Healthy Popcorn: Easy And Delicious!

Okay, come on now, who doesn't love a nice big tub of popcorn when watching a good movie, or at the state fair, or even the amusement park?  Those crunchy, buttery kernels just seem to hit the spot, and boy is it fun to dig right in.  Now I hate to say it, but unfortunately that over-buttered heaven in a cardboard container isn't the healthiest option when it comes to eating out, and one small container can have over 600 calories!  Not to mention you're getting a heaping load of trans fats and saturated fats.  It's too bad really, because that stuff is so tasty!  If only there was a way to get some delicious popcorn without all the blatant violations of health code.

Well, there's good news.  Popcorn can EASILY be turned into an extremely healthy snack.  Yes, that's right, it's a very easy task to convert that buttery, artery clogging corn dripping with butter into a delicious, nutritious snack for movie night, game night, or even a mid-day snack.  In fact, popcorn is actually a whole grain, and therefore in its natural form is already quite good for you.  Let's figure out how we'd go about optimizing this!

First off, you need to take a step away from the microwave.  Yes, I know it's hard, but listen for a second.  That microwave popcorn, while not horrible, still has all sorts of oils and strange chemical butters sprayed all over the kernels to make them tasty and addictive, hence why the stuff sells so well.  In general, microwave popcorn isn't too good for you.  

There ARE a few "healthier" options when it comes to microwave popcorn, and many companies now sell 100 calorie popcorn bags.  If nothing else, you can at least get a well portioned movie snack that won't push you over your caloric limits for the day.  

But there's a better way, and no I promise you I'm not just full of hot air.  However, this method sure is!  Remember air popped popcorn?  It was all the rage a while ago, when popcorn was still being widely introduced to the masses.  You buy the kernels, stick them in an air popper, but a bowl under the output spout, and watch as the little fluffy puffs come flowing out of the noisy little machine.  Surprisingly, this is still the healthiest way to cook popcorn, because you can buy popcorn kernels with NO ADDITIVES.  That's right, they're raw popcorn kernels, no butter, no salt, no trans fat, just little pieces of white heaven in the making.  

How does it compare to the buttered up stuff calorie-wise?  In one cup of air popped popcorn there are only 31 calories!  Not bad, not bad at all.  There's also no sugar, and no fat.  Just gets better and better, doesn't it?

Now I know what you're thinking:  "I couldn't eat that, that stuff is wayyy too bland!" 

This is where a little bit of creativity goes a long way.  Air popped popcorn is in essence a blank canvas.  It's easy to make your own healthy recipes filled with all the nutrients you desire and within your calorie requirements.  And you can make the stuff to YOUR taste!  Awesome!

And what would this article be without some recipe suggestions?  Here are some of the better air-popped popcorn recipe ideas I've run across:

Cinnamon and Splenda:  It's as simple as it sounds, sprinkle cinnamon on your freshly popped popcorn, add a little Splenda, Truvia, or other zero calorie sweetener, and mix it all up.  It'll taste fantastic and keep you slim and trim.

Sea Salt:  Though I'm not one for huge sodium consumption, if YOU'RE in control of how much salt you're adding it's much easier to keep the doses lower.  Add a little sea salt to your popcorn, and enjoy!

Flavored sprays:  There are many low/zero calorie sprays sold out there in grocery stores now, including butter, olive oil, and garlic.  These can add a lot of taste with extremely little effect on overall calories, and are much better than the nasty oils used in many popcorns.  Remember though, moderation!

Spice it up:  I LOVE SPICY THINGS.  Adding chili pepper to popcorn is an awesome idea, especially if you want a little kick in your snack.  You can add other spices like curry powder as well if you really want to bring some flavor into those kernels.

Grated Cheese:  This one's easy! Just grate a little cheese over top of your warm popcorn and you'll get a better, more wholesome cheesy flavor than that nasty oiled up microwave stuff.  It'll provide you with a lot more nutrients as well!

Popcorn doesn't have to be loaded with nasty stuff, and it doesn't have to be unhealthy.  It can be quite good for you, and still taste better than you can imagine.  Try it out!  Get creative!  Air poppers are cheap and bulk bags of kernels won't break the bank either.  Have some fun on your next movie night, and show the family what popcorn should REALLY taste like.

