Tag: clean eating

Green Machine Smoothie

Green Machine Smoothie

J Walden

Green Machine Smoothie

Struggling to get all your veggies and fruits in each day? Start out with several servings with a breakfast smoothie full of antioxidants and vitamins. It is creamy and not too sweet!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Spinach or Kale
  • 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (substitute frozen or canned pineapple, drained)
  • 1 cup Milk or Coconut Milk
  • 1 tbsp Honey (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground Turmeric
  • 1 banana, frozen or fresh

Directions:

Combine all in blender and mix until smooth. Serve with garnish of pineapple if desired.

yield – 2 servings

recipe by: Parade Magazine published 9/19/2021 edited by eatlivefit.net

Is it Added Sugar?

Is it Added Sugar?

J Walden

I gotta say, I feel slightly badly about posting this incredibly yummy picture of chocolate at the beginning here. It makes my mouth water just looking at it. Here is why I put it here, as a reminder that it nutrition is mind over taste buds:

Making you aware of the recent trends in the food industry has always been a priority of mine, especially when you may think they are a positive change that will help you with good nutrition. So the question here is: Does substituting the white pulp of the cocoa bean count as added sugar in your diet?

The following is an article from That Sugar Film Website, that discusses the positive and negatives of this new trend.

“As awareness around limiting added and free sugar intake increases, food manufacturers are innovating and testing alternatives to provide (what they believe to be) a better, yet still sweetly satisfying, option for consumers to delight in.

Nestlé has recently announced it will be using the white pulp of the cocoa pod — the fleshy part that surrounds the cocoa seeds or beans — in place of “refined sugar” in some confectionery products.

Sounds great, right?

Before we start reaching for these pulp-sweetened chocolates, let’s clear up the confusion around the term “refined sugars”. 

In recent years, this term has been commonly used to differentiate between highly processed sugars, such as white table sugar, from those sugars or sweeteners some consider “healthier”, such as rice malt syrup or coconut sugar. 

But to the body, freely available sugar will still be treated and processed as sugar. Sure, there are better versions than others, but let’s not trick ourselves into believing that because a sugar or syrup is considered less refined, we can glug back a tonne of it. 

So, the removal of some “refined sugar” in a piece of Nestlé confectionery is irrelevant. It is what they replace it with we need to consider.

To our understanding, the cocoa pulp being used in place of stock standard sugar is processed into a dried fruit sugar product and maybe classified as free sugar.

This is because the powder is not an intrinsic sugar, the type of sugar found incorporated within the structure of intact or whole fruit and vegetables, or sugars from milk.1 Intrinsic sugars we are not concerned with (we absolutely endorse eating whole veg and fruit); it is the added and free sugars we need to keep an eye out for.

The original cocoa pulp, which contains intrinsic sugar, is dried and made into a powdered sugar alternative via a patented technique. It this processing that sees the sugars fall under the definition of free sugars, which includes those originally and naturally present in fruit and veg but processed into a powder, juice, concentrate, purees, and extruded veg and fruit products.2

Nestlé has stated that by using the powdered pulp, overall sugar content is reduced by 40%. That is a plus, along with claims Nestlé is using the cocoa pulp, among other initiatives across their food manufacturing processes, in an attempt to reduce food waste.

This is great from an environmental and business perspective as currently, a fair proportion of the pulp is wasted in the chocolate-making process. 

But this doesn’t make the chocolate they make a ‘health food’ at the end of the day, and if you are going to have some, such products should be treated as a once-in-a-while food.  And as with all other free and added sugars, consumption should still be limited to 6 teaspoons (25g) per day.”

Article By Angela Johnson (BHSc Nut. Med)

Thanksgiving updated

J Walden

I encourage my clients to enjoy their Thanksgiving feast, by keeping their portions in check (protein, carbohydrates and fats). Have what you want, just in moderation! Also remember to jump back on track the next day or that evening with clean meals.

Festive Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

1 cup wild rice
½ cup brown basmati rice
¾ teaspoon salt
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (may substitute coconut oil)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 cup pecan halves
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Rinse the brown rice in cold running water. Place in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

In a large skillet, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon (coconut or olive oil) until they become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet( or foil lined). Roast for 20 – 25 minutes until they are cooked and golden. Set aside.
In a small skillet, toast the pecans over medium heat, until they become fragrant. Set aside.

