Breakfast Like A King, Lunch Like A Prince, Dinner Like A Pauper

“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper” this adage by Adelle Davis (which is also rule #54 in Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual”) delivers some valuable advice to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 
It stresses out the importance of front-loading the calories at the beginning of the day and decrease the intake as the hours goes by.
The rationale behind is that the human metabolism slows down as the day progresses and - furthermore - the chances of burning calories are fewer as nighttime approaches. 
Accordingly, breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day and dinner the smallest.

Eat Food Not Edible Foodlike Substances

This is one of the my favorite quotes from Michael Pollan’s Food Rules.
It focuses on the importance of eating real, whole food over any sort of junk food or food like product.

Heavy processing of food - which improves shelf life and palatability - also removes nutrients, adds chemicals and makes food more readily absorbable, which might be a problem for insulin and fat metabolism.
That’s why you should try to avoid heavily processed foods, labeled by Michael Pollan as “edible foodlike substances.”

"They’re highly processed concoctions designed by food scientists, consisting mostly of ingredients derived from corn and soy that no normal person keeps in the pantry, and they contain chemical additives with which the human body has not been long acquainted. Today much of the challenge of eating well comes down to choosing real food and avoiding these industrial novelties1."

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References

1 Pollan, Michael (2009-11-24). Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. New York

Nutrition Science Should Be Taken With A Grain Of Salt

On this little space we like to call “TheIronYou” we talk about food, nutrition and health, almost on a daily basis. We create recipes that are supposed to be good for you. We discuss about the ultimate superfood landed in grocery stores. We point out the latest researches made by scientists. Often, we just ramble about what goes through our minds.
Whatever that might be, there’s one thing we want to stress out: when we talk about nutrition science keep in mind that it's a relatively young science still surrounded by much uncertainty.
So whenever you’re reading about “this is good for you”, “this is bad for you”, “if you eat this it will kill you”, “if you eat that you will live forever”, don’t take it for granted but process it into your mind with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Credit: Image courtesy of University of Aberdeen

One Simple Eating Rule

This is rule #19 in Michael Pollan’s book “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual”. One of my favorites.
It stresses out the importance of eating real food, not creations of the food-industrial complex. Real food doesn’t have a long ingredient list, isn’t advertised on national television, and doesn’t contain stuff you can’t even pronounce the name.
Part of being healthy means consciously choosing wisely what you put in your mouth. So do eat food that comes from plants not that is made in plants!

Coconut Oil: Good Or Bad?

Some readers have expressed concern over the use of coconut oil as fat component in few of the vegan recipes I’ve posted on the blog.

I was not surprised by these reactions, as coconut oil still pays the price of decades of unsubstantiated misinformation that has led to the popular belief that it’s one of the unhealthiest oils around. Jam-packed with “evil” saturated fats, causing artery-clogging, cholesterol-raising, and heart-attacks; almost poisonous for the human body.
Truth of the matter, coconut oil is not the Lex Luthor of fats portrayed. Recent studies point in the opposite direction; backtracking on the worst accusation against it and claiming that, after all, it might belong with the good guys.
Vegans, excited of this new found evidence, have made coconut oil a staple food in their diet. Relying on it as a sweet vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature and that - just like butter - can create sumptuous batters, flaky pie crusts and chewy cookies.
Even if coconut oil is enjoying a sparkly new makeover, the doubt still remain: coconut oil, friend or foe?

Baking With Protein Powder: A Few Tips

I love protein powder, it’s a big part of my nutrition and has been such for years. Being a sportsman, I couldn’t picture a proper recovery - after the daily strenuous workouts I put myself through - without protein powder delivering the much needed aminoacids to my strained muscles.
At the beginning I would use protein powder only in smoothies. Over the last year or so I’ve learned new ways to incorporate protein powder in my diet that do not only involve a blender.
I discovered that baking with protein powder is quite fun indeed. Brownies, cookies, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, etc. What a huge learning curve it has been so far.
First thing I realized is that protein powder resembles a lot to flour; in that it’s “grainy” and does react similarly in recipes. It’s dry, absorbs liquids and gives a likewise texture to baked goods.
However, protein powders can be quite different. Some mix very well in smoothies but coagulate when cooked. Some are flour-like but tend to form lumps when blended with liquids.
After many failed attempts and some deserved successes, I got some experience under my belt.
If you’re interested, here’s my two cents’ worth.

