Living It With Lisa

Ever since I melted some margarine to put on my garlic toast and I looked in the pan and it truly looked like plastic, I never bought it again.  I didn’t care what my food budget was I always bought butter.  And that was in 1979!  A decision I have never regretted.  Heather Huyghue agrees and posted this on Facebook.  And here is why ….

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavourings….

DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end…gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.

BUTTER is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.

Eating MARGARINE can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.

Eating BUTTER increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

BUTTER has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!

BUTTER tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods.

BUTTER  has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for MARGARINE…

• Very High in Trans fatty acids.
• Triples risk of coronary heart disease …
• Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
• Increases the risk of cancers up to five times..
• Lowers quality of breast milk
• Decreases immune response.
• Decreases insulin response.
• Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC… and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

• No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
• It does not rot or smell differently because it has no value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny micro-organisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Chinese Proverb:
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.

Pass the BUTTER PLEASE!

Fats have been getting a bad rap … of that I am certain.  It is the carbs that are creating the obesity epidemic in the United States along with health issues like Diabetes.  We are eating ourselves sick!   I found this at Food And Tech Connect.

Anyone that knows me … knows how I feel about soda … regular or diet!  ’

Nuff said …

Let me know what you think …

How do your organic eggs rate?  I was surprised to find Egglands Best, Central Market Brand, Traders Joes and 365 Brand by Whole Foods no better than Great Value at WalMart!  They all scored 1 egg out of a possible 5!

The Cornucopia Institute’s has provide an organic egg scorecard  that rates companies that market name-brand and private-label organic “shell” eggs based on 22 criteria that are and should be important to us … the consumer since we are paying more for what should be a better organic egg.

The Cornucopia Institutes scorecard “shows ethical family farms, and their brands, and exposes factory farm producers and brands in grocery store coolers that threaten to take over organic livestock agriculture.

Some of the factory farm operators literally raise millions of birds (both conventional and organic) with as many as 85,000 “organic” hens in single buildings.

With this Web-based rating tool, you can see which brands of eggs found in your region are produced using the best organic farming practices and ethics. Based on more than a year’s research into the organic egg business, the scorecard rates almost 70 different name-brand eggs and additional private-label products.

Both the report and scorecard highlight the good news in the organic egg industry by showcasing the true heroes, including national and local producers that are supplying ethically-produced organic eggs and are worthy of consumer support.”

Click here to view the scorecard.  In Whole Foods defense they have three brands offered in their stores.  Worlds Best Eggs and Vital Farms which both scored 5 eggs and their 365 Organics Brand which only rated 1 egg.  So shop with knowledge.

What are your thoughts on this scorecard?

I think this will motivate anyone if they see this on their screen or posted on their refrigerator!  Lots of motivating photos on Lose Fat Gain Fit  Start with choosing your next bite!

I found this on Pinterest from The LunchTray  I hope this gets to everyone who makes a decision for a child’s food choices.  We as adults are in control of that from the beginning.

Don’t feel guilty … you can have chocolate everyday!  That doesn’t mean a candy bar everyday.  It’s all about moderation.  One ounce will do it.  Studies show that dark chocolate has several health benefits and it now considered a superfood.

A significant reason is because dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids.   Flavonoids are commonly known for their antioxidant activity.  Dark Chocolate is not processed as much and contains at least 65% cacao.    I personally love 80% or more!

There are several delicious reasons to eat dark chocolate and here are my top three:

Dark chocolate fights free radicals and free radicals are responsible for aging and some diseases like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.  I totally forgot to add Dark Chocolate to my new book  “101 Best Ways to Feel Younger and Live Longer”.  What was I thinking!

Some studies are showing that dark chocolate may help prevent cancer.  Why?  Because antioxidant rich foods contain cancer fighting properties.  I say great…. Instead of “an apple a day … “ we can say “an ounce a day keeps the doctor away!”

We know it makes us feel good … right?   Joy DuBost, PhD, RD says “The theory is that chocolate stimulates the neural activity in the regions of the brain associated with pleasure and reward.”

My suggestion … find 1 ounce pieces of dark chocolate that you can nibble on to satisfy that need for chocolate.  The perfect healthy indulgent bite!

My husband and I just returned from Barcelona, Spain where we sampled our share of Tapas Restaurants. Tapas refer to a type of Spanish cuisine used more broadly to describe a style of dining known as small plates.  Anything can come on a small plate.  You can order several different tapas and share them.  Mini appetizers if you will.  It’s a great way to try a variety of flavorful dishes in creating your dining experience.

During my time in the world of Tapas, I learned a few great lessons that put a twist into my daily eating routine:

Twist #1:  Use small plates.  Use no larger than a 9-inch plate, like a salad plate.  Studies show that food psychology works.  So whether it is a dinner plate or a salad plate, your eyes tell you it is a plate full of food!

Twist #2:  Rate Your Plate.  Your proportions on ANY size plate should be 50% non-starchy vegetable, 25% starch or grain, and 25% protein. With mixed dishes like casseroles, soups and stews, think of the ingredients separately to see if the proportions are correct.  All you may need to do is add a fresh salad. Avoid seconds at any meal. Save what remains for another meal and you have maximized your time in the kitchen.

Twist #3: Get colorful! Your plate should be a rainbow of color. Use fresh herbs and spices to kick up the flavors. Remember we eat visually with our eyes first.  If your plate looks boring and all one color it will not be very appealing to the eyes or to the palate.

The result?  A beautiful plate with balanced portions of healthy, fresh, and tasty food, just waiting to dance on your taste buds!

So if it’s time to lose a few pounds or make healthier food choices, try a smaller plate this year and you’ll SEE the difference.

Remember: Small Plates = Smart Plates!

Since Carter was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes it is even more important that he understands portion control.  But the real truth is that we ALL should be aware of not only the food /fuel that we are putting in our bodies but the portion size.  That is just as important for the obesity epidemic in this country as well as any other food related disease.

Quality AND quantity are essential to our health.

Tweak of the Week:  Portion Distortion

As we enter the holiday season we are suseptable to getting sick.  Our immune system is lower.  One reason could be the amount of sugar we eat in all those extra carbs and calories at Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

I found this article to be simple and straight forward in helping us to understand exactly what happens in different areas of our bodies.  The article is short and to the point and EASY to implement.