clean eating Archives - Page 5 of 5

Try a New Food: Celebrate National Watermelon Day

Celebrate National Watermelon Day If you haven’t already enjoyed America’s most consumed melon this summer, August is the perfect time to start. August 3rd is National Watermelon Day! First harvested 5000 years ago in Egypt where it still grows wild today, the drought-tolerant watermelon was prized for its ability to hold large amounts of fluid in a convenient package. It made the perfect companion for long treks in the desert! Today, 96 countries cultivate watermelon across the globe. China is the world’s top producer because Asian cuisine makes use of all parts of the melon. The rind is commonly used as a vegetable in stir-fries, pickles, and stews! Watermelon is nutritious Watermelon is a nutrient-dense plant food, and therefore, part of the foundation of a healthy diet. The nutrient components of watermelon work together to provide a synergistic effect that [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, fruit, nutrition, watermelon, watermelon day|

Cast a Line for Sustainable Seafood

If the planet’s health is top of mind, you’ve likely considered the environmental impact of the food you eat. According to the EAT-Lancet report (download the summary here) global adoption of a flexitarian diet is best for conserving planetary health while meeting our growing population’s nutritional needs. A flexitarian diet is one that includes generous amounts of plant-based foods and moderate amounts of meat, poultry, and seafood. In other words, replacing animal foods in your diet with plant foods can help us meet the needs of our current population without compromising the future generation’s ability to meet their own. While a flexitarian diet is environmentally sustainable itself, responsible sourcing of its components, especially the animal-based ones, can make an even bigger impact. Identifying sustainable seafood—an important source of protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin D in the flexitarian diet—can be challenging. [...]

Tags: ASC, BAP, clean eating, corporate wellenss, localcatch, MSC, nutrition, seafood, seafoodnutrition, sustainable|

Sleep Health: Melatonin

Do you sleep soundly every night? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 35% of U.S. adults do not get enough sleep on a regular basis! If you’ve ever looked for a solution for your sleep struggle, you’ve probably heard about melatonin. It’s a hormone produced naturally in various parts of the body, but primarily in the pineal gland (located near the center of the brain). Melatonin is also a widely available and commonly used dietary supplement that may provide relief from specific sleep disorders. Here’s how melatonin works in the body. When the hypothalamus (in the brain) receives a signal from your retinas (in your eyes) that nighttime is imminent (i.e., darkness in your environment), it signals the pineal gland to release melatonin. Once melatonin enters your blood and cerebrospinal fluid, it travels to distant parts [...]

Tags: calm, clean eating, corporate wellness, melatonin, nutrition, sleep, supplement, supplementation|

Nutrient Synergy

As Registered Dietitians, “whole foods first” is our philosophy! When it comes to meeting your nutrient needs, eating a diet rich in whole foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts and seeds) is the best approach. Isolated nutrients, such as those found in supplements, don’t appear to have the same beneficial impacts as whole foods. Although we are unsure why whole foods have greater positive effects in the body, recent research suggests there could be a synergistic effect happening between all the nutrients found in that food. Food is a symphony, and no one nutrient plays a solo. A synergistic effect in one or more whole foods occurs when the sum of two or more nutrients creates a potential health benefit. For example, an apple contains many different components—naturally occurring sugars; complex carbohydrates; soluble and insoluble fiber; protein; vitamin [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, nutrition, whole foods|

Try a New Food

Everyday Mediterranean You may not be able to relax on the beaches of Crete or watch the sunset in Oía, but you can enjoy the delicious benefits of the Mediterranean right here at home. The Mediterranean diet has been ranked as 2019’s overall best diet by health experts after years of research into its health benefits. The landmark PREDIMED (Prevention with Mediterranean diet) clinical trials reported that a Mediterranean-style eating pattern may lower incidence of major cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, stroke, and death from heart disease by thirty-percent. A 30% risk reduction is as effective as some prescription statin medications! These findings were further strengthened following corrections to participant randomization protocols in 2018. Mediterranean-style eating has also been linked to lower peripheral artery disease risk, healthier body weight and blood sugars, decreased Alzheimer’s disease risk, and decreased risk for [...]

Tags: bean, beans, clean eating, corporate wellness, dairy, fruit, healthy food, legumes, olive oil, peas, vegetables, whole grain|

Beans for Dessert

Beans for Dessert When it comes to dessert, fruit is always your best option as it’s naturally sweet and offers a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is also well established that fruit consumption is linked to lower risk of chronic disease. If you want to stay on track with your healthy diet, improve your biometric screening results and you’re bored with having fruit for dessert, try Dessert Hummus! You’re likely familiar with hummus, the traditional middle eastern chickpea dip that pairs perfectly with crunchy carrots, cucumbers, and celery. Its main ingredient, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), has grown in popularity so much that the United States Department of Agriculture expects crop plantings to reach record highs in 2019. This trend reflects our newfound love for all things chickpea! Put off by the idea of beans for dessert? We [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, fruit for dessert, healthy dessert, hummus, wellness|

MIND Diet

MIND Diet Did you know someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease every 65 seconds? Nearly 6 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, but this number is projected to grow to nearly 14 million by 2050 as our population over age 65 surges. As the sixth leading cause of death with no known cure, it is wise to take action to lower your risk by protecting your brain. There are many Alzheimer’s warning signs, but the most common symptom is memory loss that disrupts daily activity, especially forgetting recently learned dates, names, and events. Other warning signs include difficulty developing or following tasks involving numbers; losing track of the passage of time; having trouble following conversation; misplacing and losing items in odd places; and making poor decisions regularly. Keep in mind that forgetting, but later remembering, new [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, mind diet|

Banana Toast

Stuck in a breakfast or snack rut? Mix things up with banana and whole grain bread! Read below to find out more about this winning combination. If you’ve ever made avocado toast, you’ll be a banana toast pro! If you have them, choose greenish, slightly unripe bananas for this recipe since they contain higher concentrations of prebiotic fiber compared to their fully ripe counterpart. Spot prebiotic-rich, slightly unripe bananas at the grocery store by looking for green tips with minimal brown freckling. Ripe bananas, on the other hand, are thoroughly yellow and lightly flecked with brown spots. While bananas are a nutritious choice at any stage of ripeness, less ripe bananas have additional gastrointestinal benefits. That’s because fewer starches have been converted to sugar through ripening, resulting in more indigestible prebiotic fiber (and milder sweetness). Prebiotic fiber—also known as resistant [...]

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Legume Pasta

Have you ever heard a dietitian nutritionist tell you to eat more legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils)? Wish they told you to eat more pasta instead? Believe it or not, there is a solution. If you’re a regular shopper of the pasta aisle, you may have noticed that things now look a lot more colorful. Those orange, green, and black noodles haven’t expired, they’re made from legumes instead of flour! Legume-based pastas are much higher in fiber and protein than their wheat-based counterparts and can be used the exact same way. Chickpea pasta is currently the easiest variety to find at any big box grocer, and its mild flavor is well-suited for nearly any pasta dish. Lentil and black bean varieties are available too! Toss with a classic Italian red sauce or with Asian stir-fry veggies. Feeling something simpler? [...]

Tags: clean eating, Corporate Wellness Firm, healthy, healthy eating, legume, nutirtion, pasta|