Healthy Dieting Tips

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When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market today. In addition to the many diets there seems to be every kind of diet aid you can imagine. From shakes the diet industry has evolved to include everything from candy bars and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly and easily. Well I can tell you for a fact there is very little easy for must of us about dropping a few pounds.

If you would like a few tips that should make your weight loss goals a little easier to achieve then perhaps the following tips will help you out.

Drink Plenty of Water

There really isn’t enough that can be said about the importance of drinking water in an effort to reach your fitness goals. Water hydrates the body first and foremost but water is also an important way of tricking your body into believing it is full. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this endeavor and many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you can ill afford when dieting.

Another great thing about drinking a lot of water while dieting is that it helps your skin retain its elasticity so you can avoid some of the ‘loose skin’ look that often accompanies massive weight loss. As an added bonus drinking plenty of water will have your skin looking radiant and beautiful as well.

Set Goals

Having goals is one of the most important things you can do when working to loose weight. Try to make sure that your goals are aggressive but can be achieved. If you are frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic goals you are much more likely to give up. However, challenges are always going to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. If you can find a ‘weight loss partner’ in order to have a little friendly competition for the weight loss totals for a week or a month then you are going to be far more likely to accomplish your goals than if you keep them quietly to yourself.

Eat More

Did you read that twice? Yes, eat more healthy foods that are high in fiber. Eat more vegetables and fruits-fill up on these foods that are good for you and you will not be inclined to binge on calorie laden junk food.

Move!

While this seems a little too simply stated for most, getting up and moving is one of, if not the absolute best way to burn calories. The simple truth is that you are not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume. The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.

Some great activities that actually burn calories include the following: gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these activities because you can trick yourself into believing that you aren’t really exercising while burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and energy and if you dance around a little to some good music in the process you might burn a few extra calories. click here

Dieting, when successful can help restore self image and self-esteem in people who are otherwise beautiful people inside and out. The steps above are not the only things that are involved in the dieting process but they can help you reach your weight loss goals particularly when combined with a diet plan that you feel confident you can follow. Be sure that on those days when will power is non-existent that you do not derail your diet efforts all together by giving up. The most important thing you can do when dieting is to go back to dieting once you’ve strayed.

Get started here and change your life forever. click here

By lisa fox

Healthy Eating For Ideal Weight Loss

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There are a lot of things people can do to improve their general state of wellness. Perhaps the most important of these is healthy eating. If you have ever paid attention to experts when they talk about getting healthy, you will notice that there are two things that always seem to come up: diet and exercise. There is no question that what you choose to eat plays a major role in healthy you are.

All kinds of analogies are used when talking about the human body, but one of the most fitting for our purposes has to be comparing the body to cars. There are cars that are fairly new, but their owners don’t take care of them, so they start running poorly long before they should. Then there are the cars that are decades old and still run like new. This is rarely due to luck. Instead it’s all about how the owner takes care of their car.click here

We can continue this analogy a bit further. The kind of fuel you put into your car makes all the difference. Sure, an economy model may be able to run on any brand of gasoline, but a fine-tuned sports car requires premium. All cars require regular maintenance as well. However, this analogy can only go so far, and there is one huge difference between the two. You can always trade in a car for a newer model, but you only get one body. Yet, too many people take much better care of their cars than themselves. Healthy eating is like putting the right kind of fuel in a car, but a car that you can never trade in.

Now, there are a lot of diets out there that promise to do this or that. Some claim that they can get you to lose weight the easy way, others are meant to prevent cancer, lower your cholesterol, or reduce the risk of various ailments. The truth is that some of them really do work for some people. But there are so many bad diets out there that it can be hard to figure out which ones are worth trying. You can actually try most diets, but there’s a catch. You need to know what counts as healthy eating first, then only use those parts of the diet that will be good for you.

Choices are what it’s all about. Let’s face it, most of us already have a pretty good idea about which foods we should eat and which ones we should avoid. For example, if you have a choice between eating a large chocolate doughnut and a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast; you would most likely agree that the oatmeal was healthier. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat a doughnut, not at all. But if you do, you should think of it as an occasional snack, and not a nutritious breakfast. And that’s only one example. Just being aware of the choices you make is an excellent start to eating right.

