Posted by Dom on March 12th, 2007 — Posted in Opinion
By Yuliana Hendarto.
Tired of being overweight?
Have you finally got the resolve to lose weight and keep it off once and for all?
Can Atkins help you realize your dreams?
Before you jump into the bandwagon with the illusion of losing weight fast and painlessly, read this report to find out if it really works, or you’ll end up in the hospital instead.
What is it?
The ever-popular program called Atkins basically involves extremely low-carb intake, or even none at all. The theory behind the Atkins diet is that, because the body will digest any sugar stored in the body first to get the energy it needs, it is really hard to lose the fats in your body. So if the body’s sugar storage is depleted, it will then turn to fats, and then protein, to get its energy. Hence you’ll finally get to lose those flabby fats if you reduce your sugar intake dramatically.
Does it work?
It seems that the severely obese people might find the program works well. They’ll start losing weight really quickly, especially at the beginning. However, it will soon reach a pleateau.
Another problem with the Atkins is the sugar cravings that many people will have because of the drastic reduction in sugar intake. This leads to cheating in many cases, which then just throws you off the program.
Is it safe?
Biologically speaking, if the body is deprived of sugar, it will enter a “starvation mode” where it will try to conserve any amount of energy. This is because the body is tricked into thinking that it is being starved.
This is actually a natural self-defence mechanism which preserves and prolongs the human life when you’re truly starving. Hence you hear cases where people still survive even after 30 days without any food at all. However, this also means that the body will then convert ANY kind of sugar it can absorb, into fats as soon as possible! That’s why the moment you cave in to that sugar craving, it destroys everything.
In actual fact, several people have ended up in hospital after such a severe reduction in their sugar intake. Hence it is not advisable to totally eliminate sugar from your diet all at once.
A Modification
Instead of totally eliminating carbohydrates from your diet, you can just reduce it in stages. Another alternative is to switch to complex carbohydrates.
What else should I watch out for?
If you’re trying to do Atkins, please do not combine it with heavy exercise. Exercise requires sugar, which is the body’s main fuel. With such a low-carb intake, the body will then start to digest proteins to produce sufficient energy for the exercise, which then results muscle loss.
While the diet recommends a higher intake of protein, and lower of carbohydrates, it does not mean you can consume as much meat or fatty food as you wish. That will be a sure way to damage your kidney and liver. Maintain a high intake of vegetables and fruits to lessen the impact.
Is it recommended?
Only with the advice of nutritionists or doctors. Even then, it should be done in moderation. Do not completely eliminate your sugar intake. Also, take note that the quick weight loss is usually only visible for those who are really overweight.
The best thing is still to have a balanced diet and a good exercise program in place.
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Posted by Dom on March 8th, 2007 — Posted in Recipes
By Yuliana Hendarto.
Defined broadly, mushroom is the ‘visible’ fungus, or the fruiting body of a fungus which is found above ground. While not all mushrooms are safe to eat, the edible ones enjoy a somewhat special status in many cultures. In fact, the Egyptian pharaohs thought mushrooms should only be enjoyed by royalties, and hence took control of the whole available supply!
Sounds like it enjoys the same status as the ‘royal’ chocolates?
I think so. And it’s definitely one of my favorite foods too. Let’s see what comes to mind when the word ‘mushroom’ is mentioned:
Cream of mushroom soup, mushroom masala (curried fried mushroom, really good!), portobello mushroom salads/burgers, stuffed mushrooms, mushroom quiche, and many many more… Everything with mushroom is always so yummy! Even if you only fry it in butter.. hmmm.. that’s good enough for me!
So anyway, I have one interesting recipe to make stuffed mushrooms. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 medium mushroom, firm, closed caps
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons minced onion or green onion
- 1/4 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs (see below)
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons water
- salt & pepper to taste
Preperation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Wash mushrooms quickly under running water; drain on paper towels.
Pull stems from mushrooms and chop finely.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add chopped mushroom stems and onion. Sauté until tender.
