In this fast paced world that we live in today we are always on the go.
Often we don’t have time just to sit down and eat healthy breakfast or
lunch, but it doesn’t mean that you should reach for a junk food! Check
out some healthy snack you can eat on-the-go.
Nuts
One of the best healthy snacks to eat on-the-go is nuts. They are tasty and a great source of protein! Take along a bag of mixed nuts, with some almonds and good Brazil nuts in the mix.
Fruits
This is a great, healthy snack for everyone! Bananas, apples, grapes
and blueberries are quick to eat, taste delicious and don’t involve too
much mess! Fruits are low in calories and those calories they have will
be great for you! You can also peel oranges, peel and slice peaches or
kiwi, cut up melon or slice off strawberries.
Veggies
Even if
you don’t like veggies, they can make great snacks too! Just take along a
ziploc bag full of cucumbers and broccoli, or carrots and celery. You
can also add a little fat free dressing for dipping!
Granola bars
Granola bars are not the healthiest snack to eat on-the-go. The fact is
that lots of granola bars are just candy bars when it comes to
nutrition. But, there are some exceptions. There are healthy granola
bars to eat. Just be sure to look at labels and choose one that is high
in fiber and protein and lower in sugar.
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When you are trying to lose weight or you just want to start eating
healthy, it’s important to be aware of your calorie intake and pay
attention to what you eat every day. Although healthful eating habits
may seem dull and tiresome, there are many flavorful meals that are both
delicious and low in calories. Read on.
Oatmeal with Fruit
For a healthy breakfast, it is
hard to beat oatmeal. One serving of oatmeal consists of a half cup of
dry oats, measured before adding water or milk, and packs around 150
calories. Adding fresh fruit such as banana, berries, or apple slices
will provide not only a punch of flavor but additional nutrients.
Oatmeal provides a high dose of fiber and vitamins, making it an
excellent addition to a healthy eating
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Unpolished red rice has a very good source of vitamins, essential
minerals and dietary fiber. Eating red rice on a regular basis is good
for your immunity and your body, as it has so many benefits. Check out a
few healthy benefits of eating red rice.
1. Helps to reduce blood sugar level
Being low in glycemic index, red rice helps to reduce the normal blood sugar level
of your body. Plus, it helps to regulate the insulin function of your
body that helps to keep diabetes under control. Red rice is a great
option for people who have diabetes.
2. Lowers cholesterol
Natural red rice contains a part of bran in it that can help to reduce
the bad cholesterol level in your body. Bran oil that is found in the
rice can also help to lower the high level of cholesterol and reduce
your risk of heart diseases. Try to eat red rice at least twice a week
if you want to derive all its benefits.
3. Rich in vitamin B6
Need some more healthy benefits of red rice? Did you know that one
portion of red rice has approximately 23% of vitamin B6? This plays a
role in the formation of red blood cells and aids in proper functioning
of every organ in your body. So make sure you have your portion of red
rice twice a week.
4. Lowers the risk of obesity
Red rice
can help to reduce the urge to eat and can make you feel fuller for a
really long time. Moreover, red rice can provide energy to your body and
aids the digestion. People who eat red rice on a daily basis, have a
lower risk of obesity.
5. Helps in asthma
Since red rice is
an excellent source of magnesium, which can help to regulate your
normal breathing pattern, eating red rice on a regular basis will help
to prevent the problem of asthma. This is one of the healthiest benefits
of eating red rice!
6. Rich in antioxidants
Red rice is
also packed with antioxidants, which is very beneficial for your skin.
Eating red rice regularly can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles on
your skin. Plus, red rice has skin firming properties and can also
reduce the damage caused by UV rays.
7. Good for your bones
As I mentioned above, red rice is a great source of magnesium, which is
very good for your bone health. Regular intake of red rice can help to
prevent and relieve joint pains.
8. Rich in fiber
Being
rich in fiber, red rice helps to prevent and alleviate constipation.
While white rice is rich in carbs, red rice is packed with fiber. It
also provides energy to your body needed for normal body functioning.
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Exotic fruits are becoming more popular because of their intense
flavours, health benefits and beautiful appearance. While everyone has
tried pineapple and pomegranate, new and delicious fruits appear all the
time. Liven up your fruit bowl with these exotic delicacies, and treat
yourself to a tropical feast.
