Tag Archives: eating healthy

Sugar? Yes, Please: A Healthy Lifestyle Practice

Thanks to several medical discoveries and experimentations, it is indeed great news to hear that you may not need to avoid sugar altogether. Those, who have a sweet tooth, can finally rejoice, given that there are too many delectable dishes and desserts for them to ignore. People, who are planning the menu for their wedding, may tell their catering service not to shy away from serving sweet treats to your guests – making your special day even sweeter!

But you have to ask, yourself, how did this become possible? How can you include sugar into your meals without taking in too much? Well, you don’t have to wonder too long because below, you will find out all the information regarding sugar and how you can incorporate it well to your diet.

What you already know about sugar

What you already know about sugar

As you already know, consuming too much sugar is not healthy. But this does not mean you have to get rid of it altogether. This is because your body – particularly you cells – needs sugar in order to use energy.

It is important to note that sugar, with the right amount of intake, helps maintain a balanced diet. Unfortunately, more people often exceed the recommended amount of sugar that is necessary for their body.

With that said, sugar has created a bad reputation globally as it has been a common cause of viral diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, over time.

What you barely know about sugar

What you barely know about sugar

In light of this matter, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a guideline to reduce the intake of free sugar, which are particularly those that are added to food and drinks made by people from manufacturing companies, restaurants, among others. The most common examples of products that use too much sugar in their ingredients are honey, syrups, and fruit juices.

To make the long story short, WHO recommends both children and adults to lessen their daily intake of free sugars to 10% of their total energy intake. They even recommend, if it is possible, to lessen this amount to 5% (the equivalent of 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar) because it will be so much better for the body.

As you may know, lowering the number of sweets you eat per day doesn’t necessarily reduce your sugar intake. There are many studies that show sugar is also present in processed food – hidden actually, and that a tablespoon of ketchup may actually convert to 4 grams of free sugar.

Luckily, there are many available healthy products including fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk that you can eat. These foods do not have free sugar, they have natural ones, which does not cause any side effects to your body!

What you need to know about sugar

What you need to know about sugar

Is it possible to stay healthy and eat sweet stuff? The answer is yes. However, to be able to do so, you will need to abide a particular set of rules. These are the following:

  • For breakfast, it is most likely that you will consume sweet foods such as cereals, muffins, bagels, pastries, jam, coffee and many others. But don’t fret – you can choose to eat specific breakfast snacks/meals that are high in protein and fats, such as cheese and plain yogurt. They will be able to help add sustainable energy and support chemical processes in your body. By abiding to this, you will become energetic all throughout the day without consuming too many sweets.
  • Your drinks are the most probable source of unnecessary and unhealthy sugar. Thus, it is highly recommended that you drink water. It may be hard at first, but there is no doubt that you will make it. However, if you need to drink coffee occasionally, you may just increase the level of cream to reduce the bitterness and try omitting sugar from the mix. Aside from reducing the level of sugar intake per day, this will also help you sleep better and work with much greater energy for the entire day.
  • Another way to sweeten your life is to mix tea with honey. This will help you get the sugar you need without sacrificing your health. According to Keri Keri Glassman, founder of Nutritious life, though honey is mostly comprised of sugar, it also has minerals and antioxidants that you can benefit from.

Key Takeaway

While most people think that sugar is the enemy, the problem can actually easily be resolved by changing your perspective. If you are aware of what you eat, then you would know how much sugar you are particularly consuming. Eventually, this could lead to you making a healthier choice in the foods and drinks that you intake. If you do so, you can decrease your chances of experiencing the various diseases and side effects that come from sugar.

To sum it all up, you must always remember to discipline yourself, as this is the key to a healthier lifestyle.

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

What are 8 easy vegetables to grow in your backyard?

1. Tomato is a common salad ingredient that only requires little attention in growing and is still easily cultivated.

2. A vegetarian’s favorite, carrots, easily grows from seeds and with an even soil moisture.

3. There are two types of cucumbers: a bush and a vine. Either way, it’s easier to grow cucumbers as it prefers sunlight and a warm temperature.

4. Radishes are better planted during the cool season as they can sprout pretty quickly, estimated between four to five weeks.

5. Green beans are abundant and easily grown from seeds as they also prefer the sunlight and the warm soil, moreover they can also be planted as bush or vine, similar to cucumbers.

6. Peas are early producers, and grows from good soil moisture which means it will only require little amount of effort to grow them.

7. Zucchini makes a good combination with other salad veggies and is convenient to plant as it will only require the sun, and a sufficient and even soil moisture to grow.

8. Salad greens such as lettuce, kale and spinach completes the traditional salad recipe, and the great thing about them is that they can be planted anywhere with similar practices such as watering them regularly and maintaining the soil moisture.

