Negative Calorie Diet: Health Benefits Of Potatoes

Negative Calorie Diet: Health Benefits Of Potatoes

Potatoes are a wonderfully versatile vegetable. They can be boiled, roasted, sauteed, fried, or baked. Their mild flavor blends well with other flavors, allowing an almost endless number of recipes for the potato. The potato is also potentially a very healthy vegetable.

Potatoes contain a good amount of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is essential to the body, being involved in over 100 enzymatic reactions. Since enzymes are present in the entire body, helping the proper chemical reactions to take place, B6 is important in the entire body, keeping these chemical reactions happening as they should. B6 is also involved in the production of certain neurotransmitters, called amines. These neurotransmitters keep the messages flowing along the nerves.

B6 is also involved in breaking down glycogen, a form of sugar in the muscle cells and liver. This makes B6 important for endurance, and physical performance.

The potato can be a very healthy vegetable when cooked right. Unfortunately, many people eat greasy french fries or potato chips, or load their baked potato up with lots of fatty unhealthy toppings. Here's a recipe for a great soup using potatoes.

Caldo Verde

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced.
2 quarts cold water or chicken stock
1 lb linguica sausage
2 tsp. salt
pepper
1 lb kale rinsed, and thinly sliced.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until tender. Add the potatoes, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the water or chicken stock to the saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover the pan, and boil gently for about 20 minutes.

While the soup is boiling, remove the linguica from it's casing, and crumble into a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until cooked through, and most of the fat has rendered out, about 10 minutes.

Mash or puree the potatoes. Add the linguica, and salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the kale, and cook for a few minutes more, until the kale is tender. Remove from the heat and serve.

Negative Calorie Diet
Negative Calorie Diet

Negative Calorie Diet - Weight Loss Update 5-30-06

Negative Calorie Diet

Well, it's been a while since my last update. For the past few weeks, there hasn't been much progress. I've been bouncing around between 112-114 pounds. That was expected, though. Every other time I've tried to lose weight, I seem to stall at about that point.

Anyhow, this time will be different. I will get down to 180 by the end of the year. I just have to increase my exercise, and really keep an eye on what I'm eating. If I can just eliminate fatty, sugary snacks, and stick with the negative calorie diet, then I'll be just fine. But mark my words, I will reach my goal.

negative calorie diet

Negative Calorie Diet - Weight Loss Update, 4-24-06

It's another week gone, and guess what? Yes, another two pounds gone. I started 3 weeks ago at 220, and I'm down to 214. I guess eating foods in the negative calorie diet, even in small amounts does help. Let me give you an idea of what I've been eating to lose this weight.

Breakfast: Usually a bowl of cereal (preferably something without a lot of sugar), or a bowl of oatmeal, or some yogurt. I usually also drink a glass of orange juice.

Snack: At 10:00 AM or so, I usually have a snack of either carrots or tomatoes (both negative calorie foods). 5-6 pieces of carrot, or about 6-9 grape tomatoes.

Lunch: Half of a tuna sandwich, a couple of cookies (gotta have something sweet), an apple, and a 5.5oz can of fruit juice (with no sugar added).

Snack: Another snack at 3:00, some more fruit. Grapes, or some frozen fruit... peaches, strawberries, or pineapple are good.

Dinner: 3-4 ounces of meat, some mashed potatoes, salad, and some corn.

So far, this seems to be working. If I just add some more negative calorie foods to the diet, and start exercising like I should, the weight should come off even faster.

negative calorie diet

Negative Calorie Diet - Weight Loss Update, 4-17-06

Negative Calorie Diet

Well, it's been another week, and another 2 pounds gone. What is somewhat surprising is that I didn't even exercise this week. All I did was continue with the negative calorie foods as snacks, and adding some negative calorie foods to my meals. But it certainly seems to be working.

If I keep losing weight at this rate, I'll reach my goal of 180 pounds a few months earlier than I'd planned, around the end of August instead of December.

Learn about the negative calorie diet

Negative Calorie Diet - Health Benefits of Hot Peppers

Negative Calorie Diet

Hot peppers... they can add a gentle kick to any dish, or they can set your whole mouth on fire. But are you aware that hot peppers are also good for you? The substance that causes the burn, capsaicin, has several healthy benefits.

Capsaicin can be effective in relieving pain. Studies have shown that capsaicin is effective in relieving migraines, and sinus headaches, as well as arthritis pain. Capsaicin may also help to relieve muscle pain and other pains as well. There are several creams and ointments that use capsaicin as an active ingredient, of course it's much more enjoyable to eat a hot pepper, than to rub it on your skin.

Contrary to popular belief, capsaicin and hot peppers can actually help to aid in digestion and to heal ulcers. Studies have shown that capsaicin can help to prevent ulcers by killing the bacteria that cause them. Hot peppers also stimulate the lining of the stomach, causing the lining to secrete protective juices to help heal the stomach.

