Diet and Nutrition

Foods that Rot Are Healthy [VIDEO]

Healthy Foods RotMuch buzz has gone on surrounding The Happy Meal project, an effort to show how unhealthy McDonald’s food really is by documenting how long a McDonald’s hamburger can go without rotting. But what does this idea mean for healthy foods? Natural, healthy foods are part of nature’s cycle. If humans don’t eat them, then other organisms will. Foods that don’t go bad after long periods of time are generally not good for weight loss or your health. There are a few notable exceptions, like honey.

This time-lapse video clip from the BBC shows what healthy food looks like after only a few days. Dr. Yan of Bang Goes the Theory narrates with an explanation of how the food rots. Veggies mold, while meat and fruit get consumed by flies and other insects.

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Posted on September 27, 2024 by Health Buzz

Heinz Releases No Salt Ketchup Made With AlsoSalt

Many Americans are on low sodium diets and more of us should jump on that bandwagon. Sodium is a necessary component of life. It helps transmit nerve impulses, balance bodily fluids and influence muscular movement. On the flip side, too much sodium can cause severe complications. Among the many concerns are:

Reaching your sodium threshold is easier to do than one might think. According to the Mayo Clinic, one teaspoon of salt contains nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily intake for healthy adults (with many people needing even less.) It’s not particularly easy to cut back on salt, either. Salt is an acquired taste and although you can retrain your taste buds to enjoy food with out it, it takes a long time to do so. (more…)

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Theresa

Consumers Respond to Corn Syrup to Corn Sugar Name Change

Corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup… are you confused yet? Changing the name of high fructose corn syrup to corn sugar seems to me to be a marketing ploy to avoid the bad press that high fructose corn syrup has received. Instead of recognizing the dangers that have been discovered and responding to market demands for healthier products, it seems that the companies that use high fructose corn syrup would rather hide their less expensive (and more dangerous) ingredient under a new name. This may be my soapbox, but it seems that I am not alone.

The New York Times asked a panel of nutrition experts to suggest a more accurate name change. Dr. Andrew Weil suggested maintaining High-Fructose Corn Syrup, which is currently the favorite of the reader poll, with Michael Pollan’s Enzymatically Engineered Corn Glucose in second place. The New York Times also asked readers to make their own suggestions in the comments section and several have done so.

Discover Magazine’s Discoblog compiled their top ten favorite reader suggestions. (more…)

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

How Beginners Make Small Changes for Big Success

Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.

Since joining the health and fitness world I have been privy to lots of great advice, inspiration and education. But, some of the most valuable information I’ve gotten comes from those just starting on their journey.

There is something very genuine and exciting about a person who has resolved to improve their lives through health and fitness. And while those of us who have been walking the walk are tempted to guide them, sometimes we are best served to just listen to them. (more…)

Posted on September 26, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Best Milk Containers for the Environment

Many times in grocery stores when you are at the check-out counter, you will be asked paper or plastic. That question now extends to your milk purchase, as milk comes in a variety of containers and travel varied distances to get your local store.

In a research study performed by Pablo Paster, an environmental consultant for Treehugger.com, one of my favorite eco-friendly websites, the environmental impact was measured for a quart of milk. The 4 types of containers tested were cardboard, plastic, glass and TetraPak, which is a method used to allow milk to be stored unrefrigerated prior to opening.

Included in the measurement was how the milk container was manufactured, transported and stored. (more…)

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Amy

Attack of the Antibiotic Vegetables

Josie Maurer a freelance writer. She also blogs at YumYucky.com and is the co-founder of Fit Blogger’s Guide.

So, you watched Food, Inc. and made some serious dietary changes to safeguard your health. McDonald’s burgers are banned from your stomach and you eat organic as much as possible. Your meat and dairy purchases are antibiotic and hormone-free. Life is good, right?

What about your vegetables? Pesticides are not the only issue.

Sound the alarm because those veggies you’re eating may have been fertilized with manure that comes farm animals given antibiotics and hormones. This isn’t exactly breaking news. Antibiotics in vegetables has been discussed for awhile now, but as people like me and you become more health-conscious, news like this bubbles to the forefront. And quite frankly, I’m ticked off.

