DiscoverGoodNutrition is a nutrition and fitness advice website about Nutrition; Fitness experts articles sponsored and edited by Herbalife International America Inc .
5 delicious foods you should eat more often
There are plenty of healthy foods that don’t get the attention they deserve. Here are five under-appreciated foods that deserve another look.
Why are some foods popular and others aren’t? I’m not talking about foods that taste better than others, or are more fun to eat – I get that. But I do wonder why certain foods are trendy, while others just aren’t eaten all that much. It’s hard to find a restaurant in Los Angeles these days that doesn’t feature kale salad. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – kale salad is delicious, and kale is jam-packed with nutrients. But why is it that certain foods gain superstar status while others – equally healthy and equally delicious – get the short shrift?
There’s no question that food trends come and go (oat bran, anyone?) – it’s just a matter of time before our current enthusiasm for kale and quinoa starts to wane. I can’t say what the next trend will be, but I think it’s time to give a few under-appreciated foods their due. Here are five not-so-popular foods that are worthy of your attention.
Five delicious foods that deserve more attention
Millet
While quinoa seems to be the grain that’s getting all the attention these days, millet has its own nutrition virtues, yet it’s sadly overlooked.
A cup of cooked millet offers up more than 6 grams of protein, nearly 3 grams of fiber, about a quarter of your daily magnesium needs – it’s also a good source of thiamin, niacin and zinc.
Like quinoa, millet is technically a seed, but it’s cooked and eaten like a grain. And it cooks just as quickly – in about 15 minutes or so – and has a deliciously sweet, nutty flavor. Oh, and did I mention that it’s gluten-free?
Kohlrabi
To me, kohlrabi looks like a turnip from Mars. It’s large, round and green – and it’s usually sold with all the leaves trimmed off, so it has these short little stems that stick out every which way.
As a member of the cabbage family (just like kale!) this funny-looking vegetable has plenty to boast about. A cup of cooked kohlrabi provides more than 100% of your daily vitamin C, and it’s a good source of potassium, too.
Kohlrabi is milder and sweeter than many of its cabbage cousins, and can be eaten raw or cooked. If you can find kohlrabi leaves, you can prepare them the same way you’d prepare kale – and maybe even start a new food trend.
Kiwifruit
Many of the kiwifruit I find at the supermarket are hard as rocks, and have about as much flavor. Too bad, too, because when they’re picked at their peak, they’re absolutely delicious, and so good for you.
A single kiwifruit gives you enough vitamin C for two days, has more potassium than a banana, and gets its lovely green color from lutein – an antioxidant pigment that supports eye health.
Kiwifruit are easy to eat, too. Just cut in half and scoop out the edible flesh and seeds with a spoon. If you’re really brave, you’ll eat the whole thing – the skin is edible, too
Salmon in cans or pouches
Chances are, you’ve got some canned tuna in your pantry – it’s one of those staples that most people keep around the house. Many people aren’t even aware that you can buy salmon in cans or shelf-stable pouches – but it’s widely available and so handy.
Most brands are wild-caught, and canned salmon has up to four times more omega-3 fatty acids and five times more vitamin D than light tuna. Try it in any dishes that call for tuna.
Butternut squash
Sweet potatoes get plenty of attention for their nutritional content and are often touted as a ‘superfood’ – which may help explain the sudden popularity of sweet potato fries (not a superfood). But big, beautiful butternut squash is a nutritional powerhouse, too – and deserves some recognition.
Portion for portion, butternut squash has more fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and folate than sweet potatoes, with about half the calories. And a typical serving will give you enough vitamin A to last you more than four days.
Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
« How to order in a restaurant – and get what you want
Do you ever think about cellulite? Do you have cellulite? Cellulite is the dimple effect seen on thighs up and down the land. And if you’re thinking, “what an earth could she possibly know about having cellulite?” Let me fill you in on a little secret: I have never trained with a woman who doesn’t have it and, yes, I too am guilty of owning a little cellulite of my own!
This is a hot topic question and, sadly, if you ask most doctors or read the medical research, you will see that it is not possible to get rid of cellulite altogether. A healthy, active lifestyle is your best bet to reduce the appearance of cellulite and, if you couple regular exercise with a good dose of confidence, then you can banish cellulite worries! After all, there’s more to life, right? Having cellulite does not mean you are unhealthy or overweight or undesirable – it means you are human and many humans get cellulite!
