If you have just been diagnosed with a candida infection, you may feel that the prescribed diet is one that will make you feel miserable. The good news is that this does not have to be the case, there are still plenty of tasty foods you can still enjoy each day. By checking out the following information, you should understand exactly what type of meals you are still allowed.

Though regular bread is not part of an anti-fungal diet, this does not mean that all breads need to be removed. There are yeast free alternatives you can purchase, and which are not made from refined flour, for example, soda bread and spelt bread are two nutritious options. There are also various flat breads that can be included with your meals such as chapati and roti. Rice-cakes and oatcakes may not be as appealing as freshly baked chocolate cake, but they are a healthy alternative.

Milk is an important component of most diets, but when diagnosed with a fungal overgrowth, all dairy products should be cut back. There are various alternatives to regular cow’s milk that can be used, for example rice or hemp seed milk. Though the taste of these products may come as a shock, they do become quite additive after a while.

Natural yogurt should form an essential component of an anti-candida diet. Low fat, unsweetened, and unflavored yogurt can quickly reduce a fungal overgrowth, it is a great product to use with healthy muesli or granola cereals. What’s more, yogurt is an excellent accompaniment to use with various brown rice dishes.

When suffering from a candida infection, you do not have to dramatically change the volume of meat that you eat, though an excessive consumption of red meat is not healthy. If you are to reduce the amount of carbohydrate you consume due to its high glycemic value, you can still provide the energy your body needs through protein. It is better to find a supplier of organic meat, as then you can be sure you are not unwittingly consuming antibiotics. Fish is also a great food to eat regularly, primarily due to its high omega 3 content.

Eggs can still be enjoyed when diagnosed with a yeast infection. There are many ways to cook eggs, and lots of meals that they can be added to, they make a perfect snack at anytime of the day, and are another great source of protein. Try to eat no more than six or seven eggs a week, as otherwise your cholesterol levels may rise.

There is one group of foods that can be ate in abundance when on a strict anti fungal diet, this is vegetables. All kinds of vegetables can be enjoyed, apart from potatoes. By boosting your intake of fresh vegetables, you would also be providing your body with more nutrients and vitamins.

When combating a candida infection through diet, it is useful to follow guidelines set out by a professional nutritionist. If you were to cut out the wrong foods, this can have a negative impact on your ability to fight the yeast overgrowth.

Beer and dieting don’t mix, right? But sometimes, you just have to have a brew. When the craving strikes, be sure you know the healthiest beer to drink on a get thin program.

Whether or not you can have beer while you’re dieting and still keep losing weight depends on why you want the beer in the first place. If you’re drinking to get drunk, you’re pretty much out of luck. Every reasonable diet program severely limits alcohol consumption because alcohol lowers your leptin levels.

Leptin is the substance in your body that tells your body whether to burn fat or hang onto it. If the levels are low, it signals your body to store fat. You don’t want to do anything that will lower your leptin levels if you want to get skinny.

So going on a bender and having a six-pack or two isn’t possible if your goal is to become thin. You can, however, enjoy the taste without it hurting your dieting efforts.

If the reason you want the beer is because you just like the taste of it, you have an option that will not only taste good so you feel like you’re having a treat, but it’s also one of the ways to burn fat. There’s one brew on the market that is pretty good for you: O’Douls.

O’Douls has lots of carbs, which help raise leptin levels, and unlike many processed sources of carbs, O’Douls doesn’t have any no-nos like high fructose corn syrup. So it’s a relatively healthy beverage choice.

You still need to think about calories of course. Too much of anything, whether it’s healthy or not, will block weight loss progress. But in moderation, O’Douls isn’t a bad choice.

And if you absolutely must have the alcoholic version of a brew, will it totally blow your diet?

Not if you’re careful about your choice. You want to pick a light version obviously, but be careful about which one you pick. The calorie levels vary quite a bit and so does the carbohydrate content. You want the one with lowest calories and carbs.

The number one brew that meets this requirement is Bud Select 55. But you can find others if you poke around and read labels.

As with O’Douls, you still can’t go crazy with the light brews. Too much of anything, especially alcohol, will mess up your fat burning efforts.

Even though beer and dieting don’t usually go hand in hand, you can still enjoy a cold one when you’re on a get thin program. Just be sure you pick the healthiest beer you can and enjoy it in moderation.

