Discover Healthy Convenience Foods For Special Dietary Needs

With new discoveries made in medicine and technology, we are becoming more aware of how food is impacting our everyday lives. Many times, convenience foods do not fit into these dietary needs. Carbohydrates, gluten, and sugars have become unwanted elements in so many diets. There are still a few staples when it comes to healthy convenience food for special dietary needs. Here we'll take a look at foods covering the low carb, gluten free, and diabetic areas of need:

Low Carb

· Nuts and Seeds – Jammed full of protein and antioxidants, nuts and seeds are a great convenience food for the low carb diet. It is important to get the raw nuts and seeds as opposed to the ones that are roasted, salted, candied, or any other form of preparation. These prepared varieties generally have high levels of sugars and sodium.

· Jerky – There are a variety of meats used to make jerky, each with its own unique flavor and nutritional content. You can find naturally cured turkey jerky, beef jerky, and venison jerky now through many distributors. Jerky is low carb and low fat, even the beef jerky. That is because all the fat is trimmed off before smoking to keep the product from becoming rancid. Of course, turkey and venison are naturally low in fat. Avoid the over-seasoned and flavored varieties; you don't need them. The plain jerky is mighty flavorful all by itself.

· Cheese – A great snack to carry around, cheese is not only filling, but also a great source of calcium and protein. And, you can hardly get tired of it. With so many variations of cheeses, you can have a different cheese every day for weeks or months and not repeat once. You say you like your cheese with crackers? There are also a variety of low carb crackers on the market. If you're worried about calories, choose cheeses made with skim milk.

Gluten Free

· Larabars – An all natural, nutrient dense bar, made with figs and numerous other organic ingredients, Larabars have made a home in the gluten free diet of convenience foods. With flavors like Cashew Cookie, Apple Pie Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Carrot Cake, you have a wide array of choices with Larabars.

· Plantain Chips – While many chips use gluten to hold them together, plantain chips offer a delicious sweet and salty crunch that is almost irresistible. A brother to bananas, plantains hold their consistency and flavor better than most other dried fruits.

Diabetic

· Beans – Beans are a staple in most diabetic diets. Of course, while salt and additives can be controlled better when you soak and cook your own beans, canned beans are a great substitute. Look for cans packed in water or natural juices, and avoid beans packed in preservative-dense liquid. You'll find many canned beans have already eliminated the preservatives, but many still include a good deal of salt. Just rinse them well before eating.

· Fresh Vegetables – While fresh fruits are often a caution to diabetics, most fresh vegetables are good to go. Vegetables that are high in water content are a perfect food choice for diabetics. Vegetables high in starch can pose a problem, but those are usually easily identifiable; these include vegetables such as corn and potatoes. Stick with carrots, peppers, celery, spinach, and many other leafy greens to avoid any possible issues. For convenience sake, buy already cut up vegetables or cut them up as soon as you get them home and store in zip-lock bags so they're ready when you are.

If you have special dietary needs, there is no reason you should have to be tied down to stirring a pot all day. There are plenty of convenience foods out there for you, just make sure you pay attention to the labels and check with your physician before beginning a new diet.

Healthy Breakfast – Kids on Eggs and Sandwich Delights

By Kiera S. Campbell

For some, children and nutrition needs can be addressed by the first meal of the day – breakfast. According to “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know”, this meal is the most important as it decides all your eating patterns for the rest of the day. If you eat less than the necessary nutrients which should be enough to equip you until lunch (or at least until the mid-morning snack), then you would get hungry at an earlier time, putting your system and eating habits out of whack.

For this article, I asked my kids and their friends (mostly the neighbor kids) as to what they really wanted for breakfast. They unanimously said that they are partial to eggs and sandwiches because it’s not messy to eat, easy to prepare and if there’s no more time, they can usually bring it to the school bus so that they could just eat it there.

Letting them browse through my recipe directory, here are their top picks:

Frittatas.

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat oven-safe skillet over medium high heat.

3.Fry 1 lb of mild Italian turkey sausage (sold at your local deli), and brown on all sides.

4.Add 2 cups of frozen hash browns, some onions and bell peppers. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes.

5.In a bowl, whisk 6 eggs, ½ cup of milk, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Pour over hash browns and sausage. Cook until almost set.

6.Sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and transfer to preheated oven. Cook until the cheese has melted.

Bacon Sandwich.

1.Split English muffins in half and toast.

2.Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 pieces of bacon. (Beware the oil splatter.) Cook until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels.

3.Scramble 2 eggs. (Don’t forget to add some salt and pepper to taste!) Cook eggs in pan until eggs are set. Remove from heat.

4.Put a slice of cheese, a piece of bacon and half of the egg on top of one English muffin half. Cover with the other half of the muffin for a perfect sandwich.

Egg sandwich.

1.Mix 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of mustard, and ½ teaspoon of chopped fresh dill. Spread over toasted bread.

2.On one slice, layer with some sliced hard-boiled egg, a tomato slice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cover using the other slice of bread.

My daughter has a variation of this as she wants to add a slice of cheese and a romaine lettuce leaf to it before eating.

Having a healthy breakfast is no big deal. Allow your child to decide on what to eat (as long as you pre-screened the choices) – this will ensure that she won’t go to class with an empty, growling tummy.

Looking for more tips like these on cooking healthy for kids? Head on over to yummyhealthytummy.com to get more tips and information not only on how you can serve healthy food to your kids, but more importantly, on how you can get your kids to LOVE eating healthy.

Remember, healthy eating is the best weapon we can leave our children with that will help them live longer and healthier lives free from diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. Start now while your kids are still young!

Easy And Healthy Snacking Solutions For Pregnant Women

Having healthy convenience foods around during pregnancy will make it easier to stay on track with your nutrition while keeping your health stable. Pregnancy can take a toll on your body, your baby's body, your teeth, hair, nails, and skin. That's why your first job is to eat healthy.

During pregnancy, it is vitally important to eat the right foods. The baby will take all of the nutrients it needs to grow. If you don't replace those nutrients, and then some, your body will suffer. Here are a few fast foods that are nutritious and delicious:

Tuna

Tuna is a great convenience food. Not only is it a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but it is extremely versatile for consumption. Great in salads, on crackers, or even right from the can, tuna is one of the best grab-and-go foods around. Just make sure it is packed in water and not oil in order to get the healthiest snack.

Beans

High in protein and fiber, beans are a quick and easy addition to any meal. There are many types of beans to suit any taste. Many beans are packaged in natural juices, which keep the additives down and the health benefits up. Choose black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, or any of the other varieties that appeal to you. Mix and match in a soup or salad for the ultimate in healthy foods.

Yogurt

If you are looking for some of that good healthy digestive tract bacteria, yogurt is a great way to get it. Loaded with probiotics, yogurt can prevent a loss of bone calcium, reduce the risk of high blood pressure, and keep your digestive tract healthy. That is not to mention that it's tasty and fills you up. Mix in some fruit and a little granola, and you have a full meal deal.

Hard Cheese

Pregnant women should avoid soft cheese because many soft cheeses, for instance brie, are not pasteurized. Most hard cheeses are fine because they have been properly cooked. These hard cheeses are also ultra-portable and packed with nutrients. Swiss, Parmesan, Asiago, and Smoked Gouda are a few you might recognize.

