Healthy happy you.
Do you shake your salt shaker like a Polaroid picture? If so, it may be time to part ways with your salt shaker. Based on the government's newest guidelines, Americans are consuming more sodium than we should. If you thought a few dashes on your food at every meal was alright, you may be grossly underestimating the additional sodium that is already in your prepared food. Reports say: Under the Read more
Do you need help stepping away from the salt? Tasty as it may be, sodium is linked to high blood pressure, kidney disease, and even stomach cancer. Here are some tips to get you reduce your sodium intake: Use as many homemade ingredients as possible when cooking. Canned foods tend to have higher sodium levels. If you do use canned beans, be sure to rinse them well. Add herbs, spices, and lemon Read more
The new dietary guidelines proposed by the Department of Agriculture seem a lot like Michael Pollan's mantra: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." The proposed guidelines — which are updated every five years — seem to take aim at America's obesity crisis. Current figures indicate that one-third of all Americans are obese, with even more individuals being considered overweight. The Read more
Most of you eat fruit more than once a day, so I suspect you're not having much trouble scaling the food pyramid. According to the current dietary guidelines, women under age 50 should eat two and a half cups of vegetables and at least one and a half cups of fruit every day. An apple counts as a cup of fruit, as does a banana. What would you guess you're eating in terms of daily fruits and Read more
The old food pyramid you remember from grade school got an upgrade in 2005, but the basic sentiment remains the same. The government guidelines advise eaters to choose a variety of foods from the different food groups in order to eat a balanced diet. How much do you know about the food pyramid? Take my quiz and see how you measure up. Take the Quiz Read more
On Thursday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a big unveiling. It's swapping out the 4-year-old Food Pyramid (shown here) with a new icon that is said to offer simple, easy-to-understand cues to prompt healthy choices. The new logo will be a circular plate that consists of four colored sections for fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. It will also include a smaller plate for dairy, Read more
We waited with bated breath, and now that the USDA has unveiled its new food icon, what do you think? Replacing the 20-year-old pyramid, the plate is said to simplify all of the mixed information out there by breaking down nutrition requirements as a framework. The basic message is this: "make sure what is on your plate is balanced and healthy." Balanced meals should consist of servings of Read more
You may think your diet is right on track, but do you know how much fat, sugar, and salt you should be eating on an everyday basis? In honor of National Nutrition Month, we're taking a look at the dietary guidelines for some of the sneakiest health spoilers. Learn the recommended daily intake for fat, sugar, and salt based on a 2,000 calories-per-day diet and try to adjust your habits Read more
Fat makes food taste good, but as we know, too much of this good thing is decidedly bad. A new study has even found that some people may be wired genetically to crave a higher amount of fatty foods than those who lack the fat-craving gene variation. Whether or not you're wired to crave fat, being more conscious of how much you are consuming can help you reduce those cravings. Take control of Read more
Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated Read more