Be imaginative, think healthy, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Zero Calorie Sweeteners

Sugar substitutes have become very popular these days, and many people use them day in and day out in things like coffee and iced tea.  I believe zero calorie sugar substitutes to be a very smart idea to work into one's diet, not only for the calorie reducing effect, but also because in theory sugar substitutes will not spike blood insulin levels, and therefore your body won't be as eager to store that food as fat.  It's a win win, right?

But as you've probably figured out, there are many choices for sugar substitutes out there, and not all are created equal.  Which one should you choose?  This article will give you a little background on each kind you can find at the grocery store, and how each can be used best and might effect you.

Stevia-  This zero calorie sweetener has become EXTREMELY popular these days, especially because of it's "natural" aura.  Stevia extract comes from, you guessed it, the Stevia plant!  Stevia is extremely sweet as well, coming it at around 300 times sweeter than natural cane sugar.  WOW!!!  It comes in liquid form, usually in a dropper bottle that will allow you to add small, precise amounts to your desired food.

I really like Stevia, not only because it's a natural solution, but because there is a lot of evidence out there that Stevia helps to regulate your blood sugar levels, which is basically the opposite of what cane sugar does.  This basically means it reduces your blood insulin level, and you'll be a leaner you because of that.

Downsides to Stevia?  It has been known to cause a little bit of a stomach upset, and it shouldn't be taken with certain medications.  All in all though, I personally believe this is your best choice for a sugar substitute!

You can bake with Stevia, however you need to modify the recipe to include the much sweeter nature of stevia extract.

Truvia-  This zero calorie sweetener is basically granulated Stevia, mixed with an extra sugar alcohol called erythritol.  If you look on the package of truvia, you'll see that it has zero calories, but three net carbs.  How does this make sense?  Well the carbs come from the erythritol, and are not digested the same way as normal, food sourced carbohydrates, and therefore the total calorie amount is still EXTREMELY CLOSE to zero.  No it's not quite zero, but it's so negligable that the makers of Truvia are allowed to label the product as zero calorie.

Truvia is my personal favorite, and I use it every morning in my oatmeal.  It, like Stevia, is MUCH sweeter than regular cane sugar, so you won't need as much.

Because Truvia is basically granulated Stevia, it has similar side effects, such as the possibility for stomach upset/digestive upset, as well as the medication incompatibility.

You can cook with Truvia, however it's a similar thing to Stevia in that you must have a premodified recipe to include Stevia Powder, or you must modify the recipe yourself.  I found a bit of good info on another forum regarding Truvia's baking ability:

Baked goods do not rise quite as much as when made with sugar, and do not brown quite as well. You need to test for "springiness" and/or use toothpick to test for doneness. 

Convert the amount of sugar you need into the appropriate amount of Truvia. For a recipe calling for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp., or 24 packets, of Truvia, the company advises. To replace 1/4 cup of sugar, use 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. of Truvia, or six packets. The Truvia equivalent of 1/3 cup of sugar is 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp., or eight packets. For 1 tbsp. of sugar, use 1 1/4 tsp. of Truvia, or 1 1/2 packets. A teaspoon of sugar amounts to 3/8 of a tablespoon of Truvia, or half of a packet.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/427911-how-to-cook-with-truvia/#ixzz1cSwiwXY6

Truvia is unfortunately expensive, but you go through so little at a time that I suggest you take the splurge and try a little where you'd normally have sugar.  It's a great natural substitute and will keep that blood insulin nice and low.

Aspartame- This sweetener has been used for quite a while in soft drinks and other similar products.  The very famous "Crystal Light" Lemonade uses aspartame for their sweetening agent.  In scientific terms (if any of you are interested), Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid or phenylalanine dipeptide.  Aspartame sweetener is generally known as being Nutrasweet's and Equal's main ingredient.  Again, Aspartame is much sweeter than sugar (around 200 times sweeter) and therefore tiny amounts can be used in sugar's place.

There have been rumors that Aspartame is dangerous carcinogen, and even now people sometimes refer to the little packets of artificial coffee sweetener as "cancer"  There have been many studies done on the carcinogenic nature of aspartame, and none has found that there is any link between Aspartame and increased risk of cancer.

