Eat Organic!

The differences between organic and non-organic produce can be kind of complicated and hard to understand. In short, organic foods are grown and produced using methods that do not involve synthetic (human-made) chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides. According to the article "Organic Foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?" from the MayoClinic Website, conventional methods use these to promote plant growth, reduce pests and diseases, and manage weeds. These synthetic chemicals can be harmful to both human health and the environment. Organic methods of food production, on the other hand, use natural fertilizers (like manure or compost) for plant growth, birds and insects for pest and disease reduction, and methods such as crop-rotation and tilling to manage weeds. Read the full article for a more detailed explanation.

In addition, the article "Organic Foods: Understanding Organic Food Labels, Benefits, and Claims" provides a great explanation of the harmful effects of pesticides and the many benefits of organic produce. It also explains how to read organic food labels, why organic produce is more expensive, how to stay within your budget while shopping, and how to choose the "right" organic foods. 

I wish that all the food I purchase could be organic. Unfortunately I don't have the budget for that. However, I try to find the money to buy at least some organic produce on each of my shopping trips. For example, I always buy my lettuce/spinach organic. My favorite brand of organic food is Kashi. I constantly have a supply of their snack bars and cereal in my room. My family loves it as too, so it's nice to be able to go home enjoy it there as well. Check out Kashi's website to find out more about the company and the different products they offer.  

A friend and I took a trip to the "Topeka Natural Food Co-op" earlier this afternoon. They sell a wide variety of local, organic, and natural food and Earth-friendly products. I've never been in a store that is strictly natural and organic. I usually just shop in the organic section at Wal-Mart or Dillon's, so it was really fun and interesting to see! They have some foods there that I didn't even know could be made organic. I decided to splurge a little and purchase some natural wild-salmon burgers. I had one tonight, and it was delicious! I'd definitely recommend making a visit if you get a chance. Check out their Facebook page for more information!

This slideshow includes some pictures that I took at the Topeka Natural Food Co-op and pictures of Kashi products and other organic produce I currently have.

                                            

How To Eat Healthy When Dining Out

If you're anything like me, staying healthy when going out to eat at a restaurant can be a bit of a challenge!  It can be very hard to know the nutritional value of the food items you are ordering when all you can see is a description and a picture on a menu. In addition, it is very easy to overeat at at restaurants because many of the portion sizes that are served are two or three times larger than recommend serving sizes! I want to quickly share a few things I do that tend to help me out a lot when eating out.

•  Plan ahead and find the restaurant's nutritional facts online before you go out.



Photo Courtesy Of: 
http://www.ericwedum.com/interactive/ 

 Many times brochures with nutritional facts are available for you to look at inside the restaurant, but who wants to be the one to take 20 minutes to count calories before they're ready to order? If you're concerned about the nutritional value of the food you eat while dining out, my advice would be to check out the nutritional facts online and plan what you want to eat ahead of time. Most websites should have this available, it's easy to do, and it can actually be fun! I get a feeling of accomplishment when I can plan a meal that is within my target calorie range. Red Robin is one of my favorite restaurants, and they have a "Nutritional Customizer" (pictured above) on their website that allows you to customize an order in anyway you want and it will calculate all of the nutritional facts for you. Check it out! Red Robin - Nutritional Customizer. Of course, eating out can sometimes be spontaneous. You won't always have the time to plan your meals out beforehand. When that happens, I do have other suggestions!

• Check if the menu has a "Lighter Options" section.
This is becoming increasingly popular in restaurant menu's. At almost every restaurant I go to, there's a section on the menu called "On the Lighter Side," "Weight Watchers" or something similar. For example, Arby's recently launched their new "Eat This Not That" menu selection, and Applebee's has their famous "Under 550 Calories" section (pictured below). Selecting your meal from the "lighter" section of the menu will help ensure that you can accomplish your goal of staying healthy while eating out.  These can also easily be found online. Here are a few more examples from popular restaurants. 
• Chili's - "Lighter Choices"
• Taco Bell - "Drive-Thru Diet"
• McDonald's - "Favorites Under 400 Calories"
• Red Lobster - "LightHouse Menu"

Photo Courtesy Of:
http://www.eatdrinkdeals.com

• Don't be afraid to ask for adjustments to be made to your meal!
It is perfectly okay to ask for your salad to be made with the dressing on the side, for your sandwich to have whole wheat bread instead of white, to have broccoli instead of fries, or for your chicken to be grilled instead of fried. Don't be embarrassed to ask for those things. Have it made the way you want! Take charge! 

• Know when you are full. 
Don't finish your food just because it's there on your plate. If you're full, stop eating! This is much easier said then done. I know I have a tendency to eat food when it's in front of me, but knowing when you need to stop eating is a habit that is important to develop.

Those are just a few of the tips I have for being healthier when eating out! I could add more, but this post is already pretty long. :) If you're interested in learning more I recommend checking out these articles. Some of the tips are similar to mine, but there are many additional ones as well!

• "Healthy Fast Food"
• "10 Ways to Eat Healthy When Eating Out" - This gives tips on how to eat healthy based on the type of food you will be eating like Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, etc. 
• "How To Eat Healthy When Eating Out"

Go Ahead, Indulge in Peanut Butter!

