Chocolate and Health

Life is all about enjoying today as if there is no tomorrow. This may be the mindset of many of us here. For some others enjoying is a part and parcel of life. If you ask people that what is their measure of enjoyment, at least one of the answers will be concerning food. Food habits are one of the most integral parts of people's fun and excitement. Out of all the food items, chocolates rank first in terms of celebrations. Be it birthday or any party, chocolates form the important part of the culinary sector. Now as every one is concerned about the health, let us see how far chocolates affect the health. Is it positive or negative?

Surprisingly, chocolates give away lot of potential benefits to the ones who enjoy them. For instance, chocolates serve as an energy supplier. Chocolates are outstanding sources of catechins, which are polyphenols of the flavanol group. These catechins are potential sources to protect the human body against heart disease, cancer, and various other medical dis-eases. Pain is undesirable and our physique is designed in such a way that the brain releases endorphins that act as pain-relievers. It is pleasing to hear that chocolates facilitate the release of endorphins.

Some researches give some of the following benefits of chocolates on health. Chocolate has sugar in it and the sugar has a calming effect on the persons eating it. It reduces the stress and the pain as told already. The intake of chocolate minimizes the problems of skin like acne or skin eruptions. Also chocolates serve as good sources of reduction of the risk of heart disease and cancer. Chocolates make one feel hungry, but do not make them fat.

But all these researches were based on the cocoa that is present in the chocolates. But what we take in is not just the cocoa, but also the other less desirable products that helps the transformation of cocoa into chocolate. The less desirable include added sugar, corn syrup, milk fats, dairy cream, hydrogenated oils, etc. The critics' point applies very valid. If the cocoa in chocolate does any good, the sugar and the undesirable products spoil it and make them worse. For example, if cocoa is claimed to reduce the risk of acne, the sugar in chocolate increases it. Now people get smarter by telling there is compensation in chocolate. But diseases are smarter to enter; they enter through many other ways via chocolate.

The choice is ours. Healthy life style also means a problem free life with no confusions. Anything that crosses the limits turns out to be undesirable for the body. The balance depends on the consumer. Have health and enjoy everyday.

Anbhuselvan is a dedicated copywriter for medicineonline who has worked for many medical related sites describing medical symptoms, medical references, medical information. For Further details on medical related please visit medical encyclopedia or contact Anbhuselvan through mail:anbhuselvan@gmail.com

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10 Secrets To Justify Chocolate In Your Diet

1. Buy high fiber chocolate muesli. A diet high in fiber keeps the digestive system healthy, keeps you feel full longer and can be of great aid in any weight loss program. Of cause you can also choose granola or cereal if you prefer it. However, always make sure it has a lot of fiber in it. Chocolate muesli is awesome in cherry yogurt. Everyone who likes chocolate covered cherries should try this for a substitute or simply have it as breakfast in the mornings.

2. Buy chocolate protein bars. Protein is not only important in proper muscle development, but also plays a major role in weight loss. I know not everyone is too concerned with their protein intake. However, eating a chocolate protein bar is probably much more beneficial than eating a chocolate chip cookie. Also, there are granola bars that have chocolate pieces in them and they are great for a snack during the day.

3. Drop mini chocolate chips in your plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Recommended are three servings of dairy daily. Dairies provide you with calcium and protein. Three a day doesn't really sound that difficult. However, plain yogurt and plain cottage cheese do sound a little boring for every day eating. I would suggest not only to drop some chocolate chips into them, but also a little spoon full of your favorite low sugar jelly or simply cut a fruit up and mix it in as well. It really helps with the bitter taste those foods sometimes carry.

4. For a healthy dessert choose chocolate covered fruit. Fruits have many vitamins. They are essential for good health as well as fighting colds and similar sicknesses. Also fruits support the body with a good amount of fiber, keeping you full and your weight loss going. I would say my favorite foods to cover in chocolate are apples and bananas. Also you might like strawberries, grapes, pineapple, cherries, pears, mandarins and mango.

