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If you are following a low carb diet or a ketogenic diet, you often end up relying on protein for your daily diet. At times even having more than you should. Eating a low carb diet should by no measure mean that you have a high protein diet. For some people, having too much protein can bring negative effects, including weight gain.Lets admit it! Protein is clearly the most valued macronutrient (macro). If you want to lose weight, you must have been asked to cut down carbs and increase protein. Same goes for muscle gains too. While it is true that it is an important macro since it's composed of amino acids that are essential for repairing and growing muscles, people do tend to end up eating too much protein. So if you are obsessed with steak, chicken breasts or eggs, it is time you read ahead. How much protein do you need?First lets figure how much protein our body really needs? According to dietary guidelines, you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight. So a 60 kilo man will need approximately 48 grams of protein. However, the number may go up for people who are physically active. So if you lift weights often or are preparing for a marathon or sports event, you may need 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight. So it entirely depends on your body needs and a registered nutritionist can guide you on your customised requirement. But another thing that we need to take into consideration is that the body can process only so much protein. The first rule is to spread out your protein intake throughout the day. Do not have too much in one go. Ideally, a quarter of your plate should be protein and remaining healthy fats and fiber. You need to know that protein eats up more bodys energy to break down protein and digest it. And that is the reason a high protein meal will make you feel much fuller than a high carb meal. So maybe have 30 grams of protein on one meal to boost satiation. ConclusionFor some people, going overboard with protein can be dangerous. These people are those with kidney disorders and heart ailments. Too much protein can also lead to chronic constipation and may also act as a big hindrance in your weight loss goals. But you cant do big harm with one meal so ensure that you do not go overboard for a consistent period of time.

Originally posted here:
How much protein should you really have in low-carb diets - Times of India

DEAR DR. ROACH: Does eating strictly organic food and drinking only bottled water help in a meaningful way to prevent diseases and contribute to a long and healthy life? M.T.

ANSWER: There is no consistent high-quality evidence that consuming organic foods will lead to improvement in health outcomes, including longer life. Some but not all studies have found slightly higher amounts of nutrients in organically grown produce. Organic foods are made without synthetic pesticides, but may use pesticides found in nature. There is not convincing evidence that natural pesticides are any safer, nor that the small amount of residual pesticides left in conventional produce leads to significant health risks. However, there is preliminary evidence that consumption of mostly organic food led to a decrease in the risk of one type of cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but not an overall decrease in cancer. Based on current available evidence, I dont recommend organic food consumption for health benefits.

The quality of tap water varies greatly across North America, but most locations have high-quality water available at extremely low cost with minimal environmental impact compared with bottled water. Even if tap water is unpalatable in a persons location, I recommend a filter system rather than resorting to bottled water, again for environmental concerns as well as cost. Bottled water is rarely the only option, and if so it is usually due to contamination of tap water with microbes or heavy metals, which should be known to the community. My own municipality mails me a water quality report yearly, and it is outstanding quality.

Two additional points are worth considering. The first is that organically prepared foods have been the cause of foodborne illness due to contamination at a much higher level than expected. The second is that organic farming prohibits nontherapeutic antibiotics, a practice with which I strongly agree as a means of reducing the potential for antibiotic resistance.

Until further evidence is available, my opinion is that most people would do better eating more produce, whether conventionally or organically grown. Locally grown fresh produce may have more benefits than organically produced due to freshness.

DEAR DR. ROACH: All of the latest information states that an adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Is this unbroken sleep? For example, I sleep for four hours, wake up for one to two hours, and then sleep three to four more hours almost every night. If the sleep is to be continuous, is it better to take a sleeping aid or continue with the current pattern? Nothing I read indicates if sleeping seven to nine hours with a sleeping aid provides the same benefit as not sleeping continuously for that time period. P.M.

ANSWER: While it is true that people who sleep seven to nine hours per night tend to live longer than those who sleep less (or more), it is likely that there are some people who need more or less sleep than the average. Further, it isnt clear whether the apparent improvement in longevity is due to better sleeping, or whether people who dont sleep well have an underlying medical condition that is really responsible for the harm seen.

As far as whether continuous sleep is better than interrupted sleep, there isnt good evidence to compare the two. There is strong historical evidence that prior to artificial lighting, two distinct sleep periods separated by an hour or so was considered normal.

