OK so some people are wondering what I'm talking about when I say "healthy" fat. Some may not even know there are different types of fats! So I'm here to explain
As a dietitian student, I hear a lot about fats and the types of fats everyday so here is a little information for those who don't really understand the difference.
OK so there are the "healthier" fats monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Then there are the not so healthy fats saturated and trans fats (which is more complicated and I won't be explaining in the post, please ask if you really want to know something!).
OK so the term saturated (or unsaturated) refers to the number of double bonds and degree of saturation with hydrogen of that compound. This is sort of hard to understand with out a background in Chemistry. To put it more simple, the less hydrogen and more double bonds the better it is for our bodies. Polyunsaturated fats or PUFA's are the best under these terms, then monounsaturated or MUFA's, and then saturated fats.
-PUFA's are liquid at room temperature and are found in foods such as some nuts, cheeses, leafy greens, and also some fish.
-MUFA's are also found in some nuts and cheeses. They're also in avocados and in olive oil.
-Saturated fats are found in animal fats (such as tallow and lard) and processed foods such as some chips and candy. A good example is the common butter.
Both MUFA's and PUFA's have been studied and shown to help lower the LDL in cholesterol levels. While saturated fats raise the LDL levels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and other heart problems. **(Since I'm not discussing LDL's and HDL's in this current blog to put it simply LDL is the bad cholesterol and HDL is the good cholesterol.... "What's this.. healthy fats? good cholesterol?" I know your mind is spinning or maybe you're only slightly confused if you have heard this before. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. I'll be happy to answer)**
To be clear though, your body requires certain amounts of fats, they are essential to our body's functions. So while it may be convenient to describe them in terms of healthy and unhealthy... this is not necessarily so. It's really more about the amount of the fats consumed that makes it unhealthy. So simply put.... don't think of fat as a bad thing just be aware of your consumption of each kind and limit intake of saturated fats while trying to increase intake of the poly and monounsaturated fats.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Return...
I'm finally back after a long break! and even better I have good news too!
Justin got a co-op job near our hometown!!! Yay! we're super excited for him, he's been wanting to co-op but none of the previous companies worked out. The pay is great the experience is going to be wonderful for his career and he won't have to worry about paying for housing. But I am pretty sad he won't be around all the time, but that'll be ok. We're hoping to spend most every weekend together.
Also the fall semester at MSU has begun! Monday starts the first full week back and already I have homework. Nothing too hard though. I'm pretty excited about most of my classes and I've been hearing all of the girls experiences with their field study which makes me excited for mine. Too bad i'll be waiting almost a year. That's right folks one short year left until I finally have my Bachelor's degree!!
This is just a short update on all things happening in Starkvegas with the Sheffield family, but I will be back to answering questions and giving diet and exercise advice and recipes soon.
Let me know what you've been up to and any questions you have!!! I will be more than glad to answer!
Oh yeah check out the social vibe widget on the side of the page! It's for a really good cause and I promise it won't take much time out of your day. Thanks bunches
Justin got a co-op job near our hometown!!! Yay! we're super excited for him, he's been wanting to co-op but none of the previous companies worked out. The pay is great the experience is going to be wonderful for his career and he won't have to worry about paying for housing. But I am pretty sad he won't be around all the time, but that'll be ok. We're hoping to spend most every weekend together.
Also the fall semester at MSU has begun! Monday starts the first full week back and already I have homework. Nothing too hard though. I'm pretty excited about most of my classes and I've been hearing all of the girls experiences with their field study which makes me excited for mine. Too bad i'll be waiting almost a year. That's right folks one short year left until I finally have my Bachelor's degree!!
This is just a short update on all things happening in Starkvegas with the Sheffield family, but I will be back to answering questions and giving diet and exercise advice and recipes soon.
Let me know what you've been up to and any questions you have!!! I will be more than glad to answer!
Oh yeah check out the social vibe widget on the side of the page! It's for a really good cause and I promise it won't take much time out of your day. Thanks bunches
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tiramisu recipe
Ok a not so healthy super tasty recipe for Tiramisu
Ingredients:
Mascarpone Cheese (find it in the fresh cheese section at somewhere like Kroger)
Ladyfingers (puffy pastry things in the bakery section)
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups of super strong brewed espresso coffee
Directions:
-Go ahead and brew the coffee and let it be cooling while you follow the other steps
-Now take your egg yolks and sugar mix together until it turns a canary yellow and little bubbles are appearing. Set this to the side for now.