Get started here and change your life forever! click here

By lisa fox

Important threads for you

 read more about food by visiting foodNetworkWorld

Barbecue and Grill Accessories That You Actually Need But You Did Not Think Of ( By Johnny D Lyness ):
You are an up-and-coming griller extraordinaire! We are proud to have you as one of us, masters of the grilling world........ 

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5 Reasons Why Farm Fresh Food Is Beneficial for You (by Stella Finn):
Fresh foods come straight from the farm, freshly harvested, picked, and sent to the local store. This food is fresh with no preservatives, additives or ingredients that classify the food as inorganic........

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 Healthy Snacks for Your Kids (By Stephen G John):
 One of the challenges for parents, especially moms, these days is providing healthy snacks for their children when they go to school. Some either don't have time to shop for healthy ingredients and prepare.........

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 Wild Vs Farmed Salmon (By Shafeen Jinnah ):
  The choices for salmon have become overwhelming over the last number of years. Anyone that is a fan of salmon products and has been to their local market.......

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 Butter or Margarine? Which One to Choose (By Sue Batty ):
 It's only natural to feel confused in the butter-versus-margarine debate. Years ago, as doctors grasped the dangers of saturated fat..........

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  Benefits of Buying Organic Spices (By Gaurav Kaushik ):
 Humans have been using spices to better their cooking, and their health too, for centuries People in the ancient times knew which spices would cure an upset stomach,
 relieve pain..........

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 How to Store Spices - Some Practical Tips (By Gaurav Kaushik):
 Spices are what make our food delicious and flavorful. Storing them in a proper manner will help bring out the true flavor of the flavoring agent..........

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  Is Smoked Salmon Good For You? (By Lynne Evans ):
 Smoked salmon is certainly tasty, and is good in sauces with pasta, or as a canapé, perhaps with a little cottage cheese and toast or crackers...........

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 3 Weight Loss Mistakes To Avoid (By James D. Foster, Ph.D. ):
 It's estimated that over 100 million people all over the world are overweight. Although, there is a lot of good information on how to lose weight.........



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  5 Ideas for Preparing Outstanding Burgers (By Otis A Garzaten):
The weather is definitely improving every day and my ideas are now beginning to turn in the direction of getting outside and firing up the barbecue..........
 
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Healthy Eating For Ideal Weight Loss: 
There are a lot of things people can do to improve their general state of wellness. Perhaps the most important of these is healthy eating.........

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Healthy Dieting Tips:

When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market today. In addition to the many diets.......

Barbecue and Grill Accessories That You Actually Need But You Did Not Think Of ( By Johnny D Lyness )

read more about food in foodNetworkWorld

You are an up-and-coming griller extraordinaire! We are proud to have you as one of us, masters of the grilling world! To become an expert of the barbecue and the grill, you have to first know the devices that you will need to accomplish your strategy of being the grill dominator!

Gloves
This is one of one of the most ignored product that is needed by a future BBQ specialist like you. You would mention real males do not use gloves. But the truth is, real males are wise. And he relates heat with getting the skin sweltered. You require gloves as protection against heat of your devices.

Grill Lighting

Some BBQ occasions last til the night. You would not intend to be inconsistent, do you? You should keep that savory and juicy steak and BBQ going. If you do not have light, your BBQ might become completely dry, or even worse, burnt. You require a portable and adjustable lighting that you can position near the outdoor grill to make certain that you serve first-rate barbecue to your friends and family.

Griddle
A grill specialist is not restricted to just barbecuing meat. He can also barbecue eggs, bacon, peppers, onions, tomatoes and others. You will require a griddle for that. A griddle is a stainless steel plate that can transfer the heat in order to properly cook the food.

Grill Lifter
A grill specialist would understand that in a long barbecue event, the more charcoal needs to be positioned in the grill to continue cooking the meat. First, you must have a lot of charcoal (Yes this is a must). Secondly, you need a safety device to raise the grill. Hence, you need a grill lifter. It is a small tool yet an actual helper in the arena of the BBQ specialist.

