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Healthy Eating

5 Free Wellness Apps That Can Help You Reach Your Goals

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5 free wellness apps

The biggest struggles of weight loss and just improving your overall wellness involves a combination of remembering to write down what you eat, keeping track of your weight loss, calculating how far your run was and other such chores that can be easily forgotten.

Tracking your progress in the form of calories, miles ran and workout time is important for motivation and overall improvement of your health since it will allow you to see where you may be missing out. Since most people have a smartphone with them everywhere they go, mobile health and fitness apps have become quite popular.

Save yourself the time of searching for the best health and fitness app and download one of these 5 instead.

  1. MyFitnessPal

my fitness palIf you could only download one app, MyFitnessPal would be an ideal choice. This app allows you to keep a food journal, track your workouts and see your overall weight loss progress all in one spot. Some specific features include:

  • A huge 5 million food database
  • Add your own foods easily and quickly into your own personal database
  • Set very specific nutrition goals for any diet
  • Track water consumption
  • Set reminders for adding food and exercise progress
  • You can add a sync a step tracking device to the app
  • App syncs automatically on mobile and online
  • App is one of the easiest to use and set up beautifully

The app hits every single requirement of a good health and fitness app for weight loss. It is perfect for people brand new to using these types of apps and equally appealing to tech-junkies who crave a well-designed, quick to use app. You can also access your MFP information online. You will not be disappointed with this one.

  1. Fooducate

fooducateFooducate is an amazing app for those who don’t want to just count calories but really track the nutritional value of the foods they eat. This app uses a grading system to allow you to easily judge the quality of food you may buy. Being able to take our your phone right in the grocery store and scan a barcode means you’re more apt to do it.

Other features of the Fooducate app include:

  • A-D food grading system so you can judge the health at a glance
  • App will give you pros and cons of the food
  • Focus more on the quality of the food you eat rather than how many calories
  • Will show you hidden ingredients not easily deciphered from just reading the nutrition label
  • Add in your own food that you eat often to make using the app easier
  • Includes personalization for elimination diets like gluten-free
  • Takes health conditions like illness and pregnancy into consideration

You can also track exercise with Fooducate though it primarily focuses on diet. This app also connects to Apple’s Health app to make sync both apps seamless. If you really want to know what you are eating or are needing to carefully keep track of what you eat because of food allergies, this app should be on your phone.

  1. Lose It!

loseitappLose It! uses a combination of tried and true weight loss methods like calorie counting backed with friendly community of peers there to motivate you. This app has quite a few features and works well as a stand-alone app much like MyFitnessPal.

Here are a few of Lose It!’s features:

  • Allows you to set goals for weight, sleep, blood pressure and exercise
  • Track body measurements
  • Large food database with ability to add your own foods
  • Scan barcodes on food items to make tracking easier
  • You can be as open and social as you want with the community, or make it totally private
  • Set up community fitness and diet challenges

Lose It! is a really fun app and a great choice for people who really want a social experience when it comes to weight loss and overall health. This app is also available on more uncommon platforms like the Nook and Kindle.

  1. Noom Coach

Noom Coach is a solely mobile-based app that includes the ability to track diet and exercise for those who are striving for weight loss. This app is praised as being more than an app to count calories but rather an app made for the everyday person who is more concerned about health than numbers.

Here are a couple of Noom Coach’s features:

  • Color coded nutrition feedback
  • Built in barcode scanner
  • App memory for favorite foods
  • Syncs with its own pedometer
  • Offers health-related articles daily
  • Very supportive community and forum to answer your questions

Noom Coach also claims that 9 out of 10 users have lost weight, with 10 lbs in 2 months being the average.  The basic version is free.  Upgrade for more features, like support groups and coaching.

  1. Endomondo

Last but not least is the app Endomondo. Endomondo is all about exercise. This GPS-based exercise tracker focuses on distance exercises like walking, running, biking, kayaking and more. This app will be an invaluable tool for those who participants in these activities.

By using Endomondo you’ll be able to:

  • See a live map of your workout and distance ran
  • Sync a heartrate monitor to view your stats while exercising
  • Includes customized tracking for more than 40 sports
  • Syncs with the music on your phone so you can listen and run/walk/bike/etc
  • Set up challenges in the Endomondo community
  • Shows workout history and goals
  • Motivates you with audio tracks

Though Endomondo isn’t a standalone fitness app since it lacks the diet aspect and goal setting, it is still a must download for anyone exercising at distances, even if you just enjoy walking. This app will also be ideal for those who compete or plan to compete in distance events, like 5k runs.

Health and fitness apps can really be invaluable tools, especially if you are just starting a new lifestyle. They simplify the whole process of creating and scheduling workouts, food journaling and tracking progress. If you don’t already have these 5 apps, visit the iTunes or Google Play store to download them.

