BASIC CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS;
180 gm butter
180 gm caster sugar
3 eggs(beaten)
190 gm self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD;
Mix butter and sugar until creamy.Then put vanilla and eggs,after well mix fold in the flour.Heat the oven to 190c.Put the batter in the cupcakes casing and bake for 15 minutes.

PIZZA BASE

Make your own pizza base and you can create your own pizza toppings.I share you my easy way to make pizza base.
INGREDIENTS;
5 gm dry yeast
275 gm plain flour
6 gm salt
10 gm sugar
150 ml warm water
50 ml fresh milk

METHOD;
In a small glass bowl mix yeast,sugar and milk.Then use another big stainless steel bowl to mix flour,salt and water.Put in the yeast mix to the flour mix and mix well.Rest for an hour to make the dough proof.After the dough proof ,roll until 1mm thick and cut into round shape.Heat up the oven 175c and bake the base for 10 minutes.After the the base cooked you can put any toppings as you like an bake again until the toppings cooked.
 

DRINK FOR KIDS

INGREDIENTS;
1 large handful of spinach
1/4 medium peeled pineapple
1 apple
2 cm slice lemon
ice

METHOD;
Just juice everything and lastly the ice.The juice good to maintain healthy skin,bones and eyes.Also great for boosting the immune system,good for cardiovascular health and excellent aid for brain also nerve function.

Hi, today I going to finish the topic about what contains in fruits and what fruits can do to us.So last but no least these are the fruits;

PEAR;
Contains vitamins B6 and C ,minerals just copper and potassium.Helps to control diabetes cause pear contains levulose - a fruit sugar more easily tolerated by people with diabetes.

PINEAPPLE;
Bromeline is an enzyme that aids digestion and helps dissolve excess mucus so is useful for hay fever and asthma.Contains B,C,E and folic acid meanwhile minerals pineapple have potassium,iron,calcium,phosphorus and sodium.

RASPBERRY;
Contains minerals such as zinc,sodium,phosphorus,magnesium,potassium,calcium and iron.Vitamins B,C,E,niacin and beta-carotene.Good for promoting healthy skin and slowing down the signs of ageing.Also maintaining healthy male reproductive function.

STRAWBERRY;
Contains vitamins B,C,E,beta-carotene,niacin and folic acid.Good for slowing down the signs of ageing.Also building blood and boosting the immune system.Minerals such as zinc,sulphur,magnesium,sodium,iron,potassium and calcium.

5 FOODS YOU MUST AVOID

   
Buying local, fresh foods from Farmers' markets, organic farms, or from your local grocer can go a long way for your budget and your health.  However, not everyone can benefit or wants to shop healthy.  Here are the top five foods to avoid or minimize in your diet for a longer, healthier life and a leaner waistline, followed by the top five foods that will give you amazing health benefits.


Food #1 Low-fat Foods

Food labeling can be very deceptive when it comes to food geared for weight loss.  Low-fat foods are one of the products to be careful about.  Just because the food says "low fat," does not mean the food is low calorie.  Be sure to check the label and see how many calories are typically in the product.  Most people associate low-fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more.  Do not be fooled by this deceptive labeling technique.

Food #2 Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.  Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar. 
However, look at the label under sugars, and you will see something interesting.  Sugar-free foods tend to have sugar alcohols, which is an ingredient designed to give it sweetness.  Most of the time, sugar alcohol is made from sugar products, which can lead to increased calories.  Sugar alcohols carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram.  Not only do you get extra calories, but you also can get cramping, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems if you ingest too much.

Food #3  Commercial Smoothies

Normally, smoothies are associated with healthy eating.  They have skim milk, fruit, and yogurt, so they are considered a great, healthy food.  Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar.  Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, so you end up ballooning sugar, fat, and calorie content.  Most of the time, the fruit in smoothies is blended up into fruit juice, or fruit juice is added.   This eliminates the fiber that is found in the skin of most fruits.  My advice:  Make your smoothies at home, and leave the commercial smoothies on the shelf.
   
Food #4 Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt, again, has been considered a natural health product containing calcium, probiotics, and other products that have been shown to be beneficial to our health.  Look at the label again, and you might see something surprising.   When looking at the label, some of the first few ingredients in yogurt are different forms of sugar.  All this extra sugar can lead to weight gain and stubborn, hard-to-lose body fat.  So again, read the label and see exactly what is in the product before you choose the yogurt of choice.

Food #5 Sugary energy drinks including items with added vitamins and minerals

Energy drinks have been advertised as giving you that extra pick-me-up during the day, and a way to increase the intensity of your workouts.  Energy drinks can contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which gives you that initial pick-me-up, but you end up crashing hard later.  Also, some drinks that have added vitamins and minerals, can have loads of sugar as well.  So stop and think before you drink and choose something lower in calories and sugar, maybe something like coffee or tea.

Next, I am going to share with you 5 foods that are beneficial to your health, and you might not even know it.


Food #1 Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people.  Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process.  Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable.  Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight.   These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

Food #2 Pepper, Especially Capsaicin
So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list.  Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods.  Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.

Food #3 Wheat Grass

There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheat Grass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy.   Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections.   Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein.  This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle.   The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.


Food #4 Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium.  B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells.   B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger.  TahiniTahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.


Food #5 Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

Hi we meet again I still got some more facts about fruits, so here I going to continue about them.So I going to start with grapefruit.

GRAPEFRUIT;
Contains vitamins C,beta-carotene meanwhile minerals it just got calcium and potassium.It also good for stimulating digestion ,breaking down and shifting inorganic calcium from the joint.

GRAPE;
Contains vitamins B,C,E and beta-carotene.Minerals iron,potassium,phosphorus and calcium.Good for helping to calm the nervous system,restoring alkaline balance,promoting good bowel movement and cleansing the system.

KIWI;
Contains C,E and beta-carotene.Calcium,sodium,potassium,phosphorus and magnesium as minerals in kiwi.Good for cleansing and energizing the body.

LEMON/LIME;
Contains C and beta-carotene as vitamins.Meanwhile minerals it contains magnesium,calcium,potassium and phosphorus.It good for cleansing the system because the acid scours the intestinal tract,neutralizing harmful bacteria and eliminating toxins.

MANGO;
Contains vitamins B<C and beta-carotene.Minerals are iron,phosphorus,magnesium,calcium and copper.It do best for mopping up free radical,internal body cleanser,disinfecting the body and reducing body odour.Lastly mango also stimulating the immune system.

MELON;
Vitamins A,C and folic acid.Phosphorus,magnesium,zinc,potassium and calcium are the minerals that contain in melon.Melon goods for promoting shiny hair,purifying the skin and strong nail.Also for cooling the body and cleaning the kidneys.

NECTARINE;
Boost with vitamins B1,B2,B3,B5,B6,C,folic acid and beta-carotene.Good for anti cancer health promoter and natural energizer.Meanwhile minerals nectarine contains 
copper.phosphorus,potassium,zinc,calcium and magnesium.  


