Tag: fuel

“Bacon makes everything better,” I’ve heard my culinary school–grad brother say more than once. I roll my eyes, knowing that the reason why it makes everything “better” is that it’s full of fat and salt. Sure it makes everything taste better, but I know that it doesn’t make everything better for you. At least, I thought I knew that, until a recent study was published finding that bacon may actually be good for you!

Bacon contains niacin (vitamin B3), a compound that lowers cholesterol and is used to decrease the risk of heart attack and coronary artery disease. Niacin also tricks the body into believing that it’s exercising, which produces free radicals, an apparently good thing for your health.

Researchers studied the effect of feeding niacin to roundworms. The roundworms that were fed niacin lived 10 percent longer than the control group, which led researchers to conclude that if humans consumed the same amount (relative to size), it could add up to the equivalent of 10 more years of life!

Learning about this study made me think (or more like hope) that maybe bacon could be even better for us than just this one reason. Good news! Here’s what I came up with:

It Can Help You Lose Weight

Studies show that it’s not fat that makes you gain weight, but excessive carbohydrates. Low carb diets help you lose weight by keeping your insulin and your blood sugar stable. Carbs raise insulin levels significantly more than fats do, and the more insulin you have in your bloodstream, the more the food you eat will be stored as fat.

It Keeps You Feeling Full

Bacon is filled with saturated fat (aka the “satiety fat”), which signals an area in your brain to tell you that you’re full. Studies have shown that people who increase fat intake and decrease carbohydrate intake achieve successful and permanent long-term weight loss.

It’s Full of Vitamins

Bacon boasts 65 percent of the recommended daily intake of thiamin (vitamin B1) as well as 47 percent of niacin (vitamin B3), 38 percent of vitamin B12, and 36 percent of zinc. It’s also got a great amount of selenium (a potent antioxidant good for the thyroid), phosphorus (makes movement possible), and choline (good for memory and brain health). It’s filled with so many vitamins and minerals that it could practically be its own supplement!

It Helps You Build Muscle

Bacon contains 3 grams of pure protein, which can help to build muscle and keep your energy going while you work out and repair. It has one of the highest amounts of essential amino acids out there, including tryptophan (important for brain health), leucine (builds muscles), and glutamic acid (essential for your nervous system).

It’s Good for Your Heart

The saturated fat in bacon raises your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), or your “good” cholesterol. The higher your HDL levels, the better your health and the lower your risk of developing heart disease.

Whether you choose to eat bacon for your health or because it tastes good, it’s important that you opt for the best choice. If you want to include bacon in your journey to be your healthiest self, look for bacon that comes from organic pigs and has been preserved using only natural nitrates or nitrites.

It’s March, which means every food under the sun is taking on a verdant—but unfortunately all too often artificial—hue. I think we can do better this March 17 by taking advantage of all of the naturally green foods that are at our disposal.
Naturally green foods get their color from phytochemicals, which are associated with aiding the liver in clearing out carcinogenic compounds. They also tend to have significant amounts of folic acid, potassium, and vitamin C. Of course, it’s important to eat a colorful diet rather than focusing solely on any single hue, because each color represents a unique nutritional profile, but greens can be a struggle (and therefore opportunity) for many of us.
I get it. Kale can be a hard sell sometimes. I’ve got you covered with these 17(+) green recipes…no dyes needed!

Breakfast

Avocado toast with cilantro cashew cream

We have to start with the super-trendy avocado toast, and this recipe from With Food + Love is brilliant in its simplicity. If you happen to be one of those people who can’t stand cilantro, try fresh tarragon instead.

Super green smoothie bowl

Smoothie bowls are the love-children of ice cream, salad, and chewable toppings…because sometimes, a girl (or guy) needs a little substance in the morning. This recipe from Minimalist Baker is perfect to get you started.

Green banana pancakes

Who doesn’t love a stack of pancakes? Sneaking in a little spinach, à la this recipe from the Healthy Maven, is a total game changer. Might I suggest topping it with some equally green pistachio butter?

