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One of my favorite homemade soups is African Peanut Soup. It is nutritious, delicious, and filling. For a 1 cup serving it offers a generous amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, dietary fiber, and a fair amount of protein all for only 280 calories. It is quite nearly a full meal in and of itself. Add a serving of non-fat milk or low fat cheese or yogurt to boost the protein and calcium and you're good to go. If you can afford the calories add a small piece of whole wheat bread or a few whole-wheat crackers and tossed salad with light salad dressing.
The recipe makes quite a lot. If I remember correctly it yields about 6 cups. You could make up a batch ahead of time and have nutritious meals ready to eat in minutes. If you live alone you might make half the recipe or freeze the extra in small pre-measured containers of 1-3 servings. My husband and I usually eat it up the week we prepare it so seldom find a need to freeze. But I have tried it and I believe it freezes fairly well.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup finely chopped onions
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown rice (original recipe calls for white rice but I prefer brown for more nutrients)
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts (original calls for salted but I prefer to reduce the sodium whenever I can)
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat the oil and garlic for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook to a golden color 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, peanut butter, broth, vinegar, cayenne, and salt and stir till well mixed. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with some peanuts.
Recipe adapted from the original published by Real Simple Magazine in September 2005.
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving = 1 cup
Calories = 280
Total Fat + 16.4 grams
Saturated Fat = 3.2 grams
Cholesterol = 1 mg
Sodium = 1029
Carbohydrates = 27 grams
Dietary Fiber = 4.7 grams
Sugars = 9.1 grams
Protein = 9.8 grams
Vitamin A = 16%
Vitamin C = 35%
Calcium = 5%
Iron = 16%
An added bonus for this meal is that it takes only about 10 minutes to get the ingredients into the pot and cooking if the rice has been prepared ahead of time. I will sometimes make up a large batch of brown rice with my rice cooker at the beginning of the week and then I have plenty of rice ready to go for a number of different meals. The total cooking time for this soup is about 30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Water Wisdom!
Your body is made up primarily of water. Depending on your body fat, water is 50 to 80 percent of your total body weight. Your muscles and brain are about 75% water and your blood is about 80 percent water but might at times be as high as 92% water. The rest of your body averages about 50% water. All together, total body water weight for adult women is about 60%.
You need water for many reasons–to transport nutrients, lubricate joints, regulate body temperature, and eliminate waste. About 4% of your total body water is lost every day without sweating. And if you are physically active or live somewhere with high temperatures, high altitude, or dry air the loss of water is greater.
So how much water do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences (February 2004) recommends about 2.7 liters (91 ounces or 11.3 cups) for the average adult American woman. That may sound like a lot but it takes into account the water you get from food and beverages in addition to any you might drink as plain water. Also your need may be significantly less or more depending on your circumstances. For example, if you are sedentary and live in a cool climate your need will be less than someone who is physically active in a warm climate.
The actual amount of water you get from food depends on how much you eat and what you are eating. Fruits and vegetables are a much better source of water than say refined carbohydrates such as chips and crackers. The National Academy of Sciences suggest that women are getting somewhat less than 3 cups of water each day from food. That means you may need an additional 8-9 cups of water from beverages.
The problem for many Americans is that in addition to meeting water needs many people are getting too many calories from beverages. This may be part of the reason you often hear the recommendation to drink 6-8 glasses of plain water. However it is possible to get plenty of water from unsweetened tea or coffee without extra calories.
At one time, not that long ago, caffeinated beverages were believed to be dehydrating. Recent research suggests that this is only true for individuals who are not accustomed to drinking a high level of caffeinated beverages and who then consume a significant amount of caffeine (the equivalent of 3-4 cups of coffee or 5-8 cups of tea). (School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University. Leicestershire, UK)
Some people enjoy drinking low calorie or calorie-free soft drinks to satisfy thirst. The FDA has approved a number of low-calorie or calorie-free sweeteners. Even so, I choose not to drink calorie-free soft drinks because I am concerned about the potential long-term negative effects of these sweeteners. There is also some indication that sweet but calorie-free or very low calorie beverages may actually encourage an individual to eat more food and thus consume more calories rather than less.
