Is Mac And Cheese Really So Risky? Perhaps. But There's A Larger Issue At Play

Comfort food has had a bad few weeks. Last month, French fries took a hit, with a new study finding that of all the potato preparations, fries and fries alone were linked to death risk over the years. This week, many people’s favorite comfort food (not to mention a staple in many kids’ diets), macaroni and cheese, was condemned:

The boxed versions in particular contain a variety of harmful phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors, especially for males, and as such are a particular risk to pregnant woman and young children. While the new study is alarming in some ways, it doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know: Hazardous chemicals are more prevalent than we like to admit, and we're exposed to them in ways we don't always think about. The bigger issue is what we do with that information.

Here's a quick rundown of the new research. It focused on the chemicals in 30 different types of cheese product: 10 types of cheese powder from macaroni and cheese, five types of processed cheese slices and 15 types of actual cheese of different varieties, including blocks, slices, string and cottage cheese. 

Macaroni and cheese powder had four times the phthalates that natural cheese did. Even when fat content was adjusted for, it still had twice the amount. Processed cheese slices had about three times the phthalates that natural cheese did.

“Products with higher phthalates in fat,” the researchers write, “likely pick up more of these chemicals during food processing and packaging.” This last part is an important point: Phthalates aren’t added to foods intentionally—they’re unwitting additives that come from plastic tubing or other part of the machinery involved in processing foods.

So what is the takeaway from a study like this? It's probably not that our favorite comfort food has betrayed us. There are a couple of other, more important points. One issue, says David L. Katz, founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, is that chemicals are just a drop in the bucket when you take into consideration our average dietary pattern of people in the U.S. 

“I would say this is a bit like worrying about lead poisoning...by being shot with a lead bullet! The bullet hole is the bigger problem in that context. So, too, here.”

In other words, we’re focusing on the wrong part of the problem. The issue isn’t so much that macaroni and cheese powder contains chemicals, it's that we eat a lot things that are terrible for us—perhaps far worse for us than the chemicals. 

“Most of the packaged mac 'n' cheese products are variations on the theme of hyper-processed junk, although some are certainly better than others,” says Katz. “Still, a good diet would mostly avoid such products—and to the extent occasional bad exposures show up in a good overall diet, it is the effect of the overall dietary pattern that all but invariably predominates. I think a fixation on specific chemicals in specific foods is just a welcome excuse to ignore what we know about the massive influence of dietary pattern on health—and our apparent unwillingness to do much of anything with that information.”

The other issue is that mac and cheese certainly isn't the only way we take phthalates in (they're found in everything from shampoos to flooring), and they're certainly not the only type of hazardous chemicals we're exposed to. It's hard to know where we're exposed to them, how to avoid them, and even if they affect our health in any real way.

Those who are worried about the chemicals in processed foods and can afford it can buy organic and hormone-free products make their own, healthier versions. Even these won’t be totally harmful-chemical-free, but it will be better than the processed versions. But not everyone can afford to do this, and this is another problem again.

The study may then be just a good example of how prevalent chemicals are (and perhaps how bad our diets are in general). Some compounds we may be aware of, some we may ignore—and some we may not think of at all. But studies like this, zeroing in on one of our favorite go-to foods, sure make the issues hit home. Perhaps now it's a matter of how we, and "big food," will respond.

                                                                                                                              source: healthy eating

8 Weight Loss Tips For Busy People That Actually Work

Daily life can be stressful, busy, and at the very least, distracted, so the first thing that goes by the wayside is following through on our weight loss and health – despite our best intentions. However, it’s not an all or nothing case as taking smart action steps can lead to powerful weight loss success.

Implement These 8 Weight Loss Tips for Busy People to make Your Life Not Just Easier, But Leaner:

Schedule Your Workouts

If you are crazy-busy, workouts can be challenging to fit in. This one solution is powerful and effective:  Schedule your workouts in your calendar for a time and a day you know you will keep. Honour this just as you would a doctor appointment. Prepare your workout clothes and shoes the night before – this creates a trigger that will help promote the habit of working out.

