Why not fast food?

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Well, Most of us knows that the physical health affects our mental health, I think you probably are aware that fast food has extremely high amount of calories, high in fat as well as sodium and carbohydrates than protein, vitamins and minerals, So if somebody is constantly eating those fast food, they'll going to be getting all those extra energy fuel for their body except that it's not going to have the vitamins and minerals that the body need.

So if you are consuming fast food on a daily basis, maybe not everyday but maybe every other day. You are still be getting high amount of calories with really low nutrients, so now your body is constantly needing the nutrients that you are not getting from the food, so I think that it contributes to food cravings, basically a food craving is your body wanting and saying that he needs those nutrients, so you are always hungry and always looking for food. and you may eat a meal and shortly after that you are hungry again and so you are looking forward for another meal.

now remember all those energy you get when you eat at fast food, in just few days of eating them constantly, You will now feel irritable, grumpy i must say. You may have that energy back if you eat again, but it will soon fade away, the fast food really does makes you fat and not getting any food nutrients that we need. So this maybe hard but this must be stop. Maybe once in a while is ok, but everyday? or every other day? think again. So when you are hungry why not grab something healthy.

Foods that can cause migraines to everyone.

there are many people that whenever they eat certain foods they get a migraine. Maybe some people drink wine and all of sudden they are having a migraine. But what are the foods that causes migraine.

The most common migraine triggers are red wine, chocolates, other alcoholic beverages, even healthy foods such as yogurt, bananas, citrus fruits, onions. ANd take note that for each different people it's a different set of fruit, If you have migraine. you have to stop eating all of these foods, It's a way to find out what triggers your headache. One of the best way to prevent and know which food cause your migraine is to keep a notebook and whenever you are having a headache. Try to write down everything you eat before you got the headache( the previous 8-12 hours). So if you see a pattern every time you had a headache whenever you eat bananas, then maybe that's your trigger.

For many people food doesn't play a role at all, they can eat anything, they can drink anything they want, and not get a headache from food, for some people it's dramatic that is if they stay on a very strict diet they will not get a single headache. For most people it's in between. Foods contribute to the migraine but it's not the only or the major trigger for their headaches.

There are still a lot of foods that causes headaches such as raisins, cheese, peanut butter, tofu, nuts, soy sauce, avocado etc, All of these are healthy food. Anything smoked, cured, pickled anything that has preservatives, all that can trigger headache. For some people it's MSG. some people are other preservatives such as artificial sweeteners. Again it depends on the individual so you can't generalize the list. So if you usually have migraines, check the food you ate in the past 12 hours.

The Importance of Vitamin C

Image by comingstobrazil via Flickr

We all know that there are a lot and I mean a lot of vitamins that every one needs every single day of our lives for our body to function correctly and properly of course.

And I guess one of the most popular most needed is vitamin C. There are so many stuffs around there that could give you your daily dose of Vitamin C, but I still think that the best way is to have a well balanced diet, a diet that has foods like citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, potatoes, milk, fish tomatoes; A well balanced meal has to have all the major vitamins on it. Vitamin C is also known as Ascorbic acid, There are times that we are worried that we are not getting enough amounts of vitamin c naturally in our food, then you could ask your doctor,

he could recommend some Vitamin C supplement that is suitable to your body , I mean the enough dosage or proper levels of vitamin C that should be taken for you. Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin c is one of the 13 vitamins that our body needs. This vitamin is not fat-soluble, Thus our body cannot store it, so you have to consumed it everyday, Now the vitamin levels and dosages depends on your age, gender, weight, lifestyle, pregnant or not. So you really have to consult your doctor to know the perfect dosage for you.

What does vitamin C do? Basically , vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means that it battles the forces in our body that can cause organ, tissue, and cell damage. Therefore, vitamin C protects the body and may specifically be linked to reducing the signs of aging. If you do not have enough vitamin C in your body, you will develop scurvy. Scurvy is very uncommon in the United States, but can cause anemia, gum disease, skin hemorrhages, and weakness.

When you begin taking vitamin C supplements, make sure that you follow your doctor’s recommendations. If you take to much vitamin C, you can overdose, just as you would with a typical drug. This is rare, because vitamin C is water soluble and high amounts will leave the body at a normal rate, but when it does happen, it can cause kidney stones and interfere with vitamin B12 absorption, causing anemia. Diarrhea is also a side effect. Therefore, it is best to listen to you doctor’s recommendation.

