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10 bad trans fat snacks to avoid

May 27th 2008 02:32
Despite body awareness at an all-time high, many people are still less inclined to lose weight and take the steps to improve their overall health. As a result, 60% of Australian adults are either obese or overweight, dramatically increasing their risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and type 2 diabetes.

We all know that regular physical exercise is a must for weight loss and maintenance and that we should limit our daily intake of saturated fats, but have you heard of ‘trans fats’ which, like saturated fats, are prevalent in a lot of our favourite snacks?


Trans fats, according to nutrition expert Kathleen M Zelman, are vegetable fats that make healthy fat such as corn oil and make it solid through the process of hydrogenation. They are commonly used in food manufacturing to make the food have a longer shelf life. The problem is that the body treats hydrogenated fat like saturated fat, a culprit for causing heart disease and contributes to obesity.

Zelman has listed the top 10 list of foods where you get the most trans fats from :

margarine

Margarine
During the manufacturing process, some of the unsaturated fats are converted into trans fat to make margarine more solid. The good news is that margarine production in Australia is different from American as manufacturers here make an effort to reduce trans fat levels so it is still a healthier alternative for your bread spread than butter.


muffins

Packaged foods
We all know they’re convenient and yummy but not only do these packaged foods contain trans fat, but they are also laden with additives – sweeteners, salts, artificial flavours, colourings, chemicals and preservatives. Packaged foods are also stripped of nutrients such as soluble fibre, antioxidants and ‘good fats’ designed to protect your heart. So think carefully before you pick up those choc-chip muffins, microwave popcorn and hot dogs on your next grocery shopping trip.

instant soup

Soups
Instant soup cups and ramen noodles contain very high levels of trans fats. If you can, try making your own or buy ‘home-made soups’ from take-away shops.

fast food

Fast Foods
Even though some fast food chains may advertise they use only liquid oil or very limited hydrogenated oil, sometimes trans fats are sprayed on the products during the food manufacturing. Skip the fries and order grilled chicken instead.

doughnuts

Baked Goods
Cakes, frostings and doughnuts all have plenty of trans fats. Make them at home, eat them less often or in smaller quantities.

choc chip cookie

Lollies & Cookies
If it contains chocolate or coconut or other high-fat items, satisfy your sweet tooth with hard lollies or jellybeans which don’t contain any fat.

potato chips

Potato Chips
When people tell you you’re better off eating hot chips instead of cold chips, you know these cold chips are definitely bad for you. If you must have them, opt for baked chips instead or think of other alternatives that have no or little fat, like pretzels.

cereal

Cereals & Breakfast bars
Choose cereals that have no fat and less sugar and granola bars that are low in fat.

ice cream with topping

Toppings, dips & condiments
Salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, gravy, whipped toppings…wherever you can, try to substitute a lower-fat alternative like oil & vinegar for a salad dressing.


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To me, Christmas is all about yakking on top of each other with family and friends, watching loved ones’ faces light up (or fall) as they open their gifts (thanks, ebay), warbling through Christmas carols after glasses of champagne and trying to run away from the aunt who’s constantly shrieking out, “Oy! Are you pregnant yet?” But most of all, it’s the attempt to plough through the mounds of food brought over by your hundred and one relatives without having to think about the calorie, cholesterol and fat content on your waist as you pop another fried chicken in your mouth and wash it down with a cocktail. Then five kilos heavier five days later, I find myself joining the throng of guilt-ridden people pumping and panting on a bike or a treadmill to undo the damage of Xmas bingeing.

But for the start of 2008, I want to be one of those people who walk by Fitness First and smirk at the sight of sweating bodies so hard at work. For this Xmas, I am going to be more pro-active and concentrate on prevention. No, this does not mean I will be sitting very well away from the Xmas table but rather watching what I eat during the lead-up to Xmas to ensure looser pants with which to fill them. So this week, I will (vow to) bypass my drawer of flavoured potato crisps that help me through 3.30itis even though each packet of 5 chips only contain 100 calories and the boxes of Ferrero Rocher and Belgian chocolates that keep arriving at work (note to self : send a subtle hint to beloved clients and suppliers that I am allergic to chocolates, peanuts and alcohol) to replace them with healthier snacks like the ones msn's health site listed below :

