Tuesday, June 16, 2015

I believe that food is medicine and you can heal yourself by choosing the food you eat.. Listen to your body, your cravings, what are they telling you?

Lately I have been craving shrimp at least once a day. Now I pay attention when my body is trying to tell me something. I just eat what I crave and I stay abundantly healthy. Now shrimp is one of the healthiest foods we could eat. Spicy Asian Shrimp Spice up your meal and spice up your health with this Asian shrimp recipe. This nutrient-rich dish contains over 40% of the daily value for selenium, vitamin C, protein, and vitamin D. It's another delicious meal that you can enjoy on our The Healthiest Way of Eating Plan. Spicy Asian Shrimp Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 lb medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 TBS + 1 TBS fresh lemon juice Sea salt and pepper to taste 3 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 2 medium garlic cloves 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 1/4 cup orange juice 1 TBS minced fresh ginger 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil Directions: Chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting properties. Peel and devein shrimp. Rub shrimp with 2 TBS lemon juice, salt and pepper. Heat 3 TBS broth over medium-low heat in a stainless steel skillet. When broth begins to steam, add shrimp, red pepper flakes, orange juice, and ginger and sauté. Stir frequently. After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp over and add garlic. Sauté until shrimp are pink and opaque throughout (approximately 3 minutes). Shrimp cook quickly, so watch your cooking time. They become tough if overcooked. Dress with the extra virgin olive oil and the remaining 1 TBS lemon juice.Health Benefits CANTONESE FRIED SHRIMP 1/4 c. flour 3/4 c. cornstarch plus 1/2 c. for dredging 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. soy sauce 3 eggs 2-4 tbsp. cold water, as needed Vegetable oil, for frying 12 lg. shrimp, peeled and deveined In a bowl or blender, combine flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, and eggs. Blend until smooth, adding cold water as necessary to make a smooth, medium-thick batter. In a deep saucepan, place enough oil to come 2-inches up the side of the pan. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Lightly dredge shrimp with cornstarch, then dip in batter and drop into the hot oil. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, turning once. Shrimp should be lightly golden. Drain on paper towels. Makes 12 shrimp. Per serving (1 shrimp) : 161 calories, 10 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, 133 milligrams cholesterol, 307 milligrams sodium. Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Support We don't usually think about seafood as a source of antioxidants, but shrimp features at least three unique antioxidants in its nutrient composition: the xanthophyll carotenoid called astaxanthin, and the minerals selenium and copper. One of the simplest ways I prepare shrimp is to put it on the shelves of my rice cooker. I put the shrimp in the vegetable and some rice they all steam done in about 7 or 8 min. So simple no oil involved. Shrimp is one of my favorite foods. It is low calorie, plus read all this below you just won't believe how healthy it is for you. We don't usually think about seafood as a source of antioxidants, but shrimp features at least three unique antioxidants in its nutrient composition: the xanthophyll carotenoid called astaxanthin, and the minerals selenium and copper. I have some nerve damage going on and Shrimp is one of the foods that heal nerve damage but I did not realize that until I started reading about my cravings. I just knew I was craving it and I love shrimp. Nerve damage occurs when the myelin sheath that covers and protects nerves—much like the rubber encasing surrounding electrical wires—deteriorates. The nerves misfire, triggering other nerve cells, which in turn contribute to further excessive nerve cell activity. Vitamin B12 foods can help heal damaged nerves. Foods with vitamin B12 contribute to the repair and maintenance of nerve cells, and particularly the myelin sheath. Foods that contain high levels of vitamin B12 include calf’s liver, sardines, snapper, venison, Chinook salmon, lean beef tenderloin, lamb loin, scallops, shrimp and halibut, Astaxanthin Astaxanthin is the primary color pigment in many shrimp, and it helps provide their tissue with its red and orange shades. While many reddish-orange foods get their color from other carotenoids (or from flavonoids), shrimp are especially concentrated in this one particular type of carotenoid. (Astaxanthin often accounts for at least two-thirds of all carotenoids in shrimp.) It is possible for a 4-ounce serving of shrimp to contain 1-4 milligrams of astaxanthin. In animal studies, astaxanthin has been shown to provide antioxidant support to both the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. In addition, some animal studies have shown decreased risk of colon cancer to be associated with astaxanthin intake, as well as decreased risk of certain diabetes-related problems. Under natural conditions, shrimp get astaxanthin through their diet, by consuming smaller organisms that contain this carotenoid, including algae and zooplankton. When farmed, the astaxanthin content of shrimp depends on the composition of their feed. Both synthetic forms of astaxanthin and naturally occurring forms of astaxanthin have been used in shrimp farming, and the use of synthetic astaxanthin remains a topic of ongoing controversy. In general, when purchasing farmed shrimp, we believe that it makes sense to select shrimp that have consumed natural and plentiful amounts of astaxanthin from natural dietary sources including marine algae and zooplankton. I try and buy wild shrimp if I can