Top 10 Foods You Should Always Have in Your House

 

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Updated September 22, 2014.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

It is easy to realize why cooking your own meals is so beneficial - control of ingredients, limited fat, portion control, and guaranteed freshness. But, it is impossible to put together a meal when you don't have any food in the house. Keeping the fridge fully stocked can be tough, especially if you have an erratic schedule and often wind up throwing food in the garbage due to spoilage. But, just a few simple ingredients can go a long way. If you have certain food items in your house, you are guaranteed to be able to throw together a meal that is tasty, healthy and diabetes friendly.

Frozen vegetables: Contrary to popular belief, frozen vegetables can be just as good as fresh vegetables. They are frozen at their peak freshness, making them rich in vitamins and minerals. Due to their high water and fiber content, vegetables provide bulk to meals and should be used as a base or the foundation of your plate. Filling up on non-starchy vegetables can help to reduce blood pressure, weight and blood sugars. Aim to make 1/2 of your plate non-starchy vegetables. Purchase those without any added sauces, butter, or salt.

• How to Prepare: Pop them in the microwave or steam them with a few tablespoons of water. Sprinkle with olive oil and garlic powder (if you don't have fresh).
• What to do with them: Toss them into salads and soups or use as sandwiches toppers. Build your plate by making vegetables the base, followed by lean protein and a complex carbohydrate. Add leftover vegetables to egg white omelets or an egg scramble.

Canned beans: Beans are rich in filling fiber, lean protein and folate. I prefer to use dried beans, but not everyone has time to cook them. Instead, use canned beans - be sure to rinse them well (to help rid some of the sodium).

• How to Prepare them: No preparation needed. Just open the can, rinse and use. If you'd like to get creative, you can puree them and make them into a spread.
• What to do with them: Add beans to an egg scramble, toss them into a salad, or spread a smear onto a sandwich. Beans can also be added into soups, stews, and side dishes. While beans are healthy they do contain carbohydrate so be sure to factor the carbohydrates into your meal plan. 1/2 cup is about 20g of carbohydrate.

Eggs: Eggs are rich in vitamin D, lutein (a carotenoid that promotes eye health), and protein. While many people avoid eggs due to their cholesterol content, research has led us to understand that it may not be dietary cholesterol that increases blood cholesterol, rather saturated and trans fat intake. If you have high cholesterol, it's best to limit your yolk intake to no more than about 2-3 per week. On the other hand, egg whites are fat free and can be eaten daily.

• How to Prepare: Scramble over low until cooked evenly, or boil in cold water for 5 minutes and rinse under cold water. For more tips on cooking eggs, click here.
• What to do with them: Eggs are versatile - eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Scramble eggs with vegetables and black beans for a ranchero flare or hard boil them and chop them into a salad. Make a vegetable frittata for the week and eat at any time. 

Canned tuna in water: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, tuna is a wonderful addition to lunch and dinner meals. While the FDA has recommended that we increase our intake of fish, it's important to monitor weekly intake to safely avoid high levels of mercury. To reduce mercury intake, choose light tuna (as opposed to albacore). Consumer reports suggests that a 150lb person can safely eat 5oz of albacore tuna and about 13oz of light tuna weekly. For more information, check out this article.

• How to prepare: Open the can and drain the water (do not get cans in oil) and voila - done.
• What to do with it: Mix tuna with avocado for a healthier version of "tuna salad". Add tuna to whole grain pasta with broccoli for a hearty, high protein, high fiber meal. Mix tuna into salads or make a low-fat tuna melt with low-fat cheese, whole grain bread and mustard instead of mayonnaise.

Whole grain bread: Any bread that has the 100% whole grain stamp or the world whole as the first ingredient is considered a whole grain. Whole grain bread is rich in fiber and b-vitamins. When purchasing, aim to choose one with limited ingredients and opt for those with 90 calories or less. Two slices of bread is about 30 g of carbohydrate so be mindful of your portions. Bread can serve as the carbohydrate in any meal.

