Make it Brown Rice instead

So I woke up this am all excited about heading home soon. And then I started thinking about the way my eating has changed and how I apply the nutrition I know to my own life. Today I will say a little about brown rice. There is a push on a global scale to encourage the consumption of whole grains, this group of foods are beneficial for colon health, keeping cholesterol in check, heart health, and helping to keep you feeling full longer when compared to refined carbohydrates. So brown rice is one way to introduce whole grains into your diet and benefit form all the good it has to offer. I often hear persons who have been eating white rice all their lives tell me they cannot eat or do not like brown rice. Some of the complaints; it takes too long to cook, it does not taste good, it is tough. So although there might be some truth here any change we want to make especially where eating is concerned may take some getting used to, yes we may have to acquire the taste. So my suggestions are instead of using water use low sodium broth (vegetable, chicken or beef) or if you have created a home made version use it to cook your brown rice it will pack those small wholesome grains with plenty flavor. Yes brown rice does take a little longer to prepare so here is a tip turn up the heat very high making the pot boil rapidly once half of the liquid has reduced go ahead and turn the heat down to low and allow rice to complete cooking.Small changes can have a lasting effect so maybe introducing small portions at a time will make the change stick. So go ahead pick up a bag of brown rice and add it to this weeks menu, your body will thank you. di june plum

Fibre/Fiber

No matter how we spell it we should be eating more of it. Yesterday I had a look at what happens to a colon when the fibre/fiber intake is not what it should be and it motivated me to write this post. Here are some ways we can increase our consumption of this essential nutrient. Fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are a great place to start. Let's eat the fruit instead of drinking the juice, keep it interesting many of the vegetables we eat cooked can be eaten raw (broccoli, green beans/string beans, cauliflower, zucchini). Mix it up more color is great reds, purples, greens, yellows, whites, oranges your imagination is the limit. Get out of the 'rut' maybe it has always been lettuce, tomatoes, sweet peas and carrots there is so much more to chose from make an effort to look for one new fruit or a new vegetable every grocery day it may surprise you what you find). Legumes are also a group of foods that can add character to some dishes you may have been cooking for years. I just recently tasted and fell in love with black eye peas now I even cook them. You can eliminate meat/reduce the amount of meat used in some dishes and add peas and or beans there is also a wonderful variety there to chose form as well. So lets start today your colon will thank you later!

A great tool to check out is Meatless Mondays a Worldwide movement started to encourage us to eliminate meat form out diets one day per week. Check out the website here.