ORANGE;
 Good for destroying free radicals that cause signs of skin ageing and scouring the intestine.Also it helps flushing toxins from the body.In minerals it contains zinc,phosphorus,potassium ,iron and calcium.Vitamins A,B6,C,folic acid and beta-carotene.

PAPAYA;
Contains vitamins C and beta-carotene, also minerals calcium and magnesium.Good for promotes male fertility and enable easy digestion of complex proteins.

PEACH;
Contains minerals such as silicon,copper,sulphur,potassium,iron,zinc,magnesium and calcium.Vitamins B3,C,folic acid and beta-carotene are found in peaches.Good for cleansing the intestine and bladder also kidneys.It also helps fighting disease and anti-cancer health promoter.

The TRUTH about Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and "White Foods" - Friend or Foe for Fat Loss?

I'd like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates... and in particular, "white foods" as well as potatoes. One reason I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals trash talk potatoes about being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the high glycemic index. Some even say such ridiculous things as "avoid any and all white carbohydrates".
Ok, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definately don't agree with avoiding any and all "white carbohydrates". Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colors and stay away from white.
"White Foods" aren't necessarily always the enemy
It's true that colorful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let's look at a few examples...
Onions & Garlic
What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren't easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet... such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.
In fact, onions are so powerful for our health, that one study of centenarians (people that live to over 100 years old) identified that a common thread of these amazingly healthy individuals was that they ate a lot of onions throughout their lives.   And we also know that garlic is one of the most powerful substances for a strong immune system, among other qualities.  
Cauliflower
Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates and thiocyanates, which are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.  And a little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess belly fat.  So eat up on that cauliflower!
Mushrooms
Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine.  And some types of mushrooms, such as portobella mushrooms, are surprisingly good sources of Vitamin D.
Potatoes
Now that also leads us to another example - white potatoes (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index.
While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat easier than high glycemic index choices, it is not all that it's cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.
For example, using glycemic load as an example... it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the glycemic load of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high glycemic index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it is just non-sensical.
Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There's just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. My point is... candy bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat... NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes... French fries excluded of course.
Also, as i mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I talk in detail about this entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book
Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form... with the entire skin, and please don't ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.
Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.
Will 7-9 potatoes per day make you fatter?
On the topic of potatoes not being so bad after all, I don't remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks.
At the conclusion of the study, the potato eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I'd venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato only has about 100-120 calories, and I can surely imagine you'd be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day. 
Of course, this does NOT mean that french fries are ok to eat!  Those will only make you fat, and the trans fat will lead to an early death.  Seriously... fries are one of the most deadly foods in our food supply.  Plus, deep fried potatoes build up dangerous acrylamides from the frying oil reacting with the starch, and these compounds are carcinogenic. 
Anyway, back to the 7-9 whole potatoes per day... Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein. On that note, I have one of my favorite recipes for you, using potatoes.
Geary's Lean-Body Potato Side Dish

• Desired quantity of baby potatoes (I like to use this mixture I found recently at a health food store... it is a mixture of white, red, yellow, and purple baby potatoes)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 or 2 onions
• a couple cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or mashed garlic from a jar, organic preferably)
• 1 or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or virgin coconut oil
• a little salt and pepper to taste (I like using a sea salt instead of normal commercial salt)

Cut the baby potatoes into slightly smaller pieces and place in a steamer until soft all the way through. Slice up the peppers and onions into strips and add with the chopped garlic into a pan with the olive oil. Cook the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender, and then add the steamed baby potatoes. Stir it all together and serve. This is a delicious and healthy side dish that goes great with chicken or red meat.
I hope you've enjoyed this little topic today about potatoes, healthy carbohydrates, glycemic index, and my killer healthy potato recipe idea!

SAY NO TO TOXINS

The four main toxin that cause our body to cling to fat are caffeine,alcohol,refined sugar and processed food.
CAFFEINE;
A cup of coffee a day wont do any harm and some studied say it even helped fat burning.Green tea also contains caffeine which is an even better fat burner but don't drinking in the evening cause it can stop you from sleeping.Too much caffeine can cause stress to your body and can dump fat around your middle.
ALCOHOL;
Alcohol is full of sugar and it will make you fat in the middle.It also decreases muscle growth, leaving you podgy and out of shape.Drinking wine 3 or 4 days a week can leave you with a thick waist and a swollen tummy.It also stimulates the production of the hormone oestrogen in your bloodstream,which promotes fat storage(waist and tummy).In addiction,the liver is a fat burning organ but when it busy processing alcohol ,it stop burning fat.
REFINED SUGAR;
Sugary foods raise your insulin level which cause fat storage.For a slim person about 40 % of sugar you eat is converted straight to fat.Meanwhile if you are overweight ,up to 60% convert straight to fat and store around your stomach,waist and hip.If you eat sugar everyday ,you will find it hard to lose weight and you will never have a flat tummy.You always feel hungry because sugar leaches vitamins from your body.That's why overweight people are always hungry because they don't eat enough vitamins.Toxic foods such as sugar will never satisfy you.Too much sugar make you feel tired,weaken your immune system and lower your libido.It is found in white sugar,fruit drinks,white non-organic pasta,bread and rice.Also in alcohol,cakes,sweets,biscuits and ice cream.Food marked as low fat such as energy drinks and cereal bars.Ingredients that end in (ose) such as sucrose,glucose,maltose,lactose,dextrose and fructose.Lastly avoid food that contain artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and aspartame.
PROCESSED FOOD;
Processed foods that needs to avoid are tinned foods,chocolates,sweets,crisps,packaged cake,biscuits,muffins,dried pasta,frozen chips and wedges.Also frozen ready meal,processed meal,breakfast cereal,white bread,pasta and rice,
So if you want to eat these kind of foods just think for a while about your health ,all in your own hand. 

Hi today i think I want ti share with all of you a nice and simple pancake recipe.It so easy that my son also can do it.Here what you needs for the pancake.

INGREDIENTS;
2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
200 ml fresh milk
11 tbsp self raising flour

METHOD;
In a mixing bowl break 1 egg and mix with egg.Whisk until egg became fluffy,bring in the flour and pour the milk slowly.Mix well the batter.Heat up a non stick pan and spoon in the batter batch by batch.Brown both side of the pancake and it ready to serve.Serve with maple syrup or honey
 

Hi there ,today I going to continue what I had wrote about fruits.As I promise yesterday I will continue with fruits with letter B.
BANANA;
Contains B,C,beta-carotene and folic acid.In minerals it contains potassium,calcium,sodium and magnesium.Banana is good for slow release energy,helping to lower cholesterol and immune booster.

BLUEBERRY;
Contains vitamins B1,B2,B6,C,beta-carotene and folic acid.In minerals it contains iron,calcium,manganese,magnesium,zinc,sodium,potassium and phosphorus.It just good for slowing down the signs of ageing.