Persimmons
Persimmons, also known as
kakis or sharon fruit, are originally from China and Japan. The fruit
look like orange tomatoes, but are incredibly sweet when ripe.
Persimmons come into season during November, and last for two or three
months. Consume your fruit once they soften, and the skin turn
translucent. Take care eating persimmons and kakis, as they can be very
bitter unless completely ripe. Eat your persimmons fresh, or use them to
make pies and jellies. The Chinese dry persimmons to guarantee a supply
throughout the year.
Persimmons are rich in the vitamin A precursor
betacarotene, as well as magnesium, potassium and fibre. They also
contain natural polyphenol antioxidants, which may protect your body
from free radicals.
In Japan, the persimmon tree is a symbol of
winter. Its leaves drop during the fall, leaving the beautiful fruit to
ripen on bare branches.
Mangosteens
Known as the queen
of fruits, the mangosteen is a delicious tropical treat from Indonesia.
It looks like a small purple apple with a crown of green leaves. Break
open your fruit when its inedible rind goes slightly soft. Inside is a
ring of white fruit segments that looks like a tangerine. Mangosteen is
both sweet and tart, and tastes somewhere between a peach and a
pineapple.
Mangosteens have gained something of a reputation as
a superfruit. This is because their rind contains antioxidant chemicals
called xanthones. These are effective antioxidants in the laboratory,
but as yet nobody has proved that they have any effect on us when eaten.
When you eat fresh mangosteens you can’t eat the rind anyway.
Mangosteens are worth buying for their intense flavour, rather than for
any possible health benefits.
Mangosteens are known as the
queen of fruits because Queen Victoria once offered a huge reward to
anyone who could bring her one.
Guava
The guava is a
small tree or shrub from the tropical Americas. It produces oval fruit
up to four inches long that are green, yellow or red when ripe. Some
people find the rich scent of ripe guava fruit overpowering. It can fill
a room and hang around for days! Wait until your guavas are soft to the
touch before eating them. Remove the ends and the thin skin with a
potato peeler. Eat the remaining white or pink rind and the seeds in the
centre. Consume guavas fresh, or use them to make fruit salads,
smoothies and jellies. In Asia, people dip them in chilli powder and
salt.
Guavas are high in fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic
acid. One guava contains four times as much vitamin C as an orange. They
are also excellent sources of mineral such as potassium and copper.
Guavas with pink flesh also contain polyphenols and carotenoids, which
may have healthy, antioxidant properties.
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We all deserve a sweet treat every now and then, but if you are on a
diet it’s important to learn how to trick your sweet tooth! In fact,
there are many tasty foods out there that can help satiate your desire
for sweets, you just need to get creative! So, ladies, if you have a
bunch of sweet teeth like me, here are a few tasty and healthy snacks to
trick your sweet tooth!
Cocoa dusted almonds
If you like chocolate, this healthy snack is a must try! Take 2
tablespoons agave syrup, 2 cups whole raw almonds, 2 tablespoons
unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Preheat your oven to
350 degrees. Combine agave syrup, sea salt and almonds in a large bowl.
Mix together with a rubber spatula, fully coating the almonds. Spread
the almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 10
minutes. Take the almonds out of the oven and place them back in the
bowl, add cocoa powder and toss to coat. Let them cool and store them in
an airtight container!
Tea
Perhaps you think that I’m crazy for
suggesting tea as a sweet treat, right? But if you make it right, it
will be a sweet treat that can fully satisfy your cravings! There are
many different types of teas, but make sure you choose only naturally
sweet tea or you can sweeten your tea with stevia or honey. I also like
to add almond milk. Adding sweetener or milk to your tea makes a big
difference! Slowing sipping tea is nutritious, calming and it tastes
great!
Dark chocolate coconut water
Coconut water is a very
nutritious drink that contains high amounts of potassium, which is
needed to aid in proper hydration. There are people who like the flavor
of it, but I don’t. However, recently I tried dark chocolate flavored
coconut water, and I really like it! It’s chocolaty without being overly
heavy or thick and it can help to trick your sweet tooth.
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Many people think dandelion is only a humble garden weed, because they
don’t know these important health benefits of dandelion. Its leaves and
flowers have healing and nutritional properties, and it’s useful to know
that dandelion is found all over the world, so everybody can enjoy the
beauty and health benefits of dandelion. It’s also good to know that
dandelion has more protein per serving
than spinach. Its leaves are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium and manganese and the vitamins A, C, E, K, and B1,
2, and 6. Its root contains calcium, iron, potassium, sulphur, silicon,
magnesium, chlorophyll and phosphorus. Read on to learn some of the
most wonderful health benefits of dandelion.
1. A good treat for skin diseases
Skin diseases caused by fungal or microbial infections can be treated
with dandelion sap (dandelion milk). The sap has germicidal,
insecticidal, and fungicidal properties and it’s also highly alkaline.
All these make dandelion a good treat for ringworm, eczema and other
itchy complaints.
2. Good for diabetes
Another great health benefit of dandelion is that it stimulates the
pancreas to produce insulin. Since dandelion is a natural diuretic it
causes more frequent urination, which helps remove excess sugar from the
body and lower sugar build up in the kidneys, preventing renal disease
that most diabetics are susceptible to.
3. Helps fight cancer
The world’s ancient traditional medicine systems, including the Native
American, Arabian and Chinese, have long known about the health benefits
of dandelion. One of the most important health benefits is that
dandelion has anti-cancer effects, particularly for breast and prostate
cancers. Studies have shown that its root has a great impact on cancer
cells (melanoma) that are resistant to chemotherapy, with the amazing
benefit of not doing any harm to the healthy cells.
4. Helps in maintaining bone health
Dandelion is rich in calcium, which is essential for the growth and
strength of bones. It also has a high concentration of antioxidants such
as Vitamin C and Luteolin, which protect bones from toxic free radicals
that can cause general bone weakening, loss of density and premature
aging.
5. Improves the function of the liver
Dandelion
improves the function of the liver by stimulating the liver naturally
and promoting digestion. The chemicals in dandelion eliminate toxins
from the body and help to rebalance electrolytes and reestablish
hydration.
6. Improves overall digestive health
Dandelion
is a mild appetite stimulant, so if you are trying to lose weight,
perhaps, it’s better to avoid it. But if you want to improve your
digestive health, dandelion is something you need! The inulin and
mucilage in the plant aid in the soothing effects on the digestive tract
and the antioxidants help with the absorption of the toxins from food
and encourage the growth of friendly gut bacteria and inhibit and
discourage unfriendly gut bacteria and flora.
7. Promotes good urinary health
Due to its diuretic properties, dandelion promotes good urinary health.
Yes, that’s true! The detoxification cleanses your kidneys as well as
urinary tract, while microbiological growths in the entire urinary
system are inhibited by the disinfectant properties of dandelion.
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Though the roster of “superfoods” is filled with names that many people
outside of nutritional circles are probably not too familiar with, most
of us know and love the common blueberry. This popular, sweet little
berry is packed with important nutrients, and can be a great
contribution to overall good health.
Blueberries are full of the micronutrients that our bodies
require for healthy functioning. They are also a good source of vitamin
A, vitamin K, manganese, and important dietary fiber. Another great
thing about blueberries is that they have a low glycemic load. What this
means is that they do not substantially raise blood glucose levels
after being eaten. There is promising evidence that blueberries are good
for:
1. Improving memory function
A 12 week study out of
the University of Cincinna found that older adults benefited from
improved memory after consuming wild blueberry juice on a daily basis.
The researchers concluded that this was likely due to antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory compounds known as anthocyanins that are found in
blueberries.
2. Supporting heart health
The antioxidant
effect of blueberries may also help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Though more research needs to be done, especially in humans, researchers
at the University of Arkansas discovered that mice fed with blueberry
powder showed healthier heart vessels.
3. Preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Blueberries may be helpful for preventing UTIs because they contain
compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are good for helping the body
fight off and get rid of bacterial infections.
4. Reducing inflammation
Along with the already noted anti-inflammatory effect of anthocyanins,
flavonoids are also known for their anti-inflammatory properties. This
can make blueberries helpful for inflammatory diseases such as
arthritis. Of course, such conditions require a healthy lifestyle of a
good diet and regular exercise in order to be managed properly, but
consistent blueberry intake may help to reduce some of the pain.
5. Helping to prevent cancer
One of the most exciting and hopeful new paths coming from research
into the health effects of blueberries is the possibility that they may
prevent and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. These studies are
tentative and have so far only been done on animals or on human cells in
a laboratory setting. Nonetheless, researchers have had promising
results that are sure to lead to more studies in the future.
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