The easiest way to way to stay well hydrated is to simply drink enough to satisfy your thirst. This may be a little more problematic for people who are older, particularly the elderly, because thirst may not be well regulated. There is a simple solution. Pay attention to your urine. If it is very light in color or clear chances are good you are getting plenty of water. If not, find a low calorie beverage or plain water and drink up!
Here are some general guidelines for beverage consumption (Healthy Beverage Guidelines released in 2006 by a panel of experts):
1. Water - Drink 20-50 ounces each day (about 2.5 to 6 cups of water)
2. Unsweetened tea or coffee - Drink 0-40 ounces of tea or 0-32 ounces of coffee (caffeine is the limiting factor for coffee)
3. Low and non-fat milk and soy beverages - 0-16 ounces a day
4. Non-calorically sweetened beverages - 0-32 ounces
5. Caloric beverages with some nutrients - 0-8 ounces per day of juices. No whole milk. Consume sports drinks sparingly (except for endurance athletes) 0-16 ounces per day.
6. Calorically sweetened beverages without nutrition. No more than ONE 8-ounce serving per day.
I have a delicious breakfast recipe to share with you. It’s a naturally sweetened cooked oatmeal cereal made with a rice cooker. You may be wondering why I would share a hot cereal in the summer months? Simply put, I had promised a while ago that I would post this recipe for one of my low calorie breakfast suggestions on my Women and Weight Website. (300 calorie mini-meals) I’m finally getting around to doing just that. Besides, cooked oatmeal is a nutritious low calorie choice at any time of the year.
Using a rice cooker to prepare this recipe is a blessing. I can quickly measure out the ingredients, add them to the cooker, and then walk away and let it go to work while I am busy elsewhere. The recipe makes enough for a number of servings. I just refrigerate the cereal till I am ready to scoop out a half a cup or so and warm it up in the microwave oven for breakfast.
This recipe gets its natural sweetness from pure maple syrup and the addition of a little dried fruit such as cranberries or raisins. In addition, when the prepared oatmeal is ready and served, you could top it with a little low fat milk and some fresh fruit.
I own an Aroma rice cooker that works great. So far I have only experimented with making white rice, brown rice, and cooked oatmeal. I have a number of other healthy recipes I will be testing in the coming months. It’s fun to use a rice cooker and it can be a time saver but it’s not essential.
Naturally Sweetened Oatmeal
1 1/2 cups 100% Natural Whole Grain Rolled Oats (such as Quaker “Old-fashioned” oats not the quick oats)
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. (pinch) salt
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 cup raisins or craisins (dried cranberries)
1. Place all the ingredients in the rice cooker. Stir gently and then spread out and smooth for even cooking.
2. Close the cover. I use the white rice heating button with my Aroma Rice Cooker. Some rice cookers have a porridge button but mine doesn’t. (I do have a brown rice setting that I haven’t tried yet for making the oatmeal but it would probably work just fine.)
3. By using the rice setting I have found the oatmeal cooks well and takes about 35-40 minutes. Depending on the oats you use to prepare this recipe, you may need to adjust the amount of milk to get the right consistency. Although many rice cookers have a “warm” setting that will hold the cooked food till you are ready for it, I recommend turning the cooker off when it is finished with the cooking cycle. I have found that the oatmeal can overcook on the bottom and get dry and crunchy if it is left to sit on the low heat or warm setting.
(NOTE: Although I have not done this myself, I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t prepare this recipe on the stovetop. The difference being that you would need to stir the oatmeal as it cooks to keep it from burning. I would imagine it would be finished cooking in less time than a rice cooker.)
This recipe makes about six 1/2 cup servings with about 226 calories each.
Oatmeal makes a nutritious and filling breakfast. If you watch your portion size, it can be a great choice for weight loss or maintenance. And if you should need to keep your cholesterol levels in check, the soluble fiber in oatmeal can provide an added bonus! Enjoy.
