chewing the fat on ... fats

For the longest time, fats and oils food groups have been villainized by health professionals and fitness enthusiasts because of its association with weight gain and obesity, and subsequently diseases such as heart attack and high blood cholesterol and diabetes. However in the more recent years, heatlh professionals have started to preach a more holistic approach to nutrition, underlining the importance of including proportionate amount of healthy fats in the meals rather than obliterating it from our foods.

Now the question is: what is healthy and what is not healthy? We are bombarded by words such as cholesterol-free foods, trans-fats, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, poly-monounsaturated fat and all that tongue twisters; what are they actually?

Okay, lets first get to basic, and try to understand the story of fats from the beginning. We'll just discuss the components that are relevant to dietary fats and fats found in our blood, so as not to confuse ourselves even more.

Fat consists of a few groups of chemical compounds in the family of lipids. The main types found in our foods are the glycerides, phospholipids and sterols. More often than not, these groups present together in our food.

For the purpose of this discussion, let's imagine that glyceride is a wooden box, phospholipid is a metal box and sterol is made of plastic. In each of these boxes, there are crayons and coloured pencils. Some of these are short and some are long. 

So far so good with your imagination?

Okay, let's continue. You want to draw a pretty picture using the colours from all the boxes. You must use both the crayons and the coloured pencils, but as much as possible try to use the crayons because the pencils are sharp and may hurt you when you use it. You may use the crayons as much as you like, but don't use a sharpener to sharpen the crayons or else you may hurt yourself too. There are times when you'll need to use a marker pen, and since it is not available in your box, you need to borrow someone else's marker pen for your drawing.

Some of you might get dizzy already, but bear with me while I explain. The crayons are types of unsaturated fatty acids while the pencils are saturated fatty acids. Saturated or unsaturated state of the fatty acids depends on the chemical structure of the acid and has nothing to do with volume or quantity of the fatty acids in the food. Studies have shown association between excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids (or commonly just called saturated fats) with diseases such as high blood cholesterol, heart problems and certain cancers. Note the key-word here being: excessive.

Now back to the colours. While the unsaturated fats being portrayed by crayons, there is a caution for using the sharpener to sharpen the crayons. Now this is where it gets a little bit more tricky. Chemically, the unsaturated fatty acids are divided into the cis- configuration and the trans- configuration. In our crayon analogy, the cis- are the normal crayons, while the trans- are the sharp pointed crayons. 

Comparatively, the trans- configuration is more stable; however, in nature, most of the unsaturated fatty acids exist in the cis- configuration. It is possible to convert the cis- fatty acids into trans- fatty acids (or trans fats) through a process called hydrogenation. This process stabilises oil resulting in higher melting point and ability to stay as semi-solid in normal environmental temperature. This discovery was an important breakthrough with huge economic implications. Vegetable oils can be hygrogenated to become margarine, which is cheaper and lasts longer than animal fats (butter or ghee). The problem: trans- fatty acids may behave like saturated fats, and may be associated with diseases such as high blood cholesterol, heart problems and certain cancers.

Now we come back to the analogy of the containers. The wooden box, the metal box and the plastic box each carries their own mix of crayons and coloured pencils. Just as the glycerides, the phospholipids and the sterols carry their own chains of fatty acids, and it could be a mixture of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids. The crayons and the coloured pencils may be the same, but since the boxes are made of different material, the function could differ from one another.

The glycerides, or specifically triglyceride, is the main currency in conversion of adipose fat into glucose and vice versa in our body. The phospholipids makes up the structure of all our cell membrane while the sterols (or cholesterols) also are essential component of the cell membrane, involved in the production of hormones, bile acids and vitamin D. The glycerides is the commonest form of lipid group found in animal fats and vegetable oils.  Foods that are rich with phospholipids are such as soy, sunflower seeds, chicken egg yolk, cow milk and fish eggs. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include breast-milk, cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, fish, and certain crustaceans such as prawns.

Remember the marker pen that you need to borrow from someone else? That's a fatty acid called essential fatty acid (Omega-3 and omega-6), dubbed as "essential" because it cannot be produced by our own body and hence it is essential to get it via dietary source. Essential fatty acids are important in normal body function and health maintenance and not so much in the energy metabolism. Some of the food sources include fish and shellfish, flax seed, hemp seed, soy oil, canola oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.

Gone are the days of extremely low-fat diets. We realise now that a complete nutrition, and that includes a healthy proportion of fat, is important for maintenance of health and normal body function. That doesn't mean you now can chow down three plates of charkueyteow or snack on fried chicken skin from the pasar malam! According to dietary experts, adults should get 20 to 35 percent of their total daily calories from fats and also try to reduce the intake of saturated and trans fats while replacing those unhealthy fats with beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. 

Eat proportionately, eat healthily!

reference: www.webmd.com

home made baby butter-head lettuce salad with orange and balsamic dressing

I first had a taste of orange dressing salad with crispy duck at Canoodling Restaurant and fell in love with it. Here, I've tried to replicate that delicious salad by using stuffs I have in my fridge. In this version, I've taken out the olive oil and put in chia seeds for my dose of Omega-3 instead. Try to increase the portion and have a big bowl, because believe me, just one serving will keep you wanting for more.

• 1 head baby butter-head lettuce
• 1 medium sized orange
• 1 slice chicken ham (35g)
• a dash of balsamic vinegar
• a sprinkle of raisin
• a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
• a sprinkle of chia seeds

Slice chicken ham into strips. Wash the lettuce and spin dry. Cut the orange into half, squeeze the juice out of one half, and dice the other half into chunks. Mix the orange juice with a dash of balsamic vinegar. Toss the lettuce, orange chunks, raisin and chia seeds in a big bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Dive in.

Total calorie 114kcal, carbohydrate 18g, protein 9.4g, fat 2g

Without chicken ham: calorie 89kcal, carbohydrate 16.5g, protein 2.4g, fat 1.3g

いただきます

clean eating principles for dummies

Eating clean involves not only choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available. The keys to good health and proper nutrition are in the following principles: 

Eat whole foods

Whole foods are foods that haven’t been tampered with, in the lab or the manufacturing plant. The foods you eat on this plan are straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.

Avoid processed foods

Processed foods are any food that has a label. A label means that more than one ingredient was used to make that food. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses), but if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t put that food in your shopping basket.

Eliminate refined sugar

Refined sugar provides nothing but calories. Other sweeteners can be used, but with all the good foods you add to your diet, refined sugar really has very little place in the eating clean plan.

unless you're in Penang, then it's totally understandable... lol

Eat five or six small meals a day

By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Funyuns rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.

Cook your own meals

Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.

Combine protein with carbs

When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.

An excerpt from the Dummies series:

The Basic Principles of Eating Clean

By Jonathan Wright and Linda Johnson Larsen

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-basic-principles-of-eating-clean.html

clean eating is meal to meal battle

A reminder to self. Nobody said it is easy.

photo credit: columbiacommunique.org

greek yogurt caesar salad, fortified

A slight modification to the earlier posted Greek yogurt Caesar salad dressing. Instead of using soft boiled egg for the dressing, I've taken the yolks from 2 hard boiled eggs and whisked them into the yogurt. I've also used half a carrot, grated, rather than baby butter head lettuce. It tastes about the same, only that the boiled yolk gives a slight chalky consistency in the dressing, but I like it anyway. 

Two eggs to reward myself for doing HardCore and BodyCombat today :o) Using cooked eggs also takes away the concern for salmonella problem for those who are particular about having partial raw eggs in their food. This recipe is without the raisins and I topped up with sunflower seeds instead, for that extra crunch. The egg whites are used as topping.

Total calorie 364kcal; carbohydrate 22g, protein 23g, fat 20g.

The pie chart doesn't look that balanced, but only because the calculation is based on dry weight of the particular food group, and for carbohydrate, fibre and sugar component is added together. The high protein component comes from the eggs, and dairy products.

This could feed 2 servings as side dish, but I had all to myself for lunch, considering that's all I'm having :o)

いただきます

a cultured taste on greek yogurt

Yogurt has been an acquired taste for some, and for those who love it, the benefits of taking yogurt is really a long list.

Why should there be a tub of Greek yogurt in every fridge?

Really short answer:

1. Yummy
2. Low calorie
3. High protein
4. Probiotics

Short answer:

You can never have too much of it. A 1kg tub of these cultured goodness contains only about 590kcal, a quarter of a regular Joe's daily requirement of energy, but packed in more than 100g of protein. That is like eating about a half kilo of chicken breast meat!

But no one takes a tub a day, so it's good to keep it in the fridge and eat it for a week.

Not so short answer:

Many of us are introduced to yogurt as kids, via the sweet flavoured watery yogurt drink we all love. As we grow older, we become more vain with our weight-watching and stopped taking them anymore. But chosen wisely, we never have to for-go such delicious treats that packs in so much good nutrients.

I believe, being a reader of this blog, you are also a health-conscious consumer, who chooses foods that are nutrient rich and calori-economical (means packing more nutrients per caloric consumption).

There are 2 varieties of yogurt out in the refrigerated shelves in the supermarket. No, I don't mean plain and flavoured yogurt. If you've noticed carefully, you'll realise a recent invasion of a certain Greek yogurt in the market, so popular that every brands start to carry this version to stay competitive. Basically, Greek yogurt and regular yogurt starts off as a same thing, but Greek yogurt are further strained to remove much more fluid, that gram for gram, the Greek version contains more protein (twice or more) compared to the regular counterpart. That also gives it a thicker, pudding-like consistency.

What makes Greek yogurt so good?

1. Probiotics - Yogurt is produced by fermenting milk with the help of (good) bacterias of the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species. Don't let the name scare you, most of us already have these good microbes in our digestive system, and ingesting more of these live cultures will provide less chance for bad bacterias to occupy our guts. Some studies have shown that consuming these microbes will also improve the duration of diarrhoea and prevent vaginal yeast infection. It is advisable to consume yogurt after a course of antibiotics to replenish these natural gut bacteria that might get killed off by your medicines.
2. Protein - nothing wags the tails of health-conscious gymrats more than food that comes with high protein and acceptably low calorie count. A cup (170g) of Greek yogurt packs in around 17g of muscle-repairing protein at the expense of about 100kcal only, making it a perfect dessert for your post-workout munch.
3. Calcium - a serving of greek yogurt provides around 18% of the daily requirement of calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is important to maintain strong bones and teeth. Calcium also plays a role in essential body function such as blood clotting and regulation of muscle contraction.
4. Vitamin B2 / riboflavin prevents cracked lips, inflammation of the lining of mouth and tongue, mouth ulcers, cracks at the corners of the mouth; dry and scaling skin, and iron-deficiency anemia.
5. Vitamin B6 / pyridoxine is needed for normal brain development and function, and helps the body make serotonin and norepinephrine (mood hormones), and melatonin, which helps regulate the body clock. 
6. Vitamin B12 / cobalamin is essential in maintaining healthy nerve cells, and in the production of the body's genetic material. It also helps to make red blood cells and to help iron work better in the body, as well as regulation of immune functions and mood.
7. Magnesium activates enzymes, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate calcium levels, as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients in the body.
8. Most importantly, it tastes good in my greek yogurt caesar salad. Yum!

Have you had your Greek yogurt today?

いただきます!

sources:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/yogurt3.htm

http://www.webmd.boots.com/vitamins-and-minerals/calcium

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/590715/2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_complex

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/

When life gives you lemon.....

The humble lemon has been hailed as one of the miraculous fruits, which could be used to cure everything from simple sore throat to cancers! I'm not kidding, just google the words "lemon+benefits" will return you with more than 36 million results.

Anyway, I did some extra reading and listed here, 5 of the benefits of lemons that makes sense to me.

1. Lemon cleanses the skin and alleviates acne - lemon juice contains citric acid which is an anti-microbial and kills the germs that causes acne break-outs. The acidity of lemon juice also act as mild astringent to minimise skin pore and reduce oily deposit.
2. Lemon as liver detox / aids digestion - lemon juice stimulates bile production and prevents build-up of gallstones. This in turn promotes digestion and liver function in the movement of gastric juices.
3. Lemon to soothe sore-throat - lemon juice contains the substance cerotenoids which is an anti-inflammatory agent. It also contains vitamin C which is essential for health of mucosal (mouth) and throat lining through the biosynthesis of collagen. Furthermore it contains citric acid which is anti-microbial.
4. Lemon as energy-booster - lemon juice contains simple sugars for fast absorbtion and metabolites for quick energy recharge.
5. Lemon combats foul breath - lemon acidity promotes salivation and also an anti-microbial.

Under no circumstances I'm denying the other anecdotal health benefits of lemons as claimed by other websites, but some of them needs a little bit more convincing. I will be doing more reading on the health claims of lemon and add to the list above. 

But hey, I'm bought into idea that lemon is a superfood, and personally I do take a lot of it, on a daily basis. Just squeezing about 10 nos of medium sized ones will yield around 450mls that will last me about a week, kept in the fridge.