Most sleeping aids adversely affect sleep quality, and increase risk of falls and accidents the next day. If interrupted sleep is working for you, Id recommend continuing versus using a sleeping pill.

Link:
To Your Good Health: Risks and rewards of a strictly organic diet - Arizona Daily Star

Low-carb diets are the burpees of nutrition: Sure, they might be effective, but are they worth the pain?

Yes, you can lose weight on a low-carb diet, but these eating plans aren't for everyone.

Credit: Livestrong Creative

OK, that might be a bit extreme. After all, the number of weight-loss testimonials from keto and other low-carb diet devotees continues to grow, and the results are, well, tempting. But are those impressive success stories too good to be true? And are low-carb diets healthy in the long term?

For our Ask the RDs series, we asked readers to send us their biggest nutrition questions and then posed the 12 most common to a panel of registered dietitians. It turns out everybody has low-carb confusion. Here, the experts break it down.

"One of the pros of the keto diet is that most people will see a significant weight loss initially. Carbohydrates hold onto water, so because you're not eating carbohydrates, you're going to lose some water weight. It's encouraging to people trying to lose weight because you get that boost from eating keto or low-carb.

And also the foods you're encouraged to eat on keto are high-fat, so they're tasty, they've got a good mouthfeel. Avocado, cheese, bacon, steak things like that. For a lot of people, the foods that the keto diet is made of are their favorite foods.

If you're doing keto in a healthy way, it encourages non-starchy vegetables, leafy vegetables like kale, cauliflower, green peppers. Some people also enjoy the benefits of increased clarity or mental focus.

"Some people don't feel good doing keto. If they're not drinking enough water or getting enough electrolytes, they might have what's called the keto flu."

One of the cons is that you might get sick of not eating carbohydrates, especially if you're someone who absolutely loves carbohydrates, or it's a part of your culture or how you and your family enjoy meals.

In that case, you might want to do a cyclical keto, where you're cycling in and out. Or maybe you're doing keto most of the time and then on weekends you might want to enjoy a slice of pizza or some pasta with your family.

Another con is that some people don't feel good doing keto. If they're not drinking enough water or getting enough electrolytes, they might have what's called the keto flu.

It might just not be a good fit for them, and they might find there are other ways to lose weight or maintain weight that are a better fit. It always comes down to the person your individual preferences, your individual lifestyle."

Did you know that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to manage your weight? Download the MyPlate app to easily track calories, stay focused and achieve your goals!

"To me, the most important principle I've used since I went into this business decades ago is the word balance. I really believe in balance. I think it's important to feel balanced in the way you feel throughout the day. It's important to eat a diet that's balanced so that you're getting a bit of everything.

Keto is about 75 percent fat. That, to me, is unbalanced. So, I am not a fan of that diet because I think for most people and I know there are plenty of people who love this diet and that's fine for them it's not sustainable.

If your regular diet is really high in carbs and you're cutting them down so that you're having smaller portions, I think that could be a great idea. I'm a supporter of lower-carb diets but not the severely low, restricted-carb diets that a lot of people follow."

"The cons of a low-carb diet can include low energy and weakness in the gym, which can affect athletic performance, whether it's strength training or running.

You can also become deficient in some nutrients, such as fiber, some B vitamins and, if you're not doing any fruit, potassium and vitamin C.

Then there's the sustainability. It's very hard to stay on a ketogenic diet for the long term. When you're running on 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, it's really hard to stick to that.

"Low-carb diets like keto can have a place, but I would try to get people to be more flexible and modify a little bit."

When it comes to benefits: A lot of people are eating high amounts of carbohydrates and mostly unhealthy ones so when they're reducing carbs, they're going to maybe cut down on some of those processed foods.

Of course, there may be weight loss, because when you're cutting out so many of those foods, you're going to lose weight, and people do enjoy that.

Low-carb diets like keto can have a place, but I would try to get people to be more flexible and modify a little bit. I would add in whole grains and more fruits and suggest sticking to the higher-quality carbohydrates.

Maybe instead of 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates, shoot for a lower-carbohydrate diet of 100 to 130 grams of carbs per day. Maybe try and get to that level at least, and if you're exercising, you might need a little bit more. But don't sink as low as 25 to 50 grams per day."

