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Posts with tag cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar: Fight it, don't bite it

Posted: Jul 10th 2008 8:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, General Health, Healthy Kids

This morning, my kids asked for cinnamon toast. So I made it for them. I used whole wheat bread, light butter with Canola oil, and a few sprinkles of McCormick's cinnamon sugar. My kids gobbled it down, which makes me happy for whole wheat purposes. My husband tends to think the rest of the equation -- the butter and cinnamon sugar -- is crap. I argued with him a bit, not trying to convince him butter and cinnamon sugar are good for our kids, just to let him know that our kids eat pretty darn healthy most days and there are far worse foods they could have ingested, with far more crap packed into them. Then I questioned myself. Then I did some research.

Hungry Girl says in one of her Chew the Right Thing posts that cinnamon sugar is something we ought to fight, not bite. Now she's speaking mostly to us grown-up calorie-counting folks and not to the kids of the world, but here's what she says: "McCormick's Cinnamon Sugar has only 15 calories per teaspoon. So why are we telling you to 'fight it!'? Well, we just don't see why anyone should waste any calories at all on this sweet spice when there is a just-as-good no-cal version available. After all, when you're watching your weight, every single calorie counts. Fifteen calories here, 30 there, another 40 here ... it can all add up." HG doesn't mention sugar in her opinion but clearly, there's sugar in cinnamon sugar.

So what does the Hungry Girl suggest? San Sucre Cinnamon Sugar. It uses Splenda and makes a great sugarless cinnamon sugar blend, she says. No calories in this goodie either. HG's final piece of advice: "Cinnamon helps keep blood sugar levels low, so sprinkle away!"

Continue reading Cinnamon Sugar: Fight it, don't bite it

You Are What You Eat: A Super Food run-down

Posted: Apr 1st 2008 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, General Health, Health in the Media, You Are What You Eat

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Sunday's Parade magazine lists some Super Foods we ought to embrace. Each one is packed with nutrients. And flavor too. Can't beat that combo. Check out these six.

Coconut Milk
Coconuts are rich and saturated in fat. Sound scary? It shouldn't. The people in the South Pacific enjoy diets loaded with coconut oil, yet studies show that these people don't get heart disease. U.S. researchers are hot on the trail of this interesting fact, hoping to support the claim that the fatty coconut is a heart-healthy fruit. What they do know is this: Coconut flakes, coconut milk and cream, and coconut oil contain lots of an antiviral, antibacterial fatty acid called lauric acid. It's one of the immune-boosters babies get from breast milk.

Try this: Mix a can of coconut milk with a pint of chicken stock and some grated ginger for a healthy coconut chicken soup.

Grass-Fed Beef
All beef is a great source of iron, B vitamins, and zinc -- three nutrients most of us don't get enough of. But grass-fed beef (versus grain-fed beef) is best. It contains less fat, less saturated fat, more CLA (an anti-cancer fat), and more omega-3 fatty acids.

Try this: Use the very lean grass-fed beef for spaghetti sauce, chili, and meatloaf.

Nuts

Rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and antioxidants, moderate amounts of almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts are a good addition to a healthy diet. Walnuts too. They are one of the best vegetarian sources of the omega-3 fatty acids that fight obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Try this: Put nuts in a blender with a little olive oil, milk or water for fresh nut butter.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon regulates blood sugar, inhibits cancer cells, and is anti-inflammatory. Can't beat that.

Try this: Sprinkle cinnamon on French toast, oatmeal, or a cup of hot chocolate.

Raw Honey & Molasses

Great for a sweet tooth, these whole and natural sweeteners make for a healthy sugar substitute. Unfiltered, raw honey contains lots of phytonutrients and enzymes to aid digestion. Blackstrap molasses is a surprisingly good source of iron and many other minerals.

Try this: Honey is best unheated but molasses already has been boiled, so there's no reason not to cook with it. Use with baked goods like muffins and pumpkin pie.

Olive Oil
Olive oil's monounsaturated fats reduce inflammation. Its phenols fight cancer. And its vitamin E lowers the risk of heart disease, protects skin from damaging agents, and prevents nerve damage.

Try this: Gently sauté vegetables in olive oil, drizzle it on salads, or use it in pesto.

Sweet!

