January 22, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC It’s a beautiful fact that when you eat a primarily plant-based diet, you’re benefiting both your body and the planet. (And your wallet too; plant-based foods tend to be inexpensive.) But if you’re new to the whole plant-based eating thing, chances are that there are a few concerns on your mind, nutritionally speaking. Some wonder how they’re going to get enough protein with meat put on the back burner. Or maybe you want to make sure you’re getting enough omega-3s, wondering what sources other than fish can help give your brain a boost. Consider this your ultimate guide. Here, Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD and registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk, RD both give tips on how to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need every day while sticking to a plant-based diet—and prioritizing sustainability, too. Use the food pyramid graphic here as a tool to see what foods to prioritize on your plate and to make sure you get enough servings of each to fuel your body. Photo: W+G Creative The base of the pyramid: vegetables and fruit Both Zumpano and Michalczyk say that the most important part of plant-based eating is vegetables—aim to devote a full 50 percent of every meal to them. “The goal should be to get a minimum of seven to nine servings of vegetables a day and two to three servings of fruit,” Zumpano says. Some examples of what a healthy serving looks like: a
Category: Vegetarians
5 simple things to keep your 2020 wellness goals rolling past quitters day
January 22, 2020 at 10:00AM by CWC Raise your hand if this story sounds familiar: You start off a new year filled with motivation to totally crush all your new goals, but after just a couple weeks you find yourself settling back into old routines. You’re so not alone. This year, most people were predicted to give up on their new year’s resolutions by January 19, AKA “quitter’s day,” according to research conducted by fitness tracking app Strava. If you’re one of them (no shame, January is hard), we grabbed some advice on how to set yourself up for wellness success all year long—even if that requires a little mid-Jan jumpstart. “Truly improving your habits for the long haul requires setting smart goals that are realistic, doable, and maintainable,” says Cynthia Sass, RD and consultant for ZENB, a new plant-based brand that makes veggie-forward snacks using all parts of the vegetable (even the stems and seeds). “Small changes may not feel as impactful, but because you can stick with them long term, the benefits snowball over time, and ultimately make a greater impact on your goals.” Once the habits associated with your goals start to feel like your new normal, Sass suggests adding another (and so on). Before you know it, you’ll have shown 2020 who’s boss with your goals officially crossed off. Keep scrolling for 5 simple-yet-smart goals you can start on now and actually stick with throughout the year. 1. Choose plant-based snacks Setting out to overhaul your
The 5 healthiest hot sauces you’ll want to put on *everything*
January 22, 2020 at 01:30AM by CWC Born and raised in Buffalo, I can’t not like hot sauce. Frank’s Red Hot Cayenne Pepper sauce can be found in every cabinet in the 716, and before Beyoncé made it popular, I used to carry it in my bag to make school lunches more tolerable. But it turns out my beloved sauce has a whopping 190 mg of sodium! Considering the average person isn’t drinking glasses of hot sauce, that number isn’t the worst, but we know we can do much better. Nutritionist Andrea Mathis, RDN, says while there might not be much nutritional value to hot sauce, there are certainly hot sauces that are better for you than others. “Even though most hot sauce is very low in calories and fat, there are still are few other factors to consider when choosing the best option and those factors are sodium content and the amount of artificial ingredients,” she says. “I like to choose a hot sauce that has a moderate-to low-amount of sodium and is made with natural ingredients.” The healthy hot sauces you should put on everything 1. McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Pepper Sauce, $4 Mathis says this one stands out because of its simplicity. “I love it because you only have to use a little bit to get that perfect spicy flavor, and it only contains approximately 35mg of sodium per serving,” she says. “It also contains no artificial ingredients.” 2. Trader Joe’s Jalapeno Sauce, $4 Trader Joe’s always
The rise in plant-based eating may help us finally end diet culture for good
