Wizard Recipes

Although cereal has traditionally been a synonym for grain, most people think of it today as the food that comes packaged in a bright box and is poured into a bowl of milk in the morning for breakfast.

Hundreds of cereals are available in just about any American supermarket today. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, inventor of a flattened, toasted wheat flake in the late 1800s, would probably be surprised at the enthusiasm for his invention and the derivatives of it.

For several decades after Kellogg’s wheat flake was introduced (followed closely by corn flakes and shredded wheat), marketers touted the cereals as the key to both health and vitality.

Today, corn, wheat, oats, and even some lesser-known grains such as amaranth and quinoa are puffed, popped, baked, shredded, or processed into “Os,” letters of the alphabet, and even in the shape of popular cartoon characters.

Unfortunately, cereal’s reputation as a healthful food has suffered. Many cereals are a wise breakfast choice, but too many of them (particularly children’s cereals) also have sugar and artificial flavorings and colors added to them.

Granola-based cereals and many that purport to be rich in oat bran or fiber also may be high in fat. Checking the labels to see what you are getting is always a good idea. One ingredient to look for in particular is hydrogenated fat, which contains a type of fat called trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Preparation Tips

Consider the nutrition of the other main ingredient in a bowl of cereal: milk. The type you choose can have a major effect on the nutrition of a meal based on a bowl of cereal. Choose skim milk. Skim milk reduces calories and saturated fat significantly yet provides the same nutrients as whole milk.

Whole grains for hot cereal can be purchased at specialty stores and in the natural food aisle of many supermarkets. Follow label instructions for cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Try adding cold cereal to reduced-fat or nonfat yogurt for a crunchy, creamy treat.

Or, top off cold cereal with sliced fruit of your own choosing. Fruit added to cereals by manufacturers is often high in sodium and sugar, and usually there is not a lot of it in the box.  Add nutrition to a bowl of hot or cold cereal by sprinkling wheat bran or germ over it.

PALMITATE IN CEREALS

Many people, particularly those who are watching fat intake closely, wonder whether palmitate, a common ingredient in cereals, is the same as palm oil. Palm oil is high in saturated fat-the type of fat linked most closely with cardiovascular disease.

Palmitate is a form of palmitic acid, one of the saturated fatty acids found in palm oil. Vegetable fats, such as soybean oil, also contain palmitic acid. However, cereal manufacturers add a very small amount of palmitate to stabilize vitamin  A and maintain the nutrient’s potency.

You will often see the ingredient listed as “vitamin A palmitate.” There is no need to worry about the tiny amounts of palmitate added to cereals.

Whether at home or away, start your day with breakfast. “Breaking the fast” provides your body with both nutrients and energy. People who eat breakfast tend to have more energy and, on average, are better able to regulate their appetite during the remainder of the day than their breakfast- skipping counterparts.

Unfortunately, many Americans do not eat breakfast. Some skip breakfast because of their schedule, whereas others do so in a misguided attempt to control weight. However, you can eat a healthful breakfast with the time you have.

There are many ways to make what is perhaps the day’s most important meal a nutritious, fast, and convenient one.

Build a Better Breakfast

Breakfast is the foundation of a healthful diet. Use the Food Guide Pyramid as a practical resource for planning your breakfasts regardless of whether you choose foods that require preparation or select ones that are ready-to-go.

Cereals are a good choice. Simple whole-grain cereals with no added sugar or fat are best . A breakfast that includes a whole-grain cereal, bread, low-fat milk, and a glass of orange juice is a great starter meal.

This breakfast supplies B vitamins, fiber, iron, approximately one-third of the recommended calcium, and 100 percent of the recommended vitamin C for the day. Best of all, it does so in less than 300 calories.

For a change, try a breakfast bagel sandwich. Top a whole-grain bagel with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter and a sliced banana. Add a cup of cold skim milk for a breakfast that is about 400 calories. This breakfast includes foods from most of the food groups, is low in cholesterol, and is a good source of iron, folate, and fiber.

For even morevariety, top a flour tortilla with 2 ounces of leftover chicken breast and tomato pieces and 1 ounce of low-fat cheese.

As a vegetarian option, top with rice and beans. Wrap the tortilla tightly, microwave for a minute or so, and top with salsa. While you are at it, drink a glass of a spicy vegetable juice. Both of these quick-fix breakfasts contribute servings from the vegetable, fruit, and grain groups in just 350 calories.

They also give you plenty of vitamins A and C. Maybe you prefer eggs for breakfast. The current recommendation is to limit your intake of whole eggs to 3 or 4 per week. The reason to limit eggs is that the yolk of a large-sized egg contains about 210 milligrams of cholesterol- more than two-thirds of the daily cholesterol allowance.

However, eggs also have many nutrients. People with a low blood cholesterol level probably can safely eat a few more eggs than those who have a high level.

Create an omelet with 1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites, sweet peppers, and onions. Serve with oven-browned potatoes and a slice of whole-grain toast topped lightly with butter or margarine.

Or, better yet, top with jam or jelly as a no-fat alternative. Remember to include fruit or juice. This 500-calorie meal-although it contains cholesterol-is a good source of iron and is high in fiber, folate, and vitamin C.

Breakfast Out

Many people are too busy to sit down and eat breakfast at home. The next best bet is to eat breakfast on-the-run, which at times can pose a nutritional challenge.

Fortunately, if you know what you are looking for, a nutritious breakfast can be found almost anywhere food is served. If you are traveling and have time for a “sit-down” breakfast, choose a restaurant that offers a varied menu.

If not, try bagel shops, fast-food establishments, the company cafeteria, or even a nearby vending machine.