Posted: Feb 5th 2008 7:11AM by Chris Sparling
Filed under: Fitness, Food and Nutrition, General Health

Something sweet? Yeah, that would be nice. But chocolate is a bit too much, save for maybe dark chocolate. Sugar-laden treats like Nerds and Gummy Worms, though delicious, will throw blood sugars into a tailspin, subsequently leading to weight gain. Okay, what about sugar substitutes, like Equal or Splenda? Always a viable option, but many people don't like the idea of using chemical substitutes. So, where does that leave us? And how do we satisfy that sweets craving?

The answer: Cinnamon.

The positive effect that cinnamon appears to have on blood sugars has been a topic of discussion on blogs, forums and medical medical magazines for quite some time now. All reports of using cinnamon have been good thus far, but the evidence supporting its actual benefits for people with diabetes has been somewhat scarce. However, in a study out of the USDA's Human Nutrition Research Center, researchers found that cinnamon seems to make insulin more efficient at taking glucose out of blood and converting it to fuel for your body.

Continue reading Sweet!

Life Fit with Laura Lewis: Scents of the season

Posted: Dec 11th 2007 6:00AM by Laura Lewis
Filed under: Life Fit with Laura Lewis

Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.

There is a certain smell to the holiday season ... cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. The holidays are most definitely a feast for the senses. From yummy spice wine and peppermint spiced cocoa, to delicious potpourri simmering on the stove top, this time of year is packed full of nostalgic aromas.

This week we will take a peek into the natural healing applications of these delicious spices, as well as some tidbits on how to incorporate them into your holiday cuisine.

Let's start with cinnamon. Cinnamon is derived from the aromatic bark of a tropical evergreen tree called the Zeylancium originally found in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). The spice is cultivated from the dried inner bark and can be purchased in rolled quills, in broken pieces called quillings or as a powder. Because this spice is so powerful it should only be consumed in the aforementioned forms. The bark of the cinnamon tree does produce an essential oil, but this oil is so powerful it can be toxic if consumed in this highly concentrated form. Only use the essential oil under the direction of a highly trained and certified aromatherapist or naturopathic physician.

The cinnamon spice--the variety purchased at your local super market--offers many surprising health benefits. Did you know that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day can significantly reduce blood sugar levels in people with type II diabetes? Cinnamon also supports digestive functions, which makes it a create addition to your morning oatmeal. This spice constricts and tones bodily tissues, relieves digestive congestion, pain and stiffness from muscles and joints and also relieves menstrual discomfort. Cinnamon's anti-inflammatory compounds can aid in reducing pain caused by arthritis. And, this powerfully healing spice also assists in killing the E. coli bacteria and other bacteria that can cause illness. Cinnamon is also a powerful agent in fighting candida.

In ancient times, cinnamon was so highly regarded, due to its medicinal properties, that it was considered to be more precious than gold. Ancient Egyptians used the spice during the embalming process. And like today, cinnamon was often used to flavor drinks.

In the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, cinnamon is used to flavor traditional, non-sweet dishes, but elsewhere is more often used in desserts and specialty beverages ... such as my favorite Cinnamon Spice Latte for Starbucks! Cinnamon can be added to potpourri, incense and is even a popular male aphrodisiac! Oils from the Zeylancium berries are often used to add fragrance to candles.

Enjoy this wonderful recipe along with 25 tips for using cinnamon!
Homemade Granola
  • 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • .5 cuo of sunflower seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • .25 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • .25 cup of butter
  • .5 cu toasted wheat germ
  • .25 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 cup raisins
  • .25 cup honey
  • .5 cup dried fruit bits of your choice
On a large cookie sheet with sides, combine the oatmeal, sunflower seeds and coconut; mix well and spread out evenly. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes stirring several times. While the oatmeal mixture is baking, in a small saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is combines; remove from heat. Remove cookie sheet from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Add wheat germ to oatmeal mixture on cookie sheet. Pour warm honey mixture over oatmeal. With a spoon or spatula, stir until mixture is thoroughly coated. Return to oven and bake five minutes more. Remove pan from the oven and pour mixture onto a large piece of foil -- cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 270, Protein 6g, Carbohydrates 40g, Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 10mg, Sodium 54mg, Dietary Fiber 4g.

You Are What You Eat: Cinnamon Divine

Posted: Dec 4th 2007 7:00AM by Jacki Donaldson
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, General Health, You Are What You Eat

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Every time I walk into my local grocery store, scents of cinnamon drift my way, compliments of spiced-up holiday decorations strategically located just inside the sliding doors. On most school-day mornings, I make my boys slices of cinnamon toast. They always ask for more. And when I buy my favorite Yankee candles, I always grab the cinnamon varieties. I burn them whenever I'm home. I especially love them at Christmas time.

