Category: Nosh

Fraudulent food: it lurks in our pantries; it shines with promising health halos in the stores; and it fools us into a false sense of nourishment.
(Dun dun dunnnnn!!)
No but really, I hate being The Food Police because there are a lot of really phenomenal products and brands of nutritious foods available to us; but there are also a handful of “healthy” foods that are not quite as they seem.

How Food Fraud Works

Food fraud is defined as “intentionally selling a food product that does not meet regulatory or industry standards.” We’ll get specifically to the top health food frauds I encounter regularly as a dietitian in just a bit, but there are certain broad categories of foods that are more susceptible to fraud than others.
Fish (and seafood in general) is the number one most adulterated food of U.S. origin. Other commonly fraudulent foods include milk, oils and fats, meat products, alcohol, sweeteners, grain products, produce, spices and extracts, fruit juices, eggs, coffee, and tea.
If you’re thinking that sounds like kind of everything you eat, you’re not exactly wrong. Okay, you’re kind of completely right. But that doesn’t mean every product within these categories is problematic. Deep breaths.
Now, if you’re wondering how companies get away with something that sounds so incredibly serious, the answer is, well, all too easily; and also in a number of ways.
One of the most common issues is substitution of one food for another without disclosing this on the label. Other products are diluted with less expensive fillers (including water), artificially enhanced, counterfeited, or mislabeled. Sometimes, the product’s origin is masked, it is distributed with intentional contamination, or it is stolen and resold.
A lot of these sound worse than they are. They’re all a little deceptive, but most are perfectly safe. For example, selling an acai juice that is cut with apple juice to cut down on costs is sneaky, wrong, and not ideal in terms of nutrient quality, but you certainly won’t get sick from it acutely or chronically. However, others are a bit more concerning, and it’s important to know the difference.

Olive oil may have been the first health food that I learned is notoriously fraudulent. In fact, it’s been shown that up to 80 percent of Italian olive oil may not be what it claims to be. Considering the fact that U.S. olive oil consumption has skyrocketed by over 70 percent in as little as one generation, this is a big deal. People tell me with pride about how much olive oil they use. They’re doing something that’s “healthy” for them.
But are they really?
Extra-virgin olive oil is unrefined and the highest quality option. It is made by pressing high quality olives without chemicals or heat, maintaining more nutrients and bolder flavors. Virgin olive oil is the next rung down on the totem pole, followed by generic olive oil.
But a label that boasts “extra virgin” or “virgin” is not always accurate. Some are lower quality olive oils being mislabeled. Other bottles are actually mixed with other oils altogether, as in, not from the olive plant at all. And the most troublesome, worst case scenario is the possibility that there’s actually no olive oil in that bottle whatsoever, just vegetable oil mixed with coloring and “aroma.”
Nicholas Blechman of the New York Times created a nice illustration of this sketchy supply chain, and Tom Mueller has written about it extensively in his book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil.
When perusing your store’s olive oil selections, look for a harvest date (specifically from the current year), not just a “best by” date. And pay attention to seals from certain councils, including the Australian Olive Association and the California Olive Oil Council and Association.

2. Honey

Oh, honey. Where should I begin?
There’s the fact that over 70 percent of honey in 2011 was imported, with its pollen filtered out to prevent fully tracing its origins. We do know that much of it is coming from China.

 
Or we could talk about the total lack of standards for honey identity (seriously), which makes it extra difficult to even attempt any kind of regulation.
Largely because of this so-called identity crisis, it’s not surprising that unwanted substances so often find their way into honey. Reports have shown contaminants in a large percentage of honey samples, by which I mean antibiotics plus pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides.
Suddenly honey doesn’t seem quite so sweet, does it?
Of course, it gets better. Moving past the issue of contaminants, some brands of honey aren’t really honey at all. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that it’s illegal to sell a product labeled as pure, 100 percent honey if it contains other ingredients, and to their credit, they do test a certain percentage of imports for added sugar. This worked well for a while, at least until high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) came onto the scene.
HFCS is made up of very similar sugar proportions as honey, making it difficult to identify in a simple import test. Research has shown that diluting honey with HFCS is therefore becoming increasingly more common. (Because it’s much cheaper!)
All hope is not lost, however. There are always local apiaries selling at small businesses, festivals, and farmers markets. Knowing your farmer and being able to ask about his/her farm is your best bet for buying genuine, pure honey. At the very least, look for the “True Source Certified” seal among your supermarket’s offerings.

3. “Free Range”

All right, so “free range” isn’t exactly a food, but it is a term that we tend to view as an indication of a premium product for nutrition and wellness without fully understanding what it officially means.
When you hear that a meat product comes from “free range animals,” what do you picture? Probably bucolic America: rolling green hills, a red barn in the distance, and happy animals milling around in the sunshine to their hearts’ content.

 
In reality, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) definition of “free range” simply states that the animal must have access to the outdoors. It doesn’t stipulate the amount of time each day the animal must spend outdoors (or “have access” to the outdoors), nor is it concerned with most other considerations of the animals’ living conditions. It’s also pretty much only regulated for poultry, not egg-laying hens or other animals.
This translates to, yes, sometimes rolling green hills, a red barn in the distance, and happy animals milling around in the sunshine to their hearts’ content. But it could also translate to an enormous warehouse-like barn crammed with a carpeting of living animals and a little tiny “doggy door” type opening at one far corner open to a small, closed-in patch of mud that the maybe-not-so-happy-after-all animals never actually use.
Ugh.
I know.
There isn’t really a perfect option here, but you could try looking for the terms “pastured” or “pasture raised” instead, especially in conjunction with a certified humane seal. However, your best option is to know your farmer. Talk to them. Ask to see their farm. Knowledge is power and words are too easily manipulated.

4. Coffee and Tea

If you knew what was in some coffee out there, you might not think of it as the best part of waking up anymore.
Coffee is an expensive product, and the demand for it globally is staggering. Americans, after all “Run On Dunkin,” spending nearly $15.00 a week (over $1,000 annually) on coffee. Those figures do not even factor in the amount spent on home-brewed cups of joe, by the way. Some of us may be eager, willing, and able to spend top dollar for our daily caffeine habit, but most of us view it as a daily necessity to have without breaking the bank.

 
As a result, ground coffee is often cut with leaves, twigs, corn, barley, parchment, chicory, cereal grains, caramel, starch, malt, and figs to stretch the manufacturer’s dollar. Instant coffee is most susceptible to this, but not the only issue.
And if you’re now thinking of switching your morning hot beverage of choice to tea, things aren’t all rosy over in that camp, either. Many tea bags include leaves from other plants, color additives, and sometimes even colored saw dust (it’s technically edible).
But there is hope! If you can, invest in a coffee grinder and purchase whole coffee beans. Do your best to avoid instant coffee, too. I would totally tell you if I knew of exact brands with worse or better reputations for the pre-ground stuff (or tea bags), but that information is not easily accessible. Instead, do your best to make your own judgment calls when researching which brands you’re going to trust.
We can’t live in fear of food, and sometimes when information is lacking, we have to do our best with the insight we do have rather than let it paralyze us.

5. Sushi (and Other Fish)

Remember how seafood and fish are some of the most adulterated foods of U.S. origin?
It turns out that over half of “tuna” and nearly 90 percent of “snapper” are being substituted for cheaper, easier-to-procure fish.
This is not just a problem of you paying for something and getting another. Sometimes, the fish they swap in raises serious health concerns. For example, in one market in New York, tilefish was sold labeled as halibut and red snapper. Tilefish happens to be on the “do not eat” list that the FDA makes in regards to high-mercury containing fish. The same goes for king mackerel, which in one Florida grocery store was sold with the label of “grouper” on it.