Honorable Mentions: I also have to mention FitBit’s online community and app, the MapMyFitness app and the FatSecret app.  These are solid choices as well.

8 Benefits of Eating Locally and Organically

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eating local and organicOne of the most beneficial things you can do for your overall well-being and health is to eat locally grown foods, especially those that are organic, as much as possible.  There are many reasons why it is a good idea to eat organic foods from your local farmer’s market or foods that are sourced locally by grocery stores. Even non-organic local produce has benefits. Here are just a few benefits to consider.

  • Eating Locally Saves Money

Eating food grown locally is sometimes less expensive than conventionally grown foods at the grocery store. Since local growers don’t have to add delivery and storage expenses to their prices you can often save money. This is especially true in remote areas like Hawaii, Alaska or any place that has to import their groceries over sea.

  • Eating Organically Reduces Exposure to Pesticides

A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that those who eat organically have lower levels DAPs, or dialkylphosphates, in their bodies. DAP’s coincide with levels of organophosphates in the body so the lower the DAPs, the fewer pesticides have been consumed.

  • Organic and Local Foods are More Flavorful

It’s not just hearsay that organic and locally grown foods just plain taste better than conventionally grown produce. Even dairy products and meats that were grown organically taste better to many people. Produce grown locally is typically fresher and often picked at ripening rather than picked early and ripened in box. Organic produce is free from many chemicals which improves flavor.  Look for food that is IN SEASON to get the best tasting food.

  • Local Foods Have More Nutrients

Locally grown produce is healthier and more nutritious, even compared to organic grocery store produce. As mentioned above about ripeness, locally grown foods don’t just taste better because they are ripe but this ripeness also contains more vitamins and minerals compared to food that has been shipped and sitting for a while. Also, when produce is picked or harvested before it’s ripe, it will still ripen but simply can’t contain the vitamins a naturally ripened fruit or vegetable does.

  • Organic Foods Don’t Contain Antibiotics

Similarly to pesticides in produce, conventional meat and dairy tends to also be exposed to  antibiotics. Many people feel that meat and dairy products that are organic often taste much better as well as being potentially healthier. The antibiotics used in non-organic dairy and beef cows can harm the healthy bacteria in our stomachs which in turn weakens our immune system. Many people wonder if antibiotic use in food is contributing to antibiotic resistance in terms of fighting illness.

  • Supporting Local Farms Improves Economy

Local farmers and gardeners often struggle with their way of life. In today’s world many people are becoming more conscious of where there money is spent and who their money supports. Choosing to give your money to local farmers in a win-win situation. You get a much higher quality food and help them continue to grow the produce they raise and that we need.

  • Organic Foods Have More Antioxidants

Many of the healthy antioxidants in produce is lost during conventional growing procedures. Organic food contains far more antioxidants which directly improve the health of your body. Organic food that has been grown in state or in a neighboring state will contain the most antioxidants.

  • Eating Locally Gives Opportunity to Experiment

This might seem like an odd benefit but when you create a relationship with local growers the way you eat can really improve. When you shop at a grocery store it is easy to get stuck in a rut of buying the same produce. This limits the variety of food you eat and the way you eat your food. As you start buying locally from different farmers you will often have opportunity to try produce you may never have bought normally. You also will learn to buy foods seasonally and may even get tips from the growers and fellow farmer’s market goers about new ways to prepare the produce.

A Word about the Organic Label

Just because a label says something is organic doesn’t necessarily mean it is completely organic. First off, the USDA only requires 95% of the ingredients in organic foods to be organic. Organic produce may still contain pesticides which have been carried in the wind from neighboring non-organic fields. You can’t control the bees and the wind.

Organic crops can even contain GMOs which migrated from neighboring crops, much like the pesticides can do. Also, locally grown food doesn’t mean it’s organic. Local farmers can and do use pesticides or possibly antibiotics in their animal products so always ask if this is a concern for you.

It’s generally agreed that organic food is healthier than non-organic and local foods are healthier than grocery store produce. Making an effort to eat more organic and locals foods is a great choice to improve your diet. If you aren’t able to go completely organic, check out this list of foods you should try to eat organically.

6 Tips for Organizing Your Refrigerator

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The refrigerator is easily the hardest-working appliance in a home, yet it is often neglected. Not only is the average fridge not cleaned often enough but people simply don’t know how to properly organize their foods in the most efficient way. When it comes to organizing your fridge, it isn’t just for the sake of making things neat but to reduce bacteria, keep foods fresh for longer and minimize clutter. Not only is a clean, organized fridge going to keep your foods safe, but it also helps you see what ingredients you have to work with for healthy, balanced meals.

tips organizing you refrigeratorHere are 6 tips for getting your fridge organized.

