Published on: 21 August 2018
Last Updated on: 25 July 2024
It is an accepted fact that dark chocolates are healthy and nutritious. The availability of many brands and equal claims may sometimes make it very difficult for you to choose the right chocolate. Traditional farming practices and superior processing units make a huge difference to the quality of chocolates manufactured. As a result of the huge demand, many large manufacturers have relied on mass farming which has taken away the unique taste of dark chocolate. Here is how you can go about choosing the right chocolate to enjoy not just the taste, but also eat without health complications.
Difference Between Dark Chocolate And Chocolate
Chocolate is manufactured by mixing sugar and fat with cocoa; this is different from milk chocolate which has a lot of milk content in it, in the form of milk solids. Chocolate that is having more than 70% of cocoa content is regarded as dark chocolate. One of the biggest health advantages of eating dark chocolate chips is its powerful antioxidant qualities. There are studies which prove dark chocolate to have greater antioxidant qualities than some of the more famous sources of antioxidants, including blueberries.
Exceptional Health Benefits
The health benefits of chocolates need no introduction. In addition to the antioxidant quality, dark chocolate offers and answer brain functions in addition to reducing the risk of heart disease in individuals. This potent mix of awful antioxidants and natural ingredients makes chocolates a rich source of healthy intake. The best chocolates are often the ones that do not have too many ingredients to complicate the chocolate. For instance, the addition of two-minute preservatives to prolong the life of the chocolate on how to improve some quality of taste is likely to take away the health benefits.
Higher Cocoa Content
Dark chocolate that has higher cocoa content has direct, indirect benefits. For instance, the higher the concentration of cocoa the more is the power of antioxidants in the chocolate.
And higher cocoa concentration will also bring down the level of sugar in the chocolate which will result in a healthier product. When you opt for dark chocolate with higher cocoa content, it would always be a good idea to choose chocolates that do not have artificial flavors.
Organic Traditional Farming Practices
Specialist chocolate makers rely on cocoa and cacao that are formed through traditional farming practices that are organic. This ensures that the flavors untouched and undisturbed by chemicals or other factors. For instance, plants that grow in the shade have better flavor and taste then cocoa and cacao plants that grow in the sun. Forms that harvest very high volumes of cocoa and cacao typically rely on huge farms that are exposed to the sun.
When you choose any dark chocolate product to ensure that you avoid products that are listed as having ingredients trans fat as an ingredient. This is generally used by manufacturers to give the chocolates more shelf life. However, this takes away the health benefits.
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When you are into bodybuilding, your primary goal is to build muscles through weightlifting and proper nutrition. Bulking is a part of the bodybuilding process. However, bulking requires proper nutrition along with weightlifting. You need to consume the best bulking foods to ensure the right nutrition.
In this article, you will learn about the best bulking foods. Here, this article will explain the key nutrients bulking nutrients and the best protein sources.
Apart from that, you will also learn about the best fat and carbohydrate sources useful for bulking. Finally, you will also get some tips for effective bulking. Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article.
Why Is Bulking Integral To Bodybuilding?
Generally, bodybuilding involves two phases: bulking and cutting. In the former, the goal is to gain weight and build muscles, while the latter consists in reducing body fat.
Basically, bulking is a dietary process where you consume excess calories for muscle growth and weight gain. In fact, it is a common approach that athletes and bodybuilders use to increase their strength and muscle mass.
Hence, bulking refers to an increase in calories that your body consumes when it is in the process of intense weight training.
It is the stage where you gain muscles in your body. Here, you have to consume more calories than your body needs. However, you do it for a set period of time (4-6 months).
The extra calories that you consume works as a necessary fuel for muscle growth. Moreover, it provides strength to your body through weight training.
Best Bulking Foods: A General Overview
In bulking, your focus should be to give your body more energy than it consumes, thus creating a calorie surplus.
Meanwhile, this surplus creates extra energy, with the help of which your body creates muscle mass. Moreover, this energy helps you repair damaged tissues and fuel intense workouts.
Actually, bulking is one of the most important aspects of muscle growth. This is because if you build muscles, you must provide your body with enough energy. This way, it can build and repair damaged muscle tissues after your workout.
However, just because you are bulking, it does not mean that you have to consume as much food as possible. In fact, you must choose the best bulking foods and count your macronutrients. This way, you can support your muscle growth and minimize fat gain.
Key Nutrients For Bulking
If you want to achieve a clean bulk, you have to make smart food choices. In fact, if your choice of food is poor, it will lead to “dirty bulking.” As a result, you will end up with a lot of accumulated fat and minimal muscle gain.
