Tag Archives: healthy eating

by | May 19, 2013 · 1:47 pm

How Good is the Costco Energy Blend Snack?

On a recent trip to Costco, I happened upon the Energy Blend snack. As I shop there regularly and have never seen this before, I have to believe it is new to Costco. Since I ride my bike as close to daily as is possible in a four season city like Chicago, i am always on the lookout for fresh and portable sources of energy to take with me on rides.
energyblend
The Energy Blend seems to fill the bill. It has a simple composition of edamame (soybeans) , cranberries, almonds and pumpkin seeds. In addition there are blueberry pomegranate juice and natural strawberry flavor. These are some very good sources of nutrition on their own so the combination looks promising.

At this point, I have only had a single serving of it which comes to 1/4 cup or 30 grams – about an ounce.

I enjoyed eating it. Very nice taste and texture.

The nutritional breakdown is as follows:
Calories 130
Total Fat 6 grams
Saturated fat 0.5 grams
No trans fat
No cholesterol
Sodium 65 mg
Total Carbohydrates 14 grams
Fiber 4 grams
Protein 7 grams

This seems a very good nutritional breakdown to me. There is fat for energy, not too many calories, enough sodium to restore salt sweated away, a good slug of fiber and protein. I think it is worth the try.

Let me know what you think.

If you aren’t a regular reader, here are some other recommendations on Costco items:

Roasted Seaweed

Coconut oil

Fruit and Nut treats

Organic Chocolate Love Crunch

Rotisserie chicken

Sunrise energy bars

Tony

About these ads

Leave a Comment

Filed under energy, energy bars, Exercise, portion control, portion size, salt, sodium, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 16, 2013 · 6:11 am

How to Make a Lunch Salad Fill You Up

As a retired guy, I am usually home at lunch and have no problems getting heatlhy foods into me, but I know that a lot of you are still out in the workforce and have limited lunchtime resources especially when it comes to healthy reasonable calorie foods.

Here is a suggestion I ran across on the web somewhere that made a lot of sense to me. It may help you the next time you find yourself at the salad bar.
455051000

First of all, many folks who choose a salad bar for lunch try to limit their calories by using little or no salad dressing. The problem with this is that the greens alone are not enough to keep your blood sugar up for the rest of the afternoon. You haven’t helped yourself if you are starving by mid afternoon and having food fantasies instead of being able to concentrate on your work.

If you use some light salad dressing you can add fat, and yes, calories, but the fat is a source of energy that can help to get you through the afternoon. Also, put some protein on that salad, too. Does the salad bar offer chicken, eggs or fish? You can add some very important protein that will benefit you throughout the day as well keep you away from the vending machine in the afternoon.

With these simple additions you can make a visit to the salad bar a success instead of a source of frustration.

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under calories, fast food, fat, health, healthy eating, healthy living, protein, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 11, 2013 · 3:36 pm

Four Insights on Erectile Dysfunction – Harvard

As a sports fan and viewer of ESPN, I have been caught in the deluge of erectile dysfunction (ED) ads that proliferate on these TV venues. Who hasn’t heard the litany of Cialis, Viagra, Levitra, etc.? It seems you can’t help but conclude that a lot of the guys watching sports have a problem with ED.

2447177_370

Harvard has a publication for sale on the subject.

By way of introduction to it, Harvard offered the following four observations on ED.

“1. ED is often the result of diseases or conditions that become more common with age — or a side effect of the medications used to treat them. Other possible causes of ED include prostate surgery, stress, relationship problems, and depression.
2. Other age-related factors can affect a man’s ability to have an erection — tissues become less elastic and nerve communication slows. But even these factors don’t explain many cases of ED.
3. Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of ED. Clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) affect not only the blood vessels of the heart, but those throughout the body as well. In fact, in up to 30% of men who see their doctors about ED, the condition is the first hint that they have cardiovascular disease.
4. Intriguing findings from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study suggest there may be a natural ebb and flow to ED — that is, for some men, trouble with erections may occur, last for a significant amount of time, and then partly or fully disappear without treatment.”

They conclude with the following positive thought: “Regardless of the cause, ED often can be effectively addressed. For some men, simply losing weight may help. Others may need medications, and there are other options available as well. Given the variety of therapies available, the possibility of finding the right solution is greater than ever.”

From the above list, it appears that age and diet have a lot to do with the problem. Must confess that number four was a surprise. I hadn’t known that ED could come and go, so to speak.

If you want to find out more about the subject, check out the link.

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under aging, diet, health, healthy eating, healthy living, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 10, 2013 · 6:41 am

Is Chocolate a Good Energy Booster?

There are lots of kinds of chocolate, but if you are thinking that milk chocolate, the most popular kind, is a good energy booster because it has caffeine in it, you are incorrect.