BLACKCURRANT;
Contains just vitamins C and beta-carotene meanwhile the minerals are phosphorus,magnesium,calcium and potassium.It good for anti cancer heath promoter,immune enhancer and anti bacterial.

CHERRY;
Contains vitamins B,C and beta-carotene.The minerals are calcium,silicon,copper,sulphur,potassium,iron,phosphorus,magnesium and zinc.Cherry good for anti cancer promoter,controlling blood cholesterol levels and pectin also forms a gel in intestine that can eliminates toxins.

CRANBERRY;
Vitamins B,C,folic acid and beta carotene.Minerals are iodine,potassium,phosphorus,magnesium and chlorine also calcium.It helps the liver,prostate,kidney and bladder problems

 

HI TODAY I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT FRUIT.WE ALWAYS EAT FRUITS ALL THE TIME JUST WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CAN DO TO US.SOME FRUITS ARE GOOD AND SOME JUST NOT TO BE CONSUME ALWAYS.SO HOW ABOUT APPLE, DID YOU KNOW WHAT DO APPLE BENEFIT US?OK LET TALK ABOUT APPLE.APPLE CONTAINS VITAMINS A,B1,B2.B6 AND C.APPLE ALSO CONTAINS MINERALS SUCH AS CALCIUM,CHLORINE,MAGNESIUM,PHOSPHORUS,POTASSIUM,SULPHUR AND IRON.APPLE ALSO HAD MALIC ACID,ELLAGIC ACID AND NECTIN.APPLE GOOD FOR ANTI CANCER HEALTH PROMOTER AND PECTIN FORMS A GEL IN THE INTESTINE THAT ELIMINATES TOXINS.

APRICOT HAD VITAMINS SUCH AS B,C AND BETA-CAROTENE.IT ALSO CONTAINS MINERALS SUCH AS SODIUM,POTASSIUM,MAGNESIUM,IRON,CALCIUM,SILICON AND BORON.GOOD FOR ENERGY,STAMINA,ENDURANCE, ALSO FOR HEART DISEASE,EXCELLENT BLOOD BUILDER,PROMOTING SHINY HAIR AND NICE SKIN.SO I THINK WE STOP UNTIL HERE AND TOMORROW WILL BE BACK WITH FRUIT STARTING WITH LETTER  B.SEE YOU TOMORROW AND TAKE CARE.

HOW TO HAVE A FLAT TUMMY

Hi, 

Today I like to talk about how to make your tummy look flat and sexy.Especially during this summer with all the beaches and sun bathing.First of all we need to eat more alkaline foods and less acidic foods.Alkaline foods include ; chicken cause most meat are acidic,avocados,berries,avocados,tomatoes,watermelons,artichokes,asparagus,brussels sprouts,broccoli,beetroot,cabbage,carrots,celery,cauliflower,courgettes,green bean,cucumber,leeks,onions,peas,radishes,lettuce,spinach and watercress.Lemons,limes and grapefruits also included although it taste acidic but actually it very alkalising and calm for the body.Meanwhile acidic foods include all fruits apart from those listed above.Included also lamb,beef,turkey,pork,seafood except oily fish eg;salmon,ice cream,eggs,cream,cheese,yoghurt,milk,white pasta,white/wholemeal bread,candy/sweet,biscuits,chocolate,artificial sweeteners,refined sugar,tea,coffee,all fizzy drinks,alcohol,honey,fruit juice,vegetable oil,corn oil,margarine,sunflower oil,pistachios,cashew nuts and peanut.I m not saying you had to avoid acidic foods but just balance the intake.As a general rule just make 70 % of your foods from alkaline diet and 30% of acidic diet.Hope you try it and hope you will had a flat and sexy tummy.GOOD LUCK......

HOW GOOD ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER FOR YOU

I wanted to talk about artificial sweeteners today because I've noticed that there's a lot of confusion and misconceptions revolving around these non-caloric sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners and the huge list of products sweetened with them are marketed to you relentlessly as "healthy foods" or "healthier" than sugar or corn syrup sweetened products. But are they really?

Just to clarify, some of the most popular artificial sweeteners on the market today are:

Splenda (sucralose)

Aspartame

Saccharine

Acesulfame Potassium (aka - acesulfame K)

These artificial sweeteners are used in abundance in almost every "diet" drink, "lite" yogurts, puddings, and ice creams, most "low-carb" products, and almost all "reduced-sugar" products. Heck, even most protein powders are loaded with artificial sweeteners too (just look on the ingredients and you'll usually see one or more of them).

Splenda is probably one of the worst offenders of claiming to be "healthy" as they say that it's made from real sugar. Don't be fooled! It's still an artificial substance. What they don't tell you is that Splenda is actually a chemically modified substance where chlorine is added to the chemical structure, making it more similar to a chlorinated pesticide than something we should be eating or drinking.

The truth is that artificial sweeteners are not even close to being healthy, and as you'll discover in a minute, can easily be just as bad for you, if not worse, than sugar or corn syrup. Most people think that they are doing something good for themselves by choosing the "diet" drinks or "lite" yogurts compared to the sugar-laden versions, but the problem is that you're exposing yourself to a whole new set of problems with the artificially sweetened drinks and foods.

I know you're probably frustrated by all of the contradicting messages you hear each day about which foods are good for you and which are bad. I'm sure just today you probably saw some clever ad or commercial somewhere screaming health benefits for a food product that is loaded with artificial sweeteners. Don't worry.

Just stick with me and I'll get past the marketing hype for you and decipher the truth. I'll also give you some ideas for great alternatives to artificial sweeteners as well as alternatives to sugar or corn syrup sweeteners.

The fact is, artificial sweeteners vs. sugar or corn syrup is really just a battle between two evils. Which evil is worse?

I'm sure you already know the problems with sugar or high fructose corn syrup sweetened products. The excess empty calories, blood sugar spike, and resulting insulin surge this creates in your body not only promotes fat gain, but also stimulates your appetite further, making things even worse.

On the other hand, artificial sweeteners save you calories, but there's growing evidence that they can increase your appetite for sweets and other carbohydrates causing you to eat more later in the day anyway. Therefore, you don't really save any calories at all. Also, studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can stimulate high insulin levels in your body too, which again can promote fat storage.

All of the 4 artificial sweeteners listed above are nasty chemicals that the human body is simply not meant to ingest. However, most of us are ingesting a whole lot of these chemicals on a daily basis. Aside from the problems I touched on so far, other health issues that have been related to artificial sweeteners in scientific studies as well as observations are:

• some have been linked to potential cancer risks
• negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs
• stimulating cravings
• gastrointestinal problems
• developmental problems in children and fetuses
• headaches
• and too many more issues to list

Now some of the above potential health problems are definitely not proven as fact in studies. However, some of them have been shown in animal studies given high doses. Regardless of the fact that any real health problems for actual human use are not proven yet, I don't know about you, but I'd rather protect myself and steer clear of these possibly dangerous artificial chemicals.

