Plant-Based Weight Loss - The Ultimate Guide

Tips For The Beginner Vegan - 10 Tips On How To Start A Vegan Diet

By Loren Antonios

Making the transition to a vegan diet for the first time can be both daunting yet exciting at the same time. The beginner vegan often has many questions or uncertainties about this lifestyle that they are seeking to get answers for. Below is a list of 10 helpful tips for those who are new to the vegan diet, focusing on how to smoothly start a vegan diet and how to ensure that the transition to becoming vegan is as easy and stress-free as possible.

1. Research & Gather Information

Before you make any kind of lifestyle change, it is always a good idea to do plenty of research beforehand. By doing so, you will know exactly what to expect. You need to gather information on what vegans do and don't eat, what benefits there are to going vegan, what obstacles and challenges vegans face, etc. You will thank yourself later on for your thorough research.

2. What Do You Want To Achieve?

For the beginner vegan, I always advise them to write down on paper exactly what they want to achieve on the vegan lifestyle. Whether it be weight loss, to clear up skin conditions (e.g.: acne, psoriasis, eczema) to achieve inner peace, to reduce allergies, to reverse chronic illness, to concentrate better, to help save the planet, animal rights, etc. - Whatever your reasons are for making the transition to the vegan diet, write them down on paper. Stick them where you can see them every day such as on the fridge.

3. Find Good Recipes

It is absolutely necessary to find and collect some good vegan recipes, since you will be doing a lot of different cooking from now on. You need to find some quick and easy recipes for the times when you are too tired or busy to cook anything fancy. Also gather a wide assortment of vegan recipes including vegan breakfast recipes, lunches, dinners, snacks, cakes, slices, desserts, etc... Find your recipes online, purchase a vegan recipe e-book- You choose, just make sure you have your vegan recipe folder well-prepared for when your start your new vegan lifestyle.

4. Let Family & Friends Know

Let your beloved ones know as soon as you make the decision to become vegan. This will ensure that when you visit them, or when they visit you, food will not be a problem since they have already been informed about your new vegan diet.

5. Be Prepared For Cravings

When you stop eating certain foods, you will inevitably have food cravings from time to time. Be prepared for this and make sure you have some healthy snacks or frozen baking easily accessible so you don't cave in. Find some recipes also for "vegan clones" of your favorite meals and snacks (Note: Professional vegan chefs have written an assortment of recipe e-books to cater for your cravings).

6. Know Your Vegan Food Brands

Nowadays the supermarkets and health shops tailor to the needs of the vegan, so you should have no trouble finding meat-free, dairy-free snacks and foods such as vegan cheese, tofu, vegan chocolate, health bars, "bacon" and cereal. Try them all out and get to know your favorites.

7. Stay Motivated Online

There are many vegan online support groups, chat rooms and blogs that you can visit and interact with fellow vegans online. This will help you to stay motivated, encouraged, and will also help you to realize that you are not the only vegan on the planet!

8. Enjoy Your Fruit & Vegetable Shopping

You will be eating a lot more fresh produce now that you are vegan. Find some fruit and vegetable markets or food stores that deliver quality produce at a reasonable price. Keep in mind that supermarkets are often more expensive. Enjoy choosing your fresh produce and make your fruit and vegetable shopping a relaxing experience!

9. Bake Your Own Healthy Treats & Snacks

Since you will be limited to buying treats and sweets out at cafes and restaurants, bake your own vegan treats such as brownies, cakes, slices and muffins. Bake an entire batch every week and freeze in individual portions for when you need a treat. Once again, you can find an abundance of vegan baking recipes online either by websites, blogs, or recipe e-books.

10. Don't Give Up Easily

The transition to the vegan lifestyle is often the most difficult right at the beginning. After a while, it will become easier and easier until it becomes second-nature for you. So for the beginner vegan or those relatively new to the vegan lifestyle, my advice is not to give up straight away but to give your new lifestyle a fair chance. Chances are that after a few months you will be extremely grateful that you never gave up! The rewards and benefits of this lifestyle always outweigh any challenges that you may face from time to time! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8206763

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10 Health Benefits of Brown Rice

Rediscovering Brown Rice

By Jo A Adams

Rice is a staple food for more than one and a half billion people. For many, a meal would not be complete without rice. There are over 120,000 known varieties of rice. Though white rice is the most common and preferred, there is a lot to be said about brown rice. This healthy grain has been available it seems since day one, it really became popular during 1960s and 1970s when organic and more health conscious diet started to take root.

I was always told that brown rice is better for you because of the vitamins in the hull. I tried this wholesome healthy grain in my early 20s (around late 70s, early 80s). I did not like the texture or the taste, I found, for me, it was an acquired taste (like whole wheat bread).

But now, brown rice is making a come back. Japan, a huge consumer of white rice, is creating some exciting recipes using brown rice. Since writing about dishes served over rice, and learning about its come back, I decided to re-explore this healthy grain.