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
In a large salad bowl, gently toss together all of the salad ingredients. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss again. Serve immediately.
This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. It will last longer, but the nuts will begin to soften.

(Courtesy of Pinterest, modified by eatlivefit.net)

The dos and don’ts of Kidney Stones

J Walden

Your kidneys are vitally important to your body.  They act as a filtration system sending good nutrients to your bloodstream and poor nutrients and waste to your bladder.  They can get mighty irritated and mad when you don’t drink enough water and cause all kinds of havoc.  This havoc is showing up in teenagers more frequently in an increased number of kidney stone reported.

So I wanted to review a few do’s and don’ts for kidney health:

 

DO drink lots of water EVERY DAY – aim for 10 eight ounce glasses a day.  Clear urine is the ideal, think Bud Light Color.

 

DO NOT cut back on dietary calcium intake.  Low Calcium increases the risk of kidney stones

 

DO limit sodium intake to 1500mg daily.  Watch the biggest sodium bombs in restaurant and take out food.

 

DO eat more fruits and vegetables.  These help create urine that is less conducive to kidney stones

 

DO loose weight and then maintain a healthy weight.  Obesity changes the acid levels in the urine, which causes stones not to dissolve or break down easily.

 

DO NOT overdue the soda, sodium or caffeine in your diet daily.  These are common culprits for kidney stone formation.

 

sources: Dr. Ledgerwood, South Carolina Kidney Study; Grow – Parker Adventist Hospital Magazine, Spring 2018

 

The Hard Truth About Weight Loss

J Walden

I wanted to weigh in on the timing of weight loss the right way.  The honest truth is weight loss takes time.  How much time you ask, depends on your individual situation.  What works for one person, your friend perhaps, may not work for you.  You are your own unique being.  You have your own set of circumstances, challenges and talents.  Thus, your body has it’s own schedule for weight loss.

I will tell you that no matter the length of time, the effort you put into weight loss will come back to benefit you.  During the first few weeks, months for some of you, amazing transformations are happening inside your body that you cannot view with the naked eye.  Every cell in your body is leaning and preparing for change, mitochondria are gaining efficiency in energy production and your gut is building up healthy bacteria.  These are the first steps in preparing your body for weight loss.

“What we acquire without sweat, we give away without regret”

This little phrase has helped me remember that I have to “work” for results.  They are WAY more meaningful if I have worked to make them happen then if they came easily and without effort.  The self confidence gained from, “I did it,” is much more valuable and meaningful.

I agree with this recap on the time and effort it takes to achieve weight loss from several trainers at http://www.myfitnesspal.com article this month:

“You probably already know it can take a while to see the benefits of working out and eating healthy, but knowing something and accepting it are two different things. “Many clients will join a fitness program only to terminate too soon,” says Michael Piercy, MS, certified strength and conditioning specialist, owner of The LAB and IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year 2017. Think about it this way: “The weight that you might want to lose didn’t get there in one day, so we know that it won’t come off in a day.”
Plus, there’s the fact that losing weight really quickly isn’t a great idea. “The faster you lose weight, the more likely it is to come right back (plus some) when you stop dieting,” says Christel Oerum, a certified personal trainer and diabetes coach. “When you lose weight too quickly, you also decrease your body’s metabolism, meaning that you burn fewer calories. When you have reached your weight goal and go back to a normal, healthy diet, you may have decreased your metabolism so much that even a ‘normal’ diet will make you gain weight fast.” That’s why slow and steady is the best approach, which means 1–2 pounds of weight loss per week maximum.” – 8 Things Trainers Wished Everyone Knew About Weight Loss Article

 

 

New Way to Enjoy Vegetables

New Way to Enjoy Vegetables

J Walden

If you like pickles, then you have to try this new vegetable snack! I know many of you struggle to find a vegetable you like and one that will fit into your eating.  I just discovered these little bags of pickled vegetables at my store this week.  While I don’t recommend they be the only vegetable you eat, occasionally, they are a decent product to throw into the mix.