Track Your Food

‘Food Tracking’ results in 50% more weight loss and a much quicker loss, compared to those that do not track.  

Food tracking helps in providing objective information on food intake, portion sizes and patterns. It gives you a quick glance into what actions you are taking or are not taking and clearly lets you know what changes need to happen. 

It is crucial to writing down everything (every nibble too) that crosses your lips as we tend to underestimate the amount, the size and how often we eat or drink. Check online for free weight loss journal apps that make it easy and convenient to track food if you prefer not to write it down.

Become a Morning Exerciser

Why the morning?  Mornings allow you to get it done and the rest of the day can’t get in your way or interfere in the form of excuses or time. 90% of people who exercise consistently, do so in the morning. Exercising in the morning also jump starts your metabolism prompting your body to burn more fat. If you need that push to exercise more consistently, schedule your exercise for the morning.

Pack Your Lunch

Taking your lunch to work packed with healthful foods, has enormous benefits as you control the food. This means you will not be vulnerable to your environments such as the nearby drive-thru for that burger or that cafeteria for the slice of pizza – all tempting when you are not prepared.  When you control what goes into your mouth – you are empowered and on course to weight loss success. Planning and 

preparing are key.

Embrace Shorter Workouts

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym in order to become fit, healthy and lean – only minutes.  High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT takes just minutes and research shows, HIIT promotes optimised cardio/fitness, muscle strength and boosts your metabolism for 48 hours afterwards. If you are sedentary, check with your doctor first. Just begin with one interval and work up to eight intervals over time. 

You will not only lose weight, but you will become stronger, fitter and in the best shape ever. There are many variations of HIIT, here is a basic example using an elliptical machine:

Warm up, then go as fast as you can for 30 seconds, reduce speed to a low to moderate pace for 90 seconds. Repeat 8 times. That’s it!  Use this workout 3-4 times per week. You can use HIIT with most any form of exercise such as walking, running or using your own body weight.

Stock-Up on Frozen Fruits and Veggies

Frozen veggies and fruits are generally more nutrients dense than those at the grocery store. They are picked at peak ripeness, flash frozen and that equates to a powerhouse of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Veggies and fruits at the market typically (unless local) lose much nutrient density due to many factors including; being picked before ripe, trucked across the country, sitting in the grocery store and then sitting around in your fridge. Stock up on frozen fruits and veggies to always have them on hand.

Package Your Snacks for the Week

You can pre-package your weight loss success with grab ‘n go snacks such as nuts, grapes, veggies of all kinds, cherry tomatoes, jicama sticks, carrots or celery sticks, healthy chips and more.  Simply chop, dice and slice veggies and/or fruit and add to small baggies. You will be more apt to choose these snacks over chips if they are waiting and ready for you.

Low and Slow = Fast

If you love the ease of slow cookers, you already know what a time saver they are. Let the slow cooker do the cooking while you get other things done and it will slowly simmer into a delectable meal. In the morning before work, simply add the food (meat, poultry, veggies), spices, seasonings etc to the slow cooker, turn it on and 6-8 hours later you have a delicious healthy dinner.

Here is a delicious easy Pot Roast beef recipe for those short on time: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over high heat, and brown a 3-pound chuck roast on all sides for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, slice one onion and 1 lb. of mushrooms. 

When the meat’s brown, throw it into a slow cooker and add the onions, mushrooms, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, sea salt and pepper to taste and a can of dark beer. 

Put it on low and go about your day.  Six hours later you’ll have a delectable, healthy and easy dinner ready for just 345 calories per serving!

Enjoy 😉

                                                                                                                                                                                                                source: Weight Loss Tips

 

7 Tasty Snacks With Less Than 50 Calories!

Many people during the weekends forget about the diet and reach their favourite snacks that are usually very caloric and unhealthy. Even people, who are very careful with the diet and calorie intake, decide that Saturday will be the day when they can take a “reward” for the starving.

