Diet and Nutrition

Healthier Beer Choices for Oktoberfest

When you hear “Oktoberfest“, what comes to mind? If you are anything like me, it’s beer. Beer can be a caloric bomb, though, next bringing to mind the term “beer belly”.

Beer doesn’t contain fat; however, it does have tons of carbohydrates, protein and alcohol- and that’s it. Beer is the epitome of empty calories, giving you all the calories with no vitamins, minerals or redeeming health qualities whatsoever. A gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories, a gram of protein 4 calories, and a gram of alcohol has a little over 7 calories. This is why different beers can have higher calorie counts in relation to their alcohol content.

To keep things in perspective, I found this information online at realbeer.com: “A five-ounce glass of wine contains about 125 calories; one ounce of distilled spirits, 90 proof, 75 calories. Beyond the world of alcohol: an eight-ounce glass of milk has 160 calories, one ounce of potato chips 160 calories, a banana split 550 calories, and a Burger King Whopper 650 calories. Oh yeah, just six French fries have 12 grams of fat (about as many calories as a light beer).” (more…)

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Carmen

8 Things I Love About Nutrisystem (and 2 I Hate)

For 16 weeks, Lori Jackson, a mom of three and grandmother to two, will be checking in with DietsInReview.com to share her personal experience with Nutrisystem. The good, the bad, and everything in between, see first-hand how the Nutrisystem program works.

Nutrisystem Week 9

Hey everyone…  Hope your week has been much cooler.  It really helps out when exercising if it is not 110 outside!

This week I would like to talk about the advantages and disadvantages (that I see) with Nutrisystem.

Nutrisystem – The Good

1.  Variety. I absolutely love that you can order whatever it is you want to eat for the week / month.

2.  Taste. The taste of most of the food is really good, which makes dieting much easier if the food is flavorful. This makes the weight loss not as much of a challenge.

3.  Convenience. I love that the food is delivered to my door and I don’t have to go to the store and travel up and down the aisles, which inevitably leads to grabbing things you really don’t need. (more…)

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Lori

CDC Reports Not Enough Veggies for Adults

In an official report released last week  by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it appears that most Americans still aren’t eating enough vegetables, and their consumption of fruits is dropping, as well.

The study, conducted via telephone, surveyed hundreds of thousands of adult Americans. In it, the CDC found that just under 1/3 of Americans ate fruit, or drank fruit juice, at least twice a day. An earlier report released in 2000 showed a figure of 34%. Just over 1/4 of those surveyed admit to eating vegetables at least three times a day. This figure remained the same.

When the study was broken down by state, no one state met either the fruit or vegetable recommendation.  California ate the most fruit and Tennessee was best with vegetables. Oklahoma was at the bottom for fruit consumption and South Dakota had the lowest vegetable consumption. (more…)

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Carmen

FDA Calls for Halt to False Green Tea Claims

Lipton Green TeaThe Food and Drug Administration issued warnings to the creators of Lipton tea and Canada Dry for overstating the health benefits of green tea-flavored drinks. In a letter to the makers of Canada Dry, the FDA stated that the beverage does not meet the federal standards to claim that the soda is “enhanced with 200 mg of antioxidants from green tea and vitamin C.” Regulars say that none of Canada Dry’s ingredients  are know to have antioxidant activity.

The FDA is also calling out Unilever’s claim that Lipton Green Tea can treat high cholesterol. Unilever’s website cites four research studies that show a connection between tea and lower cholesterol, but the federal agency says these claims are misleading and suggest that tea can be used as a means of disease prevention.

(more…)

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Health Buzz

New Ad Puts McDonald’s in the Crosshairs

Fast food restaurants have taken it on the chin for years from health experts- and for good reason, of course. We all know by now that it’s not good for our health to dine at the drive-thru more than the rare occasion. But, that’s not enough for one non-profit physicians group in Washington, D.C.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has produced an ad campaign that doesn’t mince words. Is it a little extreme? Maybe. If nothing else, it’s meant to shake viewers a little.

The ad shows a corpse laid out in the morgue clutching a half-eaten hamburger. The man’s wife (presumably) is at his side weeping over his cold body. The ad closes with the famous McDonald’s golden arches tracing over the dead man’s feet, with the twist on their slogan “I was lovin’ it.” (VIDEO BELOW) (more…)

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Jason

What is Sleep Eating?

Also sometimes called sleep-related eating (disorder), nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED), or sleep-eating syndrome, sleep eating is a rare and dangerous sleep disorder (not an eating disorder) that affects up to three percent of the population. There can be comorbidity with eating disorders; however, ten to 15 percent of those that suffer from eating disorders also experience sleep eating.

Definition
Sleep eating is classified by episodes of sleep walking during which one eats. Often the foods eaten during sleep are high in sugar or high in fat. Non-food items (such as soap) or odd combinations (such as raw bacon covered in mayonnaise) have also been reported as eaten during episodes of sleep eating. The sleep eater often awakes in the morning with no memory of the event.

There are several dangers associated with sleep eating. Sleep walking of any kind poses the risk of self-injury from running into things, falling down stairs, etc. Those that are sleep eating are at risk of injury from eating uncooked food or non-food items, choking, using knives, and even cooking while sleeping, and starting a fire. In addition, sleep eating also carries the same risks as binge eating, such as weight gain and increased risk of diabetes. (more…)

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Water: Your Miracle Weight Loss Drug

In our search for a weight loss miracle, we’re willing to try any pill or potion out there; any wild and crazy miracle cure or fad diet to turn the tide of weight gain. But the secret may be as simple as drinking more water.

This weight loss tool requires no prescription, and really no money if you take it from the tap. It’s right under our nose, yet many of us aren’t using it. The latest research on the power of water for weight loss isn’t about getting your recommended daily intake. It’s more about timing your water intake.

According to a new clinical trial, if people just drink two eight-ounce glasses of water before their meals, they can more effectively lose weight.

“People should drink more water and less sugary, high-calorie drinks. It’s a simple way to facilitate weight management,” said the study’s senior author Brenda Davy, Ph.D. (more…)

Posted on September 14, 2024 by Health Buzz

HFCS: Changing the Name Doesn’t Change the Product

UPDATE [9/14/2024]: Although it may take the FDA another year to decide to approve the Corn Refiner’s Association’s (CRA) request to use the term “Corn Sugar” instead of “High Fructose Corn Syrup,” groups representing sugar producers are suing the CRA over an ad campaign that promotes the idea that “your body can’t tell the difference” between the two sweeteners. The Associated Press reports that a ruling to dismiss the case will be decided by U.S. District Judge Consuelo Marshall soon, but a time frame has not yet been determined.

Health experts remain in disagreement over the dangers of high fructose corn syrup, but many have pointed out that changing the name won’t change the nutritional profile of substance. “Whether they decide to call it ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup’ or ‘Corn Sugar’, its the same processed sugar and 60 calories per tablespoon,” tweeted Joy Bauer, MS RD CDN,
this afternoon.

The Corn Refiner’s Association of American has decided that the negativity surrounding the name High-Fructose Corn Syrup is harming the sale of the product. As a result, they’ve moved to make the name more consumer-friendly. High-Fructose Corn Syrup will now be known as “Corn Sugar”, if the CRA has its way.

The CRA applied for an official name change on Tuesday, but the approval could take more than two years. That’s of no concern to the CRA, however, who has already created a web site and begun to refer to the product as Corn Sugar in television commercials.

Consumption of HFCS has reached a 20 year low, with consumers avoiding the product due to a concern with the products effect on the health of the nation. The CRA is capitalizing upon the consumer who looks for the words “cane sugar” and hopes to show that sugar is sugar, no matter the source. (more…)

Posted on September 14, 2024 by Carmen

My Trainer Bob versus Jillian Michaels Online

Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper are two of the biggest names when it comes to weight loss. As co-hosts of the hit reality series, the Biggest Loser, Jillian and Bob have each created their own mini diet and fitness empires with books, DVDs, cookbooks and now online programs.

Jillian Michaels Online and My Trainer Bob were both designed to make their sage and result-friendly expertise accessible to anyone interested in losing weight and getting healthier – no blue or black T-shirts needed.

Here is a look at how these two programs stack up against each other. (more…)

Posted on September 14, 2024 by heather

The Worst Diets of All Time

UPDATE: October 29th, 2024, Judge Rick Brown found Kimkins Diet founder Heidi Diaz guilty of fraud and false advertising.

Losing weight can be a long difficult process, even though we all know the benefits are numerous. We live in a society that values quick-fixes and instant gratification, and dieting is something that offers neither of these things. People will try all kinds of strange and extreme things to lose weight fast, and we’ve seen it all. At DietsInReview.com, we try to steer people clear of bad diets, fad diets and downright dangerous diets. These diets are often ineffective or impossible to sustain. We don’t want our readers to try anything that’s a waste of money, a waste of time or even unhealthy.

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Posted on September 13, 2024 by Margaret

Biggest Loser Meal Plan Gets a Tasty Makeover

The Biggest Loser Meal Plan is a meal-delivery service that provides you with convenient meals, delivered right to your door, so that you can eat and lose weight, just like the contestants from the hit weight loss reality series.

The plan, which used to be a joint production between the Biggest Loser nutrition experts and BistroMD, has switched kitchens and is now partnering with eDiets, a leading provider of personalized nutrition, fitness and weight-loss programs.

Anyone who has ever tried a meal-delivery diet knows that sometimes the food can taste fair, at best, but the chefs at eDiets are committed to making your weight loss journey a nutritious and tasty one. (more…)

Posted on September 13, 2024 by heather