piece of junk food won’t hurt anyone, but showing kids that nutritious food can be delicious and fun is important. Helping parents do this offers health club and fitness operations a big opportunity.

The Benefits of Offering Healthy Foods for Families

Businesses that act to help parents make the right choices for their kids by offering healthy foods will see several benefits. First, the profit potential of offering healthy food choices in a club or gym can be enormous; offering healthy snacks and meals to kids and their parents will increase revenue. Second, a juice bar or café at a fitness facility is considered an additional amenity that not only attracts new members, but retains existing ones. Lastly, the fitness facility helps the parents feel good about themselves for making the “right” nutritional choice and, in turn, the parents feel good about the business. Therefore, providing nutritious food options for members and their kids benefits everyone: kids, members and the business.

Paul Fleming represents Dan Young who is President and CEO of Performance Food Centers, an industry leader in the planning, design, operation and supply of
juice bars
across North America. Serving over 910 juice bars, fitness centers and cafes that offer healthy fitness smoothies, snacks, coffees and teas, Performance Food Centers offers expertise in every facet of juice bar business.
Article Source

However, there are some things that anyone can do to lose weight quickly. Here are 4 areas where you can start and see great results

1. Healthy food diet constituting of natural whole foods is an excellent idea. If you can, take lots of fresh fruits and vegetables with whole grains. These foods are low in fat and calories. They also have the natural nutrition ingredients to needed to heal the body and keep you in top shape. So, go slow on those oily snacks, white flour products and all the artificial stuff. Yes, you want to be as real as possible!

2. Change the way you cook food. Healthy food diet is not just about the raw food ingredient but what ends up on your plate. Fried meals are likely to pack a couple extra pounds of fat on your belly or butt quite quickly and sabotage your determined efforts for fast weight loss. So rather than fry that chicken, why not grill it? Grilled stuff can even be sweeter than some of the fat dripping variety of the same food that you find in most fast food places. That is true – it is fast foods with fast fat gain. You can find more information about weight loss and diets at www.Easy-Healthy-life

3. Throw in some top weight loss pills in the mix. Here, you want to go for natural weight loss supplements only that come with additional benefits of green tea and other nutrients. The point is that natural supplements like those derived from Acai Berry will boost your metabolism and fat oxidation to help you loss weight fast.

4. Try exercises. There is a wide variety of exercises that you can use whether at the office or home. The key issue is to live an active lifestyle. This stimulates blood circulation and development of muscles essential for burning fat. Try all the three types of exercises – cardio, strength and stretch exercises for effective results

Are you worried about weight loss pills? You are right to be concerned since some of the products have turned out be a problem. Some pills are designed to make you loss water rather than fat. This could pose unpleasant side effects and worse still, as soon as you get off the pill you regain all your weight back. This is one thing you don’t want happening! However, the top weight loss pills from natural sources like Acai Berry will help you get rid of the fat by boosting your natural body metabolism and fat oxidation.

Frank Gee Do you have a fortune to spend on a diet of pills? If no, visit Easy Healthy life
Article Source