Grill brush
You might mention that the meat had actually already been soused over night. Still, BBQ specialists place special sauces on the meat during the grilling process. Here, you are strengthening the flavor as you are preparing the meat. You require a grill brush for this critical step.

Fish basket
Fish is a delectable food that you can barbecue. But, with great food comes great responsibility. As the fish is cooked, its components occasionally stick to the grill or collapse. That is why you require a fish basket so that you can turn the fish on its opposite side in order to cook it in and out.
One of the best developments on the planet is the BBQ grill. It generates tasty and mouth-worthy food! But more vital is the man in front of the grill. You are that person. You ought to be well equipped, both in capabilities, and in tools. These grill devices will definitely assist you so that you can ultimately bring the best feasts back in your house.

 By Johnny D Lyness

5 Reasons Why Farm Fresh Food Is Beneficial for You (by Stella Finn)

read more about food in foodNetworkWorld

Fresh foods come straight from the farm, freshly harvested, picked, and sent to the local store. This food is fresh with no preservatives, additives or ingredients that classify the food as inorganic. Moreover, since the summer heat is only going up, fresh foods are what can keep your energy levels high and keep you on the go without getting dizzy and dehydrated. Here are 5 reasons why farm fresh produce is beneficial for you:

1. It's fresh
Local produce is carefully handpicked and made available directly to the local store. In most cases, the farmer owns the store, so puts the produce on stands for sale as soon as it is ready. This ensures you get the best quality product that comes straight to you and doesn't involve treatments like those with industrial produce that is treated to look better.

2. Social Welfare
Buying from your local mart means you encourage the farmer to earn from the store sales. In addition, it enables the farmer to maintain the farm and not sell it to make his or her ends meet. You indirectly help to protect natural and agricultural lands, which is essential for the economy, fresh air and the presence of nature.

3. Community Support
When you buy from the local market, you support farm families. Farmers, who own the local mart, are able to retain more profit as otherwise when there is an intermediary involved. This way, he or she is able to sell the produce at discounted rates and keep more profit too; this creates a win-win situation for both the buyer and the seller.

4. More nutritious
The best thing about fresh produce is that it reaches your plate in no time as compared to produce that you buy from a supermarket. In the later case, the produce is likely to be inorganic and injected with cortisones to look big and better. However, the produce loses its nutrients during the process. While fresh produce comes straight to you without any process, and is not treated; it is in its original form.

5. Freshly baked food
Some farms also offer fresh baked pies, and other foods, made with fresh ingredients. Therefore, in case you don't want to buy raw ingredients, you can buy on the go food, breads, pies, yogurts and other delicacies from your local store.
Farm fresh is very healthy, nutritious and power packed with great vitamins, proteins and minerals. Especially during summers, it is beneficial to consume organic food. It keeps you away from intestinal disorders, gastrointestinal tract infections, stomach problems, and nausea. Fruit, meats, dairy products and fresh bakes pies, bursting with freshness are what you need for a healthy lifestyle and a cool summer.

 by Stella Finn

Healthy Snacks for Your Kids (By Stephen G John)

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One of the challenges for parents, especially moms, these days is providing healthy snacks for their children when they go to school. Some either don't have time to shop for healthy ingredients and prepare, while others just don't know which snacks fall under the 'healthy' category.
Giving your child money and letting him decide what snack to get at school is not really a good idea. A child is generally drawn to sweet stuff, and that's what he would probably buy with his money. Driving through a fast food restaurant to buy his snacks before dropping     him  off to school is not a better idea either. You'll just be loading his body
 with unhealthy ingredients.
Well, there are snacks you can prepare that won't be harmful to your kid and don't take hours to prepare. Here are some of them:

Peach pops - Kids (of all ages) love those literally cool pops. Instead of giving your kid one that's laced with preservatives, why not make your own? You can use peach (or any of your kid's fave fruit, for that matter) to make a peach puree and have it frozen.