Oh Snap Snap Peas

Oh Snap Green Beans

They are perfectly portable and taste good too.  The sodium content is a little higher than ideal, but for a picky veggie eater, not bad.  They were in the refrigerated section at Super Target.  They are also for sale at Sprouts.  If those stores are not near you, check out this link for store locations:       https://www.glkfoods.com/store-locator/

Flat Tire Syndrome

J Walden

How familiar does this scenario sound to you?

You woke up this morning with great intentions, new day, new start.  You downed a glass of water as you cooked breakfast.   You ate a healthy breakfast of eggs, oatmeal and fruit.  At lunch , you erred on the side of grilled chicken with a huge plate of salad (even though I wanted to add in the sugar laden cranberries and opt for the fried chicken).  Dinner was a quick meal of steak and vegetables before running out the door for an evening packed with carpool, and activities or errands.  When you arrive home, tired and hungry later that evening, you open the bag of Oreos and finished off the whole first row.

Can you relate?  You are not alone. The average person makes over 200 decisions about food everyday?  It is really a lot!   Each one of those choices can support or hinder your weight goals.  Some days you get all the choices right 100%, and others you veer off course.  Mindfulness is a BIG part of a healthy diet.  Remembering that life is about balance and not perfection.  Being honest with yourself is also key.  Being aware of all the food choices you make each day and how they impact your total caloric intake is important.  Merely consuming an extra 100 calories a day, each day, can add up to 10 lbs. of weight gain each year to your body*.  Reminding yourself of this may be motivation enough to keep you focused on your goals of staying healthy and feeling your best.  Rather than beating yourself up about one slip up, realize that tomorrow is another chance to start fresh and make better choices.

Have you heard of the Flat Tire Syndrome?  Picture this, you are leaving work for the day and arrive at your car only to discover one of the tires is flat.  Since one tire is flat, would you go around the car and slash all the other tires to make them all flat?  Of course not, that would only make your situation much worse than it already is currently.  The same it true for a healthy diet.  When you make a poor choice (eating the entire sleeve of cookies), it doesn’t help to give into an inner voice telling you that you already blew it, so you might as well eat the rest of the package.  NO!  A better approach is to write off the one sleeve of cookies, put away whatever is tempting you, and choose another activity.  Making a mindful choice to stop what you are doing and make a change, is a step in a direction that will build your confidence and make you proud of yourself.  Each day is a fresh start.

*source Brian Wansink, Cornell Food and Brand Lab in Ithica, NY

Simple Apple Pancakes

J Walden

I discuss balancing each meal with clients frequently.  Here is another example of how to do this quickly in the morning rush.  Healthy does not have to be time consuming.

 

SIMPLE APPLE PANCAKES
Pancakes are one of those recipes that seems like it takes a long time, but actually comes together quickly. Try these tasty, no-sugar-added flapjacks from Cassey Ho, creator of POP Pilates and POPFLEX. “I love this breakfast because it’s not only delicious, it’s packed with protein and complex carbs to keep me full and energized throughout the morning,” she says.

Ingredients
2 eggs
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nut butter
1/2 small apple, spiraled or chopped
1 pinch of cinnamon, optional
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, applesauce, almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder. Heat a griddle or pan over medium-low heat and coat with cooking spray. Reduce to low heat. Using a small measuring cup, scoop batter to make two pancakes. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until firm and cooked through. Top one pancake with nut butter and cinnamon, if using. Place the other pancake on top and add apples and more cinnamon. Recipe makes 1 serving.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 356; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 370mg; Sodium: 226mg; Carbohydrate: 26g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 20g

What happens when you reduce sugar in your child’s diet for 9 DAYS…

J Walden

Kids and sugar intake

If this happens in a child’s body..just imagine what significant and quick results occur in your body!  The recommended daily sugar intake for adults is 9 tsps. for men and 6 tsps. for women.

 

 

Here is a quick repost of a clean recipe for “Cream of Something Soup”…probably in a recipe on your Thanksgiving table.

No more canned Cream Of Something Soup!

 

Thank you for your continued interest in nutrition and my advice.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

Thanksgiving

Late Night Snacking, friend or foe?

J Walden

That Sugar Film tidbit for your reading today.  Love these bites of information about eating late at night.  Read on…

 

“Dinner is done, yet something is not right. Not hungry, yet hungry. But is that hungry, or not hungry at all?

