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 Welcome to DietHealthClub.com Nutrition food facts, balanced diet and diet chart

 

 

 

Welcome to DietHealthClub.com

Nutrition food facts, balanced diet and diet chart

Balanced Diet, Health And Nutrition

A balanced diet comprising of diverse and healthy foods is key to promoting good health. After all, we are what we eat - Research continues to prove that eating healthy food promotes good health and unhealthy food habits lead to a diseased body. Foods contain vital nutrients that aid our body’s metabolic function. However, a lack of consumption of these nutrients or feeding upon the wrong kinds of food leads to an accumulation of toxins within the body, resulting in chronic diseases in the long run.
A nutritious diet while ensuring overall well being, helps to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), reduces the risk of several debilitating diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. Thus a nutritious & healthy diet is important in the prevention and cure of various diseases.

Diet for diseases
There are several health conditions that can be caused or aggravated by the food we eat. However, there are also several foods that you can include in your diet to help prevent or treat diseases. It is simplest to draw up a balanced diet chart as this will ensure that you get all the nutrients you require on a regular basis. A nutrition diet chart is a diet chart that helps you to keep a track of your nutritional diet requirements and is a very useful tool when drawing up a personalized diet plan.
 
Heart diseases: Coronary heart diseases are a very common health problem and they are closely linked to a diet that is high in unhealthy fats. Decreasing one’s intake of fatty foods, especially fried food, will go a long way in preventing heart diseases. On the other hand, a healthy diet chart with an adequate amount of high fiber foods is seen to prevent heart diseases. People who suffer from heart problems are often advised to follow a specific high fiber diet for heart diseases that is rich in raw fruits and vegetables. 
 
Diabetes: While genetics does play an important role in the onset of diabetes, an unhealthy lifestyle and bad eating habits are also contributing factors. A diabetes diet chart is a diet plan that is high in fiber and low in fat with a minimum amount of saturated fats. A Vegan diet is very effective in controlling this problem.

Anemia: Anemia is generally caused by nutritional deficiencies and is most commonly associated with a diet that is low in iron. Iron rich foods such as green leafy vegetables should be included in a diet for anemia.

In addition to these diseases, conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gout, and even cancer are affected by the individual’s diet. There are several diet plans such as the Alkaline Acid Diet plan, the Low Glycemic Index diet and the DASH diet plan that are meant to treat specific medical conditions.  

Healthy Food Groups
Since no single food group can nourish the body with all the vital ingredients it requires, it is important that we consume a variety of healthy foods to derive the nutrition our body needs. There are five main food groups, they are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products

A healthy balanced diet of these five food groups ensures essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. The food group serving size will depend upon various factors like age, activity level, body size and gender. It is also important that one eat a variety of healthy foods from within and across the food groups. As some foods from within a food group provide more nutrients than others. This will ensure that one gets the maximum recommended nutrition from the food group; besides the food variety will make for an interesting meal.

Diet for weight loss
Problems related to excessive weight gain are commonplace as we tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle and have unhealthy eating habits. People with excessive weight gain often try to crash diet in the hope of obtaining a svelte figure. However, this type of a restrictive diet chart for weight loss is extremely unhealthy and not easy to stick to and so the individual succumbs to temptation and goes back to his/her unhealthy eating habits. The cycle of repeated trial and failure can leave the individual disillusioned and finally the person stops trying to lose weight. However, a simple and easy weight loss diet chart can work wonders for overweight and obese people. It is best to follow a daily diet chart as this will help you to stick to your diet. In order to balance a diet chart, it is important to take into account your physical activity levels as a person who exercises daily will have a higher calorie need as compared to a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle.
  
You can include healthy snacks in your daily diet charts as this will allow you to snack without having to worry about excessive weight gain. It is important to have realistic goals and dieticians often suggest that overweight individuals should not concentrate on weight loss but rather try to follow a healthy diet plan. Once a person has decided that sticking to a healthy diet chart on a daily basis is their main goal, they will not unnecessarily fret over their progress in terms of weight loss. This will allow a person to lose weight at a steady pace with a higher chance of sticking to their diet plan. Once an individual has lost a considerable amount of weight, they can then use a follow-up diet chart to ensure that the weight loss is permanent. Keep in mind that a healthy balanced diet will lead to a slimmer and healthier you! 

In conclusion, it must be noted that allopathic medicine treats the symptoms rather than the root cause of the disease, which is usually caused by wrong eating habits leading to an accumulation of toxins within the system. Whereas a nutritious healthy diet can rectify underlying causes of diseases and restore one to wholeness of mind and body. Once we realize the connection between a wholesome balanced diet and good health, our food will be our medicine and maintaining good health will be a matter of making the right food choices and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Our Diet Chart may help you get started quickly.  Also, look for more blog posts on Diet and Weight Loss, Cholesterol Diet Plan.

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13 Keys to a Healthy Diet

13 Keys to a Healthy Diet

Developing healthy eating habits isn't as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.

You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.

Following these three basic steps doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and try to eat small portions of them.

You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat. A healthy diet doesn't have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing.