January 21, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC While the specific rules may change, there always seems to be a trendy—and restrictive—diet of the moment. In the ’90s, going low-fat and counting calories were all the rage. Then in the early 2010s, everyone was all about juice cleanses and detoxes. By 2018, high-fat, low-carb keto was the way to go. But lately, even eating keto seems out of vogue among the most forward-thinking healthy eaters. Instead, we’re seeing all signs point to plant-based eating—meaning a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and other plants while still leaving room for some animal products—being the major focus of healthy eating in 2020 and beyond. Since 2017, plant-based food sales have increased by 31 percent, according to a report from the Good Food Institute. It’s not because there are tons more vegans, but because more “mainstream” eaters are starting to adopt a plant-forward lifestyle. (Case in point: alt-meat company Impossible Foods estimates that 95 percent of its customer base eats meat.) What’s more, the shift to eating more plants isn’t being seen as a temporary fix or reset à la Beyoncé before one of her tours—it’s an ethos that’s being incorporated into people’s everyday menus. And some experts think that it could be the antithesis to the diet culture mentality that’s gripped America for decades. “I cannot stress enough how incredible the shift away from diet culture is in terms of mental health,” says Cassidy Gundersen, a nutritionist and health coach who is getting her
This formula for sheet-pan veggies 4 ways promises you’ll never get bored with your dinner
January 21, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC It’s important to incorporate veggies into every meal, but making it a reality isn’t always that easy. Salads and stir-fries get boring and repetitive after a while. Good for you? Sure. Exciting? Not always. But with the right veggie recipes for dinner, you can really liven up your meal. It might make you feel better to know that even all-star healthy eating experts get vegetable fatigue. Body Love Everyday author and celebrity nutritionist Kelly Leveque gets it. Her solution is a sheet pan recipe she tweaks ever so slightly depending on the type of cuisine she’s craving. “Roasted vegetables make a warm, comforting, and easy plant-focus base for delicious meals,” she says. Her go-to formula for getting veggies on the table in a hurry (that’s she’s actually excited about) is using 4 to 5 cups of non-starchy veggies, 1 cup of starchy veggies, 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and a powerhouse sauce (which she switches up, depending on the taste profile she’s craving). Here, she shares how to make her sheet pan veggie recipes from her new book, so you can try the formula for yourself. (Each recipe makes two servings.) Pair with a protein of your choice and you’re done! Kelly Leveque’s best veggie recipes for dinner Vegan teriyaki 2 Tbsp coconut oil 1 cup sliced trimmed mushrooms 1 cup broccoli florets 1 cup quartered trimmed Brussels sprouts 1 cup 1/4 inch-diced red onions 1 cup 1/4 inch-cubed Japanese yam Topping: vegan
Eating more sustainably can be easy—if you follow these RD-approved tips
January 21, 2020 at 02:16PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzCLgB18w2Q] You’ve committed to using reusable tote bags and sworn off plastic straws, but now that you’re trying to make what you actually put on your plate more sustainable, you’re struggling. Sure, you’ve heard that giving up meat can do some serious good for the environment, but what if you’re not ready to live a life without bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts? In the latest episode of You Versus Food, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD shares her tips for starting to eat sustainably—whether or not you’re ready to take the plant-based plunge. “A big component of eating for the planet is being conscious about buying brands that are doing their part to operate as sustainably as possible,” Beckerman says. “A big component of eating for the planet is being conscious about buying brands that are doing their part to operate as sustainably as possible.” To help you scout out those brands the next time you want to stock up your snack cabinet, Beckerman shared the ones that earn an A+ in her book, including ZENB, which makes its handy, plant-based snacks using the entire vegetable (from stems to seeds). “They make it easy to get a cup of veggies with more nutrients and all the fiber,” Beckerman says. “And their unique approach to plant-based eating is taking some serious steps to promote food waste reduction.” By opting to eat more plant-based foods (#MeatlessMonday, anyone?), Beckerman shares that we could reduce the equivalent of up to
Real talk: How bad of an idea is the carnivore diet, anyways?
