Category: Nosh

Have you heard the exciting news? Butter is back! Whole milk is healthier! Full-fat dairy spent the past few decades in the doghouse, but it’s been experiencing quite the comeback over the past few years.

Some people, however, are less than convinced, and government recommendations remain tied to reduced-fat dairy products for anyone over the age of two.

So which is it? Is full-fat dairy a less-processed, more satisfying option, or is this all more hype than health?

THE PROS

Newer research suggests that full-fat dairy isn’t quite as heart unhealthy as we once thought, particularly the saturated fat found in dairy. This type of saturated fat is inconclusively tied to elevated cholesterol and heart health. What’s more, the blood cholesterol it does (or rather, may) promote tends to be the large and buoyant type, which is the less atherogenic (artery-clogging) variety of LDL. In other words, even if full-fat dairy does, in fact, raise your cholesterol a bit, it still might not raise the risk of heart disease. Oh, and it has been linked to lower risk of obesity.

Another argument for full-fat dairy is that the nutrients in whole milk specifically are more bioavailable (easily used) compared with the nutrients found in skim and lower fat milk. This is because some of the vitamins (especially vitamin A) are fat-soluble, which means they are found in the fat portion of the milk and may even be more readily absorbed in the presence of fat. Basically, manufacturers have to fortify lower fat milk with vitamin A to make it comparable to what’s naturally found in whole milk, and we may not even absorb what’s added without that little bit of fat.

Beyond nutrition, and certainly more anecdotally, I hear time and again that full-fat dairy is just plain more enjoyable. I am decidedly of the mindset that if you’re going to eat something, you better enjoy it. If that means eating the full-fat, full-sugar, less traditionally “healthy” version–but less of it–then that’s what you do. If full-fat dairy, with its creamier texture and more agreeable mouthfeel, can leave us more satisfied using smaller portions, isn’t it worth it?

THE CONS

The trouble is that research doesn’t quite support all those anecdotes, which makes it difficult to make an official recommendation based on it. Most research suggests quite the opposite, that higher fat foods may increase satiety, but not satiation. Satiety is feeling satisfied for a long period of time after a meal, so you don’t get the munchies an hour or two later. Satiation, on the other hand, is feeling satisfied immediately after eating; it’s the cue that tells us to stop eating because we’ve had enough. So the presence of fat in a meal may mean that we go longer between meals without eating, but it doesn’t actually seem to make us satisfied with smaller portions at the meal in question, as many people claim.

To shoot another hole in the full-fat dairy argument, it may be true that certain fat-soluble vitamins in skim milk are less easily absorbed, but that doesn’t mean we need to go all the way to whole milk. Just a little bit of fat, say in the form of low- or reduced-fat milk, could be enough.

Lastly, although emerging research certainly calls into question the relationship between heart health and the saturated fat in full-fat dairy, it remains inconclusive at this time. Not all of the studies have been well executed, and differing conclusions have been drawn. The frustratingly short version of the story is that we don’t really know the answer yet.

BOTTOM LINE: FIT OR FLOP?

Fit! Without absolute proof, this becomes a question of: Is full-fat dairy innocent until proven guilty or vice versa? I’m voting innocent, but I still don’t see any research recommending going overboard with the stuff.

Consider full-fat dairy as a garnish: feta cheese dotting your vegetable-rich salad; whole milk kefir drizzled over oatmeal and berries; the less frequent scoop of rich ice cream to replace that daily bowl of sugar-free, fat-free, more-chemical-than-food frozen confection.

Full-fat dairy certainly has potential as part of a balanced, nutritious diet. But, as they say, it is the dose that makes the poison, and too much of it may be getting us into trouble.

If full-fat dairy helps you eat less of it and feel more satisfied, if you’re not guzzling a gallon of milk and an entire block of cheese every day, if you’re not interpreting this as an excuse to eat a mountain of ice cream topped with whipped cream and melted butter (please, tell me that is not a thing): Then yes, I think full-fat dairy deserves a spot on your plate. Bon appétit!