Tip# 8
Don’t Forget the Fiber
Dietary fiber is one of nature’s best gifts. The benefits of fiber range from easing the transition of food through the digestive tract, to lowering blood cholesterol levels, and possibly reducing the risk of certain cancers. Best of all it can provide a pleasing sense of bulk to meals and snacks and give you a feeling of fullness without calories.
Dietary fiber is a complex carbohydrate found only in foods of plant origin. Your body cannot digest or absorb dietary fiber and as such it has no calories.
However, the micro flora (bacteria) in your large intestine may ferment the fiber. This fermentation produces fatty acids, some of which may be absorbed. Fermentation is also responsible for the unwelcome byproduct of gas.
Soluble Fiber
During digestion, soluble fiber absorbs water and becomes gel-like. This process helps to slow down digestion and the rate of nutrient absorption from your stomach and intestines. The soluble fiber helps you feel full longer. It may also help to lower blood cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar.
Soluble fiber can be found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble Fiber
Dietary fiber of the insoluble kind also pulls water into the intestinal tract. This type of fiber can absorb water but unlike soluble fiber it cannot dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber adds bulk and speeds the passage of foods through the digestive tract. It may help to reduce the risk for certain types of cancer.
Insoluble fiber can be found in wheat bran, whole grains, and most fruits and vegetables.
Some research studies suggest that too much dietary fiber could bind and interfere with the absorption of essential minerals: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. However, this should not be a problem for adults who have a nutritionally balanced diet.
The National Academy of Sciences recommends women 50 years of age and younger have 25 grams of fiber daily. Women over the age of 50 are encouraged to have at least 21 grams of fiber.
ACTION STEPS:
1. Estimate how many grams of fiber you have in a typical day.
Keep track of all the food you eat for a day or two. Note what you eat along with exactly how much. You can analyze the fiber content of these foods using a free or low cost service online. To find a nutrient database that will meet your needs, you may want to read a review I published on my Women and Weight Website Calorie Counts and Nutrients: Best Sites Online I am a member of MyFoodDiary.com and I’ve found the service they provide to be easy to use and very helpful.
2. For information on fiber and weight loss along with tips on how to increase dietary fiber in your meals and snacks, I have several articles on my Women and Weight Website:
Dietary Fiber: Can it Help You with Weight Loss?
High Fiber Diet for Weight Loss
Get Plenty of Fiber: Ten Tips
Wow! Given my need to travel every 2-3 months to see my mother in Florida (she is now in a nursing home in Georgia), other life demands, and now the weather drama in Iowa, it has been hard to keep up with my blogs. My sincere apologies for the sporadic posting. I leave tomorrow morning, if the trains are still running, for a ten day trip to Watkinsville, Georgia (two days each way by train). I have my fingers crossed that this will all work out. There are floods in many spots across the state of Iowa. Some railways have been washed out and it is raining heavily as I write…
You might wonder why I am going by train. Well, simply put, the airline tickets are now out of my reach. I made the trip to Florida in March by car but the gas prices are now a dollar higher. So I did some creative thinking and research. I discovered the cheapest and potentially most comfortable way to travel would be with a 15-day rail pass with Amtrak. The question is whether or not I will be able to sleep in a coach seat. The roomettes and sleeper cars were booked and out of my price range anyway.
This should be an adventure! I hope the weather and travel conditions are better wherever you live.
Before I go, I would like to leave you with my recipe for Low Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins. I have what I hope is a helpful article on healthy low calorie breakfasts with sample menus on my Women and Weight Website. But I have yet to publish the recipe for the muffins till now.
These muffins are great tasting, nutritious, low calorie, and easy to prepare. What more could you ask for? Maybe less expensive blueberries? The price of blueberries is starting to come down where I live. If the prices are high for you, check the frozen foods section. Sometimes you can get a far better price with frozen blueberries and they work just as well. I’ve also had good results making this recipe with peaches.