If you’re wondering what to eat to improve a fatty liver, then take just a few moments to read to the end of this article. I’ll share with you what I’ve learned about fatty liver disease (FLD) and what foods you should and should not eat to reduce fat in your liver.

A fatty liver simply refers to having too much fat (specifically triglycerides) accumulated in your liver. So what exactly is “too much” fat? Generally speaking, a liver is considered “fatty” when fat makes up between 5-10% or more of the liver by weight. Fat builds up in and around the spaces of hepatocytes (liver cells), causing the liver to enlarge and grow heavier.

In the early stages of FLD, often referred to as simple steatosis, the condition is often benign and asymptomatic. Many patients don’t even know they have FLD. It is often found when doing blood work or other tests for entirely different reasons. The only way to definitively diagnose the condition is through a livery biopsy, but factors such as elevated liver enzymes often clue physicians into the problem.

A diet plan for fatty liver is most often centered around balance, moderation, regulation, and reducing fat intake to less than 30% of the total daily calories. In other words, if you’re eating a 1200 calorie diet, then fat calories should make up no more than 360 of those calories. This is equivalent to about 40 grams per day. Since fatty liver is often associated with obesity, losing weight can have a significant impact on improving liver function and liver health.

So that brings us to the question of what you should and should not eat. Complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your energy source. These can be found in things like whole grains, brown rice, and pasta. The simple carbohydrates found in sweets should be avoided.

Diets for fatty liver patients are also generally high in fiber and include an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Fats, particularly saturated fats, should be carefully monitored. Protein can be obtained from vegetables or from leaner white meats such as chicken or turkey instead of beef or pork. Here is a brief run down of some of the things you should and should not eat if you want to reduce fat in your liver.

Foods You Should Avoid And/Or Carefully Monitor

• White bread and white rice
• High fat butters
• Sweets containing simple carbohydrates (candy, doughnuts, etc.)
• High fat foods (pizza, ribs, pot pies, etc.)
• Eggs and other high cholesterol foods
• Sugary and/or carbonated drinks such as soda
• Fast foods and/or processed meats such as hot dogs
• Fried foods
• Alcohol (particularly if you have alcoholic fatty liver (AFL))
• Salad dressing and other high fat condiments (look for low-fat or non-fat alternatives)
• Red meats (beef, pork)

Foods To Eat To Improve A Fatty Liver

• Vegetables (greens, leaves, legumes, tomatoes, and especially broccoli)
• Fruits rich in vitamin E and vitamin C (oranges, papaya, kiwi, mango)
• Beans (these are a great alternative source of protein)
• Whole grain breads
• Milk in moderation (substitute whole milk or 2% milk with either skim milk or 1% milk)
• Brown rice and pasta
• Lean white meats (chicken, turkey, tuna)

Just because something is hard to do and is more involved, does not mean it is necessarily more fruitful. For example, a 10-kilometer run will burn significantly more calories than running for half the distance. But why run 10 kilometers when you could do two 5-kilometer runs instead? It is much better to fit two 5km runs in your weekly schedule than it is to aim for a herculean effort on Sundays with a 10k jog. Not to mention there are long-term issues with long distance running, but that is beside the point.

The same applies to diet and nutrition. Just because something is harder to achieve – not to mention you must be very careful with what you do when it comes to your diet, there are many ideas that could have dangerous results. You need to steer clear of extreme diets.

Let us consider an individual Matthew, who wants to lose weight more than everything else. Matt is a 45-year-old diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. His doctor has told him for years his weight is an issue. But the best he has been able to do is make a little progress in the right direction, before stalling, and inevitably returning to old ways.

Matthew is sick of calling himself fat and feeling out of shape. He knows he deserves much better. It is a delicate period in his life and the cardiovascular risks are becoming real. The last thing he needs is to suffer the same fate as someone close to him, who is also dealing with Type 2 diabetes. He has tried what his doctor advised but it just has not worked for him. He needs to try something new…

• perhaps he will search and stumble with an online fad or crash diet.
• a friend may tell him about a crash diet, claiming it worked for them.

No matter what, he needs to be careful because some diets will do more harm than good. Such is the case with a diet that proposes…

• severe caloric restrictions,
• complete avoidance of carbohydrates, or
• too much of one food such as protein.