In most cases, you will automatically get enough vitamin C in your foods, especially if you are eating a healthy diet. If you are not and your doctor tells you to begin taking vitamin C supplements, look carefully at the labels of different brands before you buy anything. Because vitamin supplements are classified as foods and not drugs, they are not regulated by the government and each brand’s potency will vary slightly from the next.

Vitamin B12 and it's importance to our life!

When you are learning about the vitamins your body needs to survive, you may notice that there are a number of vitamins listed. However, each is important in specific ways. Vitamin B12 is another part of the vitamin B complex, and without it, our metabolism would be affected. Vitamin B 12 is also important in helping to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, and in maintaining the nervous systems, which sends messages to and from the brain to tell us that things are hot, painful, itchy, moving, and so forth.

Vitamins fall into two general categories. The first are called fat-soluble vitamins and include vitamins E and K, among others. These vitamins can be stored in the body and, in some cases, produced by the body, so deficiency is very rare. However, vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. While is can be stored, in some cases, it cannot be used properly. Therefore, eating is every day is very important to our bodies. If we do not, our bodies cannot function properly. If you believe that you are not getting enough vitamin B12, you should talk to a doctor he or she can help you find the right vitamin supplements to take, so this will not be a problem.

Of course, your diet is the best way to get vitamin B12 into your body. If you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you should not have to worry about not have to worry about have lower or higher than normal levels of vitamin B12 in the body. However, if you have special dietary needs or medical conditions, vitamin supplements may be needed. You can find fairly high levels of vitamin B 12 in eggs, poultry, beef, pork, shellfish, and dairy products, especially milk.

Because vitamin B12 is one of the few vitamins that can be stored in the body, extreme deficiency is very rare. However, if you body cannot use vitamin B12 properly or absorb it from foods in the intestinal tract, you may need vitamin supplements to help your body. Vegans are especially prone to this and should take vitamin supplements, since most of the vitamin B12 we get in our diets is found in meat. If you don’t get enough vitamin B12, you develop a condition known as pernicious anemia. Symptoms include numbness and tingling in your arms and legs, weakness, low of balance, and other neurological symptoms. If you are worried about developing pernicious anemia, you should talk to your doctor about beginning to take vitamin B12 supplements today.

How Vitamins Supplements can Help You

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There are so many benefits to getting a proper amount of nutrition that there is no way to list them all. For people who are working on building their muscles, there are certain things about vitamins and supplements that you should be aware of.

First of all, the best way to get your best nutrition is through eating the right diet. There are certain aspects of the vitamins and minerals that go along with food that just can’t be found in the supplements. It is always best to eat as well as you can. However, if for some reason you aren’t able to get all of the needed vitamins and minerals, it is better to have them via vitamin supplements than to have none at all.

For bodybuilders, it is important to remember that you are doing great work on your body, and this work is causing you to become stronger. However, as you increase in your ability to lift things and as you increase in the strength of your muscles, you are going to need more vitamins and minerals, as well as more energy, in order to use these enhanced muscles.

You should not start bodybuilding before you have talked to a doctor or a nutritionist about what you should do to make sure that your body can maintain the muscles that it has. If you are not able to consume enough of the foods that have the right vitamins, you are going to need to take supplements. This is because it is extremely important that you have enough of the right things if you are going to be bodybuilding. If you are building your muscles and not feeding your body properly, there is not going to be anything left over to keep you healthy as well as strong. Vitamins help to build you immune system, make hormones, and much more.

Many times it is a good idea to go on a general multivitamin if you are going to be working out and working hard on your body. This is a good idea because as you work out you are burning energy that your body would otherwise use to protect itself. Your immune system might be very compromised as you work out, so you should try to do whatever you can to make sure that you are getting the correct vitamins and minerals that your immune system needs to function correctly. Do not be afraid to talk to your doctor about what you can do to make sure you are putting the right things into your body at all times.

How to Start Healthy Eating

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If you currently do not eat a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start such a plan. However, healthy eating is important for maintaining bodily function and living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, than you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. However, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet.

A good beginning step when you want to start eating more healthily is to rid you home of all founds that do not into healthy categories. Keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so that you will not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, like chocolate chips. Eating a few of these won’t ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave.

Another great step to healthy eating when you are first starting the process is to take a few moments to learn about what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work in the body. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat means and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work in the body, you will be more likely to make these healthy choices for your body. Knowledge really is power!

