FitSugar

4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Eating

Jenny Sugar — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:44:03 PST

Between meetings, appointments, work deadlines, errands, family obligations, and trips to the gym, our lives can be so busy that we fill our bellies with the quickest, easiest bites we can get our hands on. Whether your goal is to drop unwanted pounds or eat healthier, it's in your best interest to pause before you take your first bite and ask yourself these four important questions.

Am I hungry? Seems like a silly question, because you're eating, so you must be hungry, right? Many times we reach for food out of boredom, convenience (the bag of chips was open), depression (chocolate to drown your breakup sorrows), happiness (to celebrate a promotion), or desire (who could pass up the amazing brownies your co-worker brought in?). But if we recently ate, then we're not even hungry. Make sure you're due for a snack or meal before sitting down to eat one.

Is this food filling holes in my diet? We eat to live and that means the food we gobble down should offer our bodies the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. Aside from being healthy, our daily diet should also be balanced. If you ate a high-protein breakfast of eggs and Greek yogurt topped with nuts, then for a morning snack, you probably want to eat something that offers your body something besides protein, such as fiber, potassium, or vitamin A. Think of each snack and meal as a piece of your daily diet puzzle; an opportunity to take in what your body is lacking.

Keep reading to find out the other two questions you should ask yourself before eating.

Food For Thought: What Do You Know About Brain Food For Tots?

LilSugar — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:37:37 PDT

Are brain-boosting foods on the menu? Eighty percent of a tot's brain is formed by the time they're 3 years old, and eating well is an important part of that development. While diet alone isn't going to turn a lil one into a nuclear physicist or child prodigy, there are certain nutrients that encourage healthy brain development.

How much do you know about these brain-boosting superfoods? Take the following quiz to find out.

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5 Foods That Banish Belly Fat

Heather Dale — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:13:35 PDT

There are exercises that target your abs to help you get the rock-hard stomach you've always dreamed of. But if you really want to double-team belly bulge, you'll need to eliminate sugar and processed carbs while also incorporating fat-burning foods into your diet. Keep reading to see which foods can help trim inches from your waistline!

Source: Thinkstock

Keep Your Fridge and Pantry Stocked With These 5 New Superfoods

Shape — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:22:02 PDT

It's amazing how many foods are out there that help with everything from weight loss to reducing your appetite to improving your sex life. As more studies are done, researchers these days are finding even more amazing superfoods. Read on for the top five new superfoods that should be in your fridge or pantry at all times!

5 New Superfoods to Stock in Your Fridge and Pantry

1. Seaweed. A new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that seaweed is a rich vegan source of heart-healthy food "bioactive peptides," that are usually only found in milk products. Stock up at your local Asian market!

2. Kamut. High in iron, fiber and protein, this whole grain comes in everything from flours to pastas. The grain is touted for its concentration of selenium, zinc, and magnesium.

3. Coconut oil. Once villainized for its high fat content, coconut oil is now one of the hottest health foods. High in lauric acid, coconut oil is now said to be a superfood that boosts metabolism, burns fat and helps keep your immune system strong.

4. Incaberries. Also known as physalis or cape gooseberry, incaberries are prized for their high levels of phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B12, protein and bioflavoniods. A true superfruit and superfood!

5. Hemp oil. Made from hemp seeds, hemp oil is tasty (and legal!) in salad dressings, mayonnaise and dips. Highly digestible and a vegetarian source of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), this superfood is also high in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, carotene, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

More from Shape.com:

Antioxidant Royalty: Which Foods Are the Richest?

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:00:34 PDT

Want to look and feel younger? Time to bulk up on your antioxidants! Foods rich in the anti-aging molecule are often tasty, recipe-friendly, and readily available at most grocery stores. The question is, do you know which ones they are?

Come take my quiz to see if you are knowledgeable in the world of the super food!

Take the Quiz

5 Foods Packed With Potassium

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:00:10 PDT

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then a banana a day may keep the leg cramps away. When people hear the word potassium, they often think immediately of bananas. While the yellow fruit may be a decent source of the essential nutrient, it doesn't pack the most punch. Why, you may ask, do we need a good dose of potassium? In addition to the mineral potentially helping to reduce hypertension, it can also help with bone growth and muscle cramping. So all you long distance runners or those with fragile bones should check out these five foods that are chock full of the good stuff.

Speak Up: What Healthy Foods Kill Your Self-Control?

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:00:33 PDT

Not-so-healthy foods definitely call to me. Sometimes I can't help overindulge when it comes to my Gramma's homemade carrot cake, vanilla ice cream, or potato chips. I'm sure you can relate, but do you have the same tendencies when it comes to certain delicious healthy foods?

FitSugar reader Chelsea25 admitted she has no self-control when it comes to almond butter and is wondering what healthy foods have this power over you. Are there specific healthy foods you can't have in your house because you'll end up devouring them?

10 Healthy Ways to Jazz Up Your Yogurt

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:47:11 PDT

I'm all about the Greek yogurt these days, but it can get monotonous if your morning yogurt routine doesn't budge from the usual accoutrements. I've got some Summer-friendly ways to top off, blend up, or freeze your creamy goodness, transforming it into a whole new healthy treat!

Source: Thinkstock

5 Foods That Fight Fat

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:30:08 PDT

It's pretty easy to name a list of fatty foods - french fries, donuts, and cakes are a few that come to my mind. But what about fat-fighting foods?

Besides being good for you already, there's a growing list of foods that actually help burn fat. Check out our list of what to stock up on if you want to slim down.

Source: Flickr User thebittenword.com

Salty Series: "Healthy" Foods

FitSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:00:00 PDT

As we all know, premade foods can contain huge amounts of hidden sodium, but weren't you surprised by the disgustingly high amounts in the entrées and smaller dishes I told you about? Well here is a list of foods, published in Men's Health, that should also be ashamed of itself. These foods are posing as healthy, but they have insane amounts of salt. Just a reminder that the upper limit of daily sodium is 2,300 mg a day, which is equal to about one teaspoon. If you're concerned about high blood pressure, you may want to skip these "healthy" foods the next time you go out.

Saltiest Dessert: Atlanta Bread Company Raspberry Scone - 1,500 mg. Who new dessert could be so salty? That's as much sodium as 12 strips of bacon.
Saltiest Soup: Baja Fresh Chicken Tortilla Soup - 2,760 mg. That's more than a day's worth in just one serving.
Saltiest "Health" Food: Chili's Guiltless Grill Chicken Platter - 2,780 mg. Be a smart consumer. When food is advertised as lowfat or low in calories, what they've taken away they make up for with added sugar and salt. What's funny (or disgusting) is that Chili's Chicken Fried Steak has less sodium: 2,750 mg.
Saltiest Chinese Food Entrée: P.F. Chang's Beef with Broccoli - 3,752 mg. Sounds healthy, right? Well the special brown sauce is made mostly with soy sauce.
Saltiest Seafood Entrée: Romano's Macaroni Grill Grilled Teriyaki Salmon – 6,590 mg. Fish seems like a healthy option, but the sauce is what'll get you. Order plain grilled fish instead.
Saltiest Salad: Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Florentine - 5,460 mg. Those poor veggies are encrusted in salty toppings (olives, capers, Parmesan, and salad dressing). Plus the portion size is humongous.

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