Low-carb diets like keto can help with weight loss, might improve mental clarity and can encourage eating more non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats; however, low-carb eating plans can be difficult to sustain in the long term, may cause nutritional deficiencies and might leave you feeling weak or low energy. If you are considering trying a low-carb diet, speak with a doctor first to make sure it's right for you.

Confused about nutrition? Get answers to more common questions in our Ask the RDs series.

More here:
Ask the RDs: Are Low-Carb Diets Like Keto Healthy? - LIVESTRONG.COM

Food for healthy ageing populations, sports nutrition, food to stimulate specific body function and cognitive performance and to aid recovery from illness are some of the recurring topics at this years event in Amsterdam, June 24-25.

The conference will have five stages covering; Free From Retail; Healthy Food; Vegan; Supplier and Free From Plastic Packaging, with exhibitors from 57 countries.

With many consumers seeking to achieve better nutritional and ethical balance in their diets, the Free From sector continues its meteoric rise, said Ronald Holman, event director, FFF&HI.

This years exhibition reflects the rapid evolution of the marketplace and showcases the latest trends, insight and new products entering the market.

The growth of plant-based alternatives for meat lovers will continue to have a significant presence at this years expo. This is set to continue as meat reduction remains one of the prevailing trends in food and drink.

Similarly, there is a focus on other replacements that deliver healthier alternatives, as well as Low Carb, Slow Carb and other Diet Food Solutions.

He added, the plant-based revolution continues and 2020s Veganuary broke records with more than 400,000 sign-ups.

The past 12 months have also witnessed a bumper selection of new product launches on supermarket shelves and expanded plant-based offerings appearing on fast food chain menus.

For example, Greggs launched a vegan sausage roll last year, which it says has contributed to its 13.5% year-on-year sales increase.

The meat-free snack was made available in 950 of its stores to coincide with Veganuary, developed with a vegetable oil-based pastry and a "bespoke Quorn filling".

Thanks to its success it then rolled the launch out to 1,950 UK Gregg's branches by March 2019 as well as a Vegan Sausage Roll Finder app.

Holman said at FFF&HI this ongoing demand for meat and dairy free is supported by its exhibitor line up, where almost half of the exhibitors are presenting vegan ranges and the latest ingredients.

Euromonitor, will also be giving two presentations: Unpackaging Vegetarianism in Europe: How Different is Western and Eastern Europe When it Comes to Vegetarian Packaged Food? and Traditions vs. Innovations: How New Dairy Trends Affect Lactose Free Products.

Registration for the show is now open. Tickets are free of charge until May 22, after this date tickets will cost 30.

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Consumers are increasingly looking for better nutritional & ethical balance in their diets - GlobalMeatNews.com

Listen up, guys: A healthy diet is good for your brain and heart, and also your sperm, new research suggests.

In a study of more than 2 900 Danish men, median age 19, those whose diet was rich in fish, chicken, vegetables, fruit and water had higher sperm counts than those who ate a "Western" diet rich in pizza, French fries, processed and red meats, snacks, refined grains, sugary beverages and sweets, researchers found.

"Because following a generally healthy diet pattern is a modifiable behaviour, our results suggest the possibility of using dietary intervention as a possible approach to improve sperm quality of men in reproductive age," said lead study author Feiby Nassan. She's a postdoctoral research associate at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston.

Sperm count can affect fertility because the lower the count, the lower the chance of getting a partner pregnant. "It may be useful for men's fertility to follow a generally healthy diet," Nassan said.

For the study, her team compared sperm counts among men who ate a healthy diet; a Western diet; a Danish diet rich in cold processed meats, whole grains, mayonnaise, cold fish, condiments and dairy; and a vegetarian-style diet rich in vegetables, soy milk and eggs, but no red meats or chicken.

Median sperm counts were highest among men who ate a healthy diet (167 million), followed by the vegetarian-style diet (151 million) and the Danish diet (146 million). (Median means half had higher counts, half lower.)

Men who followed a Western diet had the lowest median sperm count (122 million). They also had lower levels of some sex hormones that boost fertility, the investigators found.

Because men self-reported their eating habits, there is room for error and the findings could be skewed, the researchers said.

Dr Christine Mullin, chief of fertility at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York, reviewed the findings.

Mullin said that while many diets improve inflammation, heart and mental health, studies of dietary effects on fertility have been limited.