Cellulite: how to get rid of thigh dimples
Do you ever think about cellulite? Do you have cellulite? Cellulite is the dimple effect seen on thighs up and down the land. And if you’re thinking, “what an earth could she possibly know about having cellulite?” Let me fill you in on a little secret: I have never trained with a woman who doesn’t have it and, yes, I too am guilty of owning a little cellulite of my own!
With the warmer months fast approaching, the dread of revealing all in a bathing suit or shorts has many men and women frantically dieting and exercising in an attempt to shape up. If you read my summer countdown post, you know that getting active today means you may see some improvement in your external appearance just in time for beach season!
What is cellulite?
Many people have heard of the ‘cottage cheese effect’ but let me explain what cellulite really is: it’s simply subcutaneous fat. Fat squished under the surface of your skin. It has a dimpled appearance because bands of collagen fibrous connective tissue sometimes push outwards as fat cells expand. Males and females can suffer cellulite on their buttocks, thighs, and tummy – although more women experience the phenomenon. And, no, having cellulite is not a sign that you are necessarily unhealthily fat – most people now recognize that cellulite is caused by genetics (and bad luck) and can appear regardless of weight, age or fitness level.
One of the things that I think makes people horrified by the thought of cellulite is the range of unfortunate names that describe the bumpy appearance: cottage cheese thighs, orange peel skin, chicken skin and bubble legs. It’s hard to embrace body confidence when you have these descriptive terms running through your mind so, from now on, let’s just accept cellulite as a reality and choose to find the names amusing rather than hurtful.
What’s the best way get rid of cellulite?
This is a hot topic question and, sadly, if you ask most doctors or read the medical research, you will see that it is not possible to get rid of cellulite altogether. A healthy, active lifestyle is your best bet to reduce the appearance of cellulite and, if you couple regular exercise with a good dose of confidence, then you can banish cellulite worries! After all, there’s more to life, right? Having cellulite does not mean you are unhealthy or overweight or undesirable – it means you are human and many humans get cellulite!My secret weapon against cellulite
Self-confidence and feeling beautiful regardless of what you can see in the mirror is the perfect fix for cellulite because confidence is beautiful! The way you carry yourself through life; your posture and your attitude is ultimately what others around you can see.
To help build your confidence, try improving muscle tone in your legs and glutes by following a resistance-training program combined with quality daily nutrition. Personally, being active and healthy makes me feel more positive, and the internal and external benefits of being fit make me feel more confident.
***
While I’m busy baring all of my secrets today here’s one more; after having my triplets I cried when I looked at myself in the mirror. I mourned the loss of my previously un-scarred and powerful athletic physique. I swore I would never wear a swimsuit again! My husband asked me – quietly, over the sound of snuffling babies – “why would you be so upset about something you wear only a few times a year and, anyway, what makes you think you have time for the beach?!” I had to laugh at his question as visions of trying to prevent four kids from eating sand came to mind.
I have since proudly built sandcastles and chased my kids around at the beach – while wearing a swimsuit. Cellulite was a reality as an professional sprinter and it’s still a reality as a mom, only now I’ve added the extra beauty of a few scars to the mix.
I’m confident that if you see me at the beach, you will only notice my energy, smile and love of life because a healthy, active life combined with self-confidence has gotten rid of my cellulite and scars forever, metaphorically speaking anyway.
Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA. Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.
The truth about sugar in fruit
I was teaching a class, and a student dismissed the health benefits of fruit because, as she put it, “it’s full of sugar”. You won’t be surprised to hear this wasn’t the first time I’d heard this ‘sugar in fruit = bad’ idea.
This thought that fruit is somehow a bad thing to eat came into full swing with the low carb diet craze a few years ago. But the myth persists. Not a week goes by that I don’t hear someone tell me that they avoid fruit because it’s “all sugar” or “loaded with carbs”. So, I’m here to set the record straight and come to the defense of some of the world’s healthiest foods – fresh, whole fruits.
Sugar in fruit – what are the facts?
I’ll tackle the “fruit is all sugar” statement first – because it’s just plain wrong. Fresh fruit offers so much more than the natural sugar it contains – including water, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients (those naturally-occurring plant compounds that have wide ranging beneficial effects on the body). Where else can you get a package like that for about 75 calories per serving?
The idea that fruit is “loaded with carbs” or is “full of sugar” needs to be put into perspective, too. It’s true that when you eat fruit, the overwhelming majority of the calories you consume are supplied by carbohydrate – mostly in the form of fructose, which is the natural sugar in fruit.
But that’s the nature not just of fruit, but of all plant foods – they’re predominantly carbohydrate (and that means not just natural sugars, but healthy starches as well as structural elements, like cellulose, that provide fiber). When you eat vegetables, the majority of the calories you’re eating come from carbohydrate, too. But you don’t hear people complaining that vegetables are “loaded with carbs”.