For years, researchers have told Americans that drinking red wine is actually beneficial–despite what the D.A.R.E program told us in middle school.
It has been held up as some sort of miracle tonic that will keep you spry and your ticker tip-top. Recently, it’s even been touted as a key to weight loss. So, what’s the deal? Is it really healthy and will it aid weight loss?
Yes and no. Unfortunately, it’s one of those subjects where nuance is required.
More than one study has linked red wine to maintaining a healthier long-term body weight. The Archive of Internal Medicine published a study in 2010 that examined the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on 19,000 middle-aged women over the course of eight years.
The study concluded that “normal-weight” women who drank moderately (like a glass of wine each night) were less likely to become overweight or obese compared to women who didn’t drink.
Similarly, a study for the Women’s Health Initiative found that women who drank moderately were more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
That’s great news for wine lovers, but the most important factor seems to be moderation. Two glasses are fine, two bottles are not.
Wine is calorie dense (a 5-ounce glass can contain more than 100 calories) but lacks significant amounts of iron, potassium, B vitamins, and other nutrients. Additionally, when most people drink wine with dinner, they tend not to compensate by eating less food.
It leads to people increasing their daily caloric intake without realizing it. That is decidedly not good for weight loss. If red wine is part of your normal routine, ideally, you should compensate for those calories with diet and exercise. Because, surprise, a bottle of merlot and a package of Hot Pockets isn’t going to do anything for your figure.
As for red wine’s other benefits…
It does contain a number of antioxidants, which are good for the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants called polyphenols might help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that regular, moderate consumption of red wine, polyphenols in particular, can alter the types of bacteria found in the digestive system. In other words, red wine can precipitate a shift toward good bacteria, which benefits the immune system.
Resveratrol, another antioxidant, might help prevent damage to blood vessels, prevent blood clots, and reduce “bad” cholesterol. However, the Mayo Clinic notes that most research on the effects of antioxidants has been conducted in experiments with animals, not humans. It also notes that these benefits have been observed with moderate consumption of other alcohols, not just red wine.
Again, the name of the game is moderation when considering these benefits.
No one’s suggesting that drinking two bottles of pinot a night is healthy. In fact, the Mayo Clinic specifically warns that “Drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, [linkbuilder id=”6629″ text=”liver damage”], obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems.”
Additionally, a study that concluded in 2004 found that increased alcohol consumption among women was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
So, go ahead and have that glass of wine after work! Just don’t go nuts!

You know it’s bad for you and your weight loss efforts. Research studies prove it, your doctor tells you to cut back, and even your mother might have told you to not eat so many sweets when you were growing up. But weaning yourself off sugar isn’t easy. All is not lost though, because there is a definite way to successfully wean yourself off sugar and, as a result, eat a healthier diet that will help you lose weight.

Decide What Sugar Is Acceptable

Not all sugars are bad. Naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables, and other whole food products are generally fine. It’s the refined sugars that you need to avoid for your health and your weight loss success.

When avoiding refined sugars, which are most often found in processed foods, read the label of each food carefully to make sure the manufacturer hasn’t added sugar to the recipe.

Look for words on the ingredient list that end in –ose or –rin, such as dextrose and maltodextrin, any type of cane or rice syrup, maple syrup, corn sugar, and fruit juice of any kind. Don’t purchase or eat those foods.

Taper Off Forbidden Sugars

I recommend using a step-by-step instead of a cold turkey approach to weaning off sugar. It’s really hard to just give up sugar completely, especially if you are accustomed to eating a lot of sugar.

Here’s the order I recommend when weaning off sugar.

1. Get rid of refined sugars in processed foods first. Pick one or two products each week to eliminate from your diet to make the transition easier:

– Most fruit drinks

– Some yogurt and dairy products

– Regular sodas

– Desserts 

– Bread products

– Pasta (some varieties)

– Crackers and some varieties of chips

– Granola bars (some types)

2. Eliminate the use of white sugar in drinks like coffee or tea. This can be a difficult step; however, it is necessary. Over time you will get used to drinking it plain.

3. Stop adding sugar to fruits and vegetables. Believe it or not, I used to add sugar to fruit all the time and doused sweet potatoes with brown sugar. If this is one of your habits, stop it gradually. Fruit is sweet all by itself and definitely doesn’t need to be enhanced with white or brown sugar.

4. If you must sweeten fruit or drinks, use a bit of honey. Be sparing because although honey does have some nutrients, it is still sugar.

Have a Plan for Sugar Cravings

Weaning yourself off sugar is going to take at least six weeks. That’s about how long it takes for cravings to really subside.