The following basic guidelines are what you need to know to construct a healthy diet.

1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the "good" carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can't get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.

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Healthy Eating EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT

Healthy Eating

EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.

In This Article:

• Set yourself up for success
• Moderation is key
• It’s not just what you eat
• Fill up on fruits & vegetables
• Eat more whole grains
• Enjoy healthy fats
• Put protein in perspective
• Add calcium & vitamin D
• Limit sugar & salt
• Plan healthy meals ahead
• Related links for healthy eating

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Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success  

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet.  The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key 

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation.  Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small.  Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat 

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:

• Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
• Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
• Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible

The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest (See "Related Links for Healthy Eating" below).

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the US, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.  Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

• Beans:  Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.
• Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.
• Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, among many other important functions.
You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.
Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.

Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
• Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

Learn more about the variety of health problems caused by excess weight.

Read Article by Harvard Health Publications

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

cane sugar or maple syrup corn sweetener or corn syrup honey or molasses brown rice syrup

crystallized or evaporated cane juice fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear maltodextrin (or dextrin) Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

• Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
• Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium. See Healthy Fast Food for tips on making healthier fast food choices.
• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
• Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
• Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
• Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Healthy eating tip 10:  Plan quick and easy meals ahead 

Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you.
Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

To learn more, see: Eating Well on the Cheap: How to Save Money on Healthy Food

Cook when you can

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.
Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer, and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.

For more tips, see: Healthy Recipes: Making Fast, Healthy, and Delicious Meals

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You’re Probably Eating Crappy Bread Nothing you eat should be bleached. We’ll tell you how to pinch the right loaf.

You’re Probably Eating Crappy Bread

Nothing you eat should be bleached. We’ll tell you how to pinch the right loaf.

Ian Cohen

Man may not live by bread alone, but he should at least get some dietary value out of it if he’s going to spend time chewing, digesting and evacuating it. But even that may be too much to ask, since most breads available at your local supermarket are nutritionally worthless.
While most people have finally clued in to the fact that plain white bread boasts the dietetic value of couch stuffing, few are aware that wheat breads are equally empty. “How can that be,” you ask, “when it’s got the word ‘wheat’ right in the name?”
On paper, the word “wheat” implies good health, but when it comes to most commercially processed breads, that’s simply not the case. Any health benefits conferred by wheat depend on the form in which it's eaten, so those benefits are minimal if the wheat used to make your bread has been processed into bleached (or unbleached, for that matter) flour. Technically, plain white bread is “wheat bread” too.
To be clear, 100% whole wheat bread is extremely healthy, loaded with essential nutrients and high in fiber. Unfortunately, most of the mass-baked breads you’ll find for sale aren’t 100% whole wheat&emdash;not even close. They’re versions of the wheat grain stripped to approximately 60% of their original form and turned into flour. Worse still, the 40% that’s removed includes the healthiest parts: the bran and the germ of the wheat grain. So how do you pick the right bread?
DON'T BE FOOLED
Just like car dealers who use the term “previously owned” instead of “used,” lousy bread manufacturers have baked up a few of their own catchphrases to fool you...

So, What Bread IS Good? Most mass market breads contain enriched flour and some type of sugar, and that’s no way to get the best (health) bang for your buck. But look carefully, and you’ll find a few breads worth buying... 1. Alvarado Street Bakery Sprouted breads 2. Ezekial 4:9 100% Whole Grain Flourless 3. Franz Oregon Trail 100% whole wheat 4. Rubschlager Rye-Ola 100% rye bread 5. Trader Joe’s Sprouted Breads

“Wheat Flour:” This is what’s left after all the good stuff is removed. Most every commercially processed bread uses either bleached or unbleached flour as its main ingredient. During the factory process of making flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.
“Enriched:” Enrichment is the process of replacing all of the vitamins and minerals that were removed during extraction. Except that nutrients added to flour later don’t compare to the ones that occur naturally.
“Stone-Ground:” This is another healthy-sounding technique that, in reality, just describes how the flour was milled. Stone–ground flour is pretty much the same as wheat flour, which means it’s pretty much worthless too.
“Multigrain:” Your bread can have 72 different types of grains, but it won’t mean squat if none of them is whole.
The Rye Lie: On its own, rye flour is loaded with healthy fiber. Unfortunately, most rye breads sold in stores are made with a combination of rye and unbleached, enriched flour, explaining why most rye breads are low in fiber—less than a gram per slice.
Sour D’oh!: Just like rye and wheat breads, sourdough can offer a variety of benefits, including easy digestibility and a mild effect on blood sugars. Yet bread companies have again found a way to spoil a good thing by adding bad things—namely enriched flour and fructose.
YOUR BEST BET: GO 100%
To be confident you’re getting the most from your bread, make sure the first ingredient is always either "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain." This way you’ll know the most nutritious parts of the wheat have been left intact. Since the health benefits include protection from stroke, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, it only makes sense to keep your bread whole.

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Does Morning Cardio Burn Fat Faster? We debate the merits of this popular fat loss legend.

Does Morning Cardio Burn Fat Faster?

We debate the merits of this popular fat loss legend.