• How to prepare: Toast, grill, bake or place in sandwich maker to change things up a bit.
• What to do with it: Use whole grain bread to make french toast or use as a substitute for a bun or bagel (high in carbohydrates and low in fiber).

Quinoa: A gluten-free ancient grain, quinoa comes in a variety of colors - red, white, black. Quinoa is a low glycemic index food rich in protein and fiber. It contains only 160 calories and 30 g of carbohydrate per 1 cup serving (~60 calories less and 15 g carbohydrate less than pasta and rice).

• How to prepare: Read the back of the package, but generally speaking quinoa is prepared: rinse and drain quinoa thoroughly in cold water before cooking. Place 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until water in thoroughly absorbed for about 15 minutes. When done the grain appears soft and translucent.
• What to do with it: Add diced vegetables and beans to eat as a meal or side dish. Toss into salads or eat as hot cereal - a great alternative to oatmeal. I like to heat 2/3 cup cooked white quinoa with 3/4 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon almond butter and a splash of low-fat milk.

Low-fat Greek yogurt: A great source of calcium, vitamin D and lean protein, Greek yogurt is rich in flavor and smooth in texture.

• How to prepare: Eat as is or freeze and use as a dessert. You can also make dips out of Greek yogurt which can be used as marinades or dipping sauces. 
• What to do with eat: Make parfaits mixed with fresh fruit and chopped nuts for breakfast, toss into your morning smoothie for added protein punch or mix into salad dressings to add creaminess. Low-fat Greek yogurt can serve as substitute for sour cream.

Extra Virgin Olive oil: Rich in monounsaturated fat, olive oil is great for bringing out flavor in salads and vegetables.

• How to prepare: Measure and use. 
• What to do with it: Use a teaspoon in marinades for meat and in salad dressings. Substitute butter for olive oil when roasting vegetables to reduce the saturated fat content.

All natural nut butter: A must have in my house. Peanut, Almond, Cashew, Sunflower butter - all these spreads are rich in healthy fat and protein. Make sure to read the labels because most need to be stirred and refrigerated after opening to prevent spoilage.

• How to prepare: No prep needed, but a good stir is. Because all-natural nut butter contains nothing except nuts and salt, the oil separates and rests on top. Stir well and refrigerate after opening.
• What do with it: For dessert or snack - drizzle some on an apple or 1/2 of a banana. Spread over whole grain toast, or a whole grain waffle and top with slices berries, scoop a tablespoon into hot cereal for an added protein boost or dollup a tablespoon into your morning smoothie. Remember to watch your portion as 1 tablespoon is generally 100 calories and 14 grams of fat (good fat).

100% Pure Canned pumpkin: A nutrition powerhouse, canned pumpkin is rich in vitamin A (can help to promote eye health) and fiber.

• How to prepare it: Check the expiration and open. No additional prep needed. If you want to use a whole pumpkin - you'll have more options: cooking low-carb with pumpkin
• What to do with it: Use in soups, stews and chili or desserts or even breakfast! Use as a substitute for squash in a recipe. Pumpkin is extremely versatile as it can take on savory or sweet flavor. Check out this awesome hot pumpkin cereal recipe!

Resources:

Djoussé L, Kamineni A, Nelson TL, Carnethon M, Mozaffarian D, Siscovick D, Mukamal KJ. Egg consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in older adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Accessed on-line: September 8, 2014.

American Heart Association. Eat more chicken, fish, and beans than red meat. Accessed on-line. September 8, 2014.

10 Natural Ways to Burn Belly Fat

 

If you’re wondering how to burn belly fat and have even considered taking diet pills or fat burners, you should try to do it the all natural way before taking extreme measures. It’s not really natural for us to carry all that weight on our midsections, so getting back to a more natural state is one sure way to watch the fat go away, almost as a byproduct of our actions. It doesn’t have to be an all out war to kill your stomach fat. Just make these 10 all-natural adjustments and it should effortlessly come off.

