The Raw Truth About Sushi
Rice, fish and veggies. Sushi is usually the go to healthy food when it comes to heart-friendly, low-fat ingredients.
So what’s the problem here? Sushi is bound to be healthy, right?
Sure, the Japanese style sushi. Unfortunately, Americans have a tendency to supersize everything and often use mayo, oil and fried shrimp.
Tsk. Tsk.
Here’s a guide of the healthiest and chubby challengers to stuff in your purse (and stomach) on your next sushi outing..
Skinny Stuff-Me-Silly Sushi:
Assorted Sashimi..hello Omega-3’s!
Veggie Rolls..veggies, ’nuff said.
Edamame..mmm soy.
Tako (octopus)..protein, B vitamins, iron, selemium, taurine..oh my!
Sushi Suckers:
Tempura Rolls..two words. Deep. Fried.
Spicy Tuna..try to stay away from mayo.
Philadelphia Rolls..here’s a tell-tale sign, they don’t even serve these rolls in Japan. Since when do they have cream cheese in Japan?
Dragon Rolls..one ounce of raw eel contains 3 grams of fat..eek!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
In Mexico we have a word for sushi: bait. ~Jose Simon
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Jumping for Java!
It’s official.
Coffee is actually good for you!
No it’s not a dream. That cup of joe in your hand can help fight disease, increase brainpower, keep you feeling young and help fuel those tough workouts.
So put on a fresh pot, get your favorite coffee mugs out and learn why you should be jumping for java all thanks to Self.com..
Bean Benefits: Lifelong caffeinated-coffee fans may be less prone to develop Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Coffee’s antioxidants may tamp down cell damage linked to Parkinson’s. And caffeine blocks inflammation in the brain, which is associated with Alzheimer’s.
Smile Sips: Caffeinated java has antibacterial and antiadhesive powers, so it may keep cavity-causing bacteria from eating your enamel. It also slashes oral cancer risk by half!
Diabetes Dodger: People who sip 3 to 4 cups of regular or decaf coffee a day are 30 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Stop Those Stones: Gallstones grow when mucus inside your gallbladder traps cholesterol crystals. Xanthine, found in caffeine, may reduce mucus and risk for deposits.
Skin Saver: Two to five cups of regular coffee daily may help lower your risk for nonmelanoma skin cancer by up to 17 percent.
Bosom Buddy: Premenopausal women who downed four cups of regular coffee per day experienced a 38 percent reduction in their breast cancer risk, a study in The Journal of Nutrition finds.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee. ~Stephanie Piro
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Protein Snacks for Pennies!
It’s no secret that high protein and low-carb diets are all the rage. With all of the benefits it’s easy to understand the excitement!
Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Not only are hair and nails mostly made of protein, your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood–who wouldn’t want to add more to their diet?
There’s great news for all of you protein fanatics out there, protein doesn’t have to cost a pretty penny. Check out these finds, thanks to fitsugar.com, all are under $2 and packed with up to 10 grams of protein.
Chobani Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt has double the amount of protein than regular yogurt. Most brands range under $2, but Chobani ranks in at the cheapest at only $1.19! It’s only 120 calories with 16 grams of protein. Opa!
Edensoy Organic Soymilk: Need to quench your thirst? Try this soymilk packed with 11 grams of protein and 140 calories. Get a three pack at only $2.61. I’ll have soy more please!
Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame: Sure frozen edamame is amazing, but you can’t quite keep it in your purse or gym bag. Try the dry roasted version and you won’t be able to put it down. At 130 calories and 14 grams protein, this edamame costs only $1.46 for a four-ounce pack. Now that’s a number I can certainly crunch!
Kind Plus-Almond, Walnut, Macadamia: If it’s an energy bar you are craving, look no further than this one. It packs a protein punch at 210 calories and 10 grams protein. Get a pack of 12 and you’ll find yourself with each one costing $1.48. That price, I believe, passes the bar.
Cheese n’ Crackers: So simple. So cheap. So yummy. So much protein! Try going for a one ounce stick of string cheese and a bag of Kashi crackers. The cheese is only $0.64 per slice and crackers only $0.58. So good it’s almost cheesy!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Life goes faster on protein. ~Martin H. Fischer
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Cheap Super Foods to the Rescue!