Trail Mix and Granola

Consisting of a simple mix of nuts, grains and dried fruits, trail mix and granola are great for soon-to-be moms on the go. Packed full of fiber, trail mix will fill you up and keep you regular. Usually a little sweet or salty, trail mix and granola make excellent snacks when cravings strike. Mix a little in your yogurt and you've got lunch.

Veggies

Just like fruits, fresh veggies are a fantastic, healthy snack. Easy to carry around, fresh veggies provide a host of health benefits. If you are not a fan of plain vegetables, skip the ranch dressing which is loaded with sodium and other unhealthy items and opt for a fat-free yogurt dip. Make your own quick dip out of yogurt and add all your favorite herbs for an ultra-healthy treat.

Snack Bars

Already prepackaged, snack bars are available in everything from fiber-filled to all-natural. The ultimate grab and go snack, bars are not only convenient, but nutrient dense so you get all of your vitamins and minerals without all of the calories. Be sure to carefully read the label to make sure that your healthy snack bar doesn't contain lots of sugar or salt.

There are many healthy convenient foods available for pregnant women. With all the options you have available, you should be completely satisfied throughout your nine months. With a little extra thought and planning, you can have healthy convenience foods on hand and avoid getting to the point of desperately rummaging for chips and ice cream.

Enhance Your Fitness Program With Healthy Convenience Foods

Not many people combine the thought of getting in shape with convenience foods. It isn't a typical association that takes place when discussing fitness programs. Convenience food isn't usually considered the epitome of healthy eating, but there are some convenience foods perfectly suited for healthy living. Let's take a look at three categories and their healthier convenience food choices while on a fitness program:

Snacks

Everyone who is on a diet and exercise program knows that small snacks throughout the day helps the body metabolism stay on track. The trick is to choose snacks that are low in calories and high in nutrients so the calories you do consume are not empty.

There are many foods that qualify in this category. Consider nibbling on a half cup of raw almonds or walnuts for a real power boost. Celery dipped in hummus is another quick pick-me-up that not only adds nutrition but also much needed hydration for the body. If you make your own hummus, save some of those garbanzo beans and roast them in a little olive oil; then lightly salt and you've got a crunchy snack that's ready when you are.

Adding low fat yogurt to your list of snack foods will not only give you another source of calcium and protein, but will also provide healthy bacteria which aids in digestion. Dried fruits are a quick way to sweeten up the yogurt without adding refined sugar. Fresh and frozen fruit will also perk up that cup of yogurt. Throw in a bit of healthy granola for crunch and even more nutrition.

Ready-made trail mix and snack bars are an especially fast way to get a bit of nutrition in your system. Be sure to check the label of any prepackaged food to be sure of the different health benefits. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, choose your snack accordingly.

Drinks

Of all the convenient drinks you can consume, believe it or not, water is the best. Helping to flush extra fats from your body, drinking liberal amounts of water throughout the day can have a dramatic effect on your fitness levels. If your fitness program includes extreme exercise, weight lifting, running, walking long periods of time, you can add bottles of vitamin-enhanced and electrolyte balancing water to add additional nutrition.

A great option for adding nutrition to your diet while you're in a fitness program is with fruit and vegetable smoothies. You don't need fancy equipment, just a blender. Add milk, banana, flax seed, and honey for a tasty and nutrient-rich drink. Other fruits and berries, like papaya and blueberries, are known for their super-food status among fitness folks. Mix up a variety of drinks using whole foods for the best results.

If you are seriously working out on a regular basis, there are a variety of drinks available on the market to help with your fitness goals. Protein shakes and other forms of energy supplements can be found at health food stores or online. Beware that these supplements are meant for the serious fitness buff. If you are lifting weights, building muscle, or training for a marathon, you may consider these in addition to your daily dose of water and nutrient rich foods.

Meals

Large convenient meals don't exist. At least healthy ones don't. While you could swing by the local burger joint and pack on enough calories to feed a small village, this is not the way to go when trying to get healthy. By keeping meals smaller, you can retain the convenience factor and maintain your healthy goals.

Salads probably come to mind first when thinking of low calorie nutritious meals. You can add the convenience factor by buying bagged, cut up vegetables when you can. Make your salads with a variety of greens, topped with tuna, or shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Include a healthy mix of veggies, top with nuts and a sliced hard boiled egg for a filling meal that's good for you. Use a light homemade vinaigrette dressing instead of a bottled creamy dressing like Ranch, Bleu Cheese, or Thousand Island to avoid the unwanted calories, fat, salt, and even sugar.

Also, beans such as black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, navy beans, and the like are not only convenient, but are considered the powerhouse of convenience foods. Mix a bunch of beans together in a salad, toss with a vinaigrette dressing, add onion, and you have a filling meal. Keep a bunch of cooked brown rice on hand and when it's dinnertime, heat together with two or three varieties of beans with tomatoes, garlic, and onion, and you have a satisfying bean and rice casserole. Throw a couple cans of beans in some vegetable or chicken broth and in minutes you have a hearty and healthy soup. Staying home nice and snug after a workout and throwing together some beans and rice sure sounds more convenient than sitting at a drive-through window.

Getting healthy while feasting on convenience foods is not typically talked about in the same breath. Eating fast and healthy while on a fitness program is an often overlooked struggle. But, with a little planning and attention to detail, you can enjoy healthy snacks and meals that are ready in minutes.

Three Healthy Smoothie Recipes

Fruity Wheat Germ Smoothie

1 ripe banana

1 cup vanilla low-fat or nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup sliced fresh peaches

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 cup cracked ice (optional)

Break up banana and put in blender with yogurt, orange juice, peaches, and wheat germ.

Blend on high until frothy. Add cracked ice or shaved ice if desired at this time and blend again. Serve immediately. To sweeten up your smoothie, drizzle in a little honey with ingredients.

Silky Tofu Berry Smoothie

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup soy milk

1 banana

1 cup frozen berries (blueberry, blackberry, or raspberry)

1/2 cup silken tofu

1/2 tsp honey

Put all ingredients in blender and blend on frappe speed until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately. This drink is loaded with protein and antioxidants and makes a perfect drink for breakfast or to compliment a fitness program.

Breakfast Oats and Fruit Smoothie

1 cup soy milk

1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 banana, broken into pieces

12 frozen strawberries

1 tsp honey

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. You may wish to cut the strawberries in half before you add them, or use mashed strawberries. Serve immediately while smoothies are still frothy.

Improve Your Diet Instantly With These Healthy Convenience Snacks

Being on the go is no excuse to eat poorly. Having a healthy convenience snack on hand is not only practical, but it keeps you from visiting the snack machine down the hall every fifteen minutes. Let's take a look a ten of the healthiest convenience foods around to keep you active, on the go and, of course, healthy:

1. Natural Nut Clusters
These little nut clusters are full of nutrition and great taste. Available at most stores, and in different nut assortments, nut clusters are naturally made and limit the amount of preservatives needed in the bag. With just the right amount of natural sugars and different nuts, a handful of these snacks will leave you satisfied.

2. Yogurt Raisins
A favorite of grownups and kids alike, yogurt covered raisins hold a host of benefits. The sweet and salty flavors mesh well together and provide a range of antioxidants. Great to grab and go, yogurt covered raisins can provide a healthy snack for anyone with a sweet tooth.

3. Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great source of protein as well as providing your fruit servings for the day. Grabbing a small bag of trail mix will give you the fiber needed to fill your stomach and keep you satisfied between meals. Choose varieties that are heavy on the nut, whole grain, and dried fruit, and light on the chocolate.

4. Protein Shake
Perfect for the morning rush, protein shakes are easy to make and quite versatile. Adding different fruit to the mix can change your drink from a strawberry banana bliss to a peanut butter banana dream. If you are not in the mood to make it yourself, you can always buy them prepackaged and save your energy for peeling the fruit.

5. Dried Fruit
Drying fruit is different than cooking it. When fruit is dried, the nutrients remain intact because it is not heated over 170 degrees. Fruit has plenty of antioxidant properties and amino acids, and when dried, the best parts remain. While you wouldn't want to overload on dried fruit because of the natural sugars that run rampant, a few servings of dried fruit is a healthy way to tide you over until dinner.

6. Bean and Cheese Burrito
While there are plenty of different bean and cheese burritos on the market, all of them are pretty much the same. You can find organic, all natural burritos, but most are fairly healthy; just read the labels. Of course, you can easily wrap up a stash at home and keep them in the freezer for quick snacks, lunches, or dinners.

7. Soups
It is amazing how satisfying soup can be. When choosing a soup to take along, choose the low sodium and low fat varieties. It is also important to stick with clear broths or stocks to cut down on the additives which are needed to keep the milky sauces from expiring. With the reduction in fat, salts, and additives, you will be able to enjoy a great bowl of soup without sacrificing health. Make your own soup simply at home by mixing a can of broth with some vegetables, rice, or pasta. Store in single serving containers in the freezer and you can have a healthy cup of soup in minutes.

8. Veggies and Dip
You can enjoy veggies with lots of yummy dip without sacrificing your good, healthy eating habits. Substituting hummus, baba ganoush or yogurt for the traditional ranch or blue cheese dressing, you will be able to enjoy your favorite veggies without all of the guilt.

9. Food Bars
There are a plethora of food bars to choose from. Lara Bars, Luna Bars, and Clif Bars, are a few well known varieties. Many of them are extremely health-conscious but each has their own market. Once you know what you are trying to accomplish (building muscle, losing fat, eating healthy) you can pick the bar for you and, voila, you have a healthy snack.

10. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a fantastic snack. Not the instant kind, filled with sugar and artificial flavoring, but the actual kind you make on the stove. Sure, not often considered a convenience food, but when you think about the eight minutes it takes to make instant oatmeal and let it cool and then look at the nine minutes it takes to make regular oatmeal, you can decide the convenience for yourself. You may also just like to nibble on raw oatmeal, or toast it quickly and turn it into a quick granola feast.

No matter what your schedule, you can afford a few minutes each day to eat a healthy snack or two. The nutritional needs of an adult differ from that of a child. These snacks are meant to keep an adult satisfied without adding too many calories, fat, salt, or sugar to their diet. If maintaining a healthy weight is a concern, eating a couple light snacks during the day can help burn fat and keep you from eating larger meals than you have to. Snack smart with these convenient foods and stay healthy and fit.

Warning: Approach Healthy Fast Food With Caution

In this day and age, we are all about getting there faster. We don't take much time out to sit down and eat. I bet, if we could eat while we were driving, we would. Oh wait, we do.

Just because you are looking for a meal on the go does not mean you should have to compromise on your health or food standards. All it takes is a bit of understanding about what makes a foolish choice, and how to make slight variations to improve upon that choice. But, information about healthier fast food can be rather deceiving. The problem with fast food is, no matter how much you compromise and try to make the right decisions, you are still under the umbrella of all things fried, salted, and sugared; and you're being advertised to. Let's take a look at the truth behind those healthy choices:

Better Is Not Always Good

Many fast food restaurants have a healthy choice menu. This can be a bit daunting. You think you are doing good by staying away from the hamburgers and fries, but you may very well be diving head first into a sea of misinformation.

Just because a sign says the food you are about to consume is “better” than the normal food consumed at the establishment, doesn't always mean that it is good. Better is NOT always good. While many fast food restaurants will try to convince you to spend money by ordering from the so-called “healthier” menu, there are still better choices to be made.

Even salads can be bad choices. Sure, there are some green bits, but their nutritional value is completely masked by the fried chicken nuggets, bacon bits, croutons, and creamy dressing you just smothered them in. There is some good news. If you make slight variations to your fast food meals, you will be left with much better options than you originally started out with.

Eat This Way, Not That Way

One of the best ways to choose your healthy convenience food off of the menu is not to look at the menu. If you are pulling up to the window for breakfast, see if there is an option for oatmeal. Many places have that option and more, but don't list them on their menu. Breakfast egg burritos have become very popular because the tortilla wrap is lower in calories and fat than the biscuit.

During lunch and dinner, a salad is the way to go. Paired with a milk or juice to drink and you have one of the healthiest meals you can get at a fast food place. A vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing saves almost 150 calories. Use less of the dressing, and you save even more. Choose grilled chicken instead of barbecued and deep fried. Just remember; eating lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and green peppers does NOT cancel out the cheese on top; just sayin'.

If you absolutely have to go with a burger and fries, it is best to get the smallest size of burger, hold the mayo, and stick with water, milk, or juice. By doing this, you will cut out about 200 calories on the burger alone. You could always go with the grilled chicken option, but try to stay away from anything breaded or fried. And speaking of bread, the calorie count of the bun itself is often what tips the scale on a fast food meal. Choose wisely; if it's the hamburger, onion, cheese, and ketchup that's calling your name, have it if you must, but ditch the bun. Don't forget to check out the wraps which are often much lower in calories and fat than a bun encrusted sandwich.

Better Places For Eating Fast

With a full day's worth of calories from a super sized meal and dessert, fast food can be quite the fiasco. If you just have to have that burger and fries, there is still another way to make the healthiest decision possible. It is now mandatory for fast food chains to display their food nutrition labels. You can check these out usually online, so before before you head out the door to grab a bite, take a look at the difference between your options and decide how much fat, sugar, and salt you are willing to put into your body at one time for the sake of convenience. Think about what you are getting before you arrive and don't be pressured into up-sizing your meal – at any cost savings! It's no deal when your health is compromised. When you know the nutrition facts beforehand you have an opportunity to choose other food or other places.

If the allure of fast food is too strong a pull for you on a busy night, another option to the drive-through is to order from a traditional restaurant. Many times, there are less trans fats and better quality ingredients, which makes a big difference in healthy choices. Look for restaurants in your area that offer convenient pick-up windows, call ahead, and get a healthier meal in minutes.

Another often forgotten fast food stop can be your favorite grocery store. Many stores have excellent salads already prepared, as well as other deli foods that are healthier alternatives to a fast food place. Grab a rotisserie chicken and feed the whole family a hot, nutritious, and fast food. If convenience means fast, then any grocery store will do just as well as one of the typical drive-through places.

While it would ultimately be best to give up these drive-through convenience foods all together, it is completely understandable to crave fast food. After all, it does easily integrate into your busy life. So cutting out fast food might be out of the question, but making better choices is always a viable option.