During those weeks of avoiding refined sugars and eliminating added sugar, you are going to want something sugary and may feel tempted to give up on your desire to wean yourself off sugar.

Don’t give up. Those cravings are normal. You might wonder why those cravings occur at all. After all, if you give up carrots you don’t crave them all the time. At least I wouldn’t.

Researchers doing work on what sugar does to the brains of mice found that sugar has an addictive quality and acts on the brain in a similar manner to drugs. They surmised this might be similar in humans. It makes sense that you are going to experience cravings when eliminating most sugars from your diet.

When the cravings strike, try one of the following to fight them off until they pass:

– Eat some fruit.

– Exercise.

– Drink something hot.

– Have a large glass of water splashed with lemon or lime juice.

Just don’t give in. The longer you can go without sugar the less you will crave it and the less palatable it will be if you do eat sugar again. For me, sugary foods taste too sweet, whereas in the past no food was sweet enough.

Don’t Start Eating Sugar Again

Once you have successfully weaned yourself off sugar, don’t start eating it again. It will take no time at all for you to be right back where you started, and that’s the last thing you want to happen.

When faced with temptation, remind yourself to say “no” to sweet foods at social events, have healthy alternatives in your home and office, and remember how long it took you to wean off sugar in the first place.

Avoiding gluten seems to be a fad for many, for others it’s not even a choice. I fall somewhere in between; although those around me would say that it’s not really a choice for me anymore either.
When I became sick in 2010 my doctors ran every test in the book, including tests for celiac disease to determine if a gluten allergy was making me sick. All of the tests came back negative and eventually I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
While the only answers doctors had for me came in a prescription bottle, there were plenty of other people around me giving all sorts of advice. I heard from several people that diet changes were sure to make me feel better. The problem is that they were suggesting everything from dairy to gluten to meat. If I gave up everything they suggested might be making me sick, what I would be left with?
For the next two years, I continued to ignore the suggestions that food sensitivities (not allergies) might be at the root of my illness. Finally, I’d had enough. Enough feeling terrible. Enough fatigue. Enough pain that kept me on the couch instead of living life. Just enough. I was willing to try anything. However, rather than simply jumping on this idea that it was definitely food sensitivities and definitely gluten, or dairy, or eggs, I decided to have some tests run to see if I was, in fact, sensitive to certain foods.

The Results Are in

The tests were positive. While the results showed very low markers for sensitivities, the markers were there for gluten, whey, eggs, and yeast. So, I decided to try living without these foods. I removed all of them completely for a full month before I tried any of them again. I felt so much better within just a couple of weeks that I decided I wasn’t interested in re-introducing any of the foods. Eventually, however, I did.
The first time I had gluten again was completely an accident. We’d gone out to eat, and I ordered something that sounded safe enough. However, I should have asked. The next day or so I felt awful. I was suddenly reminded of just how bad I’d felt in the years before my diet changes. The over-arching pain and fatigue were back. Fortunately, as I returned to a gluten-free diet the fatigue and pain went away, and I felt good again.
I’ve now been gluten-free for four years. I’m thankful that it’s become a fad of sorts, because that fad has made my life much easier. It’s so much easier now than it was four years ago to go out to dinner and find a gluten-free menu. Better still, it’s easier to find options on a gluten-free menu that aren’t just salad.
I’m grateful that I don’t have to avoid gluten to the level that someone with celiac has to avoid it, and these days if a little gluten sneaks in it isn’t going to lay me out like it did four years ago. I don’t have to be as careful now, but I am still careful. I still avoid gluten.

Added Benefits

I have to say that weight wasn’t really something I considered when I decided to cut out gluten. But, within six months of removing it from my diet, I lost 40 pounds. That’s one positive side effect that I never had with any of the prescription medications that I tried for my illness.
I’m also eating healthier overall. Instead of simply replacing pasta and bread with gluten-free versions, I’ve mostly removed those items from my life. I eat more salads these days and more fruits and vegetables in general.
I rarely ever feel like I’ve given something up.
Why did I go gluten-free? I went gluten-free because I wanted to feel better. At the time, I didn’t know if that change would work, but it did, and although I might miss certain foods on occasion, I have to say it’s been worth it.

