The Benefits Of Grass Fed, Organic Beef

June 25, 2010 by Azwar Khalid  
Filed under Food And Beverage

Much of the cattle used to produce tasty, tender beef are fed with grass. The advantages of grass fed cattle are far superior to those consuming diets laced with chemicals and other additives. Believe it or not, these facts are upheld by hundreds of years’ worth of research, indicating that grass fed cattle are a far healthier choice.

Even so, consumers have to be careful when selecting meat. Unless they go out of their way to make sure that they are buying meat from producers of grass fed cattle, they could be in for a shock. If one thinks the differences between the two feeding methods have tiny effects on consumers - think again. Research in nutrition journals has shown that cattle who eat solely grass result in beef which have less fat. This is an important factor in having a healthy heart. This isn’t a minor health issue but directly tied to premature heart attacks and early heart disease.

Those who are keeping track of their cholesterol can have the peace of mind, knowing that grass fed cattle will be better for them. But it isn’t only the heart that is affected by choosing one type of beef over another. Vitamins A and E and other nutrients may be higher in the grass fed beef.

Of course, the taste test is an important factor when choosing food. Luckily, those who ate grass fed beef typically reported that the meat tasted far superior to other types of beef. Not only that but they weren’t exposed to dangerous chemicals. Although research is still being done, there has been evidence that the chemicals given to some cattle may result in early puberty and hormonal changes in children and young adults. This is simply another strong reason to choose grass fed cattle.

True, using chemicals and grains can result in a very high fat beef product, one that consumers may be trained to think is desirable. However, cattle producers started using this practice to cut costs and not to focus on the health of those eating the beef. Consumers need to be pro-active about their health and realize that producers’ focus on cost cutting may come at the expense of people’s health.

As grass fed cattle are allowed to graze on healthy, organic land, they also live less stressful lives. This lack of stress translates into tastier beef. They are also given fewer hormones and antibiotics in addition to those required by law, and who wants to eat these? These are not only unnecessary, but may do far more harm than good to consumers. The quantities that are administered usually are also far less than are given to chemically-fed cattle.

One major concern with antibiotics is that of acquired resistance to the medications. When the cattle given these excess antibiotics acquire resistance, diseases will spread far more rapidly, and some of these diseased cattle may be made into beef. This will result in higher beef recalls and greater risk to customers. This is far less likely to occur with grass fed cattle, and the meat tastes better besides, making it a win win situation for consumers.

So Many Kinds Of Pizza… So Little Time

Throughout the history of pizza, many types have been invented. Some are made in certain locations; others are made everywhere. It just goes to show how popular it is all over the world. It is delicious, convenient, and offers a great deal of variety. It does not matter whether you buy your pizza or make it yourself… you are in for a great meal that everyone will enjoy.

Fans of New York style will fold their slices in half while eating them. This style features a crust that is thin and chewy, topped with a sweet tomato sauce and delicious fresh mozzarella. One of the hallmarks of a real New York pizza is the yellow grease that runs down your arm from the rich cheese. You will not find a pile of toppings on a New York pie… they like to enjoy the genius of a simple pizza.

Ike Sewel came up with the idea for Chicago style in 1943. His version was deep dish, with tall sides on the crust to hold in all the toppings. He wanted a pizza that was not only delicious, but also filling. In Chicago, the cheese is put on first, followed by the toppings and finally by the sauce. A dab of margarine in the pan helps crisp up the crust. This is not a hand held kind of pie… you must use a fork and knife.

California pies feature unusual topping combinations and exotic ingredients. After rising, the crust is baked partially, to keep the crust’s height. The crust should be airy, light, and tender. You will often find California style pies with toppings like smoked salmon, feta cheese, and asparagus. Vegetarian toppings are very popular.

Pan style also uses oil in the pan. This fries the bottom of the crust, making it a bit crunchy. It also changes the flavor slightly. Pan style offers a thicker crust that has been raised in the pan before baking. Any kind of toppings can be added.

Cracker style crusts were developed in the 1950s. The dough is slightly fermented, giving it the layered texture of a cracker. This technique was well documented in the history of Pizza Hut. Thin-crust is different from cracker crust. It is usually stretched by hand. The crust on a thin pie is crisp on the outside and soft inside. They are usually served with less sauce and toppings than thick crust varieties.