Lunch

Broccoli flatbread

Green Kitchen Stories is an obvious source of green recipes, both in color and carbon footprint, and this broccoli flatbread is proof of that. Keep up the green streak with green goddess hummus or edamame and avocado salad (see below) as fillings.

Greeny salad with crispy chickpeas

The Sprouted Kitchen’s recipes are bursting with fresh ingredients, this “greeny salad” included. If you really want to see green, try swapping out the chickpeas for some shelled (preferably organic) edamame or use cooked (not roasted) green lentils instead.

Edamame avocado sandwich

Move over, chicken salad, this very green mixture from Two Peas and Their Pod is the perfect recipe to keep on hand for weekday lunches. Make sure you choose a hearty, high-fiber bread, or go bun-less and scoop it over a big salad.

Green wellness bowl with spirulina vinaigrette

Buddha bowls, wellness bowls, nourish bowls: whatever you call them, they’re in, and for good reason. These veggie-packed dishes, like this recipe from Thrive Market, can be prepped ahead for quick assembly. Plus, any non-smoothie recipe that calls for spirulina has got my attention.

Chopped kale salad

Kale salads can be made at the start of the week and only get better as they sit and marinate. I recently tried and loved this one from Edible Perspective. It’s pretty versatile, so aside from the kale, feel free to mix in whatever veggies you have on hand.

Dinner

Very green vegan pesto pizza

Ashley’s Edible Perspective blog earns a second spot on this list, and deservedly so. Not only is this pizza paired with a bright green pesto, but it’s also topped with more green vegetables. Do you think we can find a way to add some green to the crust, too? Hmm…

Asparagus pea soup

Spring, asparagus, and peas might as well be synonymous, so I’m all in when it comes to this soup from Minimalist Baker. My two cents? Boil the often-discarded, woody asparagus ends in water or broth for 45-60 minutes, then puree and strain it to stretch your food dollars a little more. The stringy pulp can then be composted.

“The Hulk” potato kale soup

Can you get over the color of this recipe from Vegan Heaven?! If you’re feeling more adventurous, add a crisp kale chip garnish before serving. I mean, go big or go home, right?

Baked peas with tarragon

This recipe from 101 Cookbooks would make a great side dish, and leftovers, I imagine, would be wonderful for lunch. Oh, and did I mention there’s a pistachio dressing? Because there is. 

Fig and zucchini pasta with hemp seed crumble

I couldn’t have a green recipe collection without some sort of “zoodle” recipe, and I think this one from Nutrition Stripped takes the cake. Figs? Hemp seed crumble? Avocado? Yes, please!

Green monster veggie burger

One of my favorite meals is a solid veggie burger, and so why not choose a green-hued recipe like this one from Vegan Heaven for St. Paddy’s Day? For a bit of a protein boost, try layering it with seared tempeh or, if you’re not vegan, a poached egg.

Snacks & Dessert

Green pea guacamole

The NY Times caused quite a stir when it suggested pureeing green peas into guacamole, but I have to say, I don’t hate the idea. That being said, if pea-guac is utter blasphemy to you, this “perfect guacamole” from Simply Recipes is much more traditional.

Matcha banana nice cream

“Nice cream” is a fancy term for frozen bananas blended into creamy oblivion. It’s a fabulously fruity alternative to ice cream, and with the addition of a dose of matcha powder, this Free People recipe is perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day treat.

St. Paddy’s day macaroons

Matcha and spirulina make second appearances for this Pure Mama macaroon recipe, minimally sweetened and loaded with the healthy fats of walnuts. You know what I’m going to say, though: looking for some extra green? Try it with pistachios.
Shamrock shakes and green bagels of the food marketing world, your days are numbered. I have all the green I need right here, and with recipes as nutritious as these, I’ve got more than luck on my side. How about you?

Looking for a snack that will keep you satisfied until dinner time? We’ve rounded up both sweet and savory options we think you’ll love. Try one of these protein-packed snacks to curb hunger, keep your blood sugar from plummeting, and stay energized throughout the day.