When dieting or trying to stick to a certain amount of calories one thing people often do is stop going out to eat. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to stop going out to eat to hit your calorie goals. Just follow these 12 tips, and you’ll be on your way to cutting calories and hitting your goals.

1. If you’re eating at dinner time, ask for the lunch portion (if available) to instantly cut your calories and save yourself some money too!

2. When you order your meal ask the server for a to-go container so you can immediately box up a portion of your food when it arrives at the table.

3. When ordering ask for your food to be grilled or baked instead of sautéed or fried to cut back on the fat that is added to your meal in the cooking process. 

4. When ordering a meal that has salad dressing, sauces, or gravies, ask for them to come on the side so you have control over how many calories you add to the dish.

5. When ordering vegetables, ask how they are cooked. You might think ordering vegetables is the best option, but your veggies may be cooked in butter or oil, adding a possible 100+ calories to your side dish. 

6. Opt for meat that isn’t breaded. You’ll still get a great flavored dish with fewer calories.

7. Split a meal with a friend or spouse. Eating out can be a great social event. Don’t be afraid to ask your server to split the dish between two plates for easier sharing. 

8. Order double vegetables instead of a vegetable and a starch (such as pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, corn, or peas). Non-starchy vegetables are higher in fiber and lower in calories than starches, and substituting for double veggies is an easy way to slash calories (but don’t forget to ask how they are cooked!)

9. Don’t drink your calories. Opt for water instead of calorie-dense drinks like soda or sweet tea. If you are going to drink alcohol, avoid drinks like daiquiris and those that use pre-made mixes that are full of added sugar.

10. If you know you are going to a restaurant that typically serves bread before the entrées arrive, ask the server if they can skip bringing the bread to your table so you’re not tempted to eat it.

11. Choose leaner cuts of meat (white meat instead of dark meat, sirloin instead of ribeyes, etc).

12. Choose vegetarian/vegan dishes when available. Vegetarian/vegan dishes will most likely have vegetables and beans as their main components, which are high in fiber and pack a bunch of protein too. This way you won’t have to worry about the extra fat from the meat or having to ask for a leaner cut of meat. 

There you have it! Now there’s no reason not to go out to eat because you fear going over your allotted calories. Just follow my tips for an enjoyable and reduced-calorie meal experience.

Had a bad day? Eat some chocolate. A child falls down on the driveway while running after a ball? Here’s a lollipop to make her feel better. No matter what the scenario, using food as a reward is a bad idea when it comes to weight loss and beyond. If you struggle with wanting to have food as a reward, here are some things to consider before eating a piece of chocolate after a long, hard day.

Food is a universal need that crosses gender, racial, and socioeconomic lines. Everyone needs food to survive. Back in the ancient days before food was easy to purchase, people had to work for their food. They toiled in the fields, foraged for food, and stored food for lean times.

Now that food is readily available to us 24 hours a day and we don’t even have to leave our homes to get it–think pizza delivery–food has taken on a role beyond fuel.

Food is the center of most social events, from weddings to funerals, and serves as a companion during television and movie viewings. Chocolate always seems to make you feel better after a tough day.

I get all of that.

The problem is that using food as a reward is the absolute last thing you should be doing when you are losing weight.

Food is not a reward. Food is fuel.

Why Do You Want Food as a Reward?

That’s the question, isn’t it? What about food makes you feel good?

There is a multitude of answers to that question, but here are some of the most common reasons I’ve found for why people use food as a reward. See if any fit you.

– It reminds you of your childhood when mom took care of you and gave you food after a hard breakup or a skinned knee.

– Food doesn’t judge. That chocolate bar won’t talk back to you or judge you. It just seems to soothe you and make you feel better as you eat bite after bite.

– You like the way food makes you feel. When you eat, your body releases dopamine, which “acts on the reward circuitry” in your brain, according to an article in “Psychology Today.” 

– Food is easily found. It’s easy to stop by the corner store and pick up a candy bar or buy a few donuts from the donut store.

Once you know why you might be using food as a reward, the next step is to identify situations when you are rewarding yourself with food.

Do you reward with food when…

– Things have been hard at home or work?

– You feel physically tired?

– You’ve been sick or injured?

– You are celebrating?

– You’ve reached a goal or completed a task?

The Solution

Reversing your habit of using food as a reward is pretty simple, but does require you to really pay attention to how you are using food and when food serves as a reward.