Focaccia is more than just a bread… it is one of the original ways pizza was served. It did not have a sauce. Oils, vegetables and other toppings were added and baked on. This style has been eaten in Europe long before the tomato was introduced by New World explorers.

Still more styles are invented all the time for example. Tex-Mex versions offer Mexican toppings like corn, picante sauce, shredded beef, and other ingredients on a crust that is made with a percentage of masa flour. The crust is more corn chip-like than a normal crust. Other regional styles may use specific ingredients. For example, in the Midwest, Provolone cheese is preferred to mozzarella.

Is A High Protein Diet About To Destroy Your Health?

May 11, 2010 by Katherine Crawford  
Filed under Weight Loss

Ketogenic or high protein diets cause a lot of weight loss very quickly. But this effect is somewhat deceiving since the majority of the weight loss is in the form of water.

Moreover, there are many other nasty side effects with high protein diets.

So, without further ado, here is how high protein diets can decrease your health:

1. Fast muscle catabolism: This process literally happens over night when you restrict carbohydrates. You see, without carbohydrates your body turns to its own tissues for energy. In other words, you put your muscle tissue on the dinner plate.

2. High levels of catabolic hormones: Primarily, cortisol levels sky rocket with high protein diets. So make sure you are well aware of this before jumping on the high protein band wagon. And remember that cortisol breaks down muscle in addition to depressing immunity.

3. Decreased mental speed: Your nervous system runs best on a steady supply of sugar. Without carbs, your body has to convert muscle protein into sugar-a slow process. So the best strategy here is to not take out carbs if you want best mental functioning.

4. Gloomy moods: Certain neurotransmitters in your brain need carbs to replenish themselves. So if you stop eating carbs, your mood deteriorates. This is one of the main reasons why fitness professionals suffer from extreme mood swings when restricting carbs.

5. Less intensity: For the absolute best workouts, your body needs full levels of muscle carbohydrates. Without them, you can’t reach your intensity potential. This in turn decreases the amount of calories your body burns outside of your workouts.

6. Decreased muscle tone: Without carbs, your muscles will not looked toned. There is no way around this effect. You see, your muscles look best when they are full of water and carbs. Both of these give them their tight and toned look.

High protein diets aren’t all their cracked up to be. You see, although they do cause very rapid short term water weight loss, they aren’t very good for your health. So take heed of the advice in this article!

Murdering Metabolism: A Crime Against Your Body

May 3, 2010 by Faridah Yusuf  
Filed under Weight Loss

For example, you are not consistent with dieting like you have been in and out of losing weight program, over the years; you gain and lose weight interchangeably. Has it something to do with ruining your diet? Does it mean a problem or just a common misconception?

It is nothing else but impossible. Diet could not be ruined. There may be noticeable shifts in the body composition that is regarded as one of the things people refer to when they talk about their metabolism being “ruined” by dieting but this is only a natural component the so-called “burning of calories.”

If one hopes to bring his or her metabolic rate up and soaring, one of the best things you can do is regain some of that lost muscle by adding weight training to your routine. With this, metabolism would be faster and attaining the lighter weight you have now is easier.

In the dieting world, this phenomenon of gain now, lose weight later is called “yo-yo” effect. There are specific positive actions you can make in order to work with any metabolic concern you may have as a result of your dieting history. Every person differs, so have the freedom and sensibility to gauge your needs and put into consideration all the factors especially how your metabolism is like.

Most people experiencing the trouble of the yo-yo effect have been trying to lose weight using a low-fat diet. However, this is not the correct approach. Low-fat diets are generally high in carbohydrate diets, and they just have this imaginary guarantee that your body will consistently give high levels of insulin. The fact is: the body does not burn fat when there are high levels of insulin.

The thought of metabolism being destroyed is of falsity. Metabolism is by fact, a phenomenon that starts in the womb and ends in the tomb. We just need to take good care of our health and see to it that our metabolic rate or metabolism as a whole is not unknown to us.

Through it, we could take strides to a life of good health and satisfaction. And we must be cautious in dieting or else…

Celebrities weight loss diets slim fit into latest fashion clothings?

May 23, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Diet & Fitness



When it comes to trends, we all look to Hollywood celebrities. Whether it’s a fashion trend or diet trend, we all want to find out their secrets for fitness and weight loss methods that these celebrities are using. Any of you know anything about it?

Next Page »