5. Just have one piece a day for the good benefits of chocolate. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate contains antioxidants those things that keep you healthy and young. Honestly, there is a lot of bad chocolate out there. If you want to eat chocolate go and buy some German or Switzerland brand. Treat yourself to a little luxury every day. Spoil yourself. You don't need to eat that cheap chocolate in bulk, get a little bit special instead.

6. Put some cocoa in your coffee. Cocoa is known to be an energy drink. Put a little of it into your coffee as an extra good tasting boost. I am sure if you like mochas, you will like this as well. When you brew your coffee at home, at one teaspoon of cocoa (the powder you use for baking as well) to every four coffee scoops. Of course you can change the amounts and see if you need a little more or less.

7. Drop some Nutella into your protein shake. Again, protein is very important for the muscle building of the body. Many people lost weight by simply increasing the protein in their diet. I know most people in the US are far more familiar with peanut butter than with Nutella. However, this food is heavenly. One thing to consider is that every Nutella made in America or Mexico includes peanut oil. This just doesn't taste as good as the stuff made in Europe.

8. Drink hot cocoa instead of eating plain chocolate. At least you get some benefits with the milk. Plain chocolate is a very calorie dense food. It is especially high on fat and sugar. By adding some milk to the chocolate you add a good amount of protein and calcium. Again, we are talking about the three servings of dairy a day. Did you know that if the body does not have enough calcium it makes it harder for you to lose weight? Therefore, keep drinking that milk.

9. Treat yourself with a parfait that includes a thin layer of chocolate sauce. Parfaits are great because they are a combination of healthy yogurt, vitamin rich fruit and high fiber cereal. As to parfaits, I like to use frozen berries for the bottom layer. Just defrost them a little longer and they are nice and warm. Next, I use plain yogurt for the middle and finally I top it off with crunchy granola. This makes it so delicious. The chocolate layer I would put right in the middle in between the yogurt. It sounds just right.

10. After dinner have a little chocolate covered mint. Mind is a great way to refresh your breath after dinner. I suppose the mint is not helping with your weight loss, however it is important and makes it easier to keep your friends. Who wants to be lonely during all those weight loss struggles? Therefore, put some chocolate around the mind and treat yourself and your friends good.

To read more by Alexa Cooper on weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle visit her website at http://www.10stepstoweightloss.com/blog

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Chicken Salad Recipes - Amazingly Delicious!

These chicken salad recipes are delicious. Just check these out and I’m sure you’ll be amazingly surprised.

So here we go for some chicken salad recipes :

>>Walnut Chicken Salad

~1 can premium white chunk chicken -- drained (12 1/2-ounce)

~2 granny smith apples -- cored, peeled and diced

~1/2 cup walnuts -- roughly chopped

~2 tablespoons mayonnaise or reduced-fat mayonnaise

~2 stalks celery -- washed, trimmed and diced, up to 3

1.Combine all ingredients; toss to combine. Presentation: Serve as a main dish salad or as a sandwich on a flaky croissant with alfalfa sprouts, Swiss cheese and tomato.

>>Confetti Chicken Salad

~1/4 c fresh lime juice

~3 TB olive oil

~1 clove garlic crushed

~1 ts chili powder

~1/4 ts salt

~2 c chicken cooked and cubed

~1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips

~1/3 c green onions sliced

~2 TB fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

~2 jalapeno peppers stemmed seeded, min

~3 c cooked rice cooled

~2 avocados seed, peel, cut in chu

Blend lime juice, oil, garlic, chili powder and salt in large bowl. Add chicken, red pepper, onions, cilantro and hot peppers.

Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Add rice and avocado chunks; toss lightly, and serve.