There are many reasons potentially behind the evening snack-a-thon. Let’s have a look at a few!

Habit
We have done it for years, and we like it. Which in some ways can make an attempt to kick late night snacking more difficult.

Advertising
So clever, those advertisers! Seeing the chocolate coated Magnum succulently snapped will drive your subconscious mind straight to the freezer. You want it. You need it.

Nutritional deficiencies
Iron, magnesium, zinc vitamin C and B vitamins (among others) are integral in our energy and mood pathways, and deficiencies could lead to you begging for brownies. Raw cacao is a great source of magnesium, so if you are lacking (which many of us are!), your body thinks ‘CHOCOLATE!’. However most chocolate is packaged with detrimental highly processed sugars.

Blood sugar dysregulation
Overeating may leave you tired, and consequently reaching for sugary snacks

Stress
Many of us are victims to the tooth grind when feeling under the pump! So crunching on the crisp can offer a satisfying (if subconscious) de-stress activity. In addition, salt is commonly craved when the adrenal glands are being worked, due to a constant production of stress hormones.

Body programming
It has been suggested that the post 8pm snack attack may be due to our ancestral survival need to store fat and ensure the overnight fast ahead – hence the sugar/starchy/salty junk food cravings. But in this ever-so-comfortable, protected from the elements, endless food supply day and age, these needs are likely not as necessary.2

Each of these underlying drives (and there are more!) behind snacking when not hungry at night can be addressed independently. Hopefully then, the desire for late night snacking will naturally subside.

But why should we care?

The concern

At the end of yet another manic day, the reward of couch and cookie time is understandable. But have you considered that what you eat may be more punishment than payment?

Late night eating has been linked with reduced hippocampus function – meaning the area of brain in charge of memory and learning is unhappy. The timing of food consumption may impact our innate body clocks, and late night snacking is thought to interrupt the formation of long-term memory.1

We must also consider we are not exerting much energy post 8pm – and excess energy is typically stored as fat. Hello, weight gain.

And with food’s impact on blood glucose – specifically the sweet, carby chow – you can encourage increased serum levels, well into the morning, which is not good news for those with or at risk of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, our organs do some serious repair work at night – particularly our liver and intestinal tract. We want – and need – these dudes to work efficiently.

To do so, we need to be sleeping properly. But often if the body is super busy breaking down foods we do not rest fully.

Not only are organ activity, rest and repair compromised, so is our energy the following day, and increased risk of heartburn. Boo.

When you just gotta

Whilst we will ideally feel content and preparing for slumber post dinner, sometimes it just ain’t enough.

You could distract yourself with other activities, or ensure the tempting pack of double-coat Tim Tams are not in the house (both legitimate strategies!). Or try a herbal tea! It mightn’t sound like it will cut the mustard, but give it a try. There are plenty of delicious blends to choose from, so find one you like.

However, here are some ideas for snacks to reach for, with focus on protein and fibre, for those days when you just gotta!

  • Kale chips
  • Roasted and spiced chickpeas
  • Lightly toasted coconut chips
  • Mixed raw nuts and seeds, or lightly toasted with tamari
  • Coconut yoghurt, berries and cinnamon
  • Sliced apple and 100% nut or seed butter (like almond or tahini)
  • Carrot sticks (raw or lightly roasted) with hummus or cashew cream cheese
  • Nut based treats, like Nutty Banana Bread Balls
  • Egg on a cloud or eggs boiled and rolled in a delicious spice

If you want to snack, just don’t feel guilty when you do. Whilst ideally we are eating until 80% full, several hours before bed an blah, blah, blah, if you are going to snack away, snack with joy!

By Angela Johnson (BHSc. Nut. Med.)

http://thatsugarfilm.com/blog/2016/06/12/late-night-munchies-why-the-snacking/

References:
  1. Loh, DH, Jami, SA Flores, RE Truong, D Ghiani, CA O’Dell, TJ & Colwell, CS 2015, ‘Misaligned feeding impairs memories’, eLife, vol. 10, no. 4
  2. Scheer, FL, Morris, CJ, & Shea, SA 2013, ‘The internal circadian clock increases hunger and appetite in the evening independent of food intake and other behaviors’, Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 421-423.”