My first positive experience with brown rice was at a high end Chinese restaurant that offered brown or white rice. I saw a bowl go by on a tray and thought it was fried rice. Our waiter told us it was brown rice. He told me that their version is actually very good and recommended it. Feeling adventurous, I thought I would try it again. I found the texture wonderful! It was nothing like my early experience. It started me wondering if it may be time to re-explore this not so new grain and the wonderful recipes that uses it.

Brown rice is really just unhulled rice that contains the bran. This retains more of the vitamins and fiber. This gives a more nutty and chewy texture. Just like white rice, brown rice has several varieties. There are over 40 different varieties including short grain, medium and long grain. There are also different levels of stickiness as well. It has a higher nutritional value over white rice. It is full of fiber, oils, minerals and antioxidants compared to white rice. Because of the outer hull, cooking process takes longer than white rice (approximately 45-60 minutes).

There has been a lot of research into growing brown rice. There are several organic farms in California that specializes in growing this wonderful grain. These are small farms in contrast to the white rice farms. Brown rice takes longer to grow and harvest. In the past, growers were not allowing for this difference, hence, the experience we had during the first introduction. Brown rice farmers are allowing their rice to mature longer. Giving the grains a chance to acquire its more subtle and rich taste and texture. Changes in the removing or husking the inedible hulls help retain the fibrous bran layers that surround the grain. Because of the new cultivation and gently milled process, this produces a better tasting grain. Japan has also explored and created new milling techniques and cooking process to provide a better tasting grain.

The cooking process makes a huge difference in the texture and taste. In Japan, several restaurants are creating new cooking techniques and revamping recipes to accommodate brown rice's texture and flavor. Cooking this grain well can be tricky. The goal is to soften the texture of each grain or rice. This makes the cooking process longer. But, you have to be careful that it does not come out mushy. Most packaged brown rice does not provide the best cooking method. The most recommended method is boiling the rice and then allowing it to simmer until all liquid is absorbed (approximately 40 minutes). This does not provide the best texture or taste. The best cooking method is a combination of boiling and steaming. Below is the perfect brown rice.

1 cup brown rice (short, medium or long grain) Kosher salt to taste 12 cups water

Rinse rice 3-4 times with cold water and allow to drain through a strainer. Bring the 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot with a tight lid. Add the rice and continue to boil uncovered for 30 minutes. Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink. Allow to drain for approximately 10 seconds. Return the rice to the pot with the heat turned off. Cover the pot with the lid and allow it to steam for approximately 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and season with salt if desired.

With its come back, it is no longer a substitute for white rice. With the new hulling and milling techniques and cooking process, this grain stands on its own. Calling for its own recipes that show cases its wonderful texture and flavor. Brown rice is not a side dish that just takes on the flavor of foods as white rice does. It is the star of its own recipes and plays a very distinct role. Good brown rice holds it own against bolder, meatier flavors. It holds up well in soups, hearty stews and aromatic braises. It can be fried in butter or oil as a delicious fritter.

I think about the brown rice I had back in the early days and compare it to today's new and improved version. There is just no comparison. I am inspired to create dishes using this wonderful grain and exploring new flavors and textures. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4189741

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5 Healthiest Types Of Bread To Eat

Vegan Help! Tips and Advice For Those Who Are Contemplating The Vegan Diet

By Loren Antonios

Taking on the vegan lifestyle is a very rewarding journey - many long-term vegans can attest to this. If you are still wondering to yourself "Why should I go vegan?" and "How will it benefit me?" this article will help you to understand that the benefits of the vegan diet are infinite. Also, it will help you to set realistic goals for yourself to assist you in the transition to becoming vegan. Just remember, a life of good health and many blessings are heading your way if you decide to make this amazing lifestyle change.

The Vegan Transition: Tips & Help

1: Note all of the benefits of embracing the vegan diet, and jot down or mentally note which ones you would like to achieve. Some of the most reported benefits of the vegan diet are as follows:

Weight loss, clear skin (no acne, psoriasis) sparkling white eyes, healthy hair and nails, soaring energy levels, inner peace and contentment, ability to concentrate and focus, a new-found zest for life, low-calorie but nutrient-dense superfoods, lowers cholesterol, prevents and reduces the symptoms of disease including cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc., reduction or a complete clearing up of allergies, migraines, headaches, bad breath and body odor.

2: What do vegans eat? You need to find this out in order to go vegan.

In a nutshell, the vegan diet consists of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole-grains, legumes, beans, tofu, meat-substitutes, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, vegan smoothies, vegan treats (e.g.: muffins, brownies, cakes, slices), fresh juices, cooked salads, raw salads, baked vegetables, vegan bread, vegan sandwiches and wraps, and vegan soups. You will find that any of your favorite foods will have a "vegan clone" recipe nowadays. This is because of the increasing popularity of the vegan diet.

