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Showing posts with label healthy foods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy foods. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Friday, October 3, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Five Great Food Pairings for Healthier Nutrition
Five Great Food Pairings for Healthier Nutrition
by susanb
People often ask me if there are certain foods that they should – or shouldn’t – eat at the same time. Some people have heard, for example, that “if you don’t eat proteins and carbs at the same meal, you’ll lose weight” – but a study published about ten years ago, debunked that idea. On the other hand, there is another concept around ‘food combining’– sometimes called food synergy – which recognizes that certain foods offer a bit more nutritional benefit when eaten together than if you eat them separately. Think of it as a nutritional ‘one and one makes three’.
Colorful veggies with a little fat. Many fruits and vegetables contain compounds called carotenoids – natural pigments that give foods like tomatoes, carrots and spinach their beautiful hues – from the pigments lycopene, beta-carotene and lutein, respectively. Carotenoids function as antioxidants in the body, which is one reason why fruits and vegetables are such an important part of a healthy diet. But if you eat your veggies with a little bit of fat, your body is able to take up more carotenoids. So adding some healthy fat from avocado or olive oil to your salad will help you absorb the lutein from the romaine lettuce, the beta-carotene from the carrots, and the lycopene from the tomatoes.
Vitamin C with iron-containing veggies and grains. Iron comes in two different forms in foods. One form – called ‘heme’ iron – is found in fish, meat and poultry and is more easily absorbed by the body than the so-called ‘non-heme’ iron found in certain veggies and grains. But when you take in some vitamin C along with a source of non-heme iron, your body will absorb the iron better. And it doesn’t take much – the amount of vitamin C in one orange or one tomato can nearly triple iron absorption. So, tomatoes in your chili will help you absorb the iron in the beans; strawberries will help you take up the iron in your cereal; and the iron in spinach will be better absorbed if you toss some orange or grapefruit wedges into your spinach salad.
Lemon and green tea. Green tea naturally contains some unique beneficial phytonutrients called catechins, which act as antioxidants in the body, and help protect the body’s cells and tissues from oxidative damage. When you add lemon to your green tea, the vitamin C helps your body absorb these beneficial compounds. If you don’t like lemon in your tea, have a vitamin-C rich fruit along with your brew, like a bowl of berries or a sliced orange*.
Fish and leafy greens. When you drink milk that’s fortified with Vitamin D – as is nearly all the milk sold in the US – the vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium in the milk. But there’s another great way to pair these two nutrients – fish and veggies. Fatty fish, like salmon and mackerel, provide vitamin D, and leafy greens like turnip greens, mustard greens and kale, provide calcium. Pairing the two will help your body take up the calcium in the veggies.
Mixtures of plant foods. Plant foods – including fruits, veggies and beans – are some of the best sources of antioxidants around. But the antioxidant benefit is enhanced when you eat mixtures of foods, rather than eating them by themselves. A mixture of oranges, apples, grapes and blueberries has been shown to have a higher antioxidant capacity than an equivalent amount of each fruit eaten individually, and one study3 has shown that to boost antioxidant effectiveness, the best food pairings are beans with fruits, followed by vegetables with fruits.
* Herbalife markets tea products containing green tea ingredients, including Herbal Tea Concentrate, which claim antioxidant benefit. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
by susanb
People often ask me if there are certain foods that they should – or shouldn’t – eat at the same time. Some people have heard, for example, that “if you don’t eat proteins and carbs at the same meal, you’ll lose weight” – but a study published about ten years ago, debunked that idea. On the other hand, there is another concept around ‘food combining’– sometimes called food synergy – which recognizes that certain foods offer a bit more nutritional benefit when eaten together than if you eat them separately. Think of it as a nutritional ‘one and one makes three’.
Colorful veggies with a little fat. Many fruits and vegetables contain compounds called carotenoids – natural pigments that give foods like tomatoes, carrots and spinach their beautiful hues – from the pigments lycopene, beta-carotene and lutein, respectively. Carotenoids function as antioxidants in the body, which is one reason why fruits and vegetables are such an important part of a healthy diet. But if you eat your veggies with a little bit of fat, your body is able to take up more carotenoids. So adding some healthy fat from avocado or olive oil to your salad will help you absorb the lutein from the romaine lettuce, the beta-carotene from the carrots, and the lycopene from the tomatoes.