  1. Don’t Put Things In Your Fridge That Don’t Need to Be Refrigerated

It goes without saying that putting food items in your fridge that don’t need to be chilled can be a major waste of space and can even spoil some foods quicker. Usually, there will be a label on the product saying whether it needs to be refrigerated or refrigerated after opening. Still, many people will put produce, store-bought condiments and foods in their fridge that should be on the counter or in the pantry. Here are a couple examples:

  • Tomatoes, Onions and Potatoes
  • Fresh Herbs
  • Vinegars
  • Bread and Bagels
  • Some Butters
  • Honey

If you are unsure of what foods need to be refrigerated or not, a simple Google search for the item in question will give you answer. Also, most homemade foods and those without preservatives should go into the fridge, even if the store-bought equivalent doesn’t need to be.

  1. Use Plastic Placemats and Plastic Tubs on the Shelves

Spills are really inevitable in a fridge. To cut down on cleaning time and keep your food safe from bacteria use plastic placemats from your local dollar store as shelf liners. Utilizing square and rectangular plastic tubs will also help you organize foods and is especially helpful for keeping raw meats and any leaks separate from everything else.

  1. Utilize the Specific Labeled Drawers in Your Fridge Properly

For the most part you will want to follow the label recommendations on the drawers in your fridge. The drawers aren’t just to organize your food but also coincide with temperatures and humidity levels in the refrigerator. For example, the produce drawer is purposely more humid than other parts of the fridge and the meat drawer is colder.

One circumstance in which you may ignore this is if your fridge happens to have a meat drawer higher in the fridge as potential leaks could drip onto food below.

  1. Put New Groceries Behind Older Food

How often have you cleaned out your fridge to find forgotten leftovers or barely used food that was pushed to the back? To cut down on waste make sure you put new groceries behind food that’s already in your fridge. As for leftovers, placing them in an obvious spot at the front as a regular habit will help you make sure it gets eaten or tossed in an appropriate amount of time.

  1. Organize Foods From Top to Bottom and Front to Back

The way a refrigerator is built and the way it chills food is important to know. The top shelf of your fridge is the warmest shelf, the bottom shelf or drawers are the coldest. The warmest place in your fridge are the shelves on the door. Also, the back of each shelf is colder than the front. As an example of organizing, cooked food should go on the top shelves, milk on the bottom shelf closet to the back, and condiments and sauces on the door.  This is also a matter of preference, but be mindful of the temperatures.

  1. Clean The Inside and Outside of Your Fridge Before Grocery Shopping

Keeping your fridge clean is extremely important in removing bacteria to keep your food safe. Many refrigerators aren’t cleaned nearly enough as they should and sometimes people go months without a deep cleaning. One study done by Microban Europe showed that the salad drawer of 30 different fridges showed an average of nearly 8,000 units of bacteria per square centimeter. Some samples were much higher.

It goes without saying that any spills should be cleaned immediately, but you should also wipe down the inside and outside of your fridge door before you go grocery shopping weekly or monthly. At the very least, clean out any foods that have gone bad or spoiled. A deep cleaning should be done every 3 months. It’s hard to keep track of things when you have a big family or a dealing with kids, but cleaning will help your appliance to last and serve your family well.

Your fridge deserves some extra TLC compared to other appliances. Setting reminders for quarterly deep cleanings and making it a habit to clean out your fridge before putting in new groceries is the key to banishing bacteria.

6 Spices that Support Weight Loss

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6 spices for weight lossWe all know that in order to achieve your weight loss goals you must eat a healthy diet that consists of fresh, whole foods. Did you know that the seasonings you might use in your everyday cooking could be leveraged to give yourself an extra weight loss boost?

Spices have numerous benefits for our bodies, from boosting the immune system to aiding digestive issues. These 6 spices are also excellent additions to your diet if you are trying to lose weight.  These are not magic pill or magic powders, however.  These spices on their own, without healthy eating, exercise and a commitment to healthy, will not help you lose pounds.

  • Garlic

Garlic is a wonderfully aromatic spice and used in all types of dishes. If you are a big fan of garlic you’ll be happy to know that studies show promise that garlic boosts weight loss. One study featured in Nutrition Research and Practice showed that middle-aged women’s weight loss was improved when a garlic supplement was added to their exercise regimen.

To get the most from garlic as a weight loss supplement you can take concentrated garlic supplement pills or an aged garlic supplement. Garlic has so many other health benefits that making an effort to include this spice in more of your cooking is an excellent idea.

  • Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a delicious spice that is synonymous with fall and winter. Some nutritionists claim that cinnamon is also the newest “skinny spice” for those who are trying to lose weight or simply maintain a healthy weight.

While studies haven’t been done on weight loss and cinnamon specifically, they have been done on cinnamon’s effect on insulin levels. This study shows that cinnamon is effective at regulating blood glucose levels which in turn positively affect weight loss and prevent weight gain.  Regulation of blood sugar helps you to be less hungry and helps to keep your energy levels from dropping and spiking.