"It is well known that environmental effects of smoking, radiation, pesticides and heavy metals negatively affect spermatogenesis, but little is known on dietary effects on sperm quality," she said.

While these findings from Danish men may not apply to other populations, Mullin suggested it would be an important study to repeat in the United States, as the Western diet had the most negative effects on sperm quality.

"If we could emphasise diet not only for women, but also for men in regard to fertility success, then we could improve the disease in a similar fashion that diet has improved cardiac health," she said.

The report was published online in JAMA Network Open.

READ |First baby born from use of lab-matured frozen egg

READ |Fish oil supplements might help men become dads

READ |Early miscarriages: Study finds link to frequent dagga use in men

Image credit: iStock

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Can men eat their way to a higher sperm count? - Health24

Baked chicken recipes that can easily fit in a high-protein meal.

Highlights

It's no secret that a high-protein diet is essential for our body. Not only it would help in building and retaining muscle mass, but it would also satiate us for longer period and curb those hunger pangs. And no, a high-protein diet needs not be all boring and bland; you can experiment and play with a plethora of high-protein foods to create mouth-watering dishes. While you might think of all things greasy and fried when thinking about chicken and mutton, you'll be surprised that you can even bake all those flavourful dishes and relish them without any guilty!

A mouth-watering chicken recipe packed with the flavours of black pepper and chilli. The whole chicken is stuffed with spring onion paste, garlic, rice, chilli and mint and baked for about 40 minutes until tender. A perfect party dish, this whole chicken recipe is one of the easiest one to try at home. Find the recipe here.

(Also Read:11 Best Baked Chicken Recipes | Easy Baked Chicken Recipes)

Give your breakfast a delicious twist with this quick and easy baked eggs recipe. With the goodness of veggies such as spinach and cherry tomatoes mixed in with egg, this dish is baked to perfection for about 5-6 minutes. A quick and easy breakfast recipe, you wouldn't go back to your regular egg and toast!Find the recipe here

This comes with mouth-watering flavours of honey, tomato sauce, beans and other vegetables. Baked eggs with beans can be a great crowd pleaser with everyone from kids to adults drooling over it.Find the recipe here

Soft, succulent, juicy and all things delicious, baked chicken seekh has all the mild Indian flavours, tossed in with chicken keema, made into kebabs and baked to crispy perfection. Simply pair with your favourite dip and serve as a stellar appetiser at your next house party.Find the recipe here.

Try these high-protein baked recipes at home and let us know how you liked them in the comments section.

About Aanchal MathurAanchal doesn't share food. A cake in her vicinity is sure to disappear in a record time of 10 seconds. Besides loading up on sugar, she loves bingeing on FRIENDS with a plate of momos. Most likely to find her soulmate on a food app.

Continued here:
High-Protein Diet: Indulge In These 4 Delicious Baked Recipes Without Any Guilt - NDTV Food

People often ask me if I am vegetarian. My reply is, no. Im just Greek.

I was raised in the village of Argos, Greece. In Greece, when I was growing up, our diet was predominately plant-based, although we did eat a minimal amount of animal-based foods like fish and dairy.

As a child, I used to eat haloumi cheese. My mother used to tell us eat very little of that cheese. With each mouthful of haloumi, have another mouthful of bread and a little bit of tomato sauce to go with it. This instruction was to ensure you ate bread to fill you up. Haloumi cheese was only put on the plate as a way to add flavour and to add taste to the bread.

People often ask me if I am vegetarian. My reply is, no. Im just Greek.

These days, some people eat Mediterranean foods like haloumi cheese because its part of the Mediterranean diet, which is considered to be healthy. But, if the bite of cheese is a lot larger than the biscuit or bread it is served on, that is not really the Mediterranean way.

Its these sort of practices, which differ from the way people in the Mediterranean used to eat, which makes the Mediterranean diet very much misunderstood.

The Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest diets in the world, is the traditional diet that people in Mediterranean countries followed before the 1960s.

Although the philosophies of the traditional diet are still very sound from an environmental, health and affordability perspective, the modern Mediterranean diet is merely an interpretation of the traditional diet. In my opinion, regrettably, many of the true traditional Mediterranean diet and its practical aspects have gone.

The Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest diets in the world, is the traditional diet that people in Mediterranean countries followed before the 1960s.

The traditional Mediterranean diet features locally produced, seasonal foods that are in their natural state and have not been processed. The only processing exception is wheat that has been milled for the purpose of making bread.

