Diets Decoded: Plant-Based Diet

Is a plant-based diet healthy? Plant-based—the wellness buzzword that has been hash-tagged more than 32 million times on Instagram and can be found in everything from headlines to menus. But what exactly does it mean to eat plant-based? We’ve got the plant-based diet decoded for you. What is a Plant-based Diet? Think of this one as more of a lifestyle than a diet. There’s no clear definition of a plant-based diet, so you might see the term being used to refer to a variety of eating patterns such as vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian. Nonetheless, a plant-based diet simply refers to a diet that emphasizes whole plant foods and keeps animal products and processed foods to a minimum. What You Eat on a Plant-Based Diet You’ll be keeping it simple with this diet. Minimally processed, plant foods including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds will make up the majority of your meals and snacks. In other words, whole foods without a label, package, or long ingredient list are most often what you’ll be looking for. Animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy, can be consumed too, but the emphasis will be on the plants. Food quality is also another important part of a plant-based diet. Locally sourced and organic foods are often prioritized. If you’re going to consume animal products, then you should aim to purchase quality items such as grass-fed beef or free-range eggs. What You Don’t Eat on a Plant-Based Diet Nothing is off limits on a plant-based diet, but animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs, are either removed or consumed sparingly. Think of animal products as supporting actors rather than the main show with this diet. You’ll also want to avoid processed foods as much as possible, even if they’re plant-based. This includes highly processed foods such as chips, lunch meats, and vegan meats and cheeses that no longer provide the same nutritional benefits as they do in their original, whole-food state. Pros and Cons of a Plant-Based Diet A plant-based diet is an all around win-win, especially given the flexibility it affords to meet your personal preferences, nutritional needs, and lifestyle. It’s no secret you’re better off without overly-processed foods that are stripped of their nutrients and high in added sugars, refined grains, and sodium. Additionally, eating less animal products means more room in your diet to load up on nourishing plant foods that are loaded with gut health-promoting fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory healthy fats.  RELATED: The Inflammatory Foods You Should Really Avoid It’s hard to deny the numerous health benefits associated with plant-based diets. One meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found those assigned a vegetarian diet had significant weight loss compared to those assigned non-vegetarian diets. In addition to weight, evidence suggests that plant-based diets are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and even some types of cancer.  Wondering how you can add more plants to your diet? Try meatless Mondays and use meat as a garnish rather than a centerpiece. Pile up at least half your plate with vegetables, swap animal protein for legumes, tofu or whole grains, or try enjoying fruit as a sweet treat. Better yet, check out some of our favorite recipes below for delicious, plant-based inspiration for every eating occasion. The Bottom Line Flexible, sustainable, nutritious—this is one diet we wholeheartedly support. Load up your plate with as many nutrient-dense whole foods as possible. Then you get to decide if and how you’d like to add in some high-quality animal products. By focusing less on what you’re removing from your diet, and more on what health-boosting foods you can add to your diet, the plant-based eating pattern is one you can and should do for the long haul. The healthiest diet is an approach to eating that fuels your body and mind and fits into your lifestyle. Eating empowered means listening—really listening—to your body and focusing on the diverse, delicious, healthy foods you can have rather than what a hard-to-follow diet says you can’t have. Plant-based Recipes We Love Low Sugar Berry Green Smoothie This is as green as a smoothie can be (the way we like it!) but is sweet and yummy thanks to the vanilla-almond butter-berry combo. The addition of avocado makes it extra creamy. Get the recipe here. Healthy Morning Glory Muffins If you love the flavors of autumn, you’ll fall for these muffins fast, thanks to pumpkin, apple and cinnamon. Bonus: chia seeds add a protein punch. Get the recipe here. Avocado Toast with Roasted Zucchini and Corn Avo toast is a great source of (Instagram-friendly) healthy fats, while zucchini provides fiber, folate and vitamin C. While corn gets a bad rap because it’s such a massive GMO commodity, it’s actually filled with antioxidants. (Just buy it fresh from a local organic farm stand, if you can). Get the recipe here. Smoky Rosemary Maple Tempeh Tempeh is an excellent source of plant-based protein, and since it’s fermented, many people find it more easily digestible compared to tofu. Here, that protein is supplemented with all kinds of nutrient-dense marinade ingredients, like garlic, cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar. Get the recipe here. Coconut Bacon Sandwich Instead of processed meat, you get mushrooms, which are one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D. The protein-rich chickpeas are tossed with antioxidant-rich spices. And while a standard BLT doesn’t come with a letter A, we’ll put avocado’s healthy fats on anything. Get the recipe here. Vegetarian Quesadilla with Broccoli Rabe Who doesn’t love a cheesy quesadilla? This one layers nutrient-dense broccoli rabe (fiber! vitamins!) into the protein-packed cheese and black beans—and holds it all together with a tortilla made with whole grains instead of white flour. Get the recipe here. Vegan Chocolate Gingerbread Protein Muffins These muffins are a sweet treat for all kinds of eaters—from vegan to gluten-free—without the use of any strange replacement ingredients (just healthy, whole foods). They also deliver tons of flavor and protein. Get the recipe here. Peanut Butter Honey Energy Balls These energy balls take