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There is a topic that is often considered taboo, awkward and often embarrassing to talk about.

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Did you know that 60% of your immune system's functioning originates from digestion?

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In fact it's so serious that it's probably...

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10 Healthy Snack Choices For Kids On The Go

For so many years, convenience foods have been considered to be chips, canned meats and other, rather unhealthy foods. The fact of the matter is, today many foods have become convenient, but the stigma behind unhealthy convenience foods is still hanging around.

Childhood obesity is a problem in our culture today and we blame it in part on these convenience foods. In attempts to shed some pounds from the myth that all convenience foods are bad for kids, here are 10 healthy convenience foods great for keeping kids fit:

1. Raisins
There is a little bit of sunshine in every box. Raisins are a great snack for kids. They are ultra-portable and packed with vitamins and nutrients. It doesn't get much more convenient than grabbing a little box of raisins on the way out the door.

2. String Cheese
Prepackaged cheese is one of the best convenience foods around. String cheese is made with skim milk so is low in fat. It is not neon orange color; it is natural. When you see cheese that is neon orange, it has dyes added, which you don't need.

3. Yogurt
A helping of dairy in a single portable cup. Yogurt is a tasty and healthy option for kids; it provides calcium, healthy bacteria and makes for a great fruit dip. Mix in a bit of fruit, add a topping of granola, and you've got a complete treat.

4. Trail Mix
A hand full, or three, of a natural trail mix can be the perfect on-the-go snack for kids. With the fiber to fill them up and the nutrition to keep them going, trail mix is a handy energy snack for active kids. Resist the temptation to buy the ones with lots of chocolate, coconut, or other sweets. A little sugar goes a long way. Opt for trail mix with lots of grains, nuts, and even dried fruit.

5. Popcorn
A light and filling snack anytime day or night. Void of the oils and salt, popcorn is an incredibly healthy snack. If you need something for flavor, try some of the all-natural seasonings. Parmesan cheese packs a lot of flavor in just a few sprinkles. A combination of dried herbs can make this healthy snack even better.

6. Applesauce
Mix it with cinnamon, stir in some strawberry puree, no matter what you do, applesauce will always be a healthy, convenient comfort food. Remember how good it was when you were a kid? It still is one of the all-time favorites. Just keep it handy and your kids will gobble it up.

7. Fruit
Nature's convenience food. Oftentimes wrapped in its own convenient package, fresh fruit is easy to tote around and great for you. To boost the convenience factor for kids, peel a variety of fruit and package it in zip-lock bags or plastic food containers. Be sure to squeeze a touch of lemon juice in to make sure everything stays fresh.

8. Beef Jerky
You might not automatically consider this a healthy convenience food, but it is. The reason is because in order to prevent the jerky from going rancid, the process calls for trimming the fat off before it's cured. It's also a great source of protein without the carbs. The jerky is first marinated and then smoked which is a preferred method of cooking for people who are health conscious. Most kids like bacon, and this is a healthier alternative which is also convenient for on-the-go nibbling.

9. Pretzels with peanut butter
Just the right amount of creamy-crunchy goodness, pretzels dipped in peanut butter are nutritious and quite portable. Choose fat free pretzels and natural peanut butter and you'll have a healthy snack perfect for those days filled with soccer practice, guitar lessons, or other things that keeps kids and parents on the run.

10. Fig Newtons
Available in a wide variety of flavors, fig newtons are a great way to pack in some fruit. With only about 20 calories from fat, this is a great snack for kids with a sweet tooth. These little nuggets are a very nice option for sugary treats.

If your kids are on the go as much as you are, having healthy convenience foods on hand will make life much easier. Choose some of these healthy convenience foods the next time you are at the store to keep your kids satisfied, active, and healthy.

Are the foods you are eating keeping you in pain?

By Steve Hefferon, CMT, PTA and co-founder of LoseTheBackPain.com

An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Could Be the Ticket to Feeling Better

When I say the word "inflammation," it's likely to evoke thoughts of painful joints and muscles, swelling, and a loss of mobility. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few?

The amount of inflammation in your body varies and is dependent on a number of factors - including your activity level, the amount of sleep you get, the degree of stress in your life, and even the foods you eat. What you have to realize is that these factors are cumulative - meaning they build up over time. And the more that any or all of these factors get out of whack, the risk for disease increases.

Early in life, these levels can be so low that you might not even be aware that you have any inflammation in your body. That's because our bodies do a fairly decent job of controlling the inflammation - at least for a while. Then one day you wake up and you're in your 40s and something is just not right. That's when the fear begins to set in, and you think to yourself: What did I do wrong? or What can I do now to help myself?

The first step is to get your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tested. C-reactive protein is produced by the liver, and the level of CRP rises when there is systemic inflammation in the body. Ask your doctor about this (you may have to demand to have the test done). All it requires is a blood sample that will be evaluated by your doctor. And because diet can play a large role in how much or how little inflammation you have, you may want these levels looked at by a registered dietician who can help you formulate an appropriate eating plan.

If you have pain due to inflammation, you may choose to take the traditional medical path, which includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, and even joint-replacement surgery in extreme cases. The good news is that there are natural ways to fight inflammation without the undesirable side-effects that often result from the treatments listed above.

What You Eat Makes All The Difference

The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The typical American diet consists of too much fat, tons of sugar, loads of red meat, and a frightening amount of processed foods - all of which are likely to increase inflammation and contribute to obesity, which itself is can cause inflammation. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan consisting of healthy whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.

The first step is to avoid processed foods, foods high in sugar, and junk food whenever possible. Instead, choose fresh whole foods, especially anti-inflammatory varieties such as lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. But choose carefully. Many vegetables and pre-packaged "health" foods can actually work against you. Use this handy list of the best and worst foods for controlling inflammation:

Anti-inflammatory foods
Alaskan Salmon (wild)
Fresh whole fruits, vegetables
Bright multi-colored vegetables
Green tea
Water
Olive oil
Lean poultry
Nuts, legumes and seeds
Dark green leafy vegetables
Old fashioned oatmeal
Spices, especially Turmeric and Ginger

Inflammatory foods
Sugar, from any source
Processed foods
French Fries
Fast Foods
White bread
Pasta
Ice Cream
Cheddar Cheeses
Snack Foods
Oils such as vegetable and corn
Soda, caffeine and alcohol

---

In addition to these dietary changes it is also recommended that you:

* Maintain a healthy weight - There is no question that eating healthy is not easy nowadays, whether you're at home or at a restaurant. But at the very least, you must try to decrease your intake of sugars and hydrogenated oils and increase your daily intake of fiber. Ideally, you should be consuming 35 grams of fiber (that is a ton of fiber, but it's worth shooting for).

* Get better sleep - 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a must for optimal health; getting a good night's sleep is key to controlling systemic inflammation.

* Relax more often to lower stress levels - Find time for yourself throughout the day to focus on your breathing and clear the clutter from your mind; learn to stay focused on the most important tasks in your life.

* Exercise on a regular basis - People always ask me: What's the best exercise to do? I always tell them: Do something you like to do and, if your body can tolerate it, aim for 15-20 minutes three times a week.