Yield: 4-6 servings

>>Cajun Chicken Salad

~ 2 c Cooked chicken, chunked

~ 1 tb Lemon juice

~ 1 t Cayenne pepper

~ 1 t Garlic powder

~ 1/2 t White pepper

~ 1 t Dried basil

~ 1/4 t Dried thyme leaves

~ 2 c Iceberg lettuce, torn into 1-inch pieces

~ 1 c Romaine lettuce, torn into 1-inch pieces

~ 1 md Green pepper, chopped

~ 1 c Mushrooms, sliced

~ 1 c Cauliflower flowerets

~ 1 c Grated carrots

~ 1/2 c Sunflower seeds

Combine chicken, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, white pepper, basil and thyme in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine lettuces, green pepper, cauliflower, mushrooms and carrots in a large salad bowl. Toss to distribute evenly. Add chicken (including marinade). Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

That’s it for today! If you want more chicken salad recipes just check below:

Clara McKenzie Shouts: "Oh My God! I Still Can't Believe What This Guy Is Doing! These Copycat Recipes Are Amazingly Delicious. He Must Be A Real Nut To Release These Restaurant Recipes To The Public. Hurry! Grab Your Copy Here: Secret Recipes

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A Guide to Greens for Salads

Mixing a good salad lies in combining textures. For example, the crispness of romaine with the softness of butter lettuce, colors - the red of radicchio and the dark green of watercress, shapes - the round leaves of mache, the tangled leaves of curly endive, flavors - bitterness of endive, pepperiness of arugula, blandness of iceberg, tartness of sorrel. It is generally wise to start with milder greens (butter lettuce, romaine) and accent them with spicy, bitter, and tart greens. However, it is also possible to make a salad of just one green - endive, iceberg, romaine, spinach - with appropriate accents.

Arugula (rocket, roquette, rugula) - thin leaves with peppery flavor, sue sparingly.

Belgian endive (witloof chicory) - white, multileaved heads, mild but bitter.

Butter lettuce (and Bibb, Boston, limestone, buttercrunch) - loose-leaved heads, tender texture, and sweet, buttery flavor.

Curly endive (chicory) - curly leaves ranging from dark green to pale green, prickly and bitter taste, to spice up blander greens.

Escarole (broad-leaved endive) - paler and straighter than curly endive, and less bitter, but bitter nonetheless. Use sparingly.

Iceberg lettuce (crisphead) - tight heads, mild flavor, crisp texture.

Mache (lamb's lettuce, corn salad) - dark green, oval leaves with sweet flavor.

Radicchio (red chicory, Italian red lettuce) - red leaves with white veins, good to add color, bitter in flavor.

Red-leaf lettuce or oak-leaf lettuce - loose-leaf lettuce with ruffled leaves, soft-textured, sweet flavor.

Romaine (Cos) - long, medium to dark green leaves in loose head, crunch, mild but distinctive flavor.

Salad Bowl - loose-leaf, curly, pale-green leaves, soft and delicate in flavor.

Sorrel (dock) - long, dark green leaves with lemony, tart flavor. Good as accent.

Spinach - dark green leaves, coarse texture, distinctive flavor.

Watercress - round, very dark green leaves, with sharp flavor, good to spice up a salad.

Kiya Sama is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kiya_Sama

Filipino Food Alternatives to Junk Food

You're starving after a long day at work, but there's nothing in the fridge. So you run to the nearest store and grab something to eat-a bag of chips, a candy bar, or a can of soda. This is what a typical afternoon is like for a lot of kids and young adults. Unfortunately, it can hardly be called healthy eating. Junk food is loaded with empty calories-calories that have no corresponding nutritional value. Basically, they make you fat but don't make you any healthier. Before you know it, it can take its toll on your health.

If you need to munch in between meals, Filipino food is a much better way to fill up. Native snacks are a lot cheaper than store-bought foods, and they can satisfy those cravings without piling on the pounds. Here are some Filipino food recipes you can try in place of your favorite junk foods.

Junk: Burgers

Better: Spring rolls

Many parents argue that burgers aren't all bad. After all, they're basically a one-dish meal: you've got your starch, protein and vitamins in one bite. But you also get an unhealthy dose of trans fat, the leading cause of heart disease, obesity, and a host of other conditions. A lot of Filipino cooking recipes are also one-dish meals, but few of them have as much trans fat. With fresh lumpia, you can throw in your choice of meat and vegetables and control your serving portions. Cut off even more fat by going vegetarian or choosing regular flour instead of egg wrappers.