3: Get some good recipes

Don't be too afraid of making some meals and recipes without meat, cream, cheese or butter. There are so many mouth-watering vegan recipes nowadays that are robust in flavor and will often taste better than the non-vegan version! You can find a variety of recipes online nowadays, either on websites and blogs, or by downloading a professional vegan recipe e-book. The recipe e-books often have hundreds of recipes to choose from and are created by professional vegan chefs who know how to make vegan food look and taste amazing! You should collect a variety of vegan recipes, including vegan breakfasts, lunches, dinners, salads, soups, cakes, muffins, slices, chocolates, smoothies and juices, etc.

4: Start off slowly.

It can be daunting for many folk to make such a major lifestyle change overnight. So why not start off by eating two or three vegan meals per week. When you are confident with this, make the transition to eating one vegan meal per day. Do plenty of research on "What do vegans eat" so that you know just what your vegan meals and recipes should consist of. Once you have been eating one vegan meal a day for some time, you are likely already beginning to see some improvement in your health, appearance and well-being. I encourage you to make the next step of your vegan transition by eating two vegan meals per day, and then when you can, go mostly or all vegan. This entire process may take weeks, months or even a year. You need to move at your own comfortable pace.

5: Ditch your bad habits

If you continue some of your old bad habits on the vegan diet, your good results and health benefits will be greatly sabotaged. Cut back on your alcohol and caffeine. Don't eat too much "vegan junk food" such as vegan packet chips, cookies, chocolate bars, etc. Enjoy these sometimes but certainly not every day if you want to lose weight, tone up, clear your skin or see improvements in your energy levels. So kick your old habits hard and flush them down the toilet!

Why should I go vegan? You asked. The vegan diet offers an abundance of amazing benefits, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You should not let anything hold you back from discovering for yourself this beautiful, life-changing diet. Make the vegan transition gradual if need be, but stay focused, remember your priorities, and always strive to look after your health and well-being, not matter what may come your way. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8197364

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Truth About Grains, Clinical Nutrition: Whole Grain Bread, Gluten Free &...

The Transition To The Vegan Diet - Smooth Sailing For The Beginner Vegan

By Loren Antonios

The vegan lifestyle is both rewarding and challenging at the same time. Those new to the vegan diet should have a thorough understanding and knowledge of this lifestyle in order make the transition to becoming vegan as easy as possible. This will ensure that you will know exactly what to expect, and will help you to cope with and understand any challenges that may arise. The following 3 tips are especially for the beginner vegan. They will help you to understand how to start a vegan diet successfully. In other words, how to ensure smooth sailing!

Tip # 1 - Know In Advance the Rewards & Challenges

The rewarding aspect of the vegan diet involves the amazing health and mental benefits including weight loss, clear skin, fewer allergies, a reversal or reduction of chronic illness, slower aging process, inner peace and contentment, and ability to focus and concentrate better. The challenging aspect involves how family and friends will react initially and long-term, the cravings the you will develop (especially at the start of the diet for the beginner vegan), the challenge of eating out, initial detox symptoms, and feeling like a bit of a burden when people must prepare different food just for you.

Research other people who have gone on the vegan diet and see what they have experienced. What did they say was the most challenging aspect? Did it get easier for them? Also find out what benefits and rewards they experienced. You will find in your research that most folk will agree that the rewards by far outweigh any challenges or obstacles experienced on the vegan lifestyle!

Tip # 2 - Find & Collect Great Vegan Recipes

This is one of the most important tips to transitioning to the vegan diet. It is imperative for every beginner vegan to start their new diet fully prepared, i.e., with plenty of great vegan recipes. Having a substantial amount of recipes collected will ensure the following:

1. That you can prepare something quick & easy when you are feeling tired or busy

2. Will save you the nuisance of having to hunt for vegan recipes when you are simply not in the mood.

3. When you are craving a sweet treat, you can go to your recipe collection and bake your own healthy cake or slice, rather than either going off your diet or eating packet vegan junk food.

Find your vegan recipes online via websites, blogs, you-tube, or by purchasing a vegan recipe e-book (note: vegan recipe e-books contain tonnes of delicious recipes made by professional vegan chefs). Otherwise, you could purchase a vegan recipe cookbook at your local bookstore, but this is usually the most expensive option. The choice of where you get your recipes is all yours.

Tip # 3 - Let Family, Friends & Co-Workers Know

It is important to inform close friends, family and even co-workers that you are adopting a vegan lifestyle. This will serve as a protection for you and will help make your transition to the vegan diet as stress-free as possible. How so? Here are a few scenarios that you will be safeguarded from:

1. When friends or family come to visit you, they will already know that you are eating vegan-only food, and will refrain from bringing cakes or biscuits that you can't eat. In fact, they will likely have gone to the trouble of selecting a vegan treat from the supermarket - just to share with you!

2. You will be saved from a lot of questions and interrogations at cafes and restaurants, since your friends have already been informed of your decision (and likely, to a large extent, your interrogation will already be over!!!)