Meanwhile, the modern Mediterranean diet people eat today includes a lot of highly processed and packaged foods.

In the past, the bread consumed in Greece was sourdough made with wheat that had been milled in a traditional stone mill. Bread makers sifted the flour to get rid of the bran and that was all the processing done. Meanwhile, the modern bread we eat undergoes a lot more processing.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is also meant to be plant-based with a small amount of animal-based foods like cheese, eggs, milk and fish. Meat served in small proportions, was only eaten once a month or once a week. We would cook it with green beans or potatoes, and the meat was hidden in the vegetables.

But that the traditional Mediterranean diet wasnt just about specific types of food eaten. It was also about how you ate food and the customs surrounding it.

For example, traditionally, meat was always cooked with the bones still in it.When we had finished eating the meat, we licked the bones clean. Now, theres a lot of waste as people often dont cook meat with the bones still in it. That means people miss out on all the extra nutrients.

But that the traditional Mediterranean diet wasnt just about specific types of food eaten. It was also about how you ate food and the customs surrounding it.

One of the most common dishes in the Mediterranean region is the traditional salad. It consisted primarily of vegetables dressed with olive oil and lemon and was eaten practically with every meal. The idea of the salad was that it provided the vitamin C required to absorb iron from your animal or plant-based protein in your main meal.

If people these days eat a main meal but dont consume a salad, they are not staying true to the nutritional principles behind the Mediterranean diet.

The other custom associated with the Mediterranean salad was the dipping of the bread in salad juice. This was done to mop up the nutrients left behind in the salad juice. So even if you eat a traditional salad but throw out the juice, the most nutritious part of your salad will have gone down the sink.

These days, it may prove hard to follow the traditional style of unprocessed Mediterranean diet as it was intended without growing all the vegetables yourself and milling your own wheat.

But people can follow the simple ways of Mediterranean diet and eat fresh food, in season thats grown locally.

However, the most important step that home cooks should stick to, if they want to say as true to the traditional diet as they can, is to choose unprocessed plant foods and follow a substantially vegetarian diet.

Always aim to eat naturally, not just healthily.

Mark is a traditional Mediterranean diet enthusiast and an honorary research fellow at La Trobe University, researching various aspects of thetraditional Mediterranean diet.

Original post:
Why the Mediterranean diet you follow may not be as traditional as you think - SBS

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Making smart food choices is the key to eating and living healthy. But now, the latest research shows that when we eat is just as important as what we eat.

Why, you ask? Because as it turns out, biological activities like metabolism are closely linked to our circadian rhythm. "Your metabolism changes throughout the day because of your circadian rhythm or natural body clock," tells Jessica Tong, a Vancouver-based registered dietitian. "In the morning, in response to daylight and food, insulin sensitivity increases and melatonin decreases, making you feel alert and energized. Meanwhile, in the evening, melatonin levels go up and insulin sensitivity decreases, preparing your body for rest and cell repair," she explains.

Experts argue that aligning your mealtime with your circadian rhythm can help maximize weight loss, improve endurance, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and lower blood pressure, among other things.

But firstly, what exactly is circadian rhythm?

"Your circadian rhythm is basically a 24-hour internal clock that is running in the background of your brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. It's also known as your sleep/wake cycle," states the National Sleep Foundation.

"Sleep affects two hormones in the body, which regulate hungerghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates your appetite while leptin does the opposite," tells Harley Pasternak, celebrity nutritionist, personal trainer and author of The Body Reset Diet Cookbook. "When your body is sleep-deprived it throws off your circadian rhythm, increasing ghrelin levels and decreasing leptin in the bodywhich can lead to increased hunger and sugar cravings," he points out.

Besides inadequate shut-eye, other factors like jet lag, medications and irregular work hours can also mess with your circadian rhythm.

"A disrupted circadian rhythm may lead to increased production of insulin in your body," says Tong. Insulin is a hormone that's responsible for helping the cells in our body metabolize and properly use nutrients obtained from food. "Chronically elevated insulin levels can result in an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes," notes the dietitian.

Circadian Rhythm Diet 101

"Your natural body clock is synchronized with your external environment through cues like exposure to light and the timing of your meals," says Tong. The circadian rhythm diet, also known as the body clock diet, is basically a form of time-restricted eating plan where you eat in sync with this internal clock.

