~'*My late night Snack*'~

After a long night out, dancing and drinking ... Energy depleted, cautiousness low and potential cravings high.

You drag yourself through the car door and focus on your way back home...

Although the fact that, a lonely gurgle in your belly has been eagerly awaiting the famous hot dog sandwich with extra-cheese and your friends preceded you into the bakery for a quick late night mankoucheh. You're still holding up for your healthy resolutions.

You're not planning to sleep hungry though, because in the event where you do so, you would only see yourself twisting by the blankets and getting no sleep!

You're wondering, how to satiate your hunger with the least amount of calories and definitely without messing up the kitchen.
Your thoughts might be scary but never as fruitful as they might get now!

A Banana is all that you need!

Despite being erroneously called fattening and too high in sugar, a small banana only contains about 100 calories, which is not much more than a medium apple. It doesn't only save many empty calories from your old late night snacks, but also provides you with essential vitamins and minerals such as Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Tryptophan.

Bananas are rich in Tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted into the calming and sleep-inducing brain chemical Serotonin. They are also considered a natural remedy to hangovers along with water. They are a good source of dietary fiber and regulate blood pressure.


In times of recession, snacking on a banana late at night, is much cheaper and healthier than any junk food item. Nevertheless, I can guarantee that ,whenever you’d detect the alluring smell of hot dogs or Manakeesh, you'd get a tiny tear in the corner of your eye. As bad as they were for you, you will miss your friends. However, you will definitely feel lighter and much healthier without them !

~'*Pop in your favorite music and let your treadmill roll*'~

When the pop group Abba sang in the late 70’s “Thank you for the music”, the studies showing the benefits of listening to music weren’t completed yet. Today, you will be singing “Thank you for the music” for increasing the positive effects of your commitment to exercise, serving as a distraction from the pain and discomfort of your workout, enhancing your feelings of pleasure and making you burn calories faster. Now that you’ve renewed your subsciption at the gym, you still have to do one simple change-select the best music that’s playing while you work out and make sure to use the proper headphones rather than earphones!

The ‘best’ music isn’t high-energy, fast-paced dance music, as many workout trainers have assumed.The ‘best’ music for working out depends on the taste of the exerciser. In one study,headed by a sports psychologist, who had 15 students each do four workouts on exercise bikes. The first one was done with no music, the second to slow music, the third to fast music, and the last to music that they picked out themselves. In every single case, the students worked harder, longer and faster when they were listening to their favorite music. The results on all the other tracks were mixed, but when students were listening to their own choice of music, they pedaled faster and harder, and worked out longer than with any of the other three selections of music.Therefore in order to please different tastes, a selection of different styles of music, that you might not have heard about, has been suggested!

Global Underground refers to a series of electronic music compilation albums which reflect the performances of high profile DJ’s in venues from around the world.The music featured is mostly progressive house, but there are some house, trance, and breakbeat releases.It is highly recommended to be listened to while running on the treadmill.

La voile Rouge refers to a series of electronic music compilations that you would want to hear on a Saturday afternoon on a St. Tropez beach. Whether you’re jogging or simply walking on the treadmill or pedaling on the humble exercise bike, tune on any voile rouge album.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés café series is a showcase of current jazz flavors fusing together elements of electro-jazz, nu-jazz and whatever buzz words are flying around for the music at this time.If you’re in the mood of chilling while lifting weights or working on the elliptical cross trainer, listen to Saint-Germain-des-Prés café.

Terry’s café Terry Lee Brown Jr. obviously knows a thing or two about putting together a fine slab of house. Deep, sexy, and packing plenty of funk, Terry's Café, has all the qualities of a great workout in an underground gym! Truly dancable but also laid back, that´s the musical formula that makes the Terry´s Café series ideal for your workout.

Celia Cruz will take you away on an exotic island with its Latin music remixes. “La vida es un Carnaval” (from the album Exitos Eterno),is a song that will strongly motivate you and force you to continue your workout even if you’ll be exhausted and sweating like a pig!

Desyn Masiello has something quite seductive in his style, something that almost makes his music exclusively suited not only to the club atmosphere but also to your harsh workout sessions.While you can certainly group this into the large spectrum known as progressive house,there isn't a single house CD that is going to move you as Desyn Masiello’s ones. Full of funky, infectious beats, with basslines and disco melodies to keep any gym floor in a frenzy!

~'*Drinking coffee before working out*'~

He was my cream, and I was his coffee. And when you poured us together, it was something.It was… a cup of confusion. Considering all the past concern about possible health risks from drinking coffee, newer reports of coffee’s possible protective effects are showing that we don’t necessarly have to say no, to that hot or cold cup of joe.