How Many Carbs Are Really in Vegetables?

We dig vegetables…seriously!  They’re probably on the top of our favorite foods list; and, we have a long favorite food list. You can have them in so many ways (sauteed, baked, mashed, raw, in soup).  There’s really no way you can get bored if you use a lil’ bit of creativity. But, even though we all know they’re good for us, there are some medical reasons (like those with diabetes) that need to be mindful of carbs.  We want to be crystal clear that you have a green light to include any and all vegetables in your diet. For good reason, noshing on four or more servings per day has been linked to a smaller waist circumference and lower risk for weight gain…along with many other health benefits. Since most vegetables are low in fat and protein, those with the higher calorie counts generally have higher carb counts as well. Nothing to worry about…just something to be aware of when you do have to count carbs.   If you have to be more aware of carb counting for medical reasons, you’ll want to study up on the vegetables that are considered starchy—meaning they provide more carbs per serving than most of your typical vegetables, but still provide delicious nutrients (think potatoes, corn, peas and winter squash). What’s most important to remember is to focus on eating food, not nutrients!  RELATED: What’s the Deal WIth Carb Cycling? Read on to see how many carbs are found in some of the most common vegetables. Plus, see healthy recipes to put them all to good use. Carbohydrate Counts For 9 Common Vegetables Spinach 1 gram per 1 cup raw With just 6 calories in each loosely-packed cup, Popeye’s favorite greens are also crazy low in carbs. Toss a handful into smoothies, soups or omelets, or take just 15 minutes to make this Broiled Salmon with Spinach for a healthy low-carb dinner. Kale 2 grams per 1 cup raw In similar leafy green news, sturdy kale leaves have a mere 12 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates per loosely-packed cup. Top pizzas, pasta or eggs with Vegan Kale Pesto Sauce, or make crunchy kale chips in your dehydrator or air fryer. (This handy GoWISE USA appliance can do both! $130, amazon.com).  Cucumber 2 ½ grams per 1 cup sliced Nearly all water, each hydrating cup of this low-carb vegetable has 14 calories. Use cucumber slices to scoop up hummus or tzatziki sauce for a snack, or start your dinner with a Cucumber Salad with Chickpea, Tomato and Broccoli Rabe. Cauliflower 5 grams per 1 cup With 27 calories per cup (compared to 495 calories in flour), it’s no wonder cauliflower has become the go-to substitute for higher-carb ingredients. Try the low-carb option yourself with this Dijon Cauliflower Mash or snag a few Caulipower Cauliflower Crust Pizzas ($6.89, target.com) to toss in the freezer for a quick-fix dinner on busy evenings. Broccoli 5 grams per 1 cup florets Just like its paler cruciferous cousin, cauliflower, broccoli is light in carbs and cals (24 calories in each cup of florets). Since this green vegetable can err on the bitter side—hence, why some picky eaters aren’t fond of broccoli—we recommend roasting, searing or grilling the stalks and florets to caramelize and accentuate the natural sugars. Tom Brady’s TB12 Caramelized Broccoli with Smoky Romesco Sauce will show you exactly how to do it. Asparagus 5 grams per 1 cup A perennial spring favorite, this low-carb veggie clocks in at 27 calories per cup. Chop into bite-sized pieces and add to pastas or scrambles, or let the stalks take center stage in this Raw Asparagus Salad with Broccoli Rabe. Green Beans 7 grams per 1 cup These green beauties are great for more than just creamy casseroles on Thanksgiving. Make them a meal mainstay for just 31 calories per cup by simply steaming, air frying or using this Garlic and Lemon Haricots Verts side dish recipe as a guide. Carrots 12 grams per 1 cup, chopped Even though they’re slightly higher in carbs than many of the vegetables on this list, we’re rooting for you to add more of these vitamin A-strong, 53-calorie-per-cup root vegetables to your diet. In addition to those nutrition wins, carrots are great multitaskers. Try the roots as hummus-scooping vessels or in this Carrot Ginger Squash Soup. Then, use the tops in place of the greens called for in your favorite pesto recipe. Corn  19 grams per 1 medium ear There’s a reason why this star of summer is called “sweet corn.” It contains a fair amount of sugars in each 88-calorie ear, but those are all natural sugars (a.k.a. better for you than added sugars, btw). During corn season think fresh; otherwise, opt for frozen—either one will make a tasty and healthy addition to this Avocado Toast with Roasted Zucchini and Corn.