Photo Courtesy Of: 
http://thesweettreat.wordpress.com/ 

I am addicted to peanut butter. My room is stocked with several jars and I usually can’t go more than two days without eating some. Lucky for me, peanut butter is packed with nutrients and is actually very healthy for you.  However, some kinds are healthier than others and it is important to know what to look for. In this post, I want to share with you the many benefits of peanut butter, how to shop for it, and a few of my favorite peanut butter recipes. :)

                                              

According to an article published on the Harvard Health website, studies have shown that those who eat peanut butter or nuts on a frequent basis have a smaller chance of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who don’t.  Peanut butter is also full of protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients! For more information read the entire article,

 "Is Peanut Butter Healthy?"

Many people tend to think that peanut butter is unhealthy for you. Some of the main reasons for this include…

     1. It contains saturated fats.                                                                                                           

• This is true. However, that does not automatically make it unhealthy for you. It is important to look at the ratio of saturated fats to unsaturated fats. Peanut butter contains a much larger amount of healthy unsaturated fats. If you’re interested in learning more about the difference between these two kinds of fats, read the article "Understanding Fats."                                                                       

2. It contains sodium.

• It does have sodium, but it also provides us with a greater amount of potassium, which actually counters the harmful effects of sodium. The Harvard Health article provides more information on this.

3. It contains hydrogenated oils.

• ONLY SOME peanut butter does! Hydrogenated oils contain trans fatty acids that contribute to heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. It is very possible to find and purchase peanut butter that contains absolutely zero hydrogenated oils.

When shopping for peanut butter, if you’re looking for the healthiest option, it is best to go natural. Natural peanut butter contains no hydrogenated oils, trans-fat, or added sugars. It also has less unhealthy saturated fats.

My favorite kind is “Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter.” I ALWAYS have a jar of it around. There are many other brands to choose from if you don’t enjoy Smucker’s.

I would like to share three of my favorite “peanut butter” recipes.  First, I want to point out that although peanut butter is healthy, it is a high-calorie food. It contains about 200 calories per serving (2 tablespoons), so it is important to watch how much you eat. That’s the hardest part for me. I am always careful not to eat too much. 

 

I’m sure you have all tried a peanut butter and banana sandwich at some point in your life. I eat them all the time. However, I have recently started to add strawberries as well. It is absolutely delicious. I recommend trying it out!

This particular recipe includes…

2 Slices 100% Whole Wheat Bread

2 Tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter

½ Medium Banana

2 Sliced Strawberries

This next recipe is one that I love to drink before my morning workouts. It’s packed full of fiber and protein. This recipe is small since I only made one serving for myself. It includes…

½ Medium Banana

½ Cup Cooked Oatmeal

1 Tablespoon  Natural Peanut Butter

¼ Cup Skim Milk

6 Large Ice Cubes

Blend on high until smooth.

You can do a lot to mix this recipe up! Sometimes I add strawberries, or include vanilla yogurt instead of milk if I want a thicker texture. Feel free to try your own thing!

Here is a link to a great recipe for a "healthy" Peanut Butter Pie for those days you feel like indulging in something a little sweeter without going overboard. It only has 300 calories per serving! :) The picture is from when I made it several months ago. It might be about the most amazing thing I have ever tasted. 

I know this post was a bit long, but I hope you all enjoyed it, learned something new, and will think about trying out some of these recipes! :)

Does Eating at Night Really Cause Weight Gain?

At some point you have probably either heard or read that eating at night will cause weight gain. I used to believe that and I've known numerous people that refuse to eat after 7 p.m. in the evening because they are positive that they will gain weight as a result. 

The truth is, this is just a myth. 

It's not when you eat that matters, but what you eat and how many calories you consume throughout the day. The article, "Is Eating Late at Night Bad For Your Health?" states that long as you make healthy food choices and don't go over your recommended calorie intake, eating at night is really just fine. 

"Eating at night becomes more of a problem if you overeat or choose foods that are high in calories, fat, sodium, or sugar." The article actually suggests that consuming a "carbohydrate-rich" snack might help you sleep better at night. For more information, read the full article by clicking the title above.

If you are interested in learning more but would rather watch a video instead of read an article, check out this short YouTube video.

For me, it can be hard not to overeat in the evenings. Sometimes all I want is a big bowl of ice cream while I watch my favorite show on TV. I have to stop and remind myself that it's really not worth it. Of course, you can't be perfect all the time. I occasionally do indulge in something unhealthy. But most of the time I decide on a healthier option, such as an apple with peanut butter. That has recently become my favorite evening snack. 

I hope this post has helped you finally learn the truth behind the myth of late-night snacking! 

Visit a Nutritionist!

If you're thinking about making a big change in your diet, it might be smart to start out by making an appointment with a nutritionist to ensure you head down the right path. According to an article from the eHow website, "Nutritionists are responsible for helping people increase their physical and mental health through foods or special diets. They have extensive knowledge about nutrition, how it impacts people, and how it can prevent or treat certain illnesses." They are trained in this field, so you can trust them to know how to help you!

 Even if you're just interested in learning more about how to treat your body right by eating the proper foods, it could be worth it to make a visit! For more information, read the full article. "What Does a Nutritionist Do?"


To help you get started, here  is a Google Map of all of the Nutritionists here in Topeka, Kansas.

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