Before dismissing foods as being loaded with sugar, or too high in carbs, consider not only the amount of sugar or carbs you’re eating, but the form of the carbohydrate, too. There’s a big difference between the nutritional value of the natural carbohydrates found in fruits and other plant foods – the sugars, starches and fibers – and what’s found (or, more accurately, what’s not found) in all the empty calories we eat from added sugars that find their way into everything from brownies to barbecue sauce.
Faced with a serving of fruit, how much sugar are we talking about, anyway? An average orange has only about 12 grams of natural sugar (about 3 teaspoons) and a cup of strawberries has only about 7 grams – that’s less than two teaspoons. And either way, you’re also getting 3 grams of fiber, about a full day’s worth of vitamin C, healthy antioxidants and some folic acid and potassium to boot – and it’ll only cost you about 50 or 60 calories. “All sugar”? I think not.
By contrast, a 20-ounce cola will set you back about 225 calories and, needless to say, won’t be supplying any antioxidants, vitamins, minerals or fiber. You’ll just be chugging down some carbonated water, maybe some artificial color and flavor, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 grams of added sugar – about 1/3 of a cup.
Now that’s what I call “full of sugar”.
Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
How to cut fat but keep taste in your favorite recipes
Small changes to your recipes can lead to big calorie cuts. A few ingredient swaps can make home-cooked dishes so much healthier.
Now that the holidays are solidly behind us, the reality of those New Year’s promises we made to ourselves are starting to settle in. Many of us start out the New Year with big plans for big changes…which is why all this month we’re focusing on the ‘little things’. That’s because small steps – taken together – can add up to big results, and are often easier to handle than huge sweeping changes that can be unsettling. In the last post, I made some suggestions for small changes you can make at the grocery store – that is, after all, where the path to healthy eating begins. But now that you’ve brought your healthy ingredients into the house, you want to make sure to keep them that way when it’s time to cook. And with just a few small changes, you can make every dish you prepare at home a little bit better for you.
Steps to a recipe makeover
When it comes to recipe makeovers, a good place to start is with your “go-to” foods – those dishes that you make over and over again. If you transform a recipe for a dish that you eat every week, the calories you cut out can really make a difference in the long run.
The first step in the makeover is to look over the list of ingredients, and see if you can make some healthy swaps to reduce fat and calories, or to boost the nutritional value. Would plain yogurt work in your dish instead of sour cream? Would ground turkey work just as well as ground beef? Could you add more fiber by using brown rice instead of white? Could you sneak some fruit into a salad or side dish? Using substitute ingredients that provide nearly the same taste is an easy way to reduce a hefty calorie count.
Next, look at the amounts of some of the ingredients to see if you can change them to make the dish healthier. If a recipe calls for frying, could you sauté or stir-fry instead to reduce the fat? Can you use less salt or sugar? Could you double the vegetables called for? You’d be surprised at how many calories you can save with just a few changes.
Don’t “wrong a right”
One caution, though – don’t be fooled into thinking that by starting with very low calorie ingredients, it means you have extra calories to “play with” when you cook. I run into this with my clients all the time. They’ll start with healthy, low calorie ingredients like fish and veggies, and then rack up huge amounts of calories once they start cooking. They’ll fry instead of grill, they’ll sauce instead of steam, and by the time they’re finished, they may as well have eaten a cheeseburger.
Ingredient swaps and tips for healthier dishes
Here are some of my best tips for cutting down on fat and calories when you cook, and also how you can make your dishes healthier by using more whole grains, or adding vegetables and fruits to your dishes. I’ve also put together a table of swaps you can try for some common ingredients that can help you lighten up your favorite recipes. Have fun experimenting, and don’t be surprised if you end up liking the healthier version even better!
- Add diced vegetables to soups, chili, meat loaf, casseroles, tuna or chicken salad and pasta sauce to reduce overall calories and boost nutrition.
- Season steamed vegetables with lemon, vinegar, herbs, garlic, onion and spices rather than relying on butter or sauces.
- Add fruits to salad for a change. Try fresh orange or tangerine sections, apples or kiwi. Use deep green leafy vegetables instead of iceberg lettuce for more nutrition.
- Frozen vegetables and fruits are just as nutritious and fresh, may be less expensive, and allow you to eat foods that might not be available all year. For example, loose-leaf frozen spinach or chopped vegetables can easily be added to soups and stews.