The first on the list especially – it has become quite popular nowadays to attempt extremely low-calorie diets for a “temporary” period. Temporary in this sense should be a matter of a day or two. There is no physiological issue with going a short period with minimal eating. Your body finds a way to cope. But when you go several days or weeks, consuming an intake of just over 1000 calories or even less – we are talking about a serious concern. Add diet pills to the equation, and we have a more significant problem.

Not only are these diets extreme, but so are the repercussions. The consequences are rarely talked about, while the potential benefits get all the attention. Even if you can apply your willpower to achieve these feats, it does not mean you should.

But why not apply the same motivation for something less extreme? Something that is proven to work? A balanced diet is all you need to follow. The progress may be slower, true. But the benefits are guaranteed and come without a price.

That is a famous quote from the eastern European country of Georgia (formerly of the Soviet Union) relating to the long life of the people in that region. They have traditionally consumed large amounts of fermented foods, including yogurt, but this is not very realistic in many areas of the world today, including the United States. Many people are lactose intolerant, but you can still eat fermented foods!

Today the benefits of fermented foods are really catching on, but did you know that the fermentation process was originally used to improve the keeping and storing of foods? It’s thought that camel, buffalo, goat, sheep and cow milk were initially fermented naturally into yogurt. The hot temperatures (110 F) of the North African deserts were ideal for lactic acid-producing bacteria to ferment the milk carried by camels in goat bags. Almost every region in the world has developed fermented foods in their quest to acquire new tastes and improve shelf life. Farmers, rather than scientists, used their ingenuity and imagination. They were thinking in terms of how to best provide for their families, not realizing that thousands of years later, scientists would be examining the potential health benefits of fermented foods.

Elie Metchnikoff, a famous Russian Nobel prize-winning Bacteriologist looked into the possible health benefits of fermented foods in the early 1900’s. He noticed that Bulgarians had an average life span of 87 years-that was much longer than the 50 year life expectancy in the US at that time and almost 10 years longer than even today’s average life expectancy of 78 years! One of the most significant differences in their lifestyle was the consumption of fermented milks! Since Metchnikoff’s original study, researchers have found that many populations use fermented foods. Georgians, from what was formally known as the Soviet Union, live over 100 years and are playing polo and working in the farm fields! They attribute their long lives to fermented or “sour” milk, which is where the quote from the title of this blog came from! I’m not sure I would want to be working in the farm fields at 100, but I’d love to still be riding my horses at that age!

I know that my family has greatly benefited from fermented foods. My husband and I are in our 50’s, feeling and looking better than we did in our 30’s! CJ’s intestinal issues are healed, his mind is clear and his body is healthy. In fact, all our children are healthy. I KNOW that we would not be where we are health wise today without the benefits of raw organic fermented probiotic foods.

There are so many benefits of eating fermented foods and researchers just keep adding more things to the list. Here are some of the benefits of fermented foods:

• Improves digestive function
• Improves bowel function
• Improves mood
• Improves liver function
• Decreases wrinkles
• Improves circulatory function
• Improves joint and muscle function
• Improves sleep function
• Improves resistance to allergies
• Improves vitamin absorption
• Improves lactose tolerance
• Improves gluten tolerance
• Improves appetite
• Improves skin quality
• Improves metabolism
• Improves mental clarity (gut-brain connection)
• Decreases your digestive ailments
• Decreases your stomach ailments
• Decreases incidence of heart burn
• Decreases incidence of constipation
• Decreases incidence of diarrhea
• Decreases the presence of yeast infections
• Decreases incidence of oral cavity infections
• Decreases gas and bloating
• Increases nutritional absorption
• Increases energy
• Increases hydration

Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with modern technology that we forget the benefits of simplicity. Today there are so many genetically modified refined and processed foods polluting our bodies. They were designed to make our lives easier, but that does NOT mean healthier! Our ancestors were onto something by fermenting their foods to keep them edible for longer periods of time. Our bodies cannot handle the chemicals it takes to keep foods stable/fresh on our shelves for years. I’d much rather have the “good” bacteria from my fermented foods in my gut, rather than subject my body to the harmful toxins in processed foods. It’s a “no brainer!” So if you haven’t tried Real Food Real Life’s raw, organic fermented probiotics yet, please do-you’re going to notice a healthier, happier you, not to mention looking physically better! Educate yourself on what cultured/fermented foods are available (such as miso, kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir, to name a few) and how you can add them into your daily diet. A fun family adventure would be to do a quick Internet search on what fermented foods YOUR ancestors ate! Mine made and ate fermented meats and cheese like salmon and parmesan.