When cleansing yourself to prepare for a new healthy diet, you should also take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you probably are not getting the best foods possible. Plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh vegetables. Plan ahead for healthy meals in the evening as well by cooking ahead if you are not currently getting healthy dinners and have little time to cook when you get home every night.

Start with baby steps. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improve your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that even half of the time. When you start by taking small steps, it does not seem like you are cutting out all of the foods you love and you can take your time to learn about healthy foods which you can love equally as well.

Alpha Lipoic Acid and it's benefits

I'm very much interested with ALpha Lipoic Acid. It was first introduced to me be a colleague way back 6 years ago. I've heard of it when I was young but I wasn't that interested. This friend of mine told me that it helped her made her skin supple and glowing. I really thought it was just another food supplement in the market today that was just looking for some popularity. For those who have no idea.

Alpha-lipoic acid, is an antioxidant. And it is commonly called as lipoic acid or thioctic acid, This food supplement were once only known to help diabetics because it helps to stabilizes blood sugar. But after few years of continued research and studies it shows a lot more benefits.This powerful antioxidant is a fat and water soluble, it means it can get into or penetrate into our body well, making it easy to protect against free radicals. It simply help to detoxify our body.

And speaking of detoxification, ALpha Lipoic Acid helps glutathione to work like wonders. ALA also makes Vitamin E and Vitamin C works efficiently. You can get ALA in different foods such as Spinach, Brewer's yeast, liver etc. We do have ALA in our body but if you want to make the most out of it you really have to take a supplement, You can always ask your doctor.

Do you always get sore throat?

Image via WikipediaOne of my good friend, MJ, who is also a voice coach has this problem. She easily get her sore throat and it will be cured for only few weeks and it will return. I was really concern so i did my research.

She always say that her throat is always itchy and sometimes with burning sensation. One sign before you get fever, flu and tonsillitis is sore throat.

Sore throat is mad e by stretococcus bacterium. One main reason why people get this is beacuse of poor and unhealthy diet high intake of unrefined carbohydrates, too much sweets. Like those in biscuits, table sugar, etc.

Stress, smoking and drinking are the reasons why our bodies reduce it's resistance against infections. You should add enough Vitamin D and E to your daily diet to avoid sore throat. Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish. That's why you have to be in a fish diet if you have sore throat. This will prevent infections and provide healthy immune system.. While Vitamin E can be found in Avocado, Olive oil, nuts and seeds.

So always remember prevention is still better than cure.

My top ten entrecard droppers. Thanks guys!

Entrecard has brought a lot of traffic to my blog. and I would like to take this day to thank all the blogs that took their time to always drop by and visit my blog. Here are my top Entrecard doppers.

1. Windmill on the hill
2. Health Eagle
3. Losing Weight Intentionally
4. Healthy Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
5. Healthy Living
6. Paul's Health Blog
7. Daily fun horoscope bites
8. Easy Homemade Fragrance and Essential
9. Chronic Chick Talk
10. Pregnancy with Cancer


Thanks very much!

Brain food? Take the B Vitamins.

Image via WikipediaMemory loss, Memory gap, Are just some of the things that happens to us as we age. But you don't need to grow old to wait for these things to happen to you. Why don't you do something for yourself while you were young. I have given some tips on my previous posts about how you can improve your memory. But what is the specific vitamin food that helps boost your memory?

Vitamin B Complex can actually boost your brain and enhance the power of your memory. You should try to eat Vitamin b-rich foods. And try to stay away from foods that may reduce or lower the Vitamin b complex. Here are the list of foods that are rich in Vitamin B.

Potatoes
Avocados
whole grains,
Tuna
Oats
Turkey
Bananas
Legumes
yeast, meat, low-fat dairy products,
Brazil nuts
lentils and leafy greens.

Oh and beer too. Yes, you heard it right, but it doesn't mean that you have to reason this to drink more beer. eat right and balance your diet.

Why diet and exercise won't work for some people.

Diet and exercise doesn't work for most people? because maybe their not doing it right. as simple as that. That's why most people feel frustrated whenever they didn't meet their weight goals. or they're weight fluctuate. There are times that you may want to ask a professional to give you some ideas and advices if your own diet just won't work for you. But you might ask, My friend lose weight on her own? I can do it to right?

Well, my brother lost a lot of weight on his own too, why? because he's doing it the right way.