Vitamin C with iron-containing veggies and grains. Iron comes in two different forms in foods. One form – called ‘heme’ iron – is found in fish, meat and poultry and is more easily absorbed by the body than the so-called ‘non-heme’ iron found in certain veggies and grains. But when you take in some vitamin C along with a source of non-heme iron, your body will absorb the iron better. And it doesn’t take much – the amount of vitamin C in one orange or one tomato can nearly triple iron absorption. So, tomatoes in your chili will help you absorb the iron in the beans; strawberries will help you take up the iron in your cereal; and the iron in spinach will be better absorbed if you toss some orange or grapefruit wedges into your spinach salad.
Lemon and green tea. Green tea naturally contains some unique beneficial phytonutrients called catechins, which act as antioxidants in the body, and help protect the body’s cells and tissues from oxidative damage. When you add lemon to your green tea, the vitamin C helps your body absorb these beneficial compounds. If you don’t like lemon in your tea, have a vitamin-C rich fruit along with your brew, like a bowl of berries or a sliced orange*.
Fish and leafy greens. When you drink milk that’s fortified with Vitamin D – as is nearly all the milk sold in the US – the vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium in the milk. But there’s another great way to pair these two nutrients – fish and veggies. Fatty fish, like salmon and mackerel, provide vitamin D, and leafy greens like turnip greens, mustard greens and kale, provide calcium. Pairing the two will help your body take up the calcium in the veggies.
Mixtures of plant foods. Plant foods – including fruits, veggies and beans – are some of the best sources of antioxidants around. But the antioxidant benefit is enhanced when you eat mixtures of foods, rather than eating them by themselves. A mixture of oranges, apples, grapes and blueberries has been shown to have a higher antioxidant capacity than an equivalent amount of each fruit eaten individually, and one study3 has shown that to boost antioxidant effectiveness, the best food pairings are beans with fruits, followed by vegetables with fruits.
* Herbalife markets tea products containing green tea ingredients, including Herbal Tea Concentrate, which claim antioxidant benefit. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
Friday, August 12, 2011
Seven Best Foods to Fill You Up by Susan Bowerman
Seven Best Foods to Fill You Up
by susanb
One of the most common complaints that I hear from my weight-loss clients is that they’re “hungry all the time.” Often when I hear this, I first have to help them sort what it actually means to be hungry. True hunger is usually felt first in the stomach – as blood sugar drops, the body releases hormones that stimulate the stomach to contract, and you get hunger pangs. But some people confuse hunger with wanting to eat – which is actually appetite, not hunger. To help them learn the difference, I ask them to let a moderate amount of hunger to set in – to really recognize the body’s signals that say “time to eat” – and to put the fork down when they feel comfortable – not stuffed. It also helps to incorporate healthier, filling foods along the way. Because in the end – no matter how you define it – if you feel hungry, it’s going to be a lot harder to stick with the program. So here’s my list of some of the most filling foods you can eat.
Fish – Fish is one of the most concentrated sources of protein around. And that’s critical, because – compared with fat or carbohydrate – protein is the clear winner when it comes to satisfying hunger. And, since most fish is much lower in fat compared with meat or poultry, you get more protein per bite. Fresh baked or broiled fish is great, but if you’re short on time, don’t overlook canned tuna and salmon, or frozen fish filets, shrimp and scallops.
Berries – High-fiber foods take time to digest, which gives them staying power. And while all whole fruits provide some fiber, berries are some of the highest fiber fruits around. One cup of raspberries has a whopping 8 grams of fiber – twice what you’d get in an apple – for only about 65 calories. Frozen berries are always available, and they’re convenient add-ins to protein shakes – you can also thaw them slightly and use to top yogurt or cottage cheese for a filling meal or snack.
Broccoli - Vegetables are high on my list of filling foods because they’re full of calorie-free fiber and water – so they fill you up, not out. Broccoli is one of the highest fiber veggies -one cup of chopped cooked broccoli has 6 grams of hunger-busting fiber. And loading up your plate with cooked broccoli will only cost you about 50 calories per cup.
Black beans – Beans provide a one-two punch against hunger – they’re high in fiber and they also pack a fair amount of protein. A half-cup of black beans will give you about 8 grams of protein along with 8 grams of fiber. Navy, pinto and kidney beans all run a very close second. Toss some beans into salads, soups or pasta to make them more filling and satisfying.
