No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar? No Problem!

It seems that everything we put in our mouths these days is full of salt, fat, and sugar. If you are trying to cut down on the Big Three, this isn’t very helpful for your diet. In fact, it’s a killer because SFS (salt, fat, sugar) are the main ingredients which are unhealthy in large quantities. Of course, the key is to lower the amount of each you eat on a daily basis, yet it is easier to say than do. With salt, fat, and sugar everywhere you turn, it can seem almost impossible. Luckily, it’s a realistic possibility with the following tips.

Step One: Lowering Fat

Too much fat is without a doubt the biggest enemy, so let’s tackle this one first. The odds are you like to fry food because it is a quick and easy way to prepare a meal. Did you know the following facts about frying meat and vegetables?:

–    Fried food has twice as many calories as proteins or carbs

–    Eating fried food four times a week increases the risk of obesity

–    Frying oil takes away the healthy nutrients and turns them into harmful fats Continue reading “No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar? No Problem!”

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Salmon so simple anyone can make it

Some people shy away from cooking fish at home because they think it too complicated. But eating fish at restaurants often means getting more salt and fat added than you want or need. So check my recipe page for a variety of fish recipes I think you can handle. Or start with this simple yet tasty way to make salmon at home.

My lemon salmon. I used leek instead of scallions and it came great. I loved the garlic flavor.
My lemon salmon..

Salmon is a great fatty fish, with what’s being called good fat these days, so enjoy it in place of steak or other meats you once ate but are giving up now because of “bad” fat concerns. Continue reading “Salmon so simple anyone can make it”

The Dangers Of Changing Your Diet

   Most of us could do with tweaking our diets a little. And, of course, there are always those ‘one-off’ occasions when we enjoy something off-plan. But changing your diet suddenly and drastically can do you more harm than good. There are lots of things to consider before you tackle a very restricted diet. The first is the needs of your body.

Yes, excess sugar, fat, and salt will do you harm in the long term. There is scientific evidence to back that up. Sugar, in particular, can do you quite a lot of harm in the short term too. Diabetes is a huge problem for a lot of people. Managing the condition requires careful monitoring of the amount of sugar you are consuming. As your blood sugar needs to be maintained, cutting out all sugar straight away, could leave you feeling light-headed, dizzy, and nauseous. This is called hypoglycemia and can be dangerous. Continue reading “The Dangers Of Changing Your Diet”

5 Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar

Sugar tastes so good! Unfortunately, the more we eat, the less healthy we become. It’s also apparent that many adults don’t actually know how much sugar they’re consuming in a day.

The biggest culprits of sugar addition are fizzy drinks, chocolate and sweets, ice cream and (would you believe it!) fruit juices. Continue reading “5 Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar”

More advice on what’s healthiest to order at McDonald’s

Salads were on the list, but one tip I didn’t know about was asking for the Southwest salad, my usual, without the cilantro-lime glaze can cut the sugar in it substantially.

McDonald’s is everywhere across the United States, so chance are you’ll find yourself in one for a meal from time to time even if you’re on a low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar diet. I actually go to a local McDonald’s once a week, getting a salad and bringing my own oil and vinegar packets so I don’t use the high-salt Paul Newman dressings.

A McDonald's breakfast platter my mother once loved.
A McDonald’s breakfast platter my mother once loved.It didn’t make the healthy breakfast list on MyFitnessPal.com

And I’ve written before about what nutritionists recommend there. So I was interested to see a story from Myfitnesspal.com headlined What’s the Healthiest Thing to Eat at McDonald’s? Continue reading “More advice on what’s healthiest to order at McDonald’s”

Healthier items disappearing from Mariano’s shelves???

I really hope this was a one-time out-of-stock case, but I’m not hopeful of that since I didn’t see shelf tags for either product. Please Mariano’s don’t let me down.

The Mariano’s supermarket chain took Chicago by storm a few years ago, generating so much positive buzz that Kroger in 2015 bought it and it’s parent company, Roundy’s for $800 million.

I've found two brands of low-sodium,low-sugar ketchup, Westbrae and LocalFolks Foods.
Localfolks ketchup, on the right, my favorite.

Mariano’s brought an approach to food sales that Wegman’s is known for on the East Coast — stores with more prepared foods and in-store chefs and eating areas, to the Midwest. What I liked about Mariano’s was that it stocked more low-salt and low-fat products than the major supermarket chains tend to do.

But my latest shopping trip to a Mariano’s in Skokie, Il., caused me some concern about whether that’s all changing under Kroger ownership. I go to Mariano’s specifically to buy three products — Kraft fat-free shredded mozzarella, low-salt canned olives and my favorite low-salt, low-sugar ketchup from Localfolks. But Mariano’s had neither the cheese nor the olives on my latest trip. Continue reading “Healthier items disappearing from Mariano’s shelves???”

No-salt, no-fat kebobs for July 4th — here’s loads to try

Fourth of July is normally outdoor grilling time for many, many Americans. But if you’re on a low-salt, low-fat or low-sugar diet, grilling traditional hot dogs, brats and ribs doesn’t work for you. You need to get more creative.

Chicago recipes: Lemon-Herb Chicken Brochettes With BLueberry-Balsamic Salsa; Jason Varney: Photographer; Marian Cooper Cairns: Food Stylist; Claire Spollen: Prop Stylist
Chicago recipes: Lemon-Herb Chicken Brochettes With Blueberry-Balsamic Salsa

Cooking Light recently had a piece, 14 Kebab Recipes To Grill This Summer that’s a good place to start for ideas. Some of the beef varieties or the one including salt prosciutto won’t work, but other can be modified to fit your needs while still remaining tasty fourth treats. Continue reading “No-salt, no-fat kebobs for July 4th — here’s loads to try”