WHY LOW FAT DIET

WE NEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FAT IN OUR DIET FOR GENERAL HEALTH AND IT IS A VALUABLE SOURCE OF ENERGY .ALSO,IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING FOODS PALATABLE TO EAT.HOWEVER ,MOST OF US EAT MORE FAT THAN WE NEED.YOU SHOULD NOT TRY TO CUT OUT FAT ALTOGETHER,BUT A LOWER FAT DIET HAS THE BENEFITS OF WEIGHT LOSS AND REDUCTION IN THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF FAT-SATURATED AND UNSATURATED .THE UNSATURATED GROUP INCLUDE TWO TYPES –POLYUNSATURATED AND MONOUNSATURATED FATS.

SATURATED FATS ARE THE ONES YOU SHOULD LIMIT, AS THEY INCREASE CHOLESTEROL IN THE BLOOD, AND ITS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE.THE MAIN SOURCES OF SATURATED FAT ARE ANIMAL PRODUCTS SUCH AS DAIRY PRODUCTS AND MEAT,BUT ALSO HARD FATS AND HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE FAT OR OIL.

POLYUNSTURATED FATS ARE ESSENTIAL IN SMALL QUANTITIES FOR GOOD HEALTH, AND ARE THOUGHT TO HELP REDUCE THE CHOLESTEROLE IN THE BLOOD.THERE IS ALSO SOME EVIDENCE THAT MONOUNSATURATED HAVE A BENEFITS EFFECT.THE MAIN SOURCES OF POLYUNSTURATES ARE VEGETABLE OILS SUCH AS SUNFLOWER ,CORN AND SOYA,AND OILY FISH SUCH AS HERRINGS,MACKEREL,PILCHARDS,SARDINES AND TROUT.

SOURCES OF MONOUNSTURATED FATS INCLUDE OLIVE, RAPESEED AND GROUNDNUT OILS, AS WELL AS AVOCADOES AND MANY NUTS.

CUTTING DOWN ON CHOLESTEROL?

CHOLESTEROL IS A SUBSTANCE WHICH OCCURS NATURALLY IN THE BLOOD, AND IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FORMATION OF HORMONES, BODY CELLS, NERVES AND BILE SALTS WHICH HELP DIGESTION.

A HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVEL CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE,AS IT BECOMES DEPOSITED ON THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES ,CAUSING THEM TO FUR UP.THE MAIN CAUSE OF RAISED CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IS EATING TOO MUCH FAT,ESPECIALLY SATURATED FAT .EATING TOO MUCH SATURATED FAT ENCOURAGES THE BODY TO MAKE MORE CHOLESTEROL THAN IT NEEDS,AND ALSO SEEMS TO PREVENT IT GETTING RID OF THE EXCESS.

THE CHOLESTEROL FOUND IN FOODS SUCH AS EGG YOLK,OFFAL,CHEESE,BUTTER AND SHELLFISH DOES NOT HAVE A MAJOR EFFECT ON THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD CHOLESTEROL IN MOST PEOPLE,BUT IT IS BEST NOT TO EAT LARGE QUANTITIES OF THESE FOODS TOO OFTEN.

FRESH APPROACH

WHEN YOU ARE SHOPPING FOR LOW FAT FOODS, CHOOSE FRESH SEASONAL VEGETABLES AND COOK THEM WITHOUT ADDED FAT.SALADS ARE A GOOD ACCOMPANIMENT TOO, JUST USE A POLYUNSATURATED OR MONOUNSATURATED OIL FOR THE DRESSING .FRESH FRUITS ARE THE PERFECT ENDING TO A LOW FAT MEAL IF YOU HAVEN’T TIME TO COOK –EAT THEM EITHER RAW IN A SALAD OR POACH IN FRUIT JUICE AND SERVE HOT WITH YOGURT.

THAI FOOD RECIPE Salads and vegetables

Unlike The generally uninspiring ‘side dishes’of western cuisines,thai salad are significant part of most meals and,indeed,when slices of meat and various sea foods are included,they may well be served as a main course.

To the thai cook who take such pride in presenting meals that are as appealing to look at as they are to eat,the preparation of a salad offers the very best opportunity of achiving these dual objectives.certainly the sight of a colourful ,multy textured plate of freshly picked vegetables,aromatic herbs ,flavourful leaves and exotic fruits-all chopped ,sliced,spiced,blended and topped with a choice of crused roasted peanuts,crispy fried shallots and and garlic,various shredded leaves and strips of red and green chili should excite the gastronomic juices of even the most blasé international gourmet.

Vegetables are often included in soups or cooked together with fish,poultryor meat but are less frequently served as a dish apart.they may be stir fried ,steamed or boiled but the cooking time is always minimal in order that flavour,texture and “original goodness” are all retained.

Yaam som o (pomelo salad)

1 ripe pomelo

150gm cooked shrimps

75 gm roasted pork

2 tb fresh lime juice

2 tbs fish sauce

2tbs chili jam

2 tbs palm sugar

2 tbs roasted greated coconut

175 ml coconut cream

Sweet basil  leaves

Method

Peel the pomelo and shred the flesh.shell and de-vein the shrimps.

Mince half the shrimps and chop the pork.place the lime juice ,fish sauce ,chili jam and sugar in a bowl and stir to mix.then add the minced shrimps,greated coconut ,pork,and coconut cream and continue stirring until blended .add the fruit and toss to coat throughly.trasfer to a serving plate ,arrange the remaning shrimps around the side and garnish with sweet basil leaves.

Salads

Waldorf salad 

Ingredients

1 green apple diced

2 red apples diced

1 tbs lemon juice

1 cup diced celery

1 cup seedless grapes, halved

¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise

¼ cup whipping cream

 ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Method

Combine lemon juice, apples, celery and grapes .Toss well .combine mayonnaise and cream ,pour over apple mixture.mix well .refrigerate .just before serving add walnuts and toss to mix.