So what maybe the reasons why some diet and exercise wont' work for you.


You may not have a good plan. and or your diet is not balance with your level of
exercise.

You might be eating more than you think. You consume more saturated fats.

You forgot about portion sizes.

You don't have proper balance of carbs, proteins and fats. you can't lose weight if your undernourished.

a little discipline wont hurt, but you don't have to kill yourself. Enjoy your diet and exercise and don't think of it as a burden.

Healthy diet? Get nutty.

Almonds, peanuts, pistachio, cashew, walnuts, hazelnuts etc. Who doesn't like nuts?, I only know few people who dislike nuts, Mainly because of health problems and they can't take it. but the rest just all love nuts. When you start eating, sometimes you just can't stop. It's hard to tell yourself. " okay go get 3 pieces only! " We usually end up with a handful or two handfuls or even three. There is nothing wrong with that As long as you have to know when to stop. Nuts are usually high in calories when taken in large amounts. You should at least eat 2 ounces of nuts a week.

You may want to add nuts in your diet but you have to balance it. when nuts are combined with other very healthy foods, The results can be surprisingly remarkable. You can try to switch your unhealthy snacks to nuts, such as potato chips or high calorie cookies and chocolates. Nuts may not cure any diseases directly but its a step or a way to help battle those illness.

Here are the lists of benefits you get from being nutty, i mean from eating nuts.

It has arginine, a substance that may help you improve the function of your blood vessels.

Nuts has mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which is good for the heart. So if you love your heart eat nuts.

the omega-3 usually found in walnuts, another helpful fat that helps heart problems.

And finally nuts may helps you lower cholesterol. Again, good nutrtion works best with a well balanced diet. So don't just grab some nuts and eat as much as you can. Balance it. ! happy eating!


image courtesy of healhtnut.org

Health food, The magic of soybean.

Tofu, soy milk, miso soup, etc. Are just some of the soy products i love. but as i grow up, I've learned that many products in the market are now selling soybean supplements, I have nothing against soya capsules, i just still believe that natural soybean are still the best one.

There are so many reasons why people use soya products as an alternative to dairy products:

For some medical reasons, People who has allergy to milk proteins or lactose intolerance take soya milk instead. Soy can reduce cholesterol
Soy products also help to control the cholesterol level because soybean is cholesterol-free. Soy has soluble fibers that helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol, That are circulating in the our body through our blood. The soy proteins also reduce the cholesterol level.most of the fats in soy products are helpful. It has soy isoflavones that may prevent atherosclerosis

It is known that in most Asian countries were traditional soy products are taken on a daily basis, their rates of cardiovascular diseases are low. Soy also improves the health of our bones. Soy products, such as soy milk, doesn't contain a lot of calcium but the soy isoflavones may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Many studies have suggested and shown that soy isoflavones may be a factor in helping to prevent bone loss.

But we all know that anything too much is bad for our health. Soya is no exception. So to be healthy do not just focus into taking just one kid of food. but to have a well balanced diet. and in your diet don't forget to include Soy.

image courtesy of www.energiseforlife.com

Eating healthy part 2: Durian. The hate me or love me fruit

Is this a healthy food to try or a fruit to avoid?

Durian. The first time i tried this was when i was 11 years old, The smell is really bad, and i just don't like it.. But that was then,(when i was young i tend to hate odd looking fruits) Well, I like it now more than before. My sister often tells me that people has only two views for this fruit " Hate it or Love it" All i can say is that I'm in between. It is known in South and East Asian Countries as the "King of all fruits".

Tracy asked me last time about the fruit with porcupine type skin. Well, there were 3 fruits on my mind that day. But for now I'll post Durian first. The smell may repel you but it really tastes good. So, What are the health benefits that you could get from Durian?

Durian is packed with proteins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytonutrients.

I can still remember my granny used to tell me that you can't just pick this fruit from a tree and eat. You have to wait for this fruit to fall from the tree. And wait for few more days until it ripened before you can actually eat it. This fruit is known to be high in Tryptophan,

Tryptophan increases brain levels of serotonin and melatonin, both are known as sleep-inducing hormones. So it helps to relaxes your brain and get sleepy. This fruit maybe consider as a good sleeping aid. If your travelling to South East Asian Countries, you may want to give this fruit a try. Expect that the smell would be unpleasant but it's worth the try.

image courtesy of www.nurulrahman.com

Eating healthy? Try dragon fruit.