"This means that you eat during the daylight hours, within a window of 12 hours or less and fast for the remaining 12 or more hours each day," Tong explains. "Ideally, aim to make breakfast and lunch your larger meals and dinner your smaller meal of the day," she suggests.

While anyone can benefit from this diet, it's particularly suitable for people who have metabolic diseases, like obesity and type 2 diabetes, says Tong. "It may also help those who are trying to cut down evening or late-night snacking and require some boundaries to help break the habit," she adds. But before you kickstart your new diet, don't forget to speak with your doctor or dietitian first, Tong advises.

How to do time-restricted eating right

For beginners, Pasternak suggests dividing your calorie intake into three main meals and two snacks, with the four pillars of food included in every meala high-quality protein (like fish or dairy), plenty of vegetables, a handful of quality fiber and healthy fats. "I also recommend incorporating fermented foods in your daily meals. Yogurt and cheese are some great options," adds the nutritionist.

Additionally, have your morning meal within two hours of waking up. A typical healthy breakfast consists of key nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins and healthy fats. "One of my favorite go-to meals in the morning is a smoothie. I like to hide some of my nutrients in there," says Pasternak. "I like to throw in nuts, avocado, berries, whey protein, even fermented dairy in it," tells the fitness expert.

At night, go for a lighter meal like baked salmon, black bean soup, avocado toast or a salad bowl.

Pasternak also suggests having a glass of warm milk as you wind down for bed as it may help you sleep better. "Some studies indicate that tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in milk and other protein-packed foods, may have a calming effect," he says.

More importantly, "note that just because you are eating within a time-restricted window doesn't mean that it's okay to make poor food choices during this time," says Tong. "Choosing nutrient-dense foods and practicing portion control is still important," she adds.

Other than that, aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night, says Pasternak. "Cut out caffeine after noon, shut down electronics 30 minutes before bed andif you need tolisten to a sound machine at night to drown out noises that may disrupt your sleep," he suggests.

And lastly, try to be consistent with your routine because the more regular your sleeping and eating habits are, the better your circadian rhythm works.

More:
Everything You Need To Know About The Circadian Rhythm Diet - Forbes

Its time to bug out. Literally.

Global warming and drastic climate change are wreaking havoc on our planet, thanks in part to a growing global population that relies on animals (especially in the developed world) for its protein.

Animal farming has unduly contributed to greenhouse gasses, deforestation in the Amazon and African rainforests and, according to the Guardian, farming uses up to 92% of our freshwater, with nearly one-third of that related to animal products.

And then theres the coronavirus, which experts think was spawned in a filthy wet market in Wuhan, China, that sold bats, birds, endangered pangolins and other animals that can carry and transmit diseases.

So, this week, during a trip to Mexico City, I decided to try out a bug-based diet.

Rocio Vazquez Landeta, the founder of Eat Like a Local a food tour company in Mexico City took me to the La Merced Market near the airport for some fresh fried insects.

Insects were a very important part of the pre-Hispanic diet, from mosquitoes eggs, ants larva, grasshoppers, worms, flying ants and more, Vazquez Landeta said. Aztecs included insects on their daily diet.

At a stall near the back of the massive maze-like market we had a buffet of cocopaches beetles, chinicuiles worms, chicatanas (flying ants), chapulinas grasshoppers, alacranes scorpions and 2-inch long cockroaches.

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

I have had grasshoppers and crickets before in Mexico City they serve them everywhere, even at the Four Seasons but everything else was new, and, frankly, a bit stomach-turning to look at. I am not alone in my aversion.

Oh, God, no! moaned a friend when I told her what I was doing a reaction echoed by friends on Facebook when I posted a pic of the bugs I was about to eat. Even the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization noted in a 2013 study the general publics common prejudice against eating insects.

But, as the U.N. also noted, the prejudice is not justified from a nutritional point of view.

And insects are a sustainable source of protein according to Vazquez Landeta, 100 grams of mosquito eggs have 54 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, lots of iron, vitamin B and riboflavin.

The same amount of grasshopper contains 20 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat.

Bugs also have a much softer impact on the environment than, say, cows, sheep or pigs.

According to the U.N., the worldwide livestock industry accounts for over 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By comparison, cricket production is 20 times more efficient as a protein source than cattle, and produces 80 times less methane.