3. In social gatherings, end of year celebrations, and parties, it is likely that the host will ensure that there is some food there that you can eat. There's nothing worse than going to a party and not being able to eat any of the food (been there, done that. I don't recommend that you put yourself in that situation). Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8207798

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15 MINUTE MEALS with PICK UP LIMES

Whole Grain Facts - How to Tell How Much Whole Grain is in Foods

By Teagan King

When you go grocery shopping and pick up a loaf of whole grain bread, that sounds like it ought to be really nutritious doesn't it?

Unfortunately, it might not be quite as good as you were hoping. If you look at the labels of breads that are something like "Whole Grain Wheat", you'll likely discover that it doesn't have near nutrients and fiber of bread that's labeled "100% Whole Wheat."

Blame it on marketing ploys. With whole grain foods becoming more popular, the companies are looking to give the consumer what they want... sort of. In other words, if the people buying the bread think it is made with whole grains, that's supposed to push our buttons so we'll buy it. The catch, of course, is while they can put "whole grain" or "wheat" on the label, they aren't saying how much of the product is actually whole grain or wheat. It could be most of it, or it could be they put a tiny bit in there, just enough to be able to say "We used whole wheat flour making this bread."

It might be the last ingredient on the list, the smallest amount of anything put in the bread, but it's still in there, so technically they can say it's made with whole grains!

That's why the 100% Whole Wheat bread has more nutrients, because it is indeed 100% - every bit of the product - whole wheat. If it's labeled 100% whole grain, it has to be whole grain, with no refined grain as part of the ingredient. There can't be any bleached or unbleached white flour hiding in there.

That's the rules, as formulated by the FDA. They consider "whole grain" to include cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components -- the starchy endosperm, germ and bran -- are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Such grains may include barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, wheat and wild rice.

The Whole Grains Council, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, is trying to make it easier for consumers to see how much grain is in a product. They've made labels for manufacturers to use showing how much whole grain is in their products.

There are two kinds of stamps, the Basic stamp and the 100% stamp. They look a little like a postage stamp, being mostly yellow and brown. There is a sheaf of grain on the stamps, with "WholeGrainsCouncil.org" running up the right side on a black border.

If a product bears the Basic Stamp, it contains at least 8g - a half serving - of whole grain, but may also contain some refined grain. Even if a product contains a large amount of whole grain, it will use the Basic Stamp if it also contains extra bran, germ, or refined flour.

If a product bears the 100% Stamp, then all its grain ingredients are whole grains. For these products, there is a minimum requirement of 16g - a full serving - of whole grain per labeled serving.

Each Stamp also shows a number that tells you how many grams of whole grain ingredients are in a serving of the product.

Since the stamp isn't required, there can still be products out there that are whole grain but don't have one of these handy stamps on the label. In that case, all you can do is check the ingredients list to see if it states how many grams of whole grain are in the product. If it says "100%" you're good to go. If all it says is something like "crackers made with whole grain", be wary. It's only pretending to be a whole grain health food.

Other waffle-words include wheat flour, semolina, durum wheat, organic flour, and multigrain (may describe several whole grains or several refined grains, or a mix of both). None of these specifies a 100% whole grain product.

These words on the label -- enriched flour, degerminated (on corn meal), bran and wheat germ -- are never 100% whole grains. Enriched flour loses most of the nutrients it contained in processing, so a little stuff is thrown back in to "enrich" it and make it sound like a better buy. Why not eat the whole grains to start with?

In short, be careful of tricky labeling. Sometimes labels barely contain a grain of truth.

The bottom line? If you want whole grain foods, look for labels that SAY 100% whole grain, either in the ingredients list or by displaying the 100% whole grain stamp.

And that's the whole grains facts. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4085946

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Flashback Friday: Inhibiting Platelet Activation with Garlic and Onions

Multi-Grain, Whole Grain, and Organic Grains - What These Food Label Terms Mean

By Ross Harrison

In a previous article series, I discussed a number of tips to help you understand the complexities and misleading information found on food labels. Unfortunately there is a lot more to understand about food label terminology than what I was able to cover in my previous writings, so today I will cover some additional food label terms that are commonly misunderstood. The terms covered in this article are multi-grain, whole grain, and organic and I chose to cover them together, because they are related and all three can even be used on the same product.

Multi-grain and whole grain are obviously terms used with grains (wheat, corn, rye, etc.), so they are often found on packages of high carbohydrate foods, such as breads, cereals, flour, pasta, etc. Organic is a term that can be used with grains, but it is also used many other types of foods, such as vegetables, meat, dairy products, and fruit. However, for this article I am really just focusing on the term organic as it relates specifically to grains.

Organic Grains - When a raw grain is labeled organic, it means it has been grown and transported without the use of artificial pesticides, chemicals, and other additives, however, natural pesticides may still be used on occasion. Both the grain and the land it is grown on must be considered organic for the ingredient to be certified organic. As a side note, when dealing with foods like meat, there are also requirements for additives, such as hormones, which do not apply for grains.

Raw organic grains are more natural and healthier than their non-organic counterparts, but when it comes to foods labeled as organic, there is some room for manufacturers to add in non-organic ingredients. When every ingredient in a product is certified organic (excluding water and salt), the package can contain the words "100 percent organic." If non-organic ingredients are included, other terminology must be used. As long as long as 95% of the ingredients are organic, then the product can still be labeled as organic, just not 100 percent organic.

