Nutrition: What you should Know About Nutritional Facts

Nutrition facts are essential when you buy vegetables because they can help you maintain a healthy diet. Some relevant nutrition facts are the calorie, sodium, carbohydrate, and vitamins present in each vegetable.

Where should I buy my vegetables?

While supermarkets offer many different kinds of fresh produce, smaller shops provide locally grown fruits and vegetables that might be more affordable or have interesting varieties not found in supermarkets. Online retailers sell all kinds of fresh food, including fruit and vegetable, at reasonable prices.

The next thing to consider is where you buy the vegetables. It is best to buy them from a grocery store or farmer’s market. You should avoid buying them from convenience stores or fast-food restaurants, as these vegetables are usually of lower quality.

Another thing to consider is where you purchase them. Buying fruits and vegetables in season will give you produce nutrition facts at their highest value, so try to buy them locally if possible.

You should also take into consideration how you prepare the vegetables. It is best not to fry or heavily salt your vegetables. If possible, steam or boil your vegetables without adding any additional ingredients (e.g., butter, cheese). Finally, it is crucial to maintain a healthy diet. This includes limiting the number of fried foods you eat and increasing the fresh produce you.

When to buy vegetables?

When buying vegetables, it is essential to look at the nutrition facts of each vegetable. It would help if you kept in mind some nutrition facts: the calorie content, sodium content, carbohydrate content, and vitamins present in each vegetable. Another thing to consider is where you purchase them from. Buying fruits and vegetables in season will give you produce with their highest value. Finally, it is vital to maintain a healthy diet by limiting fried foods and increasing fresh produce consumption each day.

Fun Recipes with Nutritious Vegetables

What can you do with vegetables? You can incorporate vegetables into a wide variety of dishes: noodles, soup, omelets, quiches… the list goes on! No matter how picky an eater you are, it is hard to resist delicious and healthy recipes.

For those who want to try something new but don’t want to stray from their diet too much, try making these delicious vegetable muffins that only require a few essential ingredients. Many of these vegetables can be found at local grocery stores.

Vegetable recipes can be very delicious when made correctly. There are many different ways to make vegetables, like frying them or baking them. Just keep in mind that the more you fry your vegetables, the less healthy they become. If you want a variety of recipes for vegetables, try looking online for new and innovative ways to prepare them!

If you want a variety of recipes for vegetables, try looking online for new and innovative ways to prepare them! Some ideas might be muffins or dipping sauces that add flavor without too much salt or sugar. You can also try eating your previously cooked vegetables cold. The taste might be a bit different, but the lack of heat preserves the enzymes and nutrients that would have been lost if you had cooked them again.

Summer is a great time to enjoy delicious fruit salads! Fruit contains a lot of sugar, which makes it sweet and tasty. However, too much sugar can cause weight gain, limiting your intake. Make sure you drink water along with your fruit because it will help flush out toxins from your body faster. You can choose to enjoy your vegetables with some juicy proteins or maybe refined cocktails such as Daiquiri or Skinny Freezer Vodka Martini. Either way, fresh, nutritious vegetables complement any dish or snack.

Natural And Healthier Approach To Beauty

Can your skin become more clear and smoother than it is? Can your hair be any silkier, more voluminous, or stronger? Can you have amazing skin or hair without spending a fortune on beauty salons and various treatments?

The quick answer is yes! However, you have to start your new regimen as soon as possible. You must implement a new healthy skin care program and follow the basic skin care tips: you’ll have to eat nutritious food, have an active lifestyle, wash your hair and moisturize your skin with natural ingredients and pay attention to your overall health. However, keep in mind that there is no magic food or drink that will make you look forever young. Diet does work, but it won’t do wonders.

Here are a few skin care tips that will help you look awesome:

1) Focus on protein

Protein is the building block of nails, hair, and skin. They are made of collagen, keratin, and elastin, which are all proteins. These proteins make our skin elastic, they make it stronger and ward off wrinkles. Fortunately, the average diet already consists of a healthy dose of protein – eggs, legumes, meat, chicken, fish, and dairy foods. We should eat protein, but too much protein won’t help our skin and hair look better. Any excess protein will be just stored as fat, so don’t overeat! Of course, if you are an athlete and go through a heavy training program, you have higher protein requirements. Huge steaks and protein shake work for athletes, but it can lead to quick weight gain if you are not physically active.

