Choco chip muffins

It’s interesting to note how the two recipes differ slightly. Chocolate chips are available at supermarkets these days but you can make you own by hammering some out of slabs of cooking chocolate.

Ingredients
200 gm chocolate chips
125 gm butter plus extra for
buttering pans
4 eggs
2 ½ cups flour.
1 cup sugar
¼ cup milk
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven at 200°C and butter the muffin pan and set aside.
Add the vanilla to the butter and beat till the mixture is light. Add the eggs one at a time and continue beating while adding ¼ cup of the sugar after each egg.

Add the baking powder in the milk and add to the mixture. Fold in the flour and the chocolate chips.
Pour the mix into the muffin tins, filling each cup to two-thirds full.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins turn golden brown.

Let the muffins cool in the tins, remove and let them cool completely.

Muffin tip 1: Celebrated chef Martha Stewart says that to ensure the fluffiest muffins, use only fresh baking powder and baking soda. Baking powder should be no more than a year old; baking soda, however, will last about three years, as long as it’s protected from humidity.

Muffin tip 2: For best results, all ingredients — the butter and the eggs should be at room temperature.

29 foods that boost performance

1. VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Use this in place of standard vegetable oils— high in inflammatoryomega-6 and which slow recovery of muscles andjoints. Virgin olive ellis also rich in iron.

02. SWEET POTATO

Has low 131 for balanced energy levers. Studies have also shown that it raises
vitamin A in our blood. It also helps in stabilising blood-sugar levels.

03. PURPLE SPROUTING
Delivers calcium, which isvital for muscle growth. Also a great source of carotene and carotenoids, which aid in post-workout recovery.

04. Jasmine Tea

Source of phytonutrients and caffeine, it ups metabolic rate and boosts lean body mass, It has a milder flavour than standard green tea. It also promotes weight loss.

05. WHEY PROTEIN

Triggers muscle protein synthesis, so it is gre at f or su p porting recovery and growth. Otherbenefits include stress busting, better memory and fighting body fat.

06. FRESH SALMON

Itis a great source of protein and is rich in anti-inflammatorytattyacidsthat helpyour muscles bounce back. Itfacilitates absorption otsugarthus lowering blood sugar levels.

07. RIPE COCONUT

The fats in coconut—called MTCs—are burned like carbohydrates butare more dense in energy, makingthis a greatfuel source forboth your trainingand recovery. Ideal for fuel-injecting shakes.

08. CHICKEN BREASTS

The ultra-versatile lean protein staple provides the building blocks of muscle repair. It is also loaded with vitamin A and phosphorus.

09. BLACK GRAPES
Loaded with compounds to support the immune system. They contain reseveratrol, which protects artery walls. There is a compound called saponins that bind with cholesterol and prevent them from getting absorbed.

10. EGG

It gives you a complete protein fix and is rich in monounsaturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins. It is also an excelFent source of amino acids and helps promote healthy hair because of its high content of sodium.

11. RYE BREAD

Its low GI, with more soluble fibre, helps in lowering cholesterol, and it has more protein than a standard brown loaf, it is also a great hunger suppressant and is packed with minerals and vitamins.

12. ORANGE
An easy-peel, easy-carry. on-the-go quick-fuel carb-source. with added antioxidants to speed you recovery after a workout. It is loaded with vitamin C. which means that it helps
in weight control as well.

13.WHITE BASMATI RICE
Its lowerGl rating than short grain rice helps bypass the energy slump. It also contains ample vitamins and minreals, fibre and essential fatty acids.

14. YOGHURT

A yoghurt is a great fast’ food with the rightfat, protein and carb balance. It is also a rich source of minerals and vitamins.

15. TINNED SALMON

Tinned salmon is a good respite from the old favourite, tinned tuna, whioh delivers
lots of high-quality protein and recovery- boosting fatty acids. It is low on calories and high on omega-3 and is also loaded with B6 and 812 vitamins.

16. WATER

Hydration is essential for performance and post exercise recovery. So. water helps in washing out extra sodium and helps in hydrating cells when body is overexerted.

17. QATCAKES

Slow-burn carts to top-up energy and aid the recovery of muscle energy stores. They are a good source of Vitamin E, zinc and iron.

18. BANANAS

Bananas are full of potassium, which is lost in sweat, and vital for muscle contraction. They are also a powerhouse of iron and ..other minerals.

19. RED AND GREEN PEPPERS

Versatile and high in vitamin C, peppers aid muscle and tissue growth. Peppers are loaded with phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity.

