Month: November 2015

During this time of year, pumpkin spiced products are everywhere. There are pumpkin spice lattes, cupcakes, and even Oreos. It gets all the attention, but there’s another pumpkin product you should be paying attention to.
The seeds.
Most people are sure to come across more than a handful of pumpkin seeds while carving Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. Your initial instinct might be to throw the seeds out with the rest of the pumpkin guts, but you should really save them.
Pumpkin seeds are a tasty snack with a variety of nutritional and health benefits.
Pumpkin seeds are packed full of plant-based protein. 1 cup contains about 11.87 grams of protein. Additionally, they’re rich in a plant-based from of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Normally, that sort of “good fat” is found in certain types of fish and is essential for improving heart health, fighting cholesterol, and improving brain function.
That makes pumpkin seeds a perfect alternative to meat for vegetarians and vegans.
But that’s not all! The seeds are also high in fiber and several minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Magnesium is instrumental in regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. It also plays a role in the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It’s pretty important, yet most Americans aren’t getting enough of the vital mineral.
Pumpkins seeds are a good source of potassium, too. The banana is the best-known source of the mineral, but a cup of pumpkin seeds actually contains more potassium than a medium sized banana. It’s important for regulating fluids, contracting muscles, and maintaining blood pressure. A healthy intake of potassium can also reduce the risk of kidney stones.
You’re immune system will thank you for snacking on some pumpkin seeds, too. They’re full of zinc, which stimulates immune function.
Turkey’s not the only thing that will make you sleepy this thanksgiving, either. Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, an amino acid, which your body turns into serotonin and then into melatonin. Eating some seeds before bed will make for a pleasant mood and restful sleep.
Some research also suggests that pumpkin seed oil could have anti-inflammatory properties.
Can you believe you’ve just been throwing them out this entire time? So remember to save a few during your next pumpkin carving session!

During the fall, you can’t miss the abundance of pumpkin based foods and drinks available in grocery stores and restaurants. Higher end coffee shops like Starbucks and fast food joints like McDonald’s offer some type of pumpkin confection during the cool fall months. If you are interested in losing weight, you know to avoid high-calorie pumpkin desserts, but is pumpkin a food you should think about including in your diet plan? Here are five good reasons to eat pumpkin whenever you can.

Pumpkin Gives You Fiber

Pumpkin lattes don’t have much fiber, but both raw and cooked pumpkin do. The USDA Nutrient Database indicates that 1 cup of raw pumpkin has 1 g of fiber and a cup of cooked pumpkin has 2.7 g. Fiber not only helps you stay regular (if you know what I mean) but also plays a role in keeping you full. So indulge in real pumpkin but skip the lattes.

In case you were wondering why the difference in the raw versus cooked numbers, when you cook a food like pumpkin it becomes compressed or denser. So a cup of cooked pumpkin takes up less space than a cup of raw pumpkin. Now you know.

Pumpkin is Low, Low, Low in Calories

Pumpkin is very low in calories, making it an ideal weight loss food. A whole cup of raw pumpkin has just 30 calories and a cup of cooked pumpkin has 49 calories. That’s less than an apple or half a banana. You can eat a lot of pumpkin and not have it negatively affect your weight loss efforts at all.

Pumpkin Fits into Low Carb Diets

Pumpkin is not a zero carb food, but it is relatively low in carbohydrates. A cooked cup of pumpkin has 12 g of carbs and raw pumpkin has just 7 g of carbs. If you want to include pumpkin into your low carb diet, just be sure to pair it with other low carb foods. For example, have a pumpkin soup alongside a grilled pork chop or lean steak.

Pumpkin Has More Potassium Than a Banana

A small banana has 362 mg of potassium and a cup of raw or cooked pumpkin has 394 and 564 mg, respectively. Potassium is important to your body because it moves glucose to your muscles and helps control your electrolyte balance. Adequate potassium intake helps your body maintain or replenish its electrolyte balance after sweating during exercise.

An easy way to use pumpkin as an after exercise pick-me-up is to blend 1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin with half a scoop of protein powder, 1/2 cup almond milk, and a dash of stevia.

Pumpkin is Versatile

Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable you can use in your weight loss plan all year long. In fact, I tend to buy a few extra cans of pumpkin during November to use throughout the year. If you are ambitious, you can buy raw pumpkins, cook them yourself, and store the cooked pumpkin in the freezer for six to eight months.

I like to use pumpkin in whole wheat muffins, smoothies, pancakes, casseroles, and soups. When including pumpkin in foods, make sure not to ruin the low-calorie pumpkin by adding a bunch of calories from sugar, unhealthy carbohydrates, or unnecessary fats. I’m looking at you – sweet potato casserole.

Five years ago, I stopped eating non-grass-fed beef products, and my family questioned my sanity. Back then (said like it was ancient history), grass-fed beef was really hard to find where I live; now, it is only pretty hard to find. You could forget about seeing it on most restaurant menus. You basically had to hunt it down and sometimes special order it to cook yourself.

It also cost way more than my family had ever spent on meat.

A lot of people ask me now if it’s worth it. Given that I still stand by my decision, my obvious answer is yes…for me. But why, and does that mean it’s unequivocally better for everyone? What does the other side say?

THE PROS

– Many articles claim that grass-fed beef is leaner than grain-fed. It has less marbling, which is an important measure of internal fat that doesn’t get trimmed before cooking or eating.

– The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats is more favorable in grass-fed beef, with a higher omega-3 content and lower omega-6. This ratio is a big deal.