100-calorie Pistachio Packs (Protein: 4 grams)

Take the guesswork out of how many nuts you can eat in a serving by buying pre-portioned snack packs of nuts like pistachios. Pistachios are known as the “skinny nut” because of the fiber and protein they contain. You’ll get about 31 nuts in a 100-calorie serving, like in these snack packs from Nature’s Joy. You can only eat about 14 almonds for the same number of calories, plus pistachios contain lutein and zeaxanthin to lower your risk of vision-related problems.

Hard-boiled eggs (Protein: 6 grams/egg)

New research shows that eating an egg every day provides nutritional benefits for people who consider themselves generally healthy. If you’re looking for a healthy snack in the Starbucks line, look no further than the hard-boiled egg. In addition to protein, you’ll be consuming nutrients that may actually help lower heart disease risk, such as vitamins B12 and D, folate, and riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2).

Peanut Butter Power Chews (Protein: 4 grams per serving)

Most people love the taste of peanut butter, but it isn’t convenient to carry a jar of the nutty stuff around in your purse or gym bag. Enter Peanut Butter Power Chews, like these from SunRidge Farms. These cute little chews dish out natural ingredients like dry roasted peanuts, brown rice, and honey in a tasty power-packed snack with only 180 calories per serving plus 2 grams of filling fiber.

Low-fat chocolate milk box (Protein: 8 grams) 

A serving of low-fat chocolate milk has just the right combination of carbs and protein to serve as a recovery snack after exercise or to balance out a healthy lunch. Kids and adults alike will love these single-serving milk boxes from Horizon Organic that now deliver a dose of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids—a type of good fat typically found in fish oil that is essential for healthy functioning of your brain, heart, and eyes. 

Grilled Snackers Portable Protein Pack (Protein: 10 grams)

Who says you can’t eat chicken breast on the go? These Grilled Snackers from Oscar Mayer deliver 10 grams of protein in their 110-calorie serving chicken breast strips. Choose from a side of sweet barbecue, lite ranch, or Asian toasted sesame seed dips. A little high in sodium for an everyday snack, but a great option if you have a juicy grilled chicken craving.

2% Greek yogurt (Protein: 20 grams per 7-oz. container)

Whether for breakfast or a snack, plain Greek yogurt is a great staple to keep on hand if you are looking for protein. Stick to plain to avoid the added sugar and calories you’ll find in those that come with fruit toppings, but feel free to add your own fresh berries or banana slices. This 2% Greek yogurt from Fage is a good choice, as the little bit of milk fat will help you absorb the nutrients more readily.

Having a cold is absolutely no fun. You feel terrible, have little energy, and sometimes you crave foods that are definitely not on your weight loss plan. Sticking to your diet when your nose is running and you feel lousy is challenging but you can do it. Here’s why it’s hard to stick to your diet when you have a cold and what you can do to avoid blowing your diet.

Why Having a Cold Makes You Want Certain Foods

There is no definitive answer to the question of why being sick makes you want certain foods, but there are three likely causes:

1) Childhood conditioning

If your mom was like mine, she fed you certain foods when you got sick. For my brother and me it was powered Jell-O mixed with water (which sounds disgusting now), salty chicken noodle soup, oranges, and sandwiches on soft white bread.

2) Hormones

When you have a cold, you might have trouble sleeping. A lack of sleep increases your cravings because of the two hormones ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin tells your brain when it is time to eat, and the hormone increases when you haven’t gotten enough sleep, which makes you want to eat more often. To make matters worse, leptin, the hormone that helps you know when you are full, decreases when you are sleep deprived.

3) You believe the old saying “Feed a cold, starve a fever.”

Although there may be some scientific truth to the adage, if you feed your cold with too much junk food, you can easily gain weight while you are recovering. Although you could lose it with some effort, gaining weight when you want to lose it can cause you to falter in your weight loss effort.

Which Comfort Foods Work for Colds and Weight Loss

Some people like salty foods when they are sick and others prefer sweet foods. No matter which type you prefer, there are healthy comfort foods that satisfy cravings without blowing your calorie budget.