Watermelon salsa - If your kid loves tortilla chips (who doesn't?), instead of making tomato salsa, make it more exciting by substituting it with watermelon. This is especially ideal during those hot days.

Pick those pickles - Certainly, you can get preserved pickles from the grocery. But there's just nothing better than something made in your own home. Your own loving touch adds something more into the food that no food shop can give. Pickles can be prepared in a jiffy, plus they can stay in your fridge for up to 10 days.

Polenta biscotti - These crisp golden slices can make a nice contrast when paired with fruit or a warm drink (like tea). The name of this snack may sound intimidating, but you really don't have to be an expert baker to make them. You only need a few basic ingredients and some kitchen magic.

Cornish pasties - This snack is well-known and well-loved throughout Great Britain. It's excellent for your kid's lunch or snack box. You can even have it as a main course dish by serving it with fresh vegetables.

Yogurt smoothie with banana- Nothing beats fresh fruit as a healthy snack choice. And if you combine fruit like banana with dairy, you have a mini-meal that's both filling and good for the health.
These are some snack ideas that you can prepare for your kid without compromising his health. This can give you peace of mind that he consumes only the good stuff every time he's in school.

By Stephen G John

Wild Vs Farmed Salmon (By Shafeen Jinnah )

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The choices for salmon have become overwhelming over the last number of years. Anyone that is a fan of salmon products and has been to their local market or grocery store can vouch for the number of choices in the fish section now. Not only that, but the choices come with significant price differences as well. The biggest question we get is no doubt the choice to buy wild or farmed salmon. So lets address that question a little further. To be completely honest the choice of which salmon to buy will ultimately fall with you and what's important to you in the fish.

 In terms of taste, quality and look there is no doubt that wild salmon is a much better quality product than its farmed counterpart. Its a pretty simple formula here, anything naturally raised is going to be a superior product to something that is farmed. The product is naturally raised in clean waters and the process is able to take place as it should. I myself prefer wild salmon as I feel the taste is significantly enhanced versus the farmed product.

Farmed salmon is basically what it sounds. Its raised in large tanks usually in other parts of the world where the waters may not be as clean and there is quite the process to raising the salmon that the wild doesn't need. With all this in mind there is still a much needed place for farmed salmon as the price point for this fish is very enticing, so it really comes down to a choice of what you value the most. Below is an insight into the development process of farmed salmon. Notice we didn't need to include this in the wild salmon discussion.
Here's the basic rundown of how a farm raised salmon ends up on your table:
farm raised salmon

1. Surgically extracted salmon egg and sperm are used to create a new fish.

2. Fish eggs are incubated and hatched.

3. Fish babies begin their lives in controlled freshwater environments.

4. Salmon are exposed to increasing levels of salt in water.

5. Fish are vaccinated against infectious diseases before they enter a pen with tens of thousands of other fish.

6. Salmon is fattened up on a concentrated, high fat combination of ground up fish, fish oil, and grains. The food pellets also have color additives that help give the farm raised salmon the nice pinkish color we're all accustomed to. Otherwise, they'd be a dullish grey color*.

*Wild salmon, by contrast, obtain their pink hue from their natural environment by feasting on a diet of krill, which eats red algae.

7. When the salmon weighs 8 - 10 pounds they're killed, packaged, and shipped to your neighbourhood grocery store.

Either one you choose is really not a bad choice as in the end fish is fish, the farmed versus fresh will always be a debate but really you cant go wrong with either one. So enjoy.

 By Shafeen Jinnah

Butter or Margarine? Which One to Choose (By Sue Batty )

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It's only natural to feel confused in the butter-versus-margarine debate. Years ago, as doctors grasped the dangers of saturated fat, butter slid down the popularity poll while vegetable-oil-based margarines became the new favourite. But soon it was discovered that some margarines contain unhealthy trans fats, while others made baffling health claims. In this short article, we'll get to the bottom of the margarine vs. butter food fight, 
while you can take your ringside seat.

