White Is Not Right. Bin the Bread

By Henry John

The smell of freshly baked white bread is fantastic, isn't it? A crusty slice of white bread covered in butter and jam...wow! It's difficult to imagine that anything so tasty could be bad for you, but don't be fooled!

Across the globe everybody is eating more and more white bread and it is causing a big problem - weight gain.

There are two problems with white bread. The first is that it's made with refined flour. Nothing wrong with that, you might think, but that's not the case. 'Refined' means that most of the goodness has been taken out. In the refining process, essential minerals, vitamins and fiber that we need have been 'refined away'. What we're left with might taste good, but its nutritional value is low. All that white bread does is to keep our jaws busy.

The fact that white bread contains white flour means that it is no longer behaves like a complex carbohydrate like wholemeal bread, for example. It is more of a simple carbohydrate, like sugar. It has a high glycaemic index which means that it encourages your body to produce insulin which in turn increases your appetite. You could say that white bread actually makes you hungry!

If that were not enough, white bread contains a huge amount of salt. The next time you pick up a loaf of white bread, have a look at how much salt there is in one slice of bread. Bread constitutes over 25% of our daily salt intake. (Your daily intake of salt should be 4g and never above 6g).

A depressing fact is that too many of us get a large proportion of our daily energy intake from white bread.

A high level of salt is not good for us for a number of reasons. First, it encourages your body to retain too much fluid. This in turn causes high blood pressure, bloating and a significantly increased risk of stroke and heart disease. It also causes you to be thirsty and all too often we answer the call for liquid with food. The result is obvious - weight gain.

The best thing to do is to get into the habit - the slim habit, of not eating white bread. Eat bread if you have to, but not white. If you keep to the slim habit of not eating bread, it will help you to lose weight, and that's got to be good!

About the Author:
A Well known speaker, author and commentator on diet and health matters, Henry John's particular interest is permanent weight loss and behavior change. He is committed to helping people with weight problems achieve permanent weight loss

. If you would like learn more about how to lose weight permanently visit www.slimhabit.com

Mexican Cookies the Good the Bad and the Delicious

By KC Kudra

There are many kinds of Mexican cookies, some of which are specifically for parties, celebrations, and others, which make a special treat at any time. There are Mexican wheat cookies, Mexican sugar cookies, Mexican painted cookies, and many more mouthwatering varieties. These cookies are all sweet and tasty and they literally melt in the mouth.

What are Mexican Wedding Cookies?

These are Mexican traditional cookies, made from shortbread. Mexican wedding cookies are very popular and they often feature groundnuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts. These cookies are served at Christmas, weddings, and anniversaries. Sweden and Russia also enjoy these cookies, calling them teacakes. Why not find a Mexican wedding cookie recipe and make your own, the next time there is a special event?

Mexican Biscochitos Cookies

Biscochitos are also popular throughout Mexico. They originated in Spain. The Spanish brought these cookies to Mexico. Biscochitos are made from aniseeds and are sprinkled with cinnamon. The exact ingredients in a biscochitos recipe do vary, depending on the baker. Some have wine or orange juice for extra flavor. These delicious Mexican cookies are cut into diamond shapes using a cookie cutter and they are often served as an accompaniment to wine.

What are Mexican Marranitos, Cochinos, or Puerquitos?

These cookies are also known as cochinos or puerquitos. They are also called "gingerbread pigs" in some places although ginger is not an ingredient. Marranitos are shaped like pigs. Traditionally, this cookie got its spicy taste from molasses. Mexican bakers place brown sugar in cones to make molasses. They boil it with water until it turns into syrup.

When it has turned into syrup, the molasses is added to the dough to make the marranitos. These Mexican cookies are rich in taste, moist and have a flaky top.

Churros Mexican Traditional Cookies

Originating from Spain, Churros are tasty fried cookies that are seen in both Mexico and other countries. It is made from a light paste that is sweetened. The paste is piped into oil and fried until golden brown. Cinnamon is added to make it taste even sweeter. Churros are best when eaten warm. It is typical to find street vendors selling Churros. They can make them fresh right on the street.

Years ago, it used to be hard to find Churros outside of Hispanic areas, it used to be only sold at carnivals, and sporting events, but with the popularity of Latin food, it is now easy to find Churros in local restaurants and Mexican grocery stores. Some companies even offer the Churros that have an inner filling. You can find different flavors such as strawberry, apple, and chocolate. Churros are enjoyed in the United States by consumers of all nationalities.

So, now you know there are various types of Mexican cookie recipes. You might like to find a churros recipe or other Mexican cookie recipe and make your own Mexican sweet treats. Once you realize how good they taste, you will want to make them for your whole family to enjoy!

About the Author:
Mexican dessert recipes

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