Do a Google search for “antibiotics in vegetables” or any similar phrase, and articles like this will pop up. Yes, it’s a big time drag. So what do you do when you think you’ve already done all you can do? (more…)

Posted on September 25, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Top 10 Lowest Calorie Beers

I don’t know about you, but fall and winter mean football season, which in turn means party season. That’s right, weekends become a bit more of a dietary challenge than the rest of the year. One such challenge is the lure of a beer or three during football games.

Everyone needs some time to kick back and let loose a little. Some of us just do it by having a few pops in front of the tube rooting for our favorite team.

Luckily, not all is lost. That’s because not all beers are heavy on the calories. If you choose to partake in a little gridiron partying, here are a few brews that won’t sack your diet efforts. (more…)

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Jason

Re-Do Your Lunch to Win $5,000 with California Raisins

Think that you pack a lunch that  deserves an A+ in nutrition? Do you proclaim that your healthy snack could ace a taste test? If so, then the new California Raisins’ Let’s re-Do Lunch contest may be just the thing for you!

From now until  Nov 8, healthy lunch and snack photos and tips can be added to the California Raisins Facebook page for the opportunity to win a $5,000 cash prize, a year’s supply of California Raisins and a donation in your name to the food bank of your choice. What do you think your community could do with the help you can give, all just by making a few small changes to your lunch?

California Raisins make an amazing snack, a truly awesome addition to salad,  and even taste divine added to dessert. But don’t let these ideas be the ending point for your creativity: using bento boxes, pack a lunch of lots of small bites. Try new options for sandwich fillings including peanut butter and raisins, or even egg salad with a bit of hummus and raisins (yes, really!) mixed in. Raisins are a great source of fiber, naturally sweet with no added sugar, and rich in iron, which make them a fabulous addition to just about any meal. (more…)

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Carmen

5 Ways We Fool Ourselves into Failing at Weight Loss

John McGran, chief editor at Diet-to-Go, has been covering the fields of diet, fitness and health since 2000. He writes from the perspective of a dieter rather than a dietitian.

They say a fool and his money are soon parted. I say a dieting fool and his weight are doomed to stay together!

Today we’re turning our attention to the five ways we fool ourselves into failing at dieting.

1. I’ll start my diet Monday… or tomorrow.

The best time to start a diet is today… right now, in fact. I’m a procrastinator. I know how easy it is to set a future date to get started on a project or a diet.

But, by giving yourself extra days before getting serious, you’re simply allowing yourself to continue on with the bad habits that led you to being overweight in the first place. (more…)

Posted on September 24, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Enjoy the State Fair without the Fat

FairWe’re in the heart of state fair season. The Kansas state fair just finished, the New Mexico state fair runs through the end of this weekend, the Hawaii state fair opens September 30th, and the South Carolina state fair opens October 13th. Plus there are many other regional and county fairs. But for someone trying to lose weight, fairs may seem too much temptation to be worth the trip.

State fairs are home to some of the craziest, most calorie-packed foods imaginable.  The Krispy Kream fried chicken sandwich, fried beer, fried meatball and spaghetti, and fried jelly beans all made their debuts at state fairs. While some of these foods may disgust you, others may be tempting, at least for their novelty if nothing else.

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Posted on September 23, 2024 by Margaret

Hormones May Predict Regaining Weight

It’s become an ending just as predictable as the latest Hollywood romantic comedy: weight gain after a successful run on a diet. While the most common explanation for this unhappy ending is dieting methods that will never turn into lifestyle changes, you may have hormones to blame as well.

According to a new study, the levels of appetite hormones in the body before dieting may be a predictor of weight regain after dieting.

“Treating obesity with drugs or dietary programs can be very effective in the short-term, but the long-term success of maintaining the weight lost is usually poor,” said lead study author Ana Crujeiras, PhD, of Compejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago in Spain.

“Our study sheds light on how the appetite hormones leptin and ghrelin affect weight regain after weight loss. This knowledge could be used as a tool to personalize weight-loss programs that could guarantee success in keeping off the weight.” (more…)

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Jason