• tip – make sure you have at least one serving of lean meats, legumes, seafood, or eggs every day

2) Seafood – enjoying the good fats

Your body needs fat, and it definitely needs good fat. But where do you find good fat? You definitely won’t find good fat in your pastry or pie. The good fat, mainly the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fats are found in fish and seafood. They are called essential fats because your body cannot produce them – you have to eat them. And you have to get them from good sources.

Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats produce prostaglandins, which help your immune system and reduce inflammation of your body. Omega-3 fats stop inflammation, boosts the immune response, and suppresses blood clotting. Omega-6 fats are critical for healthy skin and prevent allergic responses. If you want to have healthy skin, we need a good balance of both omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Just by eating a small serving of fish every week, preferably oily fish, like salmon, tuna, or sardines, increases the amount of omega-3 in your body. If you don’t eat fish, flaxseed is a great option. Omega-6 fats can also be found in fish and various types of seafood. Try to have at least one serving per week to get your healthy fat dose.

Recent studies have shown that large doses of fish oil (3 to 4 grams) improve dermatitis and psoriasis in most, but not all patients. However, higher amounts of fats are prone to oxidation, so don’t overdose on omega-3 and omega-6 tablets.

3) Iron – providing vitality and luster

Are you constantly tired and lacking in energy? If yes, it may be a symptom of low iron. In time, your hair, skin, and nails may suffer if you are lacking in iron. The skin may become itchy, pale and it can even crack at the side of the mouth. For instance, nails can become brittle and develop stripes, or can become spoon-shaped. Also, you may shed more hair and it will become frail and dry.

• tip – try to eat foods rich in iron, like meat; typically, the redder the meat, the more iron it contains; if you don’t eat meat, you can get plenty of iron from legumes and whole grains; also, eat foods high in vitamin C, as it boosts iron absorption;

4) Muesli – the whole grain bomb

Swapping your daily croissant and cornies with oats and muesli will boost your intake of essential fats, vitamins E and B, and other potent antioxidants. The B vitamins can easily be considered the skin vitamins and help cure itchy dry skin. Whole grains are massively beneficial for your overall health – the bran, the endosperm, and the germ are where the good nutrients are and you should get them all in your diet.

• tip – make a muesli meal by combining whole grain oats, dried fruit, and almonds; soak everything in low-fat milk and enjoy it with yogurt and extra fruit;

5) Nuts – the amazing nutritious nuggets

Nuts are excellent superfoods and they should be part of your healthy skin care regimen. They are packed with vitamins B and E and essential fats. They are excellent even for people recovering from heart attacks. Studies have shown that a serving of 50 grams of peanuts per day reduces the risk of heart attack by 20 percent. Eating nuts regularly also has excellent benefits for your skin, hair, and nails.

• Tip – nuts are excellent snacks – a small handful of nuts will give you energy and keep your skin and hair in amazing shape; try to eat a small serving (30 to 50 grams) every day;

6) Fruits – excellent sources of vitamin C

Vitamin C is a core component of your healthy skin care regimen. Vitamin C is essential to make collagen, the natural cement for your whole body. Collagen is the fibrous tissue under the skin that provides structure and shape. As we age, we lose collagen, making our skin less elastic, making wrinkles more visible.

Vitamins C and E are also excellent antioxidants that slow down damage to the skin. Large doses of vitamin C and E also protects your skin against sunburns and irritations. Try to have at least one serving of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables every day, particularly citrus fruits and kiwi.

How to keep yourself healthy and fit at home during the pandemic

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is tough on everyone. As we stay at home, work from home, and practice social distancing, it’s easy to put our health on the back burner. Being active, staying healthy and fit, and getting a good sleep schedule is tough during normal times. However it seems to be much more difficult during the pandemic. And it’s even more difficult if we have to care for other family members as well…

However, no matter if you are a caregiver, a person working from home, or have COVID-19 symptoms and you’re in self-isolation, there are some things you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yes, it is possible, but you’ll have to have a plan and stick to it. Being active and having a healthy diet can also improve your mental health, it makes you feel optimistic, it reduces stress levels and anxiety. It’s an amazing booster for your overall health. And it only takes a little effort. Here’s what to do:

Choosing the best food – choose fresh, plant-based foods as often as possible

Grocery options are usually limited – after all, you can buy only what you find in the local supermarket. Try to make the most out of it. Start by focusing on fresh foods as opposed to frozen foods. Shelf-stable items will help reduce waste and will ensure you are eating healthy foods, not the processed ones. Frozen foods are frozen for a reason – they are designed to be eaten months or even years after they were produced. And fresh is always better when compared to frozen. You’ll just have to make sure they are clean.

