Friday, January 21, 2011

Why Junk Food Is Bad For You

For millions of adults and children junk food and increased inactivity has led to obesity. For some people junk food has become a way of life, they are addicted to it and if everyone in your family for example eats junk food then it is very hard to eat healthy. But it is not impossible at all. So why junk food is bad for you?

For millions of adults and children junk food and increased inactivity has led to obesity. For some people junk food has become a way of life, they are addicted to it and if everyone in your family for example eats junk food then it is very hard to eat healthy. But it is not impossible at all. So why junk food is bad for you?

There is so much talk about junk food. People know that it is unhealthy and makes people fat but what is the exact definition of junk food. Well Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods with little or no nutritional value, or to products with nutritional value but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten, or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all. The term was coined by Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972.


Factors contributing to labeling as junk food are high levels of refined sugar, white flour, trans fat and saturated fat, salt, and additives such as preservatives and coloring agents. Others include lack of proteins, vitamins, fiber and other nutrients for a healthy diet. Junk food is associated with health problems including obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and dental cavities. Problems with fast food may not be apparent to children, hence advertising aimed at children has come under criticism.


Whole foods are the best nourishment for you. Make sure before you buy any foods, that you check the labels and ingredients. Even though the food label may say that it is low fat or reduced sugar, it still may not be healthier for you as some food companies add unhealthy ingredients to these foods to compensate for the low fat or sugar reduction in them. When you buy bread, make sure that the label says �whole wheat flour� and not just �wheat flour� as it is not whole grain. Also, when you do eat out at a restaurant, you should ask what the fat and calorie content of the meals are and that way, you will not be consuming extra calories and fat needlessly.


Good eating habits also emphasize proper mealtimes instead of haphazard eating patterns. Snacking between meals on junk food like potato chips is one habit that can have a bad effect on teeth health. Many people including teens are addicted to consuming junk snacks and guzzling sugared soft drink that are basically empty calories. This has disastrous consequences for teeth health. It is estimated that the high sugar content of many junk food washes away protective teeth enamel, thus rendering them vulnerable to corrosive cavities. It is imperative, therefore, to completely shun fast food that corrodes teeth health and ushers in tooth decay.


There is no magic pill that makes you lose weight and makes you look like a supreme athlete. You have to do it the hard way. It is very hard for people to change their lifestyle. But to be healthy and lose weight you have to change your lifestyle. It is the only way.


It is not impossible to change your habits and start living a healthier life. The most important factor about it all is knowledge. If you have the knowledge and you know what you have to do to be successfulFree Reprint Articles, then you have done most of the work already.


It is never to late to change your lifestyle. If you have the desire and motivation then nothing will stop you. People just have to stop finding silly excuses. You know junk food is bad for you and if you don�t exercise you will have serious problems. Today could be the first day of the rest of your life. Make changes today not tomorrow. You will be surprised what you can actually accomplish.

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Monday, January 17, 2011

Famous Secret Recipes

Remember the good old days about 2 or 3 years age? When you could go to one of your favorite restaurants two or three time a week. Now we are in a never ending recession. Discover famous recipes and favorite restaurant recipe replicas. Make famous secret recipes at home and save time and money. No more traffic, waiting in restaurant lobbies and paying exorbitant prices. America's Secret Recipes not only provides restaurant secret recipes but famous secret recipes. The Inaugural Luncheon Menu and Recipes are provided by America's Secret Recipes (newsletter).

Recipe from the 2009 Inaugural Luncheon
Secret Recipe

Second Course:

Duck Breast with Cherry Chutney
Copycat secret recipe
Yield: 10 servings


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

½ cup chopped onion (1 small) 
3 garlic cloves, crushed 
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 
½ teaspoon black pepper 
½ teaspoon ground cumin 
Scant ¼ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 
¾ teaspoon salt 
½ cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (½ medium) 

1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped 

¼ cup dry red wine 

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons sugar 
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1 can (3 cups) Bing cherries, quartered *Oregon brand
½ cup Golden Raisins
10 (6 oz.) boneless duck breasts with skin
2 tablespoons water 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or chives 



Method for chutney and glaze:

Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, garlic, and shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, black pepper, cumin, hot pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, vinegar (to taste), and sugar and simmer approx 5 minutes. Stir in mustard, 1 1/2 cups cherries, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly and reserve all but ¼ cup of the mix to the side. Place1/4 cup mix in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Reserve for glazing duck. To finish the chutney, add the remaining 1 ½ cups of cherries, tarragon, chives and all the golden raisins. Can be prepared one day ahead.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife and season duck all over with salt and pepper. 


