Diet and Nutrition

Boost Your Health With Holiday Spices

If you’re looking to eat healthier this holiday season, you may not need to look further than your spice rack. Not only can some of your favorite seasonal spices add a little holiday cheer to your favorite dishes, they can also increase the nutritional benefit of each bite that you take.

Ginger

Historically, ginger has been credited with settling an upset stomach; however, the benefits of ginger go far beyond occasional stomach relief. In fact, ginger contains very powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. These compounds have been shown to reduce pain in those with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis when consumed regularly. Gingerols may also help inhibit the growth of human colorectal and ovarian cancer cells.

To get more ginger in your diet, try Broiled Nectarines with Ginger Syrup

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a flavorful herb that enhances the flavor of potatoes, chicken, fish, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage dishes. In a recent study, nutmeg has been shown to play a role in tooth decay prevention due to its antibacterial properties.

To get more nutmeg in your diet, try Greek Yogurt with Honey Roasted Figs

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Posted on December 5, 2023 by Kati

Mid-Morning Snacking May Hinder Weight Loss

Although snacking has been shown to be beneficial for many trying to lose weight, timing and snack quality play a large role in how beneficial snacks can be when weight loss is desired.

A 12 month long study found that overweight to obese postmenopausal women dieters who ate a healthy breakfast followed by a mid-morning snack lost 7% of their body weight while those who did not snack in between breakfast and lunch lost, on average, 11% of their body weight by the end of the study. This may make it seem like the effects of snacking are time dependent; however, that is not necessarily the case. In fact, why you eat when you do may be more important then the actual time of day you decide to snack.

This makes sense because, in reality, snacking doesn’t have to be a stumbling block. In fact, this study went on to show that while mid-morning snackers may not lose as much weight as their snacking counterparts, those who snacked in the afternoon were more likely to consume more fruits and vegetables and those snacking two times or more a day were able to get more fiber than others.

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Posted on December 3, 2023 by Kati

500 Calorie Diet Good for Diabetics

Low-calorie diets have almost always shined bright in research studies, with favorable results for participants. When you start talking about extremely low-calorie diets, some new findings may surprise you.

Most dietitians do not recommend severely restricted calorie intake. So when you see a study that says their diabetic subjects saw improved heart function while on a 500-calorie-a-day regimen, it’s sure to raise eyebrows.

It should be noted upfront that the findings are not an endorsement of long-term extreme calorie restriction. Their positive findings were solely based on a short-term dietary change.

“Our results show that 16 weeks of caloric restriction improved heart function in these patients,” said lead author Dr. Sebastiaan Hammer, of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. “More importantly, despite regain of weight, these beneficial cardiovascular effects were persistent over the long-term.” (more…)

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Jason

Ban on Horse Meat for Human Consumption Lifted in the U.S.

If you’ve ever visited another country or even enjoy a foreign cuisine chances are your eyes have been opened to many different ways of doing things. One of the major eye openers I’ve experienced as a traveler is how different the food is in other cultures. As my family dined on a Dim Sum meal in Boston’s Chinatown, my little boy was served chicken feet. He bravely accepted the feet and began chowing down. And as a good guest, so did I. I had to separate myself from what I was doing, and try to enjoy what those around me were calling a delicacy.

Chicken feet aren’t the typical American fare, however, they don’t stray too far from a familiar food. But what about bugs? Rats? Or even horses? These meats are very popular in many cultures around the world. However they seem to make us squirm. Should they?

Americans may be serving horse meat to humans in the near future. Are you ready? (more…)

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Lacy

Underweight People at Greatest Risk for Post-Surgery Death

When we talk about healthy eating and dieting, our focuses is almost entirely on people who are overweight. Obesity-related diseases account for just about 10 percent of medical costs in the United States, which comes to an estimated $147 billion each year.

That said, according to recently released research, people who are underweight are 40 percent more likely to die in the first month after surgery than those who are overweight.