Try some of the following:

• Chicken noodle soup
• Pretzels dipped in hummus
• Fruit popsicles made with real fruit
• Frozen banana chunks dipped in 1 tablespoon of melted dark chocolate chips
• Five saltine crackers and a bit of cheese
• Tangerines, oranges, or grapefruit
• Fruit smoothies
• Yogurt
• Hot tea with lemon and honey

Which Foods to Avoid When Sick and Dieting

There are no foods you can’t eat when you have a cold unless your doctor says so, but there are some I avoid when I have a cold. For example, if I start eating chocolate when I have a cold, my weakened willpower becomes weaker and I eat way more than I normally would.

Some other foods to avoid when you are fighting a cold and trying to lose weight are:

• Sugary foods
• High-calorie salty foods like chips or peanut-butter-filled pretzels
• Fatty foods such as burgers dripping with grease, bacon, and fried foods
• Fast food
• High calorie drinks

Getting Back on Track After You Feel Better

You might be coming off a cold and looking to get back on track. It’s not ideal to have blown your diet when sick, but it is possible to bounce back.

The first step is to stand on the scale and see if you’ve gained a bit of weight back. If you have, get back on your eating plan. You will quickly drop those few pounds and be on your way once again.

Lose weight while eating chocolate and drinking wine? Heck yes, sign me up! But can this way of eating—known as the Sirtfood Diet—work? Let’s break it down.

I use the following eight questions to evaluate any diet or eating plan:

1. Does the plan involve some sort of starvation? Severely limiting calorie intake or complete fasting doesn’t work. While you may initially lose weight, your body compensates for the loss of calories by slowing metabolism. Once you go back to eating normally, the weight is going to pop right back on.

• The answer: Yes
• The wine and chocolate diet suggests limiting calories to 1000 for two days (liquids with one small meal) and then 1500 calories for the rest of the first week. This is a crash diet technique that certainly will cause initial weight loss, but not permanent results.

2. Does the plan involve “magic” foods or miracle supplements? There are no magic potions, pills, or foods to maintaining a healthy weight. Good health comes from eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and low fat protein.

• The answer: Maybe
• The wine and chocolate diet is based on eating sirtfoods. These foods promote the production of sirtuin, a protein that controls important things such as aging, inflammation, and metabolism. These foods include tasty items such as strawberries, kale, apples, green tea, and soy. Given that these are healthy options, adding them to your diet—especially to replace less nutritious choices—is a good thing. Red wine and chocolate are also on the list of sirtfoods. Consuming wine and candy, however, isn’t going to magically result in weight loss.

3. Is this plan a “quick fix” to lose pounds and then go back to “eating normally”? Permanent weight loss and good health are both based on a well-balanced diet. Using tricks to drop pounds and then expecting them to stay away when you resume your regular (and most likely less healthy) eating patterns is unreasonable. This will set you up for disappointment and dangerous yo-yoing of your weight.

• The answer: Maybe
• The wine and chocolate diet is very restrictive at the beginning and then moves to a more traditional eating plan of three balanced meals loaded with sirtfoods. If these foods are appealing to you, and you keep wine and chocolate consumption in moderation, this part of the program may be reasonable.

4. Is the plan filled with “nevers”? You can never have carbs, sweets, bread, cheese, etc. Deprivation will make you less likely to stick to the plan. Choose a plan that allows you to deal with the occasional treat, slice of pizza, or whatever you fancy. Unless you have a food allergy, avoiding whole categories of foods is not productive.

• The answer: No

5. Does it promise weight loss without exercise? Again, getting your metabolism fired up is the key, so if you aren’t moving your body it isn’t going to work long-term.

• The answer: No

6. Does it rely on pre-packaged processed foods? Unless you plan to eat these meals for the rest of your life, you aren’t learning how to feed yourself well.

• The answer: No

7. Is the plan complicated? Is a plan that requires complicated calorie counting going to fit into your busy day? Find a plan that works simply and fits into your lifestyle. Healthy eating isn’t complicated.

• The answer: Maybe
• The wine and chocolate diet initially relies on “green juice” for meal replacement. In the maintenance phase, more “normal” meals are suggested.

