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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Textured vegetable protein, or TVP, is a highly concentrated mixture made from soy flour. It’s very easy to cook, has virtually no taste and has no fat. Doesn’t sound very appetizing, right? Actually, that’s far from the truth.

I’m a big fan of using vegetable protein in place of ground beef , turkey or chicken. TVP is most often made from high protein content soy flour, but it can be made of cotton seeds, wheat or oats. The mixture is extruded, and becomes a spongy mass that is then cut into chunks, nuggets or grains. These shapes are then dried.  TVP is approximately 50% protein before rehydration.

When reconstituted, the TVP can be mixed with ground beef, turkey or chicken with a ratio as high as 3:1. The TVP takes on the flavor of the meat that it is mixed with and makes a fantastic filler. It’s very inexpensive and can be shelf stable for up to a year. These qualities make TVP a staple for those who follow a vegetarian, and in some cases, vegan, lifestyle. For those who are trying to lose weight, the reality that it is fat and cholesterol free make TVP a dream come true.

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Hot dogs might not measure up to most gourmet fare, but they are a big part of some of America’s favorite pastimes. National Hot Dog Day falls on July 23, which is conveniently right in the middle of baseball and summer grilling season.

While you often hear that hot dogs are nutritionally unsavory, there are a lot of lighter options out there for anyone who wants keep things on the healthier side.

Whether you’re buying beef, pork, turkey, chicken or veggie hot dogs, you should always pay attention to whether or not the hot dog has added nitrites or nitrates. Once digested, nitrites and nitrates can form compounds that have been known to cause cancer.  To make your hot dog meal healthier, you can serve it topped with fiber-rich sauerkraut, in a whole-wheat bun or alongside a full plate of brightly-colored fruits and vegetables.

However, if you want to avoid the nutritional trap of hot dogs entirely, you can look to five of our favorite healthier hot dogs to satisfy your cravings without an added helping of guilt.

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