 
Other examples of commonly mislabeled fish and seafood include: farmed Atlantic salmon masquerading as wild caught; tooth fish labeled as sea bass; tilapia and perch being sold under the guise of snapper, and escolar swapped in for tuna.
Sushi restaurants have the most hits for mislabeled fish and seafood, followed by restaurants in general. Grocery stores, as discussed above, are not scot-free, but those grievances occur at significantly lower rates.
Be very wary of seafood at restaurants. Those in port cities and beach towns that feature locally caught options may be more reliable, but if that’s out of the question, another good bet is any menu item sold as the whole fish, which makes the ole switcheroo more difficult. Try your hand, too, at cooking fish and seafood yourself, and no matter where the seafood comes from, check the price. If it sounds too good to be true, it may very well be so.

6. Berry Products

Are the blueberries in your muffins the healthy, antioxidant-rich fruits you expect them to be?
Or are they simply sneaky slurries of sugar, corn syrup, starch, hydrogenated oil (yikes), artificial flavors, and blue and red food dyes?
According to one study in 2011, we might be looking at the latter, and not just in low-cost, no-name knock-offs. We’re talking major brands here, and berries aren’t the only ones falling victim to this deception.

 
Betty Crocker’s banana nut muffin pouch contains absolutely no banana, just “natural and artificial flavor;” and their blueberry muffin pouch contains, and I quote, “artificial blueberry flavor bits.”
Blueberry flavor bits. Bon appetit indeed!
Then, there are the “strawberry flavored fruit pieces” in Special K’s red red berries bar that are really cranberries with added strawberry flavor; or their “blueberry” blend bar whose blueberries are dried apples and cranberries with blueberry juice concentrate (and of course some blue dye for good measure). Their dark chocolate pomegranate snack bars use pomegranate-flavored cranberries; their berry medley snack bars are apples with artificial berry flavors; and their strawberry protein meal bars merely contain “strawberry flavored fruit pieces.”
What to do about all this fruity nonsense? First of all, read ingredients. These companies aren’t hiding this information; we just aren’t looking closely enough. I, too, am sometimes drawn to pretty pictures and lofty front-of-package claims, but be a skeptic and flip that package over before putting it straight into your cart.
Whenever possible, buy plain foods, like cereals and oatmeal, and flavor them yourself with fresh berries. Frozen ones that aren’t packed in syrup are great too. And do try your hand at making your own baked goods. It’s really not as intimidating as it seems, and it can actually be fun!

Knowledge is power.

I know how paralyzing information like this can feel. It’s the primary reason why so many nutrition students go practically militant when they embark on their education. I’ve had many worried parents seek my counsel when their children start taking up an interest in nutrition, and suddenly nothing is good enough to eat. This is a very real concern and a growing issue in this country.
When my clients start expressing signs of this kind of food fear, I make them take a big, cleansing breath. Yes, there are some serious problems with our food supply chain. Yes, it can sometimes feel like we are powerless before these giant food companies.
But that’s far from the truth.

 
Knowledge should be powerful, not paralyzing, so remember that for every unsavory food manufacturing practice, there is another company doing things with integrity and dedication. If you can, buy from shorter, visible supply chains: for example, straight from a farmer, a cooperative, or other avenue where you can trace the food’s origins. If you can’t (because chances are, you can’t for every single thing you buy), read labels and fine print carefully. A lot of the “frauds” out there can be boiled down to us falling for the marketing ploys on the front of the package without ever paying attention to those asterisks and ingredient lists.
And of course, buy minimally processed foods. Just like whole coffee beans are less likely to be fraudulent than pre-ground coffee and whole cuts of fish are less commonly mislabeled than fillets and smaller cuts, an apple is also far more difficult to adulterate than apple juice. In the case of the apple, it’s also more nutritious.

You will not get it right every time.

Accept it right now: you are going to buy a product that is mislabeled or misrepresented. We all do sometimes, and it’s okay. But giving yourself permission to not know everything about everything all the darn time is not the same as burying your head in the sand. Do your research. Read your labels. Put in the effort to make the informed choice, but don’t beat yourself up when you don’t predict every curve ball some companies are going to try pitching to you. Again, food fraud is not ideal, but the majority of examples are more unethical than they are downright dangerous.
It’s okay.
You will be okay.
Deep breaths.
Deep, cleansing breaths.

You’ve probably been in this situation before—you come home looking for a specific snack or you reach for a particular ingredient for a recipe, and you notice that the expiration date says it’s gone bad. Most of us grew up thinking that an expiration date was basically a set-in-stone deadline for when our food needed to be thrown out, and that anyone brave enough to try something past its prime was essentially giving themselves a one-way ticket to the bathroom. However, that’s not the case at all. Unfortunately, expiration dates are a large contributor to the millions of pounds of food waste that Americans create year after year. Coupled with the fact that one out of every six people in the country go without food every single day, it’s astounding to think of the amount of perfectly good food that we probably throw away each week.

Truthfully, expiration dates can refer to the date that a product with begin to spoil, but they commonly point to the date that a product will start to lose quality when it comes to flavor. Common sense goes a long way when it comes to determining if something has actually gone bad, and one simple rule to follow is that if you’re really not sure if something’s still fresh, safe is always better than sorry. If it smells terrible or starts to look noticeably different, there’s no question that it’s time to toss. Thankfully, there are a few different foods and drinks that are typically safe to consume after their noted expiration date has come and gone—and, yes, you can just slice that moldy spot off your block of cheese and keep on snacking.

Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt

Milk is one of those things that, when it’s gone bad, it’s not hard to tell. We hope you’ve never been unfortunate enough to take a swig out of the gallon of milk in your fridge, only to discover it’s gone bad after it’s already hit your tongue. However, milk is something that typically stays food for at least a few days after the expiration date printed on the container, though you’ll still need to give it a good examination before you use it. Milk that’s gone bad usually has a noticeably sour smell, might look slightly yellow in color, and may even develop a chunky texture. If it’s still good, though, you really shouldn’t smell anything when you give it the sniff test, or really notice anything off about it.

If you’ve got any expired yogurt on your hands, you can pretty much check it for freshness the same way you would milk—just make sure it smells normally, check for spots of mold, and then make yourself a smoothie if it’s all good.

Cheese is another dairy product that has an amazing shelf life, and it makes sense once you think about how cheese is actually made. Though it contains additional ingredients, cheese is essentially just aged milk, and most cheeses can last for up to four weeks past their expiration dates even if they’ve already been opened. Pieces of brick cheese that develop a mold spot can still be eaten, just as long as you make sure to cut the mold away before you eat it—moldy shredded cheese might be a different story, though, as it could be a little more difficult to make sure you’ve actually removed all of the mold.

Meat

Most packages of fresh meat you’ll see in the grocery store will come stamped with a “sell by” date, which is essentially what lets a retailer know when it needs to pull that item off its shelves. When it comes to keeping fresh meat in your fridge, like steaks or chicken, it can typically be kept fresh for a couple of days after the date on the package before it’ll need to be either cooked or frozen for later use. Contrary to what you might think, fresh meat that begins to look a little discolored after a few days isn’t necessarily bad—for example, raw ground beef often turns slightly brown after a few days due to exposure to light and air. Just like milk, if you suspect your meat has gone past a certain point, the truth will lie in the way it smells.

Fresh meat that’s still good can be put into the freezer to prevent it from going bad, and it’ll actually make it last for much, much longer. When it’s stored correctly, meat that’s been frozen can be stored for a year or more, so it’s never a bad idea to stock up on your favorite products when you see there’s a sale going on. Processed meats like hot dogs and bologna can sometimes last beyond their expiration date, especially if they haven’t been opened yet. It’s best to consume these types of products within 10 days after the sell-by date, and within three to five days once the package has been opened. When something like this has gone bad, it’ll typically take on a pretty funky smell and might even look sort of slimy on the outside.