Japanese Sushi
yummy yummy (& healthy) sushi


Japanese - sushi, sashimi and miso soup
A serving of sashimi has less calories than half of a low-fat muffin and a few slices of sushi will make you feel as if you've eaten the whole thing while a cup of miso-soup will keep your grumbling stomach quiet until dinner time. Better yet, swap those hamburgers and chips for a Japanese meal combo for lunch. Yes, it may not be as cheap as a McDonalds meal deal but you'll thank yourself once you're gorging on your Xmas feast. Combined, having a serving of sushi, sashimi and miso soup will have less calories, cholesterol and fat than a hamburger dripping with that special sauce. And the good thing is, you won't get that heavy, bloated feeling afterwards.

Rice cakes, Vita-Weat & Popcorn
Not all at once, of course. Rice cakes, vita-weat or popcorn are a great healthy alternative to potato crisps. Add a slice of tomato and/or low-fat cheese to the rice cakes and vita-weat and opt for the low-fat or 'lite' popcorn instead of the one laden with butter and caramel.

Bananas
A good source of energy, high in magnesium and calcium, bananas are excellent to snack on during morning tea or when you need to psych yourself up for a session at the gym, so ignore that chocolate bar and reach for that funny-looking yellow fruit instead.

Low-fat yoghurt
I am totally loving the low-fat yoghurt from Harris Farm Markets at the moment. They're thick, creamy and come in flavours of mango, passionfruit, strawberry or raspberry and don't taste like the sour ones you buy from the supermarkets where you have one teaspoon and push it away with disgust. Definitely a healthier replacement for that slice of cake, pastry or donut that seems to find its way to my mouth in the early afternoons.

Water
Isn't water just about the answer to everything? With non-existent calories, cholesterol and fat, water can also fill you up and keep those cravings at bay. Drink at least two litres a day - not only does it have ultra-healthy benefits but it also flushes your system, keeping your complexion clean and clear.


Do you have any other delicious, healthy snack foods you'd recommend?
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Sip your way to Beauty

November 13th 2007 02:21
As a self-confessed coffee-chugger, I hate the taste of tea. While I am very well aware of the health and beauty benefits of something like green tea, drinking tea to me is like trying to eat a bowl of pig tripe that my dad cooks every month. So I’m hoping this new range of specialty teas created and distributed by Maswell Brands, a Boston-based company, will finally cure me of my distaste of tea.

Sipping Beauty
courtesy of www.sippingbeauty.net

Sipping Beauty gives you the choice of 6 different types of teas, infused with flavours from chocolate mint to papaya. But the best thing about these teas is that each one delivers specific beauty benefits such as saying goodbye to bad breath and ensuring a good night’s sleep.

Beauty Sleep
Relax, unwind and prepare yourself for a peaceful sleep with this tea of camomile, licorice and organic linden tree leaf. No more staring at the bright red digits of the clock, counting endless lines of sheep or trying to rouse your sleeping partner just for the sake of it.

Forever Young
Packed with antioxidants designed to keep those wrinkles at bay, this tea has the delicious and refreshing combination of chocolate and peppermint. Anything that sounds like a frappacino to me sounds yum.

Multi-Beautimin
A fruity-flavoured tea, thanks to its mix of strawberries, apples and kiwis, it contains skin renewing vitamin C that will make the sun shine out of your pores – or just give you that radiant glow.

Puritea
Infused with blood oranges, hibiscus and rosehips, this is a herbal blend of tea that aims to cleanse your body, making way for a clearer skin.

Weightless
Step aside, green tea, Weightless is taking over your slimming benefits but adding the tropical flavours of papaya and pineapple so drinking it won’t be a case of sculling it down to avoid the taste but sipping it to enjoy the flavour.

Whiff
Been in a situation where you’ve had to cover your mouth and mumble through a conversation, self-conscious of your garlic breath? A cup of this blend of peppermint and other odour-enhancing ingredients will have you breathing down someone’s face with minty confidence.

Each tea comes in sample packs (US$3) and regular packs (US$14) available for purchase from their website.