In fact, in healthy bulking, you must consume quality foods and minimize your fat gains. This is because your goal is to maximize your muscle gain and ensure proper metabolism.
When bulking, you must focus on protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Here is a breakdown of each nutrient you need for muscle gain:
Proteins
The importance of protein in muscle growth and repair is the highest. This is because proteins are the building blocks of muscles. Hence, in your bulking phase, aim to have a higher protein intake.
Consume 1g of protein for each pound of your body weight. For example, if your body weight is 180 lbs, consume 180 grams of protein each day when you are bulking.
Some good sources of lean protein include lean meats, eggs, poultry, fish, dairy products, lentils, beans, etc.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates help you in providing energy for intense workouts. Also, it helps create a bulk in the muscles. Basically, carbs replenish the glycogen inside your muscles.
However, when you are bulking, take 1.5 grams of carbs for 1 lb of your weight. For example, if your body weight is 180 lbs, consume 250-270 grams of carbs daily when you are bulking.
When choosing carbs for bulking, focus on consuming complex carbohydrates. These include brown rice, whole grains, fruits, sweet potatoes, and vegetables.
Fats
Healthy fats are necessary for overall health and hormone production. Apart from that, it also helps in nutrient absorption. Hence, to consume healthy fats, you can include sources like nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, etc.
Best Protein Sources For Bulking
The following are some of the best protein sources when you are in your bulking phase:
Lean Meats: Some good sources of protein are chicken or turkey. This is because they have less saturated fat than red meat. For instance, you will get 18-25 grams of protein from 100 grams of chicken breast.
Dairy Products: Generally, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk have high protein and high calories. Hence, they help you to build muscles faster. Apart from that, cottage cheese helps you in muscle recovery and growth due to its slow and steady dissolution.
Fish and Seafood: Fishes like salmon, tuna, and shrimp are high in protein and healthy fat. Hence, you can consider consuming them from time to time.
Eggs: Eggs are a good and fast-acting source of lean protein. Also, it contains healthy cholesterol. However, do not consume the egg yolk (yellow part) more than 2 in a day as it will increase cholesterol in your body. Meanwhile, you can consume multiple egg whites of boiled eggs in a single day. In fact, this is a good source of lean protein.
Plant-Based Proteins: Plant-based proteins are lean and healthy at the same time. Some good sources of such protein are beans, lentils, tofu, and tempeh.
Protein Supplements: If you eat too much, you will feel bloated at the end of the day. Hence, you need protein supplements that will help you supplement the shortage of protein that you consume in a day. Some examples of protein supplements are whey protein, casein protein, and plant-based protein powders.
Best Carbohydrate Sources For Bulking
Here are some of the best bulking foods for carbohydrates that will help you during the bulking phase:
Sweet Potatoes: a great post-workout snack that contains nutrients and fibers. Also, it will help you restore glycogen levels in your body.
Fruits: Different types of fruits come with various nutrients and carbohydrates. Apart from that, fruits also add antioxidants to your body. For instance, a good fruit option to consume after a workout is a banana.
Whole Grains: You can find whole-grain bread and pasta helping you consume complex carbs. Generally, they contain more vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Apart from that, you can also choose brown rice to get good-quality carbs.
Legumes and Quinoa: Quinoa, beans, and lentils are excellent sources of carbohydrates.
Best Fat Sources For Bulking
Here are some of the best bulking foods for healthy fats that you can use during your bulking phase:
Nuts and Seeds: Some essential and healthy sources of fats are almonds, chia seeds, walnuts, and flaxseeds.
Oils: For instance, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil are great additions when considering fat for your diet. Hence, try to use coconut oil and olive oil in your cooking. This way, you can increase healthy fats and additional calories.
Avocados: Avocadoes are rich in healthy fats and nutrients. Basically, they contain monounsaturated fatty acids that add healthy calories and fat to your diet. Also, it is a source of antioxidants and vitamin E.
Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are fatty fishes that help you remain healthy and achieve clean bulk. Also, a large dose of omega-3 fatty acids, can improve your joints and cardiovascular health.
Dairy: Full-fat yogurt and cheese help your muscle restore glycogen stores. This helps more in the muscle-building process.
Tips For Effective Bulking
The following are some of the major tips for effective bulking:
Meal Frequency: Eating multiple times a day is important to ensure a good flow of nutrients and faster metabolism. Hence, make sure to eat small multiple times throughout the day.
Caloric Surplus: Always count your calories and your nutrients. For instance, if you see a caloric surplus to support muscle growth, you will have more energy for intense workouts and repairing damaged tissues.