But with our 7 proposed snacks with a minimum amount of calories, you can enjoy every day.

We chose 7 snacks that you can eat every day! In fact, they contain less than 50 calories and they will not have any negative effect on the body line. Just make sure you don’t exceed the given amount.

§  60 blueberries

§  12 grape berries

§  130 grammes salted popcorn

§  60 grammes dark chocolate (<<click)

§  7 almonds (<<click)

§  12 green olives

§  12 cherries

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    source: LessThen50Calories

 Top 10 Foods Highest in Carbohydrates (To      Limit  or Avoid)

Carbohydrates are found in almost all living things and play a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system, fertilisation, blood clotting, and human development. A deficiency of carbohydrates can lead to impaired functioning of all these systems, however, in the Western world, deficiency is rare. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can lead to obesity, type II diabetes, and cancer. Unhealthy high carbohydrate foods include sugary cereals, crackers, cakes, flours, jams, preserves, bread products, refined potato products, and sugary drinks. Healthy high carbohydrate foods include vegetables, legumes (beans), whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt. 

Below is a list of foods highest in unhealthy carbohydrates foods (snacks).

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#1: Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners (Granulated Sugar)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per teaspoon (4g)	Percent Carbohydrate
100g	4g	100%

Other Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners High in Carbohydrate (Grams per teaspoon): Fructose (4g), Aspartame (3.6g), Honey (3.3g), Powdered Sugar (3g), Brown Sugar (2.9g), and Maple Syrup (2.7g). 

#2: Candies (Jelly Gumdrops)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per 10 candies (36g)	Percent Carbohydrate
98.9g	35.6g	99%

Other Candies High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 10 candies): Almond Nougat (129g), Chocolate Tootsie Rolls (61g), Hard Candies (59g), Low Calorie Gum Drops (44g), Butterscotch (43.5g), Low Calorie Candies (30g), Chewing Gum (29g), Jellybeans (26.2g), Sugarless Chewing Gum (19g), and Skittles (10g). 

#3: Cereals (Frosted Rice Crispies)

Carbohydrate 100g	In a 3/4 cup (30g)	Percent Carbohydrate
91.3g	27.4g	91%

Other Cereals High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 3/4 cup (NLEA Serving)): Crispy Rice (28.5g), Cocoa Crispies (27.2g), Corn Pops (26.9g), Frosted Flakes (26.8g), Reduced-Sugar Frosted Flakes (26.3g), Honey Crunch Corn Flakes (26.1g), Marshmallow Froot Loops & Cocoa Dyno-Bites (25.9g), Apple Jacks with Marshmallow (25.1g), Golden Crisp & Fruity Dyno-Bites (24.3g), Golden Puffs (24.2g), Honey Smacks (23.9g), Bran Flakes (23.8g), and Fruit & Nut Muesli (23.3g).

 #4: Snacks (Fat-Free Potato Chips)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per ounce (28g)	Percent Carbohydrate
83.8g	23.5g	84%

Other Snacks High in Carbohydrate (Grams per ounce): Fat-Free Caramel Popcorn (25.2g), Pretzels (22.8g), Rice Cakes (white rice) (22.7g), KELLOGS Rice Krispies Squares (22.5), Granola Bars (with added sugar) (22.2g), Breakfast Bars (20.4), Low Fat Cheese Puffs (20.3), and Flavoured Tortilla Chips (17.7g). 

#5: Cookies & Cakes (Fortune Cookes)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cookie (8g)	Percent Carbohydrate
84g	6.7g	84%

Other Cookies & Cakes High in Carbohydrate (Grams per ounce): Fudge Cake Cookies (21.9g), Gingerbread Men & Plain or Low-Fat Graham Crackers (21.8g), Gingersnaps (21.5g), Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookies & Animal Crackers (21g), Butter Cookies (20.8g), Vanilla Cream Sandwich (20.7g), and Low-Fat Vanilla Wafers (20.6g). (Grams per piece or slice): Coffee Cake (29.6g), Fruit Cake (26.5g), Sponge Cake (23.2g), Low-Fat Cake Snacks (19.6g), and Fat-Free Devil's Food Cake (11.9g). 