The next time one of the situations occurs when you would normally reward yourself with food, stop and ask yourself what you are doing. When you are losing weight, the last thing you want to do is eat fattening food for no reason at all.

Remind yourself of your goals and how many calories are in the food you are about to eat. Then find another way to reward yourself for a job well done or a hard day. Some terrific ways to reward yourself without food are to spend a special evening with friends, get your hair or nails done, go to a ballgame, talk a walk outdoors, or spend some quality alone time.

After a while, you will break the cycle of using food as a reward and rely on food as fuel for your busy life.

Ever wondered if supermarket eggs were so old they’d become a breeding ground for salmonella? After all, you can’t tell an egg’s age by looking at it. And the numbers printed on the carton seem to require a Cold War code-breaker. But that’s where you’ll find the answers; fortunately, you don’t need a mathematics degree to understand them.
Eggs coming from plants producing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-graded eggs must display the date they were packed, a three digit code called the Julian date. The Julian date indicates how long ago the eggs were packaged. Reading the three-digit code is a bit tricky with January 1 reflected as 001 and December 31 as 365. This is the most useful date on the carton of eggs.
The FDA gives farmers 30 days to place an egg in a carton and then another 30 days to sell that egg after it’s been placed in a carton. That means it’s possible to purchase eggs at the supermarket that are 60 days old!
Many cartons of eggs have a “sell-by” or “use-by” date. It’s important to understand that these dates are not required by the federal government. The guidelines for dates on a carton of eggs vary from state to state. And some states have no guidelines at all.
The use of code dates on USDA-graded eggs is optional; however, if they are used, certain rules must be followed.
– A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Expiration dates can be no more than 30 days from the day the eggs were packed in the carton.
– A “Best if Used By (or Before)” date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. This may not exceed 45 days past the pack date.
– A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product. This may not exceed 45 days past the pack date.
– “EXP” Expiration dates can be no more than 30 days from the day the eggs were packed into the carton.
You can store fresh shell eggs in their cartons in the refrigerator for 3-5 weeks beyond the date you purchase them. The “sell-by” date will usually expire during that time, but according to the USDA the eggs are perfectly safe to use.
Before buying your next carton of eggs look at the dates stamped on the carton and try to gain an understanding of how long those eggs have been sitting in their carton. It’s entirely possible that the eggs you’re reaching for at the supermarket aren’t fresh. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat them. Provided they’ve been refrigerated within the time frames mentioned above they are safe to eat.
Are you ready for fresh eggs? Try purchasing eggs through a CSA or maybe it’s time to invest in backyard chickens!
Did you know: Hens with white feathers and earlobes lay white-shelled eggs, and hens with red feathers and earlobes lay brown eggs. And there’s no nutritional difference between the eggs.

The benefits of eating clean are numerous, from a slim and trim waistline to renewed energy and a clear head. But for many looking to embark on a cleaner diet, the cost can be a downside. A diet rich in whole, organic food can be expensive. But with a few insider tips, you can have your vegan, organic, gluten-free cake and eat it too. Here are some tips for eating clean on a budget.

Think Seasonal and Local

Eating with the seasons and buying local is a trick that seasoned chefs have used for years to save money on the monthly food budget for their restaurants.
For example, in the fall, it’s much less expensive to enjoy pumpkins, cranberries, and apples when they are at their peak and farms have an overabundance of them than it is to choose avocados, tomatoes, or peaches that are expensive and out of season.
Hit the farmers market weekly and load up on the best of the local bounty, or subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) plan and support your local farmers by purchasing a share of the harvest at the beginning of each season.
Each week you’ll get a box full of what farmers are growing, and you can plan your menu accordingly. This will also allow you to get to know the farmer who grows the food you are considering buying and learn about how it’s grown. For example, you can ask the farmer what kind of chemicals they use on their crops for pest control. Or you can ask the rancher if the animal you are about to buy was given hormones or antibiotics and how it was raised.
Local and seasonal foods usually pack a bigger flavor punch too! A tomato caprese salad made with a hard tomato harvested in December is tasteless, especially when compared with the sweet summer tomatoes that are harvested in their prime.