Better Sleep Starts at Dinner

Many of us are trying out new things on the regular with the hopes of calming ourselves before bed and getting a sounder night’s rest. We turned off our electronics 30 minutes before bed, we dimmed the lights, stopped sipping coffee after noon, and even sprayed our pillows with lavender. But, some of us are still struggling to get those zzz’s.  What if we were to tell you that there are certain foods that may help us sleep better? Well, science has shown us that getting better sleep can start at dinner. Tryptophan for example is an amino acid that encourages the release of sleep hormones, and is found in some of the foods you love. How you eat also matters. Digestion slows when you’re laying down causing you to be uncomfortable when trying to go to bed on a full stomach. So eating a large meal late in the evening can also have an affect on your shut eye.  To help you reap all the snoozing benefits, we’re sharing eight of the top foods (with recipes!) to add to your evening. Plus, the four things you’ll want to avoid.  Eat up and you’ll be having sweet dreams before you know it.  SLEEP AND WEIGHT Before we dig into what you should be eating, here’s a little breakdown on how sleep affects your weight. A third of US adults report they do not get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. Studies show that the less hours of sleep you get, the higher your risk is of obesity. Why? It all has to do with your hypothalamus, the region of the brain that stimulates appetite and promotes fat storage. Leptin is a hormone that suppresses appetite and ghrelin is one that regulates hunger and food intake. Sleep deprivation lowers the levels of leptin and increases the levels of ghrelin, which may cause us to eat more.  FOODS FOR BETTER SLEEP Almonds + Cashews: These go-to nuts contain magnesium, a mineral which acts like a natural sedative. Even a small deficiency in magnesium can lead to trouble in the sleep department.  Eat Empowered: Cucumber Avocado Nori Rolls with Cashew-Carrot Dipping Sauce Apricots: Not only pretty (and a Nutritious Life favorite color!) and deliciously tangy-tart, they’re chock full of vitamin C which can help relieve stress. Vitamin C-rich foods have been shown to help your body recover faster from stress, and fewer rattled nerves may mean a mellower slumber.  Eat Empowered: Apricot Dijon Glazed Salmon Asparagus: These green stalks are famous for helping us cleanse but they are also high in folate. Folate is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system and has been linked to anxiety and mood regulation, both which can affect our slumber.  Eat Empowered: Truffle Roasted Asparagus with Shallots Bananas: Sweet and creamy, this fruit is a source of melatonin, a sleep hormone, as well as potassium, which helps normalize heartbeat.  Eat Empowered: Chicken with Banana Curry Cheese: Particularly swiss or cheddar, cheese is a good source of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that encourages the release of melatonin. The hormone melatonin helps to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep, increases sleepiness and may also increase the amount of time you spend asleep.  Eat Empowered: Bowtie Mac and Cheese Nutmeg: The smell screams “apple pie,” but researchers have shown that nutmeg improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it’s also earned a reputation as a home remedy for menstrual cramps and anxiety.  Eat Empowered: Nutmeg Shrimp and Spinach Pasta Skillet Tart cherries: Considered a symbol of immortality in ancient China, this fruit is loaded with anthocyanins, an important type of antioxidant that lowers inflammation, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels. But they’re sleeping beauties, too, since cherries are a natural source of melatonin. Eat Empowered: Chipotle Cherry Pulled Pork Oatmeal: Oats contain more tryptophan per serving than turkey, the food famous for making you sleepy. This amino acid is converted to the feel good and sleep controlling hormone, serotonin. Not only that, but just one cup provides you with 60 mg of magnesium. If you have trouble quieting down your brain at night, a lack of magnesium might be to blame. Optimal magnesium levels are needed for getting your best sleep. Eat Empowered: Mushroom and Herb Steel-Cut Oat Risotto FOODS TO AVOID High fat meals: Heavy meals loaded with unhealthy fats and refined carbs, have been shown to cause disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle and disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythms and make it more difficult to fall asleep. Added sugars: The sweet stuff will affect blood sugar levels, giving you a short burst of energy, before a large drop. As blood sugar levels fall, sleep can be disrupted in the middle of the night. Caffeine: That cup of coffee at night may cause insomnia and restlessness. Try to avoid soda, coffee, tea and chocolate after 12:00 p.m. Alcohol: Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but the quality of sleep through the night will be impacted for the worse and you’ll likely wake up feeling groggy.  (photo credit: Shutterstock)

