Skipping breakfast may be bad for your heart, doctors say

Planning meals and snacks in advance and eating breakfast every day may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, new guidelines from U.S. doctors say.

Eating more calories earlier in the day and consuming less food at night may also reduce the odds of a heart attack, stroke or other cardiac or blood vessel diseases, according to the scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

"When we eat may be important to consider, in addition to what we eat," said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, chair of the group that wrote the guidelines and a nutrition researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

As many as 30 percent of U.S. adults may routinely skip breakfast, a habit that has become more common in recent years as more people snack throughout the day instead of sitting down for three traditional meals, St-Onge and colleagues note in the journal Circulation.

When people do eat breakfast daily, they're less likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease like high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. And people who skip this morning meal are more likely to have risk factors like obesity, poor nutrition and diabetes or high blood sugar.

That's because meal timing may affect health by impacting the body's internal clock. We may not process sugars as well at night as we do during the day, and studies of shift workers have linked this schedule with a greater risk of obesity and heart disease than a typical day job, St-Onge said by email.

"We know from population studies that eating breakfast is related to lower weight and healthier diet, along with lower risk of cardiovascular disease," St-Onge said.

"However, interventions to increase breakfast consumption in those who typically skip breakfast do not support a strong causal role of this meal for weight management, in particular," St-Onge cautioned. "Adding breakfast, for some, leads to an additional meal and weight gain."

It's possible that some people who add breakfast aren't eating the right things or cutting back on what they eat later in the day, resulting in more calories but not necessarily good nutrition.

A healthy diet is heavy on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry and fish, according to the guidelines. Eating well also means limiting red meat, salt and foods high in added sugars.

Plotting out what to eat ahead of time, especially for busy people who eat on the go, can help create a diet that's better for heart health, St-Onge said.

"Planning ahead and making healthy, carry-on foods is important," St-Onge suggested. "This could be a homemade smoothie or whole grain muffin or cereal bar for breakfast; packing a sandwich or leftovers for those times when time is tight."

Advance thought can also help people eat the right amount of food throughout the day and eat at the right time, said Samantha Heller, a nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center who wasn’t involved in the guidelines.

"The 'eating several small meals' during the day advice that we commonly hear is unrealistic for most people because the 'small' meals often turn into meal-sized meals and weight gain is inevitable," Heller said by email.

"Another booby trap for overeating is after dinner," Heller added. "Night time eating is quite common and an easy way to add unnecessary calories and pack on the pounds over time because people snack when in front of TV, computer and tablet screens."

Heller’s advice: "Once dinner is finished, the kitchen should be closed. If your schedule is crazy and you cannot get to dinner until later in the evening, then eat light at night."

SOURCE: bit.ly/2jznKZG Circulation, online January 30, 2017.

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No sweat: Indian food made accessible for Pinoys

MANILA -- While Legend of India has been in the restaurant business for several years now, we recently visited this Jupiter Street, Makati veteran, which has managed to stay relevant despite its snazzier competitors.

We started the meal with the ever-popular samosas, which had pastry that was flaky and crispy, with a generous amount of vegetable filling, which went really well with the accompanying mint sauce.

In between bites of this potato-filled treat, meat on sticks -- Mutton Seekh Kebab and Chicken Malai Tikka -- arrived at the table, with a siding of onion rings. Both best-sellers for a reason, both meats were tender—and infused with spices such as cloves, cinnamon and the like.

Legend of India is famous for its humble street food offerings. If you’re looking for a quick snack or a light meal, gorge on these wonderful “puri” dishes. Puri, a type of deep-fried Indian bread that looks like a small hollow crispy ball, has an iteration called the Dahi Puri. Inside the ball was potato, boondi (fried graham flour), yogurt (for that burst of acid) and tamarind chutney (for a sweet-sour taste). One has to eat it in one go with guaranteed explosions of flavor in one’s mouth, each and every time.

 Pani Puri, meanwhile, has the same spiced potato filling, with the addition of cilantro, and the “pani,” a spicy, sour, salty “broth-like” dipping sauce, where one dunks the puri, filling the hollow ball with most of the liquid. It was finger-licking good.

Another fun dish was the Masala Dosa, which tastes a bit Thai-inspired instead of Indian. This is a crepe stuffed with potato and served alongside coconut chutney and samber, a sauce using a South Indian spice mix.

One can also opt to go more traditional with Indian breads like the chaapati and garlic naan, which can be dipped and mixed with any of its dishes.

 

Vegetarians have several options here such as the green and creamy Palak Paneer (cottage cheese and spinach), the savory and filling Dhal Tarka (yellow lentils), or the Dhal Makhni (black lentils), a table favorite with its creamy buttery texture — perfect with a warm chaapati.

Meat lovers, meanwhile, can order the Rogan Josh, a curry mutton dish that's spicy and rich.

 

Those who are new to Indian cuisine can try the Butter Chicken -- aromatic, buttery gravy with just the barest hint of spice, on top of steamed basmati rice or biryani.

If one is feeling extra adventurous, the Chicken Vindaloo (chicken with potatoes, tomatoes and chilli in a spicy gravy) will have you eating fast, as the heat slowly creeps in.

If the heat gets too much, there’s always a lassi on hand to quench your thirst. Take your pick between the classic Rose Lassi, or the Mango Lassi, both refreshing to overheated palates.

Another way to quench your tastebuds is to proceed with dessert. The Legend of India prides itself with its traditional sweets and treats. In fact, some of the desserts are only made for special occasions or by order. Luckily, the desserts that were served to us were said to be always available.

First up was the Ras Malai, little balls of cheese languidly soaking in saffron milk. Soft and springy, they have their own unique texture—almost like soaked bread -- especially appealing for those not looking for something overly sweet.

Dessert shaped like balls might be a thing in India, as another round sweet was served: the Gulab Jamun or deep-fried milk balls coated with a thick syrup. Think of it as an Indian donut soaked in a rosewater infused syrup. Pop one in your mouth and cool off any spiciness in your palate.

Last but not the least was the table favorite: the Kulfi, which is Indian ice cream made without churning and flavored with rosewater and nuts. Creamy and rich, this is a delightful way to end any meal.

Legend of India may not win points in ambiance especially compared to its Jupiter neighbors. It does, however, make Indian food more accessible and less intimidating, giving diners a nice avenue to start (or revisit) an Indian adventure.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

LOOK: A traditional Korean meal

Here’s a meal that even Koreans don’t get to enjoy on a regular basis.

At the fringes of Gangneung in Gangwon-do in South Korea is a 300-year-old house turned into a restaurant called Seojichogaddeul, which is known for serving traditional set meals.

It has become a beloved spot for both locals and tourists who wish to have a taste of authentic Korean dishes, just as how they were enjoyed back in the day.

Not even water is served here – instead, guests are given a bowl of rice water to be shared by pouring into teacups. And we’re not talking about the sweetened kind – or sikhye – just ordinary rice water.

Mrs. Choi, the owner, lives in the house right next to Seojichogaddeul. She prepared a special lunch for ABS-CBNnews.com and selected media and bloggers as part of a familiarization tour organized by the Korea Tourism Organization, Gyeonggi-do Tourism Organization, Gangwon-do Provincial Government and AirAsia Philippines.

View the slideshow to get a glimpse of Seojichogaddeul and the dishes served in a traditional Korean meal.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com