It is tempting to reach for sweet and salty snacks after a long of work but regular noshing can add to weight gain and poor health.
Replacing junk food with with healthy snacks filled with fiber and protein can stem cravings and provide nutritionally dense foods which are beneficial and filling.
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Chocolate has been lauded in the news for it’s health benefits.
Now a Swedish study has found that men, in particular, may benefit from the flavonoids in cocoa to ward off strokes.
The study, which was funded by a Swedish research council and published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, adds to the growing evidence that chocolate, or rather cocoa, has some heart-healthy properties.
Cocoa contains flavonoids, compounds that have been shown to lower blood pressure, increase “good” cholesterol (HDL) and improve the function of arteries.
Flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, also may thin the blood and prevent clotting, which could help stave off heart attacks and strokes.
Although there are definite health benefits from chocolate, moderation, healthy diet and exercise work together to maintain optimal health.
Apple cider vinegar has a multitude of uses to keep you healthy.
The best vinegars contain the “mother” or the starter.
Prebiotics support the intestinal flora by providing nutrients and energy to good bacteria in the gut.
Preliminary evidence suggests that prebiotics can play a role in boosting the immune system, improving antibiotic-associated diarrhea, colitis and reducing irritable bowel problems.
1. Digestion and food poisoning. Vinegar contains malic acid, which can help common digestive issues like constipation or acid-reflux. And because it’s a trifecta of antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, a tablespoon or two in a 8 oz. glass of water may even help with a case of food poisoning.
2. Sleep issues. Many people swear by a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of hot water with honey before bed, citing its sleep-inducing powers and that it promotes a more restful night’s sleep.
3. Diabetes. A 2007 study published in Diabetes Care, showed potential for apple cider vinegar as a tool to lower glucose levels. (Note that it can interfere with diabetes medication, if you are taking them. )
4. High cholesterol. Its high levels of pectin can help regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol, showed a 2006 study done with rats.
5. Bones and teeth. Apple cider vinegar has the capacity to extract calcium from fruits, vegetables, and meat in your diet, thereby helping strengthen your bones and teeth.
6. Joint pain. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help provide pain-relief to neck, back, and shoulder joint pain (including arthritis).
7. Detox. High levels of potassium in the vinegar work like a clarifying tonic on the body, helping clear up sinus infections, candida, sore throats, and allergies. Some New Yorkers do a cleanse with it (and clean food) instead of juice.
8. Weight loss. It won’t replace eating well and exercise, but apple cider vinegar may help you feel full longer, and some natural-health experts say its enzymes and soluble fiber can aid in fat metabolism. A study done on mice showed that acetic acid (main component of the vinegar) slowed fat accumulation.
9. Summertime bug bites. It’s an antiseptic that can soothe bug bites and skin allergies almost instantly.
10. Beauty blemishes, burns, and bad hair days. When used as a toner, it helps curbs acne and blemishes with its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Add it to a bath for sunburn relief (about a cup) and rinse your hair with it for instant shine (a few tablespoons).
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It’s not your imagination.
Weight gain after menopause is real and sometimes diet and exercise alone simply does not work anymore.
As expected, more of the women who got specific diet and nutrition counseling lost weight. But Gibbs and colleagues wanted to know what worked for any of the women who managed to lose weight, regardless of which group they were in.
Early on, some of the more obvious diet strategies worked — eating less fried food, staying away from restaurants, avoiding sweets and eating more fish. But these approaches didn’t work for the women in the long term, Gibbs reported in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“What we found at four years is that the women who changed their eating behaviors to eat more fruits and vegetables, who ate less desserts, less sugar-sweetened beverages and less meats and cheeses were more likely to have greater weight loss or less weight gain long term,” says Gibbs, an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Physical Activity.
Building lost muscle with weight training and avoiding sugar are probably the two biggest ways to jump start weight loss.
Regular exercise and a healthy eating along with good sleep habits contribute to well balanced hormones.
There is no quick fix. Real lifestyle changes are key.
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Snacking can be a necessary part of your daily routine.
When you’re not hungry enough for a meal but need to keep up your energy until the next meal a little nibble can be crucial.
Empty calories and sweet treats are no longer the standard fare to quiet stomach grumblings at 3:30 in the afternoon; prime snack time.
Indulge in snacks when you are truly hungry and not out of a habit.
But do be prepared so that you don’t fill up on empty calories and junk food.
Keep healthy nutritious foods in reach but eat only when you’re hungry and can’t make it until the next meal.
This strategy will also help to prevent you from gorging yourself when you finally do sit down to a meal.
When to snack: Just because you always grab a granola bar and coffee at 10 a.m. doesn’t mean you should. Don’t snack because it’s part of your daily routine; do it when you’re a little bit hungry.
What to snack on: Keep these general guidelines in mind when choosing a snack: 150 to 250 calories, about 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and no more than 12 grams of fat. “Protein and fiber help you feel full and satisfied,” says Crandall. “So you shouldn’t feel the need to grab another snack soon after, and you’ll be less likely to overeat at your next meal.” Realistically, hitting all these markers with every snack is near impossible. So aim for overall balance. If one snack is short on protein, for instance, make sure your next one has a little extra. Find 19 healthy snack ideas.
How to snack: One word: mindfully. Treat each snack as a mini meal by taking one serving and, if possible, putting it on a plate, says Marissa Lippert, a registered dietitian in New York City and the founder of Nourish, a nutrition-counseling company. She recommends keeping a salad plate in your desk drawer at work. Why? We tend to associate a clean plate with satisfaction and a feeling of fullness (something an empty 100-calorie–pack wrapper may not supply).
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