#6: Refined Flours (White, All-Purpose Flour)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (125g)	Percent Carbohydrate
76.3g	95.4g	76%

Other Types of Flour High in Carbohydrate (Grams per cup): Potato Flour (133g), White Rice Flour (126.6g), Refined Sorghum Flour (123.7g), White Bread Flour (99.4), White Self-Raising Flour (92.8g), and Light Rye Flour (78.2g). 

#7: Jams & Preserves 

Carbohydrate 100g	Per tablespoon (20g)	Percent Carbohydrate
68.9g	13.8g	69%

Other Jams & Preserves High in Carbohydrate (Grams per tablespoon): Marmalade (13.3g), Apricot Jam (12.9g), and Dietetic Jam (7.5g).

#8: Bread, Toast, Bagels, Pizza (Cinnamon-Raisin Bagel, toasted)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per bagel (99g)	Percent Carbohydrate
59.3g	58.7g	59%

Other Breads High in Carbohydrate (Grams per slice/piece): French Bread (72.1g), Naan Bread 45.4g, Deep Dish Pizza (39.5g), Pan-Dulce (Sweet Bread) (35.5g), Pita Bread (33.4g), Thin-Crust Pizza (27g), English Muffin (26.2g), Raisin Bread (16.5g), Flour Tortilla (15.4g), and White Bread (14.3g). 

#9: Potatoes (Hash Browns)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (156g)	Percent Carbohydrate
35.1g	54.8g	35%

Other Potato Products High in Carbohydrate (Grams per serving): Mashed Potato (35.3g), Instant Mashed Potato (33.9), Candied Sweet Potato (33.7g), 10 French Fries (21.2g), 1 Medium Potato Pancake (10.3g). 

#10: Sugary Drinks (Cola)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per can 12 fl ounces (368g)	Percent Carbohydrate
10.6g	38.9g	11%

Other Drinks and Fruits Juices High in Carbohydrates (Grams per cup, 8-12oz): Strawberry Milkshake (53.3g), Guava Nectar (40.8g), NAKED Blue Machine Fruit Smoothie (40g), Fruit Flavoured Drink (38.2g), Grape Juice (37.4g), Passion Fruit Juice (35.7g), Orange Breakfast Drink (33.4g), Green Goodness Smoothie (32.8g), Pomegranate Juice (32.7g), and Pineapple Juice (32.2g). 

 Top 10 Healthy High Carb Foods

Carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet, however, some popular diets have unfortunately given 'carbs' a bad reputation and even lead to a 'fear' of carbohydrate foods in recent years. A balanced diet should always include the three major food groups (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). Carbohydrate-rich foods are the body's main source of energy, giving you the fuel you need to carry out your daily activities. The brain also runs on carbohydrates, so this includes mental, as well as physical, energy. Healthy carbohydrate food sources like whole grains and vegetables are also a key dietary source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Choosing the right type of carbohydrates is important; the ones that should be avoided are the refined carbs, including white bread, white rice, white flour products and anything with added sugar. The following is a list of the top 10 healthy sources of carbohydrates to include in your diet. 

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#1: Wholegrains (Pearled Barley, cooked)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (157g)	Per 1/2 cup (79g)
28.2g	44.3g	22.2g

Other Wholegrains High in Carbohydrate (grammes per cup, cooked): Spelt (51.3g), Kamut (47.5g), Brown Rice (45.8g), Wholewheat Pasta (37.2g), Couscous (36.5g), Wild Rice (35g), Buckwheat Groats (33.5g), and Bulgur (33.8g). 