8. Is the plan based on solid scientific evidence?

• The answer: No
• The wine and chocolate diet was tested in one small study in a single health club in England. Participants showed significant weight loss in the first week, an average of seven pounds. No information on long-term success of the diet was reported. In addition, the long-term health effects of this plan have not been examined.

The final verdict: Is the wine and chocolate diet too good to be true?

Yes. Let’s not kid ourselves, you knew that already.

An eating plan that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat protein is the key to long-term health. Of course, replacing less nutritious foods in your diet with sirtfoods, such as blueberries, can be great for your overall health and your waistline.

There are a lot of niche dietary preferences (paleo, gluten free, low carb), but I think the one that sparks the most curiosity is vegetarianism or, better yet, veganism. But what do you eat? How do you get enough protein? Perhaps most fundamentally, why?

For a while, the most common reason was ethics: It’s wrong to kill an animal when there are perfectly edible, nutritious plant foods available. Other reasons that are rising in popularity are personal health and sustainability.

There are also different “types” of vegetarianism. Lacto-ovo vegetarians consume eggs and dairy, while vegans reject anything derived from an animal. There are also pescetarians (who eat fish) and pollotarians (who eat chicken). More recently, there are “veggans” (vegans who eat eggs) and pegans (a hybrid of vegan and paleo). Oh and then there are “flexitarians” who will occasionally eat animal products, but not always.

There are arguments on both sides of the fence when it comes to vegetarianism, but does one side edge out the other?

THE PROS

We have to establish one thing early on: Vegetarians and, yes, vegans can easily meet their protein needs and live perfectly healthy lives without animal products. The question is not whether vegetarian diets can be healthy, but are they superior to animal-based ones?

A lot of the evidence says yes. Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease, and certain cancers. In fact, of Harvard’s list of 11 foods that may help lower cholesterol, a whopping 10 are plants.

Cancer, specifically, has gotten a lot of media attention over the past year after the International Agency for Research on Cancer published a statement that red and processed meats are significantly associated with increased risk of colon cancer. From this perspective, a diet that eschews them would by nature be a healthier one.

Seventh-day Adventists are another oft-cited example of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Compared to 3 percent of U.S. citizens overall, 30 percent of Seventh-day Adventists are vegetarian. They are also known for living extremely long and healthy lives. Many researchers think it has a lot to do with their plant-based diets.

Our health is not the only consideration for the “ideal” healthy diet, however. Our food choices have a direct and significant impact on the environment. Although a few studies have played devil’s advocate, the vast majority of evidence shows that animal products put a greater strain on the planet than plants do. A healthy diet has to account for how it affects the sustainability of the food system and planet overall, and vegetarianism seems to have the upper hand here.

THE CONS

Even though a healthy vegetarian diet is more than possible, you do have to be vigilant about nutrition. Animal products are our main sources of certain nutrients, including vitamin B12 and EPA/DHA (the forms of omega-3 fats most readily used by the body). It’s easier to get these nutrients without relying on supplements if you continue to eat animal products to some degree.

It’s also extremely important to note that just because a vegetarian diet can be healthier than an omnivorous one, that does not hold true for all vegetarian diets. Some individuals, for example, default to being “pastatarians,” a tongue-in-cheek term for vegetarians who rely on carbohydrates almost exclusively. There are also plenty of “accidentally vegan” foods and other vegetarian-friendly but highly processed products, such as Oreos and low-quality veggie burgers; filling your diet with these foods would not guarantee improved health.

Vegetarianism is also likely too extreme for the majority of individuals. By going too gung-ho on strict vegetarianism, we run the risk of alienating a lot of people who start to feel overwhelmed or intimidated and decide against even trying.

BOTTOM LINE: FIT OR FLOP?

FIT! As far as I know, there is little evidence that eating no animal products is significantly healthier than simply eating less, choosing higher quality options, and filling most of our diets with fiber-rich, vitamin-rich plants. However, done well, a vegetarian diet could be an express ticket to personal and planetary health.

If going full veggie is a bit of a stretch for you, experiment with Meatless Monday or dishes that use meat as a garnish; stir-fries are especially good for this. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Harvard Medical School both have excellent tips for reducing or eliminating animal products.

