The Soy…

Soy can be found in many and different ways. I love it that’s why I’m sharing it with you.

According to Becky Hand, a Licensed and Registered Dietitian, many people are confused about eating or drinking something with soy. What is the “Science Behind Soy?”

The humble soybean has come a long way. Today, soy is everywhere and in every possible form—beans, nuts, milk, yogurt, cheese, flour, tofu, tempeh, and “meat” analogs, to name a few. You can eat soy alone, cooked, or combined with other ingredients for a fantastic high-protein, low-fat snack or meal. In fact, one in four Americans eats a soy-containing food at least once a week.

Soy is a powerful plant food, packed with valuable protein, essential fatty acids, numerous vitamins and minerals, and fiber. It also contains phytochemicals such as isoflavones, phytate, saponins, and phytosterols. As one of the most widely researched foods for potential health benefits, soy has been touted as a miracle food that may fight cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and more. But lately, this innocent bean has become the center of confusion and controversy. Several soy studies have yielded inconsistent results and consumers have been bombarded by mixed messages from the media. So here is the rundown on the science behind soy.

Heart Health
In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that adding soy protein to a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol could decrease the risk of coronary heart disease (by lowering blood cholesterol levels). The American Dietetic Association (ADA) also released a statement recommending 25 grams of soy protein daily to help reduce the risk of heart disease. But current research has been unimpressive, finding that soy protein only decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol by three percent and does not increase the HDL (good) cholesterol. The bottom line: Soy’s role in improving cholesterol is small. Even though soy has a relatively modest effect on cholesterol levels, it still can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet.

It’s something we need to consider. Are we going to include this to our menu? Think about it.

10 Things to Know

While surfing this morning, I saw this 10 things that we should know in order to be a grilling expert. I love to grill with my family and I’m interested this one taken from the net and be shared to my friends here. You can also find it from Yahoo Shine. Here are the 10:

1. Two Grills Are Better Than One
Own more than one grill. Gas grills may be convenient, but you still need a charcoal grill for true low and slow smoking.

2. Grate Expectations
Keep your grill hot, clean, and well oiled. Start with a hot grill grate. Clean it with a stiff wire brush, then, using tongs, oil it with a tightly folded paper towel dipped in oil and drawn across the grill grate.
3. Be Direct…
Direct grilling means cooking the food directly over the fire. Use this method for small, tender, or quick-cooking foods (shrimp, chicken breasts, burgers, fish fillets, and most veggies).

4. …Or Take a More Indirect Approach
Indirect grilling means cooking next to a moderate to low fire with the lid closed. Use this method for large, fatty, or tough foods (ribs, whole chickens).

5. Tame the Fire
Control the flames by building a three-zone fire: a hot zone for searing, a medium zone for cooking, and a fire-free safety zone. The safety zone can be used for warming and as a landing spot in case there are flare-ups.

6. Buy Great Tongs
Look for long-handled, rolled-steel, spring-loaded tongs. Long-handled to keep you away from the fire, rolled-steel so you can pick up a whole chicken–and spring-loaded so you can easily grab and move food.

7. Leave Your Mark
To lay on a crosshatch of grill marks, start with a hot, well-oiled grill grate. After a couple of minutes, give your steaks or chops a quarter turn.

8. Smoke It
Whether you’re cooking by direct grilling, indirect grilling, or smoking, a handful of soaked, drained hardwood chips will give your food a soulful flavor.

9. Golden Gloves
Invest in heavy leather or suede gloves. These come in handy for lifting hot chimney starters and for handling hot skewers. Buy a pair with the longest cuffs you can find.

10. Get Organized
Line up your food in neat rows with military precision. This looks good and will also help you keep track of what went on first, what needs turning first, and so forth.

Fruits that I love Most

Fruits are good for health. It cleanses our body within,  it makes  skin smoother. It makes people healthy and strong. Without eating it, I find my body become weaker each day. So I need to eat fruits from time to time to make myself keep going. It has a lot of vitamins and minerals.

Watermelon is a juicy and delicious fruit too. The daughter of our friend ate a lot of it. I saw her eating to the max. She really ate a lot of it last time when we went to the beach. She ’s only 2 years old but I guess, she ate more than a half of the whole watermelon.

Apples are good source of vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium. Health benefits:

1. Apple Pectin – a water soluble fiber richly found in apples

2. Vitamin C – helps protect your body against free radicals and assist with the production of skin-nourishing collagen

3. Potassium – is abundant in apples and helps maintain pH balance and the right level of electrolytes

4. Calcium – helps strengthen bone and teeth structure

Healthful Fruit

I missed this tree in the Phil. I love to eat this kind of fruit. For me, it’s very delicious and yummy. It can also use to make buko salad, to mix with maja blanca or other delicasies that is so yummy.

When I was in high school, I used to go up to this tree, of course not the tallest one, but the one that is not so tall. It has a nutrition facts. I come across a Filipino site who wrote about coconut water. She shared about an American Nutritionist who wrote a book entitled ” Coconut Water for Health and Healing”.

There was a discovery that coconut water contains antioxidants as well as magnesium, potassium and other minerals and enzymes which may relax the lens proteins of the eyes, allowing them to realign and become transparent again. Fresh coconut water is needed.
“Coconut water may be an ideal eyewash or eye drop solution. If it can heal the damage caused by cataract, it may have other beneficial effects on eye health as well. Using it regularly may be an excellent way to prevent cataract, glaucoma, and perhaps other eye problems.”

I guess, this discovery is true, coconut has many proofs and is good for eating, cooking and healing. It has a lot of wonders when taken into the body. From the root to the last leaf, this tree can be very useful.