The researchers believe that a patient’s body mass index (BMI) can be used as a predictor for risk in recovery time after surgery. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines those who have a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 as normal weight, so anything below that range fits in the underweight category.

Previous studies showed mixed results, but since the new study examined nearly 190,000 patients undergoing various surgical procedures at 183 hospitals, it’s expansive enough to be taken seriously. (more…)

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Jason

Overweight Dads Have Overweight Kids

The phrase “like father, like son” now takes on a more serious meaning. According to an Australian study of more than 3000 families, four-year-olds who had fathers who were overweight or obese were at least four times more likely than other children to have weight problems by the time they reached eight.

The researchers investigated patterns in two-parent families, tracking their children  between the ages of four and eight. In each case, only one parent was overweight or obese. Interestingly, if the mother was overweight it did not seem to affect the weight of the children.

“We know that when both parents are overweight or obese, their children are more likely to also be overweight or obese,” said researcher Emily Freeman.

That part is logical, since parents are the providers and if they are buying unhealthy food, children have no choice but to eat what they are fed. While the study did not investigate the reasoning behind the troublesome link, it seems obvious that kids have some sort of special reverence to the way their fathers eat. (more…)

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Jason

Avoiding the Holiday Vacation Food Trap

Along with the holidays often comes the joy of traveling. Although holiday travel may be a fun break from routine, it can also cause a major road block on your path towards better eating. To help you avoid the holiday vacation food trap, here are a few simple tips to keep you eating well as you make a trip to spend time with loved ones.

Avoiding the Holiday Vacation Food Trap

Plan Ahead

You probably already have a travel itinerary for where you plan to go, who you plan to visit, and what you plan to do. Why not also think in advance about what and where you are going to eat? Use the Internet to seek out your healthy eating options before you leave or ask the friends and family you are visiting what restaurants offer the most nutritious meals in their area.

Pack Snacks

Whether you are traveling by train, car, plane, or even boat, grab and go foods seem to always be available to curb mid-travel munchies. Instead of relying on what your mode of transportation has to offer, come prepared with your own healthy snacks. Veggie strips, baked chips, granola, fresh fruit, and almonds all make great travel options.

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Posted on December 1, 2023 by Kati

Meals to Live: Healthy Frozen Entrees for Diabetics

The frozen food aisle can be a forbidden realm for anyone on a diet or participating in a healthy lifestyle. Meals to Live frozen entrees want to change that perception with meals targeted specifically at diabetics who lead an active lifestyle and may not always have time to cook a fresh meal.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, Meals to Live boasts a team of nutrition experts and chefs that help to tailor their frozen entrees to provide nutritional value while still having a fulfilling taste. Currently there are eight frozen flavors available ranging from a White Chicken Burrito, to Turkey Meatballs to a Spinach Omelet as a breakfast option. They also market a pixie-stick like powder called Glucose Quick Sticks. They come in Sour Apple and Watermelon flavor and can be used to prevent low sugar episodes.

Meals to Live is currently available at over 1,100 stores with local retailers like Walgreens, Meijer and Kroger in twelve states. Their website has a store locator option to find one nearest to you. If you would like to request this product in your area there is a form available to give to your local retailer. Amazon.com also sells the Meals to Live products on their website.

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Posted on December 1, 2023 by Sarah

Arsenic in Apple Juice May Be Problem After All, Says FDA

Apples next to a cup of juiceThe FDA may owe Dr. Oz an apology. Back in September, the government agency called a segment that aired on the Dr. Oz Show “irresponsible and misleading” for warning viewers that many brands of apple juice contain levels of arsenic higher than the acceptable minimum for drinking water. The FDA criticized the show, which found that 10 different samples to be unsafe, for not differentiating between toxic inorganic arsenic and organic arsenic, considered to be safe. Inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen that is found in some pesticides and wood treatments, and there is no federal limit set for the amount that can acceptably found in fruit juices.