Regardless of how you choose to get your protein, focus on filling your diet with plenty of plants. And if you do decide to transition to a more plant-based diet, listen to your body and get regular blood work to see how you as an individual respond to those dietary changes.

There is no one-size-fits-all diet, but I think we could all stand to learn at least a thing or two from our veggie-loving compatriots.

I’m not the kind of person who does a lot of research before I jump into something. Typically I just jump in and often learn the hard way. You’d think by now that I’d know that I should dig a little and learn from the mistakes of others, but I guess I’m a little stubborn, and I was born in Missouri (the “show me” state), so I continue to learn the hard way.

The good news is you don’t have to learn the hard way, because as much as I like learning things on my own I also like sharing what I learn and helping others (who choose to do the research) avoid the mistakes that I didn’t.

When I began juicing four years ago I just jumped right in. I’d watched Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, and I downloaded their plan for a juice fast (so I could have some recipes to start with). But I didn’t really know what I was getting into, which may have turned out to be a good thing. I learned a lot in those first few days and weeks of juicing, and I’ve learned even more in the years since. Here are just a few of the mistakes that I made that you might want to avoid.

Not planning appropriately 

I started my first juice fast on January 2. The problem was that there weren’t many grocery stores open on New Year’s Day. As a result, I ended up overpaying for the produce I needed for those first few days. Had I been prepared, I would have shopped on New Year’s Eve (or earlier) to make sure I had enough produce to get through the holiday.

Not researching

There are a number of areas where research would have helped me during that first juice cleanse, not the least of which would have been knowing where to buy my produce to get the best deals. I probably spent close to $100 for the produce I needed for the first three-day juice cleanse. These days, because I know where to shop, I can buy enough produce for a 7-day juice cleanse for about half that much.

Not understanding the difference between fruits and vegetables

We all know the difference between a fruit and a vegetable, yet when it comes to juice cleanses it seems to be the number one thing that people forget. Somehow a juice cleanse becomes all about fruit juice, and we end up taking in huge amounts of sugar and calories. The reality is that a juice cleanse should be mostly about vegetable juices with a little fruit added for flavor (not the other way around).

Not getting to know your juicer first

When I did my first juice cleanse I used a juicer I borrowed from my mom. I picked it up the day before I started the cleanse and used it once before I officially started the cleanse. I should have borrowed it a full week earlier and familiarized myself with it. Had I done so, I would have known that that model didn’t juice green leafy things well, and I would have found a replacement sooner.

Not easing into it

This is actually one mistake I didn’t make as completely as I could have. I did start removing meat and sugar from my diet and replaced it with produce a week or so before I began the cleanse. Unfortunately, many people don’t do this, which is probably one of the biggest reasons for negative side effects and juice cleanse failure. If you go straight from eating a standard American diet to trying to do a juice cleanse, you will be in pain, you’ll suffer withdrawal, and you will have headaches, digestive issues, and a host of other possible side effects. The cleaner your diet is before you make the transition, the fewer side effects you’ll have to face.

There are likely a host of other mistakes that you should avoid and probably just as many others that I made. I doubt I have to tell you not to stick your finger in the juicer while it’s running. I made that mistake, but I’m sure you are smarter than I am.

Even if you do go into your first juice cleanse as unprepared as I was, you’ll still come out ahead of where you started. You’ll learn a lot (perhaps the hard way) but you’ll be better for it, and your next juice cleanse will be that much easier.

Of course, if you can make your first juice cleanse easier, why wouldn’t you?

Most food you buy at the grocery store has an expiration date, a use by date, or a best by date. Your diet doesn’t come with any such a date. In fact, the best diets don’t have an expiration date. If you think your diet to lose weight has an expiration date, a date when you are finished–then you are thinking of dieting all wrong.

The Best Diets Are Forever

A true diet is forever. It really is. I know you may be sitting there thinking, “No, it isn’t. A diet is temporary.”

Not really. Not if you look at it with a long lens.

Not even according to the trusty dictionary. One dictionary definition of the word diet is “Food and drink regularly provided or consumed.”

