Diet and Nutrition

GNU Natural Food Bars Are a Tasty Snack with 12 Grams of Fiber

If you’ve ever been on the hunt for a truly healthy granola bar, then you know how difficult finding the perfect bar can be. With so many overly-processed, calorie- and sugar-laden bars on the market, it can be hard to know where to begin. But don’t worry – we’ve made your search a little easier with the introduction of GNU foods natural flavor and fiber bars.

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Posted on June 5, 2024 by Dana

Top 6 Best Tasting Diet Plans, as Rated by Consumers

For those looking to lose weight with a potential diet food program, taste is very important.

Finding a meal program that offers good food can be the difference in sticking with the plan or giving up in a very short period of time. But now you can take a first-hand look at how everyday consumers rated the most popular diet food programs when it comes to taste.

NextAdvisor.com conducted a blind taste test to answer questions about how some of the most popular diet foods taste. They conducted their first test in October 2024 and have since completed another to have the most up-to-date results possible since diet companies constantly update their menus and inventory, according to lifestyle editor Polina Polishchuk.

The taste test included eight different companies which were rated in the categories of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meal plans for each program were ordered anonymously and included between 1,200 and 1,350 calories per day. The participants included males and females of varying ages. And to keep the results unbiased, the test was “completely independent with no input from the diet food companies and no visible branding to sway our testers’ opinions,” said Polishchuk. (more…)

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Descygna

Miss USA 2024 Stays Fit with Zumba and a Small Meal Diet

As millions watched on Sunday evening, the new Miss USA was officially crowned. Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island managed to beat out her 50 other competitors by stunning judges with her charm, enchanting looks and bubbly personality.

The new Miss USA is an Italian beauty who comes from a big family, and says she spent her summers at band camp where she played the cello for nearly 13 years.

Culpo’s deep love of music, that’s also shared by her parents, led her to perform at Symphony Hall in Boston and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Culpo admitted that she wasn’t always the beauty queen type and that as a child she was a bit on the chubby side. Although she naturally blossomed after a growth spurt later in life, she credits her now-toned 5-foot-7 physique to much discipline and dedication to her diet and fitness regimen. (more…)

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Dana

4 Healthy Plant Based Fats You Should be Eating

The fat-free diet fad of the 80s and 90s gave fat a bad name despite many fats being essential and so good for the body. It’s time fat got a makeover and seen for the wonder it truly is.

Kate Rockwood reported for Oprah.com regarding good fats, calling them “a workhorse in the body.” Rockwood pointed out the positive truths about these wonderful elements, explaining how fats are vital to the structure of our cells, and how they help regulate blood pressure and our immune systems. Fats also aid in the absorption of essential vitamins.

Granted, not all fats are the same and some are truly better than others. According to Roberta L. Duyff, the author of the “American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide,” plant oils provide the body with more heart-healthy benefits than animal fats like butter.

Here are four of the best plant oils, the kind of fat your body will thank you for. (more…)

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Lacy

How to Cook with Strawberries

Strawberries have always been one of my favorite fruits, not just for their fun shape and bright color, but also because they’re incredibly healthy and low in calories. 

In my house we probably go through one to two pints of strawberries every week, especially during the summer months. One of my favorite ways to eat this gorgeous berry is adding a big handful of them frozen into my morning smoothies for a quick and easy breakfast. But you really can’t go wrong whichever way you enjoy them most.

Health benefits: Strawberries are packed with tons of healthy nutrients while still remaining surprisingly low in calories, making them an ideal snack or vibrant addition to a variety of meals. One, one cup serving of strawberries contains more than 160 percent of the daily recommended requirement of vitamin C, and they’re also high in folate, potassium, calcium and iron. In terms of fiber, each serving contains approximately three grams, which we all know is important for proper digestion. And strawberries are also high in antioxidants and flavonoids, which have both been found to help prevent cancer.

Nutritional statistics: One cup of halved strawberries contains approximately 50 calories, 0 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Cooking Methods: Strawberries are quite versatile and can be used in an almost endless variety of dishes – both savory and sweet. Slice them up in salads, eat them whole, dip them in chocolate, add them to smoothies, roast them to add to sweet and savory dishes, and even add them to pizza! Check out our recipes below for some great ideas on how to cook with this delicious and versatile red fruit.

Recipes:

Sunflower Strawberry Salad

Strawberry Rice Krispie Cupcake Treats 

Savory Strawberry Pizza

Strawberry Salsa 

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake 

All that’s left to do now is make a trip to your local grocery store or farmers market and pick up a few pints of this fantastic red fruit. And don’t be afraid to get a little adventurous with them in the kitchen. Who knows, maybe savory strawberry pizza will be a new favorite in your home!

Also Read:

How to Cook with Chocolate

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Dana

5 Healthy Habits for Hot Summer Days

By Rachel Berman, RD, Csr, Cdn for Calorie Count

As summer rolls in everyone wants to take full advantage of the longer days and warmer weather. This year, make the most of your summer by focusing on simple, healthy activities that you can do every day of the week!

Get moving together with your friends or family every evening for a walk, jog, or bike ride. This is a great way to enjoy the weather, have some bonding time with your loved ones, and get your exercise in. Working out with others will motivate you and keep you accountable, too. On the weekends, head to the local pool for a great full body workout.