20. WALNUT OIL

High in inflammation- lowering mono and polyunsaturated fats, walnuts support those hard working joints through the toughest of workouts. Excellent source of antioxidants.

21. YAM

Rich in vitamin C, B6 and potassium to support muscle function, it is a great source of fibre. ft is packed with complex carbs that lower the rate at which sugar is released and absorbed in the bloodstream.

22. COFFEE

Caffeome boosts performance by stimulatingtbe nervous system according to research in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

23. MANGO

Despite being a messy fruit, it is a high carb fruit, great for restoring muscle glycogen levels.

24. RED ONIONS

Onions are high in quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that fights the damaging free radicals produced by intensive training.

25 ROLLED OATS

Slow-burn carbs, great for refuelling muscles. Also a great source of fibre. Oats also help in preventing heart diseases and controlling blood presuure.

26. LEAN LAMB MEAT

Great lean protein source for muscle recovery and growth, with the added bonus of that performance boosting holy grail, creatine.

27. BABY SPINACH

Packed with recovery-boosting antioxidants, it has iron and a gamut of min4ra]s that help in speedy recovery of muscles.

28. GOLDEN LINSEEDS

Enhances your nutrient intake to boost your overall health, enery levels, performance and recovery. It also helps in cutting fat.

29. ALMOND BUTTER

THE 11 WORST HEALTH & DIET MYTHS

Red meat causes cancer? Salt triggers blood pressure?  Read on to sift food facts from fiction

01. TOO MUCH PROTEIN HURTS YOUR KIDNEYS

Reality: Protein helps burn fat, build muscle and won’t harm your kidneys at all. Way back in 1983, researchers discovered that eating more protein increases the amount of blood your kidneys filter per minute. Many scientists immediately made the leap that a high-protein diet places your kidneys under greater stress. They were proven wrong. Over the past two decades, several studies have found that while protein-rich meals do increase blood flow to the kidneys, this doesn’t have an adverse effect on overall kidney function.

Put the truth to work for you: Eat your target body weight in grams of protein daily. For example, if you’re a chubby 80kg man and want to be a lean 70kg, have 160g of protein a day. If you’re an 80kg guy hoping to pack on 10kg of muscle, aim for 180g each day.

02. SWEET POTATOES ARE HEALTHIER THAN WHITE

Reality: They’re both healthy! Sweet potatoes have more fibre and vitamin A, but white potatoes are higher in essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. As for the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are lower on the scale, but baked white potatoes typically aren’t eaten without cheese, sour cream or butter— all toppings that coiltain fat, which lowers the glycemic index of a meal.

Put the truth to work for you : The form in which you consume a potato—for instance, a whole baked potato versus a processed potato that’s used to make chips— is more important than the type of spud.

03. RED MEAT CAUSES CANCER

Reality: Research says enjoy the steak! In a 1986 study, Japanese researchers discovered cancer developing in rats that were fed ‘heterocyclic amines,’ compounds that are generated from overcooking meat under high heat. Since then, some studies of large populations have suggested a potential link between meat and cancer. Yet no study has ever found a direct cause-and-effect relationship between red meat consumption and cancer. The population studies are far from conclusive. They relied on broad surveys of people’s eating habits and health afflictions—numbers that illuminate trends, not causes.

Put the truth to work for you:

Don’t stop grilling. Meat lovers who are worried about the supposed risks of grilled meat don’t need to avoid burgers and steak—just trim off the burned or overcooked sections of the meat before eating.

04. SPORTS DRINKS ARE IDEAL POST WORKOUT

Reality: You need more than that to keep your muscles growing. Carb-loaded drinks like Vitaminwater and Gatorade are a great way to rehydrate and re-energise; they help replenish glycogen, your body’s stored energy. But they don’t always supply the amino acids needed for muscle repair. To maximise post-workout recovery, a proteincarb combination—which those drinks may not offer—can help.

Put the truth to work for you:
After you suck down that sports drink, eat a bowl of 100 per cent whole-grain cereal with non-fat milk, suggests a 2009 study in the Joarnal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. A glass of low-fat chocolate milk is a good choice as well.

05. YOU NEED 38 G OF FIBRE PER DAY

Reality: More fibre is better, but 38g is nearly impossible. That’s the recommendation from the Institute of Medicine. And it’s a lot, equaling nine apples or more than a half dozen bowls of instant oatmeal. (Most people eat about 15g of fibre daily.) The studies found a correlation between high-fibre intake and lower incidence of heart disease. But none of the high-fibre-eating groups in those studies averaged as high as 38g. In fact, people saw maximum benefits witha daily gram intake averaging from the high 20s to the low 30s.