1. Drink More Water
This is perhaps the most easiest and effortless way to lose belly fat, and it’s a problem for countless Americans. There is a dehydration epidemic going on, and if we all just drank more water, and got closer to the amount that we actually need each day, there would be less obesity, fewer digestive problems, and more people that are awake and alert throughout the day. But here’s the kicker: because it’s only involves drinking water it’s pretty easy, and easy things are easy to forget to do. If you’re conditioned to not drink enough water it can be pretty tough to make a change. But stick with it and soon you’ll reach new levels of hydration and reduced levels of belly fat.

2. Aim for Total Body Fat
Trying to spot treat your stomach fat is one sure way to drive yourself up the wall. It may be the one area that you really care about the most, but you have to trust that if you aim for overall body fat loss, the stomach fat will have to go at some point too. Fixating on a trouble spot is one way to keep it around for the long term, because what we put our focus on grows. A problem is only as hard as we make it out to be, so if you’re constantly thinking that your belly fat is the hardest thing to get rid of, you’ll prove yourself right time and time again.

Get a scale that measures your body fat percentage and aim to get that down to a level that is right for your gender. Keep this in mind: if you want to see your abs guys will have to get to around 10% body fat, while women need to get below 19% or so.

3. Get Sound Sleep
This is perhaps the easiest and hardest thing to do for most of us. Doing things in your sleep can’t get much easier, but finding the time in our busy lives to get more sleep can be a challenge. The real struggle is that your deepest and most cleansing sleep comes from getting to bed earlier in the evening. For most that is just not an option, and others are so entrenched in their late nights that they can’t fathom going to bed at 10pm or earlier. But science has repeatedly shown the link between getting deep sleep on a consistent basis and having less belly fat. You’ll be stressed out less, and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to greet the day, with more energy throughout the day. The body also repairs itself at night, so you’re helping yourself in many different ways just by snoozing.

4. Do High Intensity Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is where you go hard out for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, followed by periods of rest where you go very low intensity. The beauty of this aerobic workout is that you spend a fraction of the time but the theory is that you’re getting results from this workout that last long into the next day. They say that if you spend 40 minutes on a stationary bike just doing a low intensity aerobic workout, you’re only burning fat during that 40 minutes. But with an HIIT workout lasting only 10-20 minutes you end up burning fat the entire day, and long after you’ve finished the workout.

The process is pretty particular, so you’ll need to study up on it. It involves getting your heart rate up to a certain level during the high intensity parts, and getting it back down during the low intensity parts, so you’ll need to get a heart rate monitor to effectively do this.

5. Mind Your Vitamins
It’s hard to make the connection between your belly fat and a vitamin deficiency, but there’s a high chance that if you’re struggling to lose fat you may be running short on several key vitamins needed for fat loss. The first of these is Vitamin D, often referred to as the Happy Vitamin. Feeling good is key to losing fat of all types, and if you don’t have sufficient amounts of Vitamin D you could be inhibiting your ability to feel good and feel like being active. The key is getting more exposure to sunlight so that your body can make its own supply. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re taking in enough natural sources of vitamins so that your body has all of the building blocks it needs to function at its best.

You should be eating foods high in Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin E if you want to give yourself the best shot at losing that stubborn fat. It’s best to get these vitamins from the foods you eat, rather than using a multivitamin, but if you find that you need to fill in the gaps go with a whole foods multivitamin, since it will be using food sources rather than using synthetic vitamins.

See the foods highest in minerals here

6. Get Healthy Fats Into Your System
Thanks to the no-fat and low-fat craze of the 90s and into the 2000s you’ll still find plenty of low and nonfat items at the grocery store. This instilled the wrong view on fats and labeled all fats as bad. But the body needs healthy fat in order to burn fat, so if you’ve taken to cutting out fat in your diet, it’s time to let some of it back in. Go for foods that contain high levels of the fats we’re after: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The fat you want to continue to keep out is the saturated fat. Good sources of healthy fats include avocados, olive oil, salmon, and peanut butter. These foods will actually help your fat loss efforts, so don’t be afraid of them.