Take a trip to the farmers market and check out what’s in season. You’ll be surprised at the vast variety of fruits and vegetables available, and each week you’ll find something new. Because this produce is recently harvested it will be more fresh and nutritious than produce from the supermarket. Buying from the farmers market also supports the community and local farmers! (more…)

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Calorie_Count

Jessica Simpson Gets Paid $3 Million to Lose Her Baby Weight

While the world loves news of celebrity happenings and drama, they especially love stories of post-baby weight loss. And one star our culture has been recently fixated on is singer and fashion mogul Jessica Simpson.

Simpson and her fiancé Eric Johnson just welcomed their 9 pound, 13 ounce baby girl, Maxwell Drew Johnson, into the world on May 1. And what everyone’s wondering now is how long it will take the star to slim down and exactly how she’ll do it.

Simpson made big news last year when she signed a $3 million contract with Weight Watchers to shed her post-baby pounds. This was mostly shocking because the star hadn’t even had her baby yet, which just goes to show how much of a market there is for celebrity weight loss and gains, especially surrounding pregnancy.

Upon signing with Weight Watchers, Simpson was excited about the partnership knowing it would be major motivation to get back into shape as a new mom. But the singer admitted she didn’t count points during her pregnancy because she wanted to enjoy the experience. Although Simpson reportedly ate a mostly healthy diet, she also allowed a few indulgences here and there. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Dana

Up to 70% of Supermarket Food is Genetically Modified – See How it Affects You

Ever since genetically modified foods entered the market in 1996, controversy has surrounded them. Genetically modified foods, also called GMOs (genetically modified organism) or genetically engineered foods, are products whose DNA has been altered in a way that would not occur naturally. This is done in order to produce a crop with bigger yields, insect resistance, virus protection, and herbicide tolerance, thus hopefully translating into bigger profits for producers and lower prices for consumers.

Genetically modified foods are a staple in most Americans’ diets whether they know it or not. Genetically modified crops include corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, squash, papaya, and a bevy of other foods. Most GM products are made with corn and soybeans, in one of their many forms, and cottonseed and canola oil. Many processed foods contain one or more of these four ingredients. Additionally, many products are manufactured with the help of animals given genetically modified food or growth hormones. This includes dairy products produced by cows given the rBGH hormone as well as egg-producing chickens given GM grains. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by SarahS

Celsius: Your Negative Calorie Fitness Drink

“Negative calorie?” These are the words I read as I was asked to sample a new drink product on the market called Celsius. Out of sheer curiosity, I agreed to try the new beverage to see if it truly lived up to its tag line: “Your Ultimate Fitness Partner.”

Celsius claims to be a ‘negative calorie drink.’ And is also very clear not to call itself an energy drink, which have been linked to numerous adverse effects. Celsius markets itself as a drink that has been clinically shown to burn calories, provide long-lasting energy, and when combined with exercise, reduce body fat and energize metabolism.

Claims about the drink’s functions are backed by seven clinical studies, all of which were conducted at various locations to test individual claims of the product.

Celsius claims that their studies show moderate exercise combined with the drink can burn 100 calories per each 10 calorie, 12 ounce can. Additionally, Celsius claims to increase metabolism, provide energy, help reduce body fat, and improve endurance. All of these results can be expected when the drink is used as a pre-workout supplement, and the company claims the “MetaPlus” ingredient is where the power lies. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Lacy

Gluten-Free Diet Awareness is a Blessing and a Curse

As the words celiac and gluten free are becoming a part of our daily jargon, it seemed important to clear up some misconceptions about this disease and food intolerance. While it seems this topic is just another diet fad, the truth is anything but a trend.

More than three million Americans live with celiac disease. Those with celiac experience something very different than those with sensitivity to gluten. Celiac is an auto-immune condition that causes damage to the small intestine and causes poor absorption of nutrients. The issues occur as the body’s reaction to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley). USANA Health Sciences’ naturopathic physician Dr. Nancy Steely explains that those with celiac disease (CD) experience a wide range of symptoms that commonly include muscle cramping, diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, skin rashes, and joint pain.

Dr. Steely clarifies why CD symptoms vary by person. As with all auto-immune disorders, the body attacks its own cells and therefore symptoms appear differently for each person. Due to this, many go misdiagnosed. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness reports that people typically go 6-10 years before they receive a correct diagnosis of their symptoms. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Lacy

Chipotle Sets High Standards in Offering Antibiotic-Free Meat

You’d like a BBQ pork sandwich with cole slaw and a large iced tea. Would you like any antibiotics with your meat? We didn’t think so. And as it turns out, you’re not alone. 

In recent years, many U.S. consumers have joined the all-natural school of thought and are demanding higher standards for their quality of meat. This is in part because some food companies – like Chipotle – are willing to provide it.

If you walk into Chipotle Mexican Grill today, you’ll see a sign that touts their antibiotic, farm-raised beef, chicken and pork. And if you’re like most health-conscious Americans, that makes you feel good. But it wasn’t always this way.

In fact, Chipotle founder Steve Ells – who reports the company is now growing so quickly it opens an average of three new locations a week – didn’t used to sell this high quality of meat. It wasn’t until he picked up an article called “The Lost Taste of Pork” where he learned about the practices of Iowa family gamer Paul Willis, who raises pigs on a pasture the old-fashioned way, that he changed his mind. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Dana