FitSugar

Smarter Eats: Don't Be a Slave to the Label

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:27 -0700

Michael Pollan's food rules and the news that we're not eating enough fruits and veggies has me inspired. I'm resolving to always make conscious food choices that will improve my diet.

One tip I learned from Chow is to eat things that don't have a label. I know that all packaged food isn't bad, but a lot of it is processed, or synthetic versions of whole foods. Even a lot of packaged "healthy" has been altered in some way. If I can, I try and make the real deal at home or buy my food from the farmers market, bakery, or my local butcher. By skipping the label I'm getting more whole, healthy, natural food and less processed, chemically altered, unpronounceable stuff. I also cut back on a ton of packaging!

The next time you're out shopping see if you can cut back on labels, too - you'll find that you have a better idea of exactly what you're putting into your body.

$15 Meal Ideas From Whole Foods, Seriously!

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Whole Foods can be your friend and foe. Its selection of organic and natural foods is hard to beat, but its prices are often high. That is why I was excited when I stumbled across a cool feature on the site: Meals For 4 Under $15.

Under the category, there is a long list of great recipes that should cost you $15 to make in total. Not all recipes are the healthiest, though some are, but at least you know all the ingredients are fresh and organic - and not to mention economical. I'm eying this recipe for Curried Chicken Kabobs With Coconut Rice. Yum!

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Yet Another Recall? Beef From Whole Foods

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Sorry to spread the bad news, but we have yet another recall to deal with. Whole Foods voluntarily recalled more than 1.2 million pounds of ground beef that has come from Coleman Natural Beef's Nebraska Beef processing plant. It pains me to say it but E. coli strikes again. Over 31 illnesses in 12 US states and Canada have been linked to this contaminated meat, but officials have yet to name the states (not sure what's up with that). Apparently this recall comes after the same company recalled 5.3 million pounds of meat a month ago, that was linked to at least 49 cases of E. coli. Geez.

The beef in the 24 Whole Foods locations in Northern California are not involved, since their meat comes from Country Natural Beef in Oregon, a supplier not listed in the beef recall. Another chain, Fred Meyers, is also pulling meat from their shelves. The ground beef in question was sold between July 2 and Aug. 6. If you're concerned about the beef at your local Whole Foods or natural grocery store, it's best to contact the store directly.

The USDA is still investigating, so I'm sure more info will be coming. It's just so upsetting that these recalls continue to plague our food system. Does this latest recall inspire you to start eating veggie burgers?

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Win $100 Whole Foods Gift Card!

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:45:00 -0800

This giveaway is over and the winners will be announced shortly. Thank you to all who participated.

I'm definitely getting an organic turkey for Thanksgiving. If you're going organic for Thanksgiving too, I want to help you with the tab. Just in time to shop for your T-day meal, I am giving away five Whole Foods gift cards worth $100 each! Unfortunately, the cards are only redeemable in the US and Canada, but you can check out the Whole Foods Market online store locator to find a store near you.

To enter to win one of the five Whole Foods gift cards, all you have to do is log in and take the quiz below. (By the way, your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just simply by taking the quiz once you are logged in.) You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to take the quiz. So if you're not already a member, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Also, this part is important: YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO TEAMSUGAR FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT.

Interested in more details? Click here for the official rules.

The contest will end on Friday, Nov. 16, at 12:00 p.m. PST, and then I'll randomly select five winners from among the quiz-takers. Make sure to log in and take the quiz before then, and don't forget to e-mail this to all your friends and family so they can have a chance at it too!

Take the quiz

Fittingly Mad: Why Is It So Expensive to Be So Healthy?

FitSugar — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Ever since I read about the recent talks on adding a fat tax to unhealthy foods in London, I can't get my mind off the fact that I already feel like there is a health tax on healthy foods (or anything health related really).

If I were to go to the grocery store and buy processed, prepackaged unhealthy foods, my bill would be significantly lower than if I were to buy fresh, organic healthy foods. This nation is apparently in such a health crisis with obesity and disease skyrocketing, you'd think that there would be some effort to make it less expensive to be healthy.

From my gym membership, to my pomegranate juice, to my probiotics, to my fresh (and wild) Alaskan salmon, my checking account definitely pays for it (no pun intended). For example, I recently converted my husband from Wheat Thins to Kashi Thins, which are about 2 dollars more a box at my local store. I always cringe when people call Whole Foods, whole paycheck, but it's true. What's more? It's nearly impossible to get coupons for healthy foods too! I never see them in the paper and I almost feel like it is frowned upon to try and use coupons at a health food store.