Eat Fermented Foods!

Eat Well, Be Well, “Live Longer“

There is a group of foods that most Americans love to eat, and, in fact, eat several times a day. These foods have a few things in common. They are stripped of almost all nutrition. They are loaded with calories, and they partner up with each other to create foods that compromise the health and fitness of Americans.

Although the name may be new, these foods are very familiar to all of us. In fact most of us eat the “Five Deadly Whites” every day and usually more than once. Can you guess what foods are included under the category of the “Five Deadly Whites?”

They are:

White flour

White rice

White salt

White sugar

“White” or refined oils

With the event of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s in Europe and in America came the invention of more complicated and efficient devices for pulverizing the wheat berries into fine white flour, polishing brown rice into white rice, and the refinement of the sugar cane into white sugar, making these common foods more palatable to the Western taste buds.

Add white salt and refined “white” oils, and we have a total of “Five Deadly Whites.”

Who are the losers in this processing and refining process? We are. White rice, white flour, white sugar products may taste better to spoiled taste buds, but they are also stripped of nutrients.

What is so bad about white rice, white flour, white sugar, white salt, and “white” or refined oils?

Let’s take a closer look at these common foods, starting with refined grains.

Americans love many different foods made from refined grains in the form of white flour products, white rice, quick oats, and corn grits. We have an emotional attachment to the Pillsbury Dough Boy (ah-hoo) and fine, light white flour for breads, pastas, pastries, pizza crust, pies, cookies, cakes, and desserts of all kinds. Many of us love these products made with refined white flour, even more than we love sugar-laden foods.

Furthermore, since World War II, grains were bleached, gassed, and colored into mere remnants of their original form; and then roasted, toasted, and frosted with sugar; and embalmed in chemicals and preservatives; and stuffed into a big box. We call these completely adulterated grains–cereals; and these cereals have about as much nutrition in them as the cardboard box that contains them.

Refinement, pulverization, sifting, cooking, and packaging of whole grains cause the loss of enzymes, or the “life force” in foods, along with the loss of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.

Again, who are the losers in this refinement process? We are.

Refined grains, or fragmented foods, offer poor nutrition, leaving the body still hungry for good nutrition. Thus we overeat; and we overeat the wrong foods. Americans are often overfed and undernourished. Why? Because we eat too many of the processed, refined, and preserved foods that are low in nutrients and high in calories, high in fat, high in sugar, high in salt, and we eat too few of the foods that are nutrient- and fiber-rich.

Refined grains contain no fiber that acts as an intestinal broom to clean out our intestines.

Refined grains are refined and preserved with chemicals; chemicals that we end up eating and are hard on our bodies.

Refined grains cause our bodies to make excess mucous that accumulates in our noses, sinuses, throats, bronchial tubes, and our lungs, causing us to sniff, blow, drain, and cough and, often times, leading to more frequent colds and respiratory problems.

Refined grains cause the calcium to be depleted from our bones, increasing our chances of getting osteoporosis.

Refined grains are broken down in our digestive system and absorbed too quickly into the blood stream. This upsets the blood sugar levels, exhausting the pancreas and/or the adrenal glands, triggering hypoglycemic and diabetic reactions. Refined grains are just as bad for people with diabetes as white sugar.

In fact, refined grains are just plain bad for all of us, and we pay a hefty price for eating them–premature diseases and early deaths.

Are white flour goodies worth risking the health and fitness of our bodies? Only you can answer that question for yourself, but be prepared to accept the consequences that will result from your answer.

Part II: White Salt

Part III: White Sugar

Part IV: “White” Processed Oils

If you suffer from erectile dysfunction you’ll be amazed at the effects honey can have on your sexual wellbeing. Honey has always been associated with love and sex, and finds an important place in literature. It is mentioned in the Bible, and has been known as an aphrodisiac as far back as 500BC. Hippocrates, considered one of the greatest figures in the history of medicine, was known to prescribe honey for sexual vigor. The Kama Sutra, an ancient Indian work on sex life, praises the benefits of honey. It has long been a traditional part of Indian weddings and even today the bridegroom is often offered honey to boost his stamina. Avicenna, a great Persian physician of the 11th century, considered honey to be “the food of foods, the drink of drinks and the drug of drugs”, and prescribed honey mixed with ginger and pepper as a sexual stimulant.