Eggs

Would you believe us if we told you that Americans are some of the only people in the world that actually bother to refrigerate their eggs? It’s pretty much required to due widespread factory farming practices, as well as certain regulations that require eggs to be washed a certain way before being sold. Because salmonella isn’t uncommon in many factory farm setting, eggs must be power-washed before being sold, and it’s this process that removes the natural barrier the egg has when it’s first laid. Like an food product, eggs always come with an expiration date, but you can use it as more of a guideline for when your eggs are actually bad, as opposed to a concrete date of when they should be tossed. Typically, raw, whole eggs will be good until about four to five weeks after the date that is printed on the carton.

A good way to tell if an egg can still be used is to place it in a bowl of water—you can still eat it if it sinks to the bottom, but it’s time to get rid of it if it floats to the top. Once an eggs has been hard boiled, you typically have about one week until it won’t be good anymore. Peeling can also affect this timeline, as a hard boiled egg that has been peeled with often go bad up to two days before a hard boiled egg that still has its shell on. It’s not recommended to keep pre-scrambled, raw eggs in the refrigerator for more than a day or two unless you bought them pre-packaged, as this type of product is typically made to last a while. 

Bread

Who hasn’t reached for the loaf of bread on their counter, the one they just bought three days ago, only to find that one of the slices has mold on it? It’s easy to think that bread goes bad fairly quickly, but that’s actually not the case when it’s stored properly, and you can eat whatever bread you have as long as it’s not moldy or hard. Packaged bread should be stored out of the sun and away from any potential sources of moisture—it’s when moisture makes its way into the bread bad that mold has a chance to form a ruin an entire loaf. Those who live in high-humidity environments often store their bread in the refrigerator to keep the moisture at bay, though the fridge can easily dry the bread out. Freezing bread, however, is typically the best option, as it won’t dry your bread out and it will actually help it keep for a much longer period of time.

If your family goes through a lot of bread each week, definitely consider stocking up the next time you see a sale at the store and freeze what you can’t use right away. For anyone who’s thought about checking their local bakery or farmers market for a great deal on day-old bread, you can rest assured that they’re not selling old bread because there’s something wrong with it. In fact, it’s often cheaper because it’s not as fresh as something baked that day, but it has plenty of uses, many that work even better when you’re using bread that’s a little more dry. Day-old, crusty bread is excellent to use when it comes to things like French toast, croutons, or bread pudding.

Pasta

You might not think too much about your box of pasta expiring, and that’s because pasta can be used way past the date printed on the side of the box. This is definitely good news for all of us, as most people use just half a box of dried pasta for a recipe, and then end up throwing what’s left back in the pantry until they need it again. Because pasta is considered a dry good, it is typically given a shelf life of around one to two years, though it can last far beyond that because it doesn’t contain any water. As long as it’s stored in a place that’s both cool and dry, it can actually last for up to another two years before you’d want to consider tossing it out. Who are we kidding, though—does anyone actually let pasta go unused for that long?

If you do have any dried pasta that’s been sitting around the house for a while, there’s a simple way that you can test the pasta to see if it’s got much life left in it—just give it a quick glance to see if it’s discolored, smell it to see if it smells off at all, and try cooking a few pieces to see if the texture feels off. You should also never store dry pasta in the refrigerator, as that could help it absorb moisture and cause it to spoil. Fresh pasta, however, should always be refrigerated, and has a much shorter shelf life than dry pasta. Fresh pasta will typically last for a couple of weeks past the date on the package, though it’s important to toss it out if it starts to smell funny or discolor.

Condiments

Condiments often get pushed to the back of the fridge for weeks at a time, or they’re only bought for a specific recipe and then never used again. It can sometimes be tough to use condiments by the time their containers say they expire, especially for a single person trying to make it through something like a squeeze bottle of fancy mustard all by themselves. Thankfully, most condiments will still be good for up to three to four months after the expiration date listed on the packages if they are opened and have been properly refrigerated. However, just make sure to give anything you plan on using a quick sniff before you eat it, and also check for spots of mold, dryness, or discoloration. Condiments that are still sealed can be stored in your pantry for quite a long time as well, since oxygen is not able to enter the package.

For anyone who keeps condiment packets from fast food and takeout restaurants, those also have a shelf life, too, though any expiration dates will typically tell you when they will start losing flavor.Things like ketchup and mayonnaise packets should be tossed out after about a year if you want the best flavor, but they won’t necessarily be bad after that. Condiment packets for things like hot sauce, mustard, and parmesan cheese should be used within two years for the best taste. No matter what’s in them, these little packets do have real expiration dates, though they’re listed on the box that was sent to the restaurant, not the packet itself. It’s probably best that, if you don’t actually remember when exactly you got one of the packets, you should probably toss it out.

Canned Goods

Canned food was invented as a way to ensure that food products could still be consumed long after they were done processing. These days, using canned food often gets a bad rap for many reasons, some of which have nothing to do with the actual food itself. Though there are some who aren’t too fond of the texture and flavor of canned food, others choose to stay away because of the materials in the cans themselves, including BPA (bisphenol A). In addition, frozen produce is often just as affordable as canned, which leads people to buy people the food that they perceive to be fresher. However, it’s worth noting that studies have shown canned foods to contain just as much fiber and just as many vitamins as their fresh and frozen counterparts, and sometimes even more. Fortunately, we have some good news for anyone who’s a fan of canned goods—their expirations dates are pretty much meaningless.

Food that has been canned will typically for last for years after label says it expires, because there is no way for oxygen to enter the can and affect the food. This is exactly why so many people like to keep plenty of canned food on hand in case of an emergency—you just have to make sure to remember a can opener. Believe it or not, there’s also a proper way to store canned goods, even if they’re not open. Cans should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place for the most effective storage, and should never be frozen. Meat and fish that has been canned will typically not last longer than one year, and shouldn’t be kept for more than a few days once opened.

Salted cashews are stationed everywhere, your raw veggie consumption has doubled, and you go to bed hungry more often than not. With a health plan like that, no wonder you—and so many others—fall off the bandwagon.
There’s a common misconception by those trying to get “fit” that the more hunger pangs you endure and sweat you burn, the svelter and healthier you’ll be. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that this is, in fact, not the case. We’ve all been told plenty of half-truths and straight up lies throughout our lives about the food we eat, how we should cook it, and how it will affect our bodies.
As you do more research, you may be a little put off when you realize some of your nutritious go-tos are actually a bigger mistake than that Kit Kat you snuck in last week. Check out this list to make sure you’re really taking two steps forward and not two pounds back!

1. Fresh is healthier than frozen.

Frozen is actually the most optimum food item unless your produce or meats are coming directly from farm to table. Fresh foods typically lose their high volume of nutrients only three days after being harvested. When you take into consideration travel time and fluctuation of temperature changes, it’s easy to see how the nutritional value has become depleted before your food hits your grocer.

Typically, frozen foods are frozen directly after they’ve been harvested, which locks their nutritional benefits in until prep time. The con with frozen food is that it can be lacking the fresh flavor enjoyed by many. However, this is easily overlooked when you realize how much more padded your wallet will be once you switch over. Plus, it doesn’t spoil as quickly, so you’re never throwing dollars down the drain. It pays to bargain shop when it comes to these.

2. Flavored yogurt is a healthy choice.

Yogurt is one of those health foods that is laden with sugar. Unless you’re indulging in Greek yogurt, your intake should be kept to a minimum. Flavored yogurt is loaded with unnecessary grams of sugar that outweigh the probiotics it holds. Even if you’re opting for the sugar-free or fat-free brands, the false additives are only temporarily staving off your hunger, which will eventually cause you to overindulge.