however, price sometimes effects whether I can buy wild shrimp or not. Selenium and Copper In the world of antioxidants, few enzymes are more important in our body than glutathione peroxidase (GPO). GPO helps protect most of our body systems from unwanted damage by oxygen-containing molecules. It is critical in body systems like the lungs, where exposure to these molecules is especially high. GPO is an enzyme that cannot function without the mineral selenium. At 45 micrograms in every 4 ounces, shrimp is an excellent source of this antioxidant mineral. Shrimp is not only rich in selenium; research studies show that the selenium found in shrimp can be well-absorbed into the human body. In one study, we've seen an estimate of about 80-85% for total selenium absorption from this shellfish. In addition to risk of problems involving lung function, selenium deficiency has been shown to increase our risk of heart failure and other forms of cardiovascular disease, as well as for other problems including type 2 diabetes, compromised cognitive function, and depression. Copper is also classified as an antioxidant mineral, and one of its key roles in our health is related to the function of an enzyme called copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD is found in the major fluid compartment of our cells (called the cytosol) and it is known to play a major role in regulation of oxygen metabolism and prevention of oxidative stress. Shrimp is our only fish at WHFoods to qualify as a "very good" source of copper in our rating system and it stands out in this respect as a source of antioxidant minerals. Not be overlooked, of course, is the fact that we also rank shrimp as a good source of zinc—the second mineral required for effective SOD function. Protein and Peptide Support At nearly 26 grams per 4-ounce serving, shrimp ranks as a very good source of protein at WHFoods, and provides over half of the Daily Value (DV) in each serving. In fact, among all WHFoods, shrimp ranks as our 8th best source of protein. The protein richness of shrimp is one of the reasons this shellfish is relied on in so many different culinary traditions. When the protein in fish (or any other food) is broken down during digestion, smaller protein fragments called peptides are formed. (Peptides are chains of amino acids. Proteins are too, but they are longer chains and more complicated in their structure.) Some relatively short peptides—consisting of only 10-25 amino acids—have been found to be present in partially digested shrimp proteins and appear able to stimulate release of the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) from cells that line our intestinal tract. Release of CCK is important for many reasons, including the role of CCK in regulating appetite. Our feeling of satiety (lack of appetite) is partly related to the levels of CCK in our digestive tract. By helping trigger release of CCK, shrimp peptides may play a role in helping us feel full. In the long run, this feeling of satiety may also be an advantage in helping to decrease our risk of obesity. Research on shrimp peptides and satiety is in its early stage, and largely limited to animal studies at this point. But we expect to see increasing interest in this area of shrimp and health. Other Health Benefits At only 7 calories per shrimp, we can eat a relatively large amount of this shellfish without using up too many of our daily calories. For example, a person eating 1,800 calories per day could consume 20 shrimp and only be "spending" about 8% of his or her daily calories. This very low calorie cost would not be so remarkable if it were not for the fact that shrimp provides us with significant amounts of so many nutrients. We usually have to eat foods with a far greater calorie content to get the nutrient richness provided by shrimp. For example, those same 20 shrimp that provide us with about 140 calories also provide us with 25 grams of protein or 50% of the Daily Value (DV).They also provide nearly 2 micrograms of vitamin B12—over 80% of the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) level for adults. When this nutrient richness list for shrimp is continued across the list of other vitamins and minerals provided by this fish, it becomes striking how much nourishment can be provided by shrimp for less than 10% of a total day's calories. Description It would be difficult to find a whole food Food with greater diversity than shrimp. While we are accustomed to thinking about foods like Potaoes as having a wide variety of types, there are hundreds of commercially important shrimp species and literally thousands of total species worldwide. Yet, there is no relationship between the species of a shrimp and its color. You can find pink, red, white, brown, blue, and green shrimp, but within each of these color categories can be found a wide variety of shrimp species. No less diverse are the habitats of shrimp. These remarkable crustaceans can live in freshwater, saltwater, brackish water, or a combination of habitats. (Brackish water—also sometimes called briny water—is simply water that falls in between freshwater and saltwater. It is more salty than freshwater and less salty than saltwater.) In terms of saltwater habitats, the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans serve as the top three saltwater habitats for shrimp. Added to this unusual diversity of habitats is the tendency of some researchers to group shrimp together based on the average water temperature of their environment. Warm-water shrimp come from tropical waters in southern parts of the world, and cold-water shrimp come from colder northern waters Judi Singleton is a free lance writer who writes on a variety of subjects is her 20+ blogs, you can advertise in her blogs for only $5. per week per blog, mix and match.

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