Diet and Nutrition

McCormick’s Saigon Cinnamon Makes Over Homemade Microwave Popcorn

It finally felt like fall this weekend. I hope it did where you are, too! I spotted patches of red and orange in otherwise bright green trees. We lit a fire inside and even needed hoodies to go outside. For the first time since the official first day of fall, it felt crunchy. That’s my word to describe fall – crunchy. Which is appropriate, because one of my favorite fall snacks is popcorn.

My other favorite fall flavor is cinnamon. I don’t care if it’s on a cinnamon roll, toast, oatmeal, cookies, applesauce, topping my yogurt, or wafting from a candle, my nose simply cannot get enough of this scent. So on a recent trip to the McCormick spice headquarters, as part of the Fitbloggin’ conference, outside of Baltimore, Maryland, I found myself in cinnamon-loving heaven.

We went through some of their consumer research experiments, one of which had us tasting traditional ground cinnamon next to Saigon cinnamon. I would have said cinnamon is cinnamon before that afternoon. But the ground cinnamon that I add to French toast every Saturday morning suddenly tasted like red hots candies compared to the earthy, warm, woodsy flavor that came from the McCormick Saigon cinnamon. I fell in love with cinnamon all over again.

As soon as I returned home, making something with that cinnamon was all I could think about. With the fall season in full swing, and McCormick encouraging us to freshen up one of our recipes, the only logical choice was marrying cinnamon and popcorn. Maybe some raisins, too. Cinnamon Raisin Popcorn sounds like a pretty incredible fall snack, doesn’t it? (more…)

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Natalie K

How to Cook With Figs

Believe it or not, I tried my very first fig just this year. While I didn’t know what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised at the subtle sweet flavor and delicate texture. Since discovering I enjoy this fruit so much, I’ve since realized how incredibly nutritious and versatile they are. For instance, figs can be enjoyed fresh or dried, roasted or baked, savory or sweet. Plus, a 1-cup serving contains nearly 15 grams of fiber! I think I’ve found a new favorite fruit to cycle into my daily snack line-up.

Health benefits: Figs are extremely healthy for you, containing a variety of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, fiber, flavonoids, potassium, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium and copper. Figs are also considered a healthy low-calorie, low-fat food with the ability to boost mood and improve both digestive and cardiovascular health. Additionally, they contain antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body to combat and prevent certain types of cancer, and have also been found to have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Nutrition statistics: 1 cup dried figs contains approximately 371 calories, 1 gram fat, 15 mg sodium, 95 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams fiber, 71 grams sugar, 5 grams protein.

Cooking methods: When choosing a fig, make sure it’s soft but not mushy. It should smell slightly sweet and never sour. Once washed and removed of the stem, you can eat the entire fig as is. Perhaps the most popular way to eat figs besides dried is fresh in salads, over yogurt or on toast with honey. (more…)

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Dana

Howie Mandel Poses as a Health-Conscious Grocery Clerk on ABC’s “What Would You Do?”

Imagine this: you’re at the checkout line at the supermarket, but instead of the clerk giving a pleasant hello and ringing up your items, he tells you that your food choices are unhealthy. He then breaks down exactly what kinds of foods you should get and tries to put back the unwholesome ones. What would you do?

This is the scenario on tonight’s episode of What Would You Do? It airs Friday, October 5, at 9/8 central on ABC. The segment will feature comedian Howie Mandel as the grocery store clerk who dons a wig and nerd glasses to fool customers in to thinking he is a real employee.

Customers at the store look baffled as the undercover Mandel tells them they have failed at their shopping. “Healthwise, I don’t think that’s gonna work,” he says to one perplexed mom. “Will you get her something with more fiber?” he says to a co-worker.

(more…)

Posted on October 5, 2023 by SarahS

Red Beans and Rice with Shrimp and Sausage Will Jazz Up Weeknight Dinners

red-beans-rice

Now that the weather is turning cooler, I can’t stop thinking about big hearty dinners. You know, the kind that feel like they stick to your bones and make you feel satisfied from head to toe. I’m talking big pots of stew and chili – my favorite winter foods.

This year, I decided to kick off fall with something just as bold, but a little more fun. Why shouldn’t red beans and rice be part of this list of robust meals? It’s as big and bad as they are, and maybe even more delicious.

red-beans-rice-ingredients

I, as usual, make a few adjustments to a traditional recipe to boost the nutrition, save the calories, and let myself enjoy a piping-hot bowl guilt free.