Of course, despite all of the health issues potentially associated with artificial sweeteners, the companies that sell the products will continue to claim that they are fully safe and they have studies that prove that they are safe. The bottom line is that the body was not designed to deal with foreign substances like artificial sweeteners. Take my word on that one.

So what are your options for alternatives? Well, your best alternatives for sugar or corn syrup are either raw honey, organic maple syrup, or even a little-known high antioxidant syrup called sorghum syrup (common in the southern US). Even though these alternatives still have the same amount of calories as sugar or corn syrup... honey, organic maple syrup, and sorghum syrup actually provide some nutrients and antioxidants, so it's not just empty calories. Empty calories stimulate your appetite more because your body is lacking nutrients.

Now you're probably thinking that you'd like to still save on calories but avoid the nasty artificial sweeteners. Good news... You can!

You've probably seen me reference this natural sweetener in a lot of my recipes. It's called Stevia. I've been using it for years as an alternative sweetener when you still want to save a little on calories and sugar.

Stevia is not artificial like the other chemical sweeteners I mentioned above. Stevia is a natural non-caloric herb. It is a South American herb and when dried into a powder, has a sweetness about 200-300 times stronger than sugar.

One problem I've noticed with using Stevia is that the pure powder is a very powerful sweetener, so you can easily use too much. However, I've found some good Stevia products that use a bulking agent added so that you can measure out the stevia powder in direct comparison to measuring sugar.

I've yet to see any negative reports or health concerns regarding stevia and only positive potential health benefits. I definitely give Stevia my seal of approval. Do yourself a favor (and your family), and if you are currently an artificial sweetener junkie, please consider switching to stevia.

One of the best products I've found over the years is made by a company called Steviva. They have an excellent stevia product blended with another natural sweetener called erythritol. I suggest giving it a try! Just look for the "Steviva Blend". You can use it in your coffee or tea, to sweeten up plain yogurt, added to smoothies for extra sweetness, on cereals or oatmeal, in baking, or where ever else you might need a sweetener but want to reduce the sugar content.

RED BERRY SALAD WITH NATURAL YOGHURT

Ingredients;

75gm strawberries sliced

75gm raspberries

seeds from 1 passionfruit

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

2 tbsp pistachio nuts chopped





Just mixed all the ingredients and put in a nice serving glass.Sprinkle on top with pistachio nuts and it ready to serve.

BREAD BUTTER PUDDING

Hi so what we going to talk today?I think we don't talk about diet or workout today let talk about nice food to eat like bread butter pudding.Why not sometime we just give ourselves a little bit of a treat.So I think bread butter pudding will be a good treat.So here the simple but nice recipe.

INGREDIENTS;
500 ml fresh milk
1/4 cup butter
4 tbsp sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
2 tsp vanilla essence
6 pcs white bread (cut into triangle)
2 tbsp raisin

METHOD;
Firstly warm up the milk and put in the butter.Beat the sugar and eggs until well mixed.Then pour in the milk into the eggs mixture and put in the cinnamon,nutmeg and also vanilla essence.Mix well.Arrange the bread into square ovenproof dish and pour the mixture on top of the bread.Making sure all the bread are covered with the mixture and lastly sprinkle the raisins.Put in the oven at 175c for 40 minutes.Check the pudding by inserting a food skewer in the middle of the pudding and if the skewer is clean it mean the pudding are done.

The 5 Most Dangerous Pain Medications...

Advil... Aleve... Bayer... Celebrex... Demerol... Motrin... Naproxen... Oxycontin... Percocet... Tylenol... Ultram... Vicodin...

Find Out Which Are Safe and
Which Can Be Deadly...

When you think of dangerous drugs, what comes to mind first? Heroin?... Cocaine?... LSD?...

... How about pain pills?

Pain medications and adverse drug reactions are the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S.... only behind heart disease, cancer and strokes!

What does this mean to you?

It means your risk of dying from that pain medicine in your cabinet could be higher than your chance of dying from diabetes, lung disease, or even an accident – unless you take heed to this special report.

The results of our investigation are shocking... But they could save your life.

Dangerous Pain Meds #5: Salicylates (Aspirin)

Common names: aspirin, acetylsalicylate

Think aspirin is safe? Think again!

Higher doses or prolonged use at the lower dose – even in buffered or coated form – can double your likelihood of perforated ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Research shows 90-95% of Reye’s Syndrome cases were preceded by taking aspirin. The disease devastates internal organs, particularly the brain and liver, and at least 10% of those affected will die even with early treatment.

Dangerous Pain Meds #4: Acetaminophen

Common names: Tylenol, acetaminophen

Even the "doctor's choice" is disturbingly dangerous to take! Just check out these stats if you don't believe me...

Every year, more than 56,000 people will visit the emergency room due to acetaminophen overdoses. It’s the leading cause of calls to Poison Control Centers.

It’s the leading cause of acute liver failure, causing nearly half of all cases!

Dangerous Pain Meds #3: Opiate-Based Pain Meds

Common names: Vicodin, Lorcet, Norco, Percocet, Percodan, hydrocodone, oxycodone

If you've ever had surgery, a major accident, or any other major trauma to your body... you were likely given an opiate-based pain med to knock out the pain.

Unfortunately, knocking out the pain has it's consequences!

16,000 - That’s the number of people who died in the United States in one year from drug overdoses. Most were caused by opiates.

In 2002... deaths from prescription opiate overdoses had nearly doubled.

Dangerous Pain Medicine #2: NSAIDs

Common names: Advil, Aleve, ibuprofen, naproxen

Do you have some kind of chronic pain? Arthritis... back pain... neck pain... something else?

Chances are you’ve been taking one of the common NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen to deal with the pain.

And speaking of chances...

The odds of dying from taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug after just two months is around 1 in 1,200.

Roughly 16,685 people die each year from NSAID related complications... making them just as dangerous as AIDS!

The biggest known risk of NSAIDs is from gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding.

We’re not talking about a little tummy ache here, but severe bleeding and possibly death after the medicine destroys your gut. And that’s not the only known risk.

Dangerous Pain Medicine #1: Cox-2 Inhibitors

Common names: Celebrex, celecoxib

How would you like to triple your risk of heart attack?

Just pick up a prescription of Celebrex.

While studying the drug’s potential as an anti-cancer drug, the National Cancer Institute discovered that...

Those taking 400mg doses had 250% greater risk of dying from heart attack or stroke... and those taking the 800mg doses has 340% times the risk!

MY FIRST RULE FOR EATING FOR FAT LOSS

Whenever I tell people this simple rule for eating healthy, they are always shocked by it's simplicity, and that they never thought of it like this before.

First, we need to come to the realization that food science and marketing in recent decades has crowded all of the REAL food out of our grocery stores to the point that at LEAST 90% of everything in a modern-day grocery store is NOT true food anymore...

