FitSugar

Healthy Cooking Tip: Slow Cooker and Steaming

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST

To me, falling temperatures at sunset mean cooked veggies for dinner. Raw carrots just don't cut it when it is sweater weather inside my house. But don't just boil your vegetables, because how you prepare your produce affects its nutritional quality. Two simple methods help preserve vital nutrients: steaming and slow cooking.

Steaming helps veggies retain nutrients better than other methods, especially when compared to boiling. The vitamins and minerals are leached out into the hot water when you throw your veggies into boiling water, but steaming preserves more of the nutrients. The slow cooker is not only convenient, but cooking foods at lower temperatures may help preserve nutrients that can be lost when food is cooked rapidly at high heat, like grilling. Plus it is great to load the slow cooker with a bunch of veggies and lean protein.

This reminds me, I need to find some new recipes for my slow cooker. Got any you want to share?

Source

The Healthiest Drinks For Your Diet

Leta Shy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:29:33 PST

When eating healthfully, a large focus may be on what not to drink: no sugary juices, sodas, or high-calorie cocktails. But many drinks can actually help you live a healthier lifestyle. We all know that drinking enough water is essential, but find out what other drinks should also be on your OK list below, and remember to enter our healthy living giveaway for a chance to win a $500 Under Armour gift card!

Coffee: The hot drink is the perfect accompaniment to a cold morning or a drowsy afternoon, but offering you a warm pick-me-up isn't its only advantage. Coffee has been proven to help improve memory, increase endurance, and ease muscle pain. The list doesn't stop there; read more about the health benefits of coffee here.

Watch for: The benefits of coffee don't always outweigh the risks, especially if you drink too much. Drinking too much java can cause you to become anxious or jittery, disrupt your sleep patterns, develop high blood pressure, or endure regular headaches. Stay attuned to caffeine's affect on your body and, in general, don't drink more than 300 milligrams a day (the average cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine).

Red wine: All those studies about the health benefits of red wine makes me feel that much better about relaxing with a glass of Cab after work. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been proven in studies to be beneficial to your health - everything from fighting cancer to antiaging, along with other disease-preventing benefits.

Watch for: The benefits of wine stop at one glass a day, so don't go overboard. You may be doing yourself more harm than good, especially since one glass of red wine usually runs around 127 calories. And while scientists have researched resveratrol in many lab studies, there have been few studies in humans - and let's not forget the recent news that a leading red wine researcher actually falsified data in dozens of studies on heart health and resveratrol.

Two more good-for-you drinks after the break!

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!

The Five Unhealthiest Habits of the Holidays

Leta Shy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:36:21 PST

It's easy to forget about your health during the holidays, since you've got so much more on your mind. But instead of putting it off until January when healthy resolutions make their way back up to the top of your priorities, take time this month to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle. How to do it? Make sure to avoid these five unhealthy habits.

Forgetting to sleep: Holiday schedules can mean something's got to give. If that means that your nightly sleeping session has dwindled substantially, it's time to reprioritize. Regular sleep helps keep your energy up, mind awake, and immune system functioning properly, so don't neglect your down time when days get busy. Follow these tips for getting a good night's rest.
Ignoring the danger of germs: Present deadlines loom, and that can mean more than a few days spent braving crowds - and the germs that come with them. In fact, places like doorknobs and escalator hand rails are just some of the potentially sickness-inducing surfaces. Makeup testers, fitting room clothes, and more can harbor nasty pathogens. Remember to wash your hands regularly, or carry hand sanitizer if you know you won't be able find a sink.

Read on for three more unhealthy holiday habits.

Scrumptious Recipes With Sneaky, Healthy Ingredients

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:09:25 PST

Especially during the holidays, party snacks, bite-size desserts, and other sugary sweets quickly find their way into your mouth and eventually end up hanging around in your trouble zones. Try to maintain a healthy balance this season by making some of your favorite, feel-good foods, but substitute a few ingredients for healthier, nutrient-rich alternatives. From spinach-filled brownies to chia seed oatmeal, the names might raise your eyebrows, but we promise your taste buds won't know the difference.

Sweat It Out For Healthy Hair

Zelana Montminy — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:26:36 PST

You might think that sweating it out can be harmful to your hair, but you should start thinking of your workout as part of your beauty routine. Most of us know that eating a well-balanced diet helps make for a healthy mane. But it hadn't occurred to me that hair could also reap beauty benefits from working out until celebrity stylist, educator, and fitness buff Natasha Sunshine introduced me to the idea. She's built her career on holistic hair care after witnessing the benefits first hand. Natasha shared five ways that getting your sweat on helps add shine to your hair.

Turn Up Intensity
Natasha reminded me that intense cardio is a great way to rid the body of toxins. This has a direct impact on your sebum, an oily, conditioning substance secreted by skin glands that helps prevent hair from drying out. Natasha says that the release of toxins "directly contributes to purer, healthier and an even more conditioning sebum."

Get Drenched
In addition to intense cardio and other sweat promoting workouts, Natasha advises clients to take a steam or sauna once a week as a "fantastic tool in releasing excess contaminants in the body to maintain a healthy sebum."

Learn more ways your hair benefits from your gym time, after the break.

