10 Best Foods for a Healthy Life

10 Best Foods for a Healthy Life

10 Best Foods for a Healthy Life

Our body needs a whole variety of foods to function properly. Naturally, procured foods are ideal for our daily needs. The key to a healthy lifestyle is eating healthy, so let us look at the ten healthiest foods that we can have:

1. Vegetables are high in nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. They are rich in fiber which helps flush out the toxins from our body. They adhere to the fat residues that are left in the intestine and wash them out with our bowel movements. An adequate amount of fiber also prevents constipation. Dark, leafy greens are very beneficial. They are loaded with beta-carotenes, vitamin C, carotenoids, anti oxidants, and phytochemicals. You can incorporate spinach, cabbage, or lettuce into your salad. Always try to buy fresh vegetables, preferably organic varieties, as they are free of pesticides. If at all fresh ones are not available, opt for frozen ones as opposed to tinned or canned varieties. Tinned food is soaked in brine, and its intake increases the sodium content in our diet.
2. Fresh seasonal fruits are always good for you. An apple a day really does keeps the doctor away. Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids and mostly consist of fiber and water. Berries such as blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants. They contain a compound called anthocyanin that helps neutralize free radicals. These free radicals are the ones that lead to cell damage.
3. Instead of refined foods, shift to whole grains. The processing strips them of their nutrients. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole grains, pasta, and cereals are good sources of fiber, protein, minerals etc. They are high in fiber and thus help prevent constipation while also preventing the onset of cancer and high cholesterol. Whole grains satiate us as well and keep us from eating too much during meals. They also contain folic acid and selenium that are crucial elements for maintaining a healthy heart.
4. Beans and legumes are rich in phytochemicals. Along with whole grains, they are an excellent source of protein, and are rich in fiber, iron, and magnesium. Such foods help control diabetes and fight cancer and aid weight loss as well.
5. Fish such as salmon, halibut, sardines, mackerel, etc. are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. They help fight cholesterol and triglyceride levels and boost brainpower.
6. No fitness diet plan is complete without milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products. They are not only rich in calcium, but also consist of protein, vitamin and minerals. They help fight osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and intestinal problems. If you are weight conscious, shift to low fat milk and cheese. Probiotic yogurt contains active bacteria which works wonders for our stomach.
7. Nuts are full of fat, but of the good kind. They contain mono and polysaturated fats that help lower LDL levels and also fight cancer and heart problems.
8. Chicken, turkey, lamb, etc. are good sources of protein and are far healthier than red meat.
9. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and carotenoids and are especially good for pregnant women and growing children.
10. Finally yet importantly, drink at least 6-8 glasses of water every day. Doing so aids digestion, accelerates metabolism, and controls weight.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_R._Edwards

Make Spanish Chorizo Sausage

Make Spanish Chorizo Sausage

Make Spanish Chorizo Sausage

Going back, more Spanish families lived in the country. More-often-than-not, they'd have a little plot of land, where they'd grow their own vegetables, keep some chickens... and fatten a pig.

The beauty of keeping a pig was that it could be cheaply fed from kitchen leftovers and, once killed, nearly every part could be used, with practically no waste. When November arrived, and the pig was nice and fat, the family would gather together - each having their own particular role to play - and kill the pig.

In Spanish, this slaughtering of the pig is known as the "matanza", and is still very much celebrated in Spanish villages to-day, with fun-loving fiestas, free-flowing wine, and much rejoicing. Why did the "matanza" traditionally take place in November? Well, the weather was cooler then, with less chance of the meat going off. Also, it meant that village people were well-stocked up for the winter. This was particularly important as - even to-day - more-isolated villages in mountainous areas are completely cut off for a spell during winter when heavy snows have fallen. Going back, each family would kill its own pig. This was no easy task, as getting a big, fat pig settled, ready for the knife, is quite hard work!

The pig was killed by stabbing it in the neck. This also released the blood, which the ladies of the family would catch in a bowl. Care had to be taken to ensure the blood didn't clot, for this was needed for mixing with rice and spices to make "morcilla" or black pudding.

