Christmas spirit: enjoy and keep safe

Christmas is in the air and the spirit is certainly flowing.  Like everything else, alcohol is OK in moderation.  But what is moderation?  What are acceptable levels of alcohol consumpution?

In 2016 the Department of Health in the UK revised it’s guidelines to advise that both men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.  It is further suggested that the 14 units are consumed over a spread of at least three days.

Is alcohol important?

No; the essential nutrients are:  proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, minerals and water.  Alcohol is not essential for a healthy lifestyle. However, if you have to consume alcohol, do so in moderation so that your health does not suffer serious consequences.

Safe drinking levels

The Department of Health in the UK advises a limit of 14 units of alcohol spread over a week.  But what is 14 units in terms of your favourite drink?

one-unit-of-alcohol
1 unit of alcohol

A unit of alcohol is 10ml or 8mg of pure alcohol.  The number of units in a drink is based on the size of the drink as well as the strength of its alcohol content.

Example – a unit of alcohol could be:

  • half a can of beer, lager or cider (220ml)
  • a small shot of spirit (25ml) or
  • half a glass of wine (75ml).

What are the impacts of drinking alcohol?

Alcohol impacts both your health and your waist-line.

Health implications from misuse of alcohol include:

  • cancer (incl breast cancer and cancer of the oesophagus)
  • strokes
  • liver disease
  • hypertension
  • coronary heart disease
  • reduced bone density
  • fertility problems
  • retarded foetal development
  • stomach ulcers
  • dementia
  • mental health problems.

What is the impact of alcohol on your weight?

Every gram of pure alcohol contains 7 kcal.  Only a percentage of your drink is pure alcohol and this percentage ranges from 3% for a light beer to 40% for spirits.  This percentage of pure alcohol is called alcohol by volume (ABV).

The stronger the ABV the more units and calories your drink contains.

Example:

  • a 250 ml glass of wine which has a typical volume of 13% ABV contains 3.3 units of alcohol.  Each unit contains 8g of pure alcohol and each gram of alcohol contains 7 kcal.  Therefore, a 250 ml glass of wine contains 185 kcal (rounded off to the nearest decimal).

3.3 units x 8g x 7kcal = 184.8 kcal

Two large glasses or wine could easily give you more calories than a slice of cake!

Safety first

Finally, it being Christmas-time, I cannot help but touch on safety.  Unfortunately, in Malta, drinking and driving is very much common practice.

Alcohol affects your mind and body immediately it is consumed.

It takes one hour for a unit of alcohol to be cleared through your system.

Knowing the above, let’s presume you have two large glasses of wine (6.6 units) and start drinking at 20.30 hours.  It will take your body just over six and a half hours to clear the alcohol from your system – i.e. approximately by 03.00 hours the following morning.

I am not suggesting you do not enjoy a drink over Christmas.  I’m just trying to raise awareness.

A Merry Christmas to you all! Enjoy and keep safe – drinking and driving do not go together.

My thanks go to

Future Fit Training School of Nutrition Notes; and
Google Images

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Have yourself a salmon little Christmas

Are you cooking the typical turkey dinner this Christmas?  Most people do.  But for those of us who eat fish, I would like to share a simple recipe I came across years ago.  It’s so quick and easy to make and … it never fails! It certainly is a crowd pleaser!

 Holiday Side of Salmon

This recipe is taken from a Christmas cookbook supplement which came as a freebie with Essentials magazine many moons ago.  I remember picking up this magazine from the newsagent’s at Heathrow airport thinking it would make a good read.

holiday-side-of-salmon
Holiday side of salmon

Doesn’t it look spectacular? But it really couldn’t be simpler to cook.

Ingredients

* one whole side of salmon (approx. 1.6kg – 2kg)
* juice and zest of 2 limes, plus extra to serve
* 100ml dark rum
* 50g dark brown sugar
* 2tbsp honey
* 2tbsp soy sauce
* 1tsp ginger, peeled and grated
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1tsp allspice

Serves 8-10

 

How to prepare your salmon

  1. Put all the ingredients (except salmon) in food container large enough to take your fish.  Mix well.  Put in the salmon and coat all over.  Close the container and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours.
  2. Heat oven to gas mark 7 / 220 degrees Celsius.  Remove the salmon from the marinade and put in a lined roasting dish.  Bake for 15 minutes.
  3. Boil the marinade in a pan for 5 minutes until thickened.  Drizzle over the salmon and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Rest the fish in a warm place for a couple of minutes before serving.

Ideas for sides

My favourite side dishes to go with salmon are spinach and lentils.  I think they go so well together.

This is my latest warm spinach salad

* rinse spinach leaves and put in pot with a tight fitting lid
* steam gently for a few minutes until the leaves are just beginning to wilt – drain any excess water
* warm one tablespoon of olive oil and saute two cloves of crushed garlic and two spring onions, finely chopped
* remove from the heat and pour over spinach – top with toasted flaked almonds.