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Top Foods for a smooth, glowing skin

November 6th 2007 02:22
Most of us have been guilty of spending unjustified amounts of money on skincare products that supposedly give you that luminous, glowing, smooth complexion. While some of these products are, thankfully, more than just a gimmick, they don’t work 24/7. So instead of reaching for that expensive miracle cream or heading to your beauty therapist next time you think your skin is looking mighty dull, have you thought to pay more attention to what you put in your mouth?

Food
Food, glorious food

The Site.Org listed the top foods that would give you that coveted smooth, radiant complexion that actually lasts. Include these in your normal diet to keep your beauty therapist – and her fees – away.

AVOCADO
Not all fats are bad for you. Most of the fats in an avocado are monounsaturated fats that are actually good for you as they help neutralise those nasty fats in other foods. Combined with Vitamin E, the avocado combats dryness to nourish your skin and hair.

BERRIES
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (the list goes on!) produce collagen (sound familiar?) to keep your skin supple, smooth and plump. So add them to your cereals and desserts or swap them with your barbecue chips for an afternoon snack – which is something I’m trying to do.

GREEN TEA
If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me that green tea is especially good for you, I’d be – well, I wouldn’t be writing this blog now, would I? Green tea is packed with catechins, an antioxidant that helps fight viruses and slows down ageing. While I am convinced of the beauty benefits of said tea, sadly, to me, green tea is like drinking poo tea.

NUTS
Brimming with vitamins A and E, nuts protect your skin against pollutants while minimising sun damage. I also heard that Brazil nuts help improve the condition of your hair and nails as well as boosting your skin elasticity.

OILY FISH
Oily fish like sardines and mackerel contain essential fatty acids that actually reduce skin inflammation and keep your skin ultra moisturised. These EFAs also promote elasticity, keeping those wrinkles at bay.

OLIVE OIL
Ah, olive oil – one of those things that seem to be good for you in every way – your skin, hair, nails, diet, etc. Like avocado, olive oil is packed with the good fats, antioxidants, vitamins A and E. The result is a more soft and supple, younger-looking skin. Opt for Extra Virgin Olive Oil as, unlike other olive oils, EA has not been chemically processed.

PROBIOTIC YOGHURT
Probiotic yoghurt is bursting with good bacteria that keep your skin looking healthy. Research has shown that eczema sufferers can greatly benefit from a daily intake.

SPINACH
Eek! While my then-favourite cartoon figure Popeye sculled them down like beer, I didn’t particularly care for them – or brussel sprouts. But they’re supposed to be a great source of vitamins B, C and E. Vitamins C and E are a powerful anti-aging combination while vitamin B boosts energy in your activity levels, promoting that healthy glow.

WHOLEGRAINS
Aka brown wholemeal versions of carb faves like pasta and bread. They’re loaded with fibre that aid in your digestion. Being regular is essential not just for your health but your skin as it flushes out the toxins and if these build up, say good bye to radiant skin and hello to a dull complexion.

Do you eat any of the above as part of your normal diet?
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My Lemon Detox Experiment

August 23rd 2007 02:48
Since hearing that Beyonce Knowles publicly attributing her svelte figure in Dreamgirls to a Lemon Detox program, a friend of mine recently joined the cheerleading team for what is also called the Lemonade Diet.

After ten days, she said she lost ten kilos and was practically bouncing off the walls as she gushed how much more energised and happy she was because of her lemons. I thought ‘lemons’ was another word for some kind of recreational drug and I was about to walk out of her apartment then and there. Then she dragged me over to her fridge and showed me a drawerful of innocent-looking fresh lemons.

[ Click here to read more ]
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#5Slimming 'Pooh' Tea

Slimming Tea

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Disgusting Juices R Good 4 U

May 5th 2006 03:13

Insert Title Here
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Joy of Juicing

May 4th 2006 02:12
Insert Title Here
It's no news that your appearance reflects your overall health on the inside. Most of us, at some time or other, fall into the habit of eating too much crap. For those of us who aren't great fans of munching on kilos of raw vegetables every day, juicing would be the best alternative. Even if the taste is crap, it only takes 3 seconds to pour it down your esophagus. That's not too bad is it?


[ Click here to read more ]
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I've never been a great fan of diets, nor have I taken much notice of them. The occasional accidental exposures to gossip magazine posters; the "before" and "after" pictures of Kirsty Alley and Oprah have sufficiently extinguished any sort of curiosity that I might have developed on that subject.

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