HealthyLife Articles

Tag: nutrition

Fiberize Your Kitchen

HEALTHY EATING

To stock your kitchen with whole grains and fiber-containing foods from cupboard to refrigerator to freezer, use this handy list to get started, suggests Anita Kobuszewski, RD, author of Food: Field to Fork, How to Grow Sustainably, Shop Wisely, Cook Nutritiously, and Eat Deliciously. She reminded, “Remember-nutrition doesn’t begin until the food passes your lips.”

* Fresh and canned fruits and vegetables

* Dried fruits such as raisins and cranberries

* Preserves made with whole fruit

* Whole wheat, rye, cornmeal, soy, and buckwheat flours

* Whole-grain and fortified breads, crackers, bagels, and 100% whole wheat or whole-grain rolls

* Ready-to-eat fortified and whole-grain breakfast cereals

* Cooked cereals including quick-cooking whole-grains like oatmeal and quinoa

* Brown long-grain, brown short-grain, and wild rice

* Whole-grain spaghetti, macaroni, and other pastas

* Corn and whole wheat tortillas

* Air popped popcorn and lower fat microwave varieties

* Canned or dried garbanzo beans, pinto, black and lima beans; split peas, and black-eyed peas; refried beans, hummus

* Peanut butter

* Nuts (such as pecans, almonds, and walnuts) and seeds (such as flax seed, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds)

* Vegetable soups, chili with beans, minestrone

* Canned or frozen vegetarian dishes such as chili or cheese lasagna

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Heart-Shaped Foods Help Your Heart

HEALTHY EATING

While some dietitians extol the virtues of red wine, dark chocolate, and salmon for heart health, Dr. Katie Eliot, assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University, has a different plan.

Keep it simple. Look to heart-shaped foods to protect your heart.

“Being red and heart shaped can be a tip off that some foods are good for your heart,” Dr. Eliot said. “Many heart-shaped fruits and vegetables are great sources of antioxidants. These compounds act like shields, taking the hit from free radicals that otherwise damage the body and cause heart disease and cancer.”

For instance, strawberries and raspberries are loaded with vitamin C and an antioxidant that prevents plaque from forming in arteries. Cherries contain an antioxidant that is thought to protect the blood vessels and is high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Tomatoes and red peppers are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is in many red fruits and vegetables and works magic by neutralizing free radicals. And acorn squash and apples contain a type of fiber, which reduces bad cholesterol that can clog up your arteries to cause heart attacks and stroke.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Non-Dairy Calcium-Rich Foods

HEALTHY EATING

Even if you can’t eat dairy, there are plenty of foods that can help you meet your recommended daily calcium intake.

* Calcium-fortified soy and almond milk

* Tofu

* Calcium-fortified orange juice

* Sardines

* Edamame

* Kale, collard greens, broccoli

* Figs

* White beans

* Okra

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Sugar: Not So Sweet For Your Health

HEALTHY EATING

Cookies, cake, and candy – we all know which foods are high in sugar. Or do we?

The average American is consuming too much sugar today, and the American Heart Association says this is hurting us. Sugar is loaded with calories, which can cause weight gain and heart problems. A high-sugar diet can also be a factor in diabetes. Sugar can cause cavities and other dental problems.

You might be surprised to find that many regular or even “healthy” foods have a lot of sugar in them. That’s why the FDA is proposing a change to the food Nutrition Facts label that would list “added sugar.”

What is added sugar?

Some healthy foods contain a certain amount of natural sugar. These include fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. The sugar (simple carbohydrate) naturally occurs in the food.

On the other hand, many packaged and processed foods contain “added sugar.” This sugar has been added to improve the taste. Many things you wouldn’t suspect, like “diet” foods, soup, yogurt, crackers, and salad dressings can contain a lot of added sugar.

How do I spot added sugar?

