Summer is here! But what if you do not beach ready yet? Then try thermogenic foods. What are thermogenic foods and how will they help me get ready for summer?
Thermogenic foods are foods that boost your metabolism through a metabolic process in which your body creates heat. This is called thermogenesis. Thermogenic foods burn more calories and contribute to weight loss. These foods can be complimentary to other weight reduction efforts, such as exercising and cutting portion sizes.
Doctors will tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but this doesn’t mean that just any breakfast will get you a doctor’s approval. Breakfast is important because it will jumpstart the metabolism, keep blood sugar levels balanced, and has been proven to increase feelings of satiety all day. Not to mention that breakfast gives you the natural energy boost you need to accomplish any day’s work.
From the displays in the media to political campaigns, the importance of maintaining a healthy diet is undeniable. Because of this, people are always looking for more creative ways to improve their eating habits, whether its going gluten-free, eating Paleo, or switching to a vegetarian diet. However, in many cases, people eventually find their way back to those not-so-healthy foods America loves so much. So, what’s the secret to finding that perfect balance between healthy
We’ve been told to eat our fruits and vegetables since we were in primary school, since raw fruits and veggies provide us with many needed nutrients. But if eating fruits and vegetables has always been a challenge for you, then drinking your daily dose of produce may be just what the doctor ordered. Juicing is the latest health craze that has been sweeping the nation and getting lots of mainstream attention. Juicing, different from blending or pulping, extracts the water and nutrients from fruits and vegetables into a drinkable serving of vitamins.This growing trend was made even more popular after the endorsement of some admired celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, Megan Fox, Jennifer Aniston, Ryan Seacrest,
It’s Friday night and you’re about to go out with friends. What’s the first drink you order? Maybe it’s one of those huge margaritas. Maybe it’s a beer or a glass of wine, the first of many. Or maybe you even decide to share one of those obnoxiously large Fish Bowls. But did you ever stop to think about the number of calories in these drinks? Maybe you don’t really want to.
Fat burn, increased metabolism, appetite suppression. These are the glamorous phrases surrounding a multitude of natural, stimulant-free, supplements flooding the market today. The promise of weight loss provided by a small pill is attractive, especially when the pill is derived from natural ingredients. There is no place like the internet when it comes to hype about natural supplements that support weight loss. Online communities where both fitness professionals and general users can share stories about their enthusiasm and disappointment regarding these supplements are numerous and growing. More often than not, people are making claims about natural supplements that provide encouragement.
When you envision a coconut, what do you see? Let me guess: golden sand, crystal-clear waters, and palm fronds swaying in the wind with only a few robust brown coconuts holding them down. As lovely of a setting as that is, this exotic fruit has more recently made its way out of the tropics and into the home as a household staple. From nutrition to beauty to cleaning, coconut products have recently become a popular choice because of their countless natural benefits.
Last month, Silvergreens released a new “Proteins Greens & Grains” menu, aimed at simplifying the search for a healthy, balanced meal (while keeping it tasty). The menu consists of interchangeable entrees and sides, giving guests the opportunity to mix and match while staying balanced. The new menu is fun, fresh, healthy, and most importantly, delicious.
Silvergreens invited me to experience their menu first hand. I was quickly faced with the bittersweet honor of choosing only three of their various delicious options. I ended up choosing the Southern Fried Crispy Chicken from the protein menu, matched with Bacon Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Pesto Caprese Couscous. I was satisfied to know that I was choosing from a predetermined set of nutritious options, and still got to follow the instincts of my taste buds.
Buying and eating organic foods is an increasingly popular trend throughout America and while organic items used to only be found in health food stores, they are now readily available in almost all supermarkets. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in charge of establishing the qualifications that foods need to meet to be considered organic and has created strict production and labeling guidelines that production companies must abide by. To be labeled “organic”, foods must be minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation, which have all been shown to have detrimental effects on one’s health. Additionally, the farming of these foods must maintain and replenish soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides, nitrates, and fertilizers.
Organic products are constantly being marketed as the healthier, tastier, and more nutritious choice, yet they cost more than their non-organic counterparts, leaving many consumers wondering whether or not buying organic is worth it. As it turns out, according to the Organic Consumers Association, organic foods, especially raw or non-processed, are in fact 25% more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than the foods derived from industrial agriculture. They contain higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamins C, D, and E, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and chromium that are all severely depleted in foods grown using fertilizer high in pesticides and nitrates.
It’s 10pm; you’ve retired to your comfiest sweats and a cozy spot on the couch when out of no where you find yourself under siege by the late night snack attack. It’s a tricky dilemma that most everyone has experienced at some point or another. Whether it be a daily desire that occurs frequently, or a rare craving that strikes without warning, there is something about late night cravings that are especially hard to combat. That after-hours yearning for sweet treat or a salty snack can be overwhelmingly powerful and while a small, nutritious nibble before bed won’t derail your efforts towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle, bedtime binges can add an unbelievable amount of unnecessary calories to your daily intake. Multiple late-night trips to the kitchen can result in mindless munching and before you know it you have undone all of the hard work and healthy eating efforts you put forth earlier in the day.