Think warm mugs of apple cider sprinkled with cinnamon, baked apples with crushed nuts and cinnamon on a cold winter day, or a cool glass of spiced tea on a hot summer afternoon and you're likely to conjure up visions of a Super Spice that's good for all seasons. Not only is cinnamon good, though. It's also quite healthy.

Continue reading You Are What You Eat: Cinnamon Divine

The 5: healthy things about cinnamon

Posted: Nov 20th 2007 12:08PM by Martha Edwards
Filed under: The 5

Cinnamon is one of those spices that can liven up many dishes, and while tasty things often aren't good for you, this is one exception -- cinnamon is exceedingly healthy. It has a number of benefits, according to The Healthy Snacks Blog, including these top five:

1. Cinnamon has antifungal, antibacterial and antiparasitic properties. This means it can help fight yeast infections, lice and ulcers.

2. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties. It can reduce your chances of strokes and heart disease.

3. Cinnamon can help lower bad cholesterol and it can help manage blood sugar levels and diabetes.

4. Cinnamon is an excellent source of manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium.

5. Smelling Cinnamon can improve your memory.
So enjoy cinnamon, but make sure you do it in moderation -- it can be toxic in large doses. And please note that large, doughy cinnamon buns are not an ideal source of cinnamon -- but they're a great source of fat and calories.

How do you use cinnamon in your diet?

Some spices are tasty, and some improve heatlh

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 12:00PM by Brian White
Filed under: Food and Nutrition

Instead of eating all those meals with mountains of included sodium levels, have you ever considered fixing "tasteless" foods then spicing them up with various spices to get those taste buds really going?

As some like to say, "there's no such thing as too much pepper" -- something I agree with. Try pepper on everything (except maybe fruit). Red potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, enchiladas and soup and you will be surprised how much this simple and inexpensive ingredient can wallop those foods with flavor without needing to add a bunch of processed flavoring.

In fact, I always looks for "low sodium" foods when shopping. I then add my own pepper, garlic, thyme and other spices to suit my taste -- all without consuming 1,000 milligrams of sodium per sitting in the process. Ever try cinnamon on plain, unflavored yogurt? Mmm.

Cinnamon is exceedingly good for you

Posted: Sep 11th 2007 9:26AM by Brian White
Filed under: Food and Nutrition

If you fix that morning whole-wheat toast on most mornings, how about grinding up some fresh cinnamon to sprinkle on top? Don't add that white sugar, but just some cinnamon (and maybe raw cane sugar if needed).

Cinnamon makes a tasty addition to many foods of course, and there are many health benefits that have been tied to cinnamon as well, including lowering cholesterol (the bad kind) and blood sugar levels (helpful for diabetics).

But, don't be of the mind that more is better. According to a new study, cinnamon in amounts less than one-fourth of a teaspoon taken daily are helpful -- but don't add it to everything you eat. Not that any of us would do that, anyway. A fruit smoothie with cinnamon doesn't really....wait -- that does sound good!

The Daily Turn On! Love spice cinnamon a super remedy?

Posted: Aug 19th 2007 6:00AM by Laura Lewis
Filed under: The Daily Turn On!

Life is too short not to be fully "tuned in." The Daily Turn On! is designed to wake up your senses, all six of them: smell, taste, touch, hearing, sight and intuition! Everyday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will awaken your mind, your body and your life!

Did you know ... Once renowned as an aphrodisiac cinnamon is now gaining a solid reputation as an anti-viral remedy for fighting infections. Spiritual scientist and professor, Michael Ovadia, of Tel Aviv University got a hunch that cinnamon may be more than a love spice from an unlikely source--the Old Testament. Apparently, before making an animal sacrifice, the High Priest would wash in a holy oil that contained cinnamon and other spices. Ovadia deducted that this was most likely a ritual that served more as a disinfectant than anything else.

While eating cinnamon is beneficial to your health, Ovadia discovered that simply breathing in the special extract he developed elicited the same results.

Ovadia's cinnamon extract--derived from a coumarin and cinnamon aldehyde--has several potential uses.