If plain Greek yogurt doesn’t do the trick, you can certainly sweeten it up with other natural additives. Honey, raspberries, blueberries, and other fruits are all great additions to help make it more appealing.

3. Raw veggies are more nutritious than cooked.

People love going on juice cleanses simply because it’s fresh and raw. These juices contain helpful enzymes when the fruit or vegetables are freshly squeezed, whereas anytime you heat produce above 118 degrees, these minerals are drained out.

However, what most people don’t know is that humans already make enough of these enzymes on their own, so those nutrients from the veggies are actually moot. Veggies are loaded with plenty of other vitamins and minerals that are never depleted from the plant, regardless of how high of a cooking temperature you use.

4. 100 percent fruit juice is a healthy beverage.

Fruit juice is arguably one of the worst “health foods” you could possibly choose, especially if it’s not fresh squeezed. The amount of natural and added sugars for one serving of a drink can easily push you over the suggested daily sugar intake for three whole days.

By choosing to eat your fruit this way, you consume all of the natural sugar found in fruit but none of the dietary fiber. A glass of apple juice contains only 0.2 grams of fiber, while a whole apple has 3.3 grams. Which seems like the smarter choice to you? Drinking fruit juice can also increase your appetite, which may cause you to eat more than you normally would have at your next meal.

5. Multigrain is the only bread that’s nutritious.

It may be all the rage to toss aside the white breads and pastas and go the multigrain route. But don’t get too caught up in your briefly self-satisfying lifestyle choice. What really matters for bread is the refinement quality. Most grains found in bread have already been stripped of their most important nutrients. Keep your standards high, even when you’re on the prowl for whole grain. The only bread worth buying is that which advertises 100 percent whole wheat. If you at all see “refined wheat,” that’s a big red flag that it’s just carbs and sugars.

This also applies to snacks like pretzels and crackers. To be sure that you’re buying a relatively healthy product, check that the first ingredient listed is whole grain. If you’re really trying to step it up, choose something with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

6. Fats should be avoided.

There are different categories of fats—polyunsaturated, saturated, and unsaturated fats are just a few. Nutritional experts often debate the benefits and dangers of fat consumption, so there is not always a clear consensus, but they do agree that eliminating fat from your diet deprives your body of something it actually needs.
Polyunsaturated fats can be found in avocados, nuts, fish, and vegetable oils. These fats help lower your cholesterol, and since the human body doesn’t produce these types of fats on its own, it’s essential that you integrate them into each meal.

Saturated fats are the worst of the worst; they’ll instantly add pounds, not subtract. Nutritionists recommend that your daily intake of these shouldn’t exceed 10 percent, while unsaturated fats are associated with positive results.
All fats should be taken in moderation, but to willfully choose the fat-free option is doing your body a great disservice. You’re missing out on essential nutrients and possibly stifling the improvement of your health.

7. Brown eggs are more natural than white ones.

When you walk into a farmers market, there’s just something about seeing fresh eggs out at a stand. You can already smell them frying back home. However, there’s a common misconception that brown eggs are an indicator of being produced in a more organic state.

The color of an egg is actually determined by the breed of the hen. There is virtually no difference in taste between the different colors of eggs. But there most definitely is a difference between an egg that comes from a free-range chicken and an egg that comes from a chicken who’s lived her whole life in a cage.
Hens raised in cages typically live in extremely cramped conditions, and many scientists believe that their quality of life can affect the taste of their eggs. However, meat producers can label eggs as free range by simply giving the chickens access to the outdoors. Be aware, though, that this does not necessarily mean the animals are actually roaming freely in an open field. Look for the pasture-raised label for a little more peace of mind when buying eggs.
It’s best, though, to research the farm where the eggs come from in order to be sure.

8. Eating after 7 p.m. causes weight gain.

How many midnight hunger pangs have you tried to ignore when you’re dieting? There’s just something about eating a tub of ice cream in the evening that seems so appealing; it can become an all-consuming thought.
However, eating after 7 p.m. isn’t the problem; it’s the overeating that inevitably ensues. Those late-night cravings are actually due to an undernourished system.

This is a common statement you’ll hear even from seasoned personal trainers, but the reality is there’s no scientific evidence behind it. This myth has become a “fact” because, typically, if you’re eating after 6 p.m., it’s usually due to your lack of food during the day. People tend to overeat at night if they haven’t properly nourished themselves throughout the day, leading to weight gain from late-night snacking.

9. The more calories you cut the more pounds you lose.

This is definitely false. Let’s create a scenario. Say you have a 100-calorie cookie in front of you. Then you have a 100-calorie bowl of veggies. Which do you think is going to help you lose weight quicker? Obviously the vegetable. Yet the calorie count is the same.

Obsessively counting calories is probably doing you more harm than good—stressing about your diet often leads to weight gain, because stress hormones increase fat production. People who diet are also more at risk for binge-eating and ruining their progress. You’re far better off by simply incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. If you focus your time and energy on what you’re consuming, then your calorie counting days will be far behind you.

10. Microwaving removes the nutritional value from food.

Yet another false statement! Don’t be so hasty to toss out your appliance just yet. The very act of cooking food, no matter what the method, does result in the loss of nutrients, but limiting the cooking time and the amount of liquid used is the best way to preserve the nutritional value of your meal. Guess what is specifically designed for this purpose? Your microwave.

Take spinach for example. If you boil it on the stove, spinach loses over half its folic acid, but if you microwave it with just a splash of water, this leafy green remains nutritious. Of course, if you use too much water in the microwave, you’re basically boiling the food and sapping its nutrients. Be sure to cover the food tightly to effectively create a steam environment and only use a microwave-safe container.

11. Fiber is a cure-all.

Fiber products are quick to boast their nutritional value, but as science continues to develop experts are discovering that not all fiber is created equal. You’ve probably begun to notice the latest fad with yogurts now boasting their fiber-rich products, and many white bread products and cereals claim to be a “good source of fiber,” too. Well, the fiber that’s been supplemented into these products is not exactly natural, and adding something good like fiber to junk food doesn’t magically make it healthy.

So if you’re looking for a fiber boost, try to stick with naturally fiber-rich products, like veggies, fruits, and grains.

12. Granola and nuts are healthy snacks.

When you reach for that granola bar or a handful of peanuts, you are probably thinking that you’re choosing a healthy snack, right? This may be true when we’re comparing these items to Cheez-Its. But did you know one cup of mixed nuts can contain up to 800 calories? That being said, nuts can be healthy if you avoid the unsalted varieties—almonds and cashews are high in monounsaturated fat, which, as stated previously, is the good kind of fat that is essential to your health.

The New York Times conducted a survey with American consumers and nutritionists asking about the nutritional value of certain foods. The greatest discrepancy between these two groups’ responses was over granola bars: 71 percent of the consumers polled believe granola is healthy compared to only 28 percent of nutritionists. Granola bars would be healthy if it weren’t for all the added sugar. Frozen yogurt is another example of a sugar snack masquerading as healthy food. Next time you reach for an afternoon snack, check the sugar content on the label.

13. Genetically modified food is bad for you.

Much of the public believes that genetically modified produce is less nutritious than organic food; a large sector of that group believes it can actually have negative effects on your health. Genetically modified organisms have been a hotly debated topic for several years now, but the latest study done by the National Academies of Sciences reports that there is actually no scientific evidence that suggests genetically modified food is unsafe to eat. In fact, the majority of scientists agree that it poses no danger to your health whatsoever.

There is still, however, some uncertainty when it comes to actually labeling genetically modified food as such. In summer 2016, President Obama signed a law holding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for establishing standards for labeling, so only time will tell how genetically modified food will be marketed to the public.