7. Avoid the Unnatural
Our modern world presents us with many things that just aren’t natural for the human body to have to deal with. Large portion sizes, sedentary lifestyles, high levels of stress, massive amounts of entertainment to keep us glued to our couches, and tons of pollution in many major cities all contribute to the condition we find our bodies in. The more you can fight against these unnatural items, but better. Make sure you get some daily activity, because that’s natural for us. Feed your body plenty of fruits and vegetables, because that’s a very natural thing for a human to do. Limit the amount of TV you watch, and take time to just decompress and get in touch with your inner self. Cut out unnatural substances like fast food and junk food. They don’t do you any favors and are contributing to the unnatural shape you’ve taken on.

You don’t have to become a monk or anything, but if you just unplug from the grid for a bit each day you’ll see how unnatural our world has become, and you’ll see the link between your body and the lifestyle that the masses subscribe to.

8. Cut Back on Alcohol
Alcohol of all types is full of sugar, and sugar leads to fat. If you’ve managed to cut the sugar out of your life but still indulge in regular alcoholic beverages, you could be sabotaging yourself and not even know it. You may see a study now and then that says one alcoholic drink a day is good for the body because it helps you relax, or it thins the blood. But what those studies don’t talk about is the cumulative effect that has on the body, and whether or not you’d be better off in the stomach area by not having that drink each day.

9. Drink Herbal Teas
Herbal teas are about as natural as it gets, often using spices and herbs that have been proven to speed up the metabolism, cleanse the body’s internal organs, or reduce stress. You can also consider drinking green tea, as it contains EGCG, but not as much as green tea extract, which may be a better way to go and is still considered a natural way to lose fat. Really anything that helps to calm the body is going to help you lose fat, so you can choose an array of different teas to enjoy throughout the day, and if you replace sodas, juices, and other sugary beverages with herbals teas you’re sure to notice a difference in the near future.

10. Be Persistent
Your belly fat only wins when you give up on getting rid of it. Being persistent is a very natural trait. Nature is very persistent, time keeps on going no matter what, and over time if you neglect your belly fat the problem will only get worse. That’s why it’s good to be just as persistent as nature, and take steps each day to eat the right foods, get a bit of activity, be happy, and nourish yourself. As you do these little things each day, they will accumulate as more and more time passes. It’s natural for things to take time to work, which is why you want to avoid fast track promises and gimmicks to lose belly fat, because in all likelihood it will just backfire and you’ll be back at square one trying to start all over again.

 

8 Weird Foods That Burn Fat and Won’t Kill You

 

These foods that burn fat may seem a little weird at first. But just because a food seems strange doesn’t mean that it can’t be good for the body. In the case of these oddball foods you’ll be helping your body burn fat without risking negative side effects.

1. Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a fruit that probably doesn’t make it into your shopping cart too often because it isn’t available at most grocery stores. It’s has a thick purple covering on the outside, and white succulent flesh on the inside. It tastes great, and the best part is that it can help you lose fat.

It’s the xanthones in mangosteen that produce the fat-burning effect. These are powerful compounds that are being researched as a potential anti-cancer drug due to their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. If you can’t find fresh mangosteen you can drink organic mangosteen juice, found in most health food stores or online.

Nutritional Breakdown: A 100 gram serving of mangosteen provides you with 4% of your Vitamin C for the day, 3% of magnesium, and 7% of your daily fiber needs. So in addition to the xanthones you’re getting vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that will help click your body over to fat-burning mode.

2. Marmite

The unique mix of fiber and protein, combined with its natural fat free status, make Marmite a good food to eat to bolster fat loss. For many this will be a strange food they’ve never tried before, and maybe never heard of before either.

Originally developed in Germany, this yeast spread grew popular throughout the UK and now there are different versions of it found across the globe. It never caught on in the states, and remains a food that is a total mystery to most Americans.

While it may seem strange, it might be worth checking the international aisle of the supermarket and giving this spread a go.

Nutritional Breakdown: Eating 100 grams of Marmite provides you with an impressive 28 grams of protein. You likely won’t eat a 100 gram serving in one sitting though. However, that same size serving will get you 12% of your daily fiber. Foods that provide fiber and protein without much fat typically help you to feel satisfied and burn up fat stores.