* Demand to have you CRP levels tested - This simple blood test is the best indicator of the amount of systemic inflammation in your body. Have the levels evaluated by a certified health care provider who can suggest the most appropriate action.

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Transform Everyday Fast Meals Into Healthy Meals

The average American eats six convenience foods daily. If it is fast, edible and requires little-to-no preparation or clean-up, people will go out of their way to get to it, just to save a little time. If you are a family on the go, you understand the importance of convenience food. The faster, the better.

The thought of “convenience food” usually paints mental images like the ones seen in advertisements today. Cars pulling in and out of drive-through lanes, stopping in for a quick taquito at the local gas station, or even the dreaded “quick snack” vending machines at work. The fact is, there is a healthier way to eat while still keeping the same convenient mindset. Let's examine some of the healthiest convenience foods to enjoy at each meal so you can stay healthy on the go:

Breakfast

Many studies show breakfast to be the most important meal of the day. By skipping breakfast, your metabolism never gets up to speed and you feel like you are ten seconds behind for the rest of the day. But, breakfast is one of the most-skipped meals due to the inevitable rush to get out the door. Who's got time to make eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, hashbrowns, and all those goodies? Instead, breakfast for many often consists of a processed block of dough and powdered sugar, simply because it's more convenient. The biggest meal of the day doesn't have to come in a greasy paper bag.

Why not start the morning off right with a breakfast burrito? Three minutes in the microwave, ding, and you are dining in style with a good amount of fiber and protein and not all of the empty calories. Or, plan ahead and make pancakes or waffles and freeze them. There are hundreds of recipes from whole grain to low-carb to gluten free. Warm them up in a toaster or skillet, add peanut butter and banana slices, and you have a well rounded breakfast of champions in just minutes.

Fruit and cereal bars are also great healthy, convenient breakfast foods. Grab a banana, an apple, and a cereal bar, and head out. The fruit is packaged by mother nature and ready to travel. And don't forget a cup of milk or juice. Throw that fruit and milk in a blender and you've got a great, healthy breakfast in a mug. If sitting down to a full course breakfast doesn't fit with your morning's schedule, that's alright; you've got a healthy meal on the run with these few simple foods.

Lunch

In the healthy convenience food arena, lunch is typically boring. A salad. Why not spice up your lunchtime with some instant couscous with tuna and whole wheat crackers? You get a healthy meal with protein, omega-3s, and fiber. Or, how about a bean, cheese and rice burrito? Quick to heat up and packed full of fiber and protein, it is the perfect lunch for the active adult. The fiber will keep you full and the protein will give you the energy to make it through the day.

For the bigger lunch, spring for a salad with vinaigrette dressing, holding the cheese and croutons. Your local grocery store will most likely have packaged salads in a great selection to satisfy any lunch craving. Put a couple slices of grilled chicken on top and you have a filling meal that will carry you the rest of the day.

Light lunch your trademark? Try yogurt with frozen fruit; a rich source of calcium, protein, and antioxidants. You can even mix this lunch up before you leave home, throw it in your refrigerator at work, and the fruit will thaw in the yogurt and be all ready for you to enjoy at lunchtime.

Snack

It is amazing how far a handful of trail mix will go. Not only is it convenient to grab and go, but it is full of healthy foods such as nuts and dried fruits. If your snack needs a little more 'umph,' you can try some carrots with hummus, tabbouleh salad or even a couple stuffed grape leaves.

The idea behind your afternoon snack is to give you a little boost through the midday blahs. Choosing a snack that picks you up instead of weighing you down is the smart thing to do. You can make your own trail mix, veggie and dip, or fruit plate so you control the ingredients, and the nutrients they provide. These smart snacks will help you zip through the rest of the day.

Dinner

The last meal of the day should be comforting, nutritious, and filling. While it is usually not a great idea to go to bed on a full stomach, a hearty dinner is a great way to end the day. Using a can of clear broth or stock to make soup or stew is a great choice for healthy and convenient meals. A simple soup made with mixed frozen vegetables and brown rice in a pot of broth, is just as convenient as opening a can of prepared soup.

You can crank up the nutrition while keeping the convenience by adding a can of black beans to the soup. Corn gives soup or stew a great crunch while mushrooms or garbanzo beans round out the meal and add extra nutrition. In other words, you don't have to stand over the stove for hours simmering soup for it to be delicious and nutritious; a few cans can make a meal.

There are many canned options that are now offered in low sodium, reduced fat, and no sugar varieties. The healthier choices now available have taken away the unhealthy aspect of opening up a can of something for dinner, and don't we just love that convenience!

Convenience food does not have to mean drive-through or gas station. Finding healthy convenience foods for families on the go is not a difficult task. Grabbing a simple banana is convenient; putting two cans together can be healthy if you buy the right cans. Finding the healthiest convenience foods is simple if you look around your home and read the labels before you buy.

5 Easy Healthy Snacks for an On-the-Go Kid

By Kiera S. Campbell

Children and healthy eating may seem to be an impossible mix for some parents. That’s especially if your child is a bit hyper and always on-the-go – always out because of school activities, sports, music, socializing, etc. With this active lifestyle, it becomes imperative, now more than ever, to make sure our children realize the value of making healthy food choices and how to actually make these choices.

Books, such as “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know” has become popular these days because it teaches parents how to teach their kids to love healthy food and make healthy food choices. Children and healthy eating can go hand in hand, and more easily so if they start young and if this is something reinforced by everyone at home.

When it comes to our kids’ food, we usually place the most emphasis on what they eat during meal times. But did you know that while they may be eating healthy, 3-meals-a-day, that a third of their daily calorie intake comes from snacks alone? Snack time cannot be disregarded as they play an important role in replenishing our kids’ energy reserves.
So while pizza and the different variations of it are okay (especially since you can introduce some fruits and vegetables there), there are other snack treats a child can eat at home or bring with him when he’s out and about.

Fruit and veggie dip.

One thing I learned is that children immediately shy away (or more accurately, scurry away) when fruits or vegetables are concerned. It may be due to an innate abhorrence of a particular vegetable (possibly spawned from a traumatic experience in early childhood) or it’s just a need to rebel a little. Whatever the reason, it is good to note that you don’t need to force it, but you can try offering them in a different way.

You can try slicing or cutting up some vegetable sticks (carrots, celery, etc.) or some fruit wedges (pears, apples, etc.); surround a small bowl of dip with those pieces. Your dip can range from salad dressings to cream cheese to yoghurt, etc. Just make sure that your child is into the dip for him to be able to enjoy it.

Smoothies and juices.

Again, with fruits and vegetables, offer it in a different way. You can try making juices or smoothies out of them. That way, your child won’t even mind it. All they know is that they are slushing down some cold, enjoyable, frothy and oftentimes creamy treats that they may even think they got you there (not knowing that they’ve actually been had). Plus, it’s easy to prepare: Blend everything together (fruit, milk or yoghurt, ice, etc.) and you’ll have a glass ready to be dunked in no time at all. This is just perfect for that after-school delight.

Sandwiches with a twist.

Regular sandwiches lose popularity with kids, especially with the emergence of commercially-bought sandwich spreads. Try to add a little touch of ingenuity by having some chicken breast fillet or some turkey meat rolled in tortillas or pita bread. You can even put some cheese or mustard if you want. You can slice them in half; this will be good for your child especially if he can’t eat much because of a sport that he’s about to engage in.

