Tag Archives: avocado

Nutritionist Joy Bauer Debuts “Joy’s Healthy Bite” on TODAY

America’s favorite nutritionist Joy Bauer, earned a little more air time this week. The star debuted a new segment on the TODAY Show this morning called “Joy’s Healthy Bite,” in which she covers the latest buzz in the health world including food trends, research findings and celebrity diets. 

We tuned in for today’s segment where Joy touted the health benefits of two of her favorite foods: Greek yogurt and avocados.

Joy reported that last week, the American Heart Association presented a study that showed people who regularly eat yogurt even just two to three times per week, are able to significantly reduce their risk for getting high blood pressure.

Not just any yogurt does the trick, Joy warns. Don’t pick yogurts that are high in fat and sugar. Instead look for those that are non- or low-fat, and then add your own sweeteners – about 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey – and a little fruit if you prefer. If you’re partial to buying flavors, Joy recommends checking the label to make sure there’s no more than 20 grams of sugar per serving.  (more…)

Healthy Labor Day Recipes for the Last Weekend of Summer

Seeing as Labor Day is right around the corner, many Americans will be pulling out their grills this weekend. Equipped with our figure-friendly summer cookout recipes, you ought to be one of them.

The problem with most cookout recipes, however, is that they’re usually high in calories and fat. In addition, they leave you feeling lethargic long after the table is cleared. Thankfully though, the line-up we’re sharing today won’t have you reaching for your stretchy pants. Instead, think light, savory, and scrumptious dishes that are the perfect, healthy way to kiss summer goodbye.

First up, enjoy the end of summer with a glass of our famous Red, White, and Blue Sangria. This sangria is perfect for any cookout because it’s light, refreshing, perfectly sweet, and loaded with antioxidant-containing strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Cheers to that!

Sides

Avocado Serrano Coleslaw will make a great side dish for your cookout side. Our slaw contains pineapples and orange bell peppers with a light avocado dressing. Using avocado instead of mayo is a healthier substitute and adds more southwest flavor to the dish. (more…)

HealthBuzz August 24: Green Coffee Bean Fad, Worst Movie Snacks, and Healthier Mexican Recipes

It’s the start of the weekend, and that means it’s time for a dose healthy news. This week’s HealthBuzz features a story about Dr. Oz and his over-hyped recommendation of Green Coffee Bean Extract, the worst snacks at the movie theater, and savory Mexican recipes that are actually good for you. Don’t wait until the end of the week to hear from us! Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest, and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Oz’s Green Coffee Bean: Conflicts of Interest and Flawed Studies Abound

Dr. Oz’s new magic pill of the month is Green Coffee Bean Extract (GCBE). According to a study, a mere 16 men and women in India who took GCBE lost a tremendous amount of weight in 22 weeks. However, there are some flaws to the study and Dr. Oz failed to mention to his audience the conflict with his guest expert. Find out why Dr. Oz is promoting GCBE on his show.

Reggie L. Smith Leads Retired NFL Players Losing Weight With Retrofit

After retiring from the NFL, Reggie Smith gained 70 pounds of unhealthy weight. Last year, Mr. Smith started shedding pounds with Retrofit. The program helped Reggie gain control of his weight and life, and career! He was named the new Vice President of Business Development for Retrofit Weight Loss this week. Reggie is excited to spread the benefits to other fellow retired NFL players and the rest of the country.

Michael Strahan Named Ripa’s New ‘Live’ Co-Host: IS He Fit Enough for the Job?

Since Regis Philbin retired from the show months ago, many people wondered if Kelly would ever get a new co-host. Well earlier this week the network announced that Michael Strahan, another retired NFL star, will be the new face of Live, co-hosting with Kelly Ripa. The fit host will begin appearing on the show September 4, and we can’t wait! (more…)

How to Cook with Avocado

Avocados are a food that I only just came around to in the last five years or so. When I was younger, I would grow weary if guacamole came near my plate, and certainly didn’t go out of my way to get put any on my favorite Mexican dishes. Doing so would’ve been a travesty, or at the very least, a meal fail. But if I would’ve known then what I know now about this nutritionally-dense and versatile fruit, I’d have been eating it by the chip-fulls long before my college days.

Health Benefits: Avocados are incredibly high in vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, and also provide ample amounts of riboflavin, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid. In addition, avocados provide 54 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake. And perhaps the most exciting news about this fruit is that when eaten with other foods, such as blueberries, it doubles the amount of antioxidants your body is able to absorb!

Nutritional statistics: One cup of avocado diced contains approximately 240 calories, 22 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Cooking methods: Much to some people’s surprise, avocados can be prepared in many ways, both savory and sweet. Add them fresh to your morning smoothie or blend them up with a banana for a rich and simple vegan dessert. You can also mash them up with peas and put them over toast, or whirl them into a dressing with olive oil, salt and pepper. See our recipes below for just a few ways to use this heart-healthy fruit. (more…)

The Best Summer Taco Dinner: BBQ Chicken Tacos with Avocado Coleslaw and Raspberry Serrano Sangria

Recently, on a time-crunched work day, inspiration struck when a craving for tacos found a lone breast of BBQ-rubbed chicken in the freezer. I wasn’t quite sure how to make the barbecue spice meld with a classic taco, but I was hungry enough to make it work. I let the chicken thaw during the day and by the time I came home from work I had a plan.

The usual tomatoes, black beans, and peppers were not going to make this bird fly; I had to use the traditional barbecue as my muse. That’s when I decided a coleslaw topping would bring these little tacos together perfectly.