Most of us start our morning with a cup of coffee.There are many positive aspects to it and its primary ingredient, caffeine. Caffeine prevents sleepiness and sharpens your thinking by blocking the action of the neurotransmitter adenosine. It can lift your mood by affecting another neurotransmitter, dopamine. It also “revs you up” by promoting the release of adrenaline. Also,a recent study suggests that a couple cups of coffee before a tough workout may lower the chances of sore muscles later on.That cup of coffee that many gym rats, bikers and runners swill before a workout does more than energize them. It kills some of the pain of athletic exertion.And it works regardless of whether a person already had a coffee habit or not.

Caffeine works on a system in the brain and spinal cord (the adenosine neuromodulatory system) that is heavily involved in pain processing, says University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Robert Motl. And since caffeine blocks adenosine, the biochemical that plays an important role in energy transfer and thus exercise, he speculated that it could reduce pain.

Our average daily consumption of caffeine is about 280 milligrams, or the equivalent of two and a half 6-ounce cups of brewed coffee a day, but we can get coffee in so many other beverages, as well as sweets, coffee-flavored foods and over the counter and prescription medications that many of us are consuming.

Coffee Serving Size Caffeine Content

Coffee (drip) 8 oz 130 mg

Coffee (instant) 8 oz 95 mg

Espresso (depending on brand) 1 oz 50 mg

Decaf (drip or instant) 8 oz 3 mg

Iced coffee blended drink 16 oz 130 mg

Other Beverages Serving Size Caffeine Content

Classic and Diet Coke 12 oz 46 mg

Pepsi and Diet Pepsi 12 oz 36 mg

Chocolate Milk 8 oz 8 mg

Tea Serving Size Caffeine Content

Black Tea (3-minute brew) 6 oz 35 mg

Instant Tea 6 oz 25 mg

Green Tea 6 oz 25 mg

Sweets Serving Size Caffeine Content

Haagen Dazs Coffee ice cream 1 cup 58 mg

Hershey’s special dark 1.5 oz 31 mg

chocolate

Baking chocolate 1 oz 25 mg

Meanwhile, the current research could prove encouraging for a range of people, including the average person who wants to become more physically active to realize the health benefits.At high doses (defined as anywhere between 200 and 800 milligrams), we can see negative effects even in “low risk” adults, which include nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat.Thus, be a moderate coffee drinking individual and espresso yourself while working out!

~*The Magical world of Alcohol*~

“She was boring. It was our first date, so I decided to screw it up and drink as much as I can…”

“I succeeded in the project, I needed to celebrate that, so I drank till dawn…”

“He cheated on me and left me the next week, so I decided to drink until I forgot about him…”

“It was New Years eve, all I can recall is the location and the date, I was too drunk to remember your face…”

From family dinners to parties, to events and night escapes. Alcohol is always there at your service. In your happiest days or in your worst ones, it would always make you feel better by giving you a blurrier vision for a better projection, providing you with a feeling of euphoria and encouraging social interactions. Hence, should alcohol be added to the list of essential nutrients that our body needs if it produces that magic effect?


*The Anti-nutrient Nutrient*
----------------------------------

The nutrients that our body needs are Carbohydrates , Proteins , Fats , Vitamins and Minerals and Water.

Carbohydrates , Proteins and Fats provide us with calories and calories provide energy to our bodies to function.

1 g of Carbohydrates provides 4 Calories

1 g of Proteins provides 4 Calories

1 g of Fat provides 9 Calories


The vitamin, mineral, and water content add to the nutritional value for each of these energy sources but do not provide any calories

1 g of Alcohol provides 7 Calories

Alcohol doesn’t provide you with vitamins or minerals, and most of the time replaces nutrient rich foods, interfering with their absorption.



*The Making Of*
--------------------

Alcohol is made through a process called fermentation, which is the phenomenon where yeast breaks sugar down into Ethanol and Carbon dioxide.

This process is done with the absence of air.

Once complete, the Carbon dioxide gas bubbles out into the air leaving ethanol and water behind.

Distilled spirits, such as vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey, are fermented and then distilled to separate the ethanol from the water.

Various sources of sugar are used in these processes resulting in different forms of alcohol:

The sugar from crushed grapes results in the making of Wine

Malted barley results in the making of Beer

Sugar cane or molasses result in the making of Rum

Grain, potatoes, beets, molasses result in the making of Vodka.



*How is Alcohol Metabolized*
-----------------------------------

When a person drinks an alcoholic beverage, about 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and about 80 percent is absorbed in the small intestine. How fast the alcohol is absorbed depends upon several things:


* The concentration of alcohol in the beverage - The greater the concentration, the faster the absorption.

* The type of drink - Carbonated beverages tend to speed up the absorption of alcohol.

* Whether the stomach is full or empty - Food slows down alcohol absorption.