In fact the word ‘honeymoon’ is derived from an old Viking tradition in which newlyweds, in their first month of marriage, would drink a daily cup of honeyed wine, called mead. The Vikings considered mead to be a fertility enhancer and aphrodisiac.

And there appears to be a scientific basis for the idea that honey is good for sex. Research has show that a 3 ounce dose of honey can increase nitric oxide levels in the blood by up to 50%. Nitric oxide is the chemical that is released during arousal, and is responsible for causing the blood vessels in the penis to dilate. When the tissues are dilated or relaxed, this allows increased blood flow into the penis, causing an erection.

Honey has been used by many people over the ages as a general tonic or a medicine. The Ayurveda system uses it profusely in all its medical preparations. Honey, when used appropriately or combined with other food items, can promote growth and regeneration of body tissues and strengthen even a healthy body. Since it contains several anti-oxidants, it makes it vital to our overall health. In addition, it has the following beneficial effects on our sexual health:

1) Honey has the most potent aphrodisiac power to improve your sex life since the bees gather nectar from aphrodisiac flowers such as jasmine, orchids or marjoram.

2) Pure and unheated honey is a mild natural sexual stimulant, since it contains numerous substances such as zinc, vitamins B and E which promote virility and reproductive health. It is also easy to metabolize, and as it is a sugar, it provides our bodies with sustained high levels of energy.

3) The vitamins in honey also boost testosterone production, while the boron in honey helps the body to use estrogen, which is important for sex arousal.

4) A mixture of honey and grounded garlic taken regularly at bed time gives a stimulating effect that increases sexual stamina and pleasure.

5) Honey has been found as a sperm booster. It can provide lasting remedy for men with a low sperm count problem. It can boost the sperm count from level zero to a fertility level of over 60million count. Regular intake of honey can increase the production of sperm cells and also the quality and motility of the sperm cells.

6) Honey mixed with boiled onion juice (two tablespoons taken twice a day for at least a month) will assist in combating weak erections.

7) Home remedies of South India suggest that taking honey mixed with ginger or garlic juice and raw egg before bed time every night can increase sexual virility.

8) Researchers say that certain properties in raw honey can boost the testosterone level in men, which in turn will increase your libido!

Going on a diet? Does this mean going off your favorite food, rice? If yes, read on to uncover a healthy way of keeping rice in your diet. The answer lies in going traditional. Eat what was eaten for thousands of years before machines were invented. Substitute the ubiquitous polished rice with the pale Sona Masuri hand pounded rice. Eat rice which has all the nutrients intact. Eat rice milled by hand, the way our ancestors ate it.

Hand polished rice is pulled by hand, so that only the robust outer protection layer, the husk, is removed. It is edible and contains all of the nutrients as nature intended.It is hand pounded with a mortar and pestle and winnowed to produce pale, whitish rice. This kind of whole grain is a complex carbohydrate and bears a mild nutty flavor. It is full of fiber and may take longer to cook. However, with pressure cookers at hand; it is an easy task to convert hand pounded rice into instantly likable and nutritious food.

Benefits of consuming Sona Masuri hand pounded rice:

• Low on the Glycemic Index, It takes a long time to digest making you feel fuller for longer thereby helping got keep hunger at bay

• Presence of fiber aids digestion

• The protein is absorbed quickly and is readily assimilated

• Contains essential nutrients like Manganese, Tryptophan among others

• Selenium in hand pounded rice reduces the risk of cancer of the colon

• Presence of amino acids helps to reduce fatty liver

• Reduces cholesterol and accelerates fat burning making you leaner

• Reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases

• Avoids spikes in sugar levels, It can be eaten by people with diabetes too

• The presence of Vitamin E makes it an anti-aging agent

• Helps to regulate blood pressure

• Insoluble fibers contribute to preventing formation of gallstones

As you plan your diet combine Sona Masuri with your favorite dal to make a wholesome meal. It grown organically with no adulteration can do wonders for your health. Produced and grown by natural methods Sona Masuri is rich in proteins, vitamin B & vitamin E and iron along with several minerals.

