food

Monosodium Glutamate: What is MSG?

June 13, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Does MSG Make You Eat More?

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a food additive that may be more common than you realize. It’s actually present in roughly 80% of prepared processed foods. This ingredient that is so popular in giving foods flavor may actually be the reason you are struggling to lose weight. Many feel that it may contribute to food addiction and cravings.

What is MSG?

Monosodium glutamate was originally created by Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese biochemist. The original reason behind creating MSG was to replicate certain savory flavors found in seaweed. This would then be used to more efficiently make and flavor soups and other meals. Even today the most common foods with monosodium glutamate are Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisine.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that your Chinese takeout is the only food you eat with MSG however. For example, this additive is extremely common in popular fast food chains that serve very “American” foods. Other foods that are likely to have MSG include flavored chips, canned and dried soups, bouillon cubes, ramen noodles and even salad dressing. So many savory, flavored manufactured food products contain MSG. There are more than 30 forms of MSG, but here are some of the more common forms you’ll see on ingredient lists…

Glutamic Acid
Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate
Monopotassium Glutamate
Calcium Glutamate
Monoammonium Glutamate
Magnesium Glutamate
Natrium Glutamate

Is MSG Healthy?

There is a lot of debate about whether monosodium glutamate is healthy or not. Many people claim MSG is healthy because it occurs naturally in foods like tomatoes and certain cheeses. However, just because something occurs without human intervention doesn’t mean recreating it in a lab will not change its chemical makeup in some way. Additionally, the amount of monosodium glutamate found in whole, natural foods is often far less than what you’re going to get when you eat a package of food, like ramen noodles. The research is mixed…very mixed…so do your own research, but most of all monitor how you feel when eating foods that contain MSG.

There can be side effects of eating large amounts of MSG, which include:

Headaches or migraines
Numbness or tingling around the body, particularly the face
Heart palpitations or chest pain
Feeling weak or faint
Nausea
Feeling feverish (flushing and sweating)
Hunger within minutes of finishing a meal

These symptoms can vary from person to person, much like allergic reactions. Some people have little to no reaction. While the symptoms tend to dissipate within a couple hours, some individuals can experience prolonged headaches and feeling sick until the next day. Symptoms like these are characteristic of what your body experiences after consuming a toxin. That alone is one reason why limiting MSG or eliminating it from your diet except from natural sources is a good idea.

MSG and Increased Appetite

Aside from possibly making you feel sick, monosodium glutamate also increases appetite. There are a few theories about why this is. Food chemists claim that the flavor of MSG is addictive much like salt is. MSG is actually a very common substitute for salt since it gives a better taste to foods. Humans naturally enjoy salt and it’s easy to overeat on salty foods, just like some people can eat sugary foods excessively.

A study done by Physiology and Behavior used a popular MSG-based soup base called Umami to test their participants. They found that those who had the highest concentration of MSG in their soup ate more and were hungry again more quickly after eating. An additional study highlighted on this webpage was done in China and involved 752 participants. In this event the researchers tracked MSG intake and discovered that consuming the additive triggered weight gain even if the participant exercised and otherwise ate well.

All in all, consuming MSG doesn’t just lead to eat more than you should but also causes your fat cells to increase. This is due to not only overeating calories but by MSG negatively affecting the hormones in your body and brain.

Some people eat MSG on a regular basis and never experience symptoms. Others are very sensitive to the additive and can nearly break out in hives if they eat even a small amount. When making your decision on whether you should eat MSG-laden foods or not it is important to think about whether you’re trying to lose weight and if you do experience certain symptoms that you may not have been aware of. Monosodium glutamate may occur naturally but in our manufactured foods the additive is a man-made chemical almost all of the time.

If you eat foods with MSG in them regularly, try to eliminate them for a few weeks and see how you feel. Be willing to do your RESEARCH on your favorite foods. If you feel better after avoiding MSG you should probably continue avoiding the additive. If you don’t find much of a change, try to introduce the foods back into your diet to see if you get a negative reaction. You may be surprised that the headaches or tiredness that you feel after eating might even be linked to monosodium glutamate.

Are Sad Movies Are Making You Gain Weight?