If you choose frozen veggies or fruits, mix them with fresh vegetables if possible. A good idea is to saute them and serve with rice or whole wheat pasta. Try to make extra colorful dishes – include multiple types of vegetables and fruit. This means more vitamins and micronutrients in a single meal. Also, always opt for plant-based foods. A meal should be two-thirds plant-based; the other third should include lean animal protein or plant-based protein.

Don’t eat meals high in salt, sugar or saturated fat

We all crave salty, sugary, or fatty foods, but try to eat them as rarely as possible. For instance, when doing your grocery shopping, try to limit the number of processed foods you purchase. The majority of them have huge amounts of salt and sugar, added to preserve the food and make it last longer. The same goes for frozen foods – like frozen pizza or frozen pasta.

A healthy diet should include minimal or no processed foods. What’s more, processed foods make you gain weight faster and will create major health problems. Always read the nutrition label before buying your food. Here’s a guide to help you:

• salty foods – CDC recommends limiting the amount of salt in your diet to less than 2,300 milligrams per day. This is less than 1 teaspoon of salt per day

• added sugar – according to CDC, women should eat less than 25 grams of added sugar per day (six teaspoons); men should eat less than 37 grams of added sugar per day (nine teaspoons)

• saturated fat – try to avoid both saturated and trans fats if you want to be healthy and fit; instead, opt for healthy fats, like those that come from avocados or fish; fat is very important for our bodies, as it provides energy and support for cell function; fat also helps our bodies absorb various micro and macronutrients

Choose simple, healthy recipes

We rarely find the time and energy to cook, especially if we are talking about complex recipes. Planning simple, easy to create dishes can be a great alternative to this problem. What’s more, preparing multiple meals at once makes the process much more effective. Alternatively, you can use a slow cooker, which makes cooking much easier.

A fun thing to do when cooking is getting your kids involved. Give them simple, age-appropriate tasks. Even small children can help around the kitchen and will find it entertaining. The kitchen is a world of ingredients, tools, and small devices – there’s a job for everyone, you just have to get them involved.

Take more breaks

Reducing stress is key if you want a healthy and fit lifestyle. No matter what you are doing, working from home, minding the kids, or watching TV, it’s important to take breaks. Take frequent, shorter breaks, but don’t sit for most of the day. You should stretch your body to relieve the tension in your muscles or prevent injuries.

If you can’t take frequent breaks, try standing up or walking while working or talking on the phone. Use a standing desk if possible. Make it a goal to stand up at least an hour a day. Your muscles will feel better and your blood will start flowing better. Walking or meditating are also great ideas, but you’ll need more time to actually enjoy them.

Wash your hands frequently

This is probably the simplest and most effective thing you can do to be healthy during the pandemic. Washing your hands stops the spread of germs and helps you stay healthy. Use soap and water and make sure you scrub your hands – on the front, on the back and between your fingers; pay attention to your cuticles and under your nails; wash for at least 20 seconds before rinsing off the suds.

Drink plenty of water

Staying well-hydrated is crucial if you want to have a healthy diet. But how much is enough? Experts say that an adult should drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. Water doesn’t just hydrate you, it also stops your cravings; simply put, you won’t have the urge to reach out for carbohydrate-heavy snacks and sweet drinks. This means you’ll feel better and will lose weight faster.

The Best Immunity Booster Recipes

They say food is medicine. And during these times of increased focus on health, we try to get the best food to support our immune system. We call them immune-boosting recipes and they can be anything, as long as they’re healthy and packed with micro and macronutrients – main dishes, dips, sides, beverages, and salads.

