FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Tofu vs. Sprouted Tofu

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Even though I am not a vegetarian, I am still trying to eat less meat. So it makes me happy to see tofu becoming more popular. There is high blood pressure and high cholesterol in my family, this soy product is a great alternative to meat being that it's cholesterol free, low in sodium, and high in protein. Tofu is such a wonderful ingredient because it's so versatile. Since it naturally tastes very plain, you can add diced or crumbled up tofu to soups, tomato sauce, and casseroles for some added protein. You won't even know it's there because it takes on the flavor of whatever it's mixed with.

If you enjoy cooking this soy product at home, you may have noticed a new tofu on the scene — sprouted tofu. To find out how it compares with regular tofu

Food Review: Tofu Spaghetti

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

The carb-free diet craze has given pasta a horrible reputation. People think they have to ditch pasta if they are trying to lose weight, and it's just not true. Companies are even making pasta alternatives like this Tofu Shirataki ($4).

The package says it's a "spaghetti shaped noodle substitute." Mmm, sounds delicious. What's it really taste like? To find out

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein
Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.
Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.
Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

Source

Soba, Tofu Stir Fry With Peanut Sauce

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:30:00 -0800

What is not to love about a stir fry? This recipe calls for tofu, which makes cooking this meal easy since you can just add it at the end. To make this meal work for the whole family (read picky five-year-old), I pull out broccoli, tofu and noodles to serve my girls before adding the spicy sauce. It worked out well; everyone was fed and happy.

To see the recipe, just

Soy Wars: Tofu vs. Tempeh

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Whether you're a vegetarian or not, everyone can benefit from adding a little soy to their diet. Although there's some talk about a connection between soy and breast cancer, there's no evidence to back up the claim. Since soy products are a healthy source of protein they're a great alternative for people trying to cut back on meat and dairy products that are high in cholesterol.

Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but what's the difference between the two? Is one healthier than the other? To find out

Baked Tofu: Full of Protein and Flavor

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Since we know that eating soy is a great way to get protein without cholesterol or saturated fat, I'm always looking for new and delicious ways to eat it. Buying pre-made meat alternatives that contain soy such as Tofu Pups and Wildwood Burgers is great, but sometimes I want to make it myself.

Here's a great recipe for Baked Tofu. Since tofu tastes rather bland, you can always flavor it anyway you want. Plus when you bake tofu, it gets a firm and chewy consistency similar to chicken, so many meat eaters may even appreciate it.

You can eat this Baked Tofu alone, on salads, in sandwiches, as a pizza topping, or on crackers. It's a great way to get a healthy source of protein, especially if you are a vegetarian.

To see the recipe and a detailed "how to" just

Is Soy Safe?

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

I have heard much talk about the connection between soy and breast cancer. I've heard eating soy can prevent breast cancer, but I've also heard that it can increase your risk, or be harmful for breast cancer patients.

First off, let's bring up the fact that soy is not some new food we just discovered. It has been eaten in many Asian cultures for thousands of years, including products such as tofu, edamame (steamed whole soybean), soymilk, and fermented soy products such as tempeh, miso, and soy sauce.

Recently, in North America, soy has become a huge hit. All these products are becoming widely available, in addition to some new ones like soy nuts, soy-based meat alternatives, soy-based beverages, soy chips, soy ice cream, soy yogurt, and soy cheese.

Soy contains phytoestrogens, a group of chemicals that act like the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone necessary for having babies, and is also involved with bone and heart health in women. Higher exposure to estrogen over a lifetime is linked with increased breast cancer risk. Therefore, you can see why people might be worried about the estrogen-like phytoestrogens in soy products.

So can phytoestrogens from soy foods affect breast cancer risk? To find out

Healthy BBQ - Wildwood Burgers

FitSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

A friend recently introduced me to a new meatless burger, Wildwood Tofu-Veggie. She's allergic to wheat, which makes most veggies burgers off limits since they contain wheat gluten.

These Wildwood burgers on the other hand are made with tofu, and they have a really soft, yet dense consistency. I'd say their texture is more like meat than Gardenburgers.

I tried the Southwest flavor (they also make Original and Shiitake), and was surprised how flavorful it was - must be the cayenne pepper, cilantro and garlic. After taking my first bite, I looked down and could actually see bits of carrot, kale and full corn kernels. There's nothing I love more than seeing real food in my food!

Each patty contain 13g of fat, 0g of cholesterol, 320 mg of sodium, 9g of carbs, 2g of fiber, and a whopping 11g of protein (Gardenburgers only have 5g).

If you are a vegetarian, or trying to cut back on your meat consumption, I'd definitely give these a try. It's good to know they're also dairy-free, so if you are avoiding milk products for whatever reason (lactose intolerance) your tummy will love these. Look for them next to the tofu pups.