After absorption, the alcohol enters the bloodstream and dissolves in the water of the blood. The blood carries the alcohol throughout the body. The alcohol from the blood then enters and dissolves in the water inside each tissue of the body (except fat tissue, as alcohol cannot dissolve in fat). Once inside the tissues, alcohol exerts its effects on the body. The observed effects depend directly on the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which is related to the amount of alcohol consumed. The BAC can rise significantly within 20 minutes after having a drink.



*Alcohol Effects: Men vs. Women*
----------------------------------------

When you compare men and women of the same height, weight and build, men tend to have more muscle and less fat than women. Because muscle tissue has more water than fat tissue, a given dose or amount of alcohol will be diluted more in a man than in a woman. Therefore, the blood alcohol concentration resulting from that dose will be higher in a woman than in a man, and the woman will feel the effects of that dose of alcohol sooner than the man will.


In the stomach, the enzyme Alcohol Dehydrogenase, begins some of the metabolism of Alcohol. Women have less of this enzyme than men, this is the reason for which Alcohol passes through their stomachs and into their bloodstream quicker than in men.

Women metabolize about 10% of the Alcohol ingested while men metabolize about 30%.



*How does it leave the body*
---------------------------------


Once absorbed by the bloodstream, the alcohol leaves the body in three ways:


* The kidney eliminates 5 percent of alcohol in the urine.

* The lungs exhale 5 percent of alcohol, which can be detected by breathalyzer devices.

* The liver chemically breaks down the remaining alcohol into acetic acid.


As a rule of thumb, an average person can eliminate 0.5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. So, it would take approximately one hour to eliminate the alcohol from a 12 oz (355 ml) can of beer.



The BAC increases when the body absorbs alcohol faster than it can eliminate it. So, because the body can only eliminate about one dose of alcohol per hour, drinking several drinks in an hour will increase your BAC much more than having one drink over a period of an hour or more.



The consumption of one drink will result in a peak in BAC within 35 to 45 minutes.

Once you stop drinking, your blood Alcohol level decreases by about 0.01% per hour.

You are legally intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.8.


Drinking slowly would allow the alcohol to be collected by the liver and processed

Drinking rapidly, would allow the alcohol to bypass the liver and to flow for a while through the rest of the body and the brain.

*Alcohol in the brain*
--------------------------

First of all,sedates the reasoning part then, with continued drinking: the speech and vision centers of the brain become sedated.
Still more drinking: affects the cells of the brain responsible for large muscle control (weave when trying to walk) and, finally: the conscious brain becomes completely subdued and the person passes out.
A higher dose would anesthetize the deepest brain centers that control breathing and heartbeat causing death.

*Vomiting Reflex*
----------------------

Ethanol is a toxin and a too-high dose of alcohol triggers one of the body’s primary defense against poison : vomiting
When alcohol arrives gradually, and is diluted enough in a beverage the vomiting reflex is delayed, and the alcohol is absorbed.

*The Restroom Effect*
---------------------------

Alcohol depresses the brain’s production of antidiuretic hormone that is responsible of holding the water in the body,leading to :
• An increase in the urine output
• A mineral loss of :Magnesium , Potassium,Calcium and Zinc

*Effect on blood sugar*
---------------------------

The primary hormones involved in maintaining a healthy blood glucose level are Insulin and Glucagon.
When your blood sugar begins to drop, your body can respond by making more blood sugar or burning up stored sugar.
When your blood sugar begins to Rise, additional Insulin, is secreted to bring your levels back to a healthy range.

Studies have shown that, alcohol interferes with all three sources of glucose and the hormones needed to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
The greatest impact is seen in those who drink heavily on a frequent basis.
Excessive alcohol consumption can decrease insulin's effectiveness, resulting in high blood sugar levels.
One study showed that 45% to 70% of people with alcoholic liver disease had either glucose intolerance or diabetes.
When you’re hangover

Since, Alcohol is a diuretic and,you lose far more water in your urine than you are taking in the drink itself. Dehydration causes the brain to shrink away from the skull slightly.
This triggers pain sensors on the outside surface of your brain.

Vital electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium are excreted from the body with the urine. These minerals help keep the heart beating and dangerous cardiac arrhythmias can occur after heavy drinking.

Alcohol lowers your blood sugar levels as glucose is excreted in the urine. Along with the late night, this contributes to extensive yawning the following day.

Free radicals are harmful molecules formed in the liver as it struggles to break down ethanol. Usually, these are seen off by an anti-oxidant called glutathione but its reserves can run low after a drinking session.

The general advice is to drink plenty of water, possibly even a sports drink to rebalance those electrolytes and go back to bed.


