Fitness and Nutrition Station

Yes, it seems it exists…

I just recently found out about it… and I already ordered a bottle.

It’s called Palatinose. The chemical name is Isomaltulose. Palatinose is actually as close as it can get chemically to table sugar - sucrose. The only difference chemically is a little tweak with the bond between glucose and fructose - the two molecules that comprise sucrose… and Palatinose.

Here is why Palatinose is the perfect post-workout carbohydrate…

As starters Palatinose has the same amount of calories as any other carbohydrate - 4 Cal. The most significant property that Palatinose has, however, is the fact that compared to glucose and sucrose it has a very low glycemic index (GI)- only 32. For example the GI of old-fashioned oats could be anywhere from 52 to 75. So, in essence Palatinose does NOT cause sudden raise in blood sugar and insulin.

And I’m sure you know that insulin is the main factor that could immediately put a stop on any efforts at fat loss..

More properties…

Palatinose does not ferment in the mouth, thus it does not cause tooth decay. It is stable at high temperatures, which makes it perfect for baking or cooking. It is also almost as sweet as table sugar - the perfect nutritive, low GI table sweetener.

That’s not all…

A couple other things you should know about Palatinose - it dissolves quickly and completely in liquid, and it does not cause stomach discomfort, due to the fact that it, just like table sugar, is digested completely.

So, what do you think? I think Palatinose is perfect for a post-workout carbohydrate, especially for those, who want to lose fat or maintain. Of course there will always be those, who seek the insulin spike provoking properties of fast carbs like glucose and maltodextrin for example. I am not one of those. I’d rather stay lean… and still feed my body carbs when it needs them - right after a workout is essential.

The beneficial properties of Palatinose in a bullet point format:

- Low glycemic index (GI) - 32
- It doesn’t cause tooth decay - doesn’t ferment
- Doesn’t provoke sudden insulin spike
- No gastrointestinal discomfort
- Heat stable - could be used for cooking
- No aftertaste
- Almost as sweet as table sugar
- Fully digestible - it provides the same amount of calories as table sugar or other carbohydrates

Interested in trying it? Get it from the store I get it from.

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You know, I never asked myself this question before. I’ve always known that oils don’t have fiber at all. But then I also know that flax seed is one of the best sources of fiber that a person can find out there…

So, I had to check to see if there is any fiber in flax seed oil… And guess what, there actually is. One tablespoon of flax seed oil contains 1 gr of fiber.

Now, it’s a whole another story if you should rely on flax oil to supply your diet with fiber. Obviously you should not. What you should do is add fiber from ground flax seed, also fiber from fruit and veggies. The minimum should be about 35 gr a day. If you ask me.. double that. 35 gr is nothing to keep you colon healthy. I personally take a lot more than that.

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I am not going to uncover a great secret if I say that athletes (bodybuilders even more) rely more on meat to cover their high needs for proteins. And it’s not a great secret that the most delicious way to cook steak or chicken, or even fish is to grill them.

But then the issue about carcinogens arises…

I don’t know about you, but nowadays I make sure I never burn my meat any more. And if do by chance, I cut out the charred part… fast.

Why is this important? Why you MUST make sure that you don’t char your meat?

Did you know that when the temperature of the grill or pan is too high and the meat chars, the charred part actually contains carcinogens (cancer causing agents). Such carcinogens are the so called heterocyclic amines or HCAs.

Another carcinogen that’s formed from the high temperature is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbones or PAHs. These form when the fat from the meat melts and burns. The gas from the burned fat contains PAHs, which penetrate in the outer layers of the meat.

So, how do you avoid eating carcinogenic meats?

Here are a few things you can do:

* Pre-cook your meats in the microwave oven first. The meat will require less cooking on the grill or barbecue.

* If you are going to use a grill, you are better off using a gas grill than a coal grill. The gas grill creates lower temperatures. Your meats won’t burn as much.

* Make sure your meats are lean or if they are not, make sure you trim out the visible fat, so there is not a lot to drip and burn.

* Tenderize your meats before cooking. The tenderizers contain acids, which may reduce HCAs by 90%. Vinegar or lemon juice are perfect for tenderizing, too.

You know, you can have your steak and eat it, too… In fact, if you have steak make sure you eat it! Just be smart about how you cook it.

Cheers.

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You see, where I come from using microwave oven for heating food and cooking wasn’t that popular up until the recent may be 10 years. When I got a microwave my mother would tell me “Don’t use this thing to cook in it! It kills all the vitamins and valuable nutrients”. She was (and still is) a very health conscious person. So was I. But I was sooo much about convenience also.

Microwaving has become the most repeated action in the kitchen nowadays. I heat my food, brew tea, even cook in it when I don’t have the time or the desire to create something really cool. And, trust me I like cooking and I can slap together some pretty delicious foods out of what I can find in the fridge.

But, any way, back to what my mother used to say, and probably what yours says, too. Is microwaving food bad for you? Does it kill the nutrients in food?

Well, the short answer is: it does. But if you know how to do it, microwaving is not bad for you. Here is what I mean. We know that the amount of nutrients lost to hight temperature in cooking is in direct proportion to the cooking time. Now, think about it. For how long do you use a microwave, and for how long a burner or a conventional oven?

Fact is if food is exposed to heat for a short period of time (as in microwaving) most of the nutrients are preserved. The most heat-sensitive micro nutrients are water-soluble vitamins. Those include Vit. C, Vit B. Heating up your food isn’t very likely to destroy them.

So, be careful how you use your microwave - if you use it to completely replace the conventional oven, then you’re eating dead food. But if you mainly use it to briefly expose food to high temperature, than your food will retain its healthy properties. It’s a whole another story how much valuable nutrients your food has even before you slapped it in the microwave…

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