Nutritious choices made simple®
Have you noticed the proliferation of “gluten-free” stickers and labels on food products at your local supermarket lately? Whether you eat gluten-free or not, my guess is that you have noticed. Frankly, it would be hard to miss the huge impact that gluten-free foods have had on the supermarket shelves in the last year or so especially.
Spring is the perfect time for sprucing up your home, but have you thought about cleaning up your diet? By diet, I’m not referring to a weight-loss plan. Simply put, your diet is what you eat—the collection of foods that you consume each day. If you’re like most folks, there is room for improvement in your diet, and now is a great time for a fresh start!
Not necessarily. The U.S. Department of Agriculture makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. In fact, technically, organic certification has nothing to do with food safety. According to the USDA’s National Organic Program, organic products are “managed according to defined processes for planting, growing, raising and handling.” The term “organic” on the label also indicates that no synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation or genetic engineering was used in producing that food.
This is likely one of the most common fluid “prescriptions” on the planet. However, despite its historical use, there is little in the way of actual science to back up the recommendation that eight glasses of water is required for good health. In fact, according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), one needn’t keep track of water consumption at all. Rather, healthy people should “let their thirst be their guide,” meaning that what we need to do is listen to our bodies rather than count our cups.
For years, we’ve heard various health authorities recommend that we consume less salt in order to reduce our risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Though obtaining accurate data on sodium consumption is not easy, it’s been established that most Americans consume substantially more sodium than is recommended. But what does the science say about how salt impacts the health of your heart?
Have you ever noticed that dried beans often sit ignored on the supermarket shelf? I’m assuming it’s because people don’t want to take the time to cook them, or they simply don’t know how. Either way, it’s a shame, because dried beans are inexpensive, versatile and nutritious. Cooking dried beans should not cause you distress—and it won’t if you let your slow-cooker do all the work.
When evaluating whether you want to make a recipe, it’s usually easy to judge whether it’s appetizing—many recipes have pictures to tempt you. But if what you’re looking for is a healthful recipe, how do you judge whether a recipe is really healthy, or just masquerading as healthy? We’ve come up with a few questions you can use as guides as you read through a recipe—they’ll help you identify (and steer clear of) the posers.
Yes, it’s the holiday season and most likely you have more than the usual amount of sugar on hand in your pantry. That’s okay—it’s the holidays. If, however, you’re trying to limit your own sugar intake for health reasons (or if you’re going to be cooking for people who are), I’m here to show you that it’s possible to swap fruit for some sugar in your recipes no matter the season (or the reason). The trick is to know where to logically switch sugar for fruit, and in what amounts.