Saturday, August 21, 2010

Healthy Food Substitutions & Healthy Skin

As a busy mom, I used to thoroughly enjoy the Kraft Foods "Food & Family" magazine but not so much anymore mainly because the ingredients they promote almost always have HFCS. Some of the recipes are still good but substitutions are required. 


I have an upcoming wellness talk on "Beauty Becomes You" and will be serving healthy refreshments. I found a recipe in the magazine titled, "Mediterranean Stacker" and it looks pretty good; however, I will be using Back to Nature crackers and nitrate-free chicken breast. The other ingredients are hummus and cucumbers. For meat-free stackers, I'll add shredded carrots. 

Hummus is a healthy food and very tasty! It actually made two recent lists on what foods your [kids] should eat and what foods are best for healthy skin and they are as follows.  Happy Eating!!

5 Foods Everyone Should Be Eating by Joy Bauer, Nutritionist of the TODAY show:

1) Seafood - cold water fatty fish (ex. Salmon), 2) Beans (try Hummus), 3) Oats (use instead of bread crumbs), 4) Eggs and 5) Spinach.


6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin By David Zinczenko of Men’s Health, Aug 16, 2010.

1)      Salmon (Omega 3s). Why? “[They] are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture.”  Other Omega 3s: Sardines, Walnuts and Flax Seed.

2). Carrots. Why? You’re inviting beta carotene “to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow." Other beta-carotene foods: red bell pepper, sweet potato, and red grapefruit.

3). Avocado. Why? They have […] B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth. Other natural B vitamins found in: olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter.

4). Beans. Why? They have “isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans resulting in 20% fewer wrinkles over time (paraphrased, Zinczenko). Other isoflavone potent foods: tofu, alfalfa, and tempeh.

5). Grapes. Why? They have antioxidants called “polyphenols […] keeps middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer." Other polyphenol enriched foods: grape juice, blueberries.

6). Water. Why? “Water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin; all the body’s processes rely on hydration, and it creates a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer.” Other water rich foods: Watermelon, peaches and celery.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

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