 

My puy lentil salad is just as quick and easy to make.  Rinse the lentils and boil in vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes (do not overcook) – drain.  In the meantime finely chop an onion, courgette, two celery sticks and one large carrot.  Saute in a tablespoon of olive oil for ten minutes.  Remove from the heat – add boiled lentils, chopped parsley and 75g of dried cranberries.

Make dressing by putting two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon balsamic vinegar, one crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper in a screw top jar, mix well and drizzle over lentils.

And for the final touch, you can add some potato wedges.

Try it … I guarantee your guests will be impressed.

My thanks go to Essential Magazine https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=essentialsmagazine for this lovely salmon recipe.

 

 

 

 

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Breakfast like a king …

Do you eat breakfast?  In the UK, one in five adults miss out on breakfast (not to mention children).  Reasons given for skipping breakfast vary from – not enough time; to cut down on calories or I’m not hungry first thing in the morning.

How important is breakfast?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  As you sleep your sugar levels start to fall and by the time you wake up they’re pretty low.  In order for your body to function properly, you need to fuel up on foods which are low in “free” sugar.

Research shows that breakfast not only gives you the energy you need to start the day, it also

  • helps you control your weight
  • improves concentration levels
  • helps lower cholesterol levels.

 

What makes a good breakfast?

You can choose from a number of foods to start your day in a healthy way. My all-time favourite is good old porridge; but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Some suggested options are:

  • ready-made cereals (low in sugar and sodium);
  • home-made muesli
  • one slice of wholegrain toast spread with avocado and 20g of crumbled Feta cheese
  • baked beans on wholegrain toast
  • one poached egg with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes
  • plain Greek yogurt served with a few fresh berries
  • a bowl of fresh fruit salad.

Avoid jams, marmalade, chocolate spreads or butter. An overdose of too much “free” sugar puts your body under stress.  When your sugar levels are on a roller-coaster ride, you feel crappy all day.  You are also more likely to reach out for the biscuit tin at eleven and eat even more sugary carbohydrates as the day goes on.

If you decide to go for an English breakfast, grill your bacon and sausages; avoid fried food.

Breakfast on the go

Unless you go for the full Monty every day, breakfast shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes.  Make the effort, wake up 10 minutes earlier and eat a decent breakfast before you leave the house.

With a little bit of planning, you can prepare some oat breakfasts from the night before.

Here are some ideas I came across

Maple Pecan Overnight Oats – by Pamela

maple-pecan-oats

Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bowls by Kath

strawberry_oatmeal_breakfast_bowls_hero

Mocha Overnight Oats by Davida

mocha-coffee

These recipes are so quick and easy to make.  You can get them ready the night before, or prepare ahead for a few days.  If you are running late, grab a jar on your way out and eat it  on the hoof [don’t forget your teaspoon :-)].

I hope you like these few ideas I shared with you today.  Here are some more overnight oat recipes, brought to you courtesy of Honest Cooking.

If you have any quick breakfast recipes you’d like to share, please drop me a line and I’d be happy to post them on my blog.

Until next time… it’s goodbye.

My thanks go to

WebMD
The British Heart Foundation
Kath Eates Real Food
My Man’s Belly
The Healthy Maven

 

 

 

 

Colette Cumbo2 Comments

Lose Weight in the Kitchen, get fit in the Gym

Diet vs exercise –  studies show it is easier to watch what you eat than to workout the extra calories in the gym. Exercise is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle, but controlling how much you eat is by far more important.

Today I would like to share with you 5 tips to help you lose weight in the kitchen.

  1. Your healthy eating starts at the supermarket – don’t buy junk food.  Don’t allow yourself to be tempted when you open your cupboard.  Spring clean your cupboards and fridge from all the biscuits, chocolates, ice-cream and all the processed stuff.  Instead stock up on fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, pulses and lean meat such as fish or chicken.healthy-looking-fridge
  2. Keep a food diary – it is not easy to remember all that goes through your mouth in the space of a day –  a generous spread of peanut butter, a fizzy drink, cake at eleven, biscuits with your afternoon tea, crisps or chocolate whilst watching TV – and the list goes on. Keep a food diary and take note of all you eat.  Be honest with yourself and go into detail. Note also the time of day and the mood you were in when you ate. Are you eating out of habit or because you’re hungry? Are you really hungry or thirsty? You’d be surprised how easy it is to eat out of habit, when you’re thirsty, when you’re stressed or tired.
  3. Weigh your food – portion distortion is the #1 culprit for weight gain. It is not easy to figure out how much food you need to keep healthy.  Unfortunately, we are made to believe we need more food than we actually do.  Take meat portions for instance – 250 / 350 g a piece – when in fact you only need 1 g of protein (meat or fish) for every one kilo of body weight.  Therefore, a 60-kg person requires 60 g of protein a day.  Keep cup and spoon measures on your work top and use them, all the time.  Smaller dinner plates help you control your portion size.
  4. Drink plenty of water – what is plenty of water?  There are various schools of thought about the amount of water you should drink.  Lately, I came across an article which I think makes perfect sense.  You can tell if you’re drinking enough water by looking at the colour of your urine.  If your urine is dark, you need to drink more water. I like using a two-litre bottle as a guide to how much water I drink each day.   You  need to drink more water if you drink alcohol or  workout at the gym. A good way to start your day is by drinking a mug of lukewarm water with lemon.
  5. Spread your meals over the day – golden rule #1 is don’t miss breakfast. Research shows that people who eat breakfast regularly are able to control their weight long term. Space your meals throughout the day.  Eat five small meals instead of three large ones.  This will keep you full throughout and help cut down on snacking.  Whenever possible do not eat your last meal just before you go to bed. Remember, your heaviest meal should be in the morning, not last thing at night.