It was also the task of the females to make the chorizo sausages. For this, they would take the pig's intestine, empty it, clean it, and then leave it to soak in salt water, to remove any unpleasant odors. And now, for those of you with a pig roaming around in your garden, which you plan to slaughter in November, here's a basic recipe for making your very own, tasty, chorizo sausage!...

Chorizo Recipe

Ingredients:

- 1 kilo pork
- 40 gr paprika - sweet or spicy, according to taste
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
- 20 gr salt
- 50 cm pig's intestine
- A little water

Method:

1. Chop up the pork fairly finely.
2. Mix in the paprika, garlic, and salt.
3. If necessary, use a little water to facilitate mixing.
4. Cover with cling film.
5. Leave in fridge 24-48 hours.
6. Fill intestine with the mixture, leaving a few centimetres of intestine free at one end.
7. Tie a knot in the end of the intestine.
8. Leave to hang in a well-ventilated place, normally for 3 months plus.

Well, I do hope all this talk of killing pigs and filling intestines won't put you off enjoying all those delicious chorizo sausages you'll find in Spain!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Plummer

Your Guide to Spanish Ham

Your Guide to Spanish Ham

Your Guide to Spanish Ham

Your Guide to Spanish Ham

Deliciously healthy, with an exquisite taste, it's ideal both as tapas and as part of a main meal... especially when washed down with a ruby red glass of smooth Rioja wine.

But, what exactly is Serrano ham, how is it made, what are its health benefits? And, how about the king of Spanish hams - jamón Ibérico? How does Ibérico ham differ from Serrano ham? And, what is "pata negra", and what does it mean?

Jamón Serrano

First of all, let's get the pronunciation and meaning clear. It's pronounced "ham-ON", with "jamón" meaning "ham", and "Serrano" being the equivalent of sierra or Mountains. For, traditionally, Spanish hams are cured in hilly or mountainous countryside.

Curing Procedure

Serrano ham is made from white pigs and, after being killed in November, the hams are tucked between layers of sea salt and curing salts for a few days - normally 24-48 hours per kilo.

The salt is then cleaned off, and the curing and aging process takes place, normally lasting some 12-14 months.

During this time, a specialist will regularly pierce the ham with a cow bone and sniff it, to ascertain the quality of the ham.

At the end of the curing process, the hams will have lost as much as 40% of their original weight, the meat now being dark-red in color, and the fat moist and yellowy.

Jamón Ibérico

Iberian pigs differ from their Serrano cousins in that they're nearly always black, with black hoofs. This is where the term "pata negra" comes in, for it means "black hoof".

It's the free-range diet of the Iberian pigs that makes their ham superior to that of the ordinary Serrano pig, plus a longer curing process of 18 months to 3 years. The king of the Iberian ham is the "Bellota" ham, for these pigs are fattened exclusively on acorns. And, yes, the Spanish for acorn is "bellota"!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Plummer

Collard Green Soup

Collard Green Soup

Collard Greens Soup Ingredients

When like to do in my survival recipe is to make my recipes so it does not require refrigerated food. In case of emergency we can not possibly have such power to keep the equipment working so I prefer to go at it from the standpoint of total destruction of our infrastructure.

Collard Greens Soup Ingredients

1 can chopped Collard Greens
1 can white limas or Black Eye Peas
5 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 / 8 cup dehydrated celery

Put five cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Crumble bullion cube and add to the water as it boils. Add can of Collard Greens and beans at this time whether you use a pyramid or the Black Eyed Peas. Enter the onion powder, thyme and celery dehydrated to the next pot. Bring all ingredients to a boil again quickly and then reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook for twenty minutes to allow flavors to bend together properly. If the soup seems to dry add just enough water to keep wet and liquidy. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for a short time. As an option you can serve the soup warm with a sprinkle with grated cheese and crouton was placed on top. This recipe will make enough soup for about six servings.