Sure, some diets that you go on to drop pounds are temporary because they are horrible, impossible to follow for long, and unhealthy, but I dislike those types of diets immensely.

Why? Because a temporary diet is often a fad diet that encourages unhealthy behaviors and rarely offers sustainable weight loss.

The truth is that a healthy diet never ends. A healthy diet allows you lose the weight you should and then maintain the weight loss for years.

Diets That Must Expire

If you are like a lot of dieters, you’ve been on a temporary diet a time or two. You might have tried one of these popular diets that everyone knows won’t work for long:

• Any diet cleanse
• Grapefruit Diet
• Cottage Cheese Diet
• All Soup Diet
• Jenny Craig (because who could afford the food forever?)
• HCG Diet
• Baby Food Diet

I’m even going to go out on a limb and include the Atkins diet in temporary diets. Now I’m sure there are a few people who manage to follow its strict tenets for the long haul, but those people are few and far between.

Definition of a Diet That Doesn’t Expire

The key to finding a diet that doesn’t expire is understanding what that looks like. Of course practically anyone can lose weight eating mainly cottage cheese for a week, but can they keep the weight off?

A diet that doesn’t expire is one you can easily continue even after you reach your goal weight.

The only thing you should need to change is the number of calories you eat. For example, if you lose weight by following a sensible diet such as the DASH diet or even Weight Watchers, to maintain your weight after you reach your goal, simply add enough calories to stop losing weight and not gain any of your lost pounds back.

A diet that doesn’t expire is the easiest kind of diet because it flows naturally into a lifelong habit of nourishing your body with good food.

People Do Maintain Weight Loss

There are a lot of articles written about how dieting doesn’t work and virtually no one ever maintains their weight after dieting. That’s just not true. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that about 20 percent of people studied who had lost at least 10 percent of their initial body weight had maintained that loss for at least 12 months.

Choosing Wisely

I know it’s tempting to try one of the popular diets that have an expiration date. They seem fun at the beginning. The diet rules give you a lot to talk about with your friends, and everyone seems to be jumping on the bandwagon.

Do yourself a favor and just skip those crazy, unrealistic diets that don’t result in long-term weight loss. Find a diet that doesn’t expire. Look for a diet that uses real food, encourages exercise, and fits with your vision of a healthy lifestyle.

When you find that perfect combination, you will be surprised by how painless it is to lose weight and transition easily into weight maintenance.

A plant-based diet has long been praised for its health benefits. Research has even shown that vegetarians tend to live longer because they have lower blood pressure and an overall lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. While a plant-based diet is undoubtedly good for your health, one concern for vegans and vegetarians is getting enough iron. Can you get enough iron without animal sources? Are plant-based iron sources as good as iron sourced from animals? Let’s take a closer look.

What Does Iron Do in the Body?

Iron is an essential mineral that transports oxygen all over the body. If you’re iron deficient, your body cannot make enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Men and non-menstruating women need 10 mg per day, while menstruating or nursing women need 15 mg, and pregnant women need 30 mg daily.

Heme Versus Non-Heme Iron

Meat, especially red meat, is the best source of heme-iron because you’re directly consuming animal blood proteins (hemoglobin and myoglobin). This means it’s more easily absorbed in the body. Because it’s so easily absorbed, it’s the best source for those who are iron deficient. In all, 7 to 35 percent of iron from animal sources is absorbed.

Non-heme sources of iron are plant-based and include legumes, nuts, and vegetables. Non-heme sources also include iron that’s used to fortify foods like cereal and oatmeal as well as iron found in supplements. This type of iron has to be converted to a usable form in the body, and as a result the body only absorbs between 2 and 20 percent of iron from plant-based sources.

Factors That Affect Iron Absorption

The concern is not solely about the amount of iron that a person consumes, it’s about ensuring that the body is properly absorbing that iron. Iron absorption is affected by a number of different factors, and that’s why the range of absorption is so wide. For starters, if you’re iron deficient your body is more likely to absorb more. But this absorption tapers off as the body gets enough iron.