Sugar can be listed by many different names in the ingredients. So, it’s hard to know how much added sugar you’re getting. Until the nutrition label change takes place, the best thing to do is look at the sugar listing on the Nutrition Facts. Keep track of how many grams are in each serving of food and add them up each day. The AHA recommends:

* No more than six teaspoons (25 grams) for women per day

* No more than nine teaspoons (37.5 grams) for men per day

If you eat processed or packaged foods or drinks, look at the Nutrition Facts and see how much sugar each one contains. You may be surprised at how many grams of sugar you consume, even if you’ve been watching your diet. And drinks count too – fruit juice, sports drinks, and sodas are usually loaded with sugar. In fact, a 12- ounce serving of soda contains about 38 grams (nine to 10 teaspoons) of sugar.

Many food labels don’t list the word “sugar” in the ingredients. In fact, there are more than 50 different names for sugar! These include sucrose, dextrose, maltose, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, dextrin and maltodextrin.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
What To Do With Holiday Leftovers

HEALTHY EATING

Make a game plan for leftovers to avoid overeating, say experts from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. You can turn holiday leftovers into new healthy dishes by reusing the following foods:

White turkey meat

* Whip up your favorite chili recipe, but use turkey instead of ground beef.

* Wrap turkey, spinach leaves, and 2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce in a whole wheat tortilla.

Mashed potatoes

* Mix in a healthy helping of cooked vegetables for a new twist on this side dish. Try cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, or carrots.

Sweet potatoes

* Make a protein-packed sandwich spread or veggie dip by pureeing one-half cup sweet potatoes with one-half cup chickpeas. Eat only 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
10 Ways To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

HEALTHY EATING

It can be especially hard to avoid extra pounds when there’s holiday food everywhere you turn. Stick to the basics of healthy eating so you can make it to the new year without regrets.

1.Drink more water:Drinking water before you eat may help you feel fuller and eat less.

2.Skip the soda, hot cocoa and high-sugar coffee drinks:Replacing sugary drinks with water can help you lose weight.

3.Get exercise:Even just a few minutes a day has health benefits and can help you burn calories.

4.Eat fruits and vegetables:These foods are generally packed with nutrition and low in calories.

5.Get enough sleep:Lack of sleep can cause more cravings for unhealthy foods.

6.Listen to your body:Stop eating when you start to feel full, not when you’re stuffed.

7.Start with small portions:Start with smaller amounts of food on your plate, and wait to see if you need more later.

8.Keep a food diary:This helps you get a clear picture of what you’ve eaten.

9.Don’t eat and watch TV:This can lead to mindless eating and consuming too many calories.

10.Build muscle:Muscles help your body burn more calories, even when resting.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Do “Meal Replacement” Diets Work?

HEALTHY EATING

It seems simple enough: to cut calories, sip a shake or eat a bar instead of a meal. There’s no risk of accidentally eating too much, and you don’t have to spend time preparing a meal or measuring portions.

Also known as meal replacement diets, these programs have their pros and cons. A study published in The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showed they can help people effectively lose weight. But, no single diet works for everyone. Before you try meal replacement, here’s what you should know:

* Talk with your doctor before you start any diet plan.

* Eat plenty of whole foods daily. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy and healthy fats are recommended by the USDA. Bars and shakes cannot fully replace the nutrients you get from whole foods.

* Get the right amount of calories. There’s a healthy range of calories based on your age, weight and activity level. Learn yours by going to the USDA’s SuperTracker Tool atsupertracker.usda.gov.

* Drink plenty of water between meals to stay hydrated. This can improve your energy levels and may help you fight off hunger.

If you follow the guidelines, you may find success with a meal replacement plan. Be sure to follow the plan as recommended and still eat nutritious foods at other meals. If you find you’re too hungry or it’s not working for you, talk with your doctor or a dietitian about another option.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Food Safety Before, During, And After A Power Outage

HEALTHY EATING

Snowstorms, summer thunderstorms, and over usage can knock out power. The FDA says power outages can affect the safety of your food. Ensure that food stays safe by having a plan in place and knowing what food safety precautions to take if a power outage does occur.