Don’t Fear Frozen Foods

If you’re a huge fan of a morning smoothie, frozen mango, strawberries, and blueberries are frequently just as tasty as fresh, especially out of season. Fruits and vegetables are often frozen at the peak of freshness so you won’t be sacrificing flavor.
And they can be much more affordable too. Sometimes I’ll get a craving for a pea pasta with greens in the dead of winter, so I’ll use frozen organic peas (that really taste delicious), toss them with some greens, whole wheat pasta, and a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and that’s dinner! Oh and skipping the meat will quickly save you money too.

Always Shop With a List

Don’t ever hit the grocery store without a list because you’ll end up blowing a bunch of cash without knowing what you’re having for dinner that week. Even worse is going to the grocery store when you’re hungry too.
When I’m creating my shopping list, I choose at least three dinner meals that I’ll make that week with enough for leftovers (so I don’t have to cook from scratch every night of the week, and we usually go out to dinner once per week). After picking out recipes, I write out all the ingredients that are necessary for each recipe.
When I shop, if I see a similar ingredient to what’s on my list that’s less expensive or on sale, I’ll substitute it into my recipe.

Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

The foundation of my clean diet includes a number of less expensive staples. Cabbage, for example, may not be a glamorous vegetable, but it’s relatively inexpensive, versatile, and it lasts a long time in the refrigerator.
In fact, I love to make salads with heartier leaves like cabbage, kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard because they hold up as leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days, unlike lettuces that are delicate (they’re perfect for Mason jar salads too!) Bananas, kale, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, legumes, and grains are all less expensive items that can be used in a laundry list of delicious healthy recipes.

Reduce Your Intake of Animal Products

Animal products are often the most expensive items on any grocery list. That’s why it can be advantageous to build a diet that either excludes these foods completely or severely limits them. Make dairy a condiment instead of the main course, and if you’re going to eat meat, limit it to special occasions.
Plant-based protein sources such as beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, and seitan are always less expensive than beef, fish, and many types of cheese. Furthermore, if you’re eating clean, you’ll need to buy more costly organic animal products in order to avoid hormones, antibiotics, and any other additives that are given to livestock to get them to market quicker.

Learn to Cook

It’s wonderful that more and more restaurants are beginning to cater to healthy eaters, from vegan and gluten-free to organic and non-GMO offerings. But even still, eating out is way more expensive than cooking at home (and you really don’t know what’s going into your food when you eat out).
Learning to cook is one of the best things you can do for your health because you can control the quality and price of the foods you eat. So buy yourself a clean eating cookbook or choose a few clean eating websites (like that of yours truly) and begin planning your healthy menus weekly. You’ll save cash and at the same take pride in the fact that you’ve cooked your family a healthy and delicious meal.
You don’t have to be rich to eat a clean diet. By planning ahead and making a few simple adjustments, your dollar can go a long way at the grocery store or local farmer’s market.

Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. In fact, Americans eat more bananas than both apples and oranges combined–about 27 pounds per year. Now that’s a lot of bananas!

The elliptical-shaped yellow fruits (technically considered berries since their fruit is produced from a single seed) are chock-full of nutrients and one of nature’s most convenient on-the-go superfoods.

Health Benefits of Bananas

You may have heard that bananas contain too much sugar, and they aren’t a good choice if you’re trying to mind your waistline. The truth is, while a medium-sized banana does contain about 14 grams of sugar, it is still considered low on the glycemic index (GI) and contains about 3 grams of fiber to keep you feeling fuller longer. At just over 100 calories, eating a banana is a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth!

B-Smart

You probably know that B vitamins are essential for your body. One such essential B vitamin, B6, is naturally present in bananas and may be beneficial for lowering your risk of heart disease, keeping certain kinds of cancer at bay, and boosting immunity. Some studies have even shown B6 to help with PMS, so a daily banana could help with moodiness, irritability, and bloating at that time of the month.

Fact or Fiction?

Have you ever had a really bad leg cramp or charley horse and your mom’s advice was to eat a banana? That’s because bananas are known for their healthy dose of potassium. When we sweat, we lose potassium, which is essential for muscles to contract properly and to keep blood pressure in check. While eating a banana isn’t likely to make a cramp go away, getting enough potassium each day (the Institute of Medicine recommends 4.7 grams) could reduce the number of muscle cramps you have in general. A medium banana contains 422 mg of potassium, and because it’s so convenient, it’s a great way to replenish after a sweaty workout session.