However, that still leaves 5% of the product that can be made up of ingredients that are non-organic and potentially unwanted and unhealthy. Products that do not reach the 95% organic ingredients requirement can instead be labeled with the phrase "made with organic ingredients," if at least 70% of the ingredients are organic. These labeling standards are important, because it means organic products can still have added ingredients you don't want to consume, so you should always read the label to know what you are getting.

Whole Grains - A food is considered a whole grain when all parts of the grain are included in a product and they are kept in the same proportions as they exist in nature. A grain has 3 different parts: the endosperm, bran, and germ and if any one is missing or the proportions are wrong, then the ingredient cannot be labeled as a whole grain. Refined products typically only contain the endosperm and are usually missing the bran and germ, which are healthy sources fiber and other nutrients.

Many refined ingredients will often be "enriched," which sounds better than it actually is. Nutrients are are removed from the grain during the refining process, but some nutrients can be added back later, which then makes the product enriched. Unfortunately, enriched products generally have more nutrients removed then they have added during the enriching process, so the net result is an inferior product. Also, the added nutrients may be of poorer quality than the ones that were removed in the first place.

Multi-Grain - This term is fairly self-explanatory, but people often think it means more than it actually does. When a product has multi-grain on the label it simply means that more than one type of grain is included in the ingredients. People often assume the grains are whole grains, but multi-grain only refers to the number of grains and it does not have any bearing on the quality of the grains in the product.

If a product is made with white flour and white rice flour, both of which are refined, it is still a multi-grain product because it has two different types of grains. Whole grain and organic products can also be multi-grain of they have multiple whole grains or organic grains, but much of the time these products do not even have the multi-grain label, because it is not as important as the labels of whole grain or organic.

For instance, the Kashi brand has the tagline "The Seven Whole Grain Company" and they have a trademarked combination of whole grain ingredients including wheat, rice, oats, triticale, barley, rye, and buckwheat. These are all whole grains, so any product with these ingredients is by definition multi-grain, but multi-grain is not printed anywhere on the product, because it is essentially a meaningless term.

Companies often use the term multi-grain on products to make them sound healthier than they are, especially when the product contains poor quality refined grains. If a company has the choice between listing a product as organic, whole grain, or multi-grain, they will almost always make the terms organic and whole grain the priority. Multi-grain is often used when neither of the other terms applies to the product.

To sum things up, grain products that are labeled 100% organic or organic have few if any added or unwanted ingredients or byproducts from things like pesticides. On the other hand, just because a product is organic it does not guarantee the product is healthy, because ingredients like white flour, which is unhealthy, can still be organic if it was processed using organic methods. However, most organic grain based products are rather healthy.

Whole grain products are also usually healthy and they contain all 3 parts of the grain, which means they should have all the nutrients found in the natural product. Products with whole grains can still have unwanted added ingredients, especially in packaged products such as breads and cereals, but the grains themselves are healthier than the refined grains found in other products.

Products with the multi-grain label only claim to have more than one type of grain included in the product and nothing more. For me, the multi-grain label acts as a warning sign and causes me take a closer look at the rest of the label, especially the ingredients list. That way I can see if the product has quality grains or if it simply has multiple inferior ingredients, which is unfortunately often the case.

If you buy a lot of packaged products and want to find the grain products with the highest quality, it is best to look for products that are both organic and made with whole grains. These products are naturally the most expensive, especially when it comes to packaged products, so if you want to save some money, the best combination of health and value can be found when buying whole grain products with minimal unhealthy added ingredients.

On the other hand, if you don't mind cooking with raw whole grains, you can get some great deals even when they are organic. The bulk organic whole grains sold at many stores, such as brown rice, oats, wheat, etc. are often less expensive than packaged products containing inferior quality grains. The trade off is they do take some extra preparation time, but if you don't mind cooking, they are often a very healthy and economical way to go. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4412874

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How to Cook Whole Grains

Whole Grains for Optimal Health and Well Being

By Robert Stritzinger

Adding more whole grains to your diet for healthy eating will benefit you in many ways. I'm sure you've heard that you should eat more whole grains, but what are they, how much should you eat, and where can you easily get them? Eating at least three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grains daily can reduce the risk of many diseases and help you achieve a healthy diet. Whole grains are hearty, healthy, and tasty. If you are earnest about attaining optimal health, whole grains provide a one-stop source for nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals vital to your well-being.

Whole grains are the entire seed (or kernel) of the plant. A single seed of grain contains three distinct parts: the bran, the endosperm and germ. If all three parts of the grain are included, the food is considered a whole grain.

