FitSugar

Fatty Foods Worth a Little Indulging!

Heather Dale — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:06:39 PDT

Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol. Dietary fat is also good for us because it is one of three macronutrients that supports a number of our body's functions and provides us with energy.

Now for the fun stuff - the foods with all the healthy fats:

Avocados: Avocados contain monounsaturated fats (and antioxidants and beta carotene too!), which is said to help enhance memory and prevent heart disease. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of fat is 65 grams and one cup of avocado contains almost one third of your fat intake for a day, about 23 grams. So it's probably best to stick with eating just a half an avocado each day.

Keep reading for more healthy fatty foods!

Snack Attack: Oscar Night Popcorn

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:33:06 PST

Whenever I curl up on the couch in front of a good movie, I have to have a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. So the same goes for the Oscars - a night celebrating all the movies we love. Now I'm not talking about microwave popcorn here, there's way too much garbage in it.

There's two ways I make it:
1. The old-fashioned way:

Take a 1 quart size saucepan and pour enough canola oil on bottom just to cover it with a thin layer. You can also use olive oil, but I don't think it tastes as good.
Now pour 1/4 cup loose popcorn kernels in, shaking the pan a little to coat them with the oil.
Turn the burner on between medium and high. Place a top on the pan and shake it constantly from side to side over the heat. You get to work your arms a little bit too.
You'll start to hear the kernels begin to pop. Once the popping slows down a great deal, take the pan off the heat and pour the popcorn into another bowl.
Allow it to cool off a bit before sprinkling it with salt.

Want to know an incredibly easy way to make popcorn without the oil? Then

read more 2. Fat-Free Popcorn: When my dad was on the Pritikin Diet, he couldn't eat any fat, and we used to make popcorn like this all the time. Here's what you do.

Take a small brown bag, the kind you use for lunches, and open it up.
Pour enough popcorn kernels in to cover the bottom of the bag.
Close the bag by folding the opened end tightly 3 times.
Place the entire bag in the microwave, with the folded side on the bottom.
Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes, or until the popping slows down. If it cooks for too long, you'll have yourself a bag of burnt popcorn.
The popcorn tastes just like it came out of an air popper. Add salt for more flavor.

Got a great (and healthy) snack to share? Join the Snack Attack Group and tell us all! I may even feature your snack right here on FitSugar!

Corn Oil vs. Canola Oil

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:30:00 PST

Since Hanukkah is coming up on Dec. 4, I thought it'd be a great idea to chat about oil. When you look on a shelf at the store, there are many kinds of oil to choose from, and I always thought that canola and corn oil were the same thing. I was way off.

Corn oil is made from the germ of corn. Canola oil is actually produced from rapeseed oil and was originally made in Canada. The word canola comes from "Canadian Oil, Low Acid." Some people think that canola oil is unhealthy because rapeseed oil contains high amounts of erucic acid, which is know to have harmful effects. Don't worry though, canola oil is now made from a new plant that is similar to the rapeseed plant, but has a much lower erucic acid content.

So how do they compare nutritionally? To see the chart

	Corn oil	Canola oil
Serving Size	1 Tbsp	1 Tbsp
Calories	120	120
Total Fat	14g	14g
Saturated Fat	2g	1g
Polyunsaturated Fat	8g	4g
Monounsaturated Fat	4g	9g
Sodium	0g	0g
Fiber	0g	0g
Sugars	0g	0g
Protein	0g	0g

As you can see, canola oil is so great because like olive oil, it's low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat. This kind of fat is good to consume because it can actually lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol. Another thing, corn oil contains more polyunsaturated fat than canola oil. This type of fat has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, but too much can lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. Fit's Tips: Canola oil is a great choice when it comes to baking and sautéing, because it has a high burn point, meaning it doesn't start smoking until it reaches 238°Celsius. Just for reference, olive oil's burn point is 190°Celsius.

Ditching Trans Fat: The Benefits Exceed the Cost

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:30:00 PST

We're all excited about about how many cities, states and companies are banning trans fats, but how are they going to deliver the same beloved French Fries and fried chicken that so many of their customers crave?

This Chicago restaurant owner, Ina Pinkney, might have paved the way - she eliminated trans fat from her menu a few years ago, and made the switch to Canola oil. She says that going trans fat free was a recipe for success.

She feared that the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used in her foods were endangering her customers' health. Using Canola oil is not only healthier for her customers, but it's cheaper for her - she says it cooks so much better, so she uses less oil.

The oil's "fry life" and taste are virtually the same, but Canola oil is about 30% more expensive than partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. That's why a lot of restaurant owners are reluctant to make the switch. They just need to talk to Ina since she thinks it is cost beneficial.

But in the end switching over to Canola oil will prove beneficial because if patrons know the food is healthier, they'll probably be eating it more often (and MORE of it).