The Truth About DNA-Based Diets

Ask Keri: Will eating a diet tailored to your unique genetic code lead to a slimmer, happier, healthier you?

Should You Avoid These Sneaky Sugar Substitutes?

There are many products touted as healthy and sugar-free that now list ingredients that end in “-tol.” Here’s what you need to know.

Can Cheese Be Part of a Healthy Diet?

Q: I’ve seen a lot of conflicting information on whether cheese can be part of healthy diet. Overall, is cheese healthy? A: This is a great question, since a lot has changed over the years in terms of what we know about cheese and the nutrients it provides. My short answer is that you can absolutely eat cheese regularly as part of a healthy diet, but (you knew there was a “but”, didn’t you?) you shouldn’t treat it like a vegetable. You’ve got to choose the kind of cheese you’re eating wisely and pay serious attention to portion control. Here’s a little basic background info that will help you do just that. Facts on Fat and Cholesterol The question “Is cheese healthy?” inevitably makes you think “It can’t be!” because it contains lots of fat and cholesterol. But while we used to think that all high-fat foods like cheese were associated with conditions like obesity and heart disease, science has since shown fats are far from created equal. RELATED: Why Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat Different fatty acids affect markers like inflammation and insulin levels in complex ways, and while more research is needed, some suggests cheese may not be a bad guy in this realm. For instance, researchers at Harvard identified a fatty acid in cheese that may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 2016 meta-analysis found that eating cheese daily was associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Similarly, cheese contains a lot of cholesterol, but eating high-cholesterol foods doesn’t necessarily lead to high blood cholesterol levels that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Small studies have even shown that eating cheese, specifically, doesn’t raise blood cholesterol levels. How to Control Portions and Be Picky Even with all of that out of the way, cheese is still a fatty, high-calorie food, so you shouldn’t start eating it like it’s broccoli. A healthy portion is one ounce, which equals about one slice, two small cubes, or two tablespoons, depending on the cheese. RELATED: A Quick Primer on Healthy Portion Sizes The good news: You already know you need plenty of protein, and the protein-fat combo in cheese makes it super satiating, so you should fill up fast if you’re eating it alongside other healthy foods like fruits and veggies. In other words, a little bit goes a long way in terms of including it in a healthy, satisfying meal. Other pro tips? Choose cheeses with sharp, bold flavor, like extra sharp cheddar, salty feta, or a stinky blue. They provide a lot of flavor in small amounts when you sprinkle them on a salad, for instance. And stock your cheese plate with vegetables, nuts, and seeds, for balance. Finally, choose the least processed cheeses (Kraft singles aren’t cheese, okay?) and opt for organic and grass-fed when possible, to avoid hormones given to dairy cows and pesticides in feed.

3 Overlooked Nutrients To Add to Your Diet Now

Everyone’s always talking about how vitamin B12 deficiency leads to energy issues or how most people don’t get enough vitamin D. But there’s a whole universe of nutrients you likely never think about. Generally, that’s okay. If you’re eating a variety of whole foods including lots of diverse fruits and vegetables, you’re likely getting most of them in our diet naturally. Still, it’s good to know about other important nutrients your body needs for peak performance, in case you’re feeling like something’s missing, or your diet is restricted to certain foods (i.e. if you’re a vegetarian or gluten-free). RELATED: What You Need to Know to Be A Healthy Vegan To start, read up on these three underrated and often overlooked nutrients, which you should definitely make sure your diet is rich in, 24-7. 3 Overlooked Nutrients to Add to Your Diet 1. Vitamin A The very first vitamin of the alphabet does a heck of a lot when it comes to maintaining a healthy, high-functioning body. Not only is it involved in regulating the growth and differentiation of basically all of your cells, it plays a huge role in maintaining a strong immune system. And it’s key to the development and maintenance of good vision. (Kind of important, right?) RELATED: How to Strengthen Your Immune System Every Time You Eat The important thing to know is that there are two forms: preformed, found in animal foods, and, provitamin A carotenoids, found in fruits and vegetables. Eating too much preformed vitamin A can actually be toxic and is especially dangerous during pregnancy, but that risk doesn’t apply to the form found in plants. So, of course, we prefer to get ours from produce. Find it in leafy greens like broccoli rabe, spinach, and kale and orange-y veggies like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots. 2. Vitamin K Vitamin K is known for its role in blood coagulation and clotting and is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease. Recent research has also revealed it plays an important role in helping our bodies absorb calcium, and you’ve definitely already heard about how much calcium you need for strong, healthy bones. Find it in vegetables like kale, collards, and spinach. Plus, those leafy greens also contain magnesium, a mineral involved in calcium absorption as well as nerve and brain function. (Notice a trend in which foods contain the widest array of nutrients??) 3. Choline Choline is a micronutrient that’s a big building block for cells and is involved in many different systems in the body. It’s used to make a neurotransmitter that’s important for learning and memory, is involved in the methylation cycle, which affects energy and mood, and has been shown to regulate inflammation (score!). RELATED: 7 Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Foods Get your daily dose from eggs, beef, seafood, broccoli, and peanuts.

The Need-To-Know Facts on Salt in Food

Q: How much salt is too much salt in food, and should I sprinkle on a specific kind? A: There’s a reason we say good people are “the salt of the earth” and reliable people are “worth their salt.” Salt, or sodium chloride, is a valuable mineral. It’s an essential nutrient the human body cannot make itself and plays a role in nerve and muscle function as well as regulating the body’s water content. (No wonder your taste buds perk up every time a pretzel touches your tongue, right?) Salt deficiency can lead to dehydration, low blood pressure, and yes, even death. Don’t let that scare you though, because the majority of Americans consume way too much salt in their daily diets, leading to an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. So, how much is too much salt in food? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting your daily intake of salt in food to 2300 mg, which is a little less than one teaspoon. Keep in mind that that number is an upper limit—you can take in much less and be totally healthy, and other sources, like the American Heart Association, recommend an ideal limit as low as 1500 mg per day. But what if I mortgaged my house to buy magical Himalayan Sea Salt? There are a few different kinds of salt, and some are touted as healthier than others. Here are the main differences I think are important: Regular Table Salt is sourced from soil and has its minerals removed through heavy processing. Then, it’s loaded with additives to prevent the granules from clumping. Iodine, the only mineral not naturally found in sea salt, is also added. Iodine controls the release of hormones and deficiency can lead to weight gain and fatigue, as well as neurological, gastrointestinal, and skin issues, but if you are eating a balanced diet that contains whole foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and seafood, you’ll already get adequate amounts. (And the salt added to packaged foods is not even the iodized kind.) Sea Salt, on the other hand, is exactly what it sounds like—salt from the deep, blue sea. Ocean water is evaporated leaving behind the salt, which contains trace amounts of minerals in varying amounts (depending on where it’s from). These different minerals can add a variety of flavors to your salt shaker and also result in a coarser texture. I consider sea salt to be the healthier option because it’s the least processed. Himalayan Sea Salt, finally, is an unrefined salt that is hand mined from ancient salt caves (and is usually pretty in pink). Proponents say it contains more than 80 trace minerals that are good for you, but most experts agree they’re not present in high-enough amounts to actually affect your health. Again, it’s unprocessed, unlike table salt, so that’s a good thing, but it’s also outrageously expensive compared to regular sea salt or table salt. A grain (or three) of advice Keeping all of that in mind, I present you with a salt solution: Get your minerals primarily from a whole-food diet filled with vegetables, whole grains, and seafood. Avoid packaged foods as much as possible, as they tend to be super salty (canned soups are particularly bad, even the organic ones!), and minimize salt at restaurant meals by avoiding the salt shaker since they are already salty enough. In other words, cooking for yourself at home will naturally lower your salt intake. For flavor, shake on a little bit, but try to stay below the recommended daily amount. And don’t stress over the different kinds. In the end, they’re all sodium chloride, and choosing one over the other will not have a major effect on your overall diet.