Diet and Nutrition

Teens Using More Muscle-Enhancement Supplements Leaving Experts Concerned

A rising trend among teens is leaving both health experts and parents concerned. According to the 2024 Eating and Activity in Teens Study – a population-based analysis of diet, physical activity, and weight control behaviors among adolescents in Minnesota – teen boys and girls may be using protein shakes and other muscle-enhancing supplements to bulk up now more than ever. 

As reported by Med Page Today, the self-reported study involved nearly 2,800 students with an average age of 14. Approximately 53% were female, 46% were male, and 60% played at least one after-school sport.

The study found that 35% of adolescents who participated admitted to using protein powders and shakes, 6% admitted to using steroids, and nearly 11% reported using some other muscle-enhancing supplement. In addition, it was found that boys were more likely to engage in both of these behaviors than girls.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis speculated why this trend has surfaced among young boys, especially considering body image issues are typically more common among girls.

“Boys’ body dissatisfaction has simultaneously increased, and research has demonstrated that exposure to images of extremely muscular models contributes to body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia in young men,” they wrote. (more…)

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Dana

A Reader’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe Gets a Healthy Makeover

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we are getting very excited about the upcoming holiday. Thanksgiving has always held a special place in my heart as I’ve always loved getting together with family and sharing a delicious meal, especially considering all the women in my family are amazing cooks. Think pies, turkey, stuffing and everything in between. Let’s just say I don’t leave hungry.

It seems everyone has their own special traditions when it comes to holiday gatherings and recipes are no exception. While passing down recipes such as your grandma’s signature “green marshmallow fluff” does hold sentimental value, more and more people are becoming conscious of their diets and desire real, whole foods instead of fake, processed ones. This is where recipe makeovers comes in. (more…)

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Dana

5 Easy Homemade Dinners Even Katie Holmes Can Cook

katie holmes

The world has watched either in awe or in horror as Katie Holmes and six-year-old daughter Suri eat their way through restaurants of every genre and price point. While she and her daughter have private chauffeurs and don the cover of tabloid magazines, the duo aren’t unlike many Americans. Katie is a newly divorced mom with a hectic career and a daughter she dotes on. While Katie can seemingly give young Suri anything she wants, a home cooked meal isn’t one of them.

“I’m a terrible cook,” she told Us Weekly. That would explain the revolving door of restaurant excursions for the new New Yorkers. Katie paints a devastating picture of piles of pans and burned food that would make anyone want to grab a take-out menu. But maybe Katie, and a lot of moms like her who also feel overwhelmed with this domestic duty, should take a step back, breathe, and get a little help.

Cooking doesn’t have to be overwhelming, hard, or tragic. With a few simple ingredients, a little patience with yourself, and some thoughtful planning, there isn’t any reason you can’t make one of these easy dinners in your home. We think Katie could pull these dishes off too if she wanted to. Besides, she could enlist Suri to help for one more mother-daughter bonding moment.


Provencal Beef Stew

It might sound fancy, but it’s perfect for novice cooks thanks to the slow cooker. With this tool the meal practically cooks itself. You do some minor chopping of lean beef, onions, mushrooms, and carrots, and use some basic herbs and spices from your pantry. When you return six hours later you’ll find a ready-to-eat meal. (more…)

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Natalie K

How to Cook with Butternut Squash

Butternut squash: Ever tried it? As a food blogger myself I’m extremely embarrassed to admit that I have not only never cooked butternut squash, I’ve also never even eaten it! This is borderline foodie blasphemy, I say, but that’s all about to change. Today we’re taking a nose dive right into this delectable squash and uncovering its health benefits, cooking methods and just what kinds of savory and and sweet recipes it can be used in. Let’s start with the important stuff: Is it good for you?

Health benefits: To answer the above-asked question in one word, “yes.” Butternut squash is a member of the gourd family, which also includes melons, cucumber, and pumpkin. And just like its seedy siblings, butternut squash is also technically a fruit. Who would’ve thought? In addition, it’s considered the most common among winter fruits, according to Nutrition and You.

When it comes to health benefits, this squash is ripe with vitamins and nutrients: phytonutrients, antioxidants, and plenty of fiber. In addition to these perks, this winter fruit is also rich in potassium, vitamin B6, and folate, which help support bone health, the nervous and immune systems and heart health, respectively. (more…)

Posted on November 18, 2023 by Dana

HealthBuzz November 16: Meatless Monday in LA, Mammogram Parties, and Holiday Appetizer Recipes

We’re just hours away from the weekend! That means it is time for a dose of healthy news from DIR and our friends. This week’s headliners from our team include People Magazines’ Sexiest Man Alive, our partnership with The Best Life Diet for a Holiday Survival Guide, and Los Angeles adoption of Meatless Monday. Also, we have headliners from Mamavation, ABC News, and Shape Magazine. Don’t forget to check out this week’s holiday appetizer recipes including a pumpkin hummus recipe found only on HelloGiggles.

5-Week Holiday Survival Guide with $5000 in Prizes from The Best Life and DietsInReview

The holidays officially starts next week on Thanksgiving. We know how hard it is to resist overeating during these festivities and to maintain a fitness routine. This is why we have partnered with The Best Life for a five-week Holiday Survival Guide. Together, we are offering more than $5000 in prizes to help you stay healthy and fit. The Holiday Survival Guide kicks off on November 20, 2024.

Channing Tatum’s Workouts Earn Him Title of Sexiest Man Alive

Every year People Magazine dubs one fine representative from the male half of Hollywood as the Sexiest Man Alive. This year’s Sexiest Man Alive is Channing Tatum, an actor in the limelight for quite some time, but 2024 was definitely his year. Check out the fitness moves that made Channing Tatum this year’s Sexiest Man Alive.

Los Angeles Adopts Meatless Monday for the Health of its Citizens

Thinking about going vegetarian for one day? Well in Los Angeles, you can go meatless on Mondays! LA City Council has approved to adopt Meatless Monday for the city, which can help with LA’s obesity problem and environmental issues as well. Do you think Meatless Mondays in LA will be successful? (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Samantha

Holiday Cocktail Calories Make More Work for New Year’s Resolutions

A new study on the drinking patterns of adults finds that the average adult American consumes 100 calories on a daily basis from alcohol alone. Does that not sound like much? It’s actually about 16 percent of total daily calories.

Nutritionist Connie Diekman, in a report by HealthDay, explains that even 100 unneeded calories per day from alcohol translates to a ten pound per year weight gain.

Not surprisingly, men aged 20 to 29 had the highest rates of alcohol consumption at 174 calories per day, and their chosen drink was beer. One 12-ounce beer is 150 calories. The study found that six percent of women and 20 percent of men consume more than 300 calories from alcohol each day.

Of course, not everyone drinks every day, and even if they do, moderate alcohol consumption is not necessarily unhealthy. The catch is what kinds of alcohol Americans are drinking, because a glass of red wine is a lot different than a piña colada.

For the approaching holidays, cut out much of the unwanted weight gain by remembering that liquid calories count and restricting your alcohol consumption or by replacing unhealthy drinks with slimmed-down options. (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by SarahS

Good Riddance to the Twinkie and its Chemical Ingredients

State fair vendors across the nation might be stockpiling like crazy today as Hostess Brands, makers of the Twinkie and other processed pastry treats, announced it has ceased production and is filing federal bankruptcy to close operations.

The company is also known for such products as Ding Dongs, Sno Balls, Fruit Pies, and Wonder Bread. According to CNN Money, the food makers are blaming a strike by bakers as their reasons for needing to close. The bakers were protesting a new contract that was recently imposed on them. The contracts cut salaries, pensions, and health care contributions.

If the company is granted permission by the courts to close their doors, more than 18,000 employees will lose their jobs, 33 bakeries and distribution centers will close, along with nearly 600 outlet stores.

Does this mean the end to the iconic Twinkie or its cult classic “The Deep Fried Twinkie?” cousin? Not necessarily. The report states that Hostess will attempt to liquidate its assets and that may mean another brand may bid for the rights to the Twinkie. However, the company cannot sell anything off until the courts have approved their bankruptcy. For now, the last shipments of Hostess foods was made Thursday night. Stores will continue to sell the products until they’re gone. (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Lacy

Los Angeles Adopts Meatless Monday for the Health of its Citizens

Los Angeles has become the largest city in the U.S. to partake in what’s known as Meatless Monday. It’s been a mostly social media-driven national effort by The Monday Campaigns to get people to eat vegetarian meals every Monday.