Nut pack.

Have a zip-lock bag handy for this next snack: a nut and fruit mix. You can have some nuts, raisins, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, some muesli, etc, put them in a bag and give it to your child. Aside from having a healthy snack, your child will be beaming with pride and may even show-off his “goodies” to an envious classmate.

Store-bought healthy packs.

If you are a working mom, most likely you have bought snacks for your kids instead of preparing them. I don’t blame you since I know the feeling; it’s sometimes hard to balance work and home life. Single-pack yoghurts are a good buy, as well as some cheeses, cans of soup (but check the label to be sure) and whole grain crackers.

Let your creativity run with you when thinking up snacks for your children. The more creative you are, the more curious they’ll be, and the more likely that they’ll eat the goodies wholeheartedly.

Looking for more tips like these on cooking healthy for kids? Head on over to http://bit.ly/f9Fdg5 to get more tips and information not only on how you can serve healthy food to your kids, but more importantly, on how you can get your kids to LOVE eating healthy.

Remember, healthy eating is the best weapon we can leave our children with that will help them live longer and healthier lives free from diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. Start now while your kids are still young!

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Simple Solutions For Healthier Lunchtime Convenience Foods

Grab a sandwich and go. Grab a hot dog and go. Grab a salad and go. Grab a cup of soup and go. It's go go go at lunchtime, so we grab grab grab. Unfortunately, we are so conditioned to grabbing what we always have, we don't think twice. We're in a hurry so we return to the old reliable convenience foods.

The trouble with that is we often find ourselves eating high sugar, high salt, and high fat lunches. At 3:00 we feel worse than before we ate; not to mention the health risks we're taking. How can we break our convenience food habits? By finding alternative foods that are just as convenient. Here are some food items that you can easily substitute for healthier choices:

Bread vs English Muffins

Even so-called healthy multi-grain breads can be loaded with sugars, fats, and high in cholesterol. If you want a hearty bread that is low fat, with no cholesterol, no trans fat, and no high fructose corn syrup, try English muffins. They are sturdy, solid, and toast nicely. And, because they are so sturdy they transport well, making them a perfect sandwich choice.

Mayonnaise vs Yellow Mustard

A little dab of mustard goes a long way toward flavoring and moistening a sandwich. Prepackaged mayonnaise is high in fat, salt, and sugar. If you want to cut the sharpness of the mustard, mix in just a bit of low fat yogurt, sour cream, or even plain hummus, then spread on your sandwich.

Lunch Meat vs Tuna

You've got to be careful with lunch meat, either prepackaged or cut at the deli. Many are high in salt, sugar, and nasty additives like nitrates. You can avoid all that by opening a can of tuna. Mix drained white tuna with chopped onion and cucumber and spread on a toasted English muffin. Top with a slice of low fat Mozzarella cheese for a quick healthy and nutritious meal.

Childhood Hot Dog vs New Age Hot Dog

If lunchtime is the right time for you to enjoy a good old fashioned hot dog, you can make choices that are healthier, yes, even with a hot dog. Instead of grabbing the same old package of hot dog that you remember from your childhood, look for the new improved and healthier hot dogs. For instance, you'll find turkey hot dogs and vegetable hot dogs, many of which are free of additives. Choose wisely and enjoy the taste of summer with a little more nutrition thrown in.

Buns vs Tortillas

Part of the battle of eating our favorite convenient foods is that the traditional elements that make up our sandwich can be made with lots of salt, sugar, and fat. Eliminating the bun from the hot dog entirely doesn't give nearly the same experience; I mean, how do you pick it up and eat it? Using healthier alternatives can solve the problem. Try wrapping a toasted tortilla around a hot dog for a new healthier twist on an old favorite. It's easy to warm up or toast a tortilla. Just put it in a dry skillet and heat it quickly on both sides. Then lay the hot dog on, add your favorite condiments, and wrap it up. Using tortillas to replace bread and buns is something we've been seeing more and more with the advent of 'wraps.' Think of just about any sandwich you like and I'll bet you can wrap it up in a tortilla and eliminate the bun.

Salads Gone Bad vs Good Greens

Salads call for a variety of ingredients, some which are better than others. Choose a bag of mixed greens, including spinach and a variety of vegetables, instead of iceberg lettuce which has no nutrition. We also must have our crunch, but are prepackaged croutons the best choice? How about adding crunch and nutrition with sunflower seeds and chopped nuts. Be sure to use natural, unsalted seeds and nuts so you can add as many as you want without worrying. Are you a cheese lover? Choose shredded Mozzarella made from skim milk. Now that you've got your healthy ingredients, don't drown your salad and all your good efforts with dressing loaded with fat, sugar, and salt. A quick whisk of a couple good ingredients and you'll have a healthy alternative in less than a minute. See how quickly you can zip through a healthy salad? There really is no need to throw out all your good intentions of eating a healthy salad by choosing unhealthy ingredients.

Open One vs Open Two

It's awfully hard to find something as convenient as opening up a can of soup for lunch. However, when you read the label, you may not want to eat all those 'ingredients.' Is it really that much more work to open two things than opening one? How about opening a can of clear broth and a can of navy beans or black beans and mix them together for a hearty bowl of soup? Or, open one can of broth and one can or bag of veggies and bring the mix to a simmer. You've got lunch hot and ready in minutes, and all it took was opening two things instead of one.

When you reach in your refrigerator or pantry for lunch, you want to find something fast. If you stock your kitchen with healthier choices, you'll be grabbing the same fast foods you've always enjoyed with a lot healthier results.

An Easy Guide to Children’s Healthy Eating

By Kiera S. Campbell

The variety of food in the market these days is mind boggling. But it’s alarming to note that most of these sacrifice the health and nutrition for young children in favor of enhancing the flavor and commercial appeal of these products. Packed chips/snacks and fast-food cooking taken with carbonated drinks appeal very much to kids of today. Give them the slightest motivation and they’ll choose those over healthier options. Plus, the pressure from us parents to eat healthy (though well-meaning) tends to leave them frustrated and often times defiant.

The key to getting your children to love healthy food, according to “Yummy Healthy Tummy: The Secrets of Raising Healthy Kids Every Parent Needs to Know”, is to start them young. Habits are formed at home. And if you set out to have a healthy lifestyle right from the start, then it makes it easier for your children to adopt this lifestyle for life.

So how exactly do you encourage your child to eat right? Here are some tips towards molding children’s healthy eating habits.

1.You have to eat healthy too. Children tend to imitate what they see. If they see you snacking on chocolates every time you take a break from work, they will most likely do the same. If they see you chomping on some carrots dipped in cream cheese, then they may think that eating their veggies aren’t so bad after all. Show them that eating healthy isn’t all talk; if you can do it, then they shouldn’t be scared to try it too.

2.Have a lot of healthy food lying “conveniently” in the kitchen. I used to have a candy bowl in our living room. My eldest would usually put some candy in her pocket before leaving for school. She would also bring a handful of sweets just before going to the local park to play. Now, my candy bowl has those cubed, individually-wrapped cheeses which both my kids and their guests enjoy immensely. I also have some pre-cut bread on the kitchen counter with a note that some homemade sandwich spread or some cottage cheese is in the refrigerator. As long as kids can see where the food is and they have easy access to it, they will be encouraged to try it for themselves.