January 18, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC Just when you thought you’d seen every single conceivable diet trend throw its hat into the ring these past few years, people started Instagramming photos of their massive steak breakfasts and tagging #carnivorediet. In the polarity of the current battle between bacon-endowed keto and the plant-based movement, I honestly don’t even know why I was surprised that something as obscene as the carnivore diet somehow became a thing. Of course some beefy dude on the internet is suggesting we should all eat all meat all the time. View this post on Instagram Went with the carnivore classic for lunch today. Grilled up a huge ribeye and soft boiled some egg. I gave them a quick cool down but the yolks were still runny so that yolk sauce was flowing! . . . #carnivore #carnivorediet #butter #ribeye #meatheals #keto #grassfed #fitfood #beef#foodpics #yolkporn #fat #fuelyourbody #steakdinner #fats #nocarb #postworkoutmeal #lowcarb #ribeyesteak #fat #fatfueled #fuel #steak #fuelyourbody #ribeyes #highprotein #goodeats #rolltide #grill #grilled #grilling A post shared by Jarrett (@mr.meatheals) on Jan 15, 2020 at 1:35pm PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js But ever since I’ve learned of the existence of the carnivore diet, I’ve been just straight-up concerned. Hasn’t eating more plants (and less meat) been linked with significant health benefits by large-scale research? And isn’t eating lots of meat—particularly red meat and processed meat products—widely accepted to be, well, bad? Confused as all hell, I tapped a couple of experts who know a thing or two about
The 6 healthy frozen dinners you should always keep in your freezer, according to a dietitian
January 18, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC There’s something so nostalgic about frozen meals. I mean, who didn’t grow up eating the occasional Kid Cuisine meal that came complete with nuggets, some questionable veggies, and a brownie for dessert? As an adult, you’re probably well aware most options in the freezer section are loaded with sodium. But, to my surprise, it’s still completely possible to relive my childhood with healthy frozen dinners. The next time you hit up the grocery store, Brittany Modell, RD, has some healthy (and delicious!) frozen meals that are more than worth adding to your cart. Healthy frozen dinners for nights when you don’t feel like cooking 1. TRADER JOE’S RICED CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY “This a great item to keep in the freezer because it’s an easy meal you can whip up on a weeknight. It contains green peas, red peppers, grilled corn, tamari, spring onions, sesame oil, and ginger. It’s also low in carbs and fat. If you want a boost of protein, you can always add tofu or egg.” 2. HILARY’S FROZEN VEGETABLE BURGERS “This is one of my favorite frozen vegetable burgers. I love the wholesome, plant-based ingredients, such as whole grain millet, adzuki beans, sweet potato, and flaxseed. I always keep at least one box in my freezer at all times. I love eating a patty with Food for Life’s Ezekiel sprouted English muffin or alongside frozen vegetables as a quick meal when I’m out of fresh produce.” 3. TRADER JOE’S SRIRACHA
Why a “bland diet” is your BFF during times of, ahem, gastric distress
January 18, 2020 at 02:00AM by CWC Having a stomach bug is never fun. Your whole body hurts, you feel nauseated and dizzy, and it often requires you to spend lots of quality time in your bathroom. (Fun!) And if you do end up getting a GI issue like a stomach sickness or virus, you need to be super careful with what you eat as you recover so you don’t push your stomach too hard and overwhelm it with food. (No matter how good that bowl of mac and cheese looks right now.) So if all of this sounds a lot like you, you might be interested to know more about the “bland diet,” aka a sad, upset stomach’s life-force during rough times. What is a bland diet and what do you eat on it? The “bland diet” is essentially a temporary eating pattern that is low in fiber (yes, you read that right) and seasonings to keep things super plain, non-gas causing, and well, boring, to eat. “It is often used post-surgery for a patient, or when someone is dealing with GI problems, disorders and diseases such as ulcers, Crohn’s disease, GERD (chronic acid reflux), diverticulosis, and even acute GI illnesses,” says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. It can also be helpful if you’re getting over a stomach bug or another similar kind of short-term issue. This type of diet emphasizes low-fiber starches, lean meats and protein sources, and calming foods, such as soups and hot cereals. It
5 doctors share the healthy dinner recipes they make every week
January 17, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC With so many options out there, it’s difficult to figure out what to have for dinner (let alone carve out the time to prepare it!), but it doesn’t need to be complicated. We spoke to five doctors about what dinners make them feel their best from the inside out. What do these healthy dinner recipes with vegetables have in common? They’re super easy to make, and you probably already have many of the ingredients you need. 5 doctor-recommended healthy dinner recipes with vegetables 1. Meat, cheese and greens The best part about dinner is that you get to play in virtually every flavor—which comes with an increase in nutritional variety. Dr. Michael P. Rogowski, PhD, senior nutrition scientist at Plexus, goes for approximately 2.5 cups of green veggies (broccoli, spinach, and asparagus are his usual favorites!), paired with a small portion of nuts and cheese, and a modest portion of meat of around four to six ounces. Dessert is a serving of frozen fruit of either bananas, pineapple, or blueberries. “It doesn’t have to be frozen,” says Dr. Rogowski. “I just like the texture of frozen fruit.” 2. Salmon and quinoa Healthcare professionals choose salmon not only for its delicious taste, but its health benefits (think: a lower risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure). “It’s the omega-3 fatty acids that are key,” says Dr. Gretchen Frieling, MD, a board-certified dermatopathologist, who pairs her salmon with quinoa, avocado, and artichokes, which all