Category Archives: Diet And Food

Buy Photo

A car passes one of several crosswalks on Riverside Avenue Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in St. Clair. The crosswalks were repainted when the road diet restriping was done this summer. Some city officials had questions this week about jaywalking.(Photo: Jackie Smith/Times Herald.)

New developments mean a busier downtown St. Clair.

And with that comes more people crossing Riverside Avenue.

This summers road diet lane reduction on the state M-29 highway going from two lanes for northbound and southbound traffic totwo directional lanes and a center turn lane was a restriping effort from the Michigan Department of Transportation that included redefining several crosswalks between local businesses and the waterfront.

Although the effort aimed to slow traffic down and make the area safer for pedestrians, the dynamic has still been a concern for some officials and residents.

Theres been some controversy regarding jaywalking downtown, St. Clair City Councilman Tom McCartney said this week, referring to a slew of discussions hed seen on Facebook within the last couple of weeks.

With the cross walks identified, I see questions on there about whether theres an ordinance in St. Clair to enforce jaywalking or not.

McCartney first made the reference during Mondays regular council meeting.

Police Chief Tim Raker said its based on how the state interprets jaywalking.

Its illegal to cross diagonally, but they can go straight across the shortest distance no matter where they go, he said. They dont have the right-of-way if theyre not in a crosswalk, but they can cross there. As long as they go straight.

On Thursday, McCartney said issues like jaywalking and pedestrian safety, in general were a big part of the discussion early on as city officials considered the road diet, which the city signed off on it in early 2019.

Its also coming to mind now, as well, he said, as activity picks up around town.

Construction is nearing completion on the St. Clair Inn. The hotel will start hosting events at the end of this month.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times HErald)

The St. Clair River Classic offshore boat races were their biggest ever in July, the city celebrated a completed new boardwalk at Palmer Park in August, and the St. Clair Inn was gearing up for hosting a major charity event Friday and public tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday this weekend.

McCartney said it was difficult to see why more people dont use the crosswalks.

Theyll be 20 feet away and theyll still cross, he said.

The speed limit on Riverside through downtown St. Clair is 30 mph. Previously, when it was four lanes, officials often recalled drivers going 10 or more over.

When asked about the road diet, slowing those speeds down and being more pedestrian-friendly, Mayor Bill Cedar said, The general consensus is that has happened.

But its also too soon to know if itll work in all settings year-round. We want to see it through the winter and the busy season of the summer next year, Cedar said.

And they also want to see how any surge of visitors coming to the St. Clair Inn affects downtown and the newly-lined road. Oh yeah, Cedar said. Were going to keep a close eye on that, for sure.

Work to restripe Riverside Drive in St. Clair was completed in July. The road was reconfigured from four lanes to two direction lanes and a center turn lane to slow traffic.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

St. Clair Inn developer Jeff Katofsky reiterated Thursday that the inn will have offsite parking and a valet service for its visitors as to not have any, for instance, parking at Riverview Plaza and crossing the street.

We are going to significantly discourage and ask people not to park at the plaza, he said in a message. The road diet, either way, he said, is certainly a plus.

It also slows down people traveling through, which will allow for more people to cross the street on foot better, Katofsky said. But weve got plenty of parking.

With or without the new lane setup, people using those crosswalks may not see a difference. On Thursday, several pedestrians said its hit or miss still in whether cars yield to them, as required.

Resident Mike Merrill described a couple of instances where it was pretty close crossing the road in his wheelchair.

I almost got walloped one time. I had to really hit it hard to back up, he said. Its not real dangerous, its just I cant believe the cars dont see it.

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.

Read or Share this story: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2019/10/25/officials-mind-those-crosswalks-downtown-st-clair-gets-busier/4086467002/

Read more:
Officials: Mind those crosswalks as downtown St. Clair gets busier - The Times Herald

In 1992, a University of Rochester pharmacologist named Michael Weintraub published a study on a drugcombinationthat appeared to produce never-before-seen weight loss. By week 34,his subjects 121 volunteers lost, on average, 30 pounds. Whats more, they rated the fenfluramine-plus-phentermine regimen not only more helpful than placebo, but also not terribly bothersome.