- You can thicken soups without added butter, flour or cream. Place some of the broth and vegetables in the blender and then stir back into the soup. Or, make your own ‘cream’ soups by cooking vegetables with broth, onions, garlic and seasoning – then puree it all in the blender with a little evaporated nonfat milk or soft tofu for a delicious creamy soup.
- Try different mustards and vinegars for seasoning salads and veggies without fat.
- Double the recipe for dishes that freeze well, such as soups, stews, and casseroles. That way, when you’re tired and don’t want to cook, you can pull something healthy from the freezer rather than pulling into the drive-through.
Try these simple recipe swaps:
If the recipe calls for… | Use this substitute ingredient… | ||||
| Ground beef | Ground turkey or chicken breast, plant-based substitutes like soy ground round | Spray pan with pan spray before browning; drain any fat from pan after browning.Soy ground round is already cooked | |||
| Butter or margarine for baking | Applesauce; baby food prunes or carrots; mashed banana or avocado | You will need to experiment, but you can usually replace 1/2 or more of the fat in the recipe with one of the substitutions. This cuts fat, and boosts nutrition! | |||
| Butter to sauté vegetables | Pan spray; broth, wine, vegetable juice | Spray pan with pan spray; sauté in wine, broth or vegetable juice. Cover pan to ‘sweat’ vegetables | |||
| Cheese | Reduced fat cheese | Use reduced fat cheese, and reduce the total amount in the recipe | |||
| Eggs in baking | Egg whites or egg substitutes | Egg substitutes are 99% egg white; you can also use 2 egg whites to replace one whole egg in baking | |||
| Mayonnaise | Nonfat mayonnaise | Or use mustard, avocado or hummus instead | |||
| Nuts | Reduce by half | Toast lightly in a dry skillet to enhance flavor | |||
| White rice or regular pasta | Brown rice or whole grain pasta | Try other whole grains, too, like quinoa, millet, buckwheat | |||
| Sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, cream | Use nonfat versions; evaporated nonfat milk in place of cream | Plain nonfat yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream | |||
5 ways to eliminate treadmill boredom
Think about running on a treadmill… Are you filled with warm thoughts about competing against yourself or even catching up on a show as you jog? Or does your blood run cold as you imagine time slowing down and your run beginning to feel like a self-inflicted punishment?
When it comes to running on a treadmill, it’s very rare that someone thinks it’s just okay – the response is usually that people either love it or hate it! But with colder weather and the sun setting earlier, for many people there is only one option and that’s to get on the human hamster wheel or risk freezing outside.
In northern climates, the winter months are famous for making us gain holiday pounds, so let me share with you a few tips to help you spice up your treadmill routine and prevent you from hanging up your running shoes until the spring.
1. Vary your terrain by adjusting the gradient
If you are fortunate enough to be using a newer treadmill where you can adjust the gradient then have fun creating a challenging outdoor trail run.
Whether you fancy running up a steep mountain or creating rolling hills, it’s easy to break up the monotony of a flat course by simply pressing the incline button. I love hill running and enjoy the challenge of increasing the gradient every 60 seconds. An added bonus about being in control of thegradient is that if the hill feels too steep just take it down a notch. Now you can’t do that when you’re running outside!
2. Plan your music in advance
Music is known for being a great motivator, especially when it comes to exercising and sports performance.
The joy of modern technology is that you can create entire playlists of all of your favorites. Spend time going through your music collection and pick out songs that make you smile. Find that one song that makes you want to dance because it will be perfect motivation for you to turn up the speed and run a little faster. I have been known for putting my motivational song on repeat and running so fast that the treadmill is shaking.
3. Interval training is best to avoid boredom
This is a matter of preference but running or walking at the exact same speed for the entire time is just not an option for me.
Interval training has so many added benefits because, not only does it stop you from getting bored, it can help you to push yourself to burn more calories in less time. A great way to interval train is to run at a 7/10 difficulty level for 45 seconds then walk or jog at a 3/10 difficulty for 30 seconds. Training in this way for 30- 45 minutes can improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
4. Enjoy the funky functions
If you want to do a steady state run without adjusting you gradient and speed, then take your mind off your run by playing with the treadmill functions.
Many newer treadmills are equipped with heart rate monitors and calorie burn counters and it’s fun to set yourself mini challenges with these! Try and keep your heart rate within your target range and guess how many calories you will burn every two minutes. Or you can pick one of the pre-designed running plans and let your mind puzzle over one of the challenges in your life. It’s better to think through a thorny problem while running than when you’re trying to sleep.
5. Break up your run
Set a few goals before you start your run and then don’t be afraid of breking it up into manageable chunks.