Low Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins
(Makes 12 muffins)
1 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup skim milk
3/4 cup applesauce
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Mix together wheat bran and milk; let stand for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in bran mixture. Sift together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into bran mixture until just blended. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin tin and bake in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Per muffin:
125 calories
4.7 grams of fiber
3.7 grams of protein
0.6 grams of fat
28.5 grams of carboydrates
1.7 grams of iron
Hope you like the muffins! Enjoy.
Lori
Tip #7
How much fat do you need?
Fat is necessary for many reasons! You need fat to help your body absorb and transport certain vitamins. And it is essential for healthy nerve tissues and cell walls.
Perhaps to your dismay, fat also serves an important role as body fat. The stored fat helps you maintain body heat, protects your vital organs, and provides you with a reserve source of energy. However, the ability to retain and hold on to body fat as a protection against times of food scarcity is an evolutionary advantage that humans have perfected over thousands of years.
We have not been programmed for life in a place and time in which there is continual abundance of food. However, there are ways to encourage your body to “let go” of the excess stored fat as well as ways to discourage your body from holding on to any more fat than is necessary.
Fat is important for another reason. Fat makes food taste better! It can provide you with a sense of fullness for a longer period of time than carbohydrates. Recent research suggests that protein provides an even greater sense of satisfaction and fullness than fat.
There are many different sources of fat and continued controversy among some experts as to which source is best. The majority of health professionals in the U.S. believe monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats to be better choices than saturated fats for overall health. I believe in the near future we will have a better understanding of the balance we need. What that balance may be will vary from one individual to another depending on one’s genetic makeup and the context of the overall diet and lifestyle.
For now, the most important thing for you to do is get a sense of how much total fat you need in a balanced diet. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that you have from 20 to 35% of your total calories as fat.
So how much fat do you need?
Action Step:
A. Determine the recommended number of calories you need as fat depending on your caloric intake (Choose to enter the calories you need to lose weight OR the calories you need to maintain).*
1. ____________ calories x .20 = __________calories as fat
2. ____________ calories x .35 = __________calories as fat
Your fat needs range from _______ (A1) to ________ (A2) calories with a total calorie intake of _________.
B. Fat yields 9 calories per gram. Given that, if you divide the number of calories you need as fat for a given caloric intake, you can determine the grams of fat that you need.
1. ____________ calories as fat from the lower end of the range
(from A1)/9 = ______ grams of fat
2. ____________ calories as fat from the upper end of the range
(from A2)/9 = ______ grams of fat
Your fat needs in grams range from ________ (B1) to ________(B2) grams with a total calorie intake of __________.
C. How does your current diet stack up with respect to fat?
To learn more, stop by the website for the Northwest Lipid Research Clinic,
http://depts.washington.edu/nwlrc/fis.html
and fill out the form you find there.
It will help you assess the amount of fat and cholesterol you have with your usual diet and give you some insight as to the kind of changes you may need to make. The results can be helpful for weight loss and better health.
1. Weight Loss: Reduce your caloric intake by reducing your fat calories. Gram for gram, fat has more calories than either carbohydrates or protein. But don’t overdo it! Follow the formula above to see that you are getting enough fat calories to meet your needs.
2. Better health: Assess your fat intake if you have a genetic need to keep your cholesterol levels in check to reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, stroke, and more). (Note: This short assessment will only give you a sense of your fat intake by type of fat. Saturated fats seem to be a problem for many people but not everyone.)
*It is important that you get ENOUGH calories each day even when dieting. To learn more about the minimum number of calories you need I strongly recommend that you read my article posted on the Women and Weight Website with the title 1200 Calorie Diet: Getting Started!
I have a great recipe to share today. It’s one I’ve been "experimenting" with to get it just right. The original recipe called for mostly white flour along with some butter and eggs. I’ve modified the recipe to allow for more than half the flour to be whole wheat to improve the fiber and nutrient content. I’ve also substituted either canola oil or olive oil for more "good" fat and less saturated fat. And depending on your needs you can choose to use fresh eggs or an egg substitute as I do.