  • Cayenne

Even if you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, you might want to make an exception with cayenne. A study featured in the British Journal of Medicine had participants take a capsaicin capsule and found that it increased weight loss. Capsaicin capsules contain only the active ingredient in these red peppers which makes it ideal for those who can’t stand spicy food.

If you are a fan of the cayenne heat, you’ll be happy to know that eating cayenne in its natural form tricks your body into burning even more calories since you can taste the heat from the spice. This study supports that belief.

  • Ginger

Ginger is an extremely popular spice in Asian countries but is also fairly popular elsewhere in the world. This root has long been known to treat digestive issues, nausea and even give pain relief to those suffering from arthritis. Ginger has also been proven to help those who are trying to lose weight.

The journal Metabolism featured a study that showed a decrease in appetite in participants who drank a hot ginger tea or drink after a meal. Not only did the subjects feel fuller after their meal but were less likely to eat afterwards. Ginger is also suspected to increase the number of calories you burn much like cayenne, since it is a “hot” spice.

  • Cardamom

Cardamom is a spice in the clove and garlic family. While very common in Indian dishes, Americans don’t seem to use this spice often as they should. Cardamom is useful for those trying to achieve weight loss because it is believed to boost the metabolism.

Cardamom is also useful for those who are transitioning to a weight loss diet since it has calming effects on the stomach, similar to what ginger does. This spice also is excellent for treating halitosis, sore throats and coughs.

  • Black Pepper

Black pepper is easily one of the most popular seasonings and a staple for anyone who cooks. Despite helping to give bland foods a better flavor, black pepper is proving to be an excellent spice for those who are trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain.

A study done in China and featured by the American Chemical Society is showing that piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper, can help block the growth of new fat cells. You can either just add more black pepper to your foods but find a supplement that includes piperine. Supplements that contain piperine often also contain curcumin.

Spices don’t just make our food taste better but also can have some amazing health benefits. Trying out these 7 spices in dishes is an excellent way to improve weight loss or simply prevent weight gain. There are many other spices and herbs that boost your health so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Is Soy Really Bad For You?

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is soy badPeople have been eating products the come from soy beans, like soy milk and tofu for hundreds of years. That’s why it’s amazing to me that soy just may be one of the most controversial health foods in the world right now. Soy and products containing soy have become very popular in the US and are often toted as a healthy alternative to meat. Soy-based products such as infant formula are quite common and many food manufacturers use soy as a filler.

Despite soy being promoted as a healthy food, there are claims backed by studies that show that may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. There are also plenty of personal stories from people who claim to have suffered health issues from eating soy. However, there are also studies and stories that tote soy as a superfood, bringing many health benefits to those they eat it regularly.

So, what is the truth about soy? To reasonably decide whether soy is safe or not, it’s important to see the research for yourself and make your own informed decision.

Health Benefits of Eating Soy

Typically the health benefits surrounding soy are some or all of the following:

  • It reduces the risk of cancer
  • It reduces bad cholesterol
  • It alleviates symptoms of menopause
  • It improves cognitive functions
  • It improves bone health
  • It is a plant-based protein source and alternative to eating animal flesh

There are quite a few health organizations that fully support and recommend soy in the diets of everyone from infant to adult, men and women. Researchers have many theories on the health attributes of soy in the regular diet and have studies that support their belief.

In support of eating soy, the University of Maryland Medical Center has a reference article with all study references containing positive results. You may visit that reference by clicking here.

Health Concerns of Eating Soy

When it comes to health concerns of soy it is interesting to note that for nearly every health claim or study showing soy in a positive light, there is contradictory research. This is why soy can be such a controversial topic.

When it comes to soy and preventing cancer, there are various different studies showing the complete opposite effect. In a study by the British Colombia Cancer Agency, researchers found that major properties in soy can actually stimulate breast cancer cell growth. Another study by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition had similar findings. Studies on soy and other types of cancer found no increase or decrease in cancer cell growth at all.

As for soy and benefits on menopause symptoms like hot flashes, some studies don’t support this. The Department of Medicine at University of Minnesota is responsible one such study. The Columbia University included soy and soy products in a similar study but results were inconclusive.

There are a few other theories that soy can also:

  • Cause thyroid disorders
  • Stunt growth in children
  • Cause decreased fertility in men and women
  • Lead to early puberty in girls
  • Become toxic to the nervous system due to aluminum content

It is also important to point out that people can all have different reactions to soy in their diet. Similarly to milk and lactose-intolerance, certain people can have severe reactions from eating soy or soy-based products. These reactions can also occur in people who suddenly eat a very large amount of soy, something even pro-soy doctors and scientists advise against.