Some may have a “buffet breakfast” that has everything you need, including hot and cold cereals, breads, bagels, fresh fruit and fruit juices, low-fat milk, and yogurt. Others also may offer options such as low-fat burritos, low-fat granola, or low-fat muffins.

Because we must focus our attention on these aliments due to their important role in our eating habits,  let me tell you more about cereals, muesli and grains, some tips and tricks that are worth sharing.

When consuming cereals, we must take into consideration the following:

- when consuming fats with grains or cereals, the absorption and carbon hydrate digestion decrease.

- the acidity from citric fruits, vegetables and vinegar increases iron absorption, so please do consume rice or pasta, for instance, with vegetables and sauces.

- muesli and breakfast cereals may contain large amounts of sugar, so consume them moderately and choose minerals and vitamins enriched ones.

- fats can be contained in small quantities in breakfast cereals. So do not fall into the FITNESS type of cereals, because all types contain pretty much the same amount of calories. Just choose the ones that taste better :p.

-rice and corn do not contain gluten, so these cereals can be consumed by gluten intolerance sufferers

- basmati rice is considered to be the easiest to digest

- popcorn without oil added is very low on calories

- cook pasta ‘ al dente’ to make it easier for your organism to digest. Pasta cooked with tomato sauce contains less fats

- focaccia and ciabatta are bread assortments with spices and olive oil and their energetic value increase from 215 cal/100 g to 280 cal/100 g.

Given the fact that carbohydrates and fibers from grains and cereals represent a very important part in one’s healthy diet, it is mandatory to continue our journey through the advantages and disadvantages of consuming these aliments.

So, here are some disadvantages for cereals and grains (advantages were discussed previous post):

- cereals are being cultivated only for the last 10000 years and some studies say that the human body cannot yet digest them completely. Gluten from wheat is one of the most spread allergen, irritating the intestine walls (gluten intolerance).

- proteins from cereals do not contain all essential amino acids, so, when goin’ vegan, you must be careful with the excess of cereals and grains consumption in the diet. Also consume vegetables, greens and SOYBEANS (for proper proteins)

- be careful with cereals for breakfast, because they contain a lot of sugar that transforms them from slow carbohydrates to fast sugars.

- bread contains, along with flour, water, salt, also yeast, and its fermentation process lasts for 24 hours. So if you don’t want to have indigestion problems , bloating and gastric burns, try and consume 1-day-old bread, or pastry without yeast.

- calories in cereals have some calories (250 cal )so beware when on a diet.

Cereals are the most important part in an adult’s diet due to a substance known as starch, a complex carbohydrate with slow absorption that offers the organism the energy needed for best functioning. Cereals also contain fibers, proteins, minerals (calcium, iron, zinc), vitamins (B and E) and antioxidants.

Advantages:

- it is mandatory to consume daily these types of carbohydrates, but in small quantities. With a small amount of starch in our body, we have the needed glucose that helps us maintain satiety till the next meal

- lipids are eliminated when carbohydrates are consumed, so, to lose weight we need carbohydrates in every meal.

- a healthy diet contains bread, rice, pasta and cereals but in a moderate amount, because only the EXCESS of starch can be transformed into lipids.

-cereals contain fibers which accelerate intestinal transit and prevent constipation. Colon cancer risk is also diminished.

- the fibers from cereals have an antioxidant and noninflammatory effect; with vitamin E, these fibers prevent risk for developing arterial diseases. Wheat germs increase vitamin E absorption and decrease cholesterol level

- oil extracted from the wheat grain is called oryzanol and influences cholesterol absorption

- corn flakes assure the daily dose of B vitamin for pregnant women

- carbohydrates increase serotonin level

- cereals are low in fat

- white bread contains cellulose which does not affect cholesterol level and cereal bread contains hemicellulose which decreases cholesterol level

Did you know that some foods take their toll own our mood? Some nutrients are absolutely mandatory for the good functioning of our brain and nervous system which is in charge, among others, with our good well being. Here are some of the most important nutrients to keep us happy!

1) GLUCIDS

Glucids are in charge of stimulating the production of  serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences the so called ‘good mood’. Sugar, for instance, is one of them, but, in order to keep our organism healthy, it is better if glucids are consumed in forms of cereals, bread, potatoes, beans, but not in excess, of course, because the body will transform them into fats. Also, eat generous portions of fruits and vegetables, and, the wonderful chocolate, that, even if you care about your figure, you can consume from time to time, but in small quantities. You may non know this, but the sweet tooth you always have may be a sign of lack of serotonin.

2) MINERALS

Iron. It is essential for the whole organism, helping neurotransmitors to be formed and transported. We can find it in meat, fish, some vegetables, nuts, cereals and seeds.

Zinc. It plays almost the same role  and it is found in the same foods as iron, with the exception that we can find plenty of zinc also in liver and oysters.

Magnesium. With calcium, it helps transmit the nervous impulses. If you are stressed, your magnesium level decreases, decrease that can lead to anxiety or depression. We can get magnesium from nuts, peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, green leafed vegetables, fish, seafood, cereals.

3)B VITAMINS

Folic Acid (B9). Stimulates the serotonin secretion. Lack of folic acid can lead to irritability

agressivity, depression. B12 Vitamin can be found in green leafed vegetables, wheat,

soya, eggs, liver, oysters, cereals, and B6 in bananas, avocados,

asparagus.

4)FATTY ACIDS

Last researches show that fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 which we can find in fish, seafood, regulate some hormonal actions, including the ones for our mood. These acids are very important to our brain, improving consistently our cognitive capacity. according to these studies, consuming one portion of fat fish, at least once a week decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer. Also, fatty acids contribute to improving you skin aspect, being used in cosmetic treatments.

Original Articles. Constant-Content.