14. On the flip side, organic food is healthy.

Labeling a food organic has nothing to do with its nutritional value, but over 60 percent of people under the age of 30 believe that organic produce is healthier than genetically modified foods. If a product is labeled organic, that means it is mostly free from pesticides, fertilizers, and additives. The USDA strictly regulates what can and can’t be labeled organic, but that doesn’t stop companies from marketing those products as healthier.

Take Gatorade for instance. PepsiCo rolled out G Organic in September 2016 to capitalize on the fact that 50 percent of consumers who buy organic do so because they think it’s better for their health. While G Organic contains organic cane sugar, it contains just as much sugar as regular Gatorade. In fact, sports drinks are only necessary if you’re exercising for longer than an hour, so it may be best to skip them altogether.
Just remember that organic produce is healthy because it’s produce—there is absolutely no debate over whether an orange or apple is good for you.

15. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Your parents may have warned you against skipping breakfast as a child, but science suggests that people who do aren’t any less healthy than those who religiously eat a bowl of cereal every morning. Waiting until lunch is increasingly becoming more popular, and studies indicate that our eating habits have shifted with time—millennials are more likely to skip breakfast than their older counterparts.

What you eat for the first meal of the day is more important than when you eat it. If you typically eat sugary cereals or pastries, you are better off not eating breakfast at all. Why? Because all that added sugar and highly processed carbohydrates in those foods can cause blood sugar and insulin to rise. High insulin levels tell the body to increase its fat storage, which is a nightmare for anyone trying to lose weight. A meal that’s high in protein, however, is more likely to satisfy your appetite longer, causing you to eat less throughout the day. But if all you end up having this morning is a cup of coffee, that’s fine, too.

Let’s play a game of word association! If I say “probiotics,” you say…what?
You might say, “healthy,” “supplement,” or even “antibiotics.” But I’ll bet many would automatically reply, “yogurt.”
Yogurt is a particularly famous source of probiotics, but what if you don’t like it? Are probiotics really that important?
Well, yes. Not to sound hyperbolic or anything, but they’re possibly the most influential piece of the health puzzle that we are only just starting to comprehend. If you’re not convinced, this article is for you.
Probiotics are live bacteria that colonize in our guts, mostly the colon. We actually have 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells in our bodies!
However, if we aren’t diligent about caring for these beneficial bacteria, they won’t survive in our intestines, and the pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria will start to take over. Unfortunately for us, the Western trifecta of chronically high stress, widespread antibiotic use, and highly processed, low fiber diets creates a hostile environment for these bacteria.
So, we definitely need a healthy gut, and one of the biggest ways we do that is by regularly populating it with probiotics.

Before you reach for that cup of yogurt, however, consider this:

Yogurt can be part of a nutritious diet, but too often it’s glorified, low fat, liquid ice cream. Plus, some people can’t or choose not to eat dairy, and others may simply dislike yogurt’s texture. For this last group, there are some non-yogurt, probiotic dairy products (kefir, yakult, and filmjölk) but you do still have to keep an eye on that sugar.

In reality, dairy is far from the only game in town.

Sure, you could try a non-dairy yogurt, but these are often low in protein and high in sugar; or you could go for a supplement, but these are frighteningly unregulated and pretty expensive. There are much more exciting ways to get your probiotic fix!
Fermentation is the process that turns milk into yogurt, and cultures across the globe have been finding their own ways to ferment foods for centuries that have nothing to do with dairy.
In Russia, they drink kvas, made from fermented beets or grains. You can buy it here, but many brands are little more than sugar water, so make sure you’re getting the real thing.
And of course, there is Kombucha, the fizzy, yeasty tea that anyone who’s anyone has tried. Its Chinese origins date back 2,000 years, and it’s still trending strong today. If you’re feeling brave, you can try making your own.
In Germany, there is sauerkraut (which actually dates back to the Mongols in China) and in Korea there is kimchi, both fermented cabbage. Be wary of commercial, canned varieties, as the bacteria don’t often survive the processing. Making your own is quite easy; or you can seek out craft varieties in stores.
Then there is fermented soy: namely, miso and tempeh. These products confer health benefits (including probiotics) beyond non-fermented soy products, like edamame and tofu. Miso can add a wonderful umami flavor to dishes, while tempeh offers a tasty alternative to animal protein.

But wait! That’s not all!

We can kick back probiotic foods all day, ‘erry day, but if we don’t set up a nice, cozy environment in our colons for the bacteria to live, they won’t stay very long. This is where prebiotics come into play.
Prebiotics are non-digestible plant compounds which stimulate the growth and activity of our little, bacterial friends. A lot of companies have isolated these prebiotics to fortify their products; you’ll see them in the ingredients list as inulin, lactulose, maltodextrin and wheat dextrin, acacia gum, arabinose, and fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides. These ingredients may not be tolerated in large amounts, and besides, why not just get them from the foods they’re naturally found in?
You can find inulin in garlic, onions, and Jerusalem artichokes; oligosaccharides in bananas, berries, and legumes; dextrin in whole grains, especially wheat; and arabinose in nuts and seeds, to name a few.
Together, these probiotics and prebiotics are known as synbiotics because they’re far more powerful in combination than either one is on its own.
Healthy bacteria also thrive when you generally practice good self-care. Keep your diet high in fiber and based largely in whole, minimally processed foods. Find ways to destress and break from sedentary routines. Oh, and you might consider eating some high quality dark chocolate, because your gut bacteria may in fact be chocoholics, too!

To make a long story short: nope, you definitely do not need yogurt to have a healthy gut.

Sip on some kombucha while making your own sauerkraut. Stir some cocoa powder and sliced bananas into your oatmeal.
Basically, eat a high-fiber, plant-based diet, with a few fermented foods thrown in, and you (and your gut) will be just fine!

There are plenty of nutrition myths out there, and working as a dietitian, I hear them all day long. Sometimes, I nod and smile, knowing it’s neither the time nor place to interject with my commentary but there’s one in particular that really lights my fire. It also happens to be the one that I hear most frequently:

“Healthy food is so expensive!”

False.

I wish that’s all I needed to say to placate my clients, but no one ever believes me right away. It is entirely possible to eat nutritiously without breaking the bank, and to prove it to you, I’ve gathered up some top, expert tips to show you how it’s done.

Before we get to that, though, there is one slight caveat to my argument. Sometimes, the higher quality option may, in fact, cost more. Companies may charge more for their antibiotic-free meats compared to their standard offerings, for example. And snacking on nuts is probably going to cost you more than picking up an economy-size bucket of “cheez balls” on super sale at your nearest savings club.

However, the cost of a product is not solely incurred at the checkout lane of your preferred retailer. The foods we eat become a part of us and are great contributors to our overall well-being. As a fellow dietitian once lamented to me in exasperation: healthy food isn’t expensive—cancer is expensive; diabetes is expensive. If a diet full of on-sale soda and frozen pizza costs less at the grocery store, that doesn’t mean that relying on it won’t cost you in other areas further down the road. It also doesn’t mean that there aren’t environmental costs to various choices.

Of course, not everyone can afford grass-fed meats and organic almond butter. Fortunately, that’s not the only way to eat nutritiously! “Healthy” comes in many shapes, sizes, and, yes, budgetary constraints. So now, let’s get to what you really want to know: how to shrink that grocery bill without filling your cart with so-called “junk”!

Planning for Success

A meal plan may sound daunting, but it is one of the best strategies for eating well on a budget because it helps prevent over-buying and wasted food. If you’re new to meal planning, start small until you feel more comfortable. In making your meal plan, here are some tips to consider:

Watch the sales. Both Nikki Nies, a dietitian with the Christian Care Senior Living Center, and Savannah Thaler, a dietitian who runs Savvy Wellness and Health LLC, encourage clients to base their meals plans on their stores’ weekly circulars. These ads point out great deals on produce, unprocessed meats and seafood, whole grains, beans, and more.

