Tag: fat

The Lemon/Chocolate Experiment: Day 1



I started my “Lemon Chocolate Experiment” a little more than 24 hours ago. So far, so good. I even noticed some ‘results’, be they psychological or not.

First let me clarify what I am doing and why. Every morning upon waking, I drink a cup of warm water with the juice of ¼ lemon. I don’t consume anything else for at least half an hour. Then later in the day or evening, I consume 1 oz. of organic dark chocolate. Why am I doing this? I’m constantly seeing articles about new health fads: the quinoa diet, the coconut oil diet, etc. Two that consistently pop up are the lemon water thing and the dark chocolate. I’ve researched both, and both seem to have some legit scientific backing.

The supposed benefits of the lemon water include: weight loss, improved digestion, boosts immune system, balances pH (reduces acidity in your body), clears your skin, acts as a diuretic, relieves respiratory problems, freshens breath, reduces stress, helps kick the coffee habit, hydrates the lymph system, boosts energy, flushes toxins from your liver and kidneys, suppresses appetite, reduces cellulite (because it increases blood flow to the skin and helps your body flush out waste), boosts your body’s ability to metabolize fat, and lowers your risk for heart disease, strokes, cataracts and gout because of the high amount of vitamin C. With all those claims, how could you NOT want to try it?!

I started out with ¼ lemon in one cup of water. I think by the weekend I will up it to ½ a lemon since it’s not as sour tasting as I thought it would be. And right now, I’m only doing it in the morning. The recommendation is if you weigh less than 150 pounds, squeeze the juice of one half a lemon (one ounce) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (one whole lemon a day.) If you weigh over 150 pounds, squeeze the juice out of an entire lemon (two ounces) into a glass of purified water and drink this mixture twice a day (two whole lemons a day.) The lemon juice can be diluted more according to taste.

I actually find that I’m looking forward to my lemon water when I wake up. It’s refreshing, and makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my body. I’ve found that I make better food choices during the day. I’m sure this is all psychological. And hey, it’s only been a little over a day.

On to the chocolate. There are many more articles out there about the benefits of eating dark chocolate. And the claims are just as numerous. They include weight loss, improved heart health, improved cognitive function, helps control blood sugar, has antioxidants (even more than the ‘superfruits’ acai, pomegranate, cranberry, and blueberry) which help fight free radicals, contains theobromine which helps harden tooth enamel, has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol, stimulates endorphin production, contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant and even has cancer fighting abilities. Like I needed an excuse to eat chocolate in the first place?! BUT it must be noted that none of this applies to milk chocolate, white chocolate or even some of the lame dark chocolate. These claims apply only to dark chocolate with high cacao (65% or greater) and low sugar levels.

But what about the fat in chocolate? Some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

•Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
•Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
•Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is ‘bad’ for you.

I chose Endangered Species Chocolate for my experiment. I chose this brand because I like their ingredients (low sugar, high cacao content), it’s reasonably priced, part of the line is organic, they donate to animal causes/conservation efforts, oh and it tastes good. I decided for this experiment I would eat 1 oz a day. It was hard to find a recommendation for how much to eat a day, but 1 oz seemed reasonable. The big ESC bars are 3 oz, so this made it easy for me to divide it into thirds. The nutrition content for 1 oz. breaks down as follows:

Calories: 140 Total Fat: 12 (saturated 7.3, trans 0) Cholesterol: 0 Sodium: 0
Total Carbs: 14 (dietary fiber 3.3, sugars 8 ) Protein: 1

This is not something that was gonna kill my diet. The first day I made the mistake of leaving the chocolate bar on my desk all day. There it was. Staring at me. Saying “eat me!!”. Or maybe that was the PMS talking (sorry, TMI). I finally put it into my work bag and didn’t think about it again until later that night. My boyfriend HAS to eat some kind of dessert every night. And he never gains weight. It’s so frustrating. So last night as he was looking to devour a quarter of a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, I grabbed my chocolate bar and started gnawing on it. I’m a fan of dark chocolate to begin with, so the slight bitterness is okay with me. The fact that it doesn’t have a lot of sugar, oils or other gooey junk that instantly melts in your mouth means it takes longer to chew….longer to savour. You spend more time eating an ounce of dark chocolate than you would popping three Hershey’s Kisses into your mouth. It’s an experience. I finished my last delicious bite just as he was finishing his last bite of the giant cake wedge. And I felt satisfied. I didn’t feel slighted or cheated because I didn’t have the cake. I felt GOOD. I had eaten my dessert, enjoyed it, and didn’t feel bloated or guilty. I could get used to this! In summary, the dark chocolate made me avoid making a poor food choice, gave me an enjoyable dessert experience, and had a positive impact on my mood. To me, it was a win-win.