A diet consisting of pastel white hand pounded will keep you physically and mentally healthy. Interestingly, Ayurveda suggests many rice based diet plans which are used to treat various imbalances in the body. Eating the right amount of natural hand pounded with your favorite accompaniment is a meal which is easily digestible and gives you essential amino acids – the building blocks of proteins. As your diet continues, you will observe a change in your body making you more active.

While this is an introduction to the advantages that hand pounded rice offers when included in your diet we would also like to hear from you on how hand pounded organic rice has helped you. Any interesting recipes that have enhanced the taste and were appreciated are welcome to be shared.

Many people are looking to replace La Weight Loss bars with another brand of bars or a food substitution. There are many popular substitute bars such as Luna, Balance Bar Trail Mix, Power Bar, Honey Stinger, CLIF Nectar, LaraBara and Bumble Bar, Pria, and Go Lean. The cost of LAWL bars seems to be the main driver, but that can easily be overcome by buying your bars on eBay. But there is also the need for some variety and some people just can’t find a bar to their liking. So, if you are looking for a substitute, here are some alternatives. Just remember, by not eating the required 2 La Weight loss bars a day, you void the money back guarantee offered by La Weight Loss Centers.

If you feel you don’t need the bars you can exchange 2 equivalent bars for 1/2 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 fruit, and 1 starch. Stay focused on upping your vegetable intake while lowering processed flours and sugars.

If you are looking for a bar replacement, look for a bar that has about 160-180 calories, 17 grams of carbs, at least 8 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fat.

Here’s the general nutritional info on the LA Weight Loss Bars:

Serving Size: 1 Bar (40g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 160 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 4.5g 7%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 5mg 2%

Sodium 85mg 4%

Total Carbohydrate 24g 8%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 18g

Protein 8g 16%

Vitamin A0%

Vitamin C0%

Calcium4%

Iron6%

Below are the most common substitutions for La bars. The information is a general guideline for substitution. Read the nutritional information on the back of any bar you are considering to be certain that the weight loss bar falls within the general nutrition counts for the La bar you are substituting.

Luna bars are reported to be the closest to the actual LAWL bars in nutrition. Many consider the Luna bars a direct substitute for the LA bars. So you eat two a day just as you would normally with the La Weight Loss bars. The Luna bars in particular (as opposed to other brands of protein/diet bars) make a good substitute because they are similar in calories (around 180) and protein (8-10 grams). Any bar that meets those two basic guidelines can be used.

Luna – Nutz over chocolate

Calories: 180

Calories from Fat: 40

Total Fat: 4.5g

Saturated Fat: 2.5g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 100mg

Potassium: 105mg

Total Carbohydrate: 24g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 12g

Protein: 10g

Slim Fast Bars are a low calorie meal replacement, the bars are usually 250-260 Calories, which is a little more than a candy bar, but packed with more whey protein and less refined sugar.

Balance bars are very similar to protein bars sold by most companies. The balance bar is made by the same company that provides weight loss centers with their bars.

Kinetix bars are cheaper, have more protein, less calories. Similar in texture size and taste as the La Lites, Kinetex have about 4X’s the sodium that the LA Lites have and 2X’s the amount of protein, so you would have more protein than you are allowed on the plan.

Kinetex – Chocolate Peanut Crisp

Calories 170

Fat 4g

Cholesterol 2mg

Sodium 320mg

Potassium 55mg

Carbohydrate 17g

Protein 17g

Kashi Go Lean bars. They have about the same nutritional value as the La Lites.

South Beach cereal bars. They are similar in most counts, but have less calories, less carbs and more protein. There are two kinds of SBD bars just so the newbies know there are the cereal bars that are around 140 calories, and there are the meal replacement bars which are around 200-220.

Zone bars they are fairly close in calories/protein. Zone Perfect bars score better on the value scale (more protein per calorie). However, they are higher in calories overall.