**My recommended Alcoholic drink**
---------------------------------------------

Wine "strawberries , cherries and an angel's kiss in spring My summer wine is really made from all these things" this famous song by Nancy Sinatra uncovers the seduction by the pleasure of drinking wine. It helps you relax and puts you in a good mood. Wine definitely promotes gracious living, since la joie de vivre for most people comes via the table (through social eating and drinking). Plus, there's the pleasure of looking at the color in the glass, smelling the wine, sipping it, and enjoying its wonderful aftertaste.In addition,it is less caloric than any other alcoholic beverage.On average,a glass of white wine contains around 77 calories.A glass of rosé has around 80 calories and a glass of red wine has 85 calories.

Scientists have long known that a moderate intake of alcohol, and red wine in particular, can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white), as well as hard liquor and beer.

Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body. is associated with a lowered risk of heart disease and other benefits. More recently, scientists began to suspect,that,drinking up to half a glass of wine daily may increase longevity by 5 years in men according to the results of a study reported online first in the April 30 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The key to this enjoyment is moderation, but what's the right amount for you? The best rule is not to consume more than a glass or two a day.

Enjoy ' ~*My Summer Wine*~

~*Love your partner but not his eating habits*~

On their first dates,her appetite will suddenly decrease.Those butterflies in her stomach will be more than enough to reach her satiety.

Once in a relationship,she will accommodate and realize that all their outings revolve around food.

If she decides to have a green salad,he’ll treat her as an anorexic and if she mimics his eating habits,she could end up piling on the pounds since at best,women burn 26% fewer calories a day than guys do.

Eventhough, the dilemma of men understanding women has never been solved,i have thought about solving food’s dilemma between every couple and present you with a few hints and tips in order to keep the man,but lose the fatty foods !

During non-stop prime munching

Before getting in front of the screen,he displays all types of munchies(ranging from chips,to nuts,to chocolate) on the table.
A study at Johns Hopkins University found that the more people were into what was on the tube, the less aware they were of how much food, they were inhaling.

No one, not even the Dalai Lama, can resist delicious, crunchy snack foods that are right in front of them. But a 120-pound woman burns only about 54 calories an hour watching TV (a 180-pound man burns 74 calories per hour).

Fill a giant bowl with some light microwave popcorn and munch away. Most brands contain just 20 to 25 calories per cup popped, so even if you scarf six cups, you've consumed only 150 calories — the amount in less than one-sixth of a can of Pringles.

You could,also suggest healthier munchies such as ChexMix, Frosties, baked chips, that are much lower in fat than their counterparts.You could also,go veggie with a low fat mayo-ketchup dip served with cherry tomatoes,cucumbers and carrots.

When it comes to drinking carbonated beverages every now and then,just remind him that besides all their harmful side effects ,they help increase the size of your stomach when consumed regularly and thus lead you to eat more and gain weight.

Drive me through

Most men live for the drive-through. A 2006 Mintel online survey of 2,000 people found that men eat fast food more often than women, and tend to choose burgers and French fries over salads and other healthy options.

Sharing a ride makes you captive to his drive-through addiction. One fast-food grilled-chicken club sandwich has 570 calories. You could eat a half-pound of skinless chicken breast, a half-cup of couscous and a cup of cooked green beans and still save nearly 300 calories (even without the fries or soda). Indulging even once a week means you'll be about one pants size plumper in a year.

Before you hop into the car, throw your favorite portable healthy food a granola or cereal bar, a banana,an apple in your bag.If you have something satisfying to chow on during his greasy rendezvous, you won't be so tempted to add to his order.

Also,when he comes over to watch a dvd,make sure to rent the movie : Supersize me !

The deal:You always chose the starters since most of the times he orders all the listed fried dishes.
When you have few dishes in front you,you tend to eat less,therefore avoid ordering a lot.
Remember,you should always eat 4 hours before going to bed.

Getting Tipsy

You can never,ever catch-up drinking with him,even if he insists on getting drunk with you.
When you compare men and women of the same height, weight and build, men tend to have more muscle and less fat than women. Because muscle tissue has more water than fat tissue, a given dose or amount of alcohol will be diluted more in a man than in a woman. Therefore, the blood alcohol concentration resulting from that dose will be higher in a woman than in a man, and the woman will feel the effects of that dose of alcohol sooner than the man will.

In the Stomach,the enzyme Alcohol Dehydrogenase, begins some of the metabolism of Alcohol.Women have less of this enzyme than men, this is the reason for which Alchohol passes through their stomachs and into their bloodstream quicker than in men.
Women metabolize about 10% of the Alcohol ingested while men metabolize about 30%.

Remind him that 1 g of alcohol provides him with 7 calories.

I suggest you read the previous posts for a better understanding of many topics related to heatlh and food !