Bran. The outer seed layer: full of fiber, B vitamins, 50 percent to 80 percent of the grain's minerals, plus other health-promoting plant substances called phytochemicals.
Germ. The inner embryo: full of B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals and small amounts of healthful unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Endosperm. The starchy middle: contains carbohydrates, some protein and smaller amounts of B vitamins.These whole grains are ground, cracked, or flaked kernel, which includes the bran, the germ, and the inner most part of the kernel (the endosperm).

Some examples of whole grains include whole wheat, oatmeal, Corn (including whole cornmeal and popcorn), Brown Rice, Wild Rice, whole-grain Barley, whole Rye, Amaranth, Millet, Quinoa, and Buckwheat.

Health Benefits of Whole Grains

Medical evidence has clearly proven that eating whole grains on a regular basis reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Regularly eating whole grains reduces your risk of obesity, as measured by body mass index and waist-to-hip ratios, and will also lower your cholesterol levels. Few foods can offer such diverse health benefits. Whole grains also contain valuable phytochemicals and antioxidants. Eating only three daily servings of whole grains have been shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 25-36%, stroke by 37%, Type II diabetes by 21-27%, digestive system cancers by 21-43%, and hormone-related cancers by 10-40%.

Eating the right types and amounts of whole grains can:

Lower triglycerides
Lower blood pressure
Improve insulin control
Ease constipation and other digestive disorders
Help with weight management
Slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries
How do I identify Whole Grains?

The ingredient list on a food label shows ingredients in the order of the most abundant by weight. When selecting products that contain whole grains, look for those that show whole grains listed first on the ingredient list. For products such as bread or pasta to be labeled whole grain, the grain can be ground, cracked, or flaked, but it must retain the same proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm. Any label that says 100% whole grain is the best product you can buy. It is really easy and fun to get three servings of whole grains a day and they are a great filler for meats.

Examples of one whole grain serving include:

1/2 cup cooked brown rice or other cooked grain
1/2 cup cooked 100% whole-grain pasta
1/2 cup cooked hot cereal, such as oatmeal
1 ounce uncooked whole grain pasta, brown rice or other grain
1 slice 100% whole grain bread
1 very small (1 oz.) 100% whole grain muffin
1 cup 100% whole grain ready-to-eat cereal

Here are more easy ways to incorporate whole grains into your daily diet:

Substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes or add up to 20% of another whole grain flour such as quinoa or amaranth.
Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to stuffings.
Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, bulgur or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.
Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.
Add three-quarters of a cup of uncooked oats for each pound of ground beef or turkey when you make meatballs, burgers or meatloaf.
Stir a handful of oats in your yogurt, for quick crunch with no cooking necessary.
Start adding whole grains to your diet on a daily basis and reap the health benefits of whole grains.

Robert Stritzinger is a Certified Executive Chef who's passion is Eating Healthy and coaching others to Live their Healthiest Lives through an optimal diet.

Change your Diet, Change your Life! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5373549

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7 Genetic Health Risks All Vegans Need To Know

About the Vegan Diet and Its Health Benefits

By Summer Minor

Few Americans understand what a vegan diet is, or what it can mean for their health. Instead of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, the typical American diet is heavy in animal meats, fats, and dairy. This way of eating has been getting worse with each generation. As this increases, so do many people's waistlines. Eating a vegan diet instead is a healthy alternative. Whether you eat a vegan diet for a short while, or continue on for a lifetime, veganism can be a rewarding lifestyle change.

Lose weight, enjoy more energy, and feel great by making the change to veganism.

What is veganism?

Veganism is a type of vegetarianism that is slightly more limited. While a vegetarian will not eat meat, some still enjoy milk, eggs, honey, and other animal products. Vegans, on the other hand, avoid all animal products possible. Many even avoid wearing leather and wool because these are animal products. Vegans have to constantly be on the look out for animal-based food additives. One common example is red food dye, which is made from a type of beetles.

Is Veganism Difficult To Follow At first glance, it seems very difficult to follow a vegan diet. Animal products are everywhere, from the gelatin to chocolate. Many foods you would not expect to have animal products, do. In some parts of the world, choosing to eat a vegan diet could be extremely difficult to do. However, for most people in the U.S. there is an abundance of food options if you know where to look. Health food stores and specialty shops are more likely to carry vegan food that typical grocery chains. However some larger chains, such as WalMart, are beginning to carry vegetarian and vegan options.

Small, local grocery stores often have a good selection of quick food items that are vegan friendly. If not, they may be more friendly towards making these options available to meet local needs. When going out to eat, some cuisines are better suited towards offering vegan options. Spanish, South and Central American, and some Asian foods have great vegan options. And thankfully, more vegan friendly restaurants are opening up across the country each day.

If need be, you can always ask the chef to hold the animal products for your dish. Vegan snacks are easy to find. Fresh fruits and vegetables, along with nuts and seeds, are healthy snacks that contain absolutely no animal products.

Try a handful of cashews, a fresh fruit salad, or a square of dark chocolate for a simple vegan snack.

Is It Delicious?

There are vegan dishes all around the world, dishes that most people do not even realize are vegan. Hummus, fried okra, salads, dark chocolate. Lots of things that people enjoy on a daily basis have no animal products at all.