These immunity booster foods and immunity booster drinks were compiled with a few immunity guidelines in mind:

• fruits and veggies rich in vitamin C – these include pineapples, oranges, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and bell peppers

• herbs and spices – such as cloves, turmeric, ginger, garlic, dill, basil and cardamom

• fermented foods – such as dairy or various types of pickled foods

• mushrooms – they are very rich in zinc, selenium, and B vitamins, and are well-known for their immune-boosting properties

• no or minimal sugar – sugar, particularly refined sugar is known as an immune system suppressor, so these recipes have very little added sugar

Let’s take a look at the best immunity booster recipes you can try at home:

Recipe #1 – Bone Broth

The first recipe on our list is bone broth, a simple type of soup, packed with nutrients for healthy bones, nails, and hair. It’s an amazing immunity booster food, rich in selenium, anti-oxidants, A and B vitamins, and selenium. Here’s the recipe:

You’ll need:

• a meaty chicken carcass, with skin and fat discarded
• one large onion, sliced
• one lemon
• one red chili, deseeded, sliced and halved
• one tablespoon of ground coriander
• ½ tablespoon of ground cumin
• one large garlic clove, grated
• a small pack of coriander, with stems and leaves, separated and chopped
• ½ lb wholegrain basmati rice (optional)

Step 1 – break the chicken carcass into a large pan, add the onion, ½ gallon of water, the lemon juice, and bay leaves. Put it on the stove, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly. This will make it easier to handle the chicken.

Step 2 – use a colander and scoop all the bones out. Pick through them, strip off the meat, and stir it together with the onion. Make sure to clean all the bones.

Step 3 – move the broth from the bowl to the pan, including the jellified roasting juices, together with the lemon zest, the garlic, the cumin, the coriander stems, and the ground coriander. Put the pan back on the stove and cook for a few minutes until bubbling. Don’t over boil the soup, as you will spoil the flavors. Taste and add seasoning if you want. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. When done, ladle the broth into small bowls and top them with rice.

Recipe #2 – Kale with chana and coconut

This is an amazing vegetarian immunity booster food that will make you feel better and more energetic. What’s more, it tastes wonderful – here’s what to do:

You’ll need:

• one tablespoon butter
• one onion, chopped
• one tablespoon turmeric, one tablespoon ground coriander
• two tablespoon tomato puree
• ½ lb of kale leaves finely shredded and large stalks removed
• ½ lb of canned chickpeas, drained
• four tablespoons of fresh coconut, grated
• four tablespoons Greek-style yogurt
• one tablespoon mango chutney

Step 1 – Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the onion and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up and add the spices and the ginger. Fry for 3 minutes until fragrant; add the tomato puree.

Step 2 – add the chickpeas, the stock, the kale, and about two-thirds of the coconut. Stir well, and cover the pan. Bring it to simmer and let the kale steam for 10 minutes. Add in the chutney and the yogurt, and season to taste. Don’t boil the mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stay warm.

Step 3 – heat a small saucepan. Add the garlic, and sizzle for about 1 minute, until the garlic turns golden. Put the mixture over the chickpeas and kale, and add the remaining coconut.

Recipe #3 – Summer porridge

Try this amazing summer porridge with jumbo oats and pink pomegranate seeds. A truly delightful immunity booster food to make at home!

You’ll need:

• 300 ml of almond milk
• ½ lb of blueberries
• ½ tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ lb jumbo oats
• two tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 kiwi fruit
• four tablespoon pomegranate seeds
• two tablespoon mixed seeds

Step 1 – Pour the almond milk, the blueberries, and the maple syrup in the blender, and mix until it turns purple. Add the chia seeds and the jumbo oats into a mixing bowl. Add the blueberry milk and leave everything to soak for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed.

Step 2 – Stir again, and divide it into two bowls. Arrange the seeds and fruit on the top. Keep in the fridge for 1 day. Add toppings before serving.

Recipe #4 – Green breakfast smoothie

This green breakfast smoothie is an amazing immunity booster drink that will make you feel awesome.

You’ll need:

• a handful of spinach, roughly chopped
• ¼ lb broccoli florets
• two celery sticks
• one banana
• 4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 300 ml rice milk (you can also use skimmed milk)
• ¼ tablespoon spirulina or 1 scoop of green powder (vegan protein powder)

What to do? Add all ingredients in a powerful blender and mix it until ready. You’ll have the perfect immunity booster drink in less than 2 minutes!

Recipe #5 – Green summer soup

This is an amazingly fresh summer soup you can make at home in about 10 minutes.

You’ll need:

• a splash of olive oil
• a bunch of spring onions, chopped
• 3 courgettes
• ½ lb of frozen peas
• 900 ml hot vegetable stock
• 6 tablespoons of trimmed watercress
• a large handful of mint

Step 1 – Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and courgettes and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, add the peas and stock and leave to boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and add the mint and watercress.

Step 2 – add the yogurt and puree everything in a powerful blender. Add seasoning if you want. Serve either hot or cold, drizzled with extra yogurt.