-Empty your container of mascarpone into a big bowl. Now add all of your egg and sugar mixture. Fold that together until it is well incorporated. Now turn your electric mixer on med for about 1min. Now set this aside.
-Take your lady fingers and dip them sugar side down into the coffee. Be careful, you do not want to saturate these or it will mess up the consistancy of the desert. Create the bottom layer of your desert with the dipped ladyfingers.
-Add a layer of mascarpone on top of the ladyfingers. Repeat these layers 2-3 times. End with a layer of mascarpone.
-To make it look really pretty you can sprinkle some cinnamon on top
-Refrigerate for 5 hours to over night. Then eat!
Ingredients:
Mascarpone Cheese (find it in the fresh cheese section at somewhere like Kroger)
Ladyfingers (puffy pastry things in the bakery section)
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups of super strong brewed espresso coffee
Directions:
-Go ahead and brew the coffee and let it be cooling while you follow the other steps
-Now take your egg yolks and sugar mix together until it turns a canary yellow and little bubbles are appearing. Set this to the side for now.
-Empty your container of mascarpone into a big bowl. Now add all of your egg and sugar mixture. Fold that together until it is well incorporated. Now turn your electric mixer on med for about 1min. Now set this aside.
-Take your lady fingers and dip them sugar side down into the coffee. Be careful, you do not want to saturate these or it will mess up the consistancy of the desert. Create the bottom layer of your desert with the dipped ladyfingers.
-Add a layer of mascarpone on top of the ladyfingers. Repeat these layers 2-3 times. End with a layer of mascarpone.
-To make it look really pretty you can sprinkle some cinnamon on top
-Refrigerate for 5 hours to over night. Then eat!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Fast and Healthy Recipes
So my much needed spring break was fantastic. I got to spend a lot of time with my family, I was so happy we took my daughter Ayvin to see so much stuff. I think she really enjoyed it, especially the zoo and the Children's museum. So much fun!
Now that I'm back and the polls are in everyone has decided they want some fast and healthy recipes. So I have decided that I am going to give one a week or every other week as I come across some that I have tried and really enjoy.
This week I am going to give you a recipe for Non-fried Crispy Chicken
This is a personal favorite and sometimes it turns out better than others and it is very customizable so feel free to try it my way and then add your own spin!
Ingredients:
1 pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts or strips
Bread crumbs (you can buy these from a grocery store or make them)
or non-salted saltine crackers (this is what I use most often because it's cheaper and less messy)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Eggs (I generally use Olive Oil because of the high cholesterol in eggs)
Seasonings (my favorite is Lemon Pepper or Soul Seasoning, which is just a little spicy)
How to do it:
*If you are using the saltines put them in a baggy and use a rolling pin, wine bottle, or can of soup whatever you happen to have, to crush them up. You want a fine sandlike texture to your crumbs.
*If you are using bread crumbs just put them into a baggy.
Now add the seasonings of your choice to your baggy.
Preheat the oven to around 400
Take out your chicken and olive oil or eggs.
*If you use eggs put those in a bowl and mix them up until the yolks are incorporated into the whites.
*If you use olive oil you will want to just put it in a bowl. I would say I use around 1/4 cup, but I don't actually measure it, so just use a little to start with and add more if you need it. So you don't waste alot.
Get out a baking dish, I use an 8x8 or a 9x9 metal works better for me than glass does, but you can use either.
Now take the chicken and dip it in the eggs or olive oil make sure both sides are coated then put the chicken in the baggy and shake it around until well coated. Place in the baking dish.
Bake around 30-40 minutes, you want a really golden crust, it should look almost like its fried.
So I hope you enjoy this recipe. leave me lots of comments tell me how it goes, or tell me what other kinds of recipes you would like to hear about!
Now that I'm back and the polls are in everyone has decided they want some fast and healthy recipes. So I have decided that I am going to give one a week or every other week as I come across some that I have tried and really enjoy.
This week I am going to give you a recipe for Non-fried Crispy Chicken
This is a personal favorite and sometimes it turns out better than others and it is very customizable so feel free to try it my way and then add your own spin!