6 Surprising Health Mistakes Even Smart Women Make

Prevention — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:05:18 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

When was the last time you got 8 hours of sleep or lifted weights at the gym? You're not alone if you can't remember: Even some of the most savvy women didn't get the memo about these health-wrecking habits. Find out if you're among them.
From the Editors of Prevention

You're supposed to watch saturated fat and eat lots of vegetables — that's why you usually pick up a salad for lunch and dinner (even when the kids get burgers). But you're not obsessed with the scale like some women you know. You brush your teeth twice a day, and you last flossed, oh, maybe two weeks ago. You exercise but avoid lifting so you don't bulk up. The tummy pains you got last week? Must have been gas — nothing serious. And hey, you'd like to get 8 hours of sleep, but the days are short, and it's hard to get everything done. Sound familiar? These so-called "good" habits may actually be derailing your health. Here, experts share the surprising things you're doing wrong — and how to recover.

1. You Always Order a Salad
Don't assume that bowl of lettuce is always the healthiest menu pick.

Truth is, a lot of take-out and restaurant salads are basically a burger in a bowl, says Brie Turner-McGrievy, RD, clinical research coordinator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in Washington, DC. That's because add-ons like fried chicken, croutons, and full-fat dressing pack major calories, fat, sodium, and other unhealthy nutrients. One example: McDonald's Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken and Newman's Own Ranch Dressing has 540 calories and 35 grams of fat; a Big Mac has 540 calories and 29 grams.

The fix: Don't scratch take-out salad off your menu; just use a few common sense rules before you order. Avoid high-fat add-ons such as sour cream, extra cheese, croutons, bacon bits, and creamy dressings like Caesar and ranch. Opt for salads that aren't just a fiber-free mound of iceberg lettuce dotted with a few carrot and red cabbage shavings. And plan ahead: Most fast-food chains supply nutritional info online so you can scout out the best options before you leave.

Avoid These Surprisingly Unhealthy Salads

2. You Rock Out While You Work Out
Do your ears ring after a long iPod-powered workout?

Check the volume on your iPod or MP3 player, advises Andrew Cheng, MD, an otolaryngologist at New York Medical College. The normal range of an MP3 player is 60 to 120 decibels; persistent exposures above 85 may cause hearing loss. If you're concerned, ask a friend to stand next to you while you listen: If she can hear your music, it's too loud.

Learn the fix and four more other common mistakes, when you read more.

Seasonal Fruits and Veggies High in Vitamin C

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:37:07 PDT

While studies are mixed as to whether or not vitamin C reduces the severity of a cold, it is an essential vitamin that keeps your immune system strong and healthy. Here are the top five vitamin C packed fruits and vegetables that are in season during November.

Guava (one medium fruit / 280 percent vitamin C daily value)
Broccoli (one cup / 168 percent vitamin C daily value)
Orange (one medium fruit / 128 percent vitamin C daily value)
Brussels Sprouts (one cup / 125 percent vitamin C daily value)
Kiwi (one medium fruit / 120 percent vitamin C daily value)

Remember that vitamin C is water-soluble, which means cooking reduces the vitamin content. Lightly steam or blanch your broccoli and brussels sprouts to maintain as many nutrients as possible. Other seasonal vegetables high in vitamin C include bok choy, butternut squash, and leafy greens like Swiss chard. What is your favorite way to load up on vitamin C?

Picture Source: Flickr User Esther Gibbons

Nutritional Source: Calorie Count

3 Reasons to Snack and How to Keep It Healthy

Leta Shy — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:56:31 PDT

Snacking is often seen as the opposite of healthy, but in fact, it can be a powerful tool in helping you stay on track. Whether you want to lose weight or just maintain, here are three reasons why you should snack, and how to do it healthfully.

Prevent overeating: Waiting until you're ravenous to eat is a recipe for disaster. Suddenly, everything starts looking good, and you don't want to wait to prep a healthier option. By eating a low-calorie snack that fills you up, it's easier to say no to overindulging, and not only that, snacking helps keep your metabolism revved up as well!
Ensure you're getting your nutrients: It can be hard to meet all your nutritional needs in just three meals a day. If you snack healthy with fresh foods, you'll be able to fill in any nutritional gaps you have from just eating meals. By making produce a priority when it's time to snack, you'll be well on your way to hitting that five-servings-a-day goal.
Keep your energy up: Snacking on the right combination of protein and complex carbs can beat an afternoon slump and help get you through the day. Snacking regulates your blood sugar to combat a drop in energy, which can be the difference between skipping an evening workout or powering through one before dinner. If you normally experience the afternoon slump, here are some healthy energy-boosting snack ideas.

Of course, the downside of snacking is that you risk eating way more calories than you need, often because you don't realize how many calories are really in that handful of chips. Need a snacking makeover? Read on for how to make snacking work for you.

Training Tips For Marathon Season

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:08:46 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Staying healthy and strong may not be quite that simple, but dietary supplement specialist Lori Bestervelt of NSF International has some simple tips for staying on top of your fitness game as marathon season approaches and the weather gets colder.

Stay consistent: If you’re planning on starting a new supplement, switching up your diet or even trying a new sports drink, be sure that you give your body time to adjust. "Trying something new on race day can literally be the kiss of death," according to Bestervelt. It's important to incorporate anything that you plan to do on race day into your regular training schedule well in advance so that you won’t be surprised by the way your body reacts to these changes.
Start popping a pill: Whether you’re training for the next big race or frequenting the gym for a spinning class, you need your vitamins! Bestervelt recommends getting a good daily multivitamin to maintain good health. Check your multi's label at fda.gov to make sure you're getting all the nutrients your body needs.

Keep reading for two more tips!