Keep this in mind: There are so many foods that we are told are bad for us these days, from wheat to milk to agave, that you could pick almost any food and there maybe some thought or research that says it’s bad for you

A Word About Fermented Soy

Fermented soy comes in the form of natto, miso, tofu and tempeh. In comparison to Asian countries, Americans eat very little fermented soy. Some believe this is why many Asian cultures don’t have the health issues Americans have with soy.

During the fermentation process of soy, healthy bacteria grows. Probiotics and these healthy bacteria are beneficial, similarly to how other fermented foods and beverages are. The fermentation also changes the soy’s structure in many ways so the body doesn’t respond to it in the same ways.

The Japanese and Chinese have far fewer cases cancer (breast and prostate, primarily) and some researchers came up with the theory that this is because of soy in the diet. While this hypothesis wasn’t exactly incorrect, following the traditional Asian diet that includes fermented soy was excluded. Studies are being done to determine the health benefits and/or concerns of fermented soy in the diet vs whole soy.

Should You Avoid Soy?

The decision whether to eat soy or not is up to you. Since the topic isn’t black and white it’s important to come up with an educated choice by researching the effects of soy. Until that time you can limit your soy intake if you have health concerns and focus on eating fermented soy products rather than whole soy. If you feel like you are having adverse reactions to the addition of soy in your diet, stop eating it and consult your doctor.  I personally don’t have any issues with drinking soy milk or eating tofu.  It’s a personal choice.

5 Potential Dangers of Drinking Diet Beverages

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diet drinks sodaIt’s no surprise that soda is one of the most widely consumed beverages. Coca Cola and Pepsi lead as the most popular brands but you may be surprised that diet Coke is the second most popular soda here in the US.

Diet drinks, especially diet sodas, may just be one of the unhealthiest beverages. Though a drink with no/low carbs, no sugar and low calories is quite appealing, there is a potential dark side to them. Diet soda isn’t the only culprit…not at all. Diet drinks in the form of lemonades, sport’s drinks, quick to make powders and juices aimed at the health-conscious can have equally damaging effects on health.

Here are just 5 health issues diet drinks and diet sodas may cause in those who drink them regularly.

Q&A: Plant Based Eating Twitter Chat with Tracye McQuirter, MPH

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 Giveaway!!! – We gave  away a signed copy of “By Any Greens Necessary” courtesy of Tracye McQuirter!

Book Winner: Nikki Williams

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway!

April Twitter Chat Q&A: On April 16th we hosted a Plant-based Eating Chat on Twitter (hashtag: #BWLW – @blackweightloss) with Special Guest Tracye McQuirter, MPH, Best-Selling Author of By Any Greens Necessary. (@byanygreens).  We wanted to make sure that everyone who couldn’t make it was able to read the content shared, check out the tweets below as a Q&A.

BWLW: Let’s start with the first question of the night – You are a long time Vegan. What led you to adopt a plant-based lifestyle?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: It started with a Dick Gregory lecture in college that traced the path of a hamburger from a cow on a factory farm through the slaughterhouse process to a fast food restaurant to a clogged artery to a heart attack. That lecture led me to read everything I could about veganism, and eventually become vegan about a year later. There were definitely a lot of interesting twists and turns in that year, involving Nairobi, Kenya and Howard University, which I talk about in my book. But that lecture is what started it all. It’s now been about 30 years that I’ve been vegan and about 25 years that I’ve been teaching folks how to go vegan.

BWLW: Dick Gregory is a big inspiration for me. I think it is just amazing and inspiring that you’ve been a Vegan for that long.

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Thanks and yes Dick Gregory is great! His book Cooking w Mother Nature in 1978 is a classic.

BWLW: What are the main benefits to adopting a plant-based diet when it comes to overall health?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Basically, you can make yourself virtually disease-proof and healthy for life.

BWLW: It’s amazing how many health success stories there are from people who’ve gone Vegan or Vegetarian. What are the main benefits to adopting a plant-based diet when it comes to weight loss?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Studies on this have shown that overweight people eating healthy vegan foods typically lose a pound a week, without exercising, but don’t let that keep you from working out! You can lose weight effortlessly because vegan foods are naturally low-fat & high-fiber, so you feel full & satisfied longer & eat less.

BWLW: You can’t out exercise a bad diet. Eating is 70-80% of the equation, if not more IMHO. Plant-Based eating makes sense.

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: LOL! Yes it makes good sense.

BWLW: What advice do you give to people who are interested in eating a plant-based diet? What are the main 3 things to know?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Great question. First, I always encourage people to start by adding better foods to their plate, rather than taking food away. So add more greens, whole grains, fresh fruit, nuts, and beans. Second, add smoothies to your morning routine, using berries, spinach or kale, banana, almond or rice milk, and nuts. Third, swap out animal ingredients for plant ingredients. For example, for butter you can use Earth Balance nondairy butter. And for cheese you can use Daiya nondairy cheese. And almost everyone knows about soy milk, rice milk or almond milk.