So there I was, on a random Tuesday night, throwing together a simple dinner (less than 30 minutes) that was not only super healthy, but about to be pretty darn good. It was so good my family has requested it weekly all summer, and each time I oblige I’m able to fine tune the recipe to the point that I’m ready to share it with all of you. (more…)

Feed Your Hair With Real Food for Better Hair Days

Have you ever told someone that you don’t wash your hair every day? Their faces snarl, sometimes they even make a noise indicating their disgust. For someone like me with very, very coarse and curly hair, daily washing isn’t a necessity. If anything, it’s doing more damage than good considering how much shampoos can dry out your hair, strip shine, and wear down the general health of each strand.

Shampoo isn’t the only thing wrecking your hair, a greasy fast-food habit can be just as destructive. The health of each strand of hair shows more than just your showering regimen, it’s an indicator of your total wellness.

“The condition of your hair reflects your nutritional status as well as your overall health,” said Dr. Jessica Wu, Daily Glow‘s Skin + Beauty Expert, Los Angeles dermatologist, and author of Feed Your Face. “If you’re feeding your body plenty of protein and other essential nutrients, your hair is more likely to be strong, shiny, and easier to style. On the other hand, certain dietary deficiencies or imbalances can make hair weak, brittle, difficult to style, or even change color. If you’re not eating the right foods, your hair can get dull, dry, and thin.”

Yes, once again, what you’re eating shows up in more places than the mustard stain on your shirt or the bulge around your belly. Your hair is taking a beating every time you opt for fries over a salad or a Coke instead of a water. Your hair is a reflection of what you eat, making it even more important to be mindful at each meal.

Dr. Wu broke out some impressive science to explain why our hair needs specific amino acids to ensure more than an occasional good hair day. (more…)

Keep Your Joints Healthy with Effective Supplements

There are two things I’ve learned since moving into my new home.

1. I had no problem meeting my step goal from Miss Courtney Crozier’s summer challenge since I now have 3 sets of stairs to go up and down all day.

2. The creaking noise I’m hearing is not from my stairs, it’s from my knees.


I’m not sure what caused it: whether it’s my years of sports playing goalie and catcher in high school or rugby in college. It could be the stress on my body from the extra 120 pounds of weight that I had less than a year ago. Maybe I’m just getting, dare I say it, … getting old??

The good news is I’m not in pain…yet. However, this could be the warning signs of something greater and as a health care professional I should not be ignoring things. I am considering taking some supplements to help lubricate my joints like I’m the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.

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9 Heart-Healthy Foods You Should be Eating

February is American Heart Month, but that doesn’t mean you should only worry about having a healthy heart for 28 days out of the year. Heart health is incredibly important; if you take care of your heart, you’ll be less likely to suffer from heart disease and stroke, the most common killer in the USA.

The foods that you eat can have a great impact on your heart’s health. Think of your heart as a high performance sports car: if you put super-premium fuel in, you’ll get better results. Here are nine super-premium foods to keep your ticker in tip-top shape:

Oatmeal Oatmeal is good for your heart because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, potassium, and folate. The fiber in oatmeal is very beneficial for your heart because it can lower levels of your bad cholesterol (LDL), which can clear up your arteries.

Avocados Like oatmeal, avocados will help lower your LDL cholesterol levels; they will also raise the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) in your body. They also make it easier for your body to absorb other nutrients that are good for your heart, such as beta-carotene and lycopene.

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What’s In Season: November Fruits and Vegetables

One of the best ways to lose weight and be healthy is to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and make them a large part of every meal and snack. Filled with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and water, fruits and veggies fill you up and give you quite the nutritional bang for your bite. In fact, studies show that high consumption of fruits and veggies can prevent cancer and lower blood pressure.

Although you may think of summer when it comes to the best fresh produce (strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon, oh my!), fall and winter are also a surprisingly tasty time to eat fresh. The in-season fruits and veggies for November are hearty, chock full of nutrition and darn delicious, and because they’re in season, these guys are usually cheaper and easier to get fresher than out-of-season produce. Bonus!

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Power Food Pairings Increase Nutritional Value

Women’s Health has released a list of 9 Power Food Pairings – combinations of food items that give you more nutritional value when eaten together. Even better, they seem like pretty easy combinations to work into your diet. Check out Women’s Health for the full list and read my favorites below.

That time of the month may have you reaching for less nutritious foods, but research shows less pre-menstrual irritability in women who ingest the most calcium and vitamin D. Eggs are an excellent source of vitamin D, and broccoli provides easily-absorbed calcium. I tend to crave a little fat, so a broccoli and cheese omelet sounds ideal to me. (more…)

Dip in to these Healthy Guacamole Recipes for National Guacamole Day

Today, September 16, is National Guacamole Day! It’s also Mexican Independence Day. Who knew?

This doesn’t mean that you should go crazy with the chips transporting said guacamole into your mouth. But guacamole is an amazing source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Avocados contain the same type of fat found in olive oil and almonds. Avocados are one the best choices in fruit for magnesium, vitamin E and folic acid. They have 60% more potassium than bananas. If that’s not enough reason to make avocados a part of your daily diet, they are also free of sodium, cholesterol and trans fats.

In one study, volunteers who ate avocados every day for a week experienced an average 17% drop in total blood cholesterol (Archives of Medical Research, Winter 1996). Try guacamole on a grilled chicken breast, as a spread for a whole grain turkey sandwich, or dip your carrots into it for an out of this world snack. (more…)