Doesn’t sound complicated, does it?  You do not need to reinvent the wheel to lose weight. A few changes and some awareness should help you get on track and manage your weight long term.

Increase your level of activity as part of your healthy lifestyle for better results.

One final tip for the festive season – don’t miss out on celebrations – moderation is key.  If you’re going to a drinks party, have a bowl of homemade soup before you leave the house and avoid the finger food that goes round.  As for drinking – take one glass of water for each one of alcohol you drink.

The choice is yours – big changes start with small steps.  Let me know how you get on.

My thanks go to

The Unbounded Spirit

WebMD

Mirror online

Popsugar for image

Colette CumboLeave a comment

Get fit in the gym, lose weight in the kitchen (part I)

Do you go to the gym to lose weight?  Do you overeat because you exercise? Do you reward yourself with crappy food after a workout?

Diet vs Exercise

Your waistline is 70% diet and 30% exercise. Exercise alone without changes to your diet will not make you lose weight.

abs-made-in-kitchen

In order to lose weight you have to create a caloric deficit – that is, take in less energy than you put out.  And the only way to achieve this is by making changes to your diet.

It is impossible to workout all the extra calories you consume through overeating or eating the wrong foods.

Did you know that an average portion of chocolate cake gives you twice the amount of calories needed to cycle for 30 minutes?  A scientific study carried out by Dr John Briffa in 2010, shows that it takes 77 hours of exercise to lose one kilogram of body fat.

How can you lose weight?

Don’t think for one minute I’m suggesting you do not exercise. Those of you who know me, know I’m a firm believer in regular exercise and will always encourage it.  The gym does not appeal to everyone, but there are other forms of activity, such as walking, swimming or taking part in a sport you like.

Regular exercise has a number of benefits.  It reduces stress and anxiety; increases energy levels; helps with digestion; promotes a general sense of well-being and much more.

It is true, regular exercise increases your metabolic rate, however your diet is the main factor leading towards weight loss.

In simple terms, weight loss is caloric consumption vs expenditure.

Diets vs healthy lifestyle

Diets are useless.  I hate diets with a passion and think they’re a pure waste of time and money.  How many fad diets have you seen come and go?  Low carb; low fat; protein diet… they were all out there at some point.

Yes, it’s true; if you eliminate certain food groups from your diet, you lose weight.  But what happens when you re-introduce those foods?  If you’re not super careful, the weight creeps back and you end up heavier than before you started.

Change your lifestyle instead.

A healthy lifestyle guarantees a normal, healthy weight without too much effort. It is made up of a balanced diet plus a regular level of activity. It is sustainable and you do not “come off it” like you would a diet.

A balanced diet

  • provides you with sufficient nutrients – carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals and vitamins
  • balances your energy intake and consumption so you maintain a healthy weight
  • provides you with enough fluids, especially water
  • is not high in salt and sugar.

 

Next week, in part II, we look at changes that can help you lose weight in the kitchen.

My thanks go to

Dr Briffa – A Good Look at Good Health

Dr John Briffa

SecondsCount.org

Vitals Lifehacker

Medical Dictionary

Medical Dictionary

Google Images

 

 

 

Colette Cumbo1 Comment

20-Minute Spinach and Tuna supper

Have you ever tried warm spinach and canned tuna?  They go so well together.  Today, after my workout, I did not feel like the grilled vegetables I prepared earlier. I fancied a quick spinach supper.  So I put together the following:

Ingredients

  • 0.5 kg spinach (steamed and drained)
  • 1 large can of tuna in olive oil
  • 1 small can of chickpeas
  • 4 cherry tomatoes
  • 4 black olives
  • 1 spring onion chopped
  • 1 small lime squeezed

and this is the result …

warm-spinach-and-tuna

It’s really as easy as it sounds.

Method

  • steam the spinach and drain well
  • squeeze half of the lime on the spinach
  • top with chickpeas, chopped spring onion, tomatoes and olives
  • finally add drained tuna and squeeze the remaining half lime.

A nutritious supper in under 20 minutes.

Try it and let me have your comments.

 

My thanks go to

Martha Stewart

Colette Cumbo1 Comment