BWLW: I love to suggest green smoothies when people are trying Veganism or going Vegetarian. So delicious.

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Yep, I drink them everyday! Another thing I want to add is that folks should relax and enjoy the transition to healthier foods. It’s going to be alright!

BWLW: We hear about all the pros of eating this way, are their any cons (social, digestion, low b-12, etc.)?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Well, Coke, potato chips, Oreo cookies, white rice, and white bread are all vegan, but they’re not healthful. So just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy. You want to focus on a whole foods plant-based diet. As for B-12, as it turns out, neither meat-eaters nor plant-eaters are getting enough B-12, unless they’re eating B-fortified foods or taking a supplement. And folks should know B12 comes from bacteria, not animals.

BWLW: One of the main questions that vegans get is “Where do you get your protein?” Why do you think that is?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: That’s a result of advertising. The meat industry has us believing that meat equals protein. But it doesn’t. Protein is a nutrient that is found in animal foods AND in plant foods, and it’s healthier in plant foods. Here’s why…

Meat also contains unhealthful, artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fat which can lead to our major chronic diseases. It’s healthiest to get protein from plant-based foods. It’s also where the animals get theirs.

BWLW: What are your favorite sources of protein and why?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Beans, nuts, fruit, vegetables & tempeh. Here’s a blog post I wrote about 10 sources of plant protein: bit.ly/1PUItmK

BWLW: What is your advice for keeping plant-based eating affordable?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Try to get your staples like brown rice, quinoa, beans, nuts, and spices from the bulk bin. Buy fresh fruit and veggies as much as possible. Things that come in packages are usually more expensive and less healthful.

BWLW: Question from @luv2teach08 What other supplements do you recommend when switching to a plant based diet?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: I recommend that people get tested to see what nutrients they may be low in and eat or supplement accordingly.

BWLW: @Fabulousity89 was asking about fish. What are your thoughts?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: I’d like to refer you to the fish chapter in my book which thoroughly explains why fish is not healthful. bit.ly/1HcZ15s

BWLW: Do we need to work more to encourage Afr-Amer to eat a plant-based diet….OR is it a myth that we don’t embrace this lifestyle?

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: African Americans are actually pioneers in the vegan movement. They’re more than 3 million black vegans and vegetarians. Also, most traditional West African countries from which we came are plant-based, eating more plant foods than animal foods. Check out this recent blog I wrote about it: bit.ly/1Hyv68e

BWLW: Awesome chat. I want to thank our Special Guest Tracye McQuirter, MPH, for sharing her wisdom with us tonight!

Tracye McQuirter, MPH: Thank you so much! I enjoyed it!

————–

Bonus: There were are few questions we didn’t get to during the chat.  Here is that info…

What tips do you have for people who face resistance or ridicule from friends and family?

My advice is to be easy and relaxed and confident in your decision to eat all or more vegan foods. Just ignore the comments or if you feel you must say something, you can just say something like, “I like being healthy, it feels great.” This is part of living life on your own terms and not to please other people. Inspire by example and suggest books and websites if they’d like to learn more.

Many people complain of increased gas and going to the bathroom more when they adopt a plant-based diet. Why is that?

Plant-based foods have fiber, which is essential in a healthy diet. Meat and dairy contain no fiber at all. When you start eating more fiber-rich foods it may take some time for your body to adjust–but it will adjust. But also remember, having gas is completely normal.

What do you say to people who are concerned about not having enough energy with a vegan lifestyle?

Be sure you’re eating a healthy, whole-food, balanced diet with plenty of whole grains, beans, nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, eating lots of refined and processed foods, like white rice, white pasta, white bread and high-sugar, high-fat, and low-fiber foods will wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. You also may want to consult with a nutritionist to help you prepare a healthy meal plan.

What Is The Deal With Coconut Water?

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coconut waterCoconut water has been available throughout the US for about 10 years and has seen rising popularity for the past few years. Coconut water can now be found in almost any grocery store, and is often sold with health tonic-style claims or as a beverage for athletes.

As with most new “fad” drinks in the spotlight, often times the claim are too good to be true. Coconut water is certainly a refreshing drink and a great alternative to soda, but is it really as amazing as some companies make it out to be?

Is Coconut Water Healthy?

The short answer to this question is yes. Real, natural coconut water is the liquid of a young, green coconut, not the white milk from a brown, hairy coconut. This coconut water contains a few nutrients that are important for human health, such as:

  • Sodium
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Phosphorus
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin C
  • Riboflavin
  • Iron
  • Niacin
  • Thiamine

Coconut water is also low in fat and high in fiber. It contains some natural sugar and is fairly low in calories compared to sports drinks and juice.