Don’t just get on the treadmill without a goal because chances are you will step off sooner if you don’t have a plan. If your goal is to run five miles but you get bored after two miles, then make a consciencechoice to take a break. That way you can keep your commitment to do all five miles – you’ll just break up your run and refocus along the way… So, get off and do some light resistance work or abdominal crunches then get back on. The important thing is to get back on.
Many gyms also offer classes led by an instructor that incorporate both running and weight training. The group atmosphere is fun and can help motivate you.
***
Stay on track
The benefit of training on a treadmill is that you can precisely monitor your distance and time without the variables of rough terrain and inclement weather slowing you down. Remember to only ever go at a pace that feels right for you. It’s tempting to push yourself too hard if the person next to you is really pounding out the miles, but you won’t be helping anybody if you push yourself too quickly. It’s always better to err on the side of caution and stay injury free, after all that person on the next treadmill could be an ex professional sprinter like me!
All in all, a treadmill is a wonderful tool to use to keep your health and fitness goals on track. Butpersonally, I always think that mixing up your routine can be useful and I enjoy both indoor and outdoor running. As they say, ‘a change is as good as a break’ so, if you become bored of your treadmill then make a change and head outdoors. The wind in your hair and pavement under your feet might be just the thing to remind you why you love running. And feeling the rain and the wind might be the thing to reawaken your devotion to the treadmill.
Written by Samantha Clayton. Samantha is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
What’s the best diet for me? By Susan Bowerman
The best diet is the one that works best with your lifestyle, your budget, your food preferences and how much effort you’re willing to give.
One of the more entertaining aspects of my work is that whenever I meet a new weight loss client, I never know where the conversation will lead. Usually, I’ll start by getting some history – I want to know what’s the most and the least they’ve ever weighed, what motivates them to eat better and get into shape, and also what’s worked for them in the past and what hasn’t – that sort of thing. From there, I can start to get a sense for how much effort each particular patient is willing to put forth, and what their expectations are. And then we come up with a plan. But I can’t just tell someone what they need to do – I need to help them figure out how they’re going to do it, too. And we work together to figure out what’s going to work best for them.
Does one size fit all?
When it comes down to it, there’s no “one size fits all” diet plan. Everyone is different, and I need to take into account not just a person’s food likes and dislikes – I also need to know what their day is like, if they like to cook or not, if the cost of food is an issue, what time they exercise, how often they eat out (and where) – there are a whole host of factors that I have to consider before I can give someone meaningful advice.
Should you take on a lot at once?
And then I have to consider what my clients want – or think they want. Some people prefer a fairly strict approach – often, in fact, deciding to tackle a lot at once. I’ve had plenty of clients who’ve decided to simultaneously attempt to lose weight, start exercising and quit smoking. It’s a lot to take on, but it canwork. Maybe it’s the idea of ‘wiping the slate clean’ and making a truly fresh start – sort of a “today is the first day of the rest of your life” attitude. And sometimes when you’re working on one thing, it can reinforce the other changes you’re trying to make – as in, “if I’m going to exercise, it doesn’t make much sense to keep smoking”.
But when taking on too much doesn’t work, it’s usually because the process becomes overwhelming – there are just too many changes involved and too many adjustments to be made. And then, people tend to simply give up – and nothing gets accomplished.
Or are you one to take things more slowly?
On the other hand, there are those who take a more cautious approach – they like to dip their toes into the water, and see what feels right. They might make a few changes to set them on the right course, get those pretty well established into their daily life, and then move on to make a few more. Slowly, over time, they accumulate a pretty impressive list of diet and lifestyle changes – and since they’ve given themselves a chance to let them settle in, they’re usually in pretty good shape to continue.
Figuring out what works for YOU will help you build a healthy diet and lifestyle plan
The point is this – there are plenty of paths that lead to the same destination. Some are short and direct, others might meander a bit – and neither one is necessarily better than the other.
Just as I do with my clients, you need to think about what you realistically can do. If you hate cooking or just don’t have the time, does it make sense to adopt a diet that requires you to home-cook every meal? If you can’t remember the last time you ate a fruit or a vegetable, is it realistic to think that you’ll suddenly start eating seven servings a day? Maybe not.
But remember this. The way you choose to eat, the amount of activity you get, the lifestyle choices you make are yours – you own them. And you also need to accept that the results you get will be a direct reflection of how much effort you put forth. The harder you work at it, the better the results. But that doesn’t mean that slow and steady can’t win the race, too. Because the best diet isn’t the one someone else tells you to follow – the best diet is the one that works for you.
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário