Chile is a country with a wide range of fish and seafood. The great news is that this food is very beneficial to the body, especially thanks to the presence of omega-3, the fatty acids that help prevent cardiovascular diseases among other things.

Fish are classified into 3 types according to the amount of fat:

* Oily fish or blue: High in polyunsaturated fat, reach a 10% fat. Like salmon, tuna, sardine, eel and others. They are the tastiest.
* Semi-fat fish: They reach up to 6% fat. They are fish like sea bass, sea bream, and more.
* Lean fish or white: not exceeding 2.5% fat. These are fish that live in deep water and will not travel far, so do not store fat. This group is the sole, hake, conger eel, among others. They are softer, ideal for children.

The more fatty acids containing more benefits: lowers lipids include cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and decreases the formation of plaques in blood vessels. It is also an easily digestible food, rich in protein, low in calories (almost no presence of carbohydrate), high in vitamins A and D and vitamin E (antioxidant) and B12. It is rich in minerals such as sodium and potassium, and calcium in smaller amounts.

Not only that. A Swedish study says that women who consumed 2 servings per week of fish high in fat reduced by 40% the chance of getting cancer of the uterus, as well as men eating 1 meal reduce the risk of prostate cancer. In another aspect, the French researcher Pascale Barberger-Gateau found that just taking one serving of fish a week reduced the risk of developing dementia by 30%.

You see it is beneficial for everyone, especially pregnant women and growing children. So when in Chile, eat fish!

Image: fotoosvanrobin

Hydration plays a key role in keeping our body healthy and feeling good, even more in a climate as extreme as in Atacama.

There are two common forms of hydrate: Drinking water, we drink 1.5 liters of water daily just to balance the losses and maintain adequate level of hydration. And eating fruits and vegetables, which typically contain about 90% of water.

In San Pedro there are several reasons for increasing the hydration, excessive sunlight, temperature changes, lack of oxygen by altitude, the desert and the intense activities that Atacama has for you and you will not want to miss. For all that it is important to follow these simple tips to not miss any minute of your stay.

Increase water intake and supplemented with iced tea and juices, avoid sodas and alcoholic beverages. Eat fruit, you will cool the heat and help you add fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet. Some contain more water, as the watermelon, cantaloupe, cherries, peaches, kiwi, orange and apple. And in salads you can mix what you like, such as lettuce, cucumber and tomato all very moisturizing.

For details on skin care in the desert, click on this link.

With a balanced diet and plenty of water you will be ready to face the magnificent wilderness experience. Enjoy!

Picture: (cc) Northerngit

“Memoria Chilena Portal de la Cultura de Chile” es un sitio web con contenidos culturales que forma parte de las iniciativas de la conmemoración del Bicentenario de nuestro país este año 2010 y que ofrece investigaciones y documentos relativos a los temas claves que conforman la identidad de Chile, accesibles a través de las áreas de Historia, Literatura, Ciencias Sociales, Música y Artes Visuales.

El día de ayer www.memoriachilena.cl realizó el lanzamiento de su libro “Para chuparse los dedos…recetas de familia”, una recopilación de preparaciones tradicionales chilenas que se hizo a través de los propios usuarios de este sitio, quienes en septiembre del año recién pasado compartieron sus secretos gastronómicos de antaño los cuales han sobrevivido al paso de generaciones haciendo posible esta publicación que se puede descargar gratuitamente en el portal. El libro, diagramado como cuaderno antiguo de páginas amarillentas, hace alusión a los clásicos cuadernos de cocina salpicados heredados de la abuela, rescatando y revalorando el patrimonio culinario de nuestra cultura asegurando su continuidad y desarrollo. “Para chuparse los dedos!” no sólo contiene las recetas sino que además van acompañadas de datos relacionados a los platos y están enriquecidas con links a documentos y sitios temáticos de Memoria Chilena.

Chupe de atún, queques de chocolate, empanadas, mazamorras y muchas otras preparaciones quedan a su disposición en un bonito libro digital que difunde parte de nuestra identidad como pueblo, próximamente contará con la versión en braille…un libro para disfrutar en familia y accesible a todo el mundo!

Descarga el libro desde aquí
Foto: www.biblioredes.cl

Haven´t you heard? You can have the best sea food in the middle of the desert! And that is beacuse Chile is so wonderfuly narrow, that the great food transport and its wonderful refrigerator trucks, can bring anything you want, and keep it fresh all the way, while you 5 star yourself in the galmorous little town of San Pedro. Read…