Keep it simple. Tackling too many new recipes can leave you buying new ingredients faster than you can use up the ones you already have. Thaler advises clients to “stick with a few go-to favorite [recipes] and then choose just one or two new dishes to try.” This also helps streamline meal planning so it’s less of a hassle.

Know your pantry. A disorganized kitchen is a recipe for accidentally buying something you already have, and spending money on a nice jar of peanut butter only to find three perfectly good ones stashed in the back of your cupboard is money you didn’t need to spend. Keep an organized fridge and pantry by clearly labeling leftovers and maintaining lists of staples you currently have versus what you need. Bring that restocking list to the store and stick to it.

Speaking of lists… Make one, seriously. I won’t say it’s never a good idea to take advantage of a deal you see at the store, but more times than not, it’s this kind of spontaneity that leaves us with four pints of Ben & Jerry’s and a guaranteed game of Tetris when you get them back home to your already packed freezer.

Use what you have. Nies loves The Pantry Challenge, which focuses on ingredients individuals already have as the foundation for their meals. When you use what you already have, you don’t need to buy much more than a few fresh ingredients (like veggies or maybe a protein) to fill in the nutrient gaps.

Choosing the Right Store for You

Some areas of the country have more options than others, but take some time to get to know which retailers are available to you so that you can make an informed shopping decision.

Shop around. Although a part of me still daydreams of one day being wealthy enough to do all my shopping at pricey Whole Foods, I’ve learned how many healthy options exist at even bargain-based stores. It’s rare to find one store that will always have the very best deal on every single item on your list, but knowing which places tend to have the lowest prices for the things you need can help a lot.

Think beyond the supermarket. If you want to know the real threat to the traditional grocer’s bottom line, it’s not a brick-and-mortar store at all: it’s the online options. From Amazon to Thrive, consumers have a staggering amount of nutritious foods literally at their fingertips, making them especially helpful for individuals in areas of
the country with fewer retail options.

Know when to be loyal. There are advantages to traditional supermarkets, though. Many offer discounts, register and digital coupons, and special deals throughout the year, especially tied to their loyalty cards. Every store has its own policies and benefits, so peruse your options and decide which one fits your needs best.

Get to know your store. Do they double manufacturer coupons? Do they take expired coupons or ones from competing stores? When an item is on sale do you have to buy a certain number to get the deal? What is their policy on rain checks? There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re getting a deal only to realize you didn’t read the fine print.

Store-Wide Tips

So you have your meal plan, shopping list, and store. You’re ready to shop! But first, there are some very important, broad-strokes pointers to keep in mind throughout the entire store.

Bigger isn’t always better. This is true when it comes to packaging and true when it comes to carts. Shopping carts at food stores are getting bigger, and with more room comes the subconscious urge to make it look full. Now, if you’re doing a larger trip, you might need a full cart; but if you know you only plan to buy a handful of items, opt for a smaller cart or hand basket.

A deal isn’t always a deal. It’s possible for a brand to be discounted yet still cost more than a full-price competing brand. This is especially true when you compare on-sale brand names to their private label equivalents. Emily Holdorf, consulting dietitian and owner of EmPowered Nutrition, emphasizes comparing unit price and total price to determine the best deal. Katie Mulligan, a dietitian who works specifically with low-income families through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, adds that “a sale might look like a good deal, but not if you throw half of it away before you get a chance to eat it,” so only buy what you’ll use.

Put in some effort. You have two budgets: time and money. If you want the convenient option, you’re going to have to be prepared to spend more money. If you want to save money, you must invest more of your time. Chop your own veggies instead of buying them pre-sliced, make trail mix from raw ingredients, and portion snacks into bags yourself instead of buying individual servings.

Produce

We all know it’s important to eat more fruits and veggies, but it can be discouraging when they seem to spoil so quickly despite your best efforts. If you’re finding that your family just can’t manage to make it through your produce for the week, you can always buy less. In addition, there are plenty of other ways to save some green on your greens!

Embrace ugly produce. Jenna Gorham, owner of Jenna Gorham Nutrition Counseling, steers clients toward discount produce racks: “Even if the fruit or veggies look a little past their prime, they can easily be frozen” to use later in smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, stir-fries, or pasta. This emphasis on choosing “ugly produce” not only addresses budgetary concerns but also helps to seriously combat the rising cost of food waste in this country.

Stop buying blueberries in December. In other words, “buy in season…to save money and to enjoy more flavorful, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables,” explains Irene Gardner, dietitian of IG Nutrition. She also recommends buying and freezing extra berries in the summer (when they’re on sale!) to last through the winter. Exactly what is in season at any given point can vary from one region to the next, but if I need a quick refresher, I love Williams-Sonoma’s online reference.

Fresh isn’t always best. In fact, many dietitians (dare I say basically all of them?!) recommend frozen produce! Gardner explains that these products are “flash boiled to preserve color and then frozen,” keeping nutrients and fiber high. Plus, frozen fruits and vegetables are extremely convenient to keep on hand, one of the few exceptions to the rule that healthy convenience foods can’t be cheap. Philadelphia-based dietitian Brooke Mullen points out that they’re also perfect for winter, when fresh, in-season produce is less plentiful.

Protein

Proteins, especially animal-based ones, can really drive up a grocery bill. Beyond simply looking for good deals and sales as we’ve discussed above, it can be even more impactful to think outside of the box when it comes to the protein in your meals.

Look beyond the meat department. Dietitian duo Angie and John Lamberson stock up on proteins like canned salmon and tuna, peanut butter (go natural!), and even eggs. I also like to remind clients that even the “expensive” eggs ($4.50 a dozen) are still only $0.75 for two! (And you’re probably spending more to feed your Starbucks habit.)

Use less meat. According to Mulligan, though meat is often the most expensive ingredient, you can stretch it by adding beans, lentils, chopped walnuts, and minced mushrooms to burgers, chili, stews, and casseroles.  In general, we don’t need nearly as much protein as we think we do, and filling about one-quarter of your plate with a high quality protein should be plenty for most people. It can be hard to move away from that “meat as the center of the plate” mentality upon which many of us were raised, so consider starting with dishes like stir-fries, casseroles, and pasta where it’s more common to find meat as more of a garnish.

Or, forgo the meat altogether. Meatless Monday (or, if you’re feeling spunky, perhaps Vegetarian “Vednesday”?!) is a nice way to get your feet wet with vegetarian meals. Nies loves versatile tofu, which “costs an average $1-2 less than boneless chicken breast or pork.” Thaler recommends dried beans for protein, and even freezes hers once they’re cooked in individual servings to up the convenience factor, another tip that has become a staple practice in my kitchen.

Groceries

You may have heard to shop only the perimeter of the store, but that’s not to say that’s where all of healthy foods are! Dip into the aisles for healthy pantry staples, like beans, whole grains, nuts, and canned tuna.

Bulk up. Gardner loves to buy whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds in bulk. You can buy exactly how much you need so there’s no waste, you’ll get a great deal, and you’ll help the environment by reducing packaging, too! Remember, though, buying bulk in perishables in riskier, since if you can’t go through the full amount before they go bad, you aren’t saving yourself any money.

Don’t overlook store brands. Store brands (“private label”) have really stepped up their game, so you don’t have to worry about getting an inferior product. In fact, I just about wax poetic about my store’s private label, all-natural peanut butter. That same store sells an organic brown rice whose fiber content knocks the socks off of every other brand on the shelf. You’ll also find private label rolled oats, quinoa, hummus, and frozen vegetables in my kitchen at pretty much any given moment. What many people don’t realize is that grocery stores hire regular food manufacturing companies to make these private label products, so pretty much you’re getting the brand name products you’ve grown to love for a discounted price, because private label doesn’t need to waste money on marketing or advertising.