Another healthy food to add in your healthy diet is Dragon fruit. This dragon fruit is really new to me, but i know that it has been in the American/ Asian market for ages. I'm just curious how so many people in my country are now getting into this, This fruit was originally from Mexico,South America, Vietnam,Taiwan and South East Asian Countries. And whenever a new and healthy food is out I always make it a point to try that "something new to me" food and prove it to my self.

So here's another one on my list, Dragon fruit. So what exactly is a dragon fruit? This unusual looking fruit, brightly colored and named Dragon fruit is also known as Pitaya. I heard there's a story behind why it's called Dragon fruit, but don't know the exact story.

At first, i found the fruit a little scary, because it reminded me of the plant from that movie" little shop of horrors " the plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. hahaha! (I'm sorry but i was six then, and even though it was a comedy movie it scared the hell out of me.) But this fruit won't eat you but you will eat this fruit.

This healthy food is rich in vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C. Here are the rest of the nutrients that you can get from the dragon fruit.


Protein, Niacin

Fiber,Iron

Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Calcium, Vitamin A

It also has antioxidants, and we all know how antioxidant helps our body to prevent certain diseases or even cancer. This is one vitamin-packed fruit.The dragon fruit is best eaten by cutting the fruit in half and scooping the flesh out, like eating a sherbet. And best eaten when chilled. It has a refreshingly sweet taste. SO the next time you're looking for a new and healthy fruit to eat. Look for the dragon fruit. The name is too big to forget.



images courtesy of www.nutrexsolutions.com and
www.thirteenmonths.com

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Healthy food, dried fruits?

Image via WikipediaHealthy food:Dried fruits or frozen fruit, which one is better? I love fruits no matter how it's done dried, frozen and of course fresh.

The nutrients of dried fruits depends on how long the fruit was around before it was dried. Some commercial dried fruits may contain an additional sulfur dioxide which can lead to asthma for some people, Now, you might be asking why sulfur? The sulfur is used to "fix" the color of the fruit.

But there are also no-sulfur dried fruits available in stores that you can try. So, what nutrients do you get from dried fruits?Here are some vitamins that you can get from dried fruits

Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6,

pantothenic acid

and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium,

phosphorus, potassium, sodium, copper, manganese)(courtesy of Wikipedia).

And because of water loss, that was experienced while it was dried. Dried fruits has a stronger taste or flavor. But these process also destroys most of the Vitamin C in the food, The levels of Vitamin C has been greatly reduced compared when it was fresh.

But i just want to share my favorite dried fruit... mangoes. i love 7D dried mangoes, This is just the best dried mangoes on the planet.

Healthy food: Frozen berries?

Talking about Healthy foods. My daughter loves cherries and i knew it's healthy, but there's more nutrients behind those sweet berries. All the "berry" fruits such as cherry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry all have anti-inflammatory compounds that reduces cell damage. we know that cell damage may lead to cancer.

Raspberries. Raspberries are high in fiber. The production of fiber is actually higher compare to other berries. It is rich in Ellagic acid and Selenium. Both helps our body to prevent and protects it from cancer. Based on research studies, Raspberry or raspberry extract may actually reduce the risk of oral and liver cancer cells. Of course it still depends on your daily consumption.

A cup of raspberries, 2 to 3 times a week will be good enough for your body.Even cherries and cherry juice are healthy too they also contain ellagic acid like those in raspberries.

Strawberries are rich in Vitamin C, Folate, Fiber and anti-oxidants which are all good for the immune system.

Blueberries are very known for so many health benefits such as reducing the bad cholesterol in our body,thus preventing strokes and other heart problems. Very high in Anti-oxidants which is very much known to neutralize free radicals that leads to cancer and other diseases.

Now i know why my mother-in-law always tell me not display my fruits on the table. Especially, if it's not going to be eaten yet, She used to tell me to leave my fruits in the fridge, Frozen berries or other fruits has small amount of water that makes the fruit high in concentration of protective compounds compared to those fresh fruits.


image courtesy of www.trengovestudios.com

Cookie diet in your diet plans?

I came across this box, while checking out some weight-loss products last Saturday at the mall. I have no plan of buying any weight-loss products,because I'm very much satisfied with my weight now. I just want to see this cookie that my sister is planning to try.