Continue reading Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
Tip #6
How many carbohydrates do you need?
The very low carb dieting craze of the first few years of the new millennium would have had you believe that carbohydrates aren’t really necessary in your diet. Nothing could be further from the truth.
You need carbohydrates as an energy source. In fact, your brain’s preferred source of energy is glucose–a carbohydrate.
In the absence of sufficient glucose, your body will burn fat as an energy source. This might sound great but what happens is that your body must then perform on ketones–a fat breakdown product instead of glucose. This creates a physiological state of ketosis that radically changes the normal pattern of biochemistry for your brain and other organ tissue.
Very low carbohydrate induced ketosis does not seem to be a problem for most people for the short term. Long term effects are less clear. Severe ketosis, however, such as might happen with diabetics (called ketoacidosis) is a much more complicated situation and potentially life threatening. What is most important to remember is that your body will function best when you have access to enough carbohydrates. So what exactly is enough?
Scientists with the National Academy of Sciences estimate that adults need a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates a day. This is what they have determined to be the average minimum amount used by the brain each day. For optimum health for most people, they suggest you get from 45 to 65% of your calories from carbohydrates. On a 2000 calorie diet this would be 900 to 1300 calories as carbohydrate or 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrate. You might ask why this is so much more than the minimum of 130?
Here’s why. The best sources of carbohydrates (such as whole grain breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, and legumes) provide not only complex carbohydrates but also vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals (such as antioxidants) to keep you healthy. (See Tip #4 Nutritional Balance Matters!).
Action Step:
1. Calculate your carbohydrate needs:
_____________ (calories needed for your age, weight, and sex for either weight maintenance or weight loss*) X .45 = ________________ (A)
_____________ (calories needed for your age, weight, and sex for either weight maintenance or weight loss*) X .65 = _________________ (B)
Values A and B will give you the number and range of calories you need from carbohydrates.
2. To calculate the grams of carbohydrates you need do the next steps:
Divide value A by 4 (each gram of carbohydrate will give you 4 calories of potential energy) = _____________ grams of carbohydrate
Divide value B by 4 (each gram of carbohydrate will give you 4 calories of potential energy) = _____________ grams of carbohydrate
Now you should have an idea of the range of carbohydrates you need for your daily nutritional needs (both in calories and grams) whether you are on a diet or not. If your calculation comes up to be less than 130 grams we need to talk. You may be selecting a daily calorie intake that is too low for you. Even on a 1200 calorie diet your carbohydrate needs will be for 135 to 195 grams of carbohydrates a day.
**To determine your calorie needs for weight maintenance or weight loss see Tip #3.
Tip #5
How Much Protein Do You Need?
You need protein for growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissue and for the manufacture of enzymes, hormones, and other organic compounds. No matter what your age, you continue to "grow" in the sense that you are continually replacing tissue such as making new blood cells.
Protein needs per pound of body weight are greatest for children whose growth demands far exceed that of adults. Your needs will vary depending on how active you are. The more sedentary your lifestyle, the less protein you need.
According to the expert advice of the National Academy of Sciences, most adults need from .4 to .5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. The lesser amount of .4 grams is probably plenty if you are sedentary. If you are more active your needs will be about .5 grams per pound. If you are very active (endurance sports such as running marathons) you will need more (.55-.65 grams/day).
Another way to determine your protein needs is by percentage. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that adults get 10 to 35 percent of total calories (see tip #3) as protein.
So What are Your Protein Needs?
Having a more precise understanding of your needs will help you make better dietary choices for both weight management and health.
ACTION STEPS:
1. Multiply your weight by .4 Then repeat this step and multiply your weight by .5.
(A)__________ (your weight in pounds) x .4 = __________
(B)__________ (your weight in pounds) x .5 = __________
Your protein needs range from ___________ grams of protein (result A) to __________ grams of protein (result B).
