Eating fish is good for you. But when Jeremy Piven (Ari from Entourage) suddenly left his broadway show due to high mercury levels from fish, questions have been raised about which fish are best to eat.

In my recent article on the best meats to eat, white fish came in second on the list, with salmon fairing quite poorly due to its high fat content. Salmon, however contains a lot more essential Omega-3 fatty acids, so how do we choose which fish to feast on?

What are the considerations when choosing a fish to eat?

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Tagged As: diet, Fish, mercury, nutrition, omega 3, Weight loss

When you are rushing through the supermarket trying to decide what meat to cook for dinner, do you really know what you are looking for? I’m sure you know what tastes great, or what you are comfortable cooking, but what about the health benefits? It is possible your habitual choices could be damaging your health and waistline. I have examined our most popular (and some less popular) meats, and you might find the results surprising!

And the winner is…

Kangaroo meat!!!  For the Aussie readers out there, we grew up watching ‘Skippy’, so now it can be hard to come to terms with eating him! Kangaroo meat has less calories and fat per serve than white fish yet as much iron as red meat and almost as much protein. Skippy really packs a punch in the nutrition stakes! Click here for a Bill Granger marinated kangaroo recipe. They say to treat it as you would beef, however I prefer stews, casseroles and marinades to plain steaks.

Second Place:

White fish. Also extremely low in fat and high in protein, white fish will provide you with some iron, minimal cholesterol and lots of healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Third and fourth place:

Ostrich, closely followed by chicken breast. I’d like you to note on the chart the vast difference in nutritional value of chicken breasts without the skin versus a BBQ chicken. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that just because it’s chicken, that it’s good for you!

The Healthiest Meats (Best to Worst)

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Tagged As: beef, chicken, cholesterol, diet, lamb, Meat, nutrition, pork, Weight gain, Weight loss

Editors Note: This post is written by weight loss expert (and former couch potato) Meg McFarlane. Meg has experienced the weight loss journey first hand and has chronicled this in her blog, Spud On The Run.  She has a Bachelor of Science from Sydney University is currently working in IT.

You have decided that you need to lose weight, but with the hundreds of diets out there, how do you choose the one that is right for you?

If you are like me than you have probably tried hundreds of “fad diets” which were successful until you started eating normally again and then the kilos piled back on and brought a few of their friends with them.  If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to choose a diet that you can stick to long-term.  Think of it more like healthy eating rather than a “diet”.  Therefore, you need to stay away from diets that have you eating only soup or fruit for a period of time and diets that involve meal replacements.  Yes, you will lose weight on these diets but as soon as you go back to eating normally, that weight will return.
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Tagged As: diet, diets, nutrition, Weight loss

Editors Note: This post is written by contributor Gina Ryan. Gina is a licensed nutritionist and Wellness coach from Hawaii. Read her full Bio on the About page or visit her blog http://www.lunchwithouted.wordpress.com.

Looking at the metabolic flame most of us are aware of exercise and the increased oxygen it brings to the body and increasing metabolism. Yet not so many are aware of the same oxygen advantage during relaxation, deep breathing and eating.

Most of the energy produced by the body comes from the simple combination of oxygen and food. Look at it as when you breathe more you burn more. So while running while eating is counterproductive, breathing deeply and consciously while eating will increase your metabolic speed, ease digestion and relax you simultaneously.

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Tagged As: exercise, metabolism, nutrition, Weight loss

When was the last time you ate broccoli? When was the last time you got excited about eating broccoli? Well now’s the time to gorge on your greens! If the following facts about broccoli don’t get you excited to chow down, then hopefully Gordon Ramsey and the two recipes I’ve included will!

What makes Broccoli a super food?

To quote CNN.com, when it comes to nutritional content, “Broccoli is the mother lode!” After researching the following stats, broccoli has become much easier to swallow!

• Ounce per ounce broccoli has more vitamin C in it than oranges
• Broccoli contains more calcium than a glass of milk
• One medium spear has more fibre than a slice of wheat bran bread
• Out of all produce, broccoli is the highest source of vitamin A
• What catapults broccoli into the stratosphere of a super food is its cancer fighting properties, namely isothiocyanates .

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Tagged As: broccoli, cancer, diet, nutrition, recipes, vitamins

Do you know the difference between the above fats? Which one is deemed the best one for you? The worst? Learn the difference between these fats, which ones are good, average and really bad for you. Find out the best food sources of these fats and how they affect your insides. I talk a bit about cholesterol in this video blog so be sure to read my post on Cholesterol and it’s effect on our health. There is also a great animation on cholesterol in our blood stream. What is the most popular type of fat in your fridge and pantry?

This is the last of my Fat Facts Video blog series. To see the other, click the links below. I’d also love to know your take on fat, the good, the bad, and the plain irresistible. Like it or hate it, many of our lives revolve around it.

Fat Facts Part 1: What is Body Fat?

Fat Facts Part 2: How Many Calories in Fat Protein and Carbohydrates?

Fat Facts Part 3: Calorie Dense Foods

Fat Facts Part 4: Burning Fat Vs Burning Sugar and Carbohydrates

Fat Facts Part 5: The Difference Between Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated, Saturated and Trans Fats

Tagged As: diet, exercise, Fat Facts, monounsaturated, nutrition, polyunsaturated, saturated, trans fats, Weight loss

Have you ever opened the cupboard searching for the best snack only to be confused by choices then fall prey to the easy option of a chocolate cookie? In this video blog learn tips on snacking for weight loss and brilliant health. Topics covered include when to snack, how many calories your snacks should be, what to snack on and finally my top choices for healthy, delicious and satisfying snacks. Bon Appetite!

Tagged As: diet, Health, nutrition, Weight loss

photo credit: Pam Cantú

Did you know that fruits, veggies and fish are good for you? Yes, yes boring. We all know we should be getting 2-4 fruit, 5-7 veggies per day and 2 serves of fish per week. Tell me something I don’t know! How about this;

Cruciferous vegetables protect the body from nasty free radicals which cause everything harmful, from a wrinkle to cancer. Cruciferous veggies include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts.

Orange and yellow vegetables and fruit contain carotenoids and loads of vitamin A, which dramatically improve the immune system, and protect the eyes and skin. Try paw paw, apricot, pineapple, rock melon, pumpkin, carrot and oranges.

Green leafy vegetables are packed with folate and photo chemicals. They are one of the most nutrient dense, yet low calorie foods we have, are packed with minerals such as iron and vitamins such as vitamin K. In fact one cup of cooked dark greens will contain up to nine times the daily recommendation of vitamin K. In case you weren’t aware, vitamin K aids in regulating blood clots, reduces osteoporosis, and helps protect our joints from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Try baby spinach, rocket, Asian greens, silver beet, parsley.

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Tagged As: energy, nutrition