3. Kimchi

Unless you’re Korean or a fan of Korean food you might not be aware of kimchi, and it will definitely seem weird at first. It’s fermented spicy cabbage that smells potent and provides quite a kick on the palate. You may want to acquire the taste for it though, as it can help you lose excess fat when eaten regularly.

The fermentation process loads up the kimchi with digestive enzymes that will help your body break down the foods you eat and assimilate the nutrients better. Koreans eat some form of kimchi at most of their meals, and credit it with many benefits, from keeping them healthy and trim, to preventing the spread of SARS in the country.

Nutritional Breakdown: Because kimchi is made from a variety of vegetables including cabbage, cucumbers, radishes, and onions, they are typically low in calories. They are flavored with red chili, providing capsaicin, a substance known to boost metabolism and rev up the body’s fat burning capabilities.

4. Cherimoya

This is one fruit you’ll want to seek out and add to your regular diet. It may not look like the typical fruit you’re used to eating, apples, pears, oranges, etc., but it provides quite a nutritional punch and will be a big help for fat loss.

To prepare, cut the top end of the cherimoya off, pop out the stem with a sharp knife, and begin eating the custard-like fruity insides. Be sure to avoid eating the seeds, they’re plentiful and inedible, so you can simply eat around them and place them off to the side.

Nutritional Breakdown: In a 100 gram serving of cherimoya you’ll be getting 12% of your daily fiber, 20% of Vitamin C, and 8% of potassium. All of this comes with just 75 calories making it a perfect snack between meals.

5. Insects

While insect eating hasn’t really caught on in the western world, there are many cultures where it’s a regular menu item. Because of the high protein, low calorie, and low carb count of most bugs, they make it easier for you to lose fat while feeling satisfied at the same time.

While they might not sound too appetizing, there are some insect recipes that have been developed that make it more refined than just popping a bug in your mouth. These sort of recipes show you how roasted crickets make a good snack, or how you can incorporate ant eggs into different dishes.

Nutritional Breakdown: Each insect comes with a different amount of protein, fat, and calories. One example is the grasshopper. A 100 gram serving of grasshopper will provide you with 20 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 2 grams of carbs.

6. Natto

Those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine will definitely look at natto with curiosity. This is a fermented soybean dish that has a very strong odor to it, and visually looks strange because of the stringy slime that clings to the clumps of soybeans.

There’s a “natto diet” proposed that says you can lose fat just by adding a daily diet of natto. The claim is that natto acts as a natural fat blocker, but a look at its nutritional makeup shows what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Nutritional Breakdown: When you eat 100g of natto you’re loading up with plenty of fiber and minerals. The 5 grams of fiber it contains represents one fifth of the fiber you’re supposed to get, while your magnesium and potassium reserves will get a good boost of 20% or more as well.

7. Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi looks like some sort of alien hybrid vegetable, but yields impressive health benefits, including assisting you in your fat loss efforts. It tastes great, and its unique nutrients will provide you with what you need in order to boost your immune system.

If you’re lost on what to do with kohlrabi, a quick search for kohlrabi recipes turns up plenty of ideas for using it in a salad or a main dish.

Nutritional Breakdown: 100g of kohlrabi provides an entire day’s worth of Vitamin C. Your immune system plays a big role in how much fat you’re able to lose, so it makes a lot of sense to eat foods rich in Vitamin C. That same size serving also provides 14% of the fiber you need for the day.

8. Coconut Oil

OK, this food might not be that weird but most people find it strange that an oil with so much saturated fat can actually help you burn fat. But studies show that coconut oil will help you burn fat because of its thermogenic properties.

When you eat coconut oil you boost the amount of energy your body uses, and therefore you are able to burn off calories without changing anything else in your life.

Nutritional Breakdown: 100 grams of coconut oil gives you 86 grams of saturated fat, making it 86% saturated fat, and representing more than 4 days worth of your saturated fat intake. For fat loss you’ll want to take a teaspoon of the oil with meals, and two or three teaspoon a day will keep you within your daily doses of saturated fat. There isn’t just one type of saturated fat, and the saturated fat found in coconut oil is not the same as the saturated fat found in a Big Mac.