3.Get the kids involved in menu planning. Children sometimes have self-esteem issues; getting them to help out in planning the weekly menu boosts their confidence. Before you do that though, have some recipes laid out so that they can pick out which is most appealing to them. (Of course, the recipes you should ask them to pick will be pre-screened by you – so naturally, they’re going to be healthy.)

4.Do grocery-shopping with the kids. Almost all kids want to go out. So at the first sign of boredom, ask them to go with you on a shopping spree (especially if you’ve just been through menu planning). This is a great way to bond, and at the same time, you can “subtly” teach them about what foods are considered healthy. As a treat, you can also give them the chance to pick out the ingredients for a dessert – something that they can actually help you make.

5.Snack time. Making kids’ snacks is not as difficult as it may seem. You can go from a simple bag of nuts, dried fruit and muesli to some sandwiches specifically adjusted to their taste. You can make fruit smoothies for them as an energy booster, especially if you have an active child. My youngest loves yoghurt, so I make sure I have an ample supply in the fridge. Find out what your child likes. Chips are almost never an option, and cannot be a substitute for a healthy snack.

All in all, it’s not hard to make children learn healthy food habits. Start looking for clues on how to trigger curiosity and interest in your child, and be unrelenting – take it from there.

Looking for more tips like these on cooking healthy for kids? Head on over to http://bit.ly/f9Fdg5 to get more tips and information not only on how you can serve healthy food to your kids, but more importantly, on how you can get your kids to LOVE eating healthy.

Remember, healthy eating is the best weapon we can leave our children with that will help them live longer and healthier lives free from diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks. Start now while your kids are still young!

Eating 3 Meals A Day? Then You Are Not Eating Often Enough!

I used to think I was being smart by forcing myself to eating just one main meal every day. It played into my desire to be as efficient as possible when it came to doing those things that were not directly responsible for moving me toward the goals I had set for myself. Well, according to health and fitness expert Carolyn Hansen, author of the ebook "21 Days To Healthy Eating":

Visit the site for 21 Days To Healthy Eating

I might have been efficient at using my time, but as far as my eating habits go I was about as inefficient as I could possibly be at maintaining my health and avoiding the middle-age spread that inevitably catches up with all of us who fail to allocate time to understanding what is going on with our body.

It turns out that when you eat fewer meals over the course of the day, you are signaling to your body that food is a scarce commodity. In response, your body "hunkers down" and prepares for the worst: an ongoing period where food will be in short supply. It lowers its metabolism, and instead of using every scrap of energy you provide it to power your bodily processes, it siphons off as much as it can to stash away for the coming days when it will need to draw upon those energy reserves. So builds a much fat as it can, usually around your midsection.

Oops. My once-a-day meal plan has actually been causing me to gain weight, rather than lose it. No wonder I always feel drained by the time evening comes around. My depressed metabolism is responsible for that! Fortunately, I now know the correct course of action to take. I need to eat more often. Not just 3 times a day like I used to do, but 5 or even 6 times a day. I know it sounds wrong, but according to experts like Carolyn Hansen, the more often you eat, the better.

The reasoning isn't that hard to follow, given what I have already said about how depriving yourself of food causes your body's metabolism to slow down. You can go entirely in the opposite direction by eating more often, but making your meal size correspondingly smaller, so that you take in no more calories every day than you would have if you were eating 3 times a day, or even just once.

The important thing is that the meals are spread out so that your body gets the message you want it to hear: "Hey, there's plenty of food around. Look, so much of it in fact that I can find something to eat every few hours. No need to store belly fat. No rainy days on the horizon right now. Let's stay trim and ready to pounce on the next food hunting expedition."

I've alluded to the kind of evolutionary programming that has been wired into us over countless generations. Long ago when we actually DID have to hunt for food, and when the winter months saw long spells of enforced food rationing, getting fat when food supplies started to dwindle really did increase the chances of survival until the spring months. But these days we have food year round. Not only that, but we have made a habit of "denaturing" our food. We process the nutrition out of it, dip it in sweet syrup, trans fats, and other equally unhealthy concoctions, and supersize it for good measure.

In other words, we put ourselves on the fast track for weight gain every day that we ignore the principles of health eating that are spelled out in Carolyn Hansen's book "21 Days To Healthy Eating":

Visit the site for 21 Days To Healthy Eating

Take it from me, if you want to have your eyes opened to the damage you may be doing to yourself unawares, get a copy of her book and let her show you the error of your ways. At the very least you'll think twice about that second helping of glazed donuts when they are placed in front of you in the tea room tomorrow morning.

Give Your Condiments A Healthy Makeover

We all have our favorite condiments. We keep buying the same ones because, well, they're our favorites. Of course, many of us skip reading the ingredients or nutrition label. Why? Because we don't want to see what's in there.

Do we have to give up eating tartar sauce, ketchup, or mayonnaise in order to eat healthy? Perhaps not. Let's take a look at some of the well-loved condiments found in most kitchens, and a few alternatives so you can enjoy your favorite condiments without quite so much guilt:

Ketchup

This is one of those convenience foods that everyone knows is unhealthy, but everybody loves. We dip our fries, cover our hamburgers, and drown our meatloaf in ketchup. Can we choose something else? Yes. Most ketchup is made with a base of tomato paste. Thin a can of tomato paste with a little water and apple cider vinegar, mix in some sprinkles of dry mustard, cumin, cinnamon, and salt until you get the consistency and taste you like. Keep this in the refrigerator for the next time you get the urge for ketchup. Of course, you can add as much salt and sugar as you like; the object is that YOU get to decide how much. You are also eliminating the preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

Mayonnaise

Here's another all time favorite convenience food. If we mix it into our macaroni salads and slather it on our sandwiches, we know what we're eating; and it's not healthy for us. Yes, you can buy low fat varieties, but you're still left with sugars and preservatives. How can you easily grab a substitute? With a few simple ingredients including yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, and egg, you can create a mayonnaise that is tasty and healthier. Keep it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and enjoy it without sabotaging your healthy diet.

Yellow Mustard

What's a healthier alternative for yellow mustard? This is actually a trick question since yellow mustard right out of the jar or squeeze bottle is just about as healthy as you can get in a condiment. Fat free, gluten free, virtually no sugar or salt, this is one condiment you can eat in good conscience. As a matter of fact, consider switching sandwich spreads from mayonnaise to yellow mustard.

Cocktail Sauce

When the second ingredient in a packaged food is high fructose corn syrup, you know you're off to a bad start. This condiment is supposed to be tangy, spicy, and a tiny bit sweet. You can mix together a simple sauce with ingredients you probably already have, minus the corn syrup. Just whisk together a blend of tomato paste, horseradish, and garlic. Sweeten it with a drop of molasses, and add tangy flavor with lemon juice and white vinegar. You can skip ingesting almost a quarter's worth of a day's allowance of salt, along with skipping the preservatives. Keep a bottle of this in your refrigerator and you'll never miss the additives one bit.