Where the typical American diet focuses mainly on meat and animal fats, looking outside oour culture we can find a wide assortment of delicious foods to enjoy. As the demand grows, many food companies are now offering vegan alternatives that are just as tasty as the foods they replace. From vegan versions of bacon, sausage, burgers, and ground beef, there are great options for people interested in a vegan diet but not yet ready to say goodbye to meat.

Vegans do not need to give up their dessert options either. Cakes, cookies, ice creams, and more can all be made without milk and eggs, and they are just as delicious as the typical versions. Try a slice of vegan apple pie, topped with vegan ice cream made from coconut milk. Many people find that as they adjust to a vegan diet, their sense of taste no longer requires heavily flavored foods. Things can taste sweet with less sugar that before, making even desserts a little better.

As their systems clean out the junk built up, they can become more sensitive to what they eat.

Is Veganism Safe?

A balanced vegan diet can be incredible for your health. Of course, the secret is keeping it balanced. A diet of nothing but vegan cookies, while vegan, would not be healthy at all. Sticking to a balanced diet and remembering to eat foods in moderation will help you to be healthier and lose weight. Even people who are already at a healthy weight range will feel better when their body flushes the animal products out.

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How Not To Die - Foods Scientifically Proven To Prevent And Reverse Disease

New York Times Bestseller

“This book may help those who are susceptible to illnesses that can be prevented.”
―His Holiness the Dalai Lama

“Absolutely the best book I’ve read on nutrition and diet”
–Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones Solution

From the physician behind the wildly popular Nutrition Facts website, How Not to Die reveals the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can help prevent and reverse many of the causes of disease-related death.

In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, examines the fifteen top causes of premature death in America--heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's, high blood pressure, and more--and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches to help prevent and reverse these diseases, freeing us to live healthier lives.

The simple truth is that most doctors are good at treating acute illnesses but bad at preventing chronic disease. The fifteen leading causes of death claim the lives of 1.6 million Americans annually. This doesn't have to be the case. By following Dr. Greger's advice, all of it backed up by strong scientific evidence, you will learn which foods to eat and which lifestyle changes to make to live longer.

History of prostate cancer in your family? Put down that glass of milk and add flaxseed to your diet whenever you can. Have high blood pressure? Hibiscus tea can work better than a leading hypertensive drug-and without the side effects. Fighting off liver disease? Drinking coffee can reduce liver inflammation. Battling breast cancer? Consuming soy is associated with prolonged survival. Worried about heart disease (the number 1 killer in the United States)? Switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet, which has been repeatedly shown not just to prevent the disease but often stop it in its tracks.

In addition to showing what to eat to help treat the top fifteen causes of death, How Not to Die includes Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen -a checklist of the twelve foods we should consume every day.Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor's orders are just what we need to live longer, healthier lives.

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8 Steps In The Transition To The Vegan Diet: How To Start A Vegan Diet

By Loren Antonios

For those who are new to the vegan diet, the thought of suddenly abstaining from all meat and dairy products can be absolutely terrifying. In today's society, most folk incorporate meat, dairy and eggs into a large percentage of their daily food intake. Therefore, if it is your desire to adopt the vegan diet, and you are overwhelmed at the idea of leaving behind your favorite foods overnight, you should instead make a gradual transition to the vegan diet. The following 8 steps explain how to start a vegan diet with success!

The Gradual Transition For The Beginner Vegan:

Step 1: Eliminate red meat

The first step should be quite easy. Cut out all lamb, beef, pork and other red meat from your diet, but still allow yourself to eat white meat (chicken, fish and seafood). Also be aware that you can buy meat-free "bacon" and vegetarian "mince" from most supermarkets and health stores. When you are starting to feel comfortable not eating red meat, move to the next stage.

Step 2: Eliminate chicken

Only eat fish and seafood products for a period of time, and avoid all other meats including chicken. Get used to preparing meals without meat, and start researching recipe ideas for vegan meals.

Step 3: Eliminate Fish & Seafood

By now you will be going completely vegetarian. Instead of eating meat and seafood, your protein will now be coming from legumes (chickpeas, lentils, black beans etc.), whole grains, tofu, vegetarian "patties," vegetarian "mince," and other meat-free products such as vegan "bacon." Remember that nowadays you can get a ton of vegetarian foods in the supermarket. Get to know the products and brands available. Also, don't be afraid of tofu, it can be extremely versatile and delicious if cooked properly. It has the ability to absorb the flavors of other foods and spices that it is cooked/marinated with, so find out how to cook it so it will taste delicious!

Step 4: Eliminate Cheese

This is the first stage of the transition from vegetarian to vegan. For the beginner vegan, the thought of abandoning cheese products can seem quite down-heartening, since many folk enjoy cheese on a daily basis: on their pasta, in their salads, on their sandwiches, in their sauces... the list goes on! But if you want to eventually reap the many amazing health benefits of the vegan diet - you must eliminate cheese from your diet. If this is difficult for you (most probably), then buy some of the mock-cheeses (vegan) from your local store.