Junk: Candy bars

Better: Banana cue

The average candy bar has 300 to 500 calories; a two-piece banana cue has 250 or less. That's because chocolate bars are loaded with high-fat ingredients such as nuts, caramel, sugar, and of course, chocolate. The sugar will give you an energy boost, but you're not likely to burn all those calories before you're tired again. Bananas are sweet, but its main ingredient is starch, a much better source of energy. Before eating, blot out some of the oil to further reduce the fat content.

Junk: Soft drinks

Better: Sagot' Gulaman

A glass of soda contains the equivalent of 12 tablespoons of sugar-that's more than you consume in one whole day! Soft drinks are a major cause of obesity in developed countries. Even diet sodas aren't completely safe; the aspartame used in place of sugar is linked to a number of health problems, including cancer. If you need to freshen up, get a glass of sagot' gulaman-a banana-flavored beverage with bits of gelatin and tapioca balls. It goes well with banana cue, turon, and other light Filipino recipes.

Junk: Doughnuts

Better: Puto/Kutsinta

It's nice to have something sweet to go with your morning coffee, but there are healthy wys to get that sugar fix. Instead of those fat jelly-filled doughnuts, have a double treat of puto and kutsinta instead. These little cakes are made from rice flour, which is infinitely healthier than the white flour used in commercial breads and pastries. Because they are steamed, they retain most of their moisture, making them more filling as well. To maximize your calorie savings, skip the cheese and salted egg toppings.

Junk: Milkshakes

Better: Taho

Next to soda and beer, milkshakes are one of the unhealthiest drinks invented in our time. The combination of milk, sugar, artificial flavoring, and whipped cream topping pack a dose of fat and calories that will take three hours of exercise to burn off. Instead, help yourself to a cup of taho-a warm drink made from soft tofu, sweetened with sugar syrup and garnished with sago (tapioca balls). It's a little heavy, but several times healthier. It's also a lot cheaper-10 pesos will get you a large cup, while a regular milk shake can cost over 100.

Junk: Ice cream

Better: Tropical fruits

Often, when you've topped off a great meal with a bowl of ice cream, you find yourself craving again in less than an hour. That's how this sweet treat works: it sends a handful of fat down your system, and makes you hungry so that you'll want even more. It's great at children's parties, but on regular days, it only works up your appetite. If you're craving an after-meal treat, grab a mango, pineapple or some other fruit instead. Mix them together to make your own Filipino desserts recipes. Fresh fruits fill you up fast, so you can curb your cravings for more than half the day.

Carlo Villamayor is the owner and co-author of the Filipino food blog, Kusina.ph. A devoted cook, he makes it his personal mission to spread the joy of Filipino recipes with food lovers the world over. Bon appetit!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carlo_Villamayor

Low Calorie Foods - An Overview

If you are fat then it is clear that your body burns less calories than your body is consuming. However, Many people are not aware that what a calorie is.

A calorie is a unit to measure energy. It is known as an amount of heat required to raise one degree temperature of one kilogram water. The important part is that your body require certain energy level according to your day to day activities and that energy level requires certain calorie in your food. If your food has more calories than you need then that extra calories go into your safe that is called fat.

So, you should have food with required amount of calories as per the requirement of your day to day activities, like a sports involved person will need much more calorie in his or her food than a software professional.

Some specific Low calorie foods are:

Red Peppers,

Swede,

Mushrooms,

Tomatoes,

Celery,

Broccoli,

Boiled potatoes,

Brussels sprouts,

Water cress,

Famous fruits with low Calories are:

Crape,

Coyote,

Melon,

Currants apricot

Some Non-Veg low calorie foods are:

Low fat Cheese,

Egg's whites,

Beef,

Canadian bacon,

Ground turkey,

Lower fat hot dogs,

Low calorie drinks:

Soft drinks with low calories,

Coffee & tea with no sugar

Water

Water doesn't contain any calories at all. One personal experience is that you can use warm water with lime, this alone can reduce your weight up to 10 to 20 percent in few weeks.

I hope this article will give some awareness about low calorie foods and bit about calorie.

Wishing You success.

177 Ways to Burn Those Calories! Download Now Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Urwashi_Gupta