Tartar Sauce

This condiment is all about a nice tangy flavor. But, do you need all those calories and fat to get good taste? Even if you limit your serving to two tablespoons, depending on the brand of tartar sauce, you are ingesting around 130 calories just from fat. So, you want tangy flavor without all the fat? Try yogurt. Leave yogurt draining overnight through cheesecloth in a container in the refrigerator. To make tartar sauce, mix some relish or pickles, chopped fine, and flavorings like dried mustard, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper into the thickened yogurt. Adjust the flavorings to your liking and enjoy with your favorite grilled fish.

Taco Sauce

This is a relative newcomer in the condiment regulars, but it's becoming more and more popular, what with people making more tacos, wraps, and huevos rancheros at home. Jarred taco sauce tends to be high in sodium, but relatively low in calories. This is a condiment that you can probably make a bit healthier, but it may not be worth the effort. However, once you get a good recipe together for taco sauce, you can tweak it a tiny bit to make great salsas as well. A simple taco sauce would include ingredients like tomato paste, vinegar, onion, green chilies, paprika, garlic, and lemon juice. Add a little sweetness if you like with a drizzle of honey.

Reaching for condiments is such a habit for most of us, we never think twice. We all have our favorites, and that's where the problem usually starts. With a few simple recipes made from ingredients you have handy, you can create condiments just as tasty as the prepackaged kinds, only healthier, and maybe even better.

I've Heard I Should "Eat Clean" - What Does That Mean?

Clean eating is all about reducing the footprint of man-made substances in your diet. The reasons you would want to do this are many, but the most important one, from a purely selfish point of view, is that you want to improve your own health by doing so. Clean eating is one of the main topics covered in Carolyn Hansen's book "21 Days To Healthy Eating":

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You may be wondering whether there is a difference between eating clean and eating organic. Well, eating organic foods is a subset of eating clean foods. You will not always be in the position to choose between eating an organically-grown piece of fruit (free of all pesticides) and one that may have come in contact with chemical substances during the period in which it was grown. Organic foods are always to be preferred, but a properly treated (washed and possibly peeled) fruit or vegetable that has been exposed to chemicals is going to be a lot more nutritious eaten raw or lightly cooked than the same food after it has gone through a processing line.

As an example, take a jar of peaches floating in syrup. Those are probably not organically grown peaches in that jar. But they are peeled, and you would be a lot better off eating the peeled fruit just after it has been taken from the tree, than to eat those processed and jarred peaches. That sugary syrup they float in is full of preservatives and is obviously high in sugar content - perfect for adding a large number of calories to your meal. You know what happens when you eat an excess of sugar, right? It is converted into fat.

Actually sugar does a lot more harm in the long run than to simply make you fat. But the point we are trying to make here is that it is the "processed" nature of foods that we are trying to avoid when eating clean. We are also trying to avoid added chemicals in whatever form they might come in. So there are "degrees" of cleanliness when it comes to choosing our clean foods. Pure organically grown foods that are never processed for distribution, or packaged, before they are eaten, are probably the cleanest foods.

You can find the clean foods on the inside walls of your supermarket. This is where you find produce and meats that have a limited shelf life. Whenever you can manage it, avoid using the inner aisles of the store. This is where you will find aisle after aisle of processed foods that have a very long shelf life because they have had the "living components" extinguished before being packaged. Usually this means all the valuable enzymatic components of the food have been destroyed, components that carry much of the nutrition that could have benefited your body, but now have been removed.

A little appreciated fact about processed foods is that the chemicals they carry slowly poison your body, and that in response to this the body tries to seal off the "pollutants" by wrapping them in protective fat. The body tries to insulate the critical organs from the effects of these chemicals. The end result, though, is pounds and pounds of extra fat over time. Not only that, but the more of this "polluted fat" you carry, the harder it is to shed it because to do so would involve flooding your body with the toxins that have been stored away for protection.

So before you can lose a lot of your fat reserves, particularly if you make a habit of eating processed foods, you will need to detoxify your body by eating clean for a length of time. To learn more about how this all works, and what kind of meals you can prepare that stick closely to this clean eating concept, check out "21 Days To Healthy Eating":

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You will find lots of practical advice on how to shop for clean foods, how to prepare clean meals that have the right balance of food groups to ensure optimal fat-burning, and further tips to ensure that you can get rid of the excess fat on your body that might have built up from years of eating processed foods.

Just How Bad Is Our Modern Diet?

Our modern day diet is actually frightening when you take the time to look into it, which is probably why most people choose not to do so. After all, we have to eat, and with the kind of high stress lives we live today, where we fight to earn every dollar, who exactly has the time to investigate their food in any detail?

One person who does is Carolyn Hansen, and she has penned "21 Days To Healthy Eating" as a summary of her findings:

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For the average consumer, knowing whether or not a given food item is healthy or not is not only a confusing endeavor, it is time wise costly. Have you studied food labels lately? They are not exactly easy to decipher. If you have to stop and analyze each new food item you come across in your local store you are going to be moving through the aisles very, very slowly. Most people simply do not have the time, even if they knew what it was they were looking for in the food labeling.

Most food companies are betting on the fact that their customers do NOT have the time for a proper analysis of the labels, and that they will only make a cursor scan of the total number of calories, and the number of grams of fat, and perhaps sodium content.

These are all important numbers, but they do not tell the entire story. On low fat items the number of calories tends to be harder to find than the number of grams of fat. Why? Because consumers who discover that the product is indeed low in fat grams are less likely to pay attention to the total number of calories, which is the really important number when in comes to weight loss. It does not matter if the product is low in fat if it also happens to be loaded with sugar. It is the number of calories that is going to determine whether or not you gain weight, not the total fat content.

So foods that appear to be healthy may not be healthy at all. You will find cereals advertised as being good for your heart when in fact their high sugar content means that exactly the opposite is true. The Nobel prize winning chemist Linus Pauling believed that fructose, the naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, was the real culprit behind the rise in coronary disease in the twentieth century. Fructose is found in equal parts with glucose in table sugar, and is added to just about every food that has been sweetened for taste.

Pauling believed that fructose is broken down into acetate (think nail polish) which is a precursor to the creation of cholesterol which is synthesized in the liver. This was not Pauling's idea, but actually the conclusion of work of other chemists. But does anyone warn you today about eating too much sugar when it comes to the discussion of coronary disease? No, we get a lot of advice about avoiding eating eats and meat which are high in cholesterol. But ingested cholesterol does not go directly into the bloodstream, whereas sugar floods in every time we down another sticky bun.

This is just one example of the difficulty the consumer has in figuring out what is healthy and what is not. Pauling's ideas about fructose and cholesterol were certainly not shared by all nutritionists. Most doctor's today would not even know that there is a connection between fructose and cholesterol. So if physicians themselves are misinformed on important matters like the cholesterol/fructose connection, consumers are certainly not to be blamed for making the wrong choices when it comes to their food.

This is just one example of the very large subject that we characterize by the term "healthy eating". If you want to learn the basics of the subject, and learn a practical no-stress approach to selecting foods from your grocery store so that you can prepare healthy meals with relative ease, check out Carolyn's book "21 Days To Healthy Eating":

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This is about the easiest way I know of taking a complex subject and boiling it down to the essence so as to save you time and provide you with an actionable plan that will have you eating healthy foods for the majority of your meals in just a few short weeks.