To make the soft bread crumbs, put bread on cutting board and use fork tines to tear off crumbs, or use food processor to make finer crumbs. One slice bread makes about 1/2 cup lightly packed crumbs.
Stir in Worcestershire sauce, soft bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle salt over mushroom caps and fill with sautéed mixture, mounding over the top.
At this point, you may cover and refrigerate these mushrooms for up to 24 hours.
Before serving, put 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow dish and arrange stuffed mushrooms in dish. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 8 to 10 appetizers.
Let me know if you like it!
Some extra tips/fun facts on mushrooms
Psychedelic Mushrooms
These mushrooms are more commonly known as the “magic mushrooms”. Especially famous in the Netherlands (walk along the streets and you can see several of those “coffee shops” having it!!), they have certain psychoactive properties, which means it can induce hallucinations. The effects vary from person to person though, and can range from positive to negative feelings. The highly toxic mushrooms can even cause nausea and permanent damage when taken in large doses.
Mushrooming
This is the activity of mushroom-picking! It can be an eye-opener and exciting adventure, so the next time you go on a vacation or hiking trip, keep an eye for a local mushrooming activity. Take a look at this website for more info on mushroom picking.
Fun Link
Try the mushroom quiz here: http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz55096651748.html
Sources
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Posted by Dom on February 28th, 2007 — Posted in Tips
By Yuliana Hendarto.
I was just watching Tyra Banks Show this evening and she had the (ex – I think) wife and daughter of Mike Tyson as her guests! The topic was about how the mother was ashamed of her daugther’s weight and as a result, she stopped her daughter from eating various things, as well as making bad remarks about the daughter’s weight.
Well ok the daughter is rather heavy, but guess what, her mum’s comments are not helping!
In fact, if anything, those years of frustrations and embarassment caused by the mum’s remarks probably contributed to her weight gain.
Isn’t it just amazing how a parent can be so unsopportive and destructive to his/her own child? Maybe the intention wasn’t bad. She saw the child has a tendency to gain weight easily and so wanted to keep her healthy. But rather than making fun of her, why not inspire her to change her eating habits instead?
It’s the push vs pull factor.
And a play between positive and negative emotions.
The same thing goes with people who put themselves on strict diets and absolutely deny themselves certain foods. I think that’s just absurd.
With all due respect, I totally admire people with such strong willpower. However, they should also keep in mind that we want a healthy lifestyle so that we can enjoy life! Not to torture ourselves with a constant diet of celery sticks and what-nots.
And the result of that? Cravings.
It’s psychological. The more we think of NOT eating certain things, the more we think of eating them! This continues until it comes to a point where your mind just can’t take it anymore and you have a ‘relapse’.
And then all hell break loose.
In healthy eating, I’d rather not restrict myself to certain foods. In fact, I eat whatever I feel like, whenever I have the desire to eat it. However, bear in mind the quantities! Eat just enough to make yourself feel quite happy and satisfied, but not overly full. Also, don’t ever feel any regret afterwards – it doesn’t help!
So the number 1 rule to healthy eating is:
Have a positive attitude, and have the right reasons for dieting! Your diet isn’t there to stop you from living your life, it’s there to allow you to enjoy your life to the fullest!
So live it!
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Posted by Dom on February 26th, 2007 — Posted in Misc
Guest blogger Yuliana Hendarto takes a look at one of our personal favourite foods:
Chocolate. This must be one of the most delicious, lovely, fun and famous food on earth! Not only does chocolate tastes great, it has lots of nutritional and health benefits too! Lucky you.But before all of you rush out to the nearest convenience store and grab your chocolates, let’s take a look at these first:
Longevity
A Harvard medical studies consisting of 800 male graduates found that chocoholics have longer life span. This is probably due to high polyphenol level in chocolates, which is claimed to protect you again heart disease.However, many of the so-called chocolate bars today are so rich in sugar, milk and fat content that it’s just too unhealthy for large consumptions! So opt for good quality chocolates or dark chocolates. Avoid the ones with nuts for lower calorie, fat and cholesterol content and NEVER ever consider mars or snickers bars as chocolates. They’re candy bars. Period.