However, the FDA is considering reversing its position on arsenic in juice, as mounting evidence is corroborating with Dr. Oz’s findings. Consumer Reports found that about ten percent of the apple and grape juice they tested contained more total arsenic than then acceptable levels for drinking water, which is less than 10 parts per billion (ppb). Out of 88, they found total levels of arsenic that ranged 5.9 to 24.7 ppb from 1.1 to 13.9 ppb for apple juice. Furthermore, the majority of this arsenic was shown to be cancer-causing inorganic form.

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Posted on November 30, 2023 by Health Buzz

Why Cynthia Pasquella’s P.I.N.K. Method is Exclusively for Women

What is the P.I.N.K. Method? That’s the question on everyone’s mind since its debut this week on the Dr. Phil show. Just in time to fight the post-Thanksgiving bulge and New Year’s resolutions, Cynthia Pasquella released the lifestyle program she’s been working on for the past five years. We spoke with her yesterday, just a day after P.I.N.K.’s big announcement, and she sounded energized by the explosion in interest. “It’s super exciting for us,” she said, and added that they’re absolutely enjoying the whirlwind. She even noted it’s been a bit of an emotional roller coaster.

Pasquella explained to us that the P.I.N.K. Method was “designed by women for women to produce rapid weight loss without giving up health benefits. P.I.N.K. is a fusion diet blending workouts with food.” It’s a three-phase plan that gradually introduces your body to better nutrition and sustainable workouts. For the nutrition side, Pasquella explained that the custom meal plan you gain access to upon membership takes away all the guesswork, giving you a daily meal plan (known as the Blueprint) for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks. She also told us “There’s a reason for every single food” that was included in the P.I.N.K. Method, as she explained that the food was researched to find those that specifically spike metabolism, boost energy, and burn fat.

For the workouts, there are three phases, each led by a different member of the P.I.N.K. Method training team – Jenna Phillips, Lisa Christie and Basheerah Ahmad. Each of these women focus on a different area of training, whether it be laying the groundwork to help start your fitness regimen or building strength and endurance for the long term. Pasquella explained as an example that in Phase 1, you might do an intense 20-minute workout that starts building the major muscle groups. Then, in Phase 2, you’ll move on to exercises that require more strength and use more intense cardio. (more…)

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Natalie K

Reconditioning: The FDA’s Really Dirty Secret is Out

Did you know our government says companies can sell us food with an average of 225 insect fragments? Or that 4.5 rodent hairs per 8 ounces of noodle products is acceptable? Swallow this: the FDA also says that an average of 20 or more maggots is permitted per 3.5 ounces of drained canned mushrooms, or that an average of 15 percent is OK for the mold content in canned cranberry sauce. Our government has a lot of rules about “bad” or “tainted” food that I was pretty shocked to learn about, one of which is reconditioning.

Recently a school lunch supplier, SnoKist Growers, repackaged moldy applesauce into fruit cups and canned goods. Even though the public outcry has caused the FDA to re-inspect, this is not an illegal practice. The company, per FDA standards, is allowed to run the food through a heat process to kill the contaminant. This process then renders the food safe and shelf ready. This same process was used in 2024 when over 177 products were recalled from Basic Food Flavors, Inc., a hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, producer. Salmonella was found in their HVP, a very popular flavor enhancer, and thus the company heat-treated the HVP and it was reconditioned, distributed, and sold.

FDA officials say they expect some contaminants to in products, simply because a zero-tolerance threshold would be impossible to for manufacturers to meet. As the consumer, I’d like to know if my rice was re-sifted because a month ago to remove bug parts. I really want to know if the applesauce I buy for my son was full of mold weeks prior. However, the FDA does not require a label or notification or even a price reduction to shoppers, nor is it going to any time soon. I doubt anyone would buy rice with a label stating, “Contained bugs last month.” (more…)

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Lacy