Omega-3 fatty acids are ‘healthy’ fats, which protect the body against heart disease. They do this by helping the heart beat more regularly; reducing the ‘stickiness’ of the blood, therefore making it less likely to clot; and protecting the arteries from damage. They also help to maintain healthy joints.
How much omega-3s do you need?
To help prevent heart disease, aim for 1 serving of oily fish, and 1 serving of white fish per week. A serving is roughly 100g (4 oz) of fresh, frozen or smoked fish, or 1 small tin of canned fish.
Fish high in omega-3s
The highest sources have been listed first, for example, fresh salmon has a higher content of omega-3s than tinned salmon.
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Many people avoid snacking when trying to lose weight. But, believe it or not, for some people small snacks between meals can prove to be a great help in keeping feelings of hunger at bay, and thus help to keep them from overeating at mealtimes.
Personally, I’m a ‘grazer’ – I normally eat small and often, and I find that this works well for me. By eating a few small, healthy snacks during the day, you can avoid binge eating when you do finally sit down for lunch, or dinner.
Even if your main meals are well balanced, it’s easy to put your total diet out of balance with a few poor choices in snacks.
They must be healthy snacks…
The most important thing to be aware of is the type of foods you’re snacking on. It’s wise to allow no more than 10% of your total daily calorie intake for high fat, or sugar items – that would be around 194 Kcal’s for women, and 255 kcal’s for men.
The truth is, one or two well chosen snacks can actually help to improve your day’s total nutritional intake. Click to read more…
What’s the biggest temptation-rich environment, which you encounter on a weekly basis, and the one that can really play havoc with your diet? My guess would be the supermarket!
Think about it, more than 50,000 food items on sale, packaged attractively, and strategically placed on the shelves, so that we buy them without further thought. What we need is in this environment is self-control. Easier said than done, I admit!
Do the contents of your shopping trolley match your healthy eating plan? If not, here are a few tips:
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Have you been finding weight loss a continuous, uphill struggle? If you haven’t been successful in meeting your weight loss goals, you need to stop and assess the reasons why.
Do you lack Motivation?
Are you ready for lifestyle changes? Do you realise you need to lose weight for your long-term health? Can you honesty say that weight loss it really important to you currently?
If you have answered no to these questions, you may not be ready for a lifestyle change at present. You should, however, aim to prevent further weight gain by following a healthy lifestyle. Include more fruit and vegetables, cut back on foods high in fat and sugar, and try to be more physically active each day.
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Did you know that canned foods are extremely nutritious? I love using them in my cooking, as they are so versatile and handy.
The great news is, canned fruit and vegetables also count toward our recommended daily servings from this food group.
Why are canned foods healthy?
During the canning process, they are canned quickly, when their flavour, vitamins and minerals are highest, this canning process preserves the food, and therefore helps to prevent further nutrient loss.
Canned Food UK have produced a leaflet detailing some of the health benefits to be gained from including these foods in our diet. They have listed some interesting facts, which many may not be aware of:
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