– Cows evolved to eat grass. Feeding them grains can lead to more cattle sickness, which can promote more antibiotic use, which in turn sets the stage for stronger, antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect us. It also raises some ethical red flags, since the grains slowly cause liver abscesses and acidosis (both treated with more antibiotics, naturally), the latter of which can lead to sudden death syndrome.

– Most non-grass-fed cattle finish their lives in feedlots: essentially, expansive pens full of cattle as far as the eye can see. Not quite the image you normally conjure when you think of how your food was raised, right?

THE CONS

– It costs more upfront.

– Less marbling may mean less fat, but it also means a tougher, chewier product if care is not taken during preparation.

– If grass-fed is leaner, that means that it contains minimal amounts of fat. If it contains minimal amounts of fat, then how can it possibly be a significant source of omega-3 fats specifically? (It’s not.)

– Some authorities suggest that cows raised 100% on pasture result in huge increases in greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use, resulting in a larger carbon footprint. Feedlots, they argue, are far more efficient.

– Farmers like to remind us that all beef is grass-fed, but some is “grain-finished.” (In a feedlot. For “only” six months.)

– Grass-finishing can take up to a year longer than grain-finishing, which puts a strain on the beef supply.

I’ve actually had a farmer argue that their cows would rather never roam free, and in fact, prefer their indoor stalls with grain-filled food bins. My colleague’s response was spot on: “Well sure, I’d like to spend all day lying on my couch eating Cheetos too, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for me!”

Which leads me to…

THE BOTTOM LINE

You know what I’m going to say: FIT!

First of all, arguing that it’s not a big deal to finish a cow on grain if it spends “most of its life” on pasture is like saying it’s not a big deal if a human were to subsist entirely on corn muffins from age 50 onwards, as long as they ate salads every day before that. It’s ridiculous.

But look, here’s the thing: critics are right. We can’t convert all of our feedlots to grazing pastures and continue to pump out the tremendous quantities of beef to meet our nation’s current demand. Grass-fed or not, we eat too much red meat in this country, and it has a lot of hidden costs too few people are talking about. That statement is wildly unpopular, I know, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you.

Eat less meat.

One benefit of eating less? You might find that you can afford to buy grass-fed and finished, saving up for one, pricey purchase each month rather than lots of cheap ones. You can also save money by purchasing straight from the farm, usually in large-quantity cow shares that can be split with other families.

If, in the end, your family really cannot afford grass-fed meat, don’t panic. The worst thing would be to succumb to analysis paralysis, where the overwhelming idea of perfection prevents you from making any change at all. If you have to buy conventional beef, you can still impact the health of your family and your planet by focusing on portion size and frequency.

There is no one, right answer. My response has been to eat very small quantities of 100% grass-fed beef. For some, that may seem too extreme; for others, not extreme enough. But it’s my choice based on my evaluation of the facts. What will yours be?

For years, butter and oils were either off-limits or to be consumed in small quantities if you were trying to lose weight. With the shift away from low-fat dieting and toward dieting using real foods, some diets now encourage the use of butter and healthy oils. Along those lines, there are people who advocate adding butter and coconut oil to black coffee as a way to improve your health and enhance your weight loss efforts. But does it make sense?

There are several versions of the coffee and butter recipes. Dave Asprey, who is generally credited for the Bulletproof Coffee trend, indicates you should use their branded coffee, organic grass-fed butter, and organic coconut oil. Other proponents of the butter and oil in coffee are more relaxed about the ingredients and say that choosing a particular brand of coffee, butter, and oil is not necessary.

How’s It Done?

One common recipe for making the coffee is to begin by brewing 8 ounces of strong black coffee. Put the coffee in a blender with 1 tablespoon of organic butter and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Blend until the oils and coffee are mixed and drink promptly. If you don’t have a traditional blender you can use an immersion blender or a hand mixer.

Hint: If you don’t use a blender or mixer you can end up with a pretty gross looking concoction. The oils float in the coffee and look very unappetizing.

Why Is It Recommended?

Proponents of the coffee say the combination of the coffee, butter, and oil give your brain a boost of needed fats, your body sustainable energy, and leave you feeling full for longer.

In case you are skeptical, there could be some scientific backing for such a claim.

Researchers found that an adequate consumption of saturated fats might have a protective effect on heart disease. The study, published in a 2013 issue of the “BMJ” discovered that participants who consumed the least saturated fats, like those found in the coffee recipe, weighed more than participants who consumed more saturated fats.

When your fat intake is appropriate, you will likely feel less hungry. If that doesn’t make sense, think about this. If you eat a plain salad with nothing on it, you are not as full when you are finished as you are when you add some dressing, nuts, avocado, seeds, or other foods relatively high in fats.

How to Use the Coffee for Weight Loss

I’m an advocate of being very careful with the number of calories you get from beverages and this is no exception. Let’s take a look at the caloric impact of this type of coffee on your diet. source: 

Calorie Breakdown of Coffee with Butter and Oil

Coffee, Brewed: 2 calories

1 Tablespoon Butter: 102 Calories

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil: 121 Calories

Total: 225 Calories

Now, 225 calories is not a lot over the course of a day, but it a lot of calories to drink. If you are keeping your calories at the 1,400 level, that’s 16 percent of your total caloric intake. Sure you are getting some healthy fats but you are also taking in a lot of calories.

If you want to try the coffee, consider half a cup instead of a full cup. You will cut the calories in half and still receive the potential benefits.

Even better, find those healthy fats in organic grass-fed beef, sauté vegetables in the coconut oil, or put a little butter on a slice of 100 percent whole wheat toast.

Drink your coffee black and save calories for foods you eat.