Healthy BBQ - Tofu Pups

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Although hot dogs hail from Frankfurt Germany, they are about as American as apple pie. Sometimes you don't want to eat processed meat or sodium nitrate that is found in most hot dogs.

I found a meatless alternative called Tofu Pups (cute name, eh?). The thing about regular hot dogs is that they pretty much taste like crap until the hot dog people add seasonings. That smoky kind of taste isn't from the meat - and the Tofu Pup people know that. They take good old healthy tofu, add the special hot dog flavor, shape it into a hot dog and voila - instant healthier hot dog. It has no cholesterol, no nitrites, half the fat and one-third the sodium of a meat hot dog.

Now when you go to try these - don't think they are going to be exactly like real hot dogs. The taste is similar, but the texture is completely different. Since Tofu Pups are made out of tofu, they're much softer than the meat version, which I actually prefer.

They take a lot less time to cook too, so make sure when you grill them, you watch them closely and turn them frequently. They don't need to be cooked - they just need to be warmed up.

Fit's Tips: If you find that grilling your Tofu Pups dries them out, try boiling them in water for a few minutes instead.

Not So Fishy Sources of Omega-3s

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:45:04 -0700

I could talk your ear off about omega-3 fatty acids, but hopefully you know by now that they are super beneficial to the body. They increase HDL (good cholesterol), decrease triglycerides, prevent irregular heart beats, and prevent blood clot formation. Omega-3s are the fats you should love because they also reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Last week when I posted about which fish are both high in omega-3s and low in mercury, I received a lot of comments from folks that just don't like eating fish. So here is a list of foods high in omega-3s.

Flax seed and Flax seed oil: Uncle Sam breakfast cereal contains whole flax seeds and it is high in fiber, which means there are multiple reasons to eat it for breakfast. Flax seed oil can be used in salad dressing or on toast as a butter alternative. Calorie wise you get the most bang for your buck with flax seeds - 95 calories of flax seeds provide over 100 percent of the Daily Recommended Intake of omega-3s.
Walnuts: Raw walnuts are a great treat, tossed into a green salad or your morning oatmeal. 2 ounces of walnuts contain 5.2 grams of omega-3s. Plus you can use walnut oil - it is great in salad dressing or on toast.
Soybeans - 1 cup of cooked soybeans contains just over 1 gram of omega-3s. While that is not a lot, I say every little bit counts. Cook up some for your dinner veggie tonight...they are also great to munch on while you're cooking.

Canola oil also contains omega 3s and can be used at high temperatures so it is great for baking and cooking.

Fit's Tip: The current dietary recommendation is to eat 7 - 11 grams of omega-3s a day. So plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so you can eat all you need of this fat. Remember, just because it is a good thing doesn't mean you should go overboard. Fat is still fat, even if it is good for you.

Mock Meat

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Beef is loved by many a person, maybe a little too much perhaps. Diets high in red meat have been linked to heart disease due to its high fat content.

A recent study found a link between eating high amounts of red meat and developing colon cancer. It can also increase the risk of heart disease in diabetics.

Anyway you slice it, eating a ton of beef just doesn't do a body good. Instead of simply switching to the other "white meat," why not try a meat alternative instead? Take a walk on the healthy side of life and check out some mock meats. Now don't get me wrong - they don't taste exactly like real beef, but they can be pretty tasty just the same.

Tofu, made from soaked and ground up soybeans, can be cubed and baked or stir-fried. It is also used to make Tofurky and Tofu Pups.

Tempeh is made with whole, fermented soybeans. It's great to marinate and bake. Fakin Bacon is made out of tempeh. Some people find it easier to digest than tofu.

The chewy consistency of Seitan (the vegetarian wheat meat), made from wheat gluten, is great in mock chicken nuggets, or mock steak strips for fajitas. You can make it yourself, or buy the pre-made ones at the store.

TVP (textured vegetable protein) can be used to make veggie burgers, or added to chili or other soups to replicate a meaty texture.

These meat alternatives taste fairly bland, making them perfect for marinades. Plus they're great alternative sources of protein.

Fits Tips: Many Asian restaurants offer dishes with these mock meats. If you're nervous about making them yourself, order them the next time you go out to eat. Their delicious taste and texture is not only satisfying but healthier for you than red meat.

Do you have your eye on Iron?

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:30:00 -0800

Here's a little quiz for you - which of the following food, based on normal portion sizes, has the highest amount of iron.

Do you have your eye on Iron?

1/2 cup firm tofu

1 cup Cream of Wheat

1 baked potato with the skin

1/2 cup canned chick peas