Acai berries, mangosteen, pomegranate and spirulina are all well known super foods with super powers for overall well-being and health. Yet, with super foods, come super prices and that’s bad news for those of us recently keeping a tight grip on the wallets.
Turn those frowns upside down, frugalistas. You don’t have to feel like you’re hurting your health if you can’t afford to cough up the extra dough for expensive health items, chances are you already shop for super foods. Some may already be waiting for you in the fridge!
Here are five super foods at a super price everyone will love..
Tofu-tastic: Soy is the best way to get protein minus the cholesterol and saturated fat. It’s loaded with great ingredients that promote cardiovascular health.
Saving with Spinach: Not only is spinach is a great antioxidant in preventing cancer, it also promotes better brain function and is an excellent source of iron. Even frozen spinach passes the test!
Bring on the Bell Peppers: What doesn’t this vegetable do for your health? From your heart to your lungs , to your eyes and everything else bell peppers offer a great nutritional bang for your buck.
Ode to the Onion: Not only does the onion add amazing flavor to any meal, it also benefits your cardiovascular and gastrointestinal system. It also helps fight cancer and maintain blood sugar levels.
Amazing Apples: Apples are jam packed with antioxidants, fiber and flavanoids. As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
We are indeed more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. ~Adelle Davis
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The Meal Deal: Healthy Meals Under $10
A little chicken here.
Some salad and veggies there.
Ring it all up at the grocery store and you think to yourself, no way that’s not possible!
These days every penny counts and spending $50 plus dollars every time you make a visit to the grocery store can be costly and detrimental to anyone’s wallet.
Thanks to Health.com here are four healthy meals under $10, your stomach and wallet will thank you for it!
Baked Rigatoni
You’ll need:
Rigatoni or penne pasta (16-ounce box from Barilla): $1.59
Lean ground beef (1 pound): $3.99
28-ounce can plum tomatoes: $2.49
Onion: 99 cents
Garlic (for the entire head): 75 cents
Total: $9.81
Do this:
Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. Drain well. Combine beef, cooked rigatoni, tomatoes, and onion and garlic to taste. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. If you have some in your fridge, you can add mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top.
Black Bean Chili
You’ll need:
Onion: 99 cents
Garlic (for the entire head): 75 cents
Bell pepper: $1.64
15.5-ounce can low-sodium black beans: $1.09
14.5-ounce can chicken broth: $1.09
14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes: $1.49
Ground turkey (1/2 pound): $2.40
Total: $9.45
Do this:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add first 3 ingredients and turkey; cook for 6 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently to crumble. Rinse and drain the canned beans. Stir in beans, tomatoes, and half of the can of chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Potato Broccoli Casserole
You’ll need:
Red potatoes (1 pound): $1.29
Frozen broccoli (Birds Eye, 10 ounces): $1.59
Low-fat milk ($2.99 for 1/2 gallon): $2.39
Shredded low-fat cheddar (Richfood, 8 ounces): $2.79
15-ounce can bread crumbs: $2.19
Total: $10.25 (only 25 cents over, not bad!)
Do this:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return potatoes and liquid to pan; mash with a potato masher until slightly chunky. Steam 1 cup of broccoli, according to packaging instructions. Add broccoli and milk to pan; stir well. Spoon potato mixture into an 11×7 baking dish coated with cooking spray; bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Vegetarian Tacos
You’ll need:
15.5-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans: $1.09
Taco shells: $1.29
Salsa (12 ounces): $2.59
Romaine lettuce (1 head): $1.99
Shredded Mexican blend cheese: $2.79
Total: $9.75
Do this:
You don’t really need a recipe for this one. Just rinse the beans and heat them in a pan with a few shakes of ground chipotle pepper. Heat the taco shells in the oven, then fill with the beans, salsa, lettuce, and cheese.
There you have it, four recipes that just trimmed the fat off of your grocery bills. Now get cooking!
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
You’ve got bad eating habits if you use a grocery cart in 7-Eleven ok? ~Dennis Miller
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Snack Attack: Healthy Snacks
What to do when hunger strikes?
