Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com

Green Tea has a High Caffeine Content but is Healthier than Coffee!

by Health & Fitness
Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com
Image taken from www.muscleandfitness.com

Green tea has less caffeine than black tea, ~25mg caffeine per 8 ounce cup. However, length of brewing time affects caffeine content, the longer the brew the higher the caffeine. Lipton has listed a figure of 45mg caffeine for their 100% green tea claiming its from 1 to 2.5 minutes of brewing. Try it!

If you are having coffee or tea, avoid creamer and sugar, use splenda and skimmed/almond milk instead. However, Green tea is the healthier option. Perhaps the most healthy hot beverage out there. It is filled with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body such as improved brain function, weight loss as it boosts metabolism and burns fat, a lower risk of cancer and many other great benefits.

1 week down… 2 to go! and Beyonce is a vegan traitor

by Health & FitnessRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

More from ‘canrachelbeflawless’. See how Beyonce lied and follow the last few days of Rachel’s journey. Kudos to New Leaf Vegetarian for delicious Vegan dishes. Check out their website, www.newleafvegetarian.com. They are located at 121 Old Hope Road, Shop #6, Kingston 6. Ph: 876-977-2358/ 876-977-5243; [email protected] (email)

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The Chocolate Man from Mount Pleasant Farm has competition with UMIUM Coconut Chocolate Spread!

by Health & FitnessRestaurant Reviews & Ratings

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Remember Coffee and Cocoa farmer, Averell French? His Chocolate Spread, Dark and Milk chocolate bars won Best New Food Item at the Table Talk Observer Food Awards last year as Mr. French wowed the judges, including yours truly, with Dark chocolate, White chocolate and paired the Chocolate spread with bread and fruits such as grapes, paw paw and melon. The products including the spread have a long shelf life, so they were a nominee for Best Producer as well. Suga still thinks the Chocolate spread puts Nutella to shame and is absolutely addictive!

However, there is a new product on the market, UMIUM Coconut Chocolate Spread! June Gottgens, Mogul in the Making Nominee for the Table Talk Observer Food Awards this year, has been striving to boost Jamaica’s economy, in particular, our coconut and cocoa industries. Under the brand UMIUM, Gottgens’ Coconut Chocolate Spread is available in about 30 supermarkets across the island. Just last weekend, samples were being given out in Sovereign supermarket. The taste? It ain’t no Nutella or Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers Chocolate spread, but it is good. It is tasty AND nutritious. Great nutrition facts compared to Nutella that is filled with refined sugar. Can’t speak too much to the nutrition facts of Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers Chocolate spread because I don’t know of any advertised nutrition label, but they market their product as being made with 100% dark chocolate using whole beans full of antioxidants, nutrients and flavour. So it seems to be more nutritious than Nutella as well. However, UMIUM is low in Saturated fat, has 0 Cholesterol and most importantly, is low in sugar. It even has a bit of fiber.

So, check it out! UMIUM can be found in the Hi-Lo Supermarket chain and most of the Progressive Grocers and may go international in 2016! Support Brand Jamaica.

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Chef Gibney’s Vegan Cooking Trial was a success!

by FoodpornHealth & FitnessRestaurant Reviews & Ratings

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So after Beyonce told the world she had a HUGE announcement with persons taking time off from work to hear this announcement, it was only ‘I am turning Vegan’. A friend of mine, Rachel decided to try this with her husband, James, which turned into a 30-day challenge. Because, really, that’s her big announcement? Hilarious. Of course it is never easy to back down from a challenge from James, with it being posted all over Facebook and all. So Rachel started her 30-day Vegan challenge and quite an entertaining blog to follow her experience, ‘canrachelbeflawless’.

Having her husband James, who is a Chef, has made things even easier. Last Saturday night, after he got out of the ‘dog house’ for a certain Spiderman stunt, he pulled off a wholesome, delicious, All-Vegan dinner. Friends, bubbly and all-healthy food! After such a feast, it was real satisfying to think that all I ate was completely healthy, leaving room for all the liquor consumed I suppose.

The highlight of the menu was the Chickpea patty starter served on a bed of guacamole made with fresh avocado, served with fresh greens and sweet and spicy salsa including a touch of mango. The spicy Chilli Mixed Bean stew including cilantro was also a winner served for the main course along with roasted veggies, roasted sweet potatoes and brown vegetable rice.

To top it all off, a vegan Chocolate cake was served and Rachel actually got her hands dirty in the kitchen, making decadent Macaroons served with her freshly made banana-raspberry (more raspberry :)) sorbet.

