by Primelife Admin | Nov 22, 2019 | Food Science
1. Identify your non-negotiables Figuring out what foods are absolutely necessary during a holiday is key to creating a good game plan. Identify the foods that you “need” to have to feel like you’re getting the most out of your holiday meal, and don’t guilt yourself for eating them. Enjoy them, don’t over-do it, and move on. 2. Keep Yourself in Check and Look Ahead Remember that you are in control of what goes in your mouth. Keep away from the mindless snacking and it will greatly decrease the extra calories you’re likely to consume. Look ahead at the week you have and pinpoint any times that you think will be a challenge when it comes to eating right. Identify those road blocks and come up solutions that will keep you on track. 3. Survey the Buffet Scope out your options first. Pick out the foods you absolutely have to try, and balance those out with healthier options. Once you’re done with your plate, get up and walk around after; distance yourself from the food table to limit temptation. 4. Follow the “half your plate” rule Filling half of your plate with vegetables will dramatically decrease empty calories that are often so available at parties. Whether they’re raw, steamed, grilled, or baked, they’ll provide you will plenty of fiber and antioxidants which will leave you full and satisfied. 5. Pick your “cheat day” Planning ahead goes along with picking the days in which you’ll allow yourself to indulge. If you know you have a party one day out of the week, pick that day to loosen up and let yourself enjoy that mac and cheese or pasta salad. Keeping yourself in check the rest of the week will help you find that healthy balance. Pick one day a week, and no more. 6. Focus on the holiday, not the food We’re so accustomed to relating food to events; birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, showers, whatever the occasion. Focus on the people around you and enjoy the company you have rather than thinking about the food you’re going to eat. Keeping them the focus of the event helps put food to the side. 7. Drink before you drink Alcohol can tack on calories very quickly at parties. Start by drinking 20oz of water, and another 20oz for every drink that you have. It will cut down on the risk of a hangover, as well as keeping calories low. 8. Check out the Menu If you’re going out to a restaurant, always google the menu and nutrition facts so you have a game plan as to what options are healthier. Planning the choices you have will prevent the mind game of what to order, and you’ll have more time to focus on the company the surrounds you. 9. Avoid Store-Bought Anythings Would you rather have homemade chocolate cake, or store bought brownies? There’s nothing special about store bought foods, you can get them at any time. Save the real indulgence for foods that are homemade with real ingredients and better taste. 10. Keep on Snacking Keeping quick snacks in your car or in your purse is only going to help to make sure you don’t go more than 5 hours without eating. Always prevent yourself from getting too hungry, because that’s when we make bad choices. Lean on nuts, granola bars, or dried fruit to prevent that “hangry” urge. [/av_textblock]
by Primelife Admin | Oct 30, 2019 | Food Science, News
The new superfood? The new weight loss fix? What is apple
cider vinegar and why is everyone all about it?! I get a lot of questions from
patients asking “If I drink apple cider vinegar, will it help me lose weight?”
I always answer this question on the side of caution, only because it’s been
shown to help people lose weight in studies, but isn’t really studied enough to
say one or the other that it will do the trick. So if you want to know more
about apple cider vinegar (what it is, why it’s useful and how to consume it),
read on! I’ll be explaining all that and more to put the rumors to rest!
So first thing’s first; what the heck is apple cider
vinegar? Vinegar is made by converting sugars to alcohol with yeast, and then
converting the alcohol to acetic acid using bacteria. By bacteria, I mean the
good, gut-health inducing bacteria. In addition to the good bacteria, the
vinegar that’s made has high phenolic and flavonoid content which helps fight
free radicals (lowers cancer risk). Just to show it’s age, apple cider vinegar
was used as far back as 400BC as an antibiotic, a healing solution to treat
scurvy and pneumonia, upset stomach, and wound healing. It’s got A LOT of
health benefits, as long as you use it right!
Speaking of health benefits, why are people all of a sudden consuming
apple cider vinegar? Well of course there’s health benefits, but what are they
really? The first benefit is that it’s an antioxidant. Antioxidants help with
many things, one of them being cancer. Apple cider vinegar contains phytochemicals,
polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids which are all antioxidants. They
can have positive affects on diseases such as cancer because they prevent free
radical formation (the cancer-causing cells). Not only does apple cider vinegar
provide you with great antioxidants, it can help with blood sugar as well.
In previous studies, consuming apple cider vinegar has been
shown to lower blood sugar levels after eating because it blocks some of the
starch digestion after a meal. Having less starch absorbed into the bloodstream
will keep blood sugar levels lower and also improve insulin sensitivity in
those with Diabetes. Not only does it help with blood sugar, but it’s also been
shown to help with lowering total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol), and your
triglyceride levels. So not only can it help with blood sugar stability, but
also with heart health as well.
While health is obviously important, a lot of people have
been correlating apple cider vinegar to weight loss. I wasn’t sure why, so I
did the research to see what the hype was all about. The reason apple cider
vinegar has been linked with weight loss is because many people who would drink
it daily would start to lose weight. The most common speculation as to why is
because consuming it before a meal will promote satiety with meals and increase
the acetic acid level in your body (causing you to get fuller quicker).
I have to say this with emphasis: There is NOT enough
evidence out there to say that apple cider vinegar will make you lose weight!!