WebMD said, “Chocolate does have caffeine. But if you’re looking to get a caffeine boost, chocolate isn’t your best bet.

Chocolate

You’d need to eat 14 regular-sized (1.5 oz) bars of  milk chocolate to get the same caffeine as you’d find in a 8-ounce cup of coffee! That would have about  3,000 calories and more than 300 grams of sugar — compared to only about two calories in black coffee.

Dark chocolate does have more caffeine than milk chocolate. Even then, it would take four bars to give you the same buzz as one cup of regular Joe.”

This is part of a WebMD quiz on chocolate that you can take at the link above.

If you want to boost your energy, eat or drink a tablespoon or two of coconut oil. You can take it straight from the jar, or mix it into your smoothie or energy drink.

Dr. Bruce Fife, certified nutritionist and author of The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil says the reason coconut oil is such an energy booster is because of its medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). Continue reading →

Leave a Comment

Filed under chocolate, coconut oil, endurance sports, energy, energy bars, Exercise, healthy eating, healthy living, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 5, 2013 · 6:36 am

Mr. Lazy Cook Makes Pasta Hawaiian Style

What is Hawaiian style Pasta? In  the case of Mr. Lazy Cook it is something he concocted for a friend when she told him she was allergic to olive oil. After all, what goes better with pasta than olive oil?

This is a simple variation on my recipe for shrimp pasta.
10069-31135-66
I use the Pasta Boat to cook my pasta. I wrote up my purchase of it
 a while back. Whatever way you make your pasta, this recipe starts with it in the cooked form.

I wrote up coconut oil less than a month ago and have integrated this very healthful ingredient into my cooking and my life. I know the cliche about saturated fat, but please read my blog post on it before jumping to judgment.

Okay, let’s make some Hawaiian Style Pasta.

Take a serving of the cooked pasta, instead of olive oil, add coconut oil to taste. Mix well.

Cut up some pineapple wheels. I have a store that sells fresh cored pineapple and keep on in my fridge at all times. I probably eat about one to two pineapples a week, just cutting wheels off it and snacking. (A wheel of pineapple amounts to 42 calories. Just out of the fridge I prefer it to ice cream.).

Depending on how many you are cooking for, I suggest about one wheel per serving. Remember a serving size of pasta is around a cup full. Pasta is a high calorie dish so you need to be vigilant about this. (In the bad old days when I was overweight, I naively thought a serving of pasta was a plateful. No wonder I was heavy!)

I cut each wheel into around eight to 10 pieces. Mix these into the serving of pasta and microwave for around a minute, depending on your microwave.

When this comes out of the microwave, I top it with parmesan cheese and serve it up.

I thought it tasted great. Not like any pasta I could remember. The coconut oil also adds a nice flavor element.

One serving of pasta amounts to 200 calories, one wheel of pineapple 42 calories and two teaspoons of coconut oil 87 calories, so one serving of this Hawaiian Style pasta amounts to 329 calories.

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under coconut oil, health, healthy eating, healthy living, lazy cook

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 29, 2013 · 9:05 am

Tips on Eliminating Meat from your Diet – Mayo Clinic

I haven’t eliminated meat from my diet, but I have cut back sharply. If you are considering either going without meat, or cutting way back, you have probably wondered about what you will be missing in nutrition. Well, Dr. Robert Sheeler, Medical Editor of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter offered some worthwhile tips for just such a situation.

” … if you eliminate or markedly reduce only the meat in your diet, but still consume animal products such as dairy and eggs, and a wide variety of plant-based foods, you should have no problem getting adequate protein, iron, calcium and vitamin B-12.

Not so much ...

Not so much …

“Even a vegan diet — which eliminates all animal-based foods, including dairy and eggs — provides adequate protein and iron if you get enough calories and eat a variety of foods, including soy products, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dark green leafy vegetables.

“The only true nutritional issues for those who adopt a balanced vegan diet are:
•    Calcium — If you don’t consume dairy products, a calcium supplement may be necessary. Other calcium sources include fortified products such as some types of tofu, soy milk, breakfast cereal and fruit juice. Dark green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, also contain calcium.

•    Vitamin B-12 — Some foods, such as breakfast cereals, are fortified with vitamin B-12. Still, you may need to take a vitamin supplement to get this important nutrient.
The key to a healthy meatless diet, like any diet, is to enjoy a variety of foods. No single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs.

“Want more great health information? Visit the store now to see the latest products from Mayo Clinic doctors, specialists and editorial staff.”

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under health, healthy eating, healthy living, Mayo Clinic, meat, portion control, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 26, 2013 · 8:43 pm

What Are Some Differences Between Fat and Muscle Tissue?