The tiny study launched the diet pill craze known as fen-phen. Doctors began prescribing the drug cocktail off label, meaning for uses other than those formally endorsed by health regulators. Within a few years, six million Americans were taking it.

But something was, in fact, seriously bothersome about fen-phen, flagged first by a 1997 report published in the New England Journal of Medicine

Three years later, Meridia, a top-selling weight loss drug in Canada, was voluntarily withdrawn by its makers over an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death.

Now, however, the pharmaceutical industry is bringing anti-obesity drugs back to the market. Several have been approved in the last few years, and many more are likely to come.

The demand is certainly there.The number of people living with obesity nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016. And while its not clear exactly why genetic factors? ultra-processed foods? bacteria in the gut? childhood sugar intake? what is clear is that once weight is gained, its exceedingly difficult to lose and even harder to keep off.

However you look at it, obesity is deleterious for health functionality, mental health and metabolic health

Bariatric surgery is the most successful treatment for obesity, bar none. However, many people either dont qualify orwould rather avoid invasive surgery, which isnt without its own risks. Even those who opt for surgery can face wait times of up to eight years.

The appeal of next-generation drug treatments for obesity is obvious. The question is whether the mistakes of the past can be overcome.

Dr. Sean Wharton, an internal medicine specialist at McMaster University, is among the optimists. This time around, he says we know much more about the biology and pathophysiology of obesity.

Before 2010, the prevailing theory was that the way to spur weight loss was to get people to burn more calories. Everyone felt that if we could just get a medication that increased metabolic rate, that would work, says Wharton.

However, when you chemically drive metabolism, as the amphetamine-like fen-phen did, you also start to push a lot of other bodily processes as well, including heart rate. Everything starts moving faster and causes lots of problems.

Wharton, who is also the director of the Wharton Medical Clinic for weight and diabetes management in Burlington, Ont., has been part of advisory board meetings for several pharmaceutical companies. But he is not alone in his belief in the future of drug treatments.

Every medication industry goes through its 20 or 30 years of nonsense, where nothing works and things arent safe,says Dr. David Macklin, medical director of the weight management program at Torontos Mount Sinai Hospitals high risk/special pregnancy BMI unit.

Were coming out the other side now, he says. We have effective and safe medications that are already making significant changes in someones ability to lose weight and keep it off.

The oldest drug on the market was approved by Health Canada in 1999. Called Xenical, or orlistat, it appears to prevent roughly one-third of dietary fat from being absorbed by the intestines. Instead, the fat is excreted in feces, which contributes to its rather unpleasant side effects, such as fatty and oily stools.

Contrave, authorized last year, combines low doses of the addiction drug naltrexone, used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence, and the anti-depressant, bupropion. The drugs are thought to work on two separate areas of the brain, decreasing hunger and possibly cravings.

Saxenda, a once daily injected drug produced by the Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, works on the brain as well. But its also part of a new drug class thats generating the greatest excitement, according to review published last year in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Saxenda, or liraglutide, is a glucagon-like petide-1 analogue, a rather unwieldy name for a drug also known as a GPL-1 receptor agonist. GPL-1 is a hormone naturally secreted by the body when glucose or fat is ingested. Originally developed as a diabetes drug, it slows gastric emptying and regulates insulin production. But when the drug was initially tested on people with type 2 diabetes, many in the clinical trials also lost weight.

GLP-1 binds to receptors in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates our heart rate, blinking, breathing and hunger. The hormone acts on the brain, as well as the stomach and pancreas, to increase feelings of satiety. A study published this year in Nature found that, when combined with intensive behavioural therapy, liraglutide affects appetite and preoccupation with food.

Unlike orlistat, which only prevents food from being absorbed once weve eaten it, liraglutide works to prevent patients from even consuming these calories in the first place, Wharton wrote in a 2017 review of weight loss medications published in the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy.

