Good Calories and Bad Calories

              Here's how to differentiate between Good calories and and bad calories.

       Calorie is a measure of the food enmergy we consume, which is burned or stored by the body as fat.

     You know what happens if you  fry a"good "potato? It turns into "calorie-dense" potato chips.  While it is true that excess calorie consumption could make your clothes tighter...

         The 200 calories in a doughnut are not equal to 200 calories whole grain raisin bran muffin.Nor are the 100 calories in 10 potato chips equal to the 100 calories in a baked potato served in its skin.so, chose your calories with care and opt for quality over quantity, especially when you are pregnant. Your baby will benefit a lot more from 2000 nutrient rich calories every day, than from 2000 mostly empty ones.And your body will show the benefits post partum as well.

         Healthy snacking gives you a huge energy boost in the long run, unlikebthe temporary lift from high-fat and sugary food options. So, find clever alternatives that can replace your favourite munch and still keep you happy.Brown bread is better than white bread(the calories are similar and brown rice is better than white rice.

                     The reason natural or whole grain foods are better is because they are high in fibre and take a longer time to digest, making you feel fuller longer. By filling yourself with natural high-fibre foods, you are allowing the glucose from these foods to get released gradually into your blood stream. So,if you are in mood for a sandwich, ask for multi-grain bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, pepers, cottage cheese or chicken.

                 On the other hand, if you constantly eat refined or processed foods such as a white bread and jam, you get a quick boost, then you experience a huge energy slump. This drop in energy levels could result in mood swings because the fast-burning energy leaves your energy reserves depleted.

Watch Out Careful:

              Some Manufacturers add food colour to regular white bread to make it "brown" hoping to pass it of as a high fibre product. Don't be fooled. Check for ngredients such as Whole Wheat,multi grain or whole grain on labels for bread, biscuits, pastas and other baked products.However certain foods contribute more calories than nutrients-think calories and fast foods such as fries and burgers. Manufacturers process the raw ingredients often adding trans-fat to enhance taste and prolong the shelf life of the product.

                         A high intake of trans-fat can raise low-density cholesterol levels and increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.Manufacturers and fast food restaurants are not concerned about your health. Their job is to cater to your taste buds. Therfore, these foods are viewed as"bad" or harmful when consumed in excess quantities.

                       A larger burger meal with fries and a fuzzy drink can contain more than half of your total daily calorie recommendation. A occasional burger meal is fine but you keep it as an occasional treat only.

Balance it out:

          Add a slice of banana and some nuts to your ice-cream sundae, choose a candy bar that's filled with almonds. Eating smaller portions is also a good stratergy: Share the desserts, take a slender slice of pie instead of a hefty slab. And stop before you get too carried away, otherwise you deserve to feel guilty!

Harmful effects of Sugar

              Researchers have found that sugar consumption may potentially be harmful, in excessive amounts. In addition to contributing to obesity, heavy sugar consumtion may be linked to tooth decay, diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer.

                     For nutritious and delicious sweetness substiute fruit, dried fruit and fruit juices concentrates for sugar when you can.Besides being sweet, they contain vitamins, trace minerals and valuable phytochemicals(plant chemicals that help the body defend itself against disease and aging) all of which are absent in sugar.

                    You might feel guilty about indulging in your favourite ice-cream or desert. But, don't do that, allow yourself a treat once in a while. Sugar Calories are empty calories and they do nothing for your nutritional bottomline, but what better pick-me-up could you ask? Try to limit your intake of all forms of sugar, since the calories you save can be spent on foods that pack a much more wholesome .