Butter or margarine?
We can get into a lengthy discussion over margarine vs. butter, but we won't. We only want to give you a quick glimpse into why exactly we prefer margarine over butter. In a ten-gram serving, margarine contains only 1.5 grams of saturated fats while the same serving of butter is packed with 5.4 grams of saturated fat. So by simply choosing margarine over butter in your everyday cooking, baking and spreading needs, you'll be saving yourself and your family from 3.9 grams of unnecessary saturated fat. Another good point to consider is that margarine is made from high quality natural plant oils which are all vital sources of Omega 3 and 6. These oils do not raise cholesterol and contain only sensible amounts of salt.
To understand margarine a little better, we'll go back to its origins.
 Believe it or not, but the history of margarine can be traced back to the culinary capital of Paris in 1867. Emperor Napoleon III offered a prize to the first person to create an everyday spread that would feed the people of France and help keep its armies marching across Europe. The prize was won by a man from Provence named Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès. His margarine recipe was a success, and, over the years, became the everyday yellow stuff we know and love today.
Since its humble beginnings in France, margarine has become a world favourite today. Especially now that modern margarines
 contain no partially hydrogenated fats anymore - that means no resulting trans fats.

So is the winner butter or margarine?
The American Heart Association is amongst many who suggest buying soft, trans-fat-free spreads instead of ordinary butter. It's best to choose a blend with the least amount of saturated fat and zero trans fats. If the tub mentions partially hydrogenated oils, it still contains some trans fats (less than 0.5 gram per serving), even if the food label says trans fat free. You can also choose light or low-fat margarine. This means the spread has added water to reduce the overall fat and calorie count, but remember to check your portion size too.
Now that we've uncovered the truth using a touch of science and history, why not read more about the butter vs. margarine facts online.

Sue Batty, is a chef and home economist who simply loves baking cakes, breads and puddings. Her secret is using quality ingredients and keeping things simple. So if you ask her if she prefers butter or margarine, the answer is simple. She has always used margarine in her cooking and baking. Her favourite cuisines are Thai and Asian dishes and if she can have one meal for the rest of her life it would be Coffee Walnut Cake.

 By Sue Batty

Benefits of Buying Organic Spices (By Gaurav Kaushik )

read more about food in foodNetworkWorld

Humans have been using spices to better their cooking, and their health too, for centuries. People in the ancient times knew which spices would cure an upset stomach, relieve pain and so on. Some recent studies have also suggested that they are indeed helpful in driving away several kinds of ailments and keeping the body healthy and fit.

Organic spices are the biggest trend to have hit the food scene. The organic products movement has really taken off. With increasing awareness about the environment, many people are consciously opting for healthier lifestyles with minimal impact on the environment.

Organic is a much better option than the conventional spices in almost every conceivable sense. The spices are definitely of a much superior quality. The color, texture and taste of organic spices are significantly better. People are increasingly realizing the importance of opting for organic spices for their health.

There are primarily three reasons to go organic - better flavor, better health and a better planet. The nutritional value is much higher than that of the conventional foods. Organic spices taste better too. The standards of processing, storing, packing and shipping of these products ensure that they are fresh and favorable.

When you opt for organic products, you are doing Mother Earth a favor. As organically grown food does not use harmful products, the natural balance of the soil is maintained and the soil, river, lakes etc. have less chances of becoming polluted. Organic spices are grown without the usage of any harmful chemicals and fertilizers. Keep in mind that insects are much tougher than humans. Whatever kills them will not be good for you too!

In organic farming, users are saved from ingesting chemicals that may lead to heart diseases, cancer and other ailments. They are grown on lands that have been free from synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides for a minimum of three years. The natural method of growing crops is not compromised in any way. This does immense good to the eco system.

If you are looking to add that zest to your cooking and enjoy superior medicinal benefits, going organic is the best way. There are several ethnic cuisines all around the world that rely on organic spices to bring out the traditional flavor of the dish. Whether you use organic spices in your restaurant or home, they are widely popular for their great taste and the amazing health benefits they offer.

