Acai berry, Spirulina, Goji berry, Maca root... Superfood or bullshit?

Health enthusiastics around the world are driven crazy by mostly exotic and expensive plants imported from South America and Far East. These are commonly known as Superfoods: Acai berries, Goji berries, Maca root and Spirulina just to name few. They are said to contain huge amounts of protein and record-high concentration of antioxidants. But are they really superfood or is all this just marketing bullshit?
T. Bjorck, Head chef of Asian gourmet restaurant Farang, says that he takes these superfoods mostly as positive thing. "I do a lot of sports and within these circumstances I have learned about goji berries and acai berries", he says: "Superfoods are mostly quite expensive but at least they make some change to my regular diet. At restaurant we have used so far only small amounts of sea weed and Balinese all natural cocos oil which gives nice smooth taste to curry and does not burn when fried." He also thinks that eventhough they do not have any superfood dish on the menu yet, they might add these on the menu in the near future.

The superfoods have many healthy effects, there is no doubt about that. But still many people say that superiority of goji berry, acai berry and others compared to not so exotic berries like blueberry, lingon berry, rasberry, is not scientifically proved. The berries grown on highlands of China might also contain more traces of pesticides than allowed by government regulations.

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A Healthy Diet while Traveling

Sticking to a healthy diet while traveling can be one of the most difficult things to do in your life. However, if you learn how to make smart choices, a healthy diet is really not that difficult. This is probably not the best time in which to start a healthy diet, but if you are currently making healthy choices in your foods already, modifying your diet slightly to accommodate travel is not as it first may seem.

If you are traveling my airplane, a healthy diet may have to include airplane food, which can often be poor for your healthy, depending on the selection. When you book your flight, ask about your food options ask if a vegetarian dish is available. Vegatarian dishes are sometimes more nutritional in this case, but it really depends on what they will be serving. If you can, eat a larger meal before your flight so that you don’t have to eat the entire meal that is served to feel full.

When driving or taking a bus, you may be tempted to stop at fast food restaurants and eat the foods found there. Avoid this whenever possible! If you’re on vacation, you may wish to splurge a tiny bit, but having fast food more than one during a week can really be bad for your health. If you must, choose the healthiest options available, like chicken breasts and diet soda.

Also, remember that you can take your own food when traveling. Carrying a loaf of whole-wheat bread or pita wraps, some lean lunchmeat, and low-fat cheese in a cooler is a great way to avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol junk food meals. These are much better choices and you’ll save a lot of money as well. Call ahead to ask if there will be a refrigerator in your hotel room.

Lastly, make smart choices when you eat out. If you choose salads or pasta get the dressing on the side and ask about low-carb options. In fact, many places print these dieting options directly in the menu for the health-conscious people. Control your portions by ordering lunch menu sizes or splitting the meal in have and getting a doggie bag, and you’ll be well on your way to healthy eating, even away from home.

Yes, eating healthy foods when you travel can be a challenge. However, your health is worth it. When you eat good foods, you will also fight illnesses that you are likely to encounter when traveling and be more alert so that you can enjoy your trip.

Save Hundreds of Dollars on Your Next Vacation!

Healthy Lunches with Style

Lunch is an important meal in your day, so don’t skip it, even if you are tempted to do so. Many people believe that eating a big breakfast means that lunch is unnecessary, but that’s simply not the case. When you don’t eat lunch, you are more likely to snack during the day on unhealthy foods or overeat at suppertime. Your body also becomes depleted of nutrients when you skip lunch, so it s better for you to always eat lunch, even if it means making a bit of extra free time available in your day. However, there are ways in which you can ensure that your lunch is fairly healthy, no matter what your specific needs.

If you are at work or school over lunchtime, you can save lots of money by carrying a lunch rather than grabbing lunch from a fast food restaurant or other food source. Your own meals will also be more nutritious and, in many cases, tastier. If you are not a morning person, packing a lunch doesn’t mean that you have to wake up earlier to prepare this. Simply pack it the night before. Many food choices can help you to pack a lunch that will be the envy of your coworkers.

You can also consider stopping at a supermarket and picking up frozen diet meals for lunch as well. These meals are usually low in fat and high in nutrition and come in enough varieties for you to have a different lunch every day of the year. This option is sometimes a bit more expensive than making and packing your own lunch, but it can still be fairly inexpensive. Remember to look at the packaging to determine the best frozen meals for you. Some are not made for those looking for a healthy diet, and although they may taste good, they will be full of preservatives and calories.

You can also stock your desk at work with healthy lunch choices in order to save time. Lots of foods come in non-perishable varieties, which can easily fit into your desk and be microwaved with water when it comes time to eat lunch. Try soups, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, cereal bars, or instant oatmeal for lunchtime at the office.

When you have to eat out, such as if you are meeting an associate or client for lunch, make healthy food choices. Avoid skipping lunch altogether just to have a meeting. Instead, see if your company will chip in to pay for the client’s meal. Usually, companies are more than happy to reimburse you or provide a company credit card or tab information. Good choices for lunch include light meals, like wraps, sandwiches with wheat bread and light on the spreads, salads with light dressing, and fruit. Avoid fast food, pizza, and bulky meals, like pasta for lunch, unless you plan to b very active during the afternoon at work.

What to Eat, How Much to Eat, When to Eat It, How to Cook It and Exactly What to Shop For.

Healthy Eating at a Restaurant: Is it Possible?

If you and your family love to eat at restaurants, you may think that this lifestyle is not good for a healthy diet. In many cases, you would be correct. However, you can still enjoy restaurants occasionally and maintain your healthy diet. Its all about making good food choices, which starts with learning about the nutrition you need to stay happy, physically healthy, mentally stable, and active.

When you pick up the menu, start by skipping over the drink section. Although you may be tempted to enjoy a beer or mixed beverage with your dinner, these usually have many empty calories, which is not good for your body. The exception to this rule when it comes to alcohol is wine, especially red wine, which can be fine if you have a single glass and can actually help prevent heart disease for some patients.

Also skip over the appetizer menu, unless it’s to over a side salad. The appetizers at restaurants are usually high-fat foods that are not meant to fill you up and can in fact make you crave even more high fat foods. Examples of these are mozzarella sticks, potato skins, and wings. Instead, simply focus on your main course or, if you must indulge, share a single serving with the entire table of people.

When choosing your main dish, it is of course important that you look at the ingredients of the dish. Anything with cream sauces or high-fat meats should be avoided, and pass up the potatoes or onion rings. Instead over side dishes like vegetables or ask for just the main course when possible.

Remember too that portion is everything. Order off of the lunch menu whenever you can, and ask for a diggie bag right away. Split your meal in half from the start so that you are not tempted to eat the entire thing, which is usually enough for two or three portions.

At the end of your meal, stick over the desert menu, just like you did with the appetizers. Again, you can share a single desert with the entire table if you feel compelled to order something, or split your portion in half. Many fancy desserts at restaurants have more calories than your entire meal, so keep this in mind before you flag down the waitress to put in an order! Of course, on special occasions, it’s alright to cheat a little, but overall healthy eating requires lots of resisting temptation around you.

Links for further reading:
Free book about being a vegetarian
Get free meals at restaurants