Diet can also affect absorption. Ascorbic acid or vitamin C found in foods like kiwi, mango, papaya, and pineapple can improve the body’s absorption of iron. Surprisingly, the moderate consumption of alcohol–one drink for women and two for men in a sitting–can also positively affect the body’s absorption of iron.

Certain foods can hinder the body’s ability to absorb iron. For those with healthy levels of iron, this shouldn’t be a concern, but if you’re deficient, it may be worth investigating. Calcium, found in dairy, tofu, sardines, and certain vegetables, can inhibit absorption. Additionally, phosphoprotein, a compound found in eggs, binds to iron proteins and can hinder its absorption in the body. And finally, oxalates found in chocolate, tea, and wheat bran have also been shown to negatively affect iron absorption.

Heme and Non-Heme Sources of Iron

Heme iron is found in a number of animal sources, most abundantly in beef liver, ground beef, ground chuck, chicken liver, clams, and oysters. Non-heme iron is found in a wide variety of foods, but the most potent sources include fortified oatmeal, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, soybeans, navy beans, lima beans, and black strap molasses.

How to Get Enough Iron on a Vegetarian Diet

Just because you’re a vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean you have to fret about getting enough iron. Although non-heme iron isn’t absorbed as easily as heme iron, it’s present in so many foods that if you eat a balanced diet, you can easily get enough iron to avoid deficiency. This, combined with foods that are rich in vitamin C to aid absorption, will keep you strong and healthy. If your levels are low you may want to avoid foods that can hinder absorption, such as dairy, eggs, tea, coffee, and chocolate.

If you’re concerned about iron deficiency, talk to your healthcare provider about getting your levels tested. But just because you’re an exclusive veg-eater doesn’t mean you’re deficient. Eating a balanced diet full of healthy iron sources does a body good, whether you’re a plant eater or a meat eater.

It’s three o’clock and your energy is lagging. Maybe it is time for an energy drink? But could a drink intended to wake you up cause problems for your heart? It turns out, the answer is yes. High-caffeine energy drinks can trigger heart rhythm issues, which could lead to long-term heart problems or even death. Maybe that energy drink isn’t such a good idea.
Although many of us turn to coffee for a pick-me-up, energy drinks have gained in popularity, especially among millennials. Caffeine is considered a safe stimulant, but a study published in the International Journal of Cardiology links consuming high-caffeine energy drinks to hospital admissions for heart problems. The problem isn’t the caffeine itself, but rather the amount in one serving. Here’s what you need to know about energy drinks and your heart.

Coffee is okay.

A cup of coffee contains about 90 mg of caffeine, and the 2016 Dietary Guidelines for Americans indicate that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day is okay. The guidelines indicate you can consume up to 500 mg of caffeine per day without negatively affecting hydration or wellness. This is the good news.

Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine.

The bad news is that many energy drinks, especially energy shots, can contain ten times the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. Some drinks contain nearly double the daily limit in a single serving.

People consume energy drinks differently from how they drink coffee.

The concentration of caffeine in energy drinks is compounded by the way we to drink them. While we tend to sip a cup of coffee, energy drinks are guzzled down in a few swallows. Combining energy drinks with alcohol is particularly dangerous. Not only are you more likely to over consume and make poor decisions about consumption, alcohol inhibits the body’s ability to process caffeine, thus multiplying the effect.

High levels of caffeine can trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which can lead to significant problems.

The rush of stimulant caused by a high level of caffeine consumed quickly can trigger an abnormal heart rhythm, even in seemingly healthy people. Caffeine is a significant trigger for atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm. Even young and apparently healthy people can have an underlying electrical problem that is dormant until triggered. Abnormal heart rhythms cause palpitations, which many people describe as skipping beats or a fluttering or flopping in the chest. Other people may experience a racing heart or chest pain. Any of these symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional immediately. In some cases, abnormal heart rhythm can lead to cardiac arrest and death. Chronic episodes can weaken the heart and increases the risk of stroke, which is a high price to pay for an afternoon pick-me-up.
If you need to wake up and protect your heart, choosing a good ol’ cup of joe may be your best bet. Even better, try a little walk outside. Fresh air and exercise are good for your heart and proven natural energizers.