Does chocolate really provide healthy benefits? Here’s the scoop on what you need to know. Studies show that cocoa and dark chocolate with a high cocoa content contain many heart-healthy antioxidants. Specifically they contain a compound called flavonoids, which may prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the…
There is no doubt about it: We are eating in restaurants more often than ever before. This is likely the result of a fast-paced lifestyle and the convenience of restaurants. As a child, I remember getting fast food once every couple of months and a sit down restaurant a couple times a year. Now I,…
For many people losing weight becomes an all or nothing event. You are either on the “diet” eating perfectly each day or you’re “off” the diet because you ate something that wasn’t on the plan. It is quite common and is somewhat a side effect from years of dieting. It also has to do with…
Summer is in full swing and the local produce market is booming. The wide variety of fruits available is a nice change of pace from winter fruits, such as apples, citrus and bananas. Now fresh peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, berries, and melon abound. If you have a sweet tooth, now is the time to curb…
Do you ever feel like you are doing everything right and you still can’t lose weight? It may be that you are underestimating what you are eating. Don’t feel bad, according to research studies, 80% of people underestimate their food intake. This is easy to do because portion sizes have gotten so large that the…
Long-term health goals are tricky and often has more to do with your mindset than anything else. You’re mindset, or how you think and feel about the actions you will take, can either set you up for success or failure. I can sum it up with a sentence. It goes like this: “I have to…
Have you ever wondered how much sugar is too much? In August 2009, the American Heart Association (AHA) published guidelines in ‘Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association’ suggesting that our sugar intake be limited to no more than 6 teaspoons added sugar (25 grams or 100 calories) for women and no more than 9…
Want to cut down your grocery bill? Stop and think about your day to day schedule and what you usually eat. Even write it down. Then pick a couple of places where you can make some cuts. Cutting costs doesn’t mean cutting out nutrition. Vegetables can be cheap and are very nutritious. And most people…
I’ll admit it. I’m not a huge fan of whole grain bread for toast or sandwiches. The toast just doesn’t get that wonderful crisp when you bite into it and sandwiches become more dense for my liking. I realize the message has been to avoid white bread and go for whole grain breads for more…
You’ll find all kinds of nutrition bars, from energy bars, to protein bars, to weight control, to gluten free, to breakfast bars, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, many of these nutrition bars are really just glorified candy bars. What to look for when selecting a nutrition bar: Sugar – Look at the nutrition label…
