February 25, 2008

Good Information To Help With Low Fat Diets







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Many people are venturing into the area of low fat diets these days. The following are some good pointers to keep the fat low when you’re one of the people who are trying low fat diets.

Try using a butter spray instead of butter. However, remember the sprays still have some fat in them, so use moderation.

For low fat diets, switch to egg whites or Egg Beaters. Egg whites have 16 calories per egg white, and no fat. No need to crack an egg and separate it: you can buy a carton of egg whites.

Even though nuts aren’t low in fat, they are full of the good fat that your body needs, and some nuts have a lot of Omega 3 fatty acids. As well, nuts are high protein and full of antioxidants.

For low fat diets eat nuts instead of potato chips, but in moderation.
For low fat diets try switching to 2% milk. Eventually cut down to the 1% milk or even go as far as skim milk if you can.

Cook with broth for low fat diets. Using vegetable, chicken, or beef broth to sauté foods is a good alternative to oils.

And remember just because you’re trying low fat diets, it shouldn’t mean that you must cut out the taste. You can still satisfy your taste buds and cut the fat with making a few small changes. And as always, check with your doctor before beginning any diet.


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January 31, 2008

Can Low Fat Diet Recipes Be Tasty Too







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The name, low fat diet recipes, may not sound too appetizing, but they really can be.

When one is dieting and watching their fat intake, as well as calories, the food may become boring. So using exciting low fat diet recipes can be one way to help keep you eating the right foods.

Reducing bad fats in ones eating habits really isn’t a bad idea even if you don’t need to lose any weight.

These appetizers are an example of low fat diet recipes that are just yummy, good for you and low calorie.

Asparagus and Avocado Wraps

24 spears asparagus
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked cold long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
3 whole wheat tortillas, 10 inches in diameter
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped red onion

In medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Steam the asparagus in a steamer basket until just tender, approximately 5 minutes. Immediately rinse the asparagus in cold water. Drain thoroughly.

In a small bowl, mash the avocado, lime juice, and garlic into a coarse puree.

In another small bowl, stir together the rice and yogurt.

Heat a large dry frying pan over medium heat. One at a time, heat the tortillas in the hot pan until softened, approximately 20 seconds per side.

Lay the tortillas flat. Spread the avocado mixture equally among the tortillas. Top each with an equal amount of the rice mixture, asparagus, cilantro, and onion.

Roll to close the tortillas with ends folded in. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour, or serve immediately. Return to room temperature before serving.

To serve, cut each wrap in half crosswise.

Makes 6 servings.
Recipe originally from The Mayo Clinic, Williams-Sonoma Cookbook, by John Phillip Carroll, published by TimeLife Books.


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January 1, 2008

8 Ways To Start Your Low Fat Diet.

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Following a low fat diet is all the rage these days. It is also a very healthy way to look at your meal planning and to drop some extra pounds along the way.

Here’s how to start:

1.) Look at your low fat diet realistically.
Start with small achievable goals and stay away from crash diets.

2.) Get rid of all the junk.
Throw out or give away all the un-healthy food in your house. Keep only healthy low fat foods and only prepare what you have.

3.) Keep track of portions and serving sizes.  
Stick to smaller more reasonable portions for your low fat diet. Also,  know that most packaged food has more than one serving.

4.) Make sure to eat breakfast.
When you eat a healthy breakfast, your blood-sugar levels will stabilize and you will less hungry until lunch.

5.) Drink lots of water.
Water is very important for digestion, and will make you feel fuller for longer.

6.) Have at least one vegetarian meal each week.
While following a low fat diet, forget the meat dishes at least once a week and concentrate on healthy veggies.

7.) Add fish to your diet twice a week.
Fish is naturally low in fat and some fish, like salmon, have the heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein.

8.) Get off the couch.
Exercise is important to any diet as well as a low fat diet. Make sure to talk to your doctor about safe exercise for you as well as any diet you are considering.


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