I understand there is way more that goes behind it than the price tags I am seeing, but something needs to be done. Being healthy should not be so taxing on our finances, it really shouldn't. Am I alone here?

Cooling Foods to Beat the Heat

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Summer is officially here!!!! Today marks the longest day of the year - summer solstice. Summer also means there is an abundance of fruits and veggies that are in season and super tasty right now. So to encourage you to eat some fruits and veggies, here's a list of foods to cool you down:

cucumbers
celery
broccoli
lettuces
radishes
melons
mint tea (try it iced - it's delish)
grilled fish

Smoothies and cool soups like gazpacho are also great to eat to beat the heat.

What healthy foods do you find cooling as the temperature climbs (notice I said healthy). Let me know in the comments below.

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Macrobiotics: Is it Right for You?

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:00:00 -0800

A Macrobiotic diet stresses the idea of food for sustenance (ya know, eat to live - not live to eat).

It's based on the Zen belief of Yin and Yang. Yin is said to be cold, sweet, and passive. Yang, on the other hand is hot, salty, and aggressive. This diet works to keep these two opposing forces in balance to achieve good health. I didn't even know these forces existed in food, let alone needed controlling.

Here's what's on the Macrobiotic Menu:

Whole grains like rice, barley, and buckwheat
Seasonal and sea vegetables
Nuts, legumes, and fresh fish (for protein)
Sweeteners like brown rice syrup, sea salt, and tamari for flavor
Broths and purified water (only when you're thirsty)

Sorry, these are not on the Menu:

Processed foods, dairy products, eggs, refined sugars, chocolate, coffee, tropical fruits, hot spices, toxic foods such as nightshades (peppers, potatoes and tomatoes), alcohol, and red meat.

So basically we are talking about a very strict whole foods, non-dairy, almost vegetarian diet, with a little bit of fish thrown in there. Healthy? Yes, but it doesn't sound like too much fun. What's life without dessert?

And the Winners Are...

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:42:25 -0800

It looks like we all like shopping at Whole Foods! I wish I could give you all gift cards, but alas, I only have five to give away. I would like to thank all who participated in this contest and took the quiz. Don't give up hope; there is aways next time!

So please help me in congratulating the winners of the $100 gift cards for Whole Foods Market.

And the winners are...

Happy shopping and happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Food Review: Kashi Moroccan Curry Whole Grain Pilaf

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

One of my go-to brands is certainly Kashi. I am a fan of almost everything they make and I appreciate their use of whole grains. Kashi breakfast cereals and granola bars are a staple in my house, but they've expanded beyond breakfast and snacks and now make frozen entrées and pizza. Now they're making side dishes like their 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. It's a little packet of food that you just pour into a bowl, microwave for a minute or so, and you have an instant side dish. To find out how it tastes read more.

This Moroccan Curry had a sweet and savory aroma once it popped out of the microwave, but I have to say, it didn't have a very strong flavor. It was a bit spicy, but I was expecting the currants to add more of a sweetness or the curry to add more punch and pizzazz. I do love that it has so much fiber and protein per serving, but I wish it tasted as good as it smelled. This whole grain pilaf does come in other flavors, and since I liked the chewy texture of these cooked grains so much, I'd definitely give them a try.

Serving Size	1 cup (2 servings per container)
Calories	220
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	2.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	400mg
Carbs	42g
Fiber	7g
Sugar	3g
Protein	8g

Whole Foods Companion

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:35:00 -0800

If you or someone you know is a health nut, you've got to check out Whole Foods Companion, by Dianne Onstad. It's the ultimate resource guide for everything you eat.

You can look up any fruit, vegetable, legume, grain, seed, nut, herb, spice or oil and find out tons of information.

Each ingredient is listed, including nutritional value (like on the labels you see on all foods), general information, buying tips, culinary uses, and health benefits. You can also find out the history of each ingredient, where they came from, how they were named, and the traditions they are associated with.

When I looked up almonds, I found out that they are actually a fruit. You can soak, crush and strain almonds to make almond milk. This book is full of interesting tidbits like this.

It's a perfect companion to cookbooks and is a detailed and valuable guide to natural foods. You'll learn so much about foods you've been eating your whole life. Plus, you'll discover new foods you've never even heard of.

Fit's Tips: Here's a great gift idea - Give a copy of Whole Foods Companion and your favorite cookbook to the chef in your life.