Zone Perfect – CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER

Serving Size: 1 bar (50g)

Servings Per Container: 12

Each bar contains 2 Zone Blocks:

Calories: 210

Calories from Fat: 60

Total Fat: 7g

Saturated Fat: 3g

Cholesterol: 5mg

Sodium: 360mg

Potassium: 100mg

Total Carbohydrate: 20g

Dietary Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 13g

Protein: 16g

There are a lot of energy bar articles, threads and posts, but they all seem to be either about snacks, or about how awful energy bars are. It would seem like someone should be able to manufacture the equivalent of a healthy, balanced meal replacement bar that tastes great. But, if what you want is a no thought required, eat this one thing twice a day meal substitute that you don’t have to worry about and lose weight, then it would just be easier to buy La Weight Loss bars on eBay. The prices on eBay are as good or better than the cost of other bars and you will still be eligible for the money back guarantee offered by La Weight Loss Centers.

Lentils are an integral part of the daily diet in India. Rich in proteins, lentils have an earthy, nutty flavor and come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. From the south Indian staple Tuvar dal to the ‘very lite to digest’ Moong dal, to the ‘packed with power’ Chana dal, to the oft fermented Urad dal, and on to the ‘vegetarians delight’ Masoor dal; they all have their pride of place in the Indian kitchen. It is now a scientifically proven fact that eating nutrient-rich lentils can curtail several kinds of medical problems.

Compared to other legumes like Rajma, Cowpeas, Black Beans, etc., lentils have a shorter cooking time, and they don’t require to be soaked. Lentils are thus very easy to cook and a perfect addition to all meals.

Masoor dal or Red lentil is a vegetarian’s delight. Its color and flavor make it one of the tastiest lentils. It is extensively used in Ayurveda as it has several medicinal properties. Rich in antioxidants it is anti cancerous and good for anemic people. Apart from this roasted powder makes an excellent face and body scrub.

Power to lentils:

Lentils, come from the legume family and are packed with nutrition. Protein dense lentils have numerous health benefits. Not only packed with dietary fiber, folate and iron they are full of calcium, potassium, zinc, several vitamins, and niacin. Listed below are the full health benefits of lentils which will make you reach for your daily fix of dal.

Lean protein: For vegetarians, lentils are the third major source of proteins after soybeans and hemp. A cup of cooked lentils gives about 18 grams of protein. What is wonderful is that this is lean protein without any cholesterol or saturated fat. Though they do not contain all the amino acids combining them with rice or wheat provides the complete range of proteins.

Complex carbohydrates: Lentils contain a high amount of complex carbohydrates which burn slowly so that you feel fuller for longer.

Balances blood sugar: Presence of soluble fiber and manganese helps in stabilizing and balancing blood sugar levels.

Decreases blood pressure: Some good news for people with high blood pressure! The potassium, calcium, and manganese present in lentils help in lowering blood pressure.

Monitors digestive disorders: Lentils have a high amount of insoluble fiber which is great for reducing digestive disorders like constipation, flatulence, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Reduces cholesterol: Regular intake of lentils reduces arterial and blood cholesterol thereby reducing the risk of stroke and keeping your heart healthy.

Fights obesity: Full of fiber, proteins and several minerals, lentils act as a bulking agent, keeping hunger pangs at bay. They are very low in calories thus helping in weight management.

Provides energy: Lentils are full of iron and provide you with instant energy to keep you going. Eating lentils is a great way to fight fatigue, especially for women.

Fights cancer: Selenium present in lentils fights inflammation thus reducing tumors. It stimulates the production of cancer-killing cells in the body as well as helps the liver detoxify cancer causing elements. The fibers in lentils also lower the risk of colon cancer. Regular consumption of lentils also keeps breast cancer at bay.

For Healthy Pregnancy: The folate in lentils prevents congenital disabilities as well as provides folic acid for women to help them carry their babies to term.

Lentils are Good! Good! Good!

1 cup of cooked lentils provides –

0.90 percent folate

0.49 percent manganese

0.37 percent iron

0 36 percent phosphorus

0.22 percent thiamin

0.21 percent potassium

0.18 percent vitamin B6

Apart from several trace elements like selenium, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, copper, etc.

Masoor dal or red lentil is a vegetarian’s delight. Its color and flavor make it one of the tastiest lentils. It is extensively used in Ayurveda as it has several medicinal properties. Rich in antioxidants it is anti cancerous and healthy for anemia. Apart from this roasted powder of masoor dal makes a great face and body scrub.

When buying lentils make sure, you pick up an organically grown pack to ensure that you have all the goodness of lentils without the side effects of harmful pesticides.