#2: Alternative Grains (Millet, cooked)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (174g)	Per 1/2 cup (87g)
23.7g	41.2g	20.6g

Other Alternative Grains High in Carbohydrate (grammes per cup, cooked): Teff (50g), Amaranth (46g), and Quinoa (39.4g). 

#3: Beans (Pinto Beans, cooked)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (171g)	Per tablespoon (11g)
26.2g	44.8g	2.9g

Other Beans High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Adzuki Beans (57g), Navy Beans (47.4g), Pink Beans (47.2g), Black Turtle Beans (45g), White Beans (44.9g), Yellow Beans (44.7g), Cranberry (Roman) Beans (43.3g), and Kidney Beans (40.4g). 

#4: Lentils (cooked) 

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (198g)	Per tablespoon (12g)
20.1g	39.9g	2.4g

Other Pulses High in Carbohydrate (grammes per cup, cooked): Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) (27.4g), and Split Peas (41.4g). 

#5: Vegetables (Sweet Potatoes, cooked)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (200g)	Average Potato (114g)
20.7g	41.4g	23.6g

Other Vegetables High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup, cooked): Sweet Corn (31.3g), Parsnips (26.6g), Peas (25g), Succotash (24.4g), Butternut Squash (21.5g), Beets (17g), Rutabagas (Swede) (16.4g), Tomatoes (13.2), and Carrots (12.8g). 

#6: Fruit (Bananas)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup, sliced (150g)	Per banana (118g)
22.8g	34.3g	27g

Other Fruit High in Carbohydrate (grams per piece or cup): Pomegranate (52.7g), Mango (50.3g), Grapes (27.3g), Pears (27.1g), Apples (25.1g), Cherries (22.1g), Blueberries (21.4g), Figs (12.3g), and Kiwi Fruit (10.1g).

#7: Nuts and Seeds (Pumpkin Seeds)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (64g)	Per ounce (28g)
53.8g	34.4g	15.1g

Other Nuts and Seeds High in Carbohydrate (grams per ounce): Chestnuts (12.8g), Chia Seeds (11.8g), Cashew Nuts (9.2g), Pistachios (8.2g), Flaxseeds (8.1g), Sesame Seeds (7.2g), Sunflower Seeds (6.7g), and Almonds (6g). 

#8: Low Fat Dairy (Low Fat Cream Cheese)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (240g)	Per tablespoon (15g)
8.1g	19.5g	1.2g

Other Low Fat Dairy Products High in Carbohydrate (grams per cup): Low Fat Plain Yoghurt (17.2g), Skimmed Milk (12.2g), Semi-skimmed Milk (11.8g), Whole Milk (11.7g), Whole Milk Plain Yoghurt (11.4g), Cottage Cheese (10.8g), Low-Fat Mozzarella (8.4g), and Swiss Cheese (7.1g). 

#9: Healthy Carb-Rich Snacks (Brown Rice Cakes, with Sesame Seeds) 

Carbohydrate 100g	Per ounce (28g)	Per 2 cakes (18g)
81.5g	22.8g	14.7g

Other Carb-Rich Snacks High in Carbohydrate (grams per ounce): Rye Crackers (23g), Wholewheat Pretzels (22.8g), Corn Tortilla Chips (18.3g), Sweet Potato Chips (15.9g), Trail Mix (12.6g), Raw Food or Granola Bars (no refined sugar) (9.9g), Falafel (8.9g), and Mixed Nuts (7.1g). 

#10: Dried Fruit (Raisins)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (165g)	Per ounce (28g)
79.2g	130.6g	22.2g

Other Dried Fruit High in Carbohydrate (grammes per ounce): Dates (21g), Currants (20.7g), Dried Pears (19.5g), Dried Apples (18.5g), Prunes and Dried Figs (17.9g), Dried Apricots (17.5g), and Dried Peaches (17.1g).  

*Dried Fruit is high in natural fruit sugars, so should be eaten in moderation. A small handful is a sensible portion size.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       source: goodandbadcarbohydrates