Acne
The popular belief says that chocolate causes acne. However, be rest assured that there is NO effect of eating chocolates whatsoever on your skin. In fact, haven’t you heard of chocolate spa treatments? From body wrap, scrubs, bath, hydroteraphy to massages, it’s said to be good for the skin and muscles.
Chocoholism
Apparently the word does not just signify someone who loves chocolate. Chocolate does have some addictive substances! These include sugar (didn’t think sugar is addictive huh?), theobromine, anandamide (an endogenous cannabinoid), tyroptophan, phenylethylamine, caffeine.
Phew. What a mouthful!
No worries. Simply put, theobromine causes the mood-elevating effect while tyroptophan plays a role in our nervous system to help regulate our mood. On the other hand, anandamide is internally and naturally produced by our body and has short-lasting effect. Altogether, the amount of these chemical substances found in chocolates is pretty minute such that the effect on us is rather negligible, aside from the happy feelings. However, take note that theobromine (and hence chocolates) can be fatal for our pets!
Here is a list of some fun facts about chocolates:
- The Mayans started drinking hot chocolate as far back as 2,600 years ago!! That is also the earliest record of Cacao use.
- Chocolate’s basic ingredients are the cocoa solids, cocoa fat and sugar.
- It is cacao trees and cacao pods, and becomes cocoa after the beans have been processed
- Chocolate was reserved for warriors, nobility and priests.
- The Aztec used cacao beans for their taxes: a slave cost 100 cacao beans and 12 for a courtesan’s service!!!
And to end this entry on a sweet note, here’s a fun link to a Chocolate Quiz!
Sources:
Related Link: Gourmet chocolate gift has always been a gift of choice for romantic couples. So next time your in love send a chocolate gift during those special occasions.
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Posted by Dom on February 24th, 2007 — Posted in Recipes
To finish off our Soup Week, guest blogger Dixie Doodle gives us one of her personal favourites:
Spinach. It’s one of my favorite vegetables. I know that its green leafy goodness has gotten a bad rap lately, with the e.coli breakout and all, but let’s forget about that and focus on its good points. Spinach is high in nutritional value. It’s a great source of Vitamins A, C and E, as well and being high in calcium, iron and folic acid. Its nutritional value is highest when it’s fresh, but most folks don’t like the taste of fresh spinach; so when cooking it, the less amount of cook time, the better.It’s a fairly versatile little veggie, having been used in many a different recipe. Quiches, soufflés, salads, sautéed and served on the side of a grilled fish fillet. Whew, I need to stop, I’m making myself hungry! Oh, can’t forget my absolute fave, hot spinach and cheese dip! Mmmm! So, what’s not to love?
At my house there are 5 adults and 2 toddlers to feed. Two of those adults are males and neither of them wants “twig and tree bark” (better known as diet or low-fat) food. Part of the reason this recipe is one of my favorites is that it is a big winner at my house and no one, but me, knows that it is a “diet” dish. I’ve made it three times since I acquired the recipe and it is always gone before everyone gets their fill, so this last time I doubled the recipe. That gave everyone enough, plus I get a bit left over for lunch the next day.
So in honor of Soup Week here at endiet.com, I give you:
Creamy Chicken & Spinach Soup
- 9oz cheese tortellini
- 14.5oz fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 can 98%fat-free cream of chicken soup
- 16oz chopped frozen spinach (thawed)
- 9oz cooked diced chicken breast
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1/2tsp ground thyme
- 1/4tsp black pepper
Cook tortellini according to directions on the package, using the chicken broth instead of water. Do not drain broth once tortellini is cooked. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until heated through. (just a few minutes) Makes 6 servings at 1 & 1/3 cup.
P.S. The original recipe calls for only 8oz of spinach, but since I do love me some spinach, I have doubled it.
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