Don't do this to your fish!

Okay, so we all know that eating fish has ton's of health benefits, like lowering our risk for cardiovascular disease, reducing some cancers and improving our brain function but did you know that if you fry your fish you can pretty much say good bye to all those health benefits!  The frying process can completely destroy the EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids which most people are not getting enough of in their diet.  So if want the most out of your fish dish try lightly searing, broiling, baking or sushi raw and skip the battered and high temperature fry up.

Try sprinkling some powdered fennel seed or cardamon spice on your fish and broil it long enough to cook through but not dry up.  I've always said that when I can smell the fishing cooking, it's done. Though I can't stand fish that's too dry and you may enjoy it a little more cooked, so do check it with a fork.

Can Chocolate Really Be Good For You?

According to a recent study on the metabolic effects of dark chocolate consumption, dark chocolate helps to ease emotional stress.  "Most of chocolate's healthfulness comes from antioxidants that reduce the everyday oxidative stress on our bodies," write David Joachim and Andrew Schloss, co-authors of The Science of Good Food (Robert Rose.) They write that the health-promoting antioxidants in chocolate are called polyphenols.

Studies have shown that these compounds can increase blood flow and make blood platelets less sticky. Flavonoids, a subclass of polyphenols that are found in cocoa solids, protect the heart, according to several studies. It seems that these compounds act like scavengers with antioxidant capacities. In one study of 34,000 post-menopausal women who consumed flavonoid-rich food, 22 percent had a lower risk of developing heart disease.

Darker chocolate has the most flavonoids and to capitalize on the health benefits, chocolate manufacturers now list the amount of cacao in a bar. Look for at least 70% to get the most benefit from a bite. Generally speaking, the more bitter the chocolate, the higher the amount of antioxidants. But more important is the fact that the higher the cacao content, the lower the sugar content in the chocolate.

Dark chocolate protects against high blood pressure, too. According to a study published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, dark chocolate may actually help to lower blood pressure.

In one study of people who were under a lot of stress, it was found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of their stress hormones. This gives scientific support to what chocolate lovers have always called "the chocolate cure" for everything from bad moods to PMS.

Up until recently, the last pro-chocolate person you'd think of was a dentist. But last year, Dr. Linda Niessen, a dentist from the Baylor College of Dentistry in Texas, identified the tannins present in chocolate to be beneficial to dental health. She explained that the tannins stop the action of the bacteria on the teeth, thus stopping cavities in their tracks.

So can a chocolate a day truly keep the doctor away? The truth is, it's really too early to tell for sure, but the evidence so far is overwhelmingly favoring dark chocolate as a healthy food.

http://www.torontosun.com/life/healthandfitness/2009/12/10/12109496.html

The best breakfast on the planet!

This low glycemic (GI), easy to make and great tasting breakfast cereal is the bee's knee's.  Just bring to a boil 2/3 cup of water, add a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of steel cut oats, cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes.  Try soaking it over night to cook faster or prepare a larger amount and store it in the fridge for a couple of breakfast meals.  You can also add a pinch of ginger to boost the taste and improve digestion.

My favourite toppings include 1/4 cup of wild berries or a tbsp of sweetened dried cranberries or apple cubes and cinnamon with a splash of 2% milk.  You can also add soya milk or rice milk or yogurt just as long as you're not adding too much sweetness as that will bump up the GI of your breakfast.

If there was ever a breakfast of champions this is it!

(Have any wonderful breakfast idea's that you want to share?  Just add them to the comment box below)

TPD CHALLENGERS APRIL 2011



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Congratulations to all the TPD Challengers who stayed focused and worked hard to achieve their goals.  27 participants weighed out and a total of 189 lbs was lost...Bravo!  The program was much more demanding this time with 2 scheduled sweat producing exercise sessions per week.  As well, over $600 dollars was raised for the BC SPCA!

Stayed tuned for the next TPD Challenge coming soon!