That's Nutty

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:30:00 PST

Nuts! Fish!? Seeds?!? Omega 3s can cause some culinary confusion. If you're looking to get more of them in your diet here's a few simple ways:

Walnut Oil: I use this in salad dressings regularly using equal parts walnut oil to olive oil. Then I add a little white wine vinegar and some Dijon mustard. Plus, I throw some toasted walnuts onto the salad. Be sure to refrigerate your oil after you open it.
Flax seeds: My favorite way to sneak flax seeds into my diet is Uncle Sam Cereal. It is simply toasted whole wheat flakes and flax seeds. Taste wise the cereal would benefit with some added fresh fruit. Plus my kids love it, which I love since the cereal hardly has any sugar in it!
Canola Oil: Canola oil is great to cook with and is the best oil when making a stir fry. It tastes much lighter than olive oil which makes it suitable for baking as well.
Source

Molly Sims's Approach to Preventing Stretch Marks Is Internal

LilSugar — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:04:22 PST

While your odds of developing stretch marks during pregnancy are (for the most part) left to fate outside of your control, Molly Sims is following a diet rich in good-for-you fatty acids to improve her odds of avoiding them. Molly is a follower of Lori Bregman's Rooted For Life program, a holistic approach to pregnancy and motherhood. Today on her blog, the 4-month pregnant mama-to-be shared some of her menu highlights, which include:

Fish, olive, coconut, canola, hempseed, and flaxseed oils
Hemp, flax, sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds
Almond and nut butters
Salmon and cod
Avocados
Split peas
Lentils
Collard Greens

Other celeb moms who have shared their secrets to avoiding the dreaded stretch marks include Ali Landry, who's a devoted user of (and spokesperson for) Palmer's Cocoa Butter, and Victoria Beckham, who favored the pricey Elemis Japanese Camellia Oil last year.

Do you think that stretch marks are best treated from the inside or out? Do you have any other great tips and tricks for avoiding the battle scars of pregnancy?

Sauteed Cauliflower With Anise and Cashews

Padma Lakshmi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:19:11 PST

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Padma Lakshmi! The host of Emmy-winning Top Chef, writer, and designer started Padma Lakshmi, a social networking site that celebrates our favorite topics, including food adventures, recipes, and party planning. She'll be dishing up goodies for us here on YumSugar monthly! Today, Padma shares a recipe for Sauteed Cauliflower With Anise and Cashews.

Cauliflower gets a bad rap sometimes. It's definitely always the last vegetable left on a crudites platter, but that's lucky for me because I happen to love this cruciferous floret. I think a lot of people are just a touch puzzled when it comes to preparation and don't know the proper ways to work with it and coax out a truly indulgent flavor.

I have a delicious preparation that will leave everyone at the table gazing longingly at the empty serving bowl where the cauliflower once was.

In North India, in a dish called aloo gobi, it is made with potatoes and cumin. I've replaced the potatoes with cashews and the cumin with anise seeds; it's lighter without the potatoes, and the cashews give it a rich, nutty flavor that pairs well with the anise seeds. The long, dry red chilies give the dish a burst of red color that looks gorgeous on the plate.

This is a great side dish to add to your Thanksgiving Day feast. It's a surprising twist on a traditional vegetable that will add some intrigue to the line-up of usual suspects. Keep reading for the recipe.

T-Day Tips For the Lactose Intolerant

Heather Dale — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:42:52 PST

Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, pumpkin pie, oh my! Thanksgiving is not only a time to give thanks and surround yourself with loved ones, but it's also the annual holiday most known for its savory signature dishes. For some, this means gorging on yams, biscuits, and casseroles, but for others the day means worrying about food sensitivities and allergies that can be triggered by basic ingredients in a number of dishes. If you're lactose intolerant, Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming since so many delicious food items contain milk and dairy products. Here are some simple tips for surviving Thanksgiving and still indulging like everyone else if you are lactose intolerant.

Healthy Substitutions For Baking

Susi May — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:11:09 PDT

Baking is a great way to beat the chilly weather that comes with the change of seasons. Weekends are a great time to make sweet things with my sweet things - my girls love baking too. When making treats, I do try to make substitutes with healthy ingredients when I think I will not be sacrificing the texture and flavor too much.

I found some substitutions at the American Heart Association, and I think they're great. Definitely worth giving a try if you are trying to reduce your intake of saturated fat, the kind which can increase your LDL cholesterol.

Feel like trying to bake a little healthier? Keep reading for substitution ideas

10 Ingredients to Liven Up Your Salad Dressings

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:15:13 PDT

The sky is the limit when it comes to making homemade salad dressings, yet most people still toss their greens in something store-bought or a simple mix of olive oil and balsamic. Adding a few simple ingredients can totally transform the flavor of your salads, many of which are kitchen staples.

Fresh or dried herbs: Quickly chop herbs like parsley, mint, thyme, dill, tarragon, cilantro, basil, or chives, and whisk them into your dressing at the last minute. Dried herbs have more concentrated flavor, so use a third of the amount you would for fresh herbs.
Flavored oils: Thee are tons of specialty oils available like walnut, pistachio, pumpkin, peanut, sesame, even smoked olive oil. Even blending just a tablespoon of a flavored oil with a neutral tasting oil like canola will add roasted, nutty accents to your dressing.

See eight more ways to liven up your salad dressings.