Additionally, insects can thrive on organic waste, allowing farmers to cut back on growing the grain used in animal feed, which requires significant energy and water resources, Vazquez Landeta said. The rearing of insects requires dramatically less food than raising beef. For example, according to the FAO, insects consume just 2 pounds of feed to produce 1 pound of meat, while cattle require 8 pounds of feed to generate 1 pound of beef. Thats why the U.N. called forswapping burgers for bugs.

Insect farming makes economic sense as well.

As insects are cold-blooded, they require less energy to stay warm. This helps explain why they are more efficient at converting feed into protein, Vazquez Landeta said. Consider that crickets need four times less feed than sheep, 12 times less than cattle, and half as much as broiler chickens and pigs to produce the same amount of protein.

So, I tested what many think is the future of food. And it was not bad.

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Paula Froelich

Once I got over my initial squeamishness (having been stung by a scorpion before, I am not a fan and who is into worms?), it was a fascinating experiment. The chicatanas were better than corn nuts, the crickets were, as always, delicious, and the cocopaches beetles were innocuous.

Oddly, my favorite were the chinicuiles worms, which were surprisingly flavorful and had the consistency of airy French fries. The scorpions tasted like bad beer (the smaller ones were actually fine, the larger ones just greasy), and then Vazquez Landeta proffered up a 2-inch long cockroach.

The reticulated bug looked like a Madagascar hissing cockroach, which are high in protein, calcium and fiber, and are said to taste like greasy fried chicken (doesnt everything?) but they are just repulsive to look at. It was also the only bug I gagged at.

But a 2-year-old nearby wanted to split it with me, and I wasnt about to be shown up by a toddler, so I split it with her. Thankfully she picked the fatter abdomen portion, leaving me the head and legs. I popped it in my mouth as my stomach clenched it was tasteless, with a hard, pumpkin seed-like shell that refuses to disintegrate under mastication. I finally swallowed it with the help of a nearby vodka shot.

The verdict: Bugs are fine. Tasty even and I could see serving up a bowl of flying ants, crickets, grasshoppers or worms at a Super Bowl party.

But the cockroaches are a hard pass.

Read more from the original source:
I taste-tested a bug diet, the sustainable protein that could save the world - New York Post

Weight loss is achieved in the kitchen - and eating the right foods can boost success. The NHS have their own 12 week diet plan, with a specific food advised at breakfast time.

Kicking off week one of their plan, the NHS tell dieters to make sure there is plenty of fibre in their meals.

This is particularly true at breakfast time - often thought of as the most important meal of the day.

They said: "Adding some fibre to your breakfast can help you stay feeling full until lunch and reduce the urge for a midmorning snack.

"Eating food with lots of fibre will help you feel full for longer, so youre more likely to stick to your calorie limit."

READ MORE:Adele weight loss: Expert claims 'easy' diet plan behind incredible 7st transformation

So, what exactly should dieters prepare in the morning to get the right amount of fibre in their meals?

The NHS suggest two easy ways to modify popular breakfast foods to make them fibre-rich.

Swap white bread for wholemeal or wholegrain varieties.

Swap sugary cereals for high-fibre cereals such as wholegrain wheat cereals, unsweetened muesli, or porridge oats, and dont forget to check the salt content.

They also remind dieters that eating the skin on fruits such as apples and pears adds in natural fibre, and eating fruit and vegetables is a healthy, low-calorie way to fill up.

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The NHS suggestions are a good way to get started - but more those with more confidence in the kitchen might want to prepare food from scratch. Some of the best high fibre breakfast foods include:

Best high fibre cereals

The NHS suggests a list of the best wholegrain cereals to choose. They also recommed chopping up a banana to add on top for extra sweetness.

Exercise is also a key part of losing weight, and eating the right foods to fuel a workout is key to success.

Personal trainer and TV guru Jessie Pavelka explained what foods you should eat before training to get the best results.

He said: Whether it be running, cycling, yoga, that short and fiery HIIT session, or readying yourself for a weight session at the gym, were all guilty of failing to take a second to pause and think about how were fuelling our body pre-workout.

What slimmers eat depends on the type of workout they are about to do and it can make a huge difference to the results.

Read more:
Weight loss: NHS advise this is the best breakfast food to add to your diet plan to slim - Express

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