Whether you are dining at weddings or corporate outings, hosting a fun dinner party with your friends, or just making a quick snack for yourself, it’s always a good idea to eat healthy – and that means going green. Some are okay with grocery veggies, but there are those who prefer to eat organic due to its healthier and more “natural” origins. However, organics are notorious for being more expensive than their counterparts. So, a logical countermeasure to this would be to grow your own instead.

The biggest advantage to growing your own food is that you know exactly where it came from and how it was grown. Should you ever decide you want a salad for lunch, all you have to do is go out to your backyard, pick out what you need, and toss them into a bowl ready for consumption (after a thorough wash, of course)! It saves you time, money, and, effort – after all, you’d have a harder time going to the supermarket and buying these as opposed to simply plucking them out of the ground.

If you want to dip your foot to test the waters rather than jumping in, then consider starting with these low-maintenance veggies to begin your journey into the world of gardening!

Tomatoes

fresh tomatoes

A basic ingredient present in almost all vegetable-based dishes, the tomato is a bright, fragrant fruit that is very easily cultivated.  It’s a popular choice for starter gardens seeing as they require so little attention that they’re even able to put up with a little neglect; some farmers even say that underwatered tomatoes taste better than the properly watered ones.

To begin growing them, simply place some seeds into a small pot (with holes in the bottom so the water can flow out) and keep the soil damp, but not drenched. Germination should begin somewhere in the 10-day mark and tomatoes will begin to sprout anywhere between 60 to 100 days.

 

Carrots

fresh carrots

A popular choice for vegetarians due to their rather sweet flavor and crunchy texture, carrots are often eaten as snacks just the way they are. Growing them is simple – plant the seeds at least one inch apart from one another in a container that’s at least a foot and a half deep wide.

Check that your container also has drainage holes and that the soil is well tilled; carrots thrive on moist – not soaked – soil and having rocks or other debris in the soil will impede their growth. With them being root vegetables and all, they’ll grow downwards, so ensure there’s an ample amount of space. You’ll know they’re ready when it’s been 2 and a half months or when their diameter reaches a half inch, whichever comes first.

Cucumbers

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

Cucumbers are among the many veggies that’s easiest to grow as they can be grown as a bush or vine. What they just need is a full sun, a warmed up soil, regular watering, and of course, a container (bush cucumber) or support for their climbing (vine cucumber) to grow them. Another good thing in growing cucumbers is that it’s possible to grow them in small spaces such as condos and studio apartments, and that it yields a plenty of cucumber even with only a few plants grown. You can even share some for your neighbors with its impressive number.

Radishes

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

What better way to spice up your salad recipe is to slice a few radishes – making it a bit fierce and of course, for a different taste. Plant it during the cool season, and you’ll be surprised at how quick they can sprout, basically between four to five weeks, and they’re good for harvest. While this particular veggie prefers the cool season, it also needs the sun in partial shade to grow into spicy, crispy radishes which is its best form.

Green Beans

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

Known to be abundant and easily grown from seeds, gardeners and vegetarians are fond of green beans. They also make a good combination for a salad recipe, especially when served as chilled, marinated, and lightly steamed. Basically, it’s best to plant them when the danger of frost has passed as green beans, similar to cucumbers, prefers the sun and a warmed up soil. Moreover, it can be grown into two types, as bush or vine, where you’ll need a container or trellis to support them – either way, it will be entertaining to harvest them.

Peas

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

Peas make a good salad recipe along with any other salad veggies out there – and it definitely creates a perfect combination. Plus, it’s an early producer, hence it’s convenient to grow some of it in your backyard. Planting peas will only require you to work on the soil, as soil moisture is essential for growing them. Also, make sure to harvest them even before the peas inside develop for a better yield.

Zucchinis

8 Easy Veggies to Grow in your Backyard

Whether you’re into summer squash salad or not, it’s best to include zucchini in your salad garden list. Similar to cucumbers and green beans, it prefers the sun and grows in abundance. Though at some point, it also needs sufficient and even soil moisture to germinate hence it’s best to plant seeds later in the warm season. From there, you can expect them to grow easily and ultimately, blossom like the squash.

Salad Greens

Homegrown leaf lettuce in a wooden above ground box in a backyard garden greenhouse.

Plants such as lettuce, kale, or spinach fall under this category. A traditional salad wouldn’t be complete without them, so it’s advisable to grow these in tandem with the aforementioned vegetables. These greens will grow pretty much anywhere, even in small spaces or even slightly shaded spots. But that doesn’t mean ignoring them is a good idea – they still require a little bit of care. Begin by planting multiple seeds in each hole and then lightly covering it with soil. Then leave it; water the soil regularly and keep it moist to the touch.

Key Takeaway

So, if you ever wanted to ‘grow’ your own salad, follow these simple instructions and have that organic salad you’ve always wanted! As for events, well there are caterers who are open to the request of healthy food. Good luck!