Few of us would choose to eat all of our daily calories, fat, and sodium in one sitting. But that’s exactly what you’ll get if you order some of America’s worst restaurant entrées. Thankfully, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) releases an annual Xtreme Eating Awards report, calling out the unhealthiest chain restaurant entrées out there, so we don’t have to make the mistake of ordering them. This year’s awards feature shockingly bad dishes and desserts that will set you back 1,500 to 2,300 — just for one serving! Of course we know that dining out isn’t the healthiest choice, and that milkshakes and burgers won’t put you on the fast track to weight loss anytime soon, but there’s a difference here. You can usually sensibly indulge your cravings without eating the equivalent of seven McDonald’s Sausage McMuffins — which is exactly what you’ll get if you…
Eating pasta three times a week won’t make you fat, study shows
Spaghetti. Rigatoni. Fettuccini. It’s everyone’s favorite — pasta — and Italian lovers everywhere can rejoice over new research that reveals the popular pantry item won’t make you fat. While the joys of pasta are undeniable (is there anyone out there who doesn’t love diving into a big bowl of bolognese?) its healthfulness has always been in question. In recent years, low-carb options like quinoa have taken a bite out of pasta sales as health-minded adults feared packing on the pounds. But science now tells us, that eating a portion of penne up to three time a week won’t make you fat, and it might even help you slim down. Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto conducted 30 randomized control trials involving nearly 2,500 people who replaced their regular carbohydrates with pasta as part of a healthy low-glycemic index diet. The findings? Pasta doesn’t not cause you to put on extra body fat. “The study found that pasta didn’t contribute to…
Weight gain could reduce your sense of taste, study shows
Chew on this. A recent study shows that packing on some extra pounds can seriously mess with your sense of taste. Yes, regularly eat too much and your taste buds become less effective. Researchers at Cornell University set out to find out why this is the case. They fed mice high-fat diets, which led to weight gain, then examined their tongues. When compared to a control group of mice which was fed a normal diet, the obese mice had 25% less taste buds present. Their taste buds were quicker to mature and die off, and were resupplied at a slower rate. The scientists think that weight gain can cause inflammation that can interrupt the regeneration of taste buds, meaning fewer are present at any given time. Results were published in the journal PLOS Biology. So how does this translate in humans? Of course, individuals naturally have differences when it comes…
How To Eat Keto-Friendly At Chick-fil-A
The keto diet is a radical departure from the typical American way of eating. It’s high-fat, low-carb and has little tolerance for the processed foods we have become accustomed to. While it may seem impossible to stick to this diet trend when dining out or dining on-the-run, Chick-fil-A has a few ways to make it easier than you think. Here are 9 high-protein foods with 10 or fewer new grams of carbs to cover you at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Egg white grill Remove the biscuit or English muffin from any of Chick-fil-A’s breakfast sandwiches . Without the bread, the Egg White Grill comes with juicy, grilled chicken, egg whites, and American cheese and only has 1 net carb. Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit Skip the biscuit and snack on a delicious breakfast with only 2g net carbs. You’ll get a pork sausage patty topped with a folded egg and…
7 Keto-Friendly Drinks From Starbucks
So you have the keto thing down no problem when you cook at home, but when you go out to eat, things can get pretty tricky. Sometimes you might just decide just to skip the restaurant entirely if you’re not sure of its menu options, but skipping out on Starbucks? Well, is that really ever an option? The good news is that you don’t have to give up your beloved coffee run. The java giant offers plenty of keto-approved caffeinated drinks so you can have your morning pick-me-up, while still staying true to your diet. Overall, keep in mind when ordering any drink at a Starbucks or another coffee shop, you’re going to need to order sugar-free, since sugar is basically just carbohydrates. Also, order heavy cream or coconut or nut milk instead of regular milk. That will help you customize most drinks to be more in-line with keto, but here…
Cranberry, orange, almond smoothie
You may think of cranberries as a fruit option only between Thanksgiving and Christmas when popular dishes like cranberry sauce and cranberry baked goods prevail. But there are plenty of reasons to eat the fresh, ruby red fruit all year long. Cranberries have long been known to help reduce the likelihood of urinary tract infections. They also contain important vitamins such as C, E, K, manganese, fiber, and loads of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to limit the damage caused by free radicals in your body, and help reduce signs of aging as well as helping to fight cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Cranberries may also reduce bad cholesterol, help fight gum disease, and boost your immune system. Get the picture yet? Eat more cranberries! You can add fresh or dried cranberries to any number of salads, salsas, smoothies, or dishes, but eating them fresh delivers the most health benefits. This…
10 foods to avoid pre-workout
There’s nothing worse than hitting the gym on an empty stomach. That is, except maybe when you’ve jumped into downward dog or hit mile three on the treadmill and realized your pre-workout snack was a horrible choice. But you don’t have to workout on an empty stomach — you just have to snack smart. Eating the wrong foods pre-workout can cause a variety of unpleasant side effects from gas to bloating to diarrhea. So the next time you want to munch on something before getting your sweat on, remember to keep things simple. Grab a small amount of protein and some easy-to-digest carbs to help power your workout. A banana and peanut butter or a whole fruit smoothie do the trick nicely. But whatever you do, be sure to save these 10 foods until after your workout. 1. Alcohol You’re already sweating and losing water from your workout, booze will…
Tequila could help you lose weight, study claims
If you want to lose weight, any doctors or nutritionist will tell you to omit the alcohol from your diet, but a surprising study actually shows a link between drinking tequila and weight loss. This is huge news for anyone looking to shed some pounds in the New Year without totally suppressing their social life. According to the American Chemical Society, the effects of tequila on blood glucose levels and found that the sugars naturally occurring in the agave plant — the plant that gives us tequila — can actually help lower blood sugar. These sugars — called agavins (not to be confused with agave syrup) — are not digestible and can act as dietary fiber, so they will not raise your blood sugar. According to Dr. Mercedes G. Lopez, agavins are the best sugars to support healthy growth of microbes in the mouth and intestines. The study looked at…
The most popular diets of 2018
Research has shown us that adopting a daily healthy lifestyle and routine is the best way to shed pounds and keep them off. But that doesn’t stop us from looking for the latest strategy for losing weight in a hurry. Google has published its list of the Top 10 Most Searched Diets of 2018. This year, diets fell largely in two categories — those that skip or cut carbs, or those that restrict eating to certain hours or days of the week. Google receives more than 90 percent of the world’s searches, so the search engine’s list is probably a decent gauge of what people were actually interested in a trying out this year, or at the very least, which diets have grown tremendously in popularity from 2017 to 2018. Noticeably absent this year, are former heavyweight diet methods paleo and Atkins. So, how did Google do? Did you search…
Lemon Almond Chicken Salad
Show me the person that isn’t looking for more delicious, healthy lunch ideas — we all are! Rarely are we dreaming of digging into a lunch we threw together at home in a hurry. So forget the sad salads you usually pack, and whip up a batch of this lemon almond chicken salad for tomorrow. With this recipe in your arsenal, you might actually stick to eating the healthy lunch you brought from home — and you’ll definitely look forward to it. The crunchy almonds are so satisfying, and the lemon pepper seasoning makes this recipe oh-so-craveable. Eat it with crackers, or wrap it up in a lettuce leaf for a low-carb option. It’s great all on its own, too! We snack on it by the spoonful at my house. There are tons of other ways to customize this recipe. Omit the tiny bit of mayo if you’re going for…