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What are trans fats? There are two broad types of trans fats found in foods: naturally-occurring and artificial trans fats. Naturally -occurring trans fats are produced in the gut of some animals and foods made from these animals (e.g., milk and meat products) may contain small quantities of these fats. Artificial trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. The primary dietary source for trans fats in processed food is �partially hydrogenated oils." Look for them on the ingredient list on food packages. In November 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils are no longer Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in human food. Why do some companies use trans fats? Trans fats are easy to use, inexpensive to produce and last a long time. Trans fats give foods a desirable taste and texture. Many restaurants and fast-food o...

But according to recent research by the USDA, our snacking habits are adding too many calories and too few nutrients to our diets. It doesn't have to be this way, says Susan Bowerman, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. "When done right, (snacking) keeps your energy levels up and gives you more opportunities to get in all your nutritional needs." What snacks burn fat? Eating snacks with the right ratio of nutrients, with the right calories, will help keep you body energized and help you lose weight. Protein (plus exercise) fuels the growth of lean muscle mass, which boosts metabolic rate and increases calorie burn. Fiber, meanwhile, helps improve digestion and keeps you from binging on fats and sugars. So while there's no food that will literally "burn fat" while you eat it, smart choices with these ingredients will help your body operate at maximum efficiency. Bowerman suggests snacks under 200 calories, with 10 grams of protein a...

Developing healthy eating habits isn�t as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The essential steps are to eat mostly foods derived from plants� vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils)�and limit highly processed foods. Here are our guidelines for building a healthy diet. Consume a Variety of Foods Not all the nutrients and other substances in foods that contribute to good health have been identified, so eating a wide assortment of foods helps ensure that you get all of the disease-fighting potential that foods offer. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in a particular food.   Keep an Eye on Portions Sure, you can eat all the broccoli and spinach you want, but for higher-calorie foods, portion control is the key. In recent years, serving sizes have ballooned. In restaurants, choose an appetizer instead of an entree or split a dish with a friend. Don�t order anything that�s bee...

Before starting to diet, a crucial thing to remember is that while dieting you have to eat a nutritious and balanced diet. It simply means that no matter how much less food you consume in a day, it must contain food from all the food groups � whole grains, proteins, vegetables and fruits and dairy in the right proportion . Dieting does not have to be boring. You can choose any regular food that you enjoy eating and make it healthier. For e.g: If you enjoy dosas, try to make dosa with healthier ingredients like oats or ragi. Portion Control is the secret. Irrespective of the food you choose, have a strict control over the portion you eat. Try to restrict your calorie intake to 1200-1500 calories per day.  I would recommend eating 3 meals of about 300-400 calories each and enjoy 3 mid meal healthy snack around 100 calories each. There are many online tools to help track the calorie count of the food you take. Once a week, enjoy a meal of whatever you fancy throughout the week. This w...

When you prepare and cook meals at home, you have better control over the nutritional content and the overall healthfulness of the foods you eat. (You can also save money.) Here are some tips for a sensible home kitchen: Using Healthier Methods of Food Preparation Stock up on heart-healthy cookbooks and recipes for cooking ideas. Use �choice� or �select� grades of beef rather than �prime,� and be sure to trim the fat off the edges before cooking. Use cuts of red meat and pork labeled �loin� and �round,� as they usually have the least fat. Nutrition - Fish Dinner (spot) With poultry, use the leaner light meat (breasts) instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs), and be sure to remove the skin. Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites, instead of egg yolks.  Substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk. For recipes that require dairy products, try low-fat or fat-free versions of milk, yogurt and cheese. Use reduced-fat, low-fat, light or no-fat salad dressings (if you need t...

Potato chips aren�t easy to replace. But these roasted chickpeas are simple, nutritious, crunchy, and satisfying. Leave off the spice if you don�t like spicy food. Got a sweet tooth? You can make a sweet version with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon instead of cayenne and salt. 4 Ingredients 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Directions Heat oven to 450 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chickpeas, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Spread on baking sheet in one layer. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove pan, shake around to ensure chickpeas brown evenly, and return to oven for another 15 minutes until brown and crunchy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe combines canned coconut milk and cooked rice�white or brown rice�to result in a delicious, creamy dessert. The coconut milk cooks the rice into a perfectly soft texture, and with a tad of sweetener and a dash of cinnamon, this vegan rice pudding is the perfect sweet comfort food. Ingredients 1 cup coconut milk (about 1/2 can) 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup 1 cup cooked brown or white rice Dash cinnamon Directions Pour coconut milk into a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. Add agave and stir to combine. Add rice and continue to stir until evenly distributed. Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Liquids should boil off and mixture will become thicker. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon.

This raw mixed vegetable salad takes the green leaves out of the mix and focuses more on the "topping" vegetables themselves. I often have trouble eating zucchini, carrots, and cabbage in their raw states because they are tough to chew and I'd rather save the effort by cooking them or replacing them altogether. However, by shredding the zucchini and carrot and finely slicing the cabbage, enjoying them raw is much easier. That's what makes this salad is so great�it allows me to get the most nutritional benefit from vegetables I normally shun. The sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives offer complementary textures and flavors and the vinaigrette packs a fresh, lemony punch. I like to serve this dish at the center of the dinner table family-style and go in for servings as I enjoy the main dish, because it acts somewhat as a palette cleanser throughout the meal. Enjoy! What You'll Need: 1/2 large zucchini 1 carrot 5�6 dry sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water for a...

In India, since time immemorial, the oil you use in your kitchen is largely dependent on where you come from. In Kerala, it's coconut oil, in Andhra and Rajasthan, it's sesame oil, in the east and north they use mustard oil and in central India and Gujarat groundnut oil is used. Different cultures eat differently and the type of oil fits beautifully into the food landscape of that region. But all that changed in the 80's with the scare of cholesterol and heart disease. Overnight ghee got a bad name and we were told that we should avoid trans-fats and sunflower oil became popular. That was in the 90's.But today it's an altogether different story. You have new types of oil spilling across the grocery shelves from around the world and each new bottle label brings with it a new health hope. One of the most important things to keep in mind is - that oil behaves differently when heated, it changes texture, color, taste as well as it's nutritional properties. When the ...

Choosing healthy foods is an important part of eating right, but cooking them in a healthful way is another huge part. For example, zucchini can take on two completely different forms when it's quickly sauteed in olive oil versus battered and deep fried. What we add to foods makes all the difference when it comes to home cooking. The first step to healthier cooking is to take recipes as suggestions. Before you start chopping and mixing, scan the recipe to see if there are any unnecessary calories. Look for excess cheese, butter and oils, as well as sugars. Here are some tasty, healthy ideas to help you become a professional recipe over-hauler! 1. Saute �the skinny way! A couple of tablespoons of low-sodium vegetable broth can be used instead of oil or butter in your stir fry or as the basis for a sauce. This method will add a nice flavor to your dish as well as a little moisture�and you'll save calories to use elsewhere. To get a dose of unsaturated fats, serve your broth-saute...