Stop spending money on drinks. Juice, soda, and other specialty drinks are pricey and about as far from nourishing as it gets, but paying for plastic bottles of glorified tap water isn’t much better! Invest instead in a good, reusable bottle and a water filter. The planet will thank you, too.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You aren’t alone, and you don’t have to do this alone. Government agencies such as WIC, SNAP, and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program are all there to help! If you qualify but don’t apply, you’re missing out on free money that you could be using on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and more.

If you don’t qualify for these government benefits, you still have options. Food pantries and other local organizations can also be of great assistance, and more and more they’re asking donors to consider the nutrient density of the items brought to them. There are even organizations like The Great American Milk Drive working to bring the more perishable items to donation centers across the country.

I know that there are stigmas against some of these assistance programs and organizations, but don’t let pride or principle stand between you and taking charge of your health. The odds can be stacked quite high against us at times through no fault of our own. If you’re following a lot of tips in this article and still struggling to make ends meet, you could truly benefit from these services. Shake off those feelings and accept the help that is so willingly being offered—people really do want to help!

Maybe we can’t all afford organic kale and pasture-raised chicken, but luckily, we don’t have to in order to be healthy. Forget about flashy package claims and news headlines; go back to the basics, put in a little effort, and focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Everyone deserves to fuel their lives with good nutrition, and with little tweaks to planning, shopping, and cooking habits, everyone can!

Where will you start?

Dietitians love bashing nutrition fads. We’re quick to point out, and rightly so, the dangers of the many that offer quick fix promises and miracle cures. Their side effects range from nausea and fatigue to actual malnutrition. Extreme ones can also disrupt mood and hormones, trigger adrenal fatigue, and slow metabolism, all while being unsustainable long-term and at times socially isolating due to their relentless rigidity.
But if I’m going to preach that there are no inherently “good” or “bad” foods, then it’s probably time I concede: there can be benefits to many of the trends I caution against so often.

Juicing

The Issue: Juicing strips fruits and vegetables of their fiber, leaving pretty much a big ‘ole glass of sugar (ok, and vitamins). Fiber is kind of a big deal when it comes to wellness, and few of us get. Besides, our bodies do not need help “detoxifying,” as many of the juice cleanses claim; that’s what our liver, kidneys, skin and entire immune system are busy doing all day long.
The Silver Lining: Skip the cleanses, and instead incorporate small juice portions into well-balanced meals. If the juice is fruit heavy, go lighter on the carbs that meal, and make sure you’re getting fiber, protein, and fat elsewhere. For example, pair a small glass of fruit and veggie juice with whole grain toast and almond butter, or a large salad with nuts, seeds, or avocado (fats); tuna, chicken, hardboiled eggs, or beans (protein); and extra veggies (fiber).

Superfoods

The Issue: The term is unregulated, so it can be used by companies however they please. Plus, I don’t care how many antioxidants they have, throwing blueberries into a sugary, refined cake doesn’t make it nourishing. “Superfoods” set us up for unrealistic expectations, without considering how much needs to be consumed to see results (a lot), or if there are side effects of consuming that much (often, there are).
The Silver Lining: Then again, if calling foods “super” makes people more jazzed about eating fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and salmon, I really can’t complain! Go ahead and enjoy a diet rich in these foods (rather than relying on powders and supplements making those same claims), but don’t expect any miracles.

Raw Food Diets

The Issue: This diet can be low in certain nutrients, like protein, calories, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fats. It’s also a lot of fiber, which can cause discomfort if the average Westerner dives into head-first. It’s expensive, time consuming, and can be socially isolating for some. Besides, some nutrients are more easily absorbed from cooked foods!
The Silver Lining: You don’t need to go 100% raw to enjoy the benefits! This diet will automatically limit less nutrient-dense foods as well, like refined sugar, processed meats, and well, a lot of what we categorize as “junk.” Try filling half your plate at most meals with non-starchy veggies; rely more heavily on nuts, seeds, and avocado for fat than more processed oils; and only continue if you as an individual respond well to it.

The Paleo Diet

The Issue: I’ve seen plenty of  Paleo dieters polish off entire cartons of ice cream because the rigidity of it all wore them down; if you can’t sustain it, it’s not working for you. Keep an eye out for nutrient deficiencies too, including calcium, fiber, and potassium. Lastly, this is not the new Atkin’s diet, and should not be viewed as a green light to load up on meat and restrict carbs!
The Silver Lining: Many Paleo principles are solid, like limiting processed foods (cakes, candy, ice cream, chips, and fast food); and more home cooking. Be more critical of principles which don’t sound sustainable for you.  If a food group doesn’t bother you, there’s no reason to eliminate it. I’m a big proponent of well-soaked beans, for example, and moderate amounts of whole grains, especially when sprouted.

Going Gluten-Free

The Issue: This diet is not associated with weight loss and so far no evidence supports its benefits for the average Joe or Jane. Gluten-free specialty products are expensive yet not necessarily particularly nutritious, often lacking fiber and riddled with fillers and binders. And of course, social gatherings and eating out become quite the challenge.
The Silver Lining: By all means, incorporate more naturally gluten-free foods into your diet, like fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, salmon, eggs, and even certain whole grains. But swapping Oreos out for gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies won’t make most of us any healthier. Make sure you’re getting enough fiber, and further support that gut with probiotic-rich foods.
Look, honestly? Do what makes you feel good, but please make sure your diet is balanced and nourishing. If something stops feeling good, it’s probably not right for you, no matter what someone else says.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I ate more than I intended to or wanted to when I was supposed to be on a diet. But instead of a dollar, all I got was a failed dieting day that usually led to a failed diet. And then a restart, and another round of eating too much. 

If you’re having trouble not eating too much when you’re trying to lose weight, here are some techniques I used that helped me lose over 150 pounds…and those I still use today to maintain my weight loss.

Avoid the Exercise Reward Mentality

If you’ve eaten more than you should have after you exercise, it might not have been from hunger but from the exercise-reward-mentality. The dialogue in your head might go something like this, “Hey, I worked out so now I can have more to eat.” This is false.

You worked out—great. But don’t undo your calorie burn by eating more than you should. Treat a workout as a way to improve your health instead of as permission to eat too much.

Eat Enough Protein

Protein is mentioned a lot in weight-loss articles, and there’s a good reason for that. It makes you feel full for longer, and that sense of fullness helps you control how much food you eat.

For example, I often have plain Greek yogurt with some fruit as part of my lunch. If I switch out the Greek yogurt for a pack of crackers, I’m eating about the same calories but not satisfying my hunger for as long.

Eat protein with every meal. I recommend eggs, small amounts of nut butter, Greek yogurt, whey protein in smoothies, cottage cheese, protein bars, and lean meats.

Use Your Brain, Not Your Eyes

It’s easy to get carried away when you see a display of delicious food or read the descriptions of entrees on a menu. But instead of relying on your eyes to tell you what you should pick, use your brain.

Sure, that Asian chicken salad on the menu looks great, but is it the best choice for your diet? Probably not, especially if the chicken is fried and the salad is drenched in dressing.

Yes, your eyes are telling you to eat more. But what’s the impact on your diet? Do the math. If that salad has 800 calories and you’re trying to stick to a 1,600-calorie diet, that’s half your calories in one meal.

Watch for Appetite Triggers

Almost everyone has certain appetite triggers that make it difficult to stop eating, or eat food not on their weight loss plan. It’s important to know what your appetite triggers are to avoid overeating.