Heat water in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over low heat until hot, then add duck, skin side down. Cook duck, uncovered, over low heat, without turning, until most of fat is rendered(melted) and skin is golden brown, about 25 minutes. 


Transfer duck to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Brush duck all over with cherry glaze and return to skillet, skin side up. 


Roast duck in oven until thermometer registers 135°F, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. 


Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut duck into slices. Serve with cherry chutney and molasses whipped sweet potato.

Source: Buffalo News, Jan 13thHealth Fitness Articles, 2009
Provided by America's Secret Recipe Newsletter

Delicious famous secret recipes and restaurant secret recipes that you can cook in your kitchen. Save time and money. Visit: http://www.FavoriteRecipes.biz/america.html For the complete 2009 Inaugural Luncheon Menu and copycat recipes Visit:http://www.FavoriteRecipes.biz/inaucorrect.html


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Like most people I am a multi-tasker. I am a wife, mom and businesswoman. Recently, I have been researching foods, ingredients and recipes. Different cultures have influenced our daily menus. I have a collection of favorite cookbooks. The cookbooks vary from copycat restaurant recipes, pizza secrets, authentic Chinese cooking, the Mediterranean Diet to specialty diets. We all have to eat. Why not learn to cook varied healthy meals. Hope you enjoy my article. I really enjoy writing them

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Food Allergy Symptoms

Food allergy symptoms can be quite uncommon. You might not believe this but only 1 out of 70 adults suffer from true food allergies. Food poisoning or even food intolerance is sometimes mistaken for a food allergy because of the similarities in symptoms.

Food allergy symptoms can be quite uncommon. You might not believe this but only 1 out of 70 adults suffer from true food allergies. Food poisoning or even food intolerance is sometimes mistaken for a food allergy because of the similarities in symptoms. If you are unsure if you are allergic to a particular food, you should learn to decipher what classic food allergy is. Mostly affecting children, food allergy is an illness where the body's immune system defends itself from a substance that it considers to be harmful. The allergic reaction experienced is the sign that the body is trying to overcome the allergy-causing substance. Doctors usually run test to determine and confirm your food allergies. They might even ask you questions regarding your family's general health since food allergy is thought to be partly hereditary. If your doctor finds a history of eczema, hay fever or asthma, then you have a higher risk of having a food allergy. A true allergic reaction usually starts with swelling and itching in the throat, tongue and mouth. Other food allergy symptoms include skin reactions, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, runny nose and sore, red and itchy eyes. An allergic reaction could begin the moment you ingest the food you are allergic to. The symptoms, however, could take longer to develop, sometimes even several hours. An anaphylactic shock is the worst possible allergic reaction. It could cause severe swelling, unconsciousness, lowering of the blood pressure and breathing difficulties. If not given proper medical attention, it could possibly lead to death. As you can see, it's important to deal with food allergy symptoms right away.

Foods that cause allergy include peanuts, shellfish, tree nuts and fish. Some children develop allergies to cow's milk, soya, eggs, wheat and seafood. If you have an allergy to a particular food, you could also have a reaction to other allergy-causing food. This is called cross-reactivity. Your dietician and physician could help you identify which foods to avoid and prevent allergic reactions. If you are still unsure if you have a food allergy, you should consult a doctor specializing on allergies. You would be asked questions pertaining to the symptoms you experience after eating a certain food, amount of the particular food you ate, preparation and storage of the food, medication you took to relieve the symptoms and effectivity of the medication. All these can help diagnose your food allergy. It is very important that you see a food allergy specialist. You must never, under any circumstances, try to determine the food you are allergic to on your own. You must remember that allergic reactions can be severe and you might be putting yourself in a very dangerous situation. If you're allergic to something and you tamper with it, your body can react in bad ways.

Skin prick tests are sometimes used to diagnose a food allergy. A small amount of food extract is injected on the skin surface. An allergic reaction to that food extract will result to swelling and redness of the injection site. Sometimes, a false positive reaction is observed from a skin prick test. It would be wise to perform other tests, like a blood test for instanceFree Web Content, to confirm food allergy and complete diagnosis.

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Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Food Allergy Symptoms.