Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Cheese Whiz. Cheez-its. Cheese Puffs. Cheetos. Extra cheese pizza. Why is it that we can't resist and crave cheese? According to an article written in 2004, cheese has casein, a protein that "convert to casomorphines, which are chemically similar to morphine, when they break down during digestion. It's these casomorphines that are addictive," says Lanou. "All mammalian mothers' milk contains casomorphines so that the young will return to the breast for milk." Since we are the only mammal that regularly drinks the milk of other animals, Lanou posits that it's this process that's behind humanity's affection for cheese. (Vartan)"
So this begs the question, is cheese addiction really so bad? Though cheese is a good source of calcium, it is also a good source of saturated fat (non-fat or low fat milk would also provide calcium without the fat). My beloved Sargento Colby Jack Reduced Fat cheese sticks have 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 2.5g of which are saturated.While this makes up for only 10% of my daily recommendation, it makes me cautious of the rest of my fat intake and any other cheesy cravings I have.
It's easy to sprinkle on extra Parmesan on your cheese pizza but be aware that a mere 2 tsp has 1.5g of fat; I could bet that we put more than that on our pastas, pizza, etc. I'm not saying you can't eat cheese, just be mindful!
In health,
Lauren
Vartan, S. (2004, March/April). Just like cheese?. The Environmental Magazine, 15(2),
Showing posts with label fat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fat. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
267/365 Homemade Energy Granola Bar
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Though I totally love Kashi's GoLean Crunchy! granola bars, I've always wanted to make my own bar. FYI: if a granola bar says "energy" in the title, it usually means its high in carbohydrates and/or fat. If it says "power" then it is most likely high in protein. Moving along, here is my first attempt at this allrecipes.com recipe:
It is loaded with carbohydrates and good fat from all the oats, seeds, and peanut butter (I also added sweetened coconut flakes). Sadly, I didn't have enough peanut butter when I made this so it kind of falls apart. Still, it is very good! If you want to try this recipe, cut the salt down to 1/4 tsp because 1 tsp is a little too much especially when you've used roasted and salted sunflower seeds and mix in the chocolate chips. Anyway, I recommend this recipe and I will definitely try this again with all the right ingredients; it makes 24 servings. Each bar has about 200 calories according to livestrong.com's "My Recipes" feature.
In health,
Lauren
Though I totally love Kashi's GoLean Crunchy! granola bars, I've always wanted to make my own bar. FYI: if a granola bar says "energy" in the title, it usually means its high in carbohydrates and/or fat. If it says "power" then it is most likely high in protein. Moving along, here is my first attempt at this allrecipes.com recipe:
 |
| note the incredible texture :) |
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, March 10, 2011
233/365 Happy Snack Tip 5: Turkey Roll Ups
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
Carbs from bread, crackers, granola, Goldfish, etc. seem to be a large part of snacks. To cut that out and focus on the protein and fat, here's an easy happy snack recipe for you!
Ingredients:
- slice of deli meat of choice (I prefer turkey breast)
- slice of cheese
- slice of avocado, nice and thick!
Recipe:
- stack deli meat on top of cheese
- arrange avocado on one side of your meat-cheese stack
- roll up, enjoy!
One of these roll ups is about ~150 calories so you can go ahead and have two of them!
In health,
Lauren
Carbs from bread, crackers, granola, Goldfish, etc. seem to be a large part of snacks. To cut that out and focus on the protein and fat, here's an easy happy snack recipe for you!
Ingredients:
- slice of deli meat of choice (I prefer turkey breast)
- slice of cheese
- slice of avocado, nice and thick!
Recipe:
- stack deli meat on top of cheese
- arrange avocado on one side of your meat-cheese stack
- roll up, enjoy!
One of these roll ups is about ~150 calories so you can go ahead and have two of them!
In health,
Lauren
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
231/365 Happy Snack Tip 3: Seeds
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
To piggy back on what I wrote about yesterday, nuts are a great way to add protein and fat to your happy snack. However, not everyone can eat nuts (sorry to those of you with allergies). An alternative to nuts are seeds!
From freshman Biology, you can recall that seeds are mostly made up of nutrients so that the fertilized cells can grow into big strong plants. Hence, seeds are a great addition to your snacking repertoire. Sunflower seeds have vitamin B1, B5, B9, and E in a 1/4 cup worth ~180 calories, 16g fat (unsaturated, the good kind!), and 6g protein. You can read more about them here. Pumpkin seeds are also a good option.