Common appetite triggers include:

Certain foods or sensations such as candy, cakes, your favorite childhood meal, bakery smells, the sound of popcorn popping, or frying meat.

Feelings associated with food such as happiness, stress, or even boredom.

Environments or places you associate with pleasurable eating, such as your childhood home, a favorite restaurant, or a movie theater.

You can’t always avoid these triggers, but knowing what yours are can help you stop the overeating cycle before you completely blow your diet.  

Have an Inner Dialogue 

One of the common mistakes I made that caused me to eat too much was failing to have a little internal conversation with myself before I started eating. I often ate too much, whether I was eating salad, choosing from a buffet, or sitting down to a scrumptious restaurant meal. I stopped eating too much by reminding myself of three things before I started:

1) The food needed to fit in my weight-loss plan.

2) I needed to decide in advance how much I was going to eat.

3) Eating too much was easy, but recovering from consistent overeating was hard.

Find your own questions or statements to repeat to yourself before you start to eat. Having an awareness of your habits, goals, and challenges prior to eating can help you make better decisions.  

At a recent visit to a chain restaurant, I noticed that the description of each menu item included information about calories and fat. I immediately lost my appetite, but eventually relented and ordered a salad. On the way out, I asked the manager whether the new nutritional information had changed what customers were ordering.
“Not in the least,” he said. “Nobody seems to care.”
If you haven’t already seen it, fat and calorie information is now required for all restaurants with 20 or more locations (and on vending machines owned by companies that operate 20 or more machines). The FDA’s goal is pretty clear: Stem the tide of the rising obesity epidemic—the same goal they’ve had since 1994, when they required labels on packaged food that list a product’s calories, serving size, number of servings per package, and more.
Unfortunately, those well-intentioned labels didn’t work in ’94 (In fact, over the last 20 years, obesity rates for both adults and children have roughly doubled) and they’re not going to work now. That restaurant manager was absolutely right: Nobody cares. The problem is that most of us don’t really understand what all that info on fat and calories actually means.
“There have been high hopes that menu labeling could be a key tool to help combat high obesity levels in this country,” says Julie Downs, an associate research professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the lead author of a study on the effects of food labeling. “Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t appear to be helping to reduce consumption very much.”
But all is not lost. Several recent studies have identified a few alternative ways of presenting nutritional information that will increase the chance that people will make healthier food choices.

Red Light, Green Light

In a 2015 study at the University of Bonn, researchers discovered that consumers who see a simple traffic light symbol (red=an unhealthy food choice in terms of fat, saturated fat, salt, and sugar; green=a good choice; yellow=somewhere in-between) are more likely to buy healthier foods than consumers who see only the usual labels with info on calories, grams, and serving sizes. Using functional MRIs to analyze subjects’ brain activity while making purchase decisions, the researchers discovered that a red traffic label activated a part of the brain that is important in determining self-control.

“The traffic light label appears to enable the study participants to better resist unhealthy foods compared to a label containing the traditional information on grams and percentages of the particular ingredients,” said Bernd Weber, a professor in the University’s Center for Economics and Neuroscience, in a University press release. “A traffic light label probably implicitly increases the weight consumers place on healthiness in their decision.”
Research in the UK, Australia, and other countries has found consumers are far better able to identify healthier food choices when they see traffic light labels instead of traditional text-and-number labels. Traffic light labeling also increases consumer demand for healthier foods. Since traffic light labels were introduced in the UK, sales of breakfast cereals with green or yellow lights grew twice as fast as the overall market, and sales of frozen meals with red lights have dropped by 35%, according to a 2011 study.

The Candle Cure

Lights may make a difference in people’s dietary choices in other ways as well. Researchers Brian Wansink of Cornell University and Koert van Ittersum of the University of Georgia took over (with permission, of course) a Hardee’s restaurant in Champaign, Illinois. Out of 62 groups of customers, about half were directed to the regular seating area, which featured bright lights, loud music, and the usual less-than-comfortable fast-food tables. The other half were directed to a different seating area, one outfitted more like a higher-end eatery, with white table cloths, art on the walls, jazz music, and candles on the table.

Both groups ordered the same amount of food, but the mood-lighting group consumed 133 fewer calories than those in the loud-music group. They also liked the food better.

Walking It Off

And colors aren’t the only variable when it comes to affecting a person’s food choice.

In 2013, a team of researchers led by Sunaina Dowray of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, took a group of more than 800 people and randomly gave them one of four nearly identical menus. One group got a menu that had no nutritional information at all. Another group got the same menu plus calorie data. The third group got a menu with calories, plus a listing of how many minutes the customer would have to walk to burn off those calories. And the last group got the menu with calories and how many miles of walking it would take to burn off the calories.
The differences between the four groups were huge.
The menu-only group ordered an average of 1,020 calories (roughly half a day’s worth of calories for most people). The menu+calories group ordered an average of 927 calories. The menu+calories+minutes-of-exercise group ordered 916 calories. And finally, the menu+calories+miles-of-walking group ordered only 826 calories.
Sunaina Dowray’s article was published in the journal Appetite. You can see an abstract here.

My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer. As I listened to her talking to her oncologist about the constant fatigue and her discovery that if she ate some protein instead of taking a nap her energy levels rebounded, I couldn’t help but think about how the foods we choose can either increase or decrease fatigue. I guess I can still learn a few things from my mom.

It’s interesting that we so often go straight for coffee or a sugary snack when we need an energy boost even though those are rarely the best choices. Sugar and caffeine might give you a quick burst of energy, but they also typically come with a sugar crash. Choosing the right snacks and meals throughout the day can make all the difference in whether we spend the day on the sugar high/carb crash roller coaster or simply coast through with steady energy levels.

Making wise food choices can not only boost our energy levels in that moment but can help them stay constant throughout the day. So what are the best foods to maintain energy throughout the day? Here are my top five picks.

Almonds

Protein is an excellent source of quick energy that can boost us throughout the day. The best part is that it doesn’t take much. A handful of almonds will raise your energy levels and keep you going for several hours. Unlike with carbohydrates, it takes your body a while to turn protein into energy, meaning that you get a solid boost over a longer period of time, rather than the sugar rush and crash that you get from loading up on carbs.

Lean Meat

A few slices of lean deli meat can go a long way. Skip the bread and avoid the carbs, but lean meat doesn’t just provide protein for an energy boost, but also B vitamins that increase energy, and the amino acid tyrosine that increases dopamine and norepinephrine, which can help you feel more focused and alert.

Leafy Greens

A salad of leafy greens is filled with B vitamins to increase energy, plus most salads won’t weigh you down and leave you wanting a nap. Dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale are also high in protein.

Apple With Peanut Butter

An apple with a spoonful of peanut butter may be one of the best snacks you can have. It offers good carbs, fiber, water, good fats, and protein, making it a perfectly rounded snack or meal that leaves you feeling satisfied and full of energy.

Water

Although water isn’t a food per se, what you drink can do as much for your energy levels as what you eat. Don’t weigh yourself down with sugary drinks, but do stay hydrated. Dehydration can leave you feeling really fatigued. In fact, drinking 2–3 full glasses of water as soon as you get out of bed can help you wake up even better than a pot of coffee. I’ve found water to be so important for controlling fatigue. Drinking 2–3 glasses before I get out of bed makes all the difference in feeling dead to the world versus feeling ready to get up and move. 

A snack of almonds and a few chocolate chips or an apple with peanut butter helps me get through the day without crashing, and a salad with lean meat is about the most filling meal I can find. 

The next time you feel your energy levels waning, don’t go for another cup of coffee or a sugary snack. Choose a high-protein snack that will leave you energized and satisfied throughout the day.