Put the truth to work for you:

Just eat sensibly. Favour whole, unprocessed foods. Make sure the carbs you eat are fibre-rich—- that means produce, legumes and whole grains—because they’ll help slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.

06. TOO MUCH SALT CAUSES HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Reality: Perhaps, but too little potassium causes high blood pressure too. Large- scale scientific reviews have determined there’s no reason for people with normal blood pressure to restrict their sodium intake. Now, if you already have high blood pressure, you may be ‘salt sensitive’. As a result, reducing the amount of salt you eat could be he}pful. However,
people with high blood pressure who don’t want to lower their salt intake can simply consume more potassium-containing foods—it’s really the balance of the two minerals that matters. It turns out, the average person consumes 3,100mg of potassium a day-i 600mg less than recommended.

Put the truth to work for you:

Strive for a potassium-rich diet—which you can achieve by eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes—and your salt intake won’t matter as much. For instance, spinach, broccoli, bananas, white potatoes and most types of beans each contain more than 400mg potassium per serving.

07. SATURATED FAT WILL CLOG YOUR HEART

Reality: Fat has gotten a hum wrap. Most people consider turkey, chicken, and fish healthy, yet think they should avoid red meat—-or only choose very lean cuts—since they’ve always been told that it’s high in saturated fat. But a closer look at red meat reveals the truth: Almost half of its fat is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid—the same heart-healthy fat that’s found in olive oil. Second, most of the saturated fat in red meat actually decreases your heart-disease risk—either by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, or by reducing your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol,

08. DIET SODA IS BETTER

Reality: It may lead to even greater weight gain. Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn’t mean it can’t lead to weight gain. It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages-even if they’re artificially sweetened-may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert-everything. In fact, new research found that people who drink diet soda on a daily basis have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

09. CHOCOLATE BARS ARE EMPTY CALORIES

Reality: Research says enjoy. Dark chocolate is a health food Cocoa is rich in fiavonoids-the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea— is at its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100mg of fiavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodfiow to your heart. And remember:

Milk chocolate isn’t as rich in fiavonoids as dark, so develop a taste for the latter.

10. REDUCED-FAT FOODS ARE HEALTHIER

Reality: Less fat often means more sugan Peanut butter is a representative example for busting this myth. Atub of reduced-fat peanut butter indeed comes with a fraction less fat thanthe full-fat variety-they’re not lying about that. But what the food companies don’t tell you is that they’ve replaced that healthy fat with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs, double the sugar.

Put the truth to work for you: When you’re shopping, don’t just read the nutritional data. Look at the ingredients list as well. Here’s a guideline that never fails: The fewer ingredients, the healthier the food.

11. HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP IS MORE FATTENING THAN REGULAR SUGAR

Reality: They’re equally fattening. Beware Recent research has shown that fructose may cause an increase in weight by interfering with leptin—the hormone that tells us when we’re full. But both HFCS and sucrose— better known as table sugar—contain similar amounts of fructose. There’s no evidence to show any differences in these two types of sugar. Both will cause weight gain when consumed in excess. The only particular evil regarding HECS is that it’s cheaper, and commonly shows up everywhere from bread to ketchup to soda.

Put the truth to work for you: HECS and regular sugar are empty-calorie carbohydrates that should be consumed in limited amounts. How? By keeping soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices, and prepackaged desserts to a minimum.

1. Cheese : Misundersttod superfood ; a muscle builder that burns fat all day. Eat in moderation

2. Egg Whites versatile superfood. Snack on them anytime

3. Beans, Sprouts and nuts : Fill you up for longer. Snack on nuts like almonds and walnuts

Want your kids to eat more vegetables? Then give it to them at the start of a meal and gradually increase the amount, says new research.

“We have shown that you can use portion size strategically to encourage children and adults to eat more of the foods that are high in nutrients but low in calories,” said Barbara J. Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences, Penn State University (PSU).

Rolls and her PSU colleagues study how varying the portions of fruit and vegetable side dishes can be used to raise vegetable consumption in children and adults.

Researchers served lunch to 51 children at a daycare centre on four occasions and measured their vegetable intake. Children were provided with no carrots or 30 grams (about 1 ounce), 60 grams (about 2 ounces), or 90 grams (about 3 ounces) of carrots as the first course of their lunch.

The children had 10 minutes to eat the carrots, after which researchers served them pasta, broccoli, unsweetened applesauce, and low-fat milk.

They found that when preschool children received no first course of carrots, they consumed about 23 grams (nearly 1 ounce) of broccoli from the main course.