June 9, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

sad movies making you fat Everyone has their favorite sad movies that may be tearjerkers but ultimately have a happy ending or perhaps films that just leave them with some type of strong emotion (sadness, stress, etc). Did you know that indulging in these movies could actually be harming your weight loss goals? Before you stop watching Lifetime movies, check out this info…

It may seem far-fetched but watching sad movies may actually cause some people to eat more. One study done by in a lab at Cornell University Food and Brand lab showed that people watching sad movies ate roughly 28% more popcorn than those that watched a comedy. A complimenting study done by Cornell featured on JAMA Internal Medicine has similar findings- around 55% more popcorn was eaten by those who watched a drama vs a romantic comedy.

The reason behind this isn’t coincidence but actually a health-harming behavior called emotional eating. Yes…another source of emotional eating.

What is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating is a type of coping behavior that most women experience when they go through a period of stress. This stress is linked to emotion and could be sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety, feeling pressured or even boredom. Though emotional eating is primarily caused by negative emotions, some women will also go to food as a reward for an accomplishment but end up overeating. Similarly, some women may actually lose their appetite when stressed but subsequently emotionally eat when they feel happy, excited or relieved about something. Each person’s stress response is different.

Though emotional eating is very common and not something to be embarrassed about, you should be aware of it as it typically leads to weight gain. This is largely due to comfort foods and calorie rich foods being the go to foods for emotional eaters. That means you may have to avoid certain situations that cause stress or take precautions when you go to the movie theater or settle in on the couch to stop yourself from pigging out on popcorn without realizing it.

The Connection

The triggers of emotional eating are obvious but what exactly causes women to go towards food when upset, fearful or sad? There are a couple different reasons but the primary one has to do with the brain.

Eating food can be pleasurable. It might seem odd to describe food that way but the brain reacts to chowing down on a tub of popcorn at the movies very much the same way it would with a romantic encounter. Watching a sad movie can be distressing, particularly if the movie causes you to become attached to the characters. As unfortunate things happen in the movie you unconsciously begin to eat more.

As you eat opioids are released. Opioids are the same active ingredients in drugs like heroin but are also produced naturally in the human body, as this extensive study shows. When these are released it gives a feeling of relief in response to emotional pain. So in essence, as you feel sad while watching a movie and you are simultaneously eating, you physically feel a sense of relief. This continues through a cycle of sadness > eating > relief and either ends after the movie is over or even continues throughout the rest of your day. Oh, we all have watched a movie that left us in “a mood” and impacted our whole day.

How Can I Prevent Emotional Eating?

Preventing emotional eating is actually very difficult at first because it often happens without the person realizing it. If you are unsure if you are an emotional eater when it comes to watching movies, at home or at the theater, take a moment to consider whether you:

Typically medicate your emotions with food – use food to feel better
Always finish your popcorn (even though it was far more than serving)
Find yourself stocking up on junk in preparation for an at-home movie night
Often find yourself feeling hungry during a movie
Come out of the theater full but still wanting to eat more

The best way of preventing emotional eating at a theater is to limit what you could eat. This means buying yourself your own small tub of popcorn, even if you normally share a big tub with friends or family. Skip the candy or bring a very small serving in your purse. Get a small drink or, better yet, a bottle of water. Try to eat a healthy meal before you go to the theater. If you go to the movies on a full stomach but you feel hungry during the movie you can bet that it is emotional hunger, not actual hunger pangs.

Stopping overeating while watching movies at home is a little trickier since you can get up whenever you want. Just like going to a theater, have a meal before you start the movie. Eat in your dining room or kitchen, not in front of the television. Make yourself a single serving of popcorn or whatever other treat you prefer. If you are having ice cream, spoon a serving into a bowl rather than thinking you’ll just eat a serving from the carton. Don’t make the mistake of sitting in front of a whole table of food as you’ll be more likely to keep eating. You know your limits! Put that willpower to work.

Emotional eating is a tough habit to break but it all begins by limiting what food you have in arm’s reach while you are watching a movie. You can also use the habit of overeating in your favor. For example, if you find a hard time eating a healthy meal or certain vegetables, purposely watch a movie while eating these foods and you will most likely finish the food without realizing it.

How Do Elimination Diet Plans Help People?

June 1, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Elimination diets are also known as “free-from” diets and include some very popular types of eating plans, like paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free, just to name a few. Similarly, more people are becoming health-conscious about what they are fueling their bodies with and are deciding to eat organically and largely chemical-free, which spurs a diet that eliminates common chemicals and sweeteners in foods.