Friday, November 9, the LA City Council unanimously approved a resolution to adopt Meatless Monday for the city. The council resolution gives statistics showing that more than half of LA County residents are obese or overweight and states that reducing meat consumption can decrease the chances of having health issues. Councilwoman Jan Perry encouraged the motion due to growing health issues such as heart disease and cancer.

“We can reduce saturated fats and reduce the risk of heart disease by 19 percent. While this is a symbolic gesture, it is asking people to think about the food choices they make. Eating less meat can reverse some of our nation’s most common illnesses,” said Perry. “The issue is, how does a local municipality engage in this and how do we create change? If we do it one plate at time, one meal, one day, we are ratcheting down the impact on our environment. We start with one day a week and then, who knows, maybe we can change our habits for a lifetime.”

Here’s a list of a few restaurants/business in the L.A. area that plan to actively participate in the resolution every Monday (some may even offer Meatless Monday discounts). (more…)

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Danielle

Freekeh is an Ancient Grain With Serious Health Benefits

We love reviewing new products at Diets In Review, especially ones that we’ve never heard of before. It’s like getting to take a sneak peek at the newest products hitting the market and we get to tell you all about them first. Our most recent product review? Freekeh, which is roasted green wheat.

If you’re trying to imagine what roasted green wheat tastes like, think of a mix between rice in appearance and flavor and wheat berries in texture. It cooks up just like rice but has a slightly chewier feel. (more…)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Dana

Dr. Oz Suggests Korean Pine Nuts May be Dependable for Hunger Suppression

Announced recently on Dr. Oz, pine nuts are showing a possible weight loss effect due to their main ingredient, pinolenic acid, wjocj helps suppress the appetite and eliminate cravings. While research has shown that a large amount of this acid is found in the pine nuts which helps people feel more full for a longer period of time, it’s still not something that should be applied broadly to pine nut species, as Dr. Oz is doing.

When experiencing hunger suppression, body weight can consequently be reduced by keeping people from overeating the daily recommended dose of calories. Studies show that the pinolenic acid found specifically in Korean pine nuts acts on two gut hormones that work to satisfy hunger. One hormone’s job is to slow the gastric process that is emptying and the other is in charge of absorption of food in the gut. Research participants who were given pine nut oil showed a rise in these hormones and proclaimed to be fuller.

The Dr. Oz crew received this information from iTrustNews.com, where many of the benefits of pine nuts and their weight loss effects are discussed. They say consumption of these nuts can be in several different forms, including raw, powdered and liquid, and people can still get the beneficial pinolenic essential acid ingredient by eating any of those. (more…)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Danielle

Channing Tatum’s Workouts Earn Him Title of Sexiest Man Alive

Pull up your chairs ladies and get ready to oogle at a big piece of man. People Magazine has officially named its 2024 Sexiest Man Alive: Channing Tatum, the actor who most recently gained fame from his scandalous role as a stripper in the 2024 blockbuster Magic Mike.

People Magazine’s Julie Jordan told TODAY Wednesday that the decision was an easy one. “He’s the triple threat this year. There was romance in The Vow, there was comedy in 21 Jump Street and that little film Magic Mike where he was a stripper,” she said. “He’s more than just a body, he’s got heart, he loves his wife and he’s ready to be a daddy.”

In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, Tatum shared that he’s ready to settle down and be a family man, making him all the more attractive to his adoring female fans. “I’m ready; I think she’s ready,” he said. “The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we’ll see where we go after that.”

For those unfamiliar with Tatum’s career and his famous washboard abs, the 32-year-old actor was born and raised in Cullman, Alabama to a mother who was an airline worker and a father who worked in construction. When Tatum was 6 his family moved to Mississippi where the natural athlete discovered the world of sports, including football, soccer, track, baseball and martial arts. (more…)

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Dana