Athletic Performance

Speaking of workouts…you know the electrolyte-replacement drinks that many runners, cyclists, and other athletes tote with them on long hauls? A study conducted on cyclists at Appalachian State University in North Carolina found that the subjects who consumed a banana and plain water had just as effective performance levels as the group who were given a carbohydrate-rich drink such as Gatorade. What’s more, higher levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine were found when the subjects’ blood was analyzed.

Go Bananas!

With loads of health benefits and year-round availability, there’s no reason not to add this super fruit to your shopping list. If you are wondering whether to buy organic, you’ll be happy to know that bananas are not on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list, a list of the top 12 conventionally raised (a.k.a. non-organic) fruits and vegetables known to contain the most pesticides.

Want some tips to getting more bananas in your diet? You can substitute mashed bananas in recipes that call for butter or cooking oil. Simply replace half the oil with that amount of mashed fruit. For example, if a recipe calls for ½ cup of canola oil, use ¼ cup of oil and ¼ mashed banana.

Got more bananas than you can use before they go bad? No problem! Peel, slice, and store in a freezer bag. The next time you are whipping up a smoothie or protein shake, toss frozen banana slices in instead of ice to cool down your beverage.

You’re working out like crazy, which is making you feel super proud that you’ve nailed that part of your New Year’s resolution. But you’re feeling pretty bummed because the scale’s not moving, and the tape measure’s not pulling tighter because your diet is still way off.

You feel like you have no control, and your bad eating habits are making you feel well…just bad! Extra fat and sugar along with artificial dyes, preservatives, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can not only make your body feel awful and sabotage all of your hard work at the gym, but studies have also shown they can contribute to health issues such as chronic fatigue, diabetes, migraines, autoimmune diseases, and high blood pressure.

Changing your diet and habits, which probably have developed over a lifetime, is a tough thing to do. But it’s not impossible. Here are 10 foolproof ways to make positive, permanent changes.

1. Keep a journal.

For 2 to 3 days write down what you eat and drink and the approximate times that you do. Once you have a couple of days written down, take a red pen and circle and figure out what your trouble areas are.

2. Take it one meal at a time.

Small, simple changes work best when you’re trying to make a permanent change. Start with one meal and stick to those changes for a whole week. Breakfast is usually the best meal to start with. The next week, change another meal.

3. Read labels.

Make a conscious effort to read all labels and choose the healthiest foods that you possibly can. As a rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients listed, the better the food is for you. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, or it sounds super chemical, that’s a good way to know you know you shouldn’t be eating it.

4. Be prepared.

Keep bars in your bag, nuts at work, granola in your car. Most people make poor food choices when they don’t have any options. Typically when you fail to plan…you plan to fail.

5. Have dinner for lunch.

The easiest way to have a healthy lunch is to bring leftovers from the night before for lunch the next day. When you cook at home and are prepared, you’ll end up eating healthier.

6. Breakfast for dinner.

Don’t like to cook? Try eating breakfast for dinner! Omelettes, scrambled eggs and Canadian bacon, low-fat quiche, or oatmeal and hard boiled eggs are all great nutritious alternatives to ordering out because they don’t cost a bundle and are healthy and easy to cook!

7. Invest in high-quality food storage.

Food storage containers that leach plastic taste into your food or leak in your bag will undermine your efforts to eat well. Choose high-quality plastic food storage or lightweight glass with tight-fitting snap tops.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

It takes a lot of effort and hard work to change a lifetime of habits. Be kind to yourself. If you mess up, don’t take an all-or-nothing type of attitude that could undermine your efforts altogether. Get right back on the health train and keep plowing forward without looking back.

9. Cook on Sundays.

Preparing meals at home is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re eating well and that unhealthy ingredients aren’t being slipped into your food. Problem is, with schedules being so crazy, who has the time to cook? Sundays are a great day to spend the afternoon getting ready for the week. Prepare three meals worth of food, freezing some to ensure that you always have a healthy, yummy option at your fingertips.

10. Drink water.

Studies show that up to 75 percent of people may be (semi) functioning in a constant state of dehydration. Not drinking enough water can make you feel tired and without motivation. It can also mess with your body’s ability to metabolize fat. Additionally, being even slightly dehydrated can cause your body to mistake the need to drink with the need to eat. This can cause you to eat empty calories unnecessarily. So hydrate already!