Tag Archives: saturated fat

April 8, 2013 · 5:04 am

Popcorn: The Snack with Even Higher Antioxidants Levels than Fruits and Vegetables

I use coconut oil on my popcorn for that delicious movie house flavor. WHAT? Coconut oil is a saturated fat! Isn’t that a no-no?? The answer is NO. Coconut oil consists mainly of the saturated fat Lauric acid. Lauric acid is the main component of breast milk. Besides being incredibly nutritious, it also raises the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Check out Why Should I Try Coconut Oil?

Cooking with Kathy Man

Popcorn’s reputation as a snack food that’s actually good for health popped up a few notches today as scientists reported that it contains more of the healthful antioxidant substances called “polyphenols” than fruits and vegetables. They spoke at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society, being held here this week.

Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a pioneer in analyzing healthful components in chocolate, nuts and other common foods, explained that the polyphenols are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages only about 4 percent water, while polyphenols are diluted in the 90 percent water that makes up many fruits and vegetables.

In another surprising finding, the researchers discovered that the hulls of the popcorn — the part that everyone hates for its tendency to get caught in the teeth — actually has the highest concentration of polyphenols and fiber.

“Those hulls deserve more…

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What Are the Best and Worst Sandwiches to Order from Panera Bread?

You can’t go wrong eating out if you stick with chicken and turkey, right? Just beware of the big old burger.

Not so fast, says WebMD.

Panera’s Signature Chicken on Artisan French Bread

Avoid like the plague Panera’s Signature Chicken on Artisan French Bread. It “contains 830 calories, 37 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, and 2,180 mg of sodium. That’s the daily Sodium limit for healthy adults. The special sauce, bacon, and cheddar help turn chicken, a lean type of protein, into a calorie bomb. Unfortunately, many of the hot panini, signature, and café sandwiches hit the 700-900 calorie range,” WebMD says.

Panera’s Smoked Turkey on Whole Grain Bread

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Why You Should Not Cut Fats From Your Diet

A little knowledge is dangerous. Cutting out fats from our diets because they are ‘bad’ is a perfect example of that.

Not all fats are bad, according to the American Heart Association.

Proper dietary guidelines say that fully 30% of our daily food calories intake should be in the form of fats. Also, 30% should be protein and 40% carbohydrates. So, fat is equally as important to us as protein.

Granted there are good fats and bad fats. The good fats serve important functions in our bodies. Life Clinic says, “Fat is the body’s major energy storage system. When the energy from the food you eat and drink can’t be used by your body, the body may turn it into fat for later use. Your body uses fat from foods for energy, to cushion organs and bones, and to make hormones and regulate blood pressure. Some fat is also necessary to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, so you shouldn’t cut all fat out of your diet.”
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