 By Gaurav Kaushik

How to Store Spices - Some Practical Tips (By Gaurav Kaushik)

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Spices are what make our food delicious and flavorful. Storing them in a proper manner will help bring out the true flavor of the flavoring agent. Most women want to know the best way to store spices so that they last for a long time. Here are some tips to help everyone better organize and store spices.
Keep the spices close to where you use them . If you use them primarily while cooking, keep them near your stove area. If you use them while preparing your food, keep them near your preparation area. If you use them as seasonings, store them close to the serving area.

1-If there is a large quantity of spices to store, and there is not much space in the kitchen, you can sort them by frequency of usage. Store the more frequently used spices in the kitchen and the rest in a storage cabinet outside the kitchen.

2-It helps to store the spices alphabetically as they do it in the grocery stores. This makes it easier to find them. Also, you would be able to check how much there is of a spice and if you have any duplicates. This will save your space and money.

3-Most people keep their spice on the spice rack or the kitchen. While using them, we might leave the lids open by mistake, which makes the spices lose their aroma fast. Properly storing the spices is as important as deciding which spices to pick to be used in a meal.

4-The best thing you can do to maximize the aroma of your spices is to buy whole spices, not ground. The latter starts to deteriorate after 3-4 months and more so if stored improperly. Whole spices can last many years. If you need small amounts, take a little of the whole spices and ground them. You can also grind in the coffee grinder and use.

5-It is best to store spices in a dry and dark space. Air, moisture, light and heat are not good for spices. They decrease the flavor of the spices. If storing in a spice rack, make sure that you avoid keeping the rack over an oven or a dishwasher, as the heat will affect the flavor of spices.

 Even though proper storage of spices helps to maintain their flavor and freshness, it is essential to know when it is time to throw them out. The golden rule is once a year. If the spice starts to smell musky, or does not give any odor, or changes color, you can replace it.

By Gaurav Kaushik

Is Smoked Salmon Good For You? (By Lynne Evans )

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Smoked salmon is certainly tasty, and is good in sauces with pasta, or as a canapé, perhaps with a little cottage cheese and toast or crackers. There is a relatively high amount of protein in smoked fish such as salmon, which have the advantage of being low in saturated fat. If you are trying to increase your muscle mass as part of an intensive exercise program, then you could add some smoked fish to your diet. However, the US Department of recommends two portions of fish (not necessarily smoked though) as part of your weekly diet; so if you eat one portion of unsmoked mackerel, for example and one of smoked salmon, that would be acceptable. Both of these fish are considered oily and so have those important Omega-3 fatty acids. These are cardio-vascular protective and we may not be getting enough of them in our usual diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in smoked salmon as well as raw; the smoking process doesn't eliminate them.

** Smoked salmon and health 
Pregnant women are advised not to eat smoked salmon or other smoked fish as they could contain parasites. These can cause intestinal upsets and irritation, although food poisoning will only be caused if you consume a contaminated product. Contamination can occur at any time of the food processing and food poisoning can result, although it happens rarely if you consume smoked fish. However, if you buy salmon that was wild, there is an increased risk of its having parasites, but if you buy a farmed salmon, particularly the Atlantic salmon, which has been fed pellets, there is less risk of parasites being present in it.

Nitrates and nitrates are by-products of the smoking process and may be present in high levels in any smoked fish. These have been linked to stomach cancer, so the key here is to eat smoked fish in moderation. You need a balanced diet, so you shouldn't simply eat one kind of food. While fish are good for you, if you eat too much smoked fish this could lead to health problems rather than benefits.

Smoked salmon and other smoked fish contain sodium, so if you are on a low-sodium diet, eating smoked salmon is not a great idea. A one ounce serving of smoked salmon contains 222 milligrams of sodium.

Basically you can eat smoked salmon (if you are not pregnant) as long as you eat it in moderation. However if you ate nothing else, this would, of course, cause health problems over time. Stick to Aristotle's advice: "all things in moderation."

If you have found this article interesting, why not click on the link to find out more about the foods we eat? There are also recipes that are a fusion of Asian and European foods and information about the plants we can use as medicine

 By Lynne Evans