If you get the seeds in the shells, you also have to work a little harder to get your snack. This can be good for those of us who sometimes speed through snack time. It allows you to slow down and really decide if you're hungry and need more energy from a snack.
In health,
Lauren
To piggy back on what I wrote about yesterday, nuts are a great way to add protein and fat to your happy snack. However, not everyone can eat nuts (sorry to those of you with allergies). An alternative to nuts are seeds!
From freshman Biology, you can recall that seeds are mostly made up of nutrients so that the fertilized cells can grow into big strong plants. Hence, seeds are a great addition to your snacking repertoire. Sunflower seeds have vitamin B1, B5, B9, and E in a 1/4 cup worth ~180 calories, 16g fat (unsaturated, the good kind!), and 6g protein. You can read more about them here. Pumpkin seeds are also a good option.
If you get the seeds in the shells, you also have to work a little harder to get your snack. This can be good for those of us who sometimes speed through snack time. It allows you to slow down and really decide if you're hungry and need more energy from a snack.
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, March 3, 2011
226/365 Edamame, Edamayou
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
One of my favorite restaurants in Richmond, Sticky Rice, serves this rolled in salt as one of its appetizers. Edamame, soybeans, are a great snack that is packed with fiber, protein, and good fat. They can be purchased fresh or frozen, in their pods or out of them, and are easy to prepare; all you do is steam them on the stove or in the microwave. You can eat them as a snack or add them to your fried rice or noodles.
In health,
Lauren
One of my favorite restaurants in Richmond, Sticky Rice, serves this rolled in salt as one of its appetizers. Edamame, soybeans, are a great snack that is packed with fiber, protein, and good fat. They can be purchased fresh or frozen, in their pods or out of them, and are easy to prepare; all you do is steam them on the stove or in the microwave. You can eat them as a snack or add them to your fried rice or noodles.
In health,
Lauren
Thursday, January 13, 2011
177/365 Be Wary of Fat Substitutes
Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,
According to the American Heart Association, fat substitutes are "ingredients that mimic one or more of the roles of fat in a food. " Common ones are these:
http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/images/nwaz_01_img0095.jpg
From what I understand, fat substitutes are meant to mimic the sensory effects of real fat. Production began on these fat substitutes when people became concerned about heart disease and how much fat they were consuming. They demanded something that could taste just as good as fat without the detrimental effects. Some are used because they are stable even when heated. Some are used because they work better for liquids.
Though I understand that fat intake is a legitimate concern, it is also something not to be afraid of and something that is in your control. We are recommended to have 30% of our diet come from fat, any more and any less has shown to be deleterious; trans and saturated fat are to be avoided. I don't believe in using something fake because you can't control your eating habits; I choose butter over margarine. Also, there has been research indicating that people who eat fat substitutes still crave real fat thereby consuming more calories than they intended to.
So, don't be afraid of consuming fat. You should definitely be conscious. Don't go crazy with the bacon, leche flan, pork rinds, junk food etc. but you are absolutely allowed to enjoy a sumptuous, creamy sauce on salmon or chocolate gelato.
In health,
Lauren
According to the American Heart Association, fat substitutes are "ingredients that mimic one or more of the roles of fat in a food. " Common ones are these:
http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/images/nwaz_01_img0095.jpgFrom what I understand, fat substitutes are meant to mimic the sensory effects of real fat. Production began on these fat substitutes when people became concerned about heart disease and how much fat they were consuming. They demanded something that could taste just as good as fat without the detrimental effects. Some are used because they are stable even when heated. Some are used because they work better for liquids.
Though I understand that fat intake is a legitimate concern, it is also something not to be afraid of and something that is in your control. We are recommended to have 30% of our diet come from fat, any more and any less has shown to be deleterious; trans and saturated fat are to be avoided. I don't believe in using something fake because you can't control your eating habits; I choose butter over margarine. Also, there has been research indicating that people who eat fat substitutes still crave real fat thereby consuming more calories than they intended to.
So, don't be afraid of consuming fat. You should definitely be conscious. Don't go crazy with the bacon, leche flan, pork rinds, junk food etc. but you are absolutely allowed to enjoy a sumptuous, creamy sauce on salmon or chocolate gelato.
In health,
Lauren
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