Hydration: Since you are working out and eating a lot, you must stay hydrated. This will support overall health and performance.
Consistency: When you are in your bulking phase, be consistent with your diet and workout. Moreover, make sure to adjust your Intake. For instance, you can tweak calorie and nutrient intake based on progress and goals.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
To ensure efficient bulking, here are some common mistakes you must avoid:
Do not eat too much quickly, as it will get difficult to cut later on.
Make sure there is not a big gap between the two meals.
Getting ample rest will not be helpful for your muscles. Basically, your muscles need to get rest for growth. Hence, it would help if you got enough sleep when you are working out regularly.
Do cardio at least once a week. This helps you increase your appetite and helps you break down your calories faster.
Summing Up
Now you know the best bulking foods to help you grow your muscles and gain muscle weight. However, your nutrient intake and workout must go hand in hand. Only then will you get your desired results.
Do you have more suggestions on the best bulking foods to consume? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
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Depending on where you live and what season you’re in, it’s possible to buy frozen squid in the frozen section of your local supermarket. Frozen squid is a type of squid that has been preserved by freezing.
This way, it doesn’t keep remaining. It loses to Water vapor and therefore doesn’t stick to the plate. You can buy frozen squid from the refrigerated section of your local supermarket.
You can also buy it frozen at a bulk market. When you purchase frozen squid, it usually has a trace on it.
Are The Cooking Process Different For Frozen Squid And Fresh Ones?
This means it is not fresh squid but frozen squid. This means that it has not been skinned and therefore doesn’t have cartilage. This means it is not as juicy and tender. You can also buy frozen squid without a trace on sale or at a bulk market. Wrong Cooking and Eating Frozen squid? Read on to know how to cook and eat frozen squid.
Fresh squid is killed by cooking, which leads to the cartilage being killed. Frozen squid does not have any step in between the cooking and the preserving. The squid is still alive. So, it is not as juicy and tender. When you buy frozen squid, it usually has traces on it.
Often the squid lovers search for frozen squid near me. And find the best-frozen squid food. But you can make these delicious food items in your home kitchen.
This means it is not fresh squid but frozen Squid. This means it has not been skinned and therefore doesn't have cartilage. This means it is not as juicy and tender. You can also buy frozen squid without a trace on frozen squid for sale or from a bulk market.
How To Cook The Frozen Squid At Your Home Kitchen?
The most important thing to remember when cooking and eating frozen Squid is to follow the recipe as closely as possible. You don't want to over-cook or change something you know will be gone in the next day or two.
There are two ways to cook and eat frozen squid: boiling or cold pressing. Boiling is the most common way to cook and eat frozen squid. On the other hand, cold pressing is cooking and then using a press to press the seafood against the pan. Please read the recipe, which will answer your question.
Ingredients Requirements For Fried Frozen Squid
300 gm of frozen Squid Rings from the supermarket100 gm of bread crumbs3 Beaten EggsTwo teaspoons of salts and peppers Large bowel to fry and required oil100gm of plain all-purpose flour
Preparations Directions:
It’s essential to buy frozen squid when you’re in the chilled section of your local supermarket. You can buy it at a bulk market and have it in stock when you get to your store. When you purchase frozen squid, it usually has traces on it.
This means it is not fresh squid but frozen Squid. This means it has not been skinned and therefore doesn’t have cartilage. This means it is not as juicy and tender. You can also buy frozen squid without a trace on sale or at a bulk market.
Here is the whole frozen squid recipe. Please read it and make this delicious food item at your home.
Step1: First, add the salts and peppers to the beaten eggs. Also, add the salts and peppers to the rings. Heat up the oil in the pan for at least 10 minutes.
Step2: Coat the rings with all-purpose flour after preparing the frozen rings. Then dip the rings into the beaten eggs.
Step4: Apply the coating on the rings with the beaten eggs, and add the second layer of coating with the bread crumbs. After two layerings, set aside the rings. And heat up the oils in the pan.
Step5: Fry the coated frozen squid in the dipping oil. Then your preparation is ready to eat. Use the paper towel to absorb the excess oils from the rings. You can serve the plate with excellent sauces of red peppers or any spicy sauces.
Conclusion:
Frozen squid is the perfect food for those who love to eat. It is healthy, easy, and quick to cook, and you can eat them even if you are not a culinary enthusiast. However, just like any other food, frozen squid needs to be cooked to achieve the perfect texture and flavor. So, what to cook frozen squid for? We have got you covered! Keep following these cooking menu guidelines and enjoy the crispy frozen squid while sitting at your home.