Cooking from scratch is a thrill for me; I don’t mind the extra steps. So I start with dry kidney beans and soak them overnight. I’m old school like that. (more…)

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Natalie K

HealthBuzz October 5: Health Care Debates, Obesity Bullies, and Fall Comfort Food

It’s Friday, meaning it is time for a dose of healthy news. Join us for the #HealthBuzz chat on Twitter @DietsinReview to discuss each of these stories live.

#HealthBuzz kicks off at 12:00 p.m. CST – We look forward to seeing you there to discuss this week’s top stories.

ObamaCare’s Future a Hot Topic in Romney’s and Obama’s First Presidential Debate

After months of campaigning and trash talking, President Obama and former Governor Romney were finally face-to-face debating each other Wednesday night. The hottest topic during the presidential debate was health care, or some may call it “ObamaCare.” Tell us what you thought of this week’s presidential debate!

Julia Kozerski Documents 160-Pound Weight Loss With Her iPhone

Weight loss stories are truly inspiring. Before and after pictures of Julia Kozerski speak for themselves. She lost 160 pounds through calorie counting, exercising, and a clean diet, all documented with iPhone photos from dressing rooms. Read about Julia’s true weight loss story!

TV Anchor Stands Up for Herself in Honor of Anti-Bullying Month

Bullying doesn’t just exist in the school play yard. Bullying can even be in the workforce. Jennifer Livingston is a new anchor in Wisconsin who was recently bullied by a viewer for her weight. He emailed to call her “fat” and “obese.” Jennifer didn’t let the bullying viewer have the last word, she fought back and gave the viewer her thoughts with a powerful message about body image. (more…)

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Samantha

Food and Clothing Labels Lie: Are You Aware and Do You Care?

When you grab a bite to eat somewhere, there are particular decisions you have to make. Obviously, what you’re going to eat but also what size you’re going to order. You may have noticed how the different sizes vary by each restaurant/fast food chain. What you may not have noticed is a small order at one place might be considered a medium at another. For example, you’re at Burger King and ask for a small order of fries because you want to be conscious of the amount you’re eating, but if you had gone to McDonald’s that same small order at Burger King would have been considered a medium. Would this make a difference in your decision making?

Aradhna Krishna, a marketing professor at the University of Michigan, has performed studies over this labeling phenomena. What she found is that food sizes have become larger over time. “So, that same hamburger has become bigger, the french fries have become bigger, and again this is leading to obesity,” said Krishna on NPR.

Krishna wanted to learn if the label was truly making a difference in what size consumers bought. In order to do so, she conducted an experiment where she offered participants a cookie. One was given a label as “medium” and the other was given a label as “large.” The catch was that both were actually the exact same size. The results proved the theory and showed that more people chose the “medium” cookie over the large.

“Just because there’s a different size label attached to the same actual quantity of food, people eat more. But also, think they’ve not eaten as much,” said Krishna. “Sizes should be more uniform and that will only help the consumer because you’ll know what you’re getting.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a “large” soda today is six times bigger than a “large” soda in the 1950s. Past studies have also shown that by eating off a smaller plate, people can sometimes overestimate the serving size they’ve been given, and drinking beer from a glass that’s straight as opposed to one that’s curvy can help people keep better track of how much they’ve drank. (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Danielle

Portion Size Reality Check: Learn How to Eat Healthy Starches

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist

A little calorie denial is OK, but if your denial’s deep, sooner or later you’ll pay the price on the scale. My recommendation: Take a few weeks to measure your food. Once you get portions under control, you’ll automatically cut back on calories. Rolling your eyes already? I know, so many people can’t stand the idea of measuring, but I’m going to make it a little easier by asking you to track just one type of food for a week.

Sure, you could measure and weigh everything that crosses your lips, but most of us aren’t getting fat off of fruit, vegetables, fat-free milk, fish and other healthy, low-calorie foods. It’s bread, potatoes and other starchy foods, as well as fried foods, sugary beverages, sweets, salty snacks, and too much butter, oil, mayo and other fats that get us all into trouble.

This week, I’m going to ask you to focus on one major waistline saboteur: starches. Your goal is to cut way back on white bread, white rice and other refined grain products and enjoy healthy starches like whole grains and sweet potatoes in moderation. (They’re more nutritious and make you feel fuller than refined grains.) For some people, the “in moderation” part can be tricky. That’s why you’ll get so much out of measuring and tracking servings this week; pretty soon you can put away the measuring cups and just eyeball your plate. In just a few weeks, you’ll emerge a portion pro, and you’ll love the results on the scale. (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Jillian Michaels is a “Light Workout Day” in Jennifer’s Weight Loss Journey

“I’ve dropped 7 points off my BMI,” was a recent tweet posted by Jennifer S. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering in February this year, she, standing at just over five-feet tall, weighed 301 pounds. As of last week, she’s down to 265 pounds!

We introduced Jennifer last month as she took her weight loss plans from just-getting-started to hitting-it-hard. We armed her with Jillian Michaels’ BodyMedia arm band and her new Body Revolution 12-DVD series, as well as plenty of her own determination. We’re pleased to hear she’s doing so well.

“I’m trying to keep it positive most of the time,” she told us about her journey so far. It can be a struggle when you have more than 100 pounds to lose, but with the right kind of attitude it can be a healthy adventure.

She’s still using Jillian Michaels’ Body Revolution at levels one and two. She says you’re supposed to go up a level every two weeks, but she’s just not comfortable making that transition yet.

“It’s not geared toward someone in the obese category or with my knee problems,” Jennifer said of the DVD. She likes the workouts, tweets about how intense they are, but is also smart enough to listen to her body and not push herself to the danger zone (she had a partial knee replacement in June and has been cleared to workout by her doctor). She laughs telling us that she uses the Jillian DVDs for her “light days” on Wednesday and Sunday. “If you can imagine!” (more…)

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Natalie K

Some of America’s Top Brands are Leading Culprits in the Obesity Epidemic

You know advertising is a big deal when there’s such a thing as Advertising Week in the U.S. While few consumers took note, the event is happening this week in New York with the goal of identifying how brands sold by marketers can produce better business results.

A study released yesterday identified which brands are the most powerful and how they’re getting it right. Additionally, the study pointed out the problems of brands whose value is on the decline.

As reported by Yahoo Finance, the study is the 13th annual Best Global Brands report from Interbrand – an Omnicon Group-owned brand consulting company. The result of the study was a ranking of the top 100 most valuable brands based on measures such as financial performance, how the brand influences consumer choices, and its ability to boost its parent company’s earnings.

The best global brands of 2024 include 1) Coca-Cola, 2) Apple, 3) IBM, 4) Google and 5) Microsoft. Ferrari and Gap round out the list in slots 99 and 100, respectively.

Of the ranking, Christine Fruecthe, president and chief executive at Colle and McVoy advertising agency, believes companies should take note as to what works and what doesn’t when it comes to marketing and advertising their brand. “When we put together advertising programs, we’re constantly keeping in mind how to add shareholder value,” she said during the Advertising Week panel on Monday. “We want to have a tangible impact on the client’s business or service.”

As an example of their work, Colle and McVoy pointed to their client Caribou Coffee Company whose share value has risen from $1.17 to $18 since beginning work with the agency. The message here? Advertising is powerful, and when done well, it works.

Coca-Cola knows this. The soda company was ranked number one again for the 13th consecutive year. Its estimated brand value? $77.8 billion, up 8 percent from the 2024 report. Coca-Cola executive vice president and chief marketing commercial officer Joseph Tripodi believes this success is due to effective ads, which he suspects will help Coca-Cola increase its revenue from $95 billion in 2024 to $200 billion in 2024. (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Dana

Why Calorie Counting Fails and How to Burn Fat Without It

Which of the following statements are true?

a. A pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of lead.
b. We have to consciously decrease calories in or increase calories out in order to burn fat.
c. All triangles have three sides.

If we believe what we’ve been taught, A, B, and C are all true. However, it may come as a surprise (or not, considering the dramatic rise in obesity) that biologists have known for a long time that B is false. We do not need to consciously eat less or exercise more in order to burn fat.

How’s this possible?

There are at least three major biological missteps with calorie counting:

1. It assumes calories out is fixed.
2. It assumes we can calculate calories out.
3. It assumes fewer calories in or more calories out requires the body to burn fat. (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2024 by GuestBlogger