Be sure to follow the last few days of Rachel’s Vegan journey on wordpress, ‘canrachelbeflawless’ which I will reblog for some information and laughs at the same time. Also visit Wholesome Cafe (Past Table Talk Observer Food Awards Nominee) in the Digicel building in Downtown, Kingston for delicious and reasonable lunches prepared by Chef James Gibney. Suga admires that he loves to prepare dishes with fresh and local produce and his food is totally Suga approved.

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Michelle Obama’s #GimmeFiveWorkout !

by Health & Fitness

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Have you seen Michelle Obama’s Workout video? It’s awesome. It is a #GimmeFiveWorkout video campaign to encourage healthy activity.

The video incorporates a diverse mix of Cardio, Core/Ab work, Arm work, Legs and Butt work! Plyometrics, Weights, Resistance and Kick-boxing all in 5 minutes. You can do it too.

Great example displayed by the First Lady. We don’t see any signs of consuming McDonald’s there! Go Michelle!

See the video by clicking the link below. The demo is just over 2 minutes:-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/lonnae-oneal-seeing-the-michelle-obama-workout-video-i-finally-get-it/2015/05/22/2308df6c-ffd4-11e4-833c-a2de05b6b2a4_story.html

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10 Foods/Items that Jamaicans love but should avoid if on a diet and why

by Health & Fitness

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1. Mangoes – They have about 31g of Sugar!

2. Condensed milk – Although Nestle is one of the better brands to use, it contains too much Sugar (22g) and Saturated Fat (10%) in just 2 tbsp (130 calories)

3. Escoveitched fish – Too high in Cholesterol (13%) and Sodium (17%)

4. Boiled/Fried dumplings (made with white flour) – High in simple Carbohydrates (Carbs.), i.e. bad Carbs.

5. Rice and peas (made with coconut milk) – High in Carbs. Also high in Saturated Fat from the coconut milk

6. National Bakery Jamaican Spice Bun – High in Sugar (18g), high in Saturated Fat (8%) and high in Carbs. (13%)

7. Sweet Cinnamon Bun – High in Cholesterol (9%)!

8. Beef Patties or any patty for that matter (That all-purpose flour crust!) – High in Saturated Fat (20%), Cholesterol (20%) and Sodium (18%)!

9. That awful, orange French Dressing that you put on your vegetables – High in Fat

Suga suggests you eliminate salad dressing from the diet and use a vinaigrette made with olive oil. Even a little lime juice can add a kick to the flavour of your greens.

10. Cornmeal porridge, Plantain porridge and Hominy corn porridge

Plantain porridge has too much Sodium and Fat; Hominy corn has too much Sugar and Sodium; Cornmeal is very high in Saturated Fat. Have Oatmeal porridge or Peanut porridge instead, but ensure that skimmed milk is used.

Why didn’t Ackee and Bammy make the list?

Bammy – No Saturated Fat or Cholesterol! High in fibre. No sugar, BUT high in Sodium (23%), so avoid if hypertensive or prone to hypertension.

Ackee – Although it is a fruit, it is classified in the fats & oils group because the main nutrient present is Fat (>50% fat). The majority of the fatty acid present is linoleic acid, which is an Unsaturated Fat therefore a ‘good fat’. However, it should still be eaten in moderation. A small amount of oil should be used to cook ackee since a large part of it’s composition is already fat/oil. Ackee also has 0 Cholesterol, 0 Saturated Fat and 240mg of Sodium.

Here are some Food Label tips to guide you in the Supermarket or when using your Fitness apps:-

Calorie free: <5/serving

Fat/sugar free: <1/2g/serving

Low calorie: <40/serving

Low sodium: <140mg/serving High in fat: >5%/serving

Too high in fat: >10%/serving

*For a woman following a 2000-calorie diet with 3 meals and 2 snacks, aim for about 1.2 teaspoons/4.8 grams of sugar per serving and fewer than 12.5 teaspoons (200 calories) sugar per day. Men are allowed a little bit more.

Have a Healthy Day!

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Stuffed Baked Potatoes

by Recipes

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INGREDIENTS

10 medium – potatoes

1 clove – garlic

2 tablespoons – chopped parsley

5 tablespoons – ham

5 tablespoons – parmesan cheese

1 cup – milk

1 teaspoon – salt

1 ground black pepper

Grated cheese

Prep time is 20 min, serves 5.

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DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and rinse the potatoes thoroughly to get rid of the dirt. Boil the potatoes with a pinch of salt in a pot for about 20 minutes and quickly drain them when they are done. Let them cool for a while.

2. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop them to look like baskets. In a bowl mix all the ingredients with the potatoes flesh and stuff the potatoes with the mixture. Spread the grated cheese on the potatoes and bake them for about 20 minutes in 356°F.

3. You will love them!!!!!

Recipe found with Allthecooks (http://www.allthecooks.com).

http://cookpad.com/en

(original url: http://allthecooks.recipes/l/4ugWhEU068)