Let’s see what happens over the next 29 days…..

Summer – Sexy & Smoothies

Smoothie
Smoothie

Summer means shorts, bikinis and generally showing more skin. I’m overly conscious about my weight all year, but it’s less practical to cover up with an oversized sweatshirt in the summer. So this time of year I really try to watch what I eat and improve my diet (ironically as I write this, an employee comes in and puts a chocolate cupcake on my desk….*sigh*). Smoothies are a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Protein smoothies derived from natural sources are an excellent component of wholesome eating.

Fruit and veggie smoothies are easy. You can pretty much throw any appealing combination of them into a blender with some ice and you have an instant tasty treat. Fruits are a natural source of energy. They also provide vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. The antioxidants in fresh fruits help combat pollutants and harmful substances in the body. Adding fruits to your drinks and smoothies is a great way to boost your energy levels and help your body get rid of toxins. Fruits are also rich in many vitamins such as C, E, A and B-complex.

I personally find that protein smoothies sustain me longer and can make a healthy meal substitute. Protein sources can be any kind of nut butter (all natural – no added hydrogenated oils or sugar), whey protein, tofu, tahini (especially for folks on a raw diet) and yogurt.

And try adding wheat germ or ground flax seed to your smoothies. They contain essential fatty acids that are good for the heart. They also provide dietary fiber to help the body flush out toxins and prevent colon cancer and digestive problems. Vitamin E in wheat germ and flax seed nourishes and rejuvenates the skin. Healthy omega-3 fatty acids in these foods help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

If you feel the need to splurge, you can make a dessert smoothie without sabotaging your diet. A base of either ice cream or sherbet can make a smoothie go from delicious to decadent.

Melissa’s Favorite Smoothie – I usually make this for breakfast and it keeps me feeling full all morning
1 ripe banana
1 T. natural peanut butter
1 c. milk
1 scoop protein powder (optional)
4 ice cubes

Shove it all in a blender and blend until smooth. If you need a chocolate fix, add a squirt of Hershey’s syrup before blending.
The Wrinkle Fighter – This berry-based beautifier will get a thumbs-up from your dermatologist for its skin-smoothing combo: anti-aging vitamin E from wheat germ, sun-damage- fighting omega-3 fatty acids from flax seed, and vitamin C from berries. Vitamin C is essential for making collagen, tissue that literally holds your skin together and reduces the appearance of fine lines. Plus, the oleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fat) in avocado has been linked to reducing wrinkles. (courtesy of Women’s Health)

1 c blueberries
1 c pitted cherries
1/2 c strawberries, hulled
1/4 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt
1 c ice

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 153 cal, 5.6 g fat(1 g sat), 23 g carbs, 35 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein

The Immunity Builder – Loaded with boosters like beta-carotene and vitamin C from mango, cantaloupe, and pineapple, this smoothie primes your infection-fighting army for action. Vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells and antibodies. Finally, the duo of almonds and almond milk delivers plenty of defense-fortifying zinc. (courtesy of Women’s Health)

1 c peeled, pitted, cubed mango
1 c chopped cantaloupe
1/2 c cubed pineapple, fresh or canned
1/3 c ground almonds
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1 c ice

Garnish with sliced almonds after blending.

Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 150 cal, 6.8 g fat (0.5 g sat), 22 g carbs, 41 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein

Detox Smoothie – This recipe is definite to cleanse your liver and flush out the toxins in the bowel and bladder, leaving you feeling rejuvenated.

1 cup papaya (not too ripe) cubed
1 cup watermelon, deseed and cubed
1/2 cup beetroot juice
1 tablespoon of spirulina

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Adult Indulgence Smoothie – Banana Colada (sometimes you just want a fun smoothie)

2 ripe bananas, mashed
4 fluid ounces cream of coconut
6 fluid ounces rum
4 fluid ounces banana liqueur
3 cups crushed ice

In a blender, combine bananas, cream of coconut, rum, banana liqueur and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.