Quinoa – you can get a good amount of fiber from most whole grains – and they hold more water than ‘drier’ grain foods like crackers or pretzels, so they’re more filling. Quinoa stands out because it also has more protein than most grains – about 8 grams per cup. And, unlike barley and brown rice that require long cooking times, quinoa is ready in about 15 minutes. Try it as a side dish, or as the base for a main-dish salad with chopped veggies and grilled chicken added.
Nonfat Greek style yogurt – Most nonfat dairy products are good sources of protein, but Greek-style yogurt is a standout. Since it’s concentrated, a single-serve carton of nonfat Greek style yogurt can pack nearly twice as much protein as the regular style – as much as 15 grams. Try it for dessert – the protein will fill you up and help curb evening snacking.
Vegetable soup – Vegetable soup is low in calories, and since it contains so much water, it’s really filling. Starting a meal with a cup or bowl of broth-based soup often means you’ll be satisfied with a smaller portion of your main meal. A cup of veggie soup makes a great afternoon snack, too.
Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
by susanb
One of the most common complaints that I hear from my weight-loss clients is that they’re “hungry all the time.” Often when I hear this, I first have to help them sort what it actually means to be hungry. True hunger is usually felt first in the stomach – as blood sugar drops, the body releases hormones that stimulate the stomach to contract, and you get hunger pangs. But some people confuse hunger with wanting to eat – which is actually appetite, not hunger. To help them learn the difference, I ask them to let a moderate amount of hunger to set in – to really recognize the body’s signals that say “time to eat” – and to put the fork down when they feel comfortable – not stuffed. It also helps to incorporate healthier, filling foods along the way. Because in the end – no matter how you define it – if you feel hungry, it’s going to be a lot harder to stick with the program. So here’s my list of some of the most filling foods you can eat.
Fish – Fish is one of the most concentrated sources of protein around. And that’s critical, because – compared with fat or carbohydrate – protein is the clear winner when it comes to satisfying hunger. And, since most fish is much lower in fat compared with meat or poultry, you get more protein per bite. Fresh baked or broiled fish is great, but if you’re short on time, don’t overlook canned tuna and salmon, or frozen fish filets, shrimp and scallops.
Berries – High-fiber foods take time to digest, which gives them staying power. And while all whole fruits provide some fiber, berries are some of the highest fiber fruits around. One cup of raspberries has a whopping 8 grams of fiber – twice what you’d get in an apple – for only about 65 calories. Frozen berries are always available, and they’re convenient add-ins to protein shakes – you can also thaw them slightly and use to top yogurt or cottage cheese for a filling meal or snack.
Broccoli - Vegetables are high on my list of filling foods because they’re full of calorie-free fiber and water – so they fill you up, not out. Broccoli is one of the highest fiber veggies -one cup of chopped cooked broccoli has 6 grams of hunger-busting fiber. And loading up your plate with cooked broccoli will only cost you about 50 calories per cup.
Black beans – Beans provide a one-two punch against hunger – they’re high in fiber and they also pack a fair amount of protein. A half-cup of black beans will give you about 8 grams of protein along with 8 grams of fiber. Navy, pinto and kidney beans all run a very close second. Toss some beans into salads, soups or pasta to make them more filling and satisfying.
Quinoa – you can get a good amount of fiber from most whole grains – and they hold more water than ‘drier’ grain foods like crackers or pretzels, so they’re more filling. Quinoa stands out because it also has more protein than most grains – about 8 grams per cup. And, unlike barley and brown rice that require long cooking times, quinoa is ready in about 15 minutes. Try it as a side dish, or as the base for a main-dish salad with chopped veggies and grilled chicken added.
Nonfat Greek style yogurt – Most nonfat dairy products are good sources of protein, but Greek-style yogurt is a standout. Since it’s concentrated, a single-serve carton of nonfat Greek style yogurt can pack nearly twice as much protein as the regular style – as much as 15 grams. Try it for dessert – the protein will fill you up and help curb evening snacking.
Vegetable soup – Vegetable soup is low in calories, and since it contains so much water, it’s really filling. Starting a meal with a cup or bowl of broth-based soup often means you’ll be satisfied with a smaller portion of your main meal. A cup of veggie soup makes a great afternoon snack, too.
Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
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