Cup of tea

Tea is the world’s most popular beverage second only to water. Across the country, restaurants and coffee shops are serving up premium freshly brewed teas, while supermarkets, convenience stores and vending machines are purchasing more and more bottled tea. According to the Tea Association of the USA, 160 million Americans consume tea and in 2012, 2.25 billion dollars were spent on tea in the US.

We are drawn to tea not only for its delicious flavors and capacity to sooth, but also because of the buzz on its many health benefits. Continue reading

You may have heard lately about the health benefits of probiotics or good bacteria. Experts have been telling us for years that we need to avoid bacteria. Now they are saying that they are good for you? It turns out that our bodies are teaming with over 100 trillion bacteria, outnumbering our body’s cells by 10 to 1. These microorganisms play an important role in our health. Let’s take a closer look at probiotics and what we know about them. Continue reading

Rice Bowl southwestern style

If you’re like me, juggling work, school, friends and family, it can be hard to make time for a home-cooked meal after a long day. However, with a few tips and a little planning, it’s easy to make quick and healthy meals throughout the week.

For example, by having one or two quick recipe ideas in mind and the ingredients in your kitchen, you’ll be able to cook up a homemade meal at any time. Let’s say you’re a fan of grilled cheese with tomato soup. Make sure to have those ingredients on hand so they’re there when you’re hungry for a healthy and balanced meal at home. Continue reading

Yogurt

For a long time, yogurt has been touted for its health benefits, ranging from gut health to possibly contributing to weight loss.1 Did you know yogurt is full of probiotics, calcium, protein and many other healthful nutrients? However, yogurt can be chock-full of sugar. Many single-serving yogurts contain as much sugar as a Snickers candy bar! But yogurt can be part of a healthy balanced diet. Knowing how to read the label can help you decide which ones to buy and which ones to leave out of your shopping basket. Continue reading

sticks of butter yummm

Every good story has a villain, and when it comes to food and fad diets there’s no exception. One of the top nutrition demons for over 40 years has been saturated fat –found in high amounts in many baked and fried goods, meat, and full-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter, and cheese. The rationale? Saturated fat is associated with increased LDL, or “bad” cholesterol that clogs arteries. We’ll come back to this.

The US Dietary Guidelines tells us to limit saturated fat due to studies linking saturated fat to heart disease, the number one killer worldwide. However, more and more research has since led experts to question this link. Continue reading

leftover pizza

Making sure food is safe is something people are increasingly concerned about. Eating “organic” and “natural” food is popular for those with concerns about safe food and eating, but is that enough?

Knowing how we can control food safety in our own homes should be a concern as well. How often do you think about how you store, prepare and cook your food? It may seem like common sense, but focusing on the basics of food safety can play a big role in your health. Here’s a simple overview of how to keep your food safe.

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thinking of food

Every holiday season do you find yourself pushing your diet and exercise routines aside until the New Year?  Here are some helpful tips that can keep you motivated and focused on a new routine throughout the holiday season and during the rest of the year.

What’s Stopping You?

Identifying the reasons of why you fail to stick to your diet or exercise routine may help you to stay focused.  People commonly say that these reasons include lack of time, boredom, lack of support, and stress. Being able to identify these barriers will help you to come up with practical solutions to avoid them. Continue reading

wide base and tall glass

Have you ever had one of those nights where you open a bottle of wine (or crack open a carton of chocolate milk) and a couple hours later it is gone. You couldn’t have had that much; you just poured one glass right? Or was it two? It must have been a smaller bottle or your friend helped you finish it quicker. It couldn’t have been the shape of your glassware… or could it?
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Table of processed foods surounding a question mark.

Hello, health-conscious readers! Here’s a question for you:

Which of the following are processed foods?

(a) a washed head of lettuce purchased from the grocery store
(b) dry pinto beans in the bulk bin
(c) Twinkies
(d) All of the above

The answer, of course, is… (d). Are you surprised? I have to admit I was. Fast food, frozen dinners and hot dogs are obvious enough, but fresh produce and shelled nuts…really? To better understand what is meant by ‘processed foods,’ let’s figure out how they’re defined. Continue reading