So many people are hung up on their body weight, but fail to realize that the more important issue is their body composition.

All there is to us is fat, muscle and bone. Our body weight is equal to the sum of these parts.

I hope this illustration will help you to see the issues clearer.

It is clear from this picture that fat weighs less than muscle, so it takes up much more room than muscle.

It is clear from this picture that fat weighs less than muscle, so it takes up much more room than muscle.

Once you have an idea how much more space in your body that fat takes up, you can understand the importance of knowing your percentage of body fat. You can read about how to measure your body fat percentage in an earlier post.

Once you know this you will have a baseline from which to work. This is important because often when a person starts to do cardio and resistance exercises his weight doesn’t tell him there is much change going on. Yet, if he is burning fat and building muscle, his body will be changing in important ways. Shirts will fit differently, pants will become looser around the waist line.

Another important consideration in body composition is that one pound of fat burns about 5 calories each day while one pound of muscle burns 50 calories in a day. So, once you get yourself on the road to fitness and start building muscle and burning fat, you will be transforming yourself into a calorie and fat burning machine. You will have started a wonderful positive spiral.

It is important to understand your body fat composition because while you may presently think you are at a good weight, if you have too large a percentage of fat, you will not be healthy and may be headed for medical problems.

Similarly, if you are overweight, once you learn your percentage of body fat you will have a guideline against which to measure yourself by and you won’t be troubled by the fact that you ‘aren’t losing weight,’ when you begin an exercise program and start trying to eat in a more healthy manner. You may be burning off fat and muscle weighs more than fat.

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under belly fat, body fat, calories, cardio exercise, Exercise, healthy eating, healthy living, nutrition, obesity, overweight, percent of body fat, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | · 2:15 pm

What Are Three Rules for Healthy Eating?

I was reading Bicycling magazine this morning and ran across a short article by a personal trainer for cyclists on three rules every cyclist should live by. Turns out they are three rules that every person should live by. images-1

The first is that real food doesn’t need a label. Good point. The author, James Berrera, points out that packaged foods are often loaded with sugar, salt and fat “that stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers, which encourages us to keep eating even when we are full. Plus, the body processes nutrients much more efficiently when they come from whole foods.”

The second rule is to eat less meat. Berrera states, “The populations that live longest consume a more plant-based diet than the average American does.”

Rule three is fill up on nutrients, not calories. “One of the biggest problems with processed treats like cookies is that they’re light on nutrients yet pack a high number of calories into a small volume.

Indeed, I wrote almost these same words in my item A love letter to Hostess Ho Ho’s and Twinkies – NOT from last November in which I gave chapter and verse on why Ho Ho’s qualify as junk food.

Tony

Leave a Comment

Filed under Bicycling magazine, fat, salt, sugar, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 25, 2013 · 2:41 pm

Are Fish Really Good for the Brain? Yes!

Possibly one of the oldest and most widespread cooking cliches is the fish are brain food. I can still hear my mother telling me to eat my fish “it’s good for your brain.” Well, guess what. It’s true.

stock-footage-main-course-roasted-sea-fish-on-plate-with-tomatoes-lemon-and-spices

WebMD says, “Fish really is brain food. A protein source associated with a great brain boost is fish — rich in omega 3 fatty acids, essential for brain function and development. These healthy fats have amazing brain power: higher dietary omega 3 fatty acids are linked to lower dementia and stroke risks; slower mental decline; and may play a vital role in enhancing memory, especially as we get older.

“For brain and heart health, eat two servings of fish weekly.”

As a senior citizen and one who has dementia in his family, I was especially gratified to learn this.

In addition to eating fish, remember that cardiovascular exercise also benefits the brain directly because it sends oxygen molecules to the brain and creates new neurotransmitters.

Check out Important Facts About Your Brain for more.

Tony

3 Comments

Filed under brain, dementia, fish, stroke

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 19, 2013 · 4:02 pm

What are the best and worst foods for belly fat?

WebMD is offering another of its very informative quizzes. This time on the subject of belly fat and what are the best and worst foods for promoting it.

You can take the quiz if you have the time and the inclination. There are 14 questions. I recommend that you do because it covers a broad spectrum of info on this important subject.

If you don’t have the time or the inclination to take it, however, (Spoiler alert!) here are the answers for what I consider three of the most important questions.

bellyfat

Calories from alcohol are worse for belly fat than other calories. True/False?

True “Excess calories — whether from alcohol, sweetened beverages, or oversized portions of food — can increase belly fat. Our bodies need calories, yet gram for gram, alcohol has almost as many calories as fat. Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under belly fat, dementia, fast food, healthy eating, healthy living, heart, heart disease, heart problems, osteoporosis, Weight

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,