There has only been ONE study done in Japan to test this
theory. Participants in this study were split up into two groups; one that
would drink apple cider vinegar before each meal and the other group drank
water before each meal. The group that was drinking the vinegar did indeed lose
1-3 pounds over the course of the study, but as soon as they stopped the study
they gained their weight back. It did seem to help with fat utilization in the
body which is why people were losing weight. However, even with this study in
place, apple cider vinegar still isn’t the answer to weight loss. Is it
beneficial? Absolutely. But it’s not an answer for weight loss without also
increasing exercise and eating right in general.
Still interested in trying it out? I encourage you to! As I
said, it’s not a weight loss method, but still has many health benefits.
Something to consider is you want to make sure you’re getting the right type of
apple cider vinegar. There are many forms out there and you want to make sure
you’re using the right one. If you haven’t heard already, Bragg’s apple cider
vinegar is the most natural and best for you. It contains “the mother” which is
a murky, cloudy blob that sits in the bottle. The “mother” is beneficial
because it’s made up of strands of proteins, enzymes, probiotics and good
bacteria for your gut health. It can also help with immune support and
constipation. So when in doubt, always get an apple cider vinegar with “the
mother” in it. Otherwise, you won’t be getting all the benefits from it!
So you found the right stuff, but how do you consume it how
often? You need to be careful with apple cider vinegar because it’s extremely
acidic. If you take a straight shot of it, you can really do damage to your
esophagus and intestines. It can also break down the enamel on your teeth and
lower potassium levels ultimately affecting bone mineral density. It’s also
important to note that if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s not
recommended to take it only because there is not enough evidence to be deemed
safe.
In order to ingest apple cider vinegar without compromising
your insides, you always want to dilute it into water. You might have heard
that people drink it with water, lemon, and cayenne or make their own cocktail
every morning. You can make up whatever fancy cocktail you want, but for every
ounce of apple cider vinegar, be sure to dilute it with 8oz water. Try this out
1-2x a day and see how you feel! Again, this may not be something you
necessarily “feel” but it’s promoting heart health, blood sugar stability,
lowering cancer risk, and satiety with meals which are all bonuses in my book!
As always, consult a doctor if you have any pre-existing
medical condition and you’re not sure if this is something you may benefit
from. While it may not be the new “superfood”, apple cider vinegar is
definitely something that can help us with gut health, heart health, and
overall health in general. Is it something I would suggest everyone do
immediately? Not necessarily, but I also wouldn’t rule it out. Everyone
benefits from things differently. My goal with this blog entry was to provide
more information on this topic and hopefully get people more educated about it!
I hope you enjoyed and now know more about apple cider vinegar than you did
yesterday!
by Primelife Admin | Sep 12, 2019 | Recipes
Chicken BLT Salad with Jalapeno-Ranch Dressing
Kristen Richardson
Servings 6
Calories 185 kcal
- 2 bags or one head of romaine lettuce
- 1/2 lb low-sodium bacon
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2-3 jalapenos
- 1/2 cup light ranch dressing
Preheat oven to 425⁰ and place bacon on a lined baking pan. *The bacon will crisp up better if you place a cooling rack under the bacon so the fat can drip off while baking.
While you’re waiting for the oven to heat, slice cherry tomatoes, and cut and de-vein the jalapenos. Slice the jalapenos into thirds and place into a small food processor.
Add ranch dressing to the food processor and puree jalapenos and dressing until there are no more chunks.
Cook bacon for 15 minutes, flip, and cook for another 8-10 minutes until bacon is cooked and crispy.
Assemble your salad with romaine, tomatoes, chicken, bacon, and drizzle with jalapeno-ranch dressing.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese for a little more flavor. You can also use turkey bacon to cut down on the sodium. This is also a great salad for lunches for the week! Easy to assemble, little ingredients, and SO delicious!
by Kristen Richardson | Jun 28, 2019 | Recipes
Honey Mustard Hummus
Kristen Richardson
Servings 8 people
Calories 90 kcal
- 13 oz can of garbanzo beans (large can)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-5 drops lemon juice
Open garbanzo beans and rinse in colander.
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth and no chunks or beans are left.
Spoon into your serving bowl and enjoy with your favorite dipping food!
I used carrots, celery and pretzel thins to dip into the hummus. This was especially good with the pretzels; it’s like a honey-mustard pretzel!
by Kristen Richardson | Jun 11, 2019 | Recipes
Breakfast Egg Muffins
Kristen Richardson
Servings 2 muffins
Calories 114 kcal
- 1 lb ground turkey sausage
- 2 medium peppers (red, green or yellow)
- 1/2 small onion, chopped (red or white)
- 4 handfuls spinach, ripped into pieces
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 32oz container liquid egg whites
- Non-stick spray
Preheat oven to 350⁰ and spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
Heat skillet to medium high heat and brown turkey sausage until cooked through, breaking up into small crumbles.
Combine turkey sausage, peppers, onion, spinach, and spices in a mixing bowl.
With a spoon, scoop turkey sausage mixture evenly into 24 muffin tins. *I only had one 12-cup muffin tin so I used half the mixture first, baked the eggs and then used the rest of the mixture.
Pour egg whites on top of mixture, into muffin tins just below the rim of the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until eggs no longer move when you wiggle the pan.
Once they’re done, place on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes and enjoy!
Make these ahead of time so you have them for the week. They make a great grab-and-go breakfast that’s still hot! You can also find pre-cooked turkey sausage crumbles to save time too.