When the children received 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of carrots at the start of the meal, their broccoli intake rose by nearly 50 percent compared to having no carrots as a first course.

But when the first course was increased to 60 grams (about 2 ounces) of carrots, average broccoli consumption nearly tripled to about 63 grams — or a third of the recommended vegetable intake for preschool children.

The extra carrots eaten at the start of lunch did not reduce the amount of broccoli eaten in the main course, but added to the total amount of vegetables consumed.

“We gave the children carrots first without other competing foods,” explained Rolls. “When they are hungry at the start of the meal, it presents us with an opportunity to get them to eat more vegetables.”

“The great thing about this study is the very clear and easy message for parents and care-givers that while you are preparing dinner, put some vegetables out for your children to snack on while they’re hungry,” said Maureen Spill, study co-author and graduate student in nutrition.

“Parents also need to set an example by eating vegetables while children are young and impressionable,” said Spill.

The findings were published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Overview

Developing a healthy diet is a goal of many people. The body operates best when given a variety of foods and when some specific types of foods are used in moderation. Using a food pyramid as a guide to choosing healthy foods and determining how much to eat of those foods every day is a good way to ensure optimal health and nutrition.
Food Pyramids

There are many different types of food pyramids to help guide people’s choices of daily foods to eat, not just the commonly seen one made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services. That pyramid, called MyPyramid, is based on typical American foods, but other pyramids include an Asian food pyramid, vegetarian food pyramid, a Mediterranean diet food pyramid and a pyramid designed by Harvard University scientists.
Food Groups

The foods in all of the different pyramids are divided into groups. Whole grains, proteins, fats, fresh fruits and vegetables are all necessary for proper functioning. Some of each of these foods should be incorporated into the daily diet. The majority of food eaten daily should be in the form of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats, should be limited.
Variety

Choosing a variety of foods is an important part of determining what to eat every day to be healthy. Avoiding any particular food group is usually not a good idea for healthy eating. Carbohydrates and fats in particular have been maligned in recent years, but both of these groups are necessary for health, as long as they are consumed in appropriate amounts.
Substituting

While many diet plans can be strict, true healthy eating is quite flexible. If you don’t like a particular option, it is just as healthy to choose another food item that contains similar nutrients. One serving of whole grains, for example, does not have to be a slice of bread. You can substitute a serving of oatmeal, a tortilla or a bran muffin, depending on your preferences.
Considerations

In some circumstances, it is difficult to get all of the necessary nutrients from food. In cases like pregnancy, for example, the hormonal changes and increased requirements for certain vitamins can make choosing foods difficult. Supplements and multivitamins are available to increase the intake of some of these vitamins. These are good for temporary use but should not be considered a complete replacement of healthy whole foods in the diet. Your daily food intake should still consist mainly of healthy whole grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and a small amount of healthy fats.

London, Nov. 28: Skipping breakfast will be of no help if you want to stay fit, instead, a bowl of wholegrain cereal first thing in the morning can ensure a trim and healthy body, concludes a study.

Researchers have found that porridge or muesli in breakfast not only helps shed pounds but keeps them off too.

They have found that it stops people turning to fatty and sugary snacks later in the day.

One in five Britons has admitted that he or she skips breakfast, but researchers claim they are simply fooling themselves because the “starv­ation behaviour” makes them more likely to eat biscuits, sweets and cakes during the day.

In fact, people who tuck into cereals packed with wholegrain and fibre in the morning are less likely to binge eat, said the researchers.

Studies have found these cereals protect against many diseases and help maintain the heart and healthy blood sugar levels and body weight.

One study has shown that a bowl of cereal for breakfast could reduce the risk of heart disease by a fifth.

Being low on the glycaemic index, wholegrains help to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity.

They also have a major role in keeping people feeling full.

“Those who skip breakfast generally have an overall less healthy diet. This means they eat snacks and tend not to eat enough fruit and veg,” the Daily Express quoted Chris Seal, Professor of Food & Human Nutrition at Newcastle University, as saying.

Scientists at King”s College London found that although people who eat cereals take in more calories overall than those who don’t, they are more likely to have a normal body mass index, the indicator for obesity.

“We found evidence to support that those who skip breakfast have the highest intakes of fat and increased consumption of high-fat snacks,” said Dr. Katrina Campbell from King’s.

The report found evidence that skipping breakfast on a regular basis was associated with a 4.5 fold increased risk of obesity.

People who eat breakfast were found to eat more vegetables and tended to be leaner and less likely to gain weight over time.

Other studies reviewed, of more than 17,800 men, found that those who consumed breakfast cereals, regardless of type, consistently weighed less than those who ate them less often.

“There is good evidence that skipping breakfast or consuming an inadequate breakfast may contribute to an inadequate dietary intake. These dietary deficits are rarely replenished by other meals in the day.

“To take advantage of the potential benefits of breakfast it is important that a distinction is made between promoting a nutrient-rich, healthy breakfast choice, such as breakfast cereal, as opposed to simply promoting breakfast.” Another study by researchers at Oxford Brookes University found that simply eating breakfast cereals for at least one meal a day led to significant and sustained weight loss,” concluded the report’s authors.

Avocados raise good cholesterol levels that boost heart health, say experts. What’s more, there is no harm in including eggs in a heart patient’s diet, the experts added. Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith said that avocados can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.

And CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton agreed with the fact. “Avocados are a good source of fat/cholesterol. They have the unsaturated fats, which are good for us. So therefore they can raise the HDL, the Harry or healthy cholesterol and lowerer the LDL – the lousy cholesterol,” CBS News quoted Ashton as saying.

She also said that people who think that eggs should not be allowed on a heart healthy diet are probably wrong.

“This is a big myth. Because people think of they eggs and they think of the omelet with bacon and cheese. Actually, eggs, while high in cholesterol, have about 215 milligrams, well below the 300 milligram limit per day. If you have normal cholesterol, you can go ahead and have one egg a day,” explained Ashton. She further added that even cholesterol-free food could raise cholesterol, saying: “You can’t confuse what’s on the label in terms of cholesterol and fat. And remember that transfats, which can be hidden in a lot of packaged foods, can increase your cholesterol.”

Washington, Nov 12  : For the first time, Chinese researchers have developed the largest-ever collection of data about the proteins produced by genes in a single human organ-the liver.

It is believed that the massive database in both protein and transcript levels could become a roadmap for finding possible new biomarkers and treatments for liver disease, including hepatitis and liver cancer.

The study is part of the China Human Liver Proteome Project, which was officially launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) and chaired by Fuchu He.

The scientists at a group of 11 research centers in China pointed out that the liver plays many essential roles in the body, such as producing digestive enzymes, hormones, most of the proteins in the blood, storing carbohydrates for use in supplying energy to the muscles, and activates and breaks down drugs.

Despite that key role, huge gaps likely exist in scientific knowledge about proteins involved in these activities.

They used 10 tissue samples of healthy liver from volunteers, and identified 6,788 non-redundant proteins in the liver samples- the largest group of proteins ever identified by scientists in any human organ.

Half of the proteins have never been seen in the human liver before.

They even made one intriguing and unexplained discovery-many of the newfound proteins appear related to diseases in the nervous system.

The study was published online in ACS” Journal of Proteome Research.

Washington, Nov 10  : Feeling blue? Try a low-calorie, low-fat diet, suggests a new study.

Published in the November 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, after one year, the study found that a low-calorie, low-fat diet is more beneficial to dieters” mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories.

“Despite the consistency of official recommendations advocating a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, energy-restricted diet for obesity treatment, the obesity epidemic has led to widespread interest in alternative dietary patterns for weight management, including very low-carbohydrate ”ketogenic” diets that are typically high in protein and fat (particularly saturated fat),” the authors write.

“While recent clinical studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can be an effective alternative dietary approach for weight loss, their long-term effects on psychological function, including mood and cognition, have been poorly studied,” they added.

To reach the conclusion, Grant D. Brinkworth, Ph.D., of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation–Food and Nutritional Sciences, Adelaide, Australia, and colleagues conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 106 overweight and obese participants who were an average age of 50. Of these, 55 had been randomly assigned to follow a very–low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet and 51 to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet for one year. Changes in body weight, mood and well-being, and cognitive functioning (thinking, learning and memory skills) were assessed periodically during and following the one-year intervention.

After one year, the overall average weight loss was 13.7 kilograms (about 30.2 pounds), with no difference between the two groups. Both groups initially (after the first eight weeks) experienced an improvement in mood. However, most measurements of mood revealed a lasting improvement in only those following the low-fat diet, while those on the high-fat diet returned to their initial levels (i.e., mood returned toward more negative baseline levels).

“This outcome suggests that some aspects of the low-carbohydrate diet may have had detrimental effects on mood that, over the term of one year, negated any positive effects of weight loss,” the authors write.

Potential explanations include the social difficulty of adhering to a low-carbohydrate plan, which is counter to the typical Western diet full of pasta and bread; the prescribed, structured nature of the diet; or effects of protein and fat intake on brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to psychological functioning.