Step 5: Eliminate Eggs

This is also a difficult step for many, but be aware that eggs are an animal product, and therefore giving them up is a must for those who wish to go on the vegan diet. You can make many yummy mock egg dishes with tofu (e.g.: tofu "scrambled eggs"), and if you follow a great recipe and get the flavors right - you likely won't even miss your eggs!

Step 6: Eliminate Butter & Cream

You've now eliminated all your solid animal foods from your diet. The next recommended stage in your transition to vegan is to abstain from butter and cream, and all products containing these two ingredients. You can use many other oils and fats instead such as olive oil, coconut oil, and vegan margarine. You will have to cook most of your vegan sweets now, since most cakes and treats at cafes and stores contain butter and eggs.

Step 7: Eliminate Milk

This shouldn't be too hard, since there are many vegan alternatives to milk nowadays. You can drink soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, etc. You can cook or bake with these healthy milks, eat them with your cereal, or simply drink them from a glass!

Step 8: Get Some Vegan Recipes

Now that you are 100% vegan, and all of your meals from now on will be vegan, you need to collect a lot of tasty vegan recipes! You can find some great recipes online on websites, blogs, or by purchasing a professional vegan recipe e-book. Your recipe collection should include a diverse range of recipes, including vegan meals, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, cakes, slices, muffins, desserts and quick meals. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8220695

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The Anti-Aging Effects Of The Vegan Diet - Health Benefits Of Embracing Veganism

By Loren Antonios

Many people in the world mock those on the vegan diet, but persons such as these should be pitied. Why? Soon enough, they themselves will likely develop some personal health issues and will be seeking a diet to help them regain their health and live longer. And what better way to rescue their health than adopting veganism! Let us see why.

What are the health benefits of the vegan diet?

Anti-aging

A plant-based diet has been known for centuries for its anti-again effects. Persons who consume mostly or solely plant-based foods will live longer than meat and dairy eaters. This has been proven. A U.S study based on half-a-million people revealed that eaters of red and processed meats died more frequently prematurely than persons who ate a plant-based diet. The evidence is there folks! Many vegans live to be a ripe old age, and do not develop diseases or illnesses that attack the rest of the population. Yes, anti-ageing is one of the most well-reported health benefits of the vegan diet!

Beauty

Just look at Anette Larkins, a famous vegan woman who is over 70 years old but looks not a day older than 40! Also Google Mimi Kirk - who is in her mid-seventies but likewise looks much younger. Then there's Dan McDonald, a vegan raw foodist who is in his mid-forties. His smooth, glowing skin however looks like that of a young boy! Also, look at Portia de Rossi, Alicia Silverstone, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Pfeiffer and Natalie Portman. These stunning beauties have been known to follow the vegan diet, and their flawless skin and glowing faces attest to it! It has been reported that those who adopt veganism have experienced a clearing up of skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis. Youthful skin is without a doubt a side-effect of the healthy vegan diet!

Reduces risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension

Studies indicate that a regular consumption of animal fats and protein increases a person's risk of developing chronic disease including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension. Studies also show that persons who eliminate meat and dairy products from their diet and replace them with plant-based foods, beans, whole-grains and soy will reduce their risk of developing these diseases, and even eliminate or reduce them. For example, it has been proven that men who have early stage prostate cancer can reverse or stop the progression of their cancer if they adopt a vegan diet and eliminate all meat and dairy products. Yes, the healthy vegan diet has been known for decades for its miraculous healing abilities and remarkable health benefits.

The vegan diet offers many incredible health benefits which have been proven time and time again. Many persons who have adopted veganism refuse to give it up, because the health benefits are simply too precious to surrender! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8236979

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How Not To Diet - Weight Loss Success

Discover the cutting-edge science behind long-term weight loss success, in this powerful new book from the New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Die.

Every month seems to bring a trendy new diet or weight loss fad―and yet obesity rates continue to rise, and with it a growing number of diseases and health problems. It’s time for a different approach.

Enter Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, and founder of the Nutrition Facts website. Author of the mega bestselling How Not to Die, Dr. Greger now turns his attention to the latest research on the leading causes―and remedies―of obesity.

Dr. Greger hones in on the optimal criteria to enable weight loss, while considering how these foods actually affect our health and longevity. He lays out the key ingredients of the ideal weight-loss diet―factors such as calorie density, the insulin index, and the impact of foods on our gut microbiome―showing how plant-based eating is crucial to our success.

But How Not to Diet goes beyond food to identify twenty-one weight-loss accelerators available to our bodies, incorporating the latest discoveries in cutting-edge areas like chronobiology to reveal the factors that maximize our natural fat-burning capabilities. Dr. Greger builds the ultimate weight loss guide from the ground up, taking a timeless, proactive approach that can stand up to any new trend.

Chock full of actionable advice and groundbreaking dietary research, How Not to Diet will put an end to dieting―and replace those constant weight-loss struggles with a simple, healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

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