Restaurant menus are getting better and better all the time. More and more establishments are including ingredients and nutrition information for their consumers. One chain that has appealed to the health conscience and the fast food addicts alike is Chipotle. Chipotle has always offered fresh, high quality ingredients and allowed the customer to make their meal tailored to their desires. They have also been very forthcoming in their products, helping the health-conscience make informed decisions. However, a recent food faux pas has required the CEO to make some necessary menu changes.
Chipotle’s pinto beans have always been prepared with a small amount of bacon. This is not advertised clearly on any menu. However the staff has always been instructed to inform customers of this fact if they aren’t ordering any type of meat, just to insure the assumed vegetarian isn’t consuming meat. The web site always advises vegetarians and vegans to choose the black beans over pinto as they are vegan. Recently a flaw in this plan was exposed.
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While some doctors have suggested that consuming hot dogs might raise your risk of developing colorectal cancer, Harvard researchers recently reported processed red meat like bacon and hot dogs raises the risk of Type 2 diabetes. According to an article in the New York Times, replacing just one serving per day of processed red meat with nuts or low-fat dairy can lower the risk of disease.
The study analyzed 300,000 people ages 25 to 75, including three groups of male and female health professionals and looked at their eating and health habits dating to 1976.
Overall, researchers discovered that eating just 50 grams a day of processed meat — one hot dog or sausage, for example, or a little more than two strips of bacon — increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 51 percent.
Instead of chowing down on bacon, sausage, bologna or ham, medical professionals recommend limiting consumption of processed red meats and instead selecting a low-fat dairy product, a serving of whole grains or a serving of fish or poultry.
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Alison Lewis is a nationally known Cookbook Author, Recipe Developer, Television and Social Media Food Spokesperson, Nutritionist, Food Educator, and Owner of Ingredients, Inc., a Food Consulting company in Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for creating healthy, family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare and sharing information about healthy living on her blog, ingredientsinc.net.
As a nutritionist, I have been a fan of the Mediterranean Diet for years. I try to incorporate the key components of the diet such as exercise, limiting red meat, eating more fish, consuming more plant based foods and enjoying meals with family and friends. I became even more of a believer recently when I traveled to Italy for seven days, didn’t exercise, ate a ton, and actually lost weight.
Craig Rich, a board certified internal medicine doctor says, “I recommend the Mediterranean diet to the majority of my patients because it’s lower in saturated fat and has been said to reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. New research also suggests that this diet can even help keep your brain healthy. What I honestly like about the diet, is that most people can really stick to it without a lot of effort.”
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July 2, 2011 brought about another first for the infamous cycling event, the Tour de France. In its 107-year history, cyclists have experimented with a multitude of options to better their chances at taking on the steep mountains and rigorous course. From diets full of red meat and carbs to even using cigarettes as a tactic, nearly everything has been attempted by the athletes. However, American cyclist David Zabriskie tried something no one else ever had. Zabriskie showed up to the starting line, planning on his vegan diet to carry him to victory.
While so many people practice a vegetarian or vegan diet, why was Zabriskie’s diet news? His no meat, dairy, or egg diet seems so radical due to the demands his sport puts on his body. Most cyclists eat plenty of meat and diary to help muscle recovery. The iron in red meat helps the body produce hemoglobin which helps transport oxygen to the muscles.
So why would any athlete of Zabriskie’s caliber do such a thing? Zabriskie has a medical reason, stating that blood tests showed some food sensitivities that meant while most athletes would benefit from red meat, that meat would take too much energy for Zabriskie to digest.
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When you’re planning a picnic or cookout, creating a perfect menu can be challenging when you have vegetarians coming to dinner.
Though most vegetarians eat a varied, balanced diet, carnivores might have a difficult time coming up with inventive main dish options for guests with dietary restrictions.
Rainbow Sandwich: If cold cuts are on the menu for your next picnic, don’t relegate the vegetarians to cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly. Tomatoes, avocado and pesto make for such a delicious sandwich that even your meat eaters in the group will want one.
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