Coconut water is often touted as being a superior source of potassium but this isn’t 100% true. Other foods such as bananas offer the same or more potassium per serving with additional nutrients that coconut water doesn’t deliver.

All in all, coconut water is a healthy beverage but certainly isn’t the magic tonic many companies make it out to be.  Just like any other beverage, you should be aware of the nutrition in your brand (calories, fiber, etc) as well as any additives.

Benefits of Drinking Coconut Water

There are many claims about power of coconut water, from it being a superior source of vitamins and minerals to being more hydrating than water. Some have even argued that regularly drinking coconut water can cure diseases.

While there is no scientific proof of coconut water performing something as miraculous as destroying cancer, you can’t argue that coconut water does have some benefits. For example, coconut water is:

  • Hydrating
  • Contains important minerals and vitamins
  • Effective as a sport’s drink
  • Helps clear skin blemishes
  • Calms and improves digestion

The argument that coconut water is effective as a sport’s drink is correct according to a 2007 study. Though all participants were still considered dehydrated after the test those who drank sodium-enriched coconut water fared better than those who drank a sport’s drink.

There are unfortunately few studies done on coconut water and health claims. While most doctors agree that it is safe to consume on a regular basis, there are circumstances in which coconut water can negatively affect your health.

Coconut Water Health Concerns

The potential health issues associated with coconut water generally arise when people drink too much of it. The saying, “too much of a good thing is a bad thing” rings true when it comes to most health foods and coconut water is no exception. One issue is that it has a high sodium content compared to water and other natural beverages, typically about 13.75 mg of sodium per serving.

Some doctors are concerned about people replacing plain water with coconut water because companies push coconut water as being superior to plain water. Athletes can run into trouble as well when they rely solely on plain coconut water as a sports drink. People who are inconsistently active to moderately active don’t really need coconut water as a sports drink either. (There is nothing wrong with plain old water 🙂 )

Trouble can also arise when people rely on coconut water as sources of vitamins and minerals. Though many Americans are deficient in nutrients, it is because of a bad diet. Therefore the entire diet should be changed to add more nutrition. After all, if you eat fast food everyday drinking coconut water isn’t going to magically improve your health.

How to Find the Healthiest Coconut Water

If you would like to add coconut water as a part of your diet it is important to choose the right type. You will want to carefully check the label and see what exactly is in the coconut water brand you are looking at. Some brands add unnecessary sugar, flavoring or preservatives. For the most health benefit you should find a product that is pure coconut water.

If you have a difficult time finding coconut water or pure coconut water you could try visiting your local Asian Grocery. Grocery stores that cater to the Asian community have sold coconut water for a very long time, way before the drink became popular, so you will likely be able to find a fresh, pure product. You can always pick up a green coconut and cut it open to get the freshest water possible.

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April Twitter Chat: Plant-based Eating with Special Guest Tracye McQuirter, MPH, Best-Selling Author of By Any Greens Necessary

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On Thursday, April 16th at 8 pm (EST) BWLW will host a twitter chat on plant-based eating with best-selling author, nutritionist and long-time vegan Tracye McQuirter, MPH. Join us! #BWLW

We will chat about the benefits of eating a plant-based diet, how to get started with this lifestyle and tips on making eating more plant foods work for you. Whether you’re interested in going vegan or just eating more plant-based foods, this will be an enlightening discussion.

Where: www.twitter.com or http://twubs.com/BWLW (You can join us here with or without a Twitter account.)

Chat hashtag: #BWLW

When: Thursday, April 16, 2015, 8pm – 8:45pm Eastern Standard Time

Who: A vegan trailblazer, public health nutritionist, author, lecturer, and 30-year vegan, Tracye McQuirter, MPH, has been named a national food hero who is changing the way America eats for the better by Vegetarian Times, and her national best-seller, By Any Greens Necessary, was the #1 recommended vegan book on The Huffington Post.

Tracye served as program director of the nation’s first federally funded vegan nutrition program, the Vegetarian Society of DC Eat Smart Program, and has been teaching vegan nutrition seminars for more than 25 years.

Tracye also co-founded one of the first vegan web sites 17 years ago, and the first ever vegan website by and for African Americans. She is a national authority on preventing and reversing chronic diseases in African American women using plant-based nutrition, and has been credited in part with increasing the number of African American vegans and vegetarians to nearly 3 million people.

Tracye also served as a policy advisor for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, helping to create the strategy for a groundbreaking lawsuit proving food industry bias in the formation of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

Tracye is passionate about helping people live healthier, happier, lives. She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. www.byanygreensnecessary.com

Disclaimer: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means that if you click on the book image and purchase, we may receive compensation as a percentage of the purchase.

Use By Dates: How Long Can You Store Food?

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use by dateEvery year the CDC estimates that 1 in every 6 Americans will get food poisoning. While majority of the nearly 48 million people who experience food poisoning get it from a restaurant about ¼ will get it from home.

Food poisoning is not just unpleasant to deal with but is expensive in terms of hospital care and some extreme cases even result in death. Thankfully you can drastically reduce your risk of acquiring food poisoning at home by learning how long certain foods can be stored.  This is super important when it come to meal planning and buying healthy food in bulk when it comes to eating for weight loss.

A Word About “Use By” Dates

Since many staples of the American diet are store-bought processed foods, many people just rely on the Use By or Expiration dates on the product. It might surprise you but the Use By dates on most food does not offer inclusive accuracy into whether something is safe to eat.

Relying on your sense is the best way to tell if something is still safe to eat or drink. If you have an open container of food it is always wise to check it closely before eating even if you are “safe” in terms of the Use By date. Similarly, just because a food or drink item has reached its date doesn’t necessarily mean you should just toss it.

Remember that the Use By date is only a recommended guide as to when to consume something within its peak freshness. Perhaps the taste won’t be as amazing after this date but it eating something a few days or weeks after the suggested date isn’t a guarantee that you will get sick.  It really depends on the food in question.  Some things spoil much faster than others and may not make it to the Use By Date if they are compromised in shipping, the packaging process, etc.

Tossing perfectly good food just because of a date is incredibly wasteful. In a report done by Harvard they found that the in British homes, roughly 20% of wasted food was thrown away just because of the date. It would be safe to assume that US homes are guilty of this as well.

When it all comes down to it, there is really no strict regulations on these dates and they don’t accurately tell you whether a food is still ok to eat or not. Use your judgement instead by smelling and looking before trying a taste.  We’ve all been eating…all of our lives.  We’ve come to be able to tell when something has gone bad.  Playing attention is the name of the game.

How Long You Can Store Common Foods?

Here is a quick guide for how long you can safely store some common groceries. Keep in mind that certain foods need to be stored differently than others. For example, potatoes and garlic should be kept in a dark, dry, cool place for the best longevity.  Keep in mind that the guide above is based on unopened foods. Once a package has been opened the guidelines above no longer apply. For example, a can of mixed vegetables can last a few years past its expiration date but after it’s opened it needs to be eaten a few days. This list is NOT exact science…per the info stated above…so don’t think of it as the gospel truth.  I’ve purchased food from the store, brought it home and found that was already bad.

Produce

  • Hard-Skinned Fruits like Apples: 3 weeks
  • Citrus: 3 weeks
  • Berries: 1 week or less
  • Melons: 2 weeks or less
  • Leafy Greens: 3 to 5 days
  • Fresh Herbs: 3 days to 1 week
  • Onion and Garlic: 2 months or less
  • Potatoes: 3 months or less

Dairy and Eggs

  • Cheeses: 4 to 6 months
  • Cream Cheese: 2 months or less
  • Butter: 3 months or less
  • Yogurt: 3 weeks or less
  • Milk and Milk Alternatives: 1 to 2 weeks
  • Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream: 1 month or less
  • Eggs: 3 weeks to 1 month

Meat

  • All Raw Meats and Fish: 2 to 3 days refrigerated, 4 to 6 months frozen
  • Lunch Meat: 2 weeks
  • Bacon: 2 weeks
  • Hot Dogs and Sausages: 2 weeks

Frozen Food

  • Hard Cheeses: 6 months
  • Other Dairy: 1 to 2 months
  • Butter and Margarine: 6 months to 1 year
  • Seafood: 3 to 6 months
  • Fresh Fruits: 1 Year
  • Citrus: 4 to 6 months
  • Vegetables: 6 to 10 months
  • Uncooked Whole Meat: 8 to 12 months
  • Uncooked Ground Meat: 4 months or less
  • Processed Meats (Sausage, Lunch Meat, Hot Dogs, Bacon, etc): 1 to 3 months

Canned Food

  • All Canned Food: Up to 1.5 Years Past Use By Date.  The long it is canned, the more the flavor may suffer.

Pantry Foods

  • White Rice: 2 Years
  • Brown Rice: 1 Year
  • Coffee: 1 Year
  • Pastas: 2 Years
  • Olive Oil: 1 Year
  • Vinegars and Soy Sauce: 3 Years or Less
  • Bread and Baked Goods: 2 Days to 1 Week
  • Boxed Foods: 6 Months to 1 Year+ Depending on Food

Seasonings

  • Whole: 4 years or less
  • Ground: 3 years of less
  • Dried: 2 years or less
  • Condiments: 3 months to 1 year depending on type

Relying solely on the Use By Date typically just leads to more food waste, something that can negatively impact our environment and hurt our wallets. When it comes to using foods past their Use By date, use common sense. If in doubt, throw it out.  Food poisoning is a non-negotiable issue.