So, i have to do my homework and did my research on this.
The Hollywood cookie diet, they say, is the first delicious way to lose weight. You'll only need to take 4 cookies a day. One cookie each meal- breakfast,mid-morning(brunch,) lunch, and mid-afternoon snack.They say that it will actually help you to lose weight, without the bitter feeling of those other weight-loss products and it'll make you feel full.and after those 4 cookies, you have to follow it with a "sensible" dinner.

Each box has 4 individually wrapped chocolate chip cookies inside. It has 20 grams of fiber, 20 grams of protein, 13 of vitamins and minerals, zero trans-fat and based on the caloric restriction of meal replacement and portion control.

Even though the results varies in each individuals. Moderate physical activity or exercise can help you more in loosing weight while taking this cookie. Hollywood cookie diet can help you reach your desired weight, They say that you can eat as long as you want until you achieve the weight you've always wanted.

Now, I don't want to sound I'm promoting this kind of diet and i don't want to sound I'm against it. I still believe that even though this kind of diet may be effective. People should not rely on this solely. If you don't have a very hectic schedule like Hollywood actors do, It's still better to at least give your self a time for a little exercise and eat healthy foods..


image courtesy of www.solomonscookie.com

Health food, Noodles from seaweeds and vegetables.

Last time, i wrote about how popular Camel's milk now in UAE,. In the Philippines The government is now introducing veggie noodles. Through the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of Department of Science and Technology.

They developed different types of noodles that were made out of different vegetables, like squash,jute leaves and other green leafy vegetables, not to mention seaweeds too.
Vegetables are known to be very rich in vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, iodine, iron, protein and a lot more.

Noodles that are made of squash are pasta, instant noodles, and fresh miki or eggless noodles. Seaweeds and jute leaves were made as instant spaghetti, flat noodles and iodine-rich fresh miki.These noodles was first made for a feeding program to the less fortunate. Especially those who have Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), Iodine Deficiency Disorder(IDD) and Protein Energy Malnutrition. This is just on time right now, While the price of flour(one main ingredient of noodles) is constantly increasing in the world market.

Based on FNRI 50-gram serving of squash noodles, can give 16 % of energy, 20% of protein and 24% of Vitamin A. Which is just enough for recommended Energy and Nutrient intake for children ages 4 to 6 years old. While noodles made of jute leaves can give us 15 % of energy, 18 % protein and 36% of Vitamin A. And seaweed(guso) noodles/ pasta can give us 12 % protein and 22 % of iodine. These may not be much, but it's better to eat veggie noodles than just the plain ones.

The color of squash noodles are bright yellow. While noodles from vegetables are all green. These noodles are firm and don't have unpleasant smell. and has a fine texture compare to those commercial noodles.




image courtesy of www. allposters.com

Healthy foods: How to make toddlers eat.

Never force children to eat something that they say they "hate". Instead try to combine these nutritious food items with those that they like . For example", If your tot love hotdogs, make a sandwich with an iron-fortified hotdog, vitamin-enriched margarine, a slice of cheese, a little mayonnaise with minced carrots, and serve with glass of fresh fruit juice.

Nutrients are better absorbed when combined in a dish such as serving vegetables with meat cubes. for instance. Small frequent feedings are better for this stage since they can only eat so much with their small appetites.

Here are top must lists of healthy foods for your toddlers:

The primary food that toddlers should have in their priority list is milk. It is an excellent source of calcium and protein. It is also a good source of phosphorous, some B-complex vitamins, and Vitamins A and D. as well as some magnesium. Toddlers need fats contained in full cream milk, so low-fat or non-fat milk are not recommended. If your toddler gets tired of drinking same milk over and over, try to be innovative: add a teaspoon or two of chocolate or strawberry flavoring. better yet mix it with some fresh fruits your little ones love or make it into a nutritious milkshake.

The next in line, vegetables. vegetable provide minerals, vitamins and fiber. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach contains vitamin c and A , iron, calcium. while yellow veggies such as carrots and squash are rich in Vitamin A.

Third group and non-negotiable food are fruits. fruits are rich in vitamins and are well-liked by most kids. Bananas are rich in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin b6.

Make sure your toddler eats whole grain breads or enriched rice and cereals, as these are good source of iron, thiamin and riboflavin..

When your tots really hates the taste, try to add bitter/bland tasting veggies into their meal by making a puree or or use a juicer then hide it by mixing it to their favorite foods. It is important that we don't take healthy foods for granted. We only want whats best for our kids.