Mexican Foods – Ready To Go
by Shereen Jegtvig
Mmmm…I love the flavors used in Mexican cooking, especially chiles and cilantro. And what about refried beans? They taste great and they’re good for you, right? Well, yes, beans are are great source of protein and fiber, however traditional refried beans are made with lard so they’re high in saturated fats and calories. But, no worries, you can find fat-free refried beans (or substitute black beans – just rinse and heat).
When you look for canned Mexican foods, or taco and fajita kits, be sure to choose the products with the least saturated fats and sodium. You can choose whole wheat tortillas instead of fried corn tortillas and make your own tortilla chips by baking them in the oven, or choosing baked chips instead of fried.
As with most canned or prepared foods, be sure to look over the ingredients list to hunt for MSG, unwanted preservatives and artificial colors. Here’s a look at Mexican – ready made meals & refried beans arranged by presence of flavor enhancers: Read more
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Flavored Coffee – Flavored The Natural Way!
by Shereen Jegtvig
I enjoy coffee. Actually, I can’t imagine a morning without a cup of coffee and breakfast. And coffee is simple. It’s just coffee – no artificial anything and no preservatives. Of course you don’t want to go overboard on the caffeine that can leave you feeling jittery all day, but a cup or two of coffee each day is fine for most of us.
But sometimes it’s fun to go for something with a little different – like a flavored coffee. There are a couple of easy ways to do that at home; just pour some flavored substance into your coffee, or use a flavored instant coffee powder. You can choose a variety of flavors – some low fat and some sugar free, but what are the nutritional consequences of choosing these flavored coffees?
Most of the time you’re going to get a dose of artificial flavors, although some brands use natural flavorings and you’re adding fat, sugar or artificial sweeteners to your diet too. There’s usually plenty of preservatives and other additives that you may not want and even a bit of trans fat lurks in many brands as partially hydrogenated oils (don’t let the label fool you – they can claim zero trans fat as long as there is less than half gram per serving). Read more
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Beef Jerky That’s Not Bad For You?
by Shereen Jegtvig
Processed meats are generally bad for your health because of the preservatives and flavor enhancers added during processing. Typical beef jerky is loaded with sodium that may be bad for your blood pressure and something called nitrites that have been linked to an increased risk of cancers. Most brands of beef jerky contain ingredients you wouldn’t expect in a meat product like cereals, dairy, soy or corn – a problem if you are sensitive to any of these foods.
Could beef jerky be good for you if you didn’t add the extra ingredients? A serving of beef jerky offers plenty of protein and iron, which are important for good health, but you’d still have some saturated fat to consider. Beef contains saturated fat that raises your cholesterol levels and increases inflammation in your arteries when you eat too much of it. So I wouldn’t say that beef jerky could ever be really good for you, but it would be nice to find a brand of beef jerky that isn’t bad for your health. Read more
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What Is Monosodium Glutamate?
by Shereen Jegtvig
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer used in a variety of processed foods, restaurant cooking and even at home. MSG enhances your ability to experience the umami flavor, which is the savory flavor found in protein-rich foods like fish, meats and milk. But the use of MSG has become controversial. Depending on your point of view, Monosodium Glutamate may be anything from a valuable flavor enhancer to a dangerous neurotoxin. Read more
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The 10 Best Tomato Juices
by Shereen Jegtvig for foodessentials
Technorati Profile
Tomato juice is the most popular type of vegetable juice you’ll find in the grocery store. You can buy plain tomato juice, or one of the brands that spice it up a bit with added seasonings. Most brands of tomato juice are good for you; however, you might want to keep an eye open for added flavor enhancers, preservatives and colorings. Read more
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