2. Multiply your caloric needs for weight loss or maintenance (see Tip #3) by 10% and then by 35%,
__________ (total calories) x .10 = ____________ mininum calories needed as protein
__________ (total calories) x .35 = ____________ suggested upper limit for calories needed as protein
Note:
[Optional: Each gram of protein yields 4 calories. So if you would like to determine the calories you need from protein each day in Action Step 1 multiply the grams of protein x 4 for both (A) And (B).
In Step 2 divide the protein calories by 4 to get the grams of protein.]
Did you do the optional step? How do the figures compare? As long as you are getting the minimum needs for your current weight you will be fine. The latest research suggests that getting somewhat more protein (higher in the 10 to 35 percent range) will provide you with greater satisfaction on a reduced calorie diet and may provide you with other health benefits as well.
The nice thing about knowing YOUR needs is that when you read a nutrition label you are no longer looking at from the perspective of a "reference woman" needing 2000 calories. You can assess your food choices based on what you need not an average. This can be especially helpful when you are on a reduced calorie diet.
Tip # 4
Choose Health: Nutritional Balance Matters!
If you are managing your weight for either weight loss or maintenance, calories count as we covered in lesson #3. However, food provides so much more than just calories.
Each time you eat, you can choose foods that provide your body with the nutrients you need to be healthy. Or you can choose “empty calories”, foods that provide calories with little or no nutrients. Either way a calorie deficit (fewer calories than you burn in a given day) will lead to weight loss. But do you really want to lose weight at the expense of your health?
Achieving nutritional balance, even on a lower calorie diet, is the key to weight management success. Variety matters because no single food or food group can meet all your nutrient needs.
One recommendation for guiding your food choices is to follow the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. These guidelines are issued jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. They are updated every five years and are based on the latest research studies in human nutrition. The guidelines are good, however politics often influence the outcome. The latest report is not as closely matched with the recommendations many Nutritionists and other health professionals would like to have seen.
A better guide is the Healthy Core Diet based on the OmniHeart study conducted by Harvard University and other medical institutions. This study has its origins in the original DASH study. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The more recent OmniHeart study was designed to determine how diet might reduce risk for heart disease in more ways than just reducing blood pressure. Heart disease remains the number one killer of Americans each year.
Given that the OmniHeart diet is healthy and well balanced, it seems that it may prove to be the basis for reducing risk for many diseases and not just heart disease. In fact, recommendations for dietary choices to reduce risk for cancer and diabetes as well as heart disease are very similar.
What is the key difference between the OmniHeart diet and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines? The U.S. Dietary Guidelines fail to distinguish good carbs, fats, and protein sources from those that are not so good. However, the OmniHeart diet plan for number and size of servings at various caloric intakes is not yet available online (that I’m aware of).
So for now make the U.S. Dietary Guidelines your reference for determining the basics with respect to portion size and the number of servings you need from each of the food groups at your pre-determined daily calorie level (see tip #3). To do this you will use the interactive MyPyramid, the newest version of the government food pyramid based on the dietary guidelines. I will be providing more information for you in upcoming lessons about the specifics of choosing good carbs, fats, and protein sources.
ACTION STEP:
1. Go to MyPyramid.com (at this site you’ll find a user-friendly interactive guide to determine your daily food needs based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines):
http://www.mypyramid.gov/
2. If you have not done so already, start a food journal or diary to keep track of what you eat. Include exactly what you have eaten, when (time), how much, and your mood when eating (hungry? frustrated? bored? etc.). If you are doing formal exercise, keep track of that as well.
You can do this on your own with just paper and pencil. However for more detailed information with respect to calories consumed, calories burned, and nutrition information I recommend MyFoodDiary.com. I have used this service for quite some time and I’m very happy with what it provides. To learn more you can read my review (Food Diary Review: MyFoodDiary.com).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document
OmniHeart.com (the basics and sample diet plans are provided as downloadable pdfs)
http://www.omniheart.org
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