  • Disinfecting the air against the Avian flu in airports and other high-risk areas
  • As a natural alternative to the flu vaccine
  • Newcastle disease immunization for chicken embryos
  • As a ventilation additive in hospital AC systems to prevent the spread of infectious diseases
Ovadia's extract has also had positive results when tested on HIV, Herpes Simplex 1, as well as the Avian Flu H9.

Action Tips ...
Include .5 teaspoon daily to reduce:
  • Blood sugar levels
  • Triglycerides
  • LDL cholesterol
  • Total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes

Ovadia's extract should be available in the summer or fall of 2008. In the meantime, get your daily dose of cinnamon the easy way---just eat it!

Turn On your senses ... Live a Fit Life!

How do you "tune in" and "turn on" your senses?

Cinnamon, the new anti-viral medicine

Posted: Aug 16th 2007 8:44AM by Debra McDuffee
Filed under: General Health, Health and Technology, Natural Products

cinnamonWe already know that cinnamon can have a positive effect on your blood sugar levels. Now, research is showing that cinnamon is also an amazing anti-viral agent.

Studies claim anti-viral benefits for this special cinnamon extract against Avian Flu H9, the Sendai virus, HIV and Herpes Simplex 1, Newcastle disease (in chickens) and the flu.

Not only will this extract fight the viruses, but it will also immunize against them.

The researcher, Professor Michael Ovadia, even suggests using his discovery to sanitize the air at airports and in hospitals.

Personally, I think this is very exiting for those of us who try to use natural remedies whenever possible. Not only will it give us another weapon in our arsenal to fight the big bad bugs, but hopefully its value will be noticed by others who may not have previously chosen a natural remedy. I love that Zicam, SinuCleanse and Hyland's Teething Tablets are all natural remedies that can be found in drug stores throughout the nation now.

Will cinnamon extract follow their lead?

Cinnamon: tastes good and it's good for you

Posted: May 7th 2007 4:08PM by Brian White

A favorite breakfast food of mine that is both good for you and tastes great is whole-wheat bread with ground cinnamon (fresh ground if possible) and a touch of melted butter (just a little). No sugar though -- but using berries on top is good!

Cinnamon is known to lower blood glucose, triglycerides and even the "bad" cholesterol (LDL). Some purists swear by cinnamon as a partial cure to diabetes as well, and there is a long history of its use in those types of patients.

Is it a good spice to use? Absolutely -- but regular and sparing use (every day) is the way I use it when cooking and baking. Try it on a piece of whole wheat bread topped by some fresh berries. Yummy doesn't describe it!

Reduce inflammation in your body naturally

Posted: Mar 28th 2007 1:00PM by Vicki Blankenship
Filed under: Alternative Therapies, Food and Nutrition, General Health, Healthy Aging, Healthy Habits, Vitamins and Supplements, Women's Health, Men's Health

Inflammation is the body's response to tissue damage and infection. There are many conditions that cause inflammation. Genetics play a role, so does the environment. Environmental factors include diet, exposure to toxins, germs, pollutants, and inhalants. Some people have a genetic predisposition to heightened inflammation which can cause them to have an illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. But a commonly overlooked cause of inflammation is poor diet.

Foods that cause inflammation are sugar, simple carbohydrates, and certain fatty acids and oils. To reduce inflammation avoid junk foods such as donuts, pastry, and sugared drinks. Insufficient consumption of fish, fruit and vegetables is as bad for human health as smoking.A diet that reduces inflammation consists mostly of vegetables and fish. In my opinion, the foods that cause the least inflammation and are the most anti-inflammatory are fish such as halibut and salmon, and all kinds of vegetables. Make changes slowly and accept the fact that there may be times when you binge on unhealthy snacks and foods.

There are many other herbs and nutrients that could be taken to reduce inflammation. For instance using curry and cinnamon when cooking is great. Use a variety of herbs and spices. Many of them have antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. For instance, curry has curcumin, rosemary has rosmarinic acid and ginger has vanillin and zingerone. All of these compounds have health benefits. Basil, bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, oregano, pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic appears to protect against fungal and bacterial infections, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots and even cancer. Bee pollen, pomegranate, goji, mangosteen, graviola, green tea extract, and spirulina, are great herbs and additions to add to the body. A calcium supplement is recommended for postmenopausal women.

Cutting down or cutting out your sugar intake is a must to cut down on inflammation. Stevia, a no calorie natural herbal sweetener, is available in liquid or powder in health food stores. Reduce your intake of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin also.



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