Ingredients:
1 pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts or strips
Bread crumbs (you can buy these from a grocery store or make them)
or non-salted saltine crackers (this is what I use most often because it's cheaper and less messy)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Eggs (I generally use Olive Oil because of the high cholesterol in eggs)
Seasonings (my favorite is Lemon Pepper or Soul Seasoning, which is just a little spicy)
How to do it:
*If you are using the saltines put them in a baggy and use a rolling pin, wine bottle, or can of soup whatever you happen to have, to crush them up. You want a fine sandlike texture to your crumbs.
*If you are using bread crumbs just put them into a baggy.
Now add the seasonings of your choice to your baggy.
Preheat the oven to around 400
Take out your chicken and olive oil or eggs.
*If you use eggs put those in a bowl and mix them up until the yolks are incorporated into the whites.
*If you use olive oil you will want to just put it in a bowl. I would say I use around 1/4 cup, but I don't actually measure it, so just use a little to start with and add more if you need it. So you don't waste alot.
Get out a baking dish, I use an 8x8 or a 9x9 metal works better for me than glass does, but you can use either.
Now take the chicken and dip it in the eggs or olive oil make sure both sides are coated then put the chicken in the baggy and shake it around until well coated. Place in the baking dish.
Bake around 30-40 minutes, you want a really golden crust, it should look almost like its fried.
So I hope you enjoy this recipe. leave me lots of comments tell me how it goes, or tell me what other kinds of recipes you would like to hear about!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Alcohol
So It's been a busy 2 weeks for me and I haven't had much of a chance to post. But I wanted to say thanks to those who answered my poll questions. And I just wanted to give a little information about alcohol, since I decided to skip the whole vegetarian thing. Anways as a college student, I know that alcohol can be a problem for some people. college students want to go to parties and have fun, but it's important to know what is safe. It's recommended that men drink only 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women 1. Everyone hears that and they through it right out the window, so maybe if they knew that binge drinking for a man is 4-5 drinks and 4 for a woman. Binge drinking much like binge eating is unhealthy, you consume too many calories from alcohol and you inhibit the absorbtion of healthy nutrients in your intestines. Not to mention the many side effects including hangovers, nasuea, vomiting, being disoriented, losing things, and the list goes on. My point is not that people shouldn't drink, but we should drink withing the limits and be safe. I personally know at least three people who have died from drinking and driving, and know countless others who have been injured and/or got in trouble with the law. So remember to make sure you have a driver you can trust. There's also a lot of research out there if you want to know more about how to stay safe and still be able to have a few drinks. I just wanted to say a little about what I've been hearing lately.
Any Questions? Please Ask or send comments.
Any Questions? Please Ask or send comments.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Weekly Question
"I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. During the day at work I eat very little, but in the evenings and weekends, I can't seem to stay out of the kitchen. Do you have any suggestions to control my snacking in the evenings and weekends?"
The very best thing you can do is know your eating patterns
Know when you tend to snack the most and what foods. I would start by replacing alot of junk foods with healthy foods. If you like chips try snacking on some crisp carrots or cauliflower, this is easy because you can poriton it out into baggies and keep them where they are fast and easy. You can do that little trick with lots of fruits and vegetables. Something that is important to remember is that it is ok to snack, but always be careful what you snack on. If you want something sweet choose fresh fruit over canned fruits and always over candy. If you want something salty and fresh vegetables just aren't doing it try some oil based dressings, but watch your serving size of the dressing. It's easy to get to many calories from dressings because it doesn't seem like you're eating that much.
Also, to help curb afternoon snacking, try eating while you're at work. I know you're busy and sometimes it can be hard to find time to eat. But there are lots of fruits and vegetables you can store easily and snack on when you have time. Also there are meal replacement bars and smoothies, I do not recommend these because they are high in sugar and leave you wanting more so stay clear of these.
My favorite trick to help with snacking is get a lunchbox!
It sounds simple because it really is simple. Take your lunchbox and pack it full of as many fresh foods as you can. Also pack in some yogurts that are low in sugar, small baggies of meat or cheese that fit well into your diet. The trick is to plan what you put in here ahead of time, so you don't have to much sugar, fat, sodium, or just too many calories overall. The best thing is any time you want to snack you can have anything in this lunch box all day. I would keep it away from the kitchen so you aren't tempted to eat any foods that shouldn't be in your diet. Also, as you learn to use your lunch box you can start to decrease your calories from snacking just by limiting what you put in there.