Working Out On An Empty Stomach Burns More Fat?

This question has been the subject of much debate in the fitness world for quite some time.
On one side some suggest that exercising on an empty stomach is more effective as it forces the body to use fat stores for fuel, resulting in a greater weight loss.
Conversely, others claim that exercising in a fasted state doesn’t offer any benefit and may even work against you. They point out that the body burns roughly the same amount of fat regardless of whether the stomach is full or empty; but, in addition, by exercising in a depleted state your body will also burn muscles for energy, not only fat.
So who’s right? Who’s wrong?
A newly published study has found that people can burn up to 20% more body fat by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach1. Have we finally reached an answer? Not so fast...

 

Tea: OverSteep To Increase Health Benefits

This is not a post explaining how to prepare tea properly. It’s not my job, I’m not qualified to do it, and if I’ll do it, I’ll probably end up giving the worst advice possible.
However, if you’re an avid tea drinker (like myself) who enjoys this beverage daily - with no respect whatsoever for the legit ways to brew it - you might want to hear me out.

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Rooibos Tea

The herbal tea made from rooibos has been a popular drink in Southern Africa for generations. The plant, Aspalathus linearis, is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants growing in the Western Cape province.
What is generally referred to as rooibos tea is in fact an infusion made from the oxidised leaves of the rooibos plant. Technically it’s not even a close relative of tea.
Recently, rooibos has gained popularity in Western countries thanks to its amazing health benefits.
Its strong and pungent taste can be off putting for some. Nonetheless, its reputation has steadily continued to climb, especially among health-conscious consumers (like us!).

Is There Anything Wrong With Ketchup?

Ketchup has to be the most popular condiment in America. Can you picture french fries, a burger or even a hot-dog without ketchup? Probably not. What about grilled or fried meats? So much better if paired with this sweet and tangy sauce, made with tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices.
Ketchup is also often used as a basis for other sauces such as barbecue sauce. Which we all love.
Given its widespread use, you may well ask: is ketchup good or bad for us?

Does Eating Spicy Food Burn Additional Calories?

You’re eating a hot chicken Vindaloo at your fave Indian restaurant. Your tongue is on fire and you’re sweating buckets. You wonder: isn’t sweating a sign that my metabolism is speeding up and burning calories?
Well, you’re not far from the truth. There is indeed evidence that spices can increase the metabolic rate, up to three hours after finishing the meal. However, it’s not as clear-cut as it seems...

What Is A Heirloom Food?

I bet you have encountered oddly shaped black carrots in the produce section of your supermarket before, and wondered why anyone would buy those instead of the regular, tubular, orange variety.
Heirloom foods, such as black carrots, can look dramatically different from the “regular” ones you’re used to. Different to the point that sometimes it might get “scary”.
What you shouldn’t do, however, is to look away.
Heirloom foods are a rather flavorful, colorful, and tasty version of foods you already enjoy. Chances are you’re going to like the heirloom version just as much the “regular” one, maybe even more. If that isn’t enough, heirloom foods bring diverse and precious nutrients to your table.
So you definitely shouldn’t look away; reach for them instead.

How Veggies Make The Meal (Their Hedonic And Heroic Impact)

Even though vegetables are known to be healthful, they are served at only 23% of American dinners. Chicken, steak, pasta, pizza, these classic dishes make the core of family meals.
Provided that better nutrition value alone doesn’t seem enough of an incentive to consume more veggies; are there other ways to promote the consumption of vegetables besides the “better for you” claim? What psychological motivation to include vegetables in meals exist?
A team of researchers at Cornell University Food and Brand Lab explored the topic; investigating whether serving vegetables changes the perception of an entrée’s taste as well as the perception of the cook.
To their own surprise, they discovered that serving vegetables improved taste expectations not only for the entrées, but for the whole meal as well.
Furthermore, serving a vegetable with a meal also enhanced perceptions of the cook. They were evaluated as being more thoughtful and attentive as well as less lazy, boring, and self-absorbed.
In other words, vegetables positively influenced the hedonic expectations of the meal and the heroic impact of the cook.