Novo Nordisk is now developing a similar hormone semaglutide, licensed for diabetes under the name Ozempic for people with obesity. Its injected only once a week, but appears to be almost twice as effective as Saxenda.

Wharton was a lead author on an international study, funded by Novo Nordisk and published last year in the Lancet, in which nearly 1,000 people were randomly assigned to receive either semaglutide, Saxenda or a placebo on a daily basis. Those in the semaglutide group lost more (up to 14 per cent of their initial body weight) than the Saxenda group (eight per cent) after 52 weeks of follow-up.

Side effects for semaglutide included nausea, constipation and diarrhea. GLP-1 is unsafe for patients with a history of pancreatitis. And for full safety effects, you need years on a drug, Wharton acknowledges.

But at the very least, he says, Were showing people are staying on the medication for a longer period of time, because its tolerable, and its working.

Drugs alone will not address the two-thirds of Canadian adults living with either overweight or obesity. All of the anti-obesity medications currently available in Canada are intended for use in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise. The cost of medications can be prohibitive as well. Some run to $4,000 or more a year; none are covered by provincial public drug benefit plans. In the United States, guidelines recommend pharmaceutical treatments only for patients with a BMI of 30 or greater, or a BMI of 27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, or health condition.

But lifestyle changes alone also have a limited impact on obesity rates. Almost every single study has shown that weight loss is usually limited to three to 10 per cent of initial body weight with behavioural treatments (some, like Wharton, say even that is too generous, and that its closer to three to five per cent).

Even a five per cent weight loss is considered enough to improve weight-related health problems like pre-diabetes and high blood pressure. According to a 2018 piece in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, however, most people regain at least some of that weight after a year.

Thats not because of a lack of will power.On any given day, 10 million Canadians are dieting. But no matter the diet, write Dr. Daniel Bessesen, of the University of Colorado, and Dr. Luc Van Gaal, of the University of Antwerp, once weight is shed the body dials down the amount of energy expended at rest and undergoes changes in insulin sensitivity that favours fat storage. Long-term studies suggest that these changes are probably permanent, they add.

Anti-obesity drugs dont work for everyone. Those who do benefit must keep taking them, Bessesen and Van Gaal write, if they want to keep their weight down. All studies of anti-obesity meds have shown that, when the drug is stopped, weight increases gradually to the level seen with lifestyle changes alone.

So far, theres no Hail Mary drug for obesity, no game-changer, says Dr. Eric Ravussin, editor-in-chief of the journal Obesity and associate executive director for clinical science at Louisiana State Universitys Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. We still dont fully understand the underlying mechanisms that make it so hard to keep lost weight off, he says. When leptin, the appetite-suppressing hormone was discovered 25 years ago, scientists hoped theyd found the elusive cure for obesity until they discovered many people with obesity are resistant to leptin, not deficient in it.

Still, Ravussin sees medical treatment as a way to help bolster the chances. Hes particularly impressed with drugs that act on GLP-1 and other peptides in development.

However you look at it, obesity is deleterious for health functionality, mental health and metabolic health, he says. Yes, the history of medical treatments, the early attempts at anti-obesity pills, has been a bit of a train wreck, he says.

But drugs will be important for the management of obesity and, I think, especially for weight loss maintenance.

With the now acceptance of injectable (peptides) we will have more success and probably less side effects.

Subscribe to our news podcast 10/3 on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Go here to see the original:
Can a new generation of weight-loss drugs finally help patients win at the losing game? - National Post

When Oscar Munoz took over the helm of United Airlines in 2015, few on Wall Street believed his multiyear expansion strategy would fly. But its clear to see that his focus on customers, cost, capacity and connections has paid off: In its latest quarter the air carrier's net income jumped nearly 23%, up 3.4% from a year ago, to more than $1.02 billion. United also raised its earnings outlook on the year in a surge in bookings.

At United Airlines' Flight Plan 2020 event in Chicago on Friday, the carrier is announcing its latest bold moves to keep its growth strategy on course. Some of what's to come: larger airplanes, especially for domestic routes; an additional 63 new planes; more passenger-convenience features, such as an improved version of the United App; upgraded technology to react