Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sound Eating Practices for Vegans

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style of eating. As with any diet, the universal guidelines hold true, make sure that you get plenty of variety, and don't go to any extremes. A vegetarian does not eat any type of meat, no matter what type, even fish. Vegetarians can be divided up further according to how much they do or don't restrict the types of food they eat. Dairy products, such as eggs, are the main part of the lacto-ovo vegetarian's diet but they will not partake of the flesh of animals. A Vegan on the other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of animal origin.

Vegetarians often wonder how they'll get enough protein because they don't eat meat. Although you might not realize it, the average American actually consumes more protein than is actually required by him. For the lacto-ovo vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of protein. But vegan can turn to nuts, seeds and soy products in order to get all the protein they need. Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more. Familiar to most people, are kidney beans, a staple in chili, re-fried beans, used in Mexican cuisine, red beans and rice, a Cajun dish, and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good as they are, others are available with different flavors to help enhance their taste.

You should always eat nuts sparingly, since they have much more fat than beans, even though they have a high amount of protein. By having one cup of cooked beans, you'll get the same amount of protein as eating two ounces of meat. The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. Animal meat is the usual source of B12 in the diet of most Americans. In order to achieve an acceptable intake of B12, vitamin B12 supplements or foods should be regularly consumed. Soy and milk products are good examples.

Vegans can find alternative sources of calcium in orange juice or soy milk, both of which are fortified with calcium. In addition, calcium can be found in both leafy greens and beans. Even though it is quite possible to eat a balanced vegetarian diet, vegetarians should also consider their vitamin and calcium intakes and supplement them if necessary. Of course, doing this is imperative to living a healthy lifestyle by consuming healthy food. If you control what you eat, you'll have many years of healthy eating ahead of you.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

9 Steps to Keep Food Fresh Naturally

Honestly speaking, how many times have you bought food and then forgotten about it only to remember it because it begins to stink? Against this, you can not do anything, but you can ensure that your food lasts longer and stays fresh.

How? There are many things you can do, such as regularly clean your refrigerator and regularly check the food in there and also that you keep in the cupboards or anywhere else. But its not just about checking them. This can not prevent anything. All you will be doing is throwing away food items before they stink up the entire kitchen. So, what can you do to keep the food fresh? Here lies the tips for ensuring food is cleaner and fresher:

1) Spread some cloves on and around the marble surface of your kitchen, and also spread some cloves under the sink. Why? The Cloves keeps ants away.

2) Place some bay leaves inside your bags of dough, rice and the rest of the packs that insects prefer. Why? Bay leaves keep insects and other such lice away from food products. By placing bay leaves inside the packets, we ensure that insects do not reside there. But please remember to change the bay leaves once every three months.

3) Place half a potato in the refrigerator. Why? If there is any kind of bad smell from food or cooked items, the half potato will absorb it. To make sure that this works, remember to exchange the potato every three days.

4) Store eggs with the pointed side down. Why? Storing eggs with the pointed side down keeps them fresh for a longer period.

5) Place a few cubes of sugar in the jar where you store American cheese. Why? When you place two or three cubes of sugar with the American cheese in an air tight jar, the sugar absorbs the moisture and prevents the cheese from getting bad.

6) Do not store tomatoes and cucumbers in the same draw. Why? Tomatoes give out gases that cause cucumbers to rot faster so make sure that you keep these two apart.

7) Do not store apples along with the rest of the fruits and vegetables. Why? Apples give out certain gases that cause fruits and vegetables to rot.

8) Place slices of apples or raw potatoes in the bread compartment or jar.
Why? By adding a few slices of raw potatoes or apples with the bread, you ensure that the bread remains fresh for longer than usual.

9) Store radish in a vessel along with some water. Why? You should store radish in a vessel along with water because water will keep the radish fresh and crisp for a long time. For the same reason, if the radishes have shriveled, place them in a jar of cold water. Water will restore the radish to its previous splendor.


Finally, I have presented only a few of the more practical actions you should follow to ensure that the food you and your family consume remains fresh and tasty. Follow the guide for a healthy living for you and your family.

For more detailed info, please go to Fresh Food Naturally