FitSugar

Keep Cool This Summer: 9 No-Bake Desserts

Michele Foley — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:11:56 PDT

The last thing I want to do on a hot Summer day is bake - cranking on the oven when it's already hot out sounds so unappealing. That's where no-bake desserts come in; they easily satisfy a sweet tooth, no oven required. And, because there's no baking involved, they usually take minutes to make and omit the need for overly processed ingredients. Whether you follow a raw, vegan, or gluten-free diet, one of these desserts will surely satisfy. And many of these treats are healthy to boot!

Living and Raw Foods Diet

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 03:30:00 PDT

I've been hearing a lot about people on a Raw Foods Diet. It's also called a Living Foods Diet, and many celebrities such as Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Bryan Adams, Alicia Silverstone and Robin Williams have reportedly been seen at raw food restaurants and have tried it. Designer Donna Karan and actor Jeremy Piven shed pounds eating raw foods. It was even featured on Oprah.

People following this diet (or you could also say "lifestyle", since there are a lot of folks that eat RAW not to lose weight but for the philosophy) eat only uncooked, unheated, unprocessed, and organic plant based foods. Well...food that has not been heated above a certain temperature. It varies within the different raw food philosophies, but the end range temperature is in between 92ºF to 118ºF (33°C to 48°C). Meals consist mainly of organic and raw fruits, vegetables, sprouted seeds and grains, sea vegetables, nuts, and seeds since they believe cooking destroys precious vitamins and minerals. For instance to eat grains, instead of cooking them, they are soaked. Raw foodies believe their uncooked foods contain essential enzymes, which the body needs to digest foods completely.

They drink only purified water (never tap water), freshly made juices (made with a juicer), and coconut milk. They avoid meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, coffee (because you make it with boiling water), and all junk food. They only eat foods that are good for you, you know, the ones that are full of vitamins and nutrients.

Why eat just raw and living foods? It is said that you'll have more energy, think more clearly, have improved overall health, and lose excess body weight. Many people have also found relief from migraines, acne, asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, heartburn, anxiety, and Type 2 diabetes.

Fit's Tips: If you want to learn more about it, check out Alissa Cohen's website all about The Raw Food Diet. She even includes recipes for burgers, pizza, cannolis, and chocolate cake - all made with raw foods and no animal products.

Want to see a video showing how to make a pasta dish with raw foods? Then

What's the Deal With the Raw Food Diet

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:00:00 PDT

If I were ever to dabble in eating a raw food diet, I would choose to do so in Summer. There is an abundance of produce in season that is especially uncooked – peaches versus butternut squash. But eating "raw" is about more than just eating salads; it is a complex diet.

The raw food movement stands exactly opposite of processed foods. We know that minimally prepared food is more nutritious, but with the raw diet nothing should be heated over 116 degrees F – the temperature at which important food enzymes are destroyed. Raw foodies argue that these enzymes are not killed by the acidic environment of the stomach, merely deactivated then re-activated once they enter the more alkaline environment of the intestines. Once in the intestines, raw foodists believe these enzymes allow you to fully reap the nutritional benefit from your foods – getting more nutrients from less (processed) food. There are certain movements within the raw food movement that believe you only need to eat raw at least 80 percent of the time to benefit from the diet.

To read about the possible nutritional deficiencies of eating raw and the rules of raw, just

read more. This modification of the rules is important since there are some nutrients your body processes better when cooked. The antioxidant lycopene increases when tomatoes are cooked. The raw food diet is low in B12, found in meat and eggs, as well as zinc. Many people adhering to a strict raw food diet don't get enough calcium or vitamin D and put themselves at risk for osteoporosis. For me the downside of eating raw would be the amount of time it takes to prepare a meal. There is a lot of soaking involved to create foods soft enough to eat without cooking them. To make whole grains, like oatmeal, you need to soak the grain in boiled water for two to three hours, so you definitely need to think ahead. Here's a thumbnail sketch of what to avoid and what to eat when going raw:

No animal products – no meat, no eggs, no dairy products. Instead switch to nut and seed milks.
No refined sugar or flour. Avoid white rice. Instead you can make your own snack foods with a dehydrator.
Only cook, the 20 percent of the time that you might be cooking, with cold-pressed unheated oils.
Do eat tons of greens and juice them too. Spirulina and wheat grass are great diet additions too. As well as sprouted greens.
Eat fresh plant foods and avoid processed foods like: frozen, boxed, canned and bottled.
Eat 80 percent or more raw foods.

If you eat raw tell us all about it in the comment sections below. Source

Weight Loss Rules You're Allowed to Break

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:58:49 PST

If you love to eat, losing weight can seem so structured, you immediately get frustrated and grab the first decadent food you can find. Even though there are some very specific guidelines that can help you reach your goal faster, there's no one-size-fits-all weight-loss plan for everyone. Here are five rules you can bend and still drop pounds from the scale.

No Cheesecake, Wine, or French Fries
While dessert, alcohol, and fried foods tend to be high in calories, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you have to live without the foods you adore. Actually, denying yourself the bites you crave can backfire, causing you to feel deprived, resulting in bingeing. You can't eat these foods all the time, but it's perfectly healthy to enjoy a few spoonfuls of ice cream or a small glass of chardonnay every once in a while. Just limit your portion sizes and only indulge about once a week.