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Getting into baking as a home cook can be pretty daunting, especially when faced with a plethora of options and tons of confusing advice.
You might just be standing in the store staring at the different products wondering whether you're supposed to buy a mixing bowl or a souffle dish. Believe us; you wouldn't want to end up with drawers full of unuseful stuff.
So if you are a newbie looking for some advice for your baking journey, besides taking up some bakery courses, continue to read on and learn about some essentials you need.
List of Top 8 Lucrative Baking Equipment For Home Cook
1 - Measuring Cups
This one might be a no-brainer, but many people skip the basics when starting with baking.
If you're wondering why you can't save some money by just using the same cup to measure everything - well, there are different measuring cups for wet and dry ingredients. Mixing those will make accurate measuring difficult and mess up your whole recipe.
For sticky ingredients like honey and peanut butter, you can look into adjustable measuring cups, which are super convenient and prevent product waste.
2 - Spatulas
There are varying uses of spatulas when it comes to baking.
Whether scraping, stirring, or lathering, you'll find yourself repeatedly reaching for this handy tool. All the options might confuse you, so let's narrow it down to the basics. Ideally, you need spatulas that are: a) flexible and b) heat resistant.
Even within those categories, there are many different options you can explore. So if you want to get into more detail, you can find out about the different kinds of spatulas here.
As for between wooden and rubber spatulas, we'd recommend rubber. There are specific rubber spatulas that are meant to be heat resistant. So you get the best of both worlds. But if you are looking for more of an eco-friendly option, wooden spatulas are also great.
3 - Baking Pans
Pans work as the base on which you start building up your dish, there is no baking without pans, and you can't get away with just getting one and calling it a day. But that doesn't mean you have to start buying every type of pan you can get your hands on. So again, we'll focus on the essentials.
Muffin tins are a must and versatile since they can be used to make much more than the usual cupcakes. You can start with a smaller 6-cup pan or go up to 12 if you work with the smaller goodies more often.
Loaf tins are also very important to have, and it's a purchase you won't regret. The possibilities are endless, and we recommend going for a non-stick one on the lighter side.
4 - Mixers
Mixers are tools that can be a bit heavy on your wallet, but it's definitely worth the price. Many consider stand mixers the best option and have many pros: they're fast, thorough, and all-around convenient. The con? They can't fit into everyone's budget.
If a stand mixer doesn't fit your budget, handheld mixers, specifically electric ones, are certainly not a bad choice. They don't hurt your finances and are easy to store as well. While not as fast as stand mixers, they still get the job done fairly quickly.
5 - Kitchen Scales
Regarding accuracy, there is no tool better than digital kitchen scales. While you can certainly go for manual ones, the accuracy won't quite compare to digital ones. Measuring weight proves to be much more accurate than measuring volume.
Whether your top priority is appearance or taste, accurate measurements are essential for both. It also cuts down a lot of the work you have to put in after you're done baking by decreasing the number of dishes used. If you're an experienced baker, a digital scale is a must since almost all professional bakers use it.
6 - Pastry Brushes
Pastry brushes might seem like something you should skip over, but they're an essential item, and you'll regret not getting one. Pastry brushes are best used for tasks that require a more delicate touch, like glazing, coating with melted butter, and greasing pans.
They can even be used to clean your dish by brushing off excess coating. They're fairly easy to use and don't make a mess, as the bristle soaks up liquids.
7 - Sifters
If you're working with flour and sugar, you need a sifter or a sieve. The fine mesh allows you to sift sugar and flour, which is an important step in making brownies and cakes. Many recipes require your flour to be super fine, and the sifter is the perfect tool for achieving it.
Dusting the tops of cakes or similar baked goods with icing sugar also becomes super easy when you have a sieve. Plus, it's very affordable and can last for years.
8 - Rolling Pins
Getting a rolling pin seems fairly straightforward, but a fair amount of options are available for different preferences and types of recipes. Rolling pins with no handles and tapered edges are preferred because they can give you super smooth and even dough.
These are called french style pins. Pins with handles are great for speed since you have better control over your movements. Going for more than one size will be helpful if you work with a lot of icing. Mini pins help when you need to be more careful and work with an intricate design.
When it comes to material, wood is the best way to go since the flour sticks to it, making the process a lot easier.
Conclusion
So here's our list of baking essentials you need if you're a home cook! We understand how stressful it can be to be faced with so many options and wanting the best while trying to stay within budget. Still, if you stick to the basics, you're already equipped for most recipes. You can add to your tools as the need arises, and that's how you make sure you aren't getting things that will do nothing but take up space. We hope you found this helpful and happy baking!
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