The Eat Right Rule

All around us, everyone (including myself) is yelling about eat this, don’t eat that, this is good for you, this is bad for you.
With so much rambling, feeling overwhelmed is most common. That’s why it’s important to have some simple rules to hang on to.
A smart one that I really like it’s the so-called “Eat Right Rule”.
It postulates that you should always prefer food that potentially can go bad, over food that rarely spoils. In other words, fresh food is considered to be an healthier choice than food that has an "unlimited" shelf life.

Aspartame: Good Or Bad?

Aspartame is used in tons of products you can find at the grocery store: diet sodas, fruit juices, cordials, yogurts, chewing gums, cooking sauces, chips, drink powders, and of course, sugar substitutes.
It has been reported that aspartame is used in around 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide.
With such a widespread use, chances are that you’re consuming aspartame on a daily basis, without even knowing it.
That alone is a good enough reason to learn something more about this sugar substitute.

Maca: The Ultimate Superfood! (Or So They Say...)

I’m sure you’ve heard about Maca already, it’s the latest superfood everyone talks about.
It always the same old story: a “never heard before” superfood appears on the market.
Everybody jumps on the bandwagon praising it to be the next miracle food; only to find out after a while that, as with any other superfood, it might have some health benefits but, alone, it’s never enough.
It happened to spirulina first (remember when, few years back, it was called the miracle algae?), chia seeds, hemp seeds, psyllium fiber, just to name a few.
Now it’s maca’s turn: celebs, wannabes, athletes, in-the-know health fanatics, superfood enthusiasts, hipsters, hippies, yuppies (are there any yuppies left? I wonder...), I mean everybody wants a piece of this wonder root.
According to Details Magazine, some of the celebs hooked on maca include: Jude Law, Marc Jacobs, Miranda Kerr, Erin Wasson, David Wolfe, Woody Harrelson, and Mike D of The Bestie Boys.
With such an amazing line-up, don’t you already wanna know more about it?

Some Reasons Why You Should Use More Saffron In Your Diet

Saffron is one the least known spice in the world. Few people know where it comes from, how it’s harvested, and what to do with it.
I find this to be a real pity, as saffron it’s only delicious, but also full of health benefits, and quite versatile in the kitchen.
It’s true that saffron is very expensive (that’s why it’s also referred to as the yellow gold), but the high price is balanced out, as you just need to use very small pinches in your dishes.
Let’s discover a little bit more about this amazing spice...

New Study Reveals That Every Single Junk Food Meal Damages Your Arteries

If you believe that hitting a fast-food from time to time, binging with a junk food meal is an ok to do, you might want to think again. A newly published study suggests that even one single junk food meal is detrimental to the health of your arteries.

This Is Not Just Another Post On The Health Benefits Of Kale...

I love kale. I munch it, juice it, bake it, shred it, etc. It’s one of the staple foods of my diet. Yet, I haven’t wrote a single post about it.
I really don’t know why. Probably because there is already so much literature on kale (and its health benefits) that I reckoned another post would just be redundant.
Just take a look around on the web: there are entire websites and blogs completely dedicated to kale. Chefs have created entire meals with kale: from the appetizer to the dessert.
Women around the web that have sworn love to kale forever, promising that they will never ever leave it.
With all this fuzz around, what could I possibly bring more to the kale’s table?
Probably nothing, but I’m still going to write a post about kale.
The Romans said back in the days: “Repetita iuvant” (i.e., repeating does good), and I’m gonna honor that saying today by talking about kale. Hearing about the amazing properties of this veggie one more time can do only good.

Omega-3 Intake Improves Memory

It’s well known that Omega-3 are necessary for proper body function, but their effects on the working memory was not completely known, until recently.
A team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have determined that healthy young adults can greatly improve their working memory by increasing substantially their Omega-3 fatty acid intake.