Salad, Every Day
Salads aren't for everyone, and the dissatisfied feeling you get afterward could cause you to head to the nearest pizza joint. Plus salad toppings can really add up. When a bowl of greens is covered in candied walnuts, cheese, dried cranberries, avocado, and creamy dressing, a seemingly healthy salad can run higher in calories than a burger. If you're not into a bowl of raw veggies, choose other low-calorie meals that incorporate veggies such as sandwiches, broth-based soups, grilled veggies, and whole-grain salads. You have to enjoy the foods you're eating in order to stick with a healthy meal plan.

Keep reading to find out three more diet rules you can break and still lose weight.

The Vampire Diaries "Bringing Out the Dead": The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody

Marisa Tom — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:46:39 PST

After a week's worth of TVD reprieve, it's about time we got some answers - specifically, ones that have everything to do with our favorite Original vamp Elijah and then some. From the tragic twisted fate of Bill Forbes to the shocking discovery Elena makes at home, we're still trying to wrap our heads around everything that goes down. Meanwhile, Bonnie and her estranged mother Abby are tasked with opening the mysteriously sealed fifth coffin, and Damon and Stefan head to Klaus's sweet new pad for the ultimate dinner party showdown.

Like all things based in Mystic Falls, nothing is as it seems and nothing ever goes according to plan. Ready to review the good, the bad, and the bloody? Just keep reading.

The Secrets of the World's Healthiest Women

Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:45:10 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

From pouring on the olive oil like the Greeks to slashing stress like the Scandinavians, what we
can learn from the happiest, slimmest, longest-living cultures around the globe.

The secret to a long, healthy life in America? According to longevity researchers, it may be to act like you live somewhere else.

It seems like every year another country's lifestyle is touted as the new magic bullet to cure us of obesity, heart disease, and premature death: for an unclogged heart, herd goats and down olive oil like a Mediterranean. Avoid breast cancer and live to 100 by dining on tofu, Japanese-style. Stay as happy as Norwegians by hunting elk and foraging for cowberries.

Health.com: Weight-Loss Secrets From Around the World

The places we're usually told to emulate are known as Blue Zones or Cold Spots. Blue Zones were pinpointed by explorer Dan Buettner and a team of longevity researchers and are described in his book The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. They're areas in Italy, Japan, Greece, California, and Costa Rica where the people have traditionally stayed healthy and active to age 100 or older.

Keep on reading for more great tips from around the globe.

A Reader Recipe: Baked Gluten-Free Vegan Doughnuts

Fit Community — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 04:12:00 PST

Doughnuts do not have to be an off-limits food. Get your fill with this healthier recipe from FitSugar reader pure2raw. She posted her gluten-free, vegan doughnut recipe in the Healthy Recipe community group.

Looking for a healthy breakfast? Make these easy homemade doughnuts! Perfect for those who have a minidoughnut maker, but the recipe can be made as minimuffins, too - enjoy!

Do you need this recipe as badly as we do? Find it on her blog Pure2Raw, then upload your delicious recipes into our Healthy Recipe community group.

How to Prepare Onions the Scott Conant Way

Susannah Chen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:44:11 PST

When I met Scott Conant of Food Network's Chopped and 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, the first question out of my mouth had to be about the onions. The chef and restaurateur's notorious criticism of raw, red onions is so well-documented that even Facebook runs rampant with pages like, "Shut up, Scott Conant, we don't care if you have an aversion to raw onions!" But Conant wants to set the record straight: he's not raising any stink over red onions.

"I don't hate red onions . . . I have a lot of them on my menu," he explained. "There are big things that get edited out of these [TV] shows. When I explain my thought process on red onions, all too often, what happens is, is that it's not interesting - what's interesting is the reaction."

You heard it from Scott Conant himself: he doesn't dislike onions. A few ways chef Scott likes to prepare onions, when you read more.

Behind the Scenes at the 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:44:53 PST

We had a blast at the 2012 Winter Fancy Food show that took place this past Sunday through Tuesday. We spotted so many exciting new trends and taste-tested a lot of new things. Some were really great, some (like a raw cacao bean) were really not. But either way, we appreciate any chance to be surrounded by food and people who love food. Check out some of our behind-the-scenes snaps!

The Top Fat-Burning Foods

Health — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:10:08 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Paige Greenfield

It's true: certain foods have a very high thermogenic effect, so you literally scorch calories as you chew. Other eats contain nutrients and compounds that stoke your metabolic fire. Feed your metabolism with these.

Whole Grains
Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole foods (especially those rich in fiber such as oatmeal and brown rice) than processed foods.

Health.com: Best Superfoods For Weight Loss

Lean Meats
Protein has a high thermogenic effect: you burn about 30 percent of the calories the food contains during digestion (so a 300-calorie chicken breast requires about 90 calories to break it down).

Low-Fat Dairy Products
Rich in calcium and vitamin D, these help preserve and build muscle mass - essential for maintaining a robust metabolism.

Health.com: Ditch Five Pounds Without Trying

Green Tea
Drinking four cups of green tea a day helped people shed more than six pounds in eight weeks, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports. Credit EGCG, a compound in the brew that temporarily speeds metabolism after sipping it. To up your intake, keep a jug of iced tea in the fridge.

Keep reading to see other foods that burn fat!