These types of diets may seem extreme to some people and a few are certainly under a lot of scrutiny by dietitians and authorities in the health and fitness community. If you are considering changing your diet to an elimination diet it is important to think about why you are doing it, if it’s safe and how to tell if you are getting results.

Types of Elimination Diets

An elimination diet can really be considered any diet in which you purposely exclude a certain food or an entire food group. The more common and successful elimination diets include:

Paleo: Eliminates grains and legumes as well as any other non-whole food product. Some variations of paleo also exclude more food groups like dairy, particularly pasteurized dairy.
Gluten-Free: Eliminates food containing gluten such as grains like wheat, barley, rye and triticale.
Dairy-Free: Eliminates all dairy products like cheese, milk, creams, etc. Some people choose a pasteurized dairy-free diet only.
Vegetarian: Eliminates all fish and meat. Is more so considered a lifestyle vs. a diet…but we’ve included it in this list since foods are eliminated.
Red Meat-Free: Eliminates any type of red meat. Depending on diet variation, may allow lean meats or fish only.
Processed Sugar/Artificial Sweetener-Free: Eliminates any type of artificial sweetener.
Soy-Free: Eliminates all soy products from diet. Some variations will still allow fermented soy products like tofu.
Alcohol-Free: Eliminates all alcoholic beverages from diet. Some variations may allow red wine.

Other elimination diets are extremely specific and small, such as removing nuts or shellfish from your diet and then trying them after a few weeks to see if you get a reaction.

Typically an elimination diet is used for a specific purpose, often to relieve some symptom rather than just to lose weight. Often these symptoms are a sign of a food allergy or food intolerance. This is where an elimination diet can really help you.

Elimination Diets and Allergies

Often times the little complaints we have after eating a meal are actually symptoms our body is expressing about an allergy or food intolerance. These symptoms can include something as small as a little heartburn to a full blown allergy reaction resulting in difficult breathing. If you suspect you may have a food allergy, you’re not alone. An average of 15 million Americans has some type of food allergy according to FARE.

Here are a couple common symptoms of a food allergy:

Dizziness or feeling faint
Facial and oral swelling
Rashes and hives
Odd tingling in mouth
Itchiness in the throat
Stomach cramps
Constipation or diarrhea
Nausea and/or vomiting
Headaches
Menstrual issues
Anxiety and irritability

Some other symptoms of an adverse reaction to a food or food group can include lethargy, difficulty sleeping, unusual weight gain or weight loss, chronic pain and difficulty focusing on tasks. If you’ve been noticing problems with your health, it could very well be remedied by trying an elimination diet to see if you feel better.

Should You Try an Elimination Diet?

This question really is up to you and your doctor. Generally doctors agree that removing a type of food to see if you feel better is safe for most people. If you plan to exclude an entire food group, such as meat or grains, it is better to consult a doctor to monitor your health. It is also a good idea to get a blood test before changing your diet and then another after a month or two to see if there are improvements.

Eliminations diets are be a very helpful way to determine if a particular food or group of foods is causing health problems for you. Some people choose to go on an elimination diet for other health reasons and wind up surprised to notice symptoms they weren’t even previously aware of dissipated.

8 Benefits of Eating Locally and Organically

May 14, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

eating local and organic One 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

May 12, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

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 refrigerator Here are 6 tips for getting your fridge organized.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Is Soy Really Bad For You?

April 23, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

is soy bad People 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.

Use By Dates: How Long Can You Store Food?

April 7, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

use by date Every 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.

How Can a Calorie Deficit Help You Lose?

March 10, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

A common term you’ll hear when researching weight loss or dieting is “calorie deficit”. A calorie deficit occurs when you eat less calories than you burn in a day. This deficit in calories is what the basis of many diet regimens rely upon for results.

Calorie Deficits and Weight Loss

Calorie deficits and weight loss go hand in hand. When you burn more calories than you consume your body will start to drop weight, in theory (medical issues and metabolism problems can be a factor). As an example, let’s say you eat 1,500 calories a day and burn 2,000 calories. If your body needs the 2000 calories, this means your deficit would be 500 calories. Since you aren’t eating the extra 500 calories as food your body takes it from fat reserves instead. Ideally you will have a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories depending on your weight and activity level. Each person’s situation is different.