If you're congested, then hot peppers may be just the thing for you. Capsaicin can help to clear mucus from your sinuses or congested lungs.

Red chili peppers have been shown to have cardiovascular benefits, lowering cholesterol, and helping to prevent blood clots. Countries where hot peppers are eaten more tend to have a lower rate of heart attacks and strokes. Red chile peppers also contain beta-carotene, which helps to improve vision, and as an anti-oxidant, helps to prevent and repair damage by free radicals.

There are also other benefits to hot peppers. The heat that you feel when you eat hot peppers takes energy to produce, that means that to produce that heat, your body is burning calories. And when your body burns calories, there are less calories available to be stored as fat. So, hot peppers are a great addition to a negative calorie diet. Hot peppers also trigger endorphin production. Endorphins are natural opiates produced by the body in response to pain... in this case, the burning sensation from eating the hot pepper. This is why you may feel a bit "high" after eating hot peppers.

Chili Heads rejoice. Not only do hot peppers add a kick to your meals, they are also very good for you.

TOMATO AND MANGO SALSA

1 mango, peeled and diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, mint, or a combination of both, shredded
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper

Combine the mango, tomato, onion, basil and/or mint, lime juice, and habanero.

Cover and refrigerate.

If you want a less spicy salsa, use a jalapeno or serrano peper instead of the habanero.
negative calorie diet

Negative Calorie Diet - Weight Loss Update

Negative Calorie Diet

Well, it's been a week since I decided to lose some weight. When I stepped onto the scale Saturday morning, it stopped at.... 218 pounds. That's 2 pounds lost in 1 week, which is actually more than I'd hoped to lose. So, my weight loss plan is working.

I've changed my eating habits a bit. Instead of snacking on chips and beef sticks, I'm snacking on negative calorie foods, like carrots, tomatoes, peaches, and grapes. Instead of drinking a liter of Mountain Dew every day, I'm drinking more water, and green tea.

I've also started some light exercise, walking two tenths of a mile on the treadmill every weekday (well, I did miss a couple of days last week), and doing some very light weight lifting, (3 pound weights). Over the course of the year, I will be increasing the distance on the treadmill to 1 mile per day, and every few weeks, I will move to progressively heavier weights, hopefully up to 15 pounds by the end of the year.

Considering how well the first week went, I'm looking forward to seeing the results in upcoming weeks.

Negative Calorie Diet

Negative Calorie Diet

Negative Calorie Diet

You all know carrots, I'm sure. That long orange icicle shaped veggie? And you probably know that carrots can help to improve your eyesight, but are you aware of the other health benefits of eating carrots? Well, you're about to find out.

Carrots are very high in beta-carotene. This is the compound that gives carrots their color, and helps to improve your vision. In the body, the beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A. The vitamin A, in turn is converted into a purple pigment called rhodopsin, which causes the light sensing areas of the retina to be more effective.

Beta-carotene is also an antioxidant, which helps to eliminate free radicals, which can damage the cells, and lead to cancer. Carrots also contain alpha-carotene, which is also a free radical fighting antioxidant. Studies show that men with high levels of alpha-carotene have lower incidence of lung cancer.

Carrots also contain carotenoids, which help to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Studies have shown that people who have at least one serving of carrots and/or squash (also high in carotenoids) had a lower risk of heart attacks that people with less than one serving per day. Other studies have shown that carotenoids also lead to a lower risk of many types of cancer. Even one carrot a day may be effective in cutting the risk of lung cancer in half. Foods such as carrots, which are high in carotenoids may also be beneficial in helping to regulate blood sugar.

Vitamin A rich foods, like carrots, may reduce emphysema. Some research indicates that a vitamin A deficiency may lead to emphysema, so consuming foods with vitamin A will help to prevent this deficiency.

We know carrots as being orange, but they also come in red, white, yellow, and even purple. When buying carrots, look for smooth, straight vegetables, with a strong, orange color. The deeper orange the carrot, the more beta carotene it contains. Avoid cracked, or rubbery carrots. The larger the carrot, the sweeter. This is due to the fact that the sugars are concentrated in the core of the carrot, and larger carrots naturally have larger cores.

Carrots are actually more nutritious when cooked. The beta-carotene is trapped by the fiber in the carrots, making it more difficult for your body to use. Cooking them releases the beta-carotene from the fibers, allowing the body to absorb it more easily. Juicing a carrot will break down the fibers, and release the beta-carotenes as well, and make them more available for the body. Juicing is also beneficial, since raw carrots are best for the negative calorie effect.

GLAZED CARROTS

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups sliced carrots, cooked and drained

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the brown sugar, mustard, and salt, and stir to combine.

Turn the heat to medium low, and add the carrots, stirring constantly for 5-8 minutes, until heated through.

Transfer the carrots to a bowl, and serve hot.

Negative Calorie Diet