Grab a snack of course.
It’s hard not to reach for that salty bag of crunchy goodness known as potato chips or say Ahoy! to Chips Ahoy. But what to do?
Here are some healthy alternatives from Self magazine that will curb the salty and sweet cravings..
Salty Samba
1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks: 80 calories
1 bag Baked! Cheetos 100 Calorie Mini Bites: 100 calories
1 cup unshelled edamame: 120 calories
1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips: 140 calories
2 oz Applegate Honey and Maple Turkey Breast wrapped around 2 bread-and-butter pickles: 80 calories
5 olives (any kind): 45 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original wedge, 3 pieces Kavli Crispy Thin: 85 calories
1 oz buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes: 94 calories
1 Subway Turkey Breast Wrap: 190 calories
One 1-oz package of Planters NUT-trition almonds: 130 calories
Sweet Tooth
2 tbsp Better ‘n Peanut Butter, 4 stalks celery: 124 calories
One 100-calorie Balance Bar: 100 calories
1/2 banana rolled in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet chocolate chips: 123 calories
Half of a 1.08-oz container of M&M’s Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola: 145 calories
1 bag Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags topped with a spritz of butter spray and 1 tsp sugar: 126 calories
1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie pack: 100 calories
1 McDonald’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait: 160 calories
24 Annie’s Chocolate Chip Bunny Graham cookies: 140 calories
1 package Original Apple Nature Valley Fruit Crisps: 50 calories
1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar: 120 calories
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
I like vending machines, because snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. ~Mitch Hedberg
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Face and Food Lift
Are you eating right?
Is your refrigerator full of fruits and veggies?
Have you eliminated all the junk food of pesky preservatives and additives?
If the answer is yes than your skin is in for quite the treat. Eating right is as great for your complexion as it is for your body.
Thanks to Women’s Health magazine, here are the top foods your skin should crave..
Amazing Almonds: If you need to cover those blemishes or rough patches, forget pacing the aisles of the pharmacy and pace the aisles of the grocery store in search of these crunchy treats. Almonds will help your skin cells both inside and out! Almonds are actually seeds stuffed with vitamin E, a potent sun blocker. Volunteers who consumed roughly 20 almonds per day and then were exposed to UV light sunburned less than those who took none.
Dibs on Dark Chocolate: Flavonols, the antioxidants in dark chocolate, reduce roughness in the skin and protect against sun damage. In a recent study, women who drank cocoa equal to a standard Hershey’s Special Dark bar had better skin texture and more resistance to UV rays than those who drank cocoa containing just a small amount of the antioxidant. Forget the chocolate guilt ladies!
Fabulous Flaxseeds: These teeny-tiny seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines. Studies have proved that participants who increased flaxseed intake experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. Start sprinkling seeds on oatmeal or veggies and your skin will love you for it.
Going Gaga Over Green Tea: Green tea is the bionic tea when it comes to health with proven anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Add this to the list, drinking two to six cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but may reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sun-exposed skin.
Soak Up Safflower Oil: The omega-6 fatty acids found in safflower oil can be the ultimate moisturizer for people who suffer from painfully dry, flaky, itchy skin. Aim for an amount that gives you 5 to 10 percent of your daily calories.
Popeye Was Right..Spinach!: The folate in these veggies may help repair and maintain DNA, bolstering cells’ ability to renew themselves reducing the likelihood of cancer-cell growth. As if that wasn’t enough, the water in greens penetrates cell membranes meaning say hello plumper and less wrinkled skin.
Sweet! Sweet Potatoes: These yams are yummy and even yummier loaded with vitamin C, the crucial vitamin for smoothing out wrinkles. Vitamin C is known as being an essential ingredient for collagen production. If you are craving fruit, try strawberries for Vitamin C factors as well.
Too Good Tomatoes: Lycopene, the phytochemical that makes tomatoes red, helps eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. Helpful Hint: Your body gains the most sun-shielding nutrients when the vegetable is heated.
Don’t Can Canned Tuna: Tuna in a can has a great little secret called selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. It also helps protect skin from the sun.
Urban Girl Fitness Quote of the Day:
Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick. ~Gwyneth Paltrow
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