Conversely, If your body only needs 1500 calories a day (that being the number of calories you burn) and you eat 2200 calories, your body has to do something with the extra calories. This is what brings on weight gain.

These 2 scenarios are the basics of weight loss and weight gain. When you look up how many calories you should eat on sites like iifym.com or myfitnesspal.com, they are calculating a deficit of calories based on how many calories you need to stay at your current weight. For example, you may need to eat 2500 calories a day to stay at 200 pounds, so a site or app may suggest that you eat 1800 calories per day for a significant daily calorie deficit (factoring in more exercise as well as healthier eating habits).

To figure out your calorie deficit you will need to do some calculations.

Calculating a Calorie Deficit

To figure out your calorie deficit you will first need to determine how many calories you burn on a daily basis. Daily calories burned includes both your exercise regimen as well as resting calories burned.

To find how many calories you burn during workouts, add up the total numbers of hours you burn per week and divide by 7. Multiply how many pounds you weigh by this number. Then multiply this number by the calories you burn per hour of exercise. Your resulting number will be the average calories burned from exercise per day.

Finding your resting calories burned is best done by using a calculator such as this one.

Once you have your resting calories you will need to subtract your exercise hours from the total. Do this by taking your resting calorie number and divide it into 24. Take that number multiply it by hours per day you aren’t exercising.

After all the calculating, add your calories burned at exercise and at rest together. The resulting sum is how many calories you would have to consume to maintain your current weight. To create your deficit you will need to subtract anywhere from 500 to 1,000 calories (or what you’ve been advised) from this sum. The resulting number is how many calories you can consume on a daily basis.

Don’t want to do all of this math? Use this calorie deficit calculator instead.

Common Calorie Deficit Errors

There are a couple common errors people new to calorie deficits make that can negatively impact their health and success.

The most common is improper calculations. If you come up with a number that doesn’t sound right, redo the math. If you struggle with calculating your deficit from scratch you may want to find a calorie deficit calculator to do the work for you, but these calculators and apps are not perfect. It’s key to keep track of what you are eating, how much you exercise and whether you are losing weight. As you lose weight, you’ll need to adjust your calorie intake and exercising to avoid plateaus.

The second most common error is shooting for a super high calorie deficit right off the bat. A high calorie deficit is a great way to spark weight loss but don’t overdo it. Too much a deficit will leave you feeling fatigued, irritable and can even cause illness from a stressed immune system. You will also be more likely to overeat or binge in response to eating dramatically less food. Remember, you can also add to your deficit if you find good results but want more of a change. To many people go from eating 2800 or more calories a day to trying to eat 1200 calories a day not realizing how much food they were eating before they started their weight loss journey and the deficit is too high.

Last but not least, the biggest problem people make with a calorie deficit diet has to do with the quality of food eaten. Just because you’ve created a deficit doesn’t mean you can fill your required calories with junk food. This will only harm your health in the long run to eat like that even though you can still lose weight. Typically if you eat unhealthy foods and still lose weight, you’re actually losing muscle along with the fat, but each person is different. Eat healthy foods that will support the health of your heart, liver, kidneys and other organs.

TIP:Keep a food journal to track everything you eat, either in a notebook or with a diet tracking program/mobile app. Ensure you insert the proper serving sizes as well (i.e. if you eat 2 servings, be sure you write down calories x2).

When Calorie Deficit Isn’t Working

The human body can be very individual from one another. This means that one diet isn’t going to always work for everyone. Calorie deficits aren’t exempt from this. Common issues associated with calorie deficits include:

Constantly feeling hungry
Gaining weight
Losing muscle along with fat

If you are experiencing these problems you need to either recalculate your numbers or consider a different dietary plan. People who are trying to eat a specific diet, such as paleo or vegetarian, may simply be unable to follow the textbook calorie deficit even though they are already achieving great results without a deficit or with one much lower than recommended.

It is important to consult with your doctor or a nutritionist if you feel like you are struggling with losing weight as this can be due to an underlying health issue, issues with your metabolism or hormone imbalance. Remember that the key to losing weight and keeping it off it choosing a way of eating that you will actually stick to. Don’t be afraid to mess around with your calculations a bit to find that calorie deficit sweet spot for your body.