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*Best fitness foods for women*~

Perceived as“God’s second mistake”,a woman remains to the whole world ,a vital character that plays a crucial role in ensuring the continuity of the species. Her body is not like any other ; its has a capacity for pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation … Nevertheless, being a woman is a terribly difficult task since, it primary consists in, dealing with men and ,secondly, suffering the discomfort of menstruation, as well as the horrors of gestation.Since, pregnancy,breastfeeding and menopause, all undermine women’s health and put her life at risk,exercising and choosing the right foods should be a requisite for every women who is willing to become a grandmother in the years to come !

Breakfast like a queen : in the world of rich,in fiber and minerals; whole grains cereals and breads,deliver a steady flow of energy over time.Include a hard boiled egg; the yolk is a good source of iron, and it's loaded with lecithin, critical for brain health.

Food’s haute cowture,invites you to Milk your diet: a glass of milk supplies calcium to keep bones strong and protein that along with exercise can help build lean muscle which are especially important when cutting calories.Fuel up with 3/4 cup of whole-grain cereal with 4 ounces of fat-free milk an hour before a workout, you will have more energy, so you can work out harder and perhaps longer.

A little snack strategically consumed before rampant hunger sets in, might just prevent you from over-indulging at lunch or dinner…Fingers crossed ?

-Skinny Dippers: carrots,broccoli,celery,red,green,orange or yellow peppers sticks they just need to stand strong to be a worthy dipper and in all cases,assist the body in it’s fight against toxins and cancer.In fact a study showed that carrots, pack complex carbohydrates that provide ,energy to muscles and, potassium to control blood pressure and muscle contractions.

-Nutty Nuts:10 dry roasted cashews or 15 natural almonds ;powerhouse of good nutrition they contain monounsaturated fat,vitamin E,folic acid,magnesium,copper,protein,and fiber, and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals.

-Na’Fruity :a banana sliced in circles and half a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice reminds me about one of my favorite snacks at the age of 5 .However,back in time, I didn’t know that bananas, help replace sweat loss and keep you energized while oranges help repair muscle tissue.

-The red zone: strawberries,red berries,cranberries .Just a handful is needed to provide antioxidants, which protect muscles from free radical damage .Your body just need it after your workout.Also,cranberries have proanthocyanins, compounds that help prevent and fight urinary tract infections.

2h00 p.m, rush hour : a salad seems, real and interesting;With enough variety in colour and texture to give your mouth and mind something to chew over.Go green with lettuce, argula leaves ,mash ,spinach with some fresh basil leaves and mint.Add to it something wild and rich in omega-3 fatty acids,such as salmon or any dark meat poultry such as chicken or turkey that are ,low in fat and have all the iron, zinc, and B vitamins that women need in their diets. If you have a few boiled potatoes sitting sullenly in the fridge with no aim to their life,they can be transformed into heroes of your salad ;A medium potato has more potassium than a banana and it can be used with or without being peeled.And,oh yea,the green health bomb should definitely dive in your salad bowl ! 15 g of avocado would deliver the essential monounsaturated fats that would help lower bad cholesterol and might help lessen abdominal fat, according to recent studies.

Midnight feast: just forget about it before midnight ;you should always eat,four hours before going to bed! The stuff of your dreams:this sandwich that needs two hands and a large napkin tucked into your shirt collar - 60 g of pain de mie with 60 g of cheese,a handful of spinach leaves, slices of tomatoes,dill pickles and you’re set !

The last mouthful … and your body has it all : the proteins, carbohydrates, monounsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. What remains, is your seven hours of good sleep .Tomorrow, is a new,fresh day.Don’t forget to tell your neighbor about your new meal plan!And always remember that : You are what You eat !

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*Egg-Spensive or Ex-pensive foods ? *~

In your life, you might have met the tallest man in the world,seen the smallest jet aircraft,experienced the longest windsurfing journey and witnessed the highest jump by a pig… However,I am pretty sure that you might not have tasted the most expensive foods in the world or heard about them. Despite clear indicators that many parts of the world are suffering from dire poverty and starvation,there are still places where you can plunk down your money and get a decadent menu item.Astonished?Leave your exclamations till you finish reading the article !

1. Hamburger
At $99, the Double Truffle Hamburger at DB Bistro Moderne in Manhattan gives new meaning to the term whopper. The burger contains three ounces of rib meat mixed with truffles and foie gras stuffed inside seven ounces of sirloin steak and served on a Parmesan and poppy seed bun, with salad and truffle shavings.For penny-pinchers and calorie counters, the Single Truffle version is a mere $59.

2. Caviar
The world's most expensive caviar is a type of Iranian beluga called Almas. Pale amber in color, it comes from sturgeons that are between 60 and 100 years old.A 3.9-pound container will set you back $48,750.

3. Pie
In Burnley, England, you can find the world's most expensive meat pie.Based on a traditional steak and mushroom pie, the dish includes $1,000 worth of Wagyu beef fillet, $3,330 in Chinese matsutake mushrooms (which are so rare that they are grown under the watchful eyes of armed guards), two bottles of 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild at a cost of about $4,200 each, as well as black truffles and gold leaf. The pie serves eight with a total cost around $15,900, or $1,990 per slice, which includes a glass of champagne.

4.Bread
In 1994, Diane Duyser of Florida noticed that the toasted sandwich she was eating appeared to contain an image of the Virgin Mary. She kept it for ten years (it never went moldy), before selling it to Canadian casino for $28,000 in 2004.

5. Ice Cream Sundae
At $1,000, the Grand Opulence Sundae at New York's Serendipity certainly lives up to its name. Made from Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream covered in 23-karat edible gold leaf and drizzled with Amedei Porcelana, the world's most expensive chocolate, this indulgence is studded with gold dragets and truffles and topped with dessert caviar.

6. Pizza
The Luxury Pizza, a 12-inch thin crust, is the creation of Nino Selimaj, owner of Nino's Bellissima in Manhattan.It is covered with six different types of caviar that need to be specially ordered. The pie is also topped with lobster, crème fraîche, and chives at $1,000 a pie (or $125 a slice).

7. Boxed Chocolates
At $2,600 per pound, Chocopologie by Knipschildt Chocolatier of Connecticut is the world's most expensive box of chocolates. At $240 each, the dark chocolate truffle, with a French black truffle inside, is made of 70% Valrhona cacao, which is blended into a creamy ganache with truffle oil. The truffle is hand-rolled with a dark truffle on the inside and then dusted with cocoa powder.

8. Sandwich
The von Essen Platinum club sandwich at the Cliveden House Hotel near London is also the world's most expensive sandwich at $197. Weighing just over a pound, the sandwich is made of the finest ingredients, including Iberico ham cured for 30 months, quail eggs, white truffles, semi-dried Italian tomatoes, and 24-hour fermented sourdough bread.

9. Omelette
The restaurant Norma’s at Le Parker Meridien put itself on the map by offering the world’s most expensive omelette, or as they call it, “The Zillion Dollar Frittata”. This absurdly expensive breakfast item consists of a mixture of eggs, lobster and 10 ounces of sevruga caviar and a charge of $1000 on your bill.

10. Cake
And the award for the most expensive food goes to . . . a fruitcake! You may hesitate before plunking down the $1.65 million for a Japanese fruitcake, designed with 223 small diamonds .

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*I’ve got a beer-belly,what do You have ? *~

7h00 a.m:You experience the annoyance of the unwanted wake-up call from your alarm clock. Unceremoniously,you slap the snooze button,again and again.

9h00 a.m:You get stuck in a traffic jam ;stressed out and starving .Not enough time for breakfast.Cigaretts rock your empty stomach.

2h00 p.m:Another business lunch-A gastronomic indulgence on food and wine …Death by chocolate … You get the deal!

5h00 p.m:A quick nap on the desk .The obnoxious voice of your secretary wakes you up. Oups! It’s already 7h00 p.m-HAPPY HOURS … the guys are already at the pub…And, you still stand for the 10 reasons why beer is better than your woman…

Welcome to a Man’s World !

At the end of the day,all you get is a Beer-Belly;a prideful symbol of your greatest passion.You proudly display your rounded protuberances as a testimony to your excessive consumption of your chosen ambrosia.Yet,have you ever wondered if your beer-belly was only caused by the excessive intake of this foamy goodness ?

Most probably,you did ,while bumping into someone,with a huge beer belly and who doesn’t drink beer or someone else who drinks beer and remains slim.Thus,you could assume that beer isn’t the only evil brew that causes visceral fat.

In fact,any other fatty and unhealthy food may cause a beer-belly to appear. Men tend to carry extra body fat on the stomach developing the “apple” profile of central obesity,while women gain weight mostly around the hips and thighs developing more of a “pear”profile.

When present with both,fat and alcohol,the body stores the comparatively harmless fat, and rids itself of the toxic alcohol,by burning it off as fuel, resulting in a fat storage in the central abdominal area.In addition,it is important to note that ,a gram of fat and a gram of alcohol yield 9 and 7 calories respectively.

While your waistline gradually gets bigger,the risk for a number of serious health problems inceases,including : diabetes,stroke,hypertension and coronary artery disease.Actually,fat in the abdomen brings extra risk to the heart since its release in the bloodstream ,contributes to the blood’s daily burden of cholesterol carrying lipoproteins,LDL,thereby increasing heart disease risk.However,Fat layers ,lye just beneath the skin of the abdomen,thighs,hips,and legs also release fat,but sluggishly and so,theoretically ,may contribute less to blood lipids.

Waist circumference provides a measure of visceral (abdominal) fat, independent of body weight or body mass index (BMI). By locating your hip bone and snugly (but without compressing the skin) placing a tape measure around your bare abdomen,you get your waist circumference.
If your waist circumference is of at least 40 inches (102 cm) then congrats, you are another victim of the of the threatening diseases caused by excessive visceral fat.

The key of getting rid of stomach fat,doesn’t lie in the magical pill that you get from the drugstore or the fad diet that leads to gain weight once stopped.However,it is resumed by eating a healthy diet and exercising .

Remember,moderation is the key;eating in a balanced way doesn’t only make you feel good but it also amends the quality and quantity of your life.If you combine the efforts of eating a bit less and exercising more,you can reach your goal of getting rid of stomach fat.Be patient, though, since you tend to lose body fat last in the areas of your body where you store it first!

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*The Hypnotizing world of Nano Foods*~

In 1959,my mother was seven years old … In her school lunch box,she’d find a sandwich and a fruit. The sandwich,would be made of fresh white cheese,produced in my grandfather’s village, and home-made apple jam,that my Grandmother would have confectioned,during the apples harvest season.

In 1992,I was seven years old … In my school lunch box,I’d find a sandwich and a candy. The sandwich would be made of,cold cuts,such as ham or turkey with processed cheddar cheese . My snack ,would vary on a daily basis,ranging from salty,such as chips to sweet,such as colorful candy bars .

Today,in a seven years old kid’s school lunch box,you’d find,a bottle of orange juice that’s rich in fish oil,a club sandwich that contains,undetectable,nano-capsules of Omega-3 and a chocolate bar that cuts out the need for sugar.

It is true, that my imagination,sometimes,acts like a drug,however,today,it didn’t. Dazed,in front of the gigantesque world of nano foods,I am wondering,if my kids will ever have a school lunch box . . .

Nanotechnology is a powerful new technology,for taking apart and reconstructing nature at the atomic and molecular level.It embodies,the dream that scientists can remake the world from the atom up,using atomic level manipulation,to transform and construct a wide range of new materials,devices,living organisms and technological systems.It is responsible for determining, not only that biological and non biological structures measuring less than 100 nm exist,but also,that they have unique and novel functions application.In fact,it intends to offer,healthier food,fewer and better targeted chemicals,less waste,less packaging and the promise of a technological solution to the problem of,undernourished people in the world.

Nanotechnology,is all around you,already:a revolutionary,Vitamin B12 spray,which you simply spray inside your child’s mouth that will absorb the nano-sized vitamins directly through the mucal cells will relief you from bribing your kids to eat fruits and vegetables.Also,nano-capsules delivered chemicals in rapeseed cooking oil,will stop cholesterol entering your bloodstream. And,nano packaging with self cleaning abilities or nano-scale filters that will allow you to remove all bacteria from milk or water without boiling.There are already,fridges in Asia and America that use nano-silver to kill bacteria,and smart food packaging that will warn,when oxygen,has got inside,or if food is going off.

Every major food corporation is investing in nanotech and over the past 8 years,the government in Europe has pumped £1.7 billion in research money into the field. In fact,there are now over 300 nano food products available on the market worldwide,and many more yet to come;nano-particles,in chewing gum will carry teeth-cleaning chemicals that you won’t be able to taste.Another nano system to excite cooks,uses stable molecules to tie down volatile ones:manufactured starch such as,cyclodextrin is being used to bond those frustratingly evanescent flavors in food,like the fast fading taste of paprika.Also,Nano-encapsulated preservatives can be activated,if your chicken is going to sit in the fridge for a while.

In a world where your kid,will be drinking milk that tastes exactly like coke,you might lose trust in scientists and the industry that’s driven by profit making.Even though,this technology might be offering you solutions.What guarantees you,that those nano particles aren’t crossing your cell membranes and causing brain damage? In fact,preliminary scientific research has shown that many types of nano particles,can result in increased oxidative stress,which can result in the formation of free radicals that can lead to cancer,DNA mutation and even cell death.

What will our food and technological future look like? We are in an epic battle for control of our food supply and our health.Shall we dive back into our ancestors lifestyles,where only fresh and natural products where fashionable? Or,follow nowadays technological trends to avoid being out of step?These are the paradigms that we need to choose between.We may not want it,but scientists are halfway there .

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*What's behind the crisps of your french fries?*~

When hunger is the best cook,enthusiasm and inspiration in the kitchen can be at a low ebb, thus,nothing would sound better than the luscious crisps of golden French Fries! They are so versatile to the extent that one could include them in a myriad of easy,laid back recipes. However,before thinking about those recipes,it is vital to learn how to master the art of frying potatoes.Although the fact that,these days,health consciousness has reached a high point where deep frying tends to be avoided,moderation remains the only key that will help you squeeze the most out of life!

*Cooking oil

Choose your cooking oil carefully Oils with high 'smoke points',in other words those,which do not break down at deep-frying temperatures,are best. Peanut oil,Safflower oil,Sunflower oil,and Canola oil are some good choices.

**What about olive oil?

The lower quality olive oils,such as virgin and fine olive oils,have low smoke temperature,so they start smoking at a low temperature and smell bad.Therefore,they are not ideal for frying. However,the new “light” olive oil,due to an extremely fine filtration process is lighter in both color and fragrance,and has little of the classic olive-oil flavor,giving it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil,and can be used for deep-frying.

** Is coconut oil a good alternative?
Experts are extremely excited nowadays,about the hidden health benefits of coconut oil such as,hair care,skin care,stress relief,digestion,etc.In fact,its high content of medium chain triglycerides,that could be easily converted into energy,don’t lead to accumulation of fat in the heart,and arteries.Coconut oil can be used for deep-frying and upon heating,it doesn’t lose its health benefits.

*Temperature
The best temperature is 350 to 375 °F. If you don't have a thermometer,test the temperature when the oil is heated by dropping a potato stick into the pan;there should be sizzling around the edges,but if it’s too violent,then turn down the heat and wait a minute before trying again.

~Cut the potatoes lengthwise into sticks
The thicker the stick is,the less oil it absorbs. Soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes to remove the starch,which gives you crispier potatoes,and to avoid browning or discoloration.


~Dry potatoes thoroughly before Frying
The potatoes must be dry when they are fried,or the starch will absorb the water on the surface and won't seal the potatoes so they will absorb grease.

*For the frying fears
If you don’t have a deep fat fryer,it might not be entirely necessary to fill pans to swimming pools levels with hot oil but instead to fry smaller batches at a time,in more shallow depths. According to a study,when prepared in different skillets such as Aluminium, Iron and stainless steel,the best results in doneness,texture and appearance appeared in potatoes fried in the tough-coat skillet and the Hindalium (cast Aluminium).

~Home made is healthier
Home made French fries are healthier than restaurants.Since most of the time,they deep fry their potatoes in shortening because it’s cheaper than vegetable oil and gives this ecstatic crisp. But,damages human health due to it’s high content in trans fats.


*Potatoes are naturally fat and cholesterol free
A medium sized potato (140 g) is high in Vitamin C,Vitamin B6 and Potassium.In fact,it has more potassium than a banana. It is also a source of fiber,along with niacin,thiamine, magnesium and iron. Heat sensitive vitamins such as vitamin C are lost during the process of deep-frying.Also,when a potato is deep-fried,its water content is replaced by the fat;you want a potato that has more solids than liquids,so it absorbs less oil.




The improving understanding of French fries threats on human being’s health has enabled advances in technology:a revolutionary fryer in which you display 1 kg of freshly cut potatoes with just a tablespoon of oil and which yields French fries that are crispy on the outside,soft on the inside,with only 3% fat content.Isn’t that,too good to be true?Could that fryer win the everlasting battle of resisting deep-fried French fries?

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~Facts about Carrots~

Carrots are a root vegetable that originated in Afghanistan. They were purple,red,white, and yellow,but never orange.

The orange colour we know is the result of Dutch cultivation in the 17th Century,when patriotic growers turned a vegetable which was then purple into the colour of the national flag.

The Ancient Greeks called the carrot a philtron,which translates to "love charm." They believed the carrot made both men and women more amorous.

The orange-colored taproot of the carrot contains a high concentration of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a substance that is converted to vitamin A in the human body. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked carrots contains four times the recommended daily intake of vitamin A in the form of protective beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene is also a powerful antioxidant effective in fighting against some forms of cancer, especially lung cancer. Current research suggests that it may also protect against stroke, and heart disease. Research also shows that the beta-carotene in vegetables supplies this protection, not vitamin supplements.

Carrots are also a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C,vitamin K,folate and manganese, and a good source of vitamin B6,pantothenic acid,iron,potassium and copper.

Scientists in the US say they have created a genetically-engineered carrot that provides extra calcium.

They hope that adding the vegetable to a normal diet could help ward off conditions such as brittle bone disease and osteoporosis.

Someone eating the new carrot absorbs 41% more calcium than if they ate the old,the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study suggests.

The calcium-charged vegetable still needs to go through many safety trials.

A gene has been altered in the carrot which allows the calcium within it to cross more easily over the plant membranes.

On its own, the carrot would not meet the daily requirement of 1,000mg of calcium, but if other vegetables were similarly engineered, intake could be increased dramatically.

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum