TOFU —-HEALTHY FOOD AND DELICIOUS TOO
Chacko Nedumkallel

TOFU —-HEALTHY FOOD AND DELICIOUS TOO

Today people are more health conscious and food habits have undergone a tremendous change. These days meat ,dairy products , eggs etc are used in very limited quantities. This is a trend more common in the Western world. People are looking for a 100 per cent vegetarian healthy alternative to high fat -content and cholesterol producing non-vegetarian diet .

Here comes the unique significance of soybeans and Tofu, a paneer like processed food . Tofu is made exclusively from health giving soyabeans . Therefore from the health point of view Tofu stands out as a complete protein which has all the eight amino acids.

Tofu is exceptionally popular world over and almost one billion people eat it often. No doubt it is free from saturated fat and cholesterol and thousands of people consider it as the primary source of protein.

Tofu is not just a new product.
For hundreds of years it was in use made exclusively from soybeans.
The manufacturing process is this: Soybeans are cooked and crushed to make a rich soyamilk. It is allowed to solidify and later cut into blocks.

Reputed Tofu making demands good packaging. Proper care is being taken to avoid contamination and spoilage. Modern packaging systems are followed by Tofu manufactures . This is essential for protecting the nutrition and flavour of soyabean. It also helps to increase
Tofus shelf lifewithout the use of preservatives and irradiation.
Regular Tofu consumers are aware of all these and that answers the increasing popularity of tasty Tofu .

..Genetically modified ( organism ) soybeans are not used in the manufacture of Tofu. And good quality Tofu is being made from wholesome soyabeans.

High health potential

Tofu is a food with unbelievably high health potential. If a person takes in 25 grams of soya proteins per day it provides complete cardiovascular health. On an average one serve of Tofu provides 6 grams of soya protein.
Several delicious preparations are made of Tofu. For example freeze it for several days for a chicken-like texture. Afterwards it can be grilled or baked
fit to be served as a delicacy that equals any tasty chicken dish.

Like other wholesome food Tofu too is good in fat calories but at the same time it is a low calorie source of protein .
Heart patients are advised to replace animal protein with plant protein and Tofu is considered in this connection as a good source of it.
Tofu has many food qualities. It is a good source of calcium too. And dietitians say that calcium found in Tofu is equally good in comparison to milk or cheese calcium.

Children love it
All children like Tofu because it does not have a flavour of its own. It takes the flavour of other things added to it while being cooked.
Some people replace eggs in their diet with Tofu. Tofu can be used in so many different types of dishes. People prepare fish-free and meat-free
dishes using Tofu and at the same time they taste like meat and fish. —

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About the Author

1982 -1997
Oman Daily Observer
Muscat
1975- 1981
Economic Times India

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Healthy Dieting Tips
Elizabeth Harfleet

Effective dieting is all about changing long term eating habits
rather than cutting down excessively on food in intermittent
bursts. As well as eating a healthy and balanced diet that is
low in fat and refined sugar, there are a number of other things
that you can do to help you shift those extra pounds and ensure
that they stay gone for good.

Here are some top tips to help you do just that:

1.Avoid going shopping when you are hungry. 2.When you go
shopping write a list in advance and stick to it so that you do
not buy calorific treats.

3.Always eat breakfast containing complex carbohydrates to help
fight mid morning sugar lows

4.When you feel peckish drink a glass of water instead of
reaching for a snack; you may find that it stops you feeling
hungry.

5.Avoid going shopping when you are hungry

6.Watch fat content in prepared foods. Try not to eat food with
more than 4% fat.

7.Take some form of exercise every day. It is very easy to fit
this into your daily routine by looking for opportunities to
walk rather than drive.

8.For the best results, exercise early in the morning (ideally
before lunch). Aim to exercise for twenty to thirty minutes at
least three times a week.

9.Ask friends to give chocolates a miss on your birthday or at
Christmas. 10.Alcohol is full of calories. You can try and limit
your alcohol intake by interspersing alcoholic drinks with soft
ones on nights out.

11.Weigh yourself no more than once a week in the morning before
eating or drinking.

12.Avoid going shopping when you are hungry

13.Take a Vitamin B complex as B vitamins are used for efficient
fat metabolism.

14.Don’t set yourself unrealistic targets, they will only make
you feel depressed. Stick to the weight height guidelines set
out by the NHS.

15.Watch out for food claiming to be fat free or virtually fat
free. Although they might not contain much fat they are often
loaded with sugar.

About the author:

Elizabeth Harfleet is a nutritional therapist based in Manchester
UK

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You need to be so careful when trying to decide what weight loss medicine to use. You can never be sure if the ones out there are safe for you or if they will even be effective. In fact, there may be some out there that are completely unsafe for you to use.

If you are determined to go the route of using a weight loss medicine to help you lose weight then do yourself the greatest favor of all and talk to your doctor about what they might recommend for you to take. Your doctor should be able to help you choose one that has at least been approved by the FDA, like Alli.

You can get Alli, is the very first over the counter medication used to aid in weight loss. Alli is a half strength version of the prescription weight loss drug Orlistat and is taken three times a day with meals. Make sure those meals are low in fat because Alli blocks the fat you eat from being metabolized by the body.

What this means is that the fat you eat does not get broken down and is passed directly through you digestive system. This may not seem like a big deal but if you do not watch the fat content of what you eat you will most likely experience the side effects of the drug.

Side effects include possible anal leakage, or at least an oily discharge, diarrhea and excess gas. It is in your best interest to change your diet to a low fat one. A thirty day supply of Alli will cost you about $50.

Your doctor may recommend one of the FDA approved weight loss drugs that you need a prescription for. Two of the most popular are Meridia and the full strength Orlistat called Xenical.

Before you ask for one of these though, be sure that your insurance carrier will cover the cost, they are expensive. A thirty day supply of the Meridia will run you over two hundred dollars and the Xenical will go almost double that at three hundred-eighty dollars.

Even though these drugs are approved by the FDA they still can have significant side effects that you need to watch out for. Meridia can cause your blood pressure to raise. If you already have a problem with your blood pressure then your doctor may not recommend this weight loss drug to you. Other side effects include headaches, insomnia, and constipation.

Xenical has pretty much the same side effects as Alli but since this weight loss medicine is double the strength of Alli then the side effects may be more pronounced and therefore could become debilitating if your diet is not adjusted even before you start taking it.

So, at the risk of repeating myself, talk at length with your doctor if you want to take a weight loss drug to help you low the weight you want to lose. Your doctor will steer you in the right direction and help you make the best decision for your situation.

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You’ve certainly heard the expression many times, “You are what you eat.” Have you ever really thought about what it means? And do you think about it when you’re making food choices?

In some ways, we do become what we eat, literally. Have you ever seen an example of your blood plasma after eating a fast food hamburger? What was previously a clear liquid becomes cloudy with the fat and cholesterol that’s absorbed from eating a high-fat hamburger.

And when you think about it, we also become what we don’t eat. When we switch from eating meat to a vegetarian-based diet, we become less fat, less prone to many types of cancers. Our cholesterol can improve. When we’re leaner and eating fewer animal products, then many other health and fitness issues are reduced. The incidence of Type II diabetes is reduced. Blood pressure falls into normal ranges. When you’re healthier, you’re taking fewer medications. Even if you have a prescription drug benefit in your health plan, you’re still saving money with fewer co-payments on medications.

If you have a family history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure, then it’s particularly incumbent on you to revise your eating habits. Moving towards a more vegetarian diet has been shown statistically to reduce the incidence of so many of the diseases of industrialized countries. Vegetarians are statistically healthier than omnivorous persons; they’re leaner and live longer.

Isn’t it time to think about what you want to be and to eat accordingly? Do you want to be sluggish and fat? Do you want the risk that goes with eating animal products, with their high fat content? Or do you want to look like and be what vegetarians are? Leaner and fitter with a longer anticipated lifespan. It’s never too late to change what you’re doing and increase your chances for a longer, fitter life.

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