BEFORE

* Plan ahead. Stock up on supplies in advance or know where to obtain them if needed. Before an outage, check that the refrigerator temperature is at or below 40 degrees F and the one for the freezer is at or below 0 degrees F.

* Plan for ice. Know where you can get dry or block ice. Stock plenty of ice cubes and frozen gel packs. Freeze containers of water (plastic milk jugs do well). All of these help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers. Keep coolers on hand to store refrigerated food in case the power is out for more than 4 hours. Stock your pantry with a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or refrigeration.

DURING

* Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to slow the growth of bacteria. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if unopened. Use ice (dry or block, ice cubes, and frozen containers of water or gel packs) to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.

AFTER

* When power is restored, check the temperatures inside your refrigerator and freezer before eating any food. If the power was out for no more than 4 hours, refrigerated food should be safe as long as the doors were kept closed. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, or leftovers) that has been above 40 degrees F for 2 hours or longer.

* Food is safe and may be refrozen if the freezer thermometer reads 40 degrees F or below. If you did not have a thermometer in the freezer, check each package to determine its safety; you can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.

* Be aware that perishable foods that are not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen may cause foodborne illness if eaten, even after they are thoroughly cooked.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How Sweet It Is

HEALTHY EATING

Is sugar really bad for us? How about artificial or low-calorie sweeteners?

Our bodies need one type of sugar, called glucose, to survive. “Glucose is the number one food for the brain, and it’s an extremely important source of fuel throughout the body,” said Dr. Kristina Rother, pediatrician with the National Institute on Health and expert on sweeteners.

But there’s no need to add glucose to your diet, because your body can make the glucose it needs by breaking down food molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Some sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk.

Much of the sugar we eat isn’t found naturally in food but is added during processing or preparation.

Although sugar itself isn’t bad, said Dr. Rother, “Sugar has a bad reputation that’s mostly deserved because we consume too much of it. It’s now in just about every food we eat.”

You can cut down on added sugars. NIH in Health offers these suggestions:

* Choose water, fat-free milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee instead of sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks.

* Reduce sugar in recipes. If a recipe says 1 cup, use 2/3 cup.

* To enhance flavor, add vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg.

* Eat fresh, canned, frozen, and dried fruits without added sugar. Choose fruits canned in their own juice rather than in syrup.

* Use fruits to top foods like cereal and pancakes rather than sugars, syrups, or other sweet toppings.

* Read the ingredients list to pick food with little or no added sugar.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Nutritional Treasure In The Trash

HEALTHY EATING

Sometimes the best parts of the vegetables get thrown in the trash. So next time you’re cooking up vegetables and are about to toss out those extra parts, stop. Many vegetable parts are perfectly edible and are packed with nutrients and flavor.

Here are some tips from the American Institute for Cancer Research to make the most of your veggies:

* Roasted pumpkin seeds are a fall favorite, but you can roast seeds from any winter squash, including butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash. Squash seeds are a great source of protein. To roast, scoop out seeds, rinse, and drain. Let them dry, spread flat on a baking pan and bake at 300ºF for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

* Using the whole cauliflower, including the stem, in cauliflower “steaks” is trendy right now. Cut all the way through a cauliflower head from the top to make cauliflower steaks, which can be broiled or pan roasted. Or instead of mashed potatoes, try mashing the whole cooked cauliflower including the stem.

* Use a vegetable peeler or large knife to remove the thick, tough outer layer of the broccoli stem (if you use a knife, make 4 lengthwise cuts along the 4 sides of the stem to make a long rectangle). Try making creamy broccoli soup, which includes both the broccoli stems and florets.

* Buy beets with the greens still attached and it’s like getting two vegetables in one. Beet greens contain loads of vitamin C and beta-carotene-nutrients linked to lower cancer risk. Separate the greens from the beets by cutting just above where the stem begins. They’re great sautéed in olive oil, with garlic, salt, and pepper to taste.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026