The so-called "food" that lines our grocery store shelves nowadays is better termed -- "Edible Food-Like Substances", as the highly respected nutrition journalist Michael Pollan calls it.

I absolutely love that term and think it is SO very true!

Our food supply has become so overly processed, that it's not uncommon for a simple snack food to contain a list of 20-30 ingredients of additives, chemicals, flavorings, colorings, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, artificial sweeteners, and more. 

However, it CAN be easy to avoid ALL of this junk by following my 1 simple rule of eating healthy... and that is:

>> Eat only foods that are 1 ingredient (and follow this rule 90-95% of the time)

Drop dead simple!

This means sticking almost solely to these: 

>> eggs, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, berries, and meats (only meats raised in a healthy manner, such as grass-fed or free roaming meats)

For example, almost everything I ate today was 1 ingredient (although perhaps mixed together)

*eggs with veggies and cheese for breakfast
*snacked on fruit, berries, and nuts all afternoon
*home-made guacamole (made fresh with all single ingredients) and veggie sticks
*cooked mixed veggies, side salad, and grass-fed bison steaks for dinner

Now THIS is lean-body nutrition made easy!

Pretty simple stuff, and all made from single ingredients instead of processed food packages with 30 ingredients or more.

Do I eat like this 100% of the time... admittedly no... BUT, if you can stick to this 1-ingredient rule at least 90-95% of the time, it is actually VERY simple to get as lean as you want!

SALMON PARCEL WITH LEMON ROASTED ASPARAGUS

2 tbsp roughly chopped dill
1 small lemon(1/2 juice and 1/2 slice)
125 gm asparagus
150 gm x 2 skinless salmon fillets
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil


METHOD;
Preheat oven at 180 c fan or gas marked 6.
Cut two sheets of aluminium foil about 30 cm square and drizzle with oil.
Season salmon with salt,pepper and lemon juice.Lay on the foil and arrange lemon slices also dill on top of salmon.Put asparagus by the side and seal up the parcel.One parcel for one salmon and put on baking tray.Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes.When done, open the parcel and serve.
 

HOW TO RECOVER YOUR DEPLETED AND TIRED BOD TO NORMAL RAPIDLY

So today i had a special drink for you after you done all the workout.Just a simple drink yet effective.Now here the ingredients.
1/4 medium pineapple
1/2 stick celery
1 inch thick slice cucumber
1 Royal Gala apple
1 lime peeled
1/4cup blueberries
1/2 banana
4 ices cube

METHOD;
Juice all ingredients except banana and blueberries.After juice all of them pour into the blender with ice,banana and blueberries until smooth.Now it ready to drink.Enjoy and drink slowly.The drink help you to keep the heart rhythm regular, as well as maintaining stable blood pressure.

Does Canned Food and Bottled Water Increase Your Abdominal Fat Through Hidden Chemicals?
...and 9 Tips to Minimize Your Exposure to these Harmful Chemicals
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist

You may have started hearing in the news about some of the hidden chemicals that might be lurking in your canned foods and bottled water and other drinks.  Some of them are known as xenoestrogens, which have the potential to cause serious health problems over time, as well as increase abdominal fat from the estrogenic effect.
Today, I want to share with you some important details about one of the MOST problematic chemicals that you're being exposed to specifically from canned foods and bottled drinks, etc...
It's called Bisphenol A (BPA).
BPA can be found as a component of some types of plastic bottles, and also in the lining inside of canned foods.
Since BPA is a known "xenoestrogen", it's been linked in animal studies (at surprisingly small doses) to all sorts of various health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, heart disease, diabetes, and fertility problems and birth defects or miscarriages... and of course, any xenoestrogens in large enough amounts can trigger your body to hold onto abdominal fat (aka - stubborn belly fat).
The major offenders to look for are polycarbonate bottles (some plastics with the #7 symbol on the bottom are polycarbonate, but not all) and also canned foods, since the lining of most canned foods contains BPA, which can leach into food.  The longer that a can of food sits on a shelf and the higher the temperature, the more BPA can leach into your food. The same can be said for polycarbonate bottles that contain food or drinks.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), BPA was detected in the bodies of 95% of Americans in one CDC study (this is a worldwide issue though, not just limited to the US).  This is nothing to shrug off either... look at this scary finding...
The Environmental Working Group reports, "analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects — permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs".
If that didn't get your attention, how about this... 
The EWG also reports evidence of... "An investigation demonstrating that low doses of BPA spur both the formation and growth of fat cells, the two factors that drive obesity in humans (Masumo et al. 2002)."
This is not surprising, since as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, BPA is a known xenoestrogen, and any xenoestrogens can contribute to what's been referred to as "stubborn abdominal fat" as well as cancer and other health problems.
It's also important to note that any canned tomato products (canned ravioli, pastas, canned tomato pastes, tomato sauces, etc) are some of the biggest offenders with the highest BPA concentrations due to the acidic nature of tomatoes, which leaches more of the BPA.
So what steps can you take to minimize your exposure to BPA and it's negative effects on bodyfat and other health risks?
 1. Try to always avoid canned foods as much as possible and choose frozen or fresh foods instead.  Buy the ingredients yourself and prepare the meal the old fashioned way instead of resorting to canned foods.  Also, a better alternative to canned foods is products in glass containers.
 2.  If you do resort to using canned foods instead of fresh foods, try to find labels that say that the cans are free of BPA.
 3.  If you need tomato products, always avoid canned varieties and search for tomato sauces, pastes, etc in glass bottles instead (unless the can specifically states that it is BPA-free).  Or just make your own tomato dishes from scratch with fresh tomatoes.
 4.  If you use plastic wrap, plastic ziplock bags, plastic containers for food storage, etc, try to investigate on the label if the product is BPA-free or not.  Some brands packaging will label if their products are BPA-free.
 5.  If you for some reason choose to use a microwave with your food (which by the way, microwaved food is thought to have negative health effects), then by all means, do not microwave the food in plastic containers as it can increase the leaching of chemicals including BPA.
 6.  If you drink bottled water, or water from reusable plastic bottles, make sure that it is not a polycarbonate bottle, or make sure that the label says BPA-free. Plastic that shows #7 on the bottom will sometimes contain BPA, but not always.  If a bottle shows "PC" on the bottom, it is made from polycarbonate, so it will contain BPA.  In addition, sometimes aluminum bottles will contain a lining that has BPA, so avoid these.
 7.  Avoid soda cans, as the EWG states analysis showed that 42% of soda cans contained BPA.  Of course, if you care about your health and your body, I'm sure you never drink soda anyway -- it's pure evil for your body... and yes, that includes unhealthy diet soda too, with it's dangerous artificial sweeteners.
 8.  Never use plastic cups for hot liquids such as hot tea or coffee, as this can accelerate leaching of BPA and other chemicals, depending on the type of plastic.
 9.  As much as you can try to avoid BPA and other xenoestrogens, you will most likely still be exposed to some levels of xenoestrogens from various chemicals in your foods (from pesticide/herbicide residues, packaging chemicals, etc), chemicals in your water supply, chemicals from cosmetics, lotions, etc.
However, you can help to protect yourself and counteract these harmful xenoestrogen chemicals in your body with certain powerful phytonutrients in foods like onions, garlic, chamomile and green teas, and cruciferious vegetables.  In fact, read this article to see how 3 specific veggies can help you to fight abdominal fat by counteracting xenoestrogens.
If you stick to most of these guidelines, you can help to protect yourself and your family from the health dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA).  And you can also help protect yourself against the issue of "stubborn abdominal fat" that can be caused by the xenoestrogen effect of BPA exposure too... which I'm sure you'd rather avoid!

SQUID,ROCKET AND CHILLI SALAD

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING;
1 lemon (juice only)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 red chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
salt to taste

SALAD;
1 large handful of rocket
1/2 cucumber julienne
2 tbsp coriander leaves
100gm mangetout (blanched and slice)
300 gm cleaned squid  ,sliced and blanched

METHOD;
In a bowl mix all ingredients to make dressing.Then put in all the salad ingredients in the bowl and mix well.Transfer to servihg plates and it ready to serve.

TOP 10 REASONS FOR GAINING BELLY FAT

Walking around the gym and working with clients there is a trend that I see.  Extra weight carried around the belly or people wanting to get the ripped “six pack” look are the typical gym client today.  What is the reason behind weight gain and why is it so hard to lose those extra pounds?

Here are the Top 10 reasons why people continue to gain weight.

10. Medications

There are a growing number of people who are depressed or on medication for depression.  These medications decrease metabolism regardless of changes to the diet, and the medications can change hormone levels in the body.  This impacts our ability to lose weight and keep the weight off.

9. Underlying Disease/chronic disease

A growing number of people have underlying conditions like Thyroid Disease, Diabetes and Cushing’s disease (increased production of cortisol in the body) .  People end up gaining weight and medical treatment is necessary to help in weight loss or slowing weight gain down.   Due decreases in hormone levels, the body is unable to raise metabolism which burns extra calories

8. Genetics

Research shows that genetics may play a part in weight gain.  Evidence shows some people may have higher chances of weight gain.  However, even though genetics may play a role in weight gain, environmental factors and individual choices play a much bigger role in a person being overweight then genetics.

7. Stress

Our natural defense against stressors is the Fight or Flight system.  With increased stress levels, our bodies prepare for us to fight or run.  When stress levels rise, cortisol is released in the blood stream, causing changes in the body.   Cortisol helps release sugar, stored in the muscles and liver, into the blood stream for quick energy use. This hormone is responsible for accumulation of fat in the abdomen which is hard for the body to get rid of.  Cortisol suppresses the immune system making it harder to fight infections.  Stress is always there so our cortisol levels are always high.

6.  Portion Size

Have you ever super-sized your meal at a fast food chain? I am pretty sure most of us have.  Portion control is a leading factor in weight gain.  We tend to over eat foods that are high in fat and calories, and do it on a constant basis.    We have lost our control over our portion control.  Plates and cups are bigger, so taking in extra calories is easier.

5.  Skipping meals

Skipping a meal is just as bad as portion control.  It slows down your metabolism because of lack of calories and nutrients in the body to refuel us.  When you skip a meal, 9 out of 10 times we overeat when the next meal comes.  Food choices are usually affected and portion sizes become monstrous.  This leads to too many calories, lethargic moods and storing those calories being stored as fat.

4.  “Low-fat” Labeling

How many of us have been duped into thinking that low fat is low calorie?  Low fat labeling means that there is 3 fat grams or less. Just because a label says low fat does not mean lower calorie.  So before you grab that low fat product, remember look at the label and see how many calories and what the serving size is.   We tend to over-eat low fat products, because we think low fat means low calories.  Sometimes, eating the “real deal” can be better for you because of the serving size.

3.  Lack of exercise

Strength training and cardiovascular exercise help increase the amount of calories that we burn.  We find ourselves doing less and less exercise and eating more calories.  The combination of lack of exercise and high calorie intake is why we gain weight.  The more strength training, the more muscle we have, which leads to higher metabolism.  This helps us burn more calories at rest and during exercise.

2. Slower Metabolic Rate

A slower metabolic rate helps with weight gain.  Muscle is more metabolically active (meaning it burns more calories) than fat so we need more muscle than fat.    One common myth is that as we age, we lose more muscle.  If we stay active then this is not true.   Continuing to do strength and cardiovascular exercises will keep the lean mass on our bodies which keeps out metabolism burning.  Then we can continue to eat those extra calories and not worry about gaining weight.

And the Number 1 Reason why people gain weight is….

1. Unhealthy Diet

Let’s face the facts: generally our diets are not good.  Our diets are filled with processed foods that are easy to prepare and probably are not good for us.   Portions are out of control and meals are lacking essential foods like fruits and veggies, and complex carbohydrates that help fuel our bodies.  Fast food and prepackaged foods can lead to extra weight around the waist due to a lot of fat and extra calories.

Diet and exercise help monitor weight gain as we get older.  Making better food choices, monitoring your portions and not skipping meals will help you lose weight.  Substituting a healthy snack or meal replacement will help you not to skip meals and will give you plenty of nutrients to satisfy you until you eat again.

Top 10 detox foods

10 cleansing foods to get your body back on track

Recently overindulged? Feeling a bit sluggish? Or just not looking your best? It could be that your body is in need of a detox. Fortunately, there are many foods around that can help counteract the effects of a toxic lifestyle. Whether you want to lose weight, feel more energised, improve your complexion or boost your mood, check out these top 10 foods to cleanse your body and boost your health

Lemon 

Lemons are a staple of many detox diets, and there is good reason for this. Firstly, lemons are packed with antioxidant vitamin C, which is great for the skin and for fighting disease-forming free-radicals. Furthermore, the citrus fruit has an alkaline effect on the body, meaning that it can help restore the body's pH balance, benefitting the immune system. Try starting your day with hot water and a slice of lemon to help flush out toxins and cleanse your system.

Ginger

If too much fatty food or alcohol has caused problems for your digestive system, it may be worthwhile adding some ginger to your diet. Ginger is not only great for reducing feelings of nausea, but it can help improve digestion, beat bloating and reduce gas. In addition to this, ginger is high in antioxidants and is good for boosting the immune system. To give your digestion a helping hand, try sipping on ginger tea or adding some freshly grated ginger to a fruit or vegetable juice.

Garlic

Garlic has long been known for its heart benefits, however the pungent food is also good at detoxifying the body. Garlic is not only antiviral, antibacterial and antibiotic, but it contains a chemical called allicin which promotes the production of white blood cells and helps fight against toxins. Garlic is best eaten raw, so add some crushed garlic to a salad dressing to boost its flavour and your health at the same time.

Artichoke

If you have recently been overindulging in fatty foods and alcohol, adding some steamed globe artichoke leaves to your meals is a great way to help get your body back on track. Globe artichokes are packed with antioxidants and fibre and can also help the body digest fatty foods. On top of this, globe artichoke is renowned for its ability to stimulate and improve the functions of the liver - the body's main toxin-fighting tool.

Beetroot

For those needing a quick health-boosting shot of nutrients, you can't do much better than beetroot. Packed with magnesium, iron, and vitamin C, the vegetable has recently been hailed as a superfood due to its many reported health benefits. Not only is beetroot great for skin, hair and cholesterol levels, but it can also help support liver detoxification, making it an ultimate detox food. To enjoy its benefits, try adding raw beetroot to salads or sipping on some beetroot juice.

Green tea

While it's not technically a food, no detox plan would be complete without regular consumption of essential liquids. Fluids are essential for keeping our organs healthy and helping to flush toxins from the body, and drinking green tea is a great way of boosting your intake. Green tea is not only a good weight-loss drink, but it is extremely high in antioxidants. Research has also suggested that drinking green tea can protect the liver from diseases including fatty liver disease.

Cabbage

Many celebs have resorted to the cabbage soup diet to help lose weight and get in shape quickly before a big event, however cabbage is not only good for weight loss - it is also an excellent detoxifying food. Like most cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli and sprouts), cabbage contains a chemical called sulforaphane, which helps the body fight against toxins. Cabbage also supplies the body with glutathione; an antioxidant that helps improve the detoxifying function of the liver.

Fresh fruit

Fresh fruits are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre and are also low in calories, making them an important part of a detox diet. If you're after brighter eyes and skin, shinier hair and improved digestion, try boosting your intake of fruit and eating from a wide variety of different kinds. The good news is fruit is easy to add to your diet, so try starting your day with a fresh fruit salad or smoothie and snacking on pieces of fruit throughout the day.

Brown rice

If you want to cleanse your system and boost your health, it is a good idea to cut down on processed foods. Instead, try supplementing your diet with healthier whole grains such as brown rice, which is rich in many key detoxifying nutrients including B vitamins, magnesium, manganese and phosphorous.  Brown rice is also high in fibre, which is good for cleansing the colon, and rich in selenium, which can help to protect the liver as well as improving the complexion.

Watercress

Like most green herbs and vegetables, watercress is an excellent health-booster and detox food. Firstly, watercress leaves are packed with many vital detoxifying nutrients, including several B vitamins, zinc, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin C. Secondly, watercress has natural diuretic properties, which can help to flush toxins out the body. To reap the benefits of this nutritious food, try adding a handful of watercress to salads, soups and sandwiches.

WHICH COOKING OIL IS GOOD FOR YOU?

Today, I wanted to give you my take on a confusing subject to most people:
...why some oils and fats you may use in cooking, baking, or other food use are actually harmful to your body, and why some are healthful.
Here's the deal...
A lot of people seem to think that anything labeled as "vegetable oil" is good for you. NOT A SHOT!
Most of what is labeled as "vegetable oil" is simply heavily refined soybean oil (processed under high heat, pressure, and industrial solvents, such as hexane)... sometimes perhaps it may also be heavily refined cottonseed, safflower, corn, grapeseed, or other oils too.
In most instances, almost all of these processed oils are NOT HEALTHY for you.  I'll explain why below...

If you buy processed food or deep fried food, you can usually be certain that these unhealthy oils are used to prepare your foods (or worse, it may use hydrogenated versions of these oils... aka - trans fats).
You may have even bought some of these oils for your own cooking or baking at home.
The problem with soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil, and other similar oils is that they are mostly composed of polyunsaturated fats (the most highly reactive type of fat) which leaves them prone to oxidation and free radical production when exposed to heat and light.
Processed polyunsaturated oils are the most inflammatory inside our bodies because of their high reactivity to heat and light. This inflammation is what causes many of our internal problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases.
Note: It's ok if a polyunsaturated fat source isn't processed such as in whole foods like various nuts and seeds... In that case it's usually not inflammatory (as long as it's not been exposed to high heat), and is a great source of healthy polyunsaturated fats for you. By the way, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are both polyunsaturates, and a healthy balance of approx 1:1 to 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is considered healthiest. Your best bet is to choose raw nuts and seeds whenever possible to avoid the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats that can occur during roasting of nuts and seeds.  Keep in mind though that some nuts are mostly monounsaturated, (for example, macadamias), so the issue of roasted vs raw nuts is less of an issue for highly monounsaturated nuts.
However, all of the vegetable oils listed above are generally heavily refined during processing, so that makes them already inflammatory before you even cook with them (which does even more damage).
Here's the actual order of stability of a type of fat under heat and light (from least stable to most stable):
1. polyunsaturated
2. monounsaturated
3. saturated
Here's something that mainstream health professionals will never tell you...
Saturated fats are actually the healthiest oils to cook with!
Why?  Because they are much more stable and less inflammatory than polyunsaturated oils.
This is why tropical oils such as palm and coconut oils (and even animal fats such as butter) are best for cooking... they have very little polyunsaturates and are mostly composed of natural saturated fats which are the least reactive to heat/light and therefore the least inflammatory in your body from cooking use.
That's also why natural butter (NOT margarine) is one of the best fats for cooking. This all goes directly against what you hear in mainstream health talk... because most health professionals don't truly understand the biochemistry of fats, and falsely believe that saturated fats are bad for you... when in fact, they are actually neutral in most instances... and saturated fats from tropical oils are actually good for you as they contain mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are lacking in most people's diets.
In fact, lauric acid is one of the abundant MCTs in tropical oils and is known to strengthen the immune system.  Lauric acid is even being studied currently in medical studies for controlling contagious diseases.
To summarize... your best cooking or baking fats are generally butter or tropical oils such as palm or coconut oil.  Olive oil (extra virgin preferably) is ok for lower cooking temps as it's mostly monounsaturated, so moderately stable.  The mostly polyunsaturated oils such as soybean, grapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, etc, are the least healthy for cooking or baking.
My choices for top healthy cooking oils that I use:

• Virgin Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (only for low temp cooking)
• Real Butter (grass fed if possible)

Of course, with all of that said... we should keep in mind that trying minimize our cooking with oils can help to reduce overall calories. Cooking with oils in moderation is ok and can actually help satisfy your appetite more, but be careful not to overdo it as the calories can add up fast.

What They NEVER Want You To Find Out About Real Butter

By Brian St. Pierre, CSCS, CISSN

If you want to talk about much-maligned foods, butter is right up there at the top of the list. Health authorities have been telling us for years that foods like butter, rich in saturated fat, are clogging our arteries and causing heart disease. So they told us to replace them with trans-fat laden margarine, and how did that turn out? Then came polyunsaturated vegetable oils, and new research is linking these omega-6 rich fats to all sorts of health problems, including potentially increased risk of cancer.

The real question is, was there ever a problem with butter in the first place? The answer just might surprise you.

There is actually a good amount of research, in several populations, that shows that full-fat dairy consumption is associated with lower BMI, lower waist circumference, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease (especially stroke).  Low-fat or fat-free dairy is actually often associated with increased BMI and waist circumference.

In fact Dr. Ronald Krauss, one the world’s leading lipid researchers, directly showed that while saturated fat from dairy does raise LDL, it is an increase in large, fluffy and benign LDL – not the small, dense and atherogenic LDL. This actually decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease!

Now there is a clear difference between butter and dairy from grain and corn fed cows on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations that are milked nearly year-round, given growth hormones and antiobiotics and live in their own waste compared to cows on small farms that eat grass, get exercise, fresh air and sunshine and are only milked based on their seasonal reproductive cycle. The quality of life, and therefore quality of milk and dairy products is vastly different.

Butter from grass-fed cows contains a boatload of powerful vitamins and healthful fatty acids.  These vitamins are fat-soluble, and they are bonded to the fatty acids in the dairy, and are therefore nearly non-existent in fat-free dairy.  The fat is where vitamins A, D, E and K2 are, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), butyric acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and medium chain triglycerides.  

CLA is present in human body fat in proportion to dietary intake, and has been shown to be a powerful ally in the fight against cancer.  Meat and dairy from grass-fed animals provide the richest source of CLA on the planet, containing three to five times more CLA than feedlot-raised animals.  CLA has been found to greatly reduce tumor growth in animals, and possibly in humans as well.

In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels.  Simply switching from conventionally-raised grain-fed meat and dairy to pasture-raised grass-fed versions would have placed all the women in the lowest risk category. A good grass-fed butter will contain about 110mg of CLA per tbsp.
Vitamin D is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread and any time you can get some from food is always a good thing.  Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with lowered immunity, increased risk of 17 cancers and counting, increased risk of heart disease, psychological and neurological disorders including ADD and depression, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, bone loss, loss of muscle mass and strength as we age and more.

Omega-3s are absolutely amazing, as they may improve nerve, brain, eye, heart and cardiovascular function as well as decreasing inflammation, joint pain, arthritis, psychological disorders, and risk of breast cancer and heart disease, all while improving mood and body composition!  Unfortunately grain-fed butter contains only about 40mg, but a good grass-fed butter will contain about 120mg per tbsp!

Medium chain triglycerides are unique fatty acids that are more readily utilized as fuel rather than stored as energy. Particular ones like lauric acid contain anti-viral and anti-microbial properties.  Vitamins A and E are powerful antioxidants.  Butryric acid may help with bodyweight regulation, and is a primary fuel source for our intestinal flora.

Notice that I didn’t mention vitamin K2 yet?  That is because I was saving what might be the best for last.  Several studies have found that a higher vitamin K2 (mostly from vitamin K2-MK4) intake is associated with a lower risk of heart attack, ischemic stroke, cancer incidence, cancer mortality and overall mortality.  Men with the highest vitamin K2 consumption had a 51% lower risk of heart attack mortality and a 26% lower risk of all cause mortality compared to men consuming the lowest amount!

One of the ways vitamin K2 improves cardiovascular health is its ability to decrease arterial calcification by 30-40%.  And, this only speaks to vitamin K2’s effects of cardiovascular health; it is also crucially important for proper fetal development and bone health, to name a few additional benefits.

Vitamin K2-MK4 is only found in animal products and the best known sources are grass-fed butter and foie gras (fatty goose liver).

Butter Might Prevent Diabetes?


Yes, it is true. Recently Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues at Harvard found that blood content of trans-palmitoleate was associated with a smaller waist circumference, higher HDL cholesterol, lower serum triglycerides, lower C-reactive protein, lower fasting insulin and lower calculated insulin resistance.

In fact people with the highest trans-palmitoleate levels had 1/3 the risk of developing diabetes over the three years of the study!

Want to know what the dietary sources of trans-palmitoleate are? Dairy fat and red meat are virtually the only source of this fatty acid. In this study most of the trans-palmitoleate came specifically from dairy fat.

Conclusion


Well, it seems that consuming butter from grass-fed cows will make your LDL larger, fluffier and less likely to cause heart disease. It will also provide you with cancer-fighting CLA, as well as artery clearing vitamin K2-MK4. To top it all off it might also decrease your risk of diabetes. Sounds like a pretty good food to me!

A PROBLEM WITH MODERN FRUITS AND VEGGIES

Most people think that "fruits and veggies" in general are all healthy.  This is true to some extent. 

However, we're not quite eating the fruits and veggies that nature intended us to eat... if that sounds strange to you, let me explain...

You see, the fruits and vegetables that we have at our grocery stores currently have been bred over the years to maximize sugar content, size, and appearance.  Therefore, the nutritional content of these fruits and veggies has diminished over the years as produce has been bred for sweetness or size instead of nutrition.

This means that although our fruits and veggies may still have relatively good micro-nutrient and antioxidant content (compared to processed foods), today's modern agricultural fruits and veggies are a far cry from what we would have eaten in the wild tens of thousands of years ago.  Those wild fruits and veggies were far more nutrient dense than what we're eating these days.

You can see this trend with any "wild" version of a fruit vs an agriculturally grown version.  Just take agricultural blueberries vs wild blueberries as an example... some ORAC (antioxidant measurement) reporting shows wild blueberries to have almost double the antioxidant levels of some cultivated blueberries.

As you can see, this means that even if we eat lots of fruits and veggies in today's age, we still may be getting significantly less antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals compared to what we were meant to get in nature eating more "wild" varieties of fruits and veggies.

That's one of the main reasons I also started recently supplementing with a superfoods drink like Athletic Greens each day... this is one of my favorites because it has WAY more than just a few random greens powders...it also contains components from high ORAC berries, mushrooms, and dozens of other superfoods (a total of 76 superfood ingredients), all mixed into a pretty tasty drink.  This is by far the best tasting greens drink I've ever had...it has a nice lightly sweetened taste, but uses natural stevia as the sweetener.

I actually personally know the owner of the Athletic Greens company (actually just had breakfast with him this morning on a trip I'm on in California), and I can tell you that he is very passionate about the quality of this product...they didn't cut any corners on sourcing the highest quality ingredients for producing Athletic Greens.

Back to choosing healthier fruits and veggies... as I mentioned "wild" varieties are best, but apparently "heirloom" varieties may be higher in nutrients too and have had less breeding for sweetness and appearance than typical supermarket varieties. 

In addition, choosing organic versions is generally a step in the right direction and also obtaining your produce as much as possible from a local organic farmer, your own garden, or local produce stands or farmers markets can help to obtain produce with higher nutrient levels than typical supermarket produce.

One more thing I do to try to increase the amount of antioxidants I get daily to account for our slightly lower quality fruits and veggies in today's age is to use high antioxidant spices as much as I can such as turmeric, cinnamon, basil, oregano, etc.