Aspartame is not the best choice for baking because the heating process causes the chemical to break down and lose it's flavor, becoming bitter.  However there are recipes that allow for the usage of Nutrasweet, which is slightly more stable.

Saccharin- This sugar substitute can be found under the name "Sweet-N-Low", and is probably the most famous artificial coffee sweetener of all time.  Every restaurant I've ever been in has mounding of those little pink packets lining the sides of its booths.  Saccharin is technically benzoic sulfimine, and like other sugar substitutes, is MUCH sweeter than natural cane sugar.  The downside to Saccharin is that many people believe it to have a bitter aftertaste, therefore it's less preferred over some of the other substitutes listed in this article.

Like Aspartame, there have been claims that Saccharin causes increased risk of cancer.  There have been many studies done regarding this claim, and while Saccharin was found to cause bladder cancer in male rats when consumed in large dosages, it was later discovered that the cancer was caused by a specific protein produced by the rat (that human's don't possess) which reacted with the Saccharin.  Many people still remember the warning labels that once were required to be put on Saccharin sweeteners after this initial study, so the aura around Saccharin style sweeteners is still one of caution.  Again though, there has been no proof that Saccharin causes cancer in humans, and it is by all means quite safe to consume.

Saccharin is like Aspartame also in the fact that it breaks down when heated, and therefore does not make a good baking ingredient.

Sucralose-  This sweetener is sold under the name Splenda, and is the second sweetest in this lineup coming in at around 600 times sweeter than natural cane sugar.  It is marketed as a very good baking sugar substitute, because it will NOT break down when heated, and will not lose its sweet taste.  This sweetener is also preferred to other zero calorie sugar substitutes because it has a very favorable taste, similar to that of real sugar, with no bitter or metallic aftertaste.

There have been cancer claims for Sucralose as well, and I'll put your mind at ease yet again saying that with study after study Sucralose has passed the FDA's tests and shows no correlation to increased cancer rates in humans.

Side effects to Sucralose are similar to those of Truvia, which include stomach upset, gas, and other small digestive troubles.

Acesulfame-Potassium- This one's quite a mouthful, though it's better known by the abbreviation "Ace-K".  This sweetener is used in many soft drinks combined with other sweeteners, because it is known for a very bitter aftertaste.  It's sold under the brand names "Sweet One" and "Sunette."  Ace-K is also stable under heat, so it's used in baking and the sweetening of mass processed food with the requirements of long, non-refrigerated storage.  Ace-K is also much sweeter than sugar, around 200 times more-so.  It's a main ingredient in most chewing gum and candy, because it can withstand the heat required to process such foods.

There was also a rat study done on Ace-K regarding increased rate of cancer and other risks associated with this artificial sweetener, and again all tests came up negative.  No cancer here!

Neotame- And last but not least, the sweetest of them all, Neotame.  This artificial sweetener is up to 13,000 time sweeter than natural sucrose.  HOLY MOLY!!!  That's pretty incredible in my opinion.  Because it's so much sweeter than natural sugar, many food companies use Neotame in many of their products because they need barely ANY of it compared to sucrose or other artificial sweeteners.  Neotame can help drastically cut the cost of food production.  It is also heat stable, so it can be used in baking.  It is very similar to, but much more stable than Aspartame.  Neotame is used anywhere and everywhere in the food industry, from soft drinks to baked goods to candy.  It really is the ultimate flavor enhancer, and many companies jump on the fact that it's so accessible and flexible.

Many, many studies have been done on the safety of Neotame, and it has come through each and every test easily.  The FDA has approved it for usage as a general sweetener, which means it can be used in mass produced food.

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So there you have it!  The ultimate lineup of zero calorie sugar alternatives.  They're safe, sweet, and ready to be used in your diet.  Some are still skeptical about the safety/health factors of these sweeteners, but with the battery of tests each one has gone through, I personally am not worried in the slightest.  It's hard to go wrong with an increased blood glucose tolerance, and these sweeteners just might help you lose those last stubborn pounds.  Try a few where you'd normally put sugar, see if you like them!

Be adventurous, stay sweet, and as always, good luck!

Breakfast: What You Should Have, And Why

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  There is no denying it.  This post will explain what you should have when you finally decide to crawl out of bed, why you should have it, and how it'll help you.

Why?  Because your body has been starving for 8 hours up until breakfast.  It's in a catabolic state (muscle fibers are deteriorating) right until it gets that next little bit of food.  The longer your body is in this state, the more essential muscle fiber you will lose, and the more your metabolism will decrease.  An early breakfast can help reverse this state quickly and kick your metabolism into high gear.

Breakfast will also be the meal your body depends on most throughout the day for energy.  So the pressure's on to make this meal your best (if you're going to choose just one).  But what can you eat that will ensure your body a good start to the day, and in turn produce a great feeling that'll keep you smiling and awake as the hours roll by?

A good place to start is with a good helping of natural, complex carbohydrates.  These will feed your body all day, and give you lasting energy, not to mention your muscles will get constant fuel.  For your carbs, you have lots of options.

You could have:

-Two slices of whole wheat toast

-A whole wheat bagel

-Whole grain cereal (be careful on this one, a lot of cereals are absolutely LOADED with sugar, read the nutritional label and attempt to find a cereal high in dietary fiber and relatively low in sugar.  Cereal advertising oats, bran and whole wheat is a good place to start.  I would recommend some of Kashi's cereal).

-Whole wheat English muffin

-My personal favorite, and still probably the top contender for the all around BEST breakfast carb:
OATMEAL (and I mean good old rolled oats boiled up in the microwave, not that instant oatmeal.  That stuff is crap, I guarantee you.  Loaded with sugar and artificial flavoring.)

  Oatmeal is piled with complex carbs, or in other words, long lasting energy.  It also has a good amount of protein, and a large amount of dietary fiber.  It's some of the best fuel you could ever put in your body, as far as I'm concerned.  Give it a try, I bet you'll like it as much as I do in no time.

  But just a carbohydrate would be a pretty boring breakfast, eh?  So lets get some protein in there.  And where else but eggs?  Scrambled, fried, made into an omelette, they're all fine choices.  In fact you can go one step further and use cartons of egg whites.  This will take out any bad cholesterol from the yoke, and still be absolutely delicious with a little pepper and cayenne powder.
  You can also get protein from a dairy source, such as milk, or yogurt.  I would suggest skim milk, and greek yogurt, however you can choose what you prefer.  Just make sure to look at the nutrtional label and know what you're getting BEFORE you buy it.  Those sugar loaded yogurts will do you no good in the long run.

  One of my favorite breakfast compliments is a tablespoon or two of either natural peanut butter, or natural almond butter.  Either one is positively delicious on a microwaved bagel, and will give your body the good fats and protein it needs to function.  Give them a try.  For natural peanut butter I would suggest smucker's Natural creamy or chunky.  The only ingredient on the ingredient list is "peanuts".  You can't get much more natural than that.  Just stir the oil back in before usage, and flip the jar over every couple days while it's stored so the oil can float back up into the butter.

  And we can't forget about fruit.  The simple carbs that will get you going for the day.  This is completely your choice here, because nearly any fruit will do the job.  I prefer a banana or apple, but when I'm home from college I usually grab a peach, a plum, a kiwi, or even a mango.  Fruits are packed with nutrients that you need for the day.  You may substitute the fruit with a glass of natural 100% juice, but stay away from concentrates with lots of dye and artificial flavoring.  Just look on the ingredients list.  If you see High Fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor concentrate, and around 6 different dye colors, do yourself a favor and steer clear.

  So this is all fine and dandy, but as always you'll have to make some choices.  A lot of people may be wondering, how many calories should I be eating at breakfast?  While that's an impossible question to generalize, I will say this:  Breakfast should be the big meal of the day, as it will be your main energy source.  As a weightlifter I aim for 700 calories.  That may be a little bit over what you might want, but maybe not by much.  A good range to shoot for is around 400-500 calories.  And if you're still hungry, have another plum.  Your body needs this energy.

  And here's my final word.  Do not, I repeat DO NOT skip breakfast.  You may think it will help you lose weight.  It will do the EXACT OPPOSITE.  It will slow your metabolism down, make you extremely hungry later in the day, send your body into a starvation mode, and in general will make you feel like absolute crap.  Eat a healthy breakfast and I guarantee you'll feel better, look better, perform better, and even make a good first step toward losing those unwanted pounds, or gaining that much desired muscle.

Wake up and eat, my friends.