Mike Simone

The effectiveness of cardio training performed in the morning is a question commonly asked of fitness professionals--especially considering the challenges of fat loss. You’ll find it trumpeted in fitness forums and blogs and even on our Facebook page. But does it work?
Sort of.
Morning Cardio training on an empty stomach or while fasting is a common practice within the bodybuilding community to ensure lowest possible body fat prior to competition. Training and fitness expert Jesse Burdick shares, “Fasted cardio is the prevailing wisdom in bodybuilding because these guys are dieting very hard.”
The reason why this particular training approach is effective concerns the depletion of glycogen, the body’s first source of stored energy. By keeping the body drained of this stored form of glucose, it’s then forced to burn fat or protein instead.
According to training and fitness expert John Kiefer of DangerouslyHardcore.com, “When you’re fasted in the morning, the hormone cortisol is high and its only job is to break down the appropriate tissue based on what other hormones are around. Insulin is elevated after eating and cortisol will attack muscle. But, if you are fasted, insulin is low and cortisol will then go after body fat reserves.”
As far as the types of cardio you should do, Burdick suggests 15-20 minutes or less of high-intensity interval training or low-to-moderate intensity steady-state cardio.
What about the regular guy who wants to maintain his typical diet without fasting? Will cardio training in the morning be any more effective than at other times?
Nope.
Kiefer says, “On a regular, normal diet, there really is no difference in how much fat you will burn.”
Both men agree that training in the morning is good for getting the body energized, but unless you’re fasting, you might be better off getting those extra Z’s for a hardcore evening session.

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Anti-Inflammation Diet for Dummies

Background

Anti-Inflammation Diet for Dummies is written by Dr. Artemis Morris, a naturopathic physician and nutrition instructor and Molly Rossiter, an award-winning writer. This book was written for those who want to reduce the inflammation in their bodies, which is often a contributing factor in the development of chronic disease.
The authors explain what inflammation is and how it affects your body, the role it plays in chronic illness, how you can eat to reduce inflammation, the top foods for fighting inflammation and provide a selection of recipes for every meal of the day.

Anti-Inflammation Diet Basics

Low-grade inflammation is a condition inside the body that can facilitate a range of chronic diseases including arthritis, obesity, heart disease, allergies, asthma and cancer. In this book a preventative way to fight inflammation is outlined involving the use of anti-inflammatory foods and nutritional supplements.
Readers are provided with a nutritional breakdown of different foods to increase their understanding of how diet influences the development of inflammation. You are guided on what foods are best eliminated from your diet as well as the best foods to eat to reduce inflammation.
General recommendations for an anti-inflammation diet include emphasizing natural and unprocessed ingredients, avoiding gluten, and increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. A list of the top ten inflammation-fighting foods is also provided.
Foods to be avoided include those containing trans fats, refined carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners like desserts, pastries, ice cream, fried foods, white flour, white rice, white pasta, soda, and diet drinks. The authors also advise against the consumption of red meat instead favoring vegetarian sources of protein, as well as seafood.
They also highlight the importance of healthy cooking methods such as steaming, baking, stir-frying, grilling, and broiling. Additionally information is provided about nutritional and herbal supplements that can assist in the management of inflammatory conditions.

Recommended Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Salmon, flaxseeds, blueberries, raw almonds, mushrooms, broccoli, quinoa, Brussels sprouts, onions, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, tempeh, kale, cabbage, tuna, mackerel, chicken, eggs, low fat Greek yogurt, oats, brown rice, coconut, dark chocolate, green tea.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast Banana Coconut Milk Smoothie

Morning Snack Oatmeal Cookies

Lunch Arugula Salad with Chickpeas and Grapes

Afternoon Snack Spiced Nuts

Dinner Roasted Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

Dessert Rice Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds

Exercise Recommendations

Exercise can reduce inflammation, helps keep the joints moving and can assist with weight loss. If you are not currently physically active it is best to start with walking, which can be done outdoors or on a treadmill.
Other physical activities that you could try include swimming, strength training, and yoga. You should aim for at least thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise, three days a week and thirty minutes of yoga every day.

Costs and Expenses

Anti-Inflammation Diet for Dummies retails at $19.99.

Click here to purchase the book for discounted price.

Pros

• Encourages the intake of a wide variety of unprocessed natural foods.
• Provides education about how to eat to reduce inflammation in the body.
• May assist with the management of health conditions related to inflammation such as heart disease, arthritis, allergies, and asthma.
• Nutritional information is provided for the recipes.
• Gives tips on how to follow the program while eating out.
• Includes 100 recipes.
• Outlines a selection of nutritional supplements that may improve inflammatory conditions.

Cons

• Does not include a meal plan.
• Some of the recipes are high in calories.
• Will probably require more time to be spent preparing meals.
• Recommends the intake of tuna and mackerel, which are high in mercury.

Conclusions

Anti-Inflammation Diet for Dummies describes how inflammation can affect your health and explains how you should eat if you want to reduce inflammation in your body. This book also provides tips about lifestyle factors for reducing inflammation and a large selection of anti-inflammatory recipes.

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