Another trick that helps a lot of people even non-diabetics drink water!
Sounds easy, right. It really is just drink a glass of water 8-12oz. before you eat a meal or a snack. Occasionally when you think you are hungry it's really your body saying you're thirsty. So what you should do is get a glass or bottle of water and drink the whole thing. Don't drink it too fast. Then wait about 5-10 min. if you still feel hungry or crave something go ahead and eat it. This works before meals too. Have a glass before the meal is served and try to drink another full glass while eating. You will eat less rich calories and feel fuller faster so you won't keep eating until you feel full and then end up with a stomach ache.
What is that you say? You hate drinking plain water?!?! There are plenty of low-sugar tasty powders out there to help you make your water taste better. Try them out. I personally have found the generic brands to have more sugar in them than flavor, so go with lower sugar ones that are better for you. Just make sure you compare sugars and fats and prices; so you get the healthiest best buy.
Well I hope these tips help. These tips work well for diabetics, but can work great for everyone else too. So try them out and feel free to tell me how it works or just tell me some of your own tricks to help you snack less.
~Whitney~
The very best thing you can do is know your eating patterns
Know when you tend to snack the most and what foods. I would start by replacing alot of junk foods with healthy foods. If you like chips try snacking on some crisp carrots or cauliflower, this is easy because you can poriton it out into baggies and keep them where they are fast and easy. You can do that little trick with lots of fruits and vegetables. Something that is important to remember is that it is ok to snack, but always be careful what you snack on. If you want something sweet choose fresh fruit over canned fruits and always over candy. If you want something salty and fresh vegetables just aren't doing it try some oil based dressings, but watch your serving size of the dressing. It's easy to get to many calories from dressings because it doesn't seem like you're eating that much.
Also, to help curb afternoon snacking, try eating while you're at work. I know you're busy and sometimes it can be hard to find time to eat. But there are lots of fruits and vegetables you can store easily and snack on when you have time. Also there are meal replacement bars and smoothies, I do not recommend these because they are high in sugar and leave you wanting more so stay clear of these.
My favorite trick to help with snacking is get a lunchbox!
It sounds simple because it really is simple. Take your lunchbox and pack it full of as many fresh foods as you can. Also pack in some yogurts that are low in sugar, small baggies of meat or cheese that fit well into your diet. The trick is to plan what you put in here ahead of time, so you don't have to much sugar, fat, sodium, or just too many calories overall. The best thing is any time you want to snack you can have anything in this lunch box all day. I would keep it away from the kitchen so you aren't tempted to eat any foods that shouldn't be in your diet. Also, as you learn to use your lunch box you can start to decrease your calories from snacking just by limiting what you put in there.
Another trick that helps a lot of people even non-diabetics drink water!
Sounds easy, right. It really is just drink a glass of water 8-12oz. before you eat a meal or a snack. Occasionally when you think you are hungry it's really your body saying you're thirsty. So what you should do is get a glass or bottle of water and drink the whole thing. Don't drink it too fast. Then wait about 5-10 min. if you still feel hungry or crave something go ahead and eat it. This works before meals too. Have a glass before the meal is served and try to drink another full glass while eating. You will eat less rich calories and feel fuller faster so you won't keep eating until you feel full and then end up with a stomach ache.
What is that you say? You hate drinking plain water?!?! There are plenty of low-sugar tasty powders out there to help you make your water taste better. Try them out. I personally have found the generic brands to have more sugar in them than flavor, so go with lower sugar ones that are better for you. Just make sure you compare sugars and fats and prices; so you get the healthiest best buy.
Well I hope these tips help. These tips work well for diabetics, but can work great for everyone else too. So try them out and feel free to tell me how it works or just tell me some of your own tricks to help you snack less.
~Whitney~
Monday, February 15, 2010
Hello World!
Hi this is my very first blog! Just to tell you a little about myself my name is Whitney Sheffield I am a Dietetics/Nutrition Major and a nutrition apprentice at http://FOODPICKER.org which is a website that helps people with diabetes and such. So I am here to give my educated advice and answer questions and all kinds of good stuff. So thanks for reading and I will be writing again soon.
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