Lorna lost 106 pounds

February 10, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 10 Comments

Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Lorna lost 106 pounds in 6 months. Motivated by a diabetes diagnosis and wanting to live a long life for her child, Lorna is on a journey to lose over 200 pounds total. Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey…

My weight loss journey started on August 2014. I was diagnosed with diabetes and it really scared me. I’m a 38 year old mom of a 8 year old and I wasn’t going to allow food to separate me from my daughter early. My starting weight was 461 pounds.

I started walking about a mile a day and eventually made it to 4-5 miles a day with the help of my sister, friends and family. Also, I just started doing Zumba twice a week. I stopped eating fast food! My daughter and I still eat out but only at places that have fresh food, like Subway, Waba Grill, El Polo Loco, etc. I still watch my portion sizes, and get kids meals.

To date, I have lost 106 pounds in 6 months with healthy eating and exercising 5 to 6 days a week. I’m not at my goal which is 235 pounds (don’t want to be skinny just healthy). My diabetes and high blood pressure are now reversed and that is best part.

I also joined a phenomenal support group of women on Facebook that want to lose 100 lbs in 2015. Several of the women already have lost that much weight before joining the group in January 2015. I love reading your stories on Facebook as well and I have found so many women to relate to. It truly is a blessing to the black weight loss community.

Instagram: @Sassybosslady726

Update: Theodora lost 100 pounds

January 12, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Shout out to Theodora! She is working hard and keeping the pounds off in 2017.

When you’re feeling like your progress sucks lately (like me), look at old pics to remind yourself how far you’ve come! Summer 2010 vs Summer 2017 #weightloss #weightlossjourney #weightlosstransformation #transformationsaturday #fitness #fitnessjourney #motivated #dedicated #determined #cantstopwontstop #nevergivingup #lifestylechange #progressnotperfection #healthylifestyle #blackwomenlosingweight

A post shared by Theodora (@theodoragetsfit) on Jul 15, 2017 at 8:16am PDT

Well today is the day, my 3 year fitaversary! I took that left pic in January 2014, but it wasn’t until April 22nd of that year that I finally decided enough was enough. I believe I was 303lbs in that January pic but when I finally started I was 318.5lbs! I probably would’ve been close to the 400s if I hadn’t gotten my act together. I’m not at the lowest weight I had gotten to when I first started this journey but I’m still sooooo proud of myself for never giving up. I’ve struggled a lot these past few years but I have never completely strayed from this journey like I have in the past. I think a big part of the reason I’ve stayed consistent is because I made this separate fitness ig. I never imagined the support and motivation perfect strangers could give, thank you all so much, especially those of you who have been here since day 1 on this account. I thank God for giving me the strength and determination to change my life and I pray he continues to guide me along this difficult but rewarding journey!! #fitaversary #weightloss #weightlossjourney #fitness #fitnessjourney #motivated #dedicated #determined #cantstopwontstop #nevergivingup #lifestylechange #persistence #consistency #progressnotperfection #blackwomenlosingweight #thickfit

A post shared by Theodora (@theodoragetsfit) on Apr 21, 2017 at 9:23pm PDT

Update 2015: We featured Theodora‘s story back in Aug 2014 (52 pounds gone). She recently sent in an update to let us know that she’s lost a total of 100 pounds and is sharing her weight loss journey online. She lost the weight in 8 1/2 months and looks great.

Check out the original post for more info on how she lost the weight.

theodora weight loss

Hi! I’m writing to you to update you guys on my story and tell you that I am now 100lbs down! I also have created an instagram account dedicated only to my weight loss journey, it’s @theodoragetsfit.

The biggest thing I’ve taken from this journey is to never turn to food when I’m feeling depressed because the weight goes on much easier than it comes off. As far as my diet since you featured my story, it has pretty much stayed the same. As I got closer to losing 100 pounds and the weight loss slowed down, my personal trainer advised me to eat only green vegetables instead of the mixed vegetables I was eating every day. I used to do cardio for an hour and weight lift for about 20-30 minutes, but after I hit a plateau I increased my cardio to 1 hour and 15 mins and started lifting heavier weights.

On this journey I have learned that I can do anything I put my mind to. I never thought that I would lose 100 lbs in 8 1/2 months! My advice for anyone trying to lose weight is to decide to do it and commit. Don’t compare yourself to others because this is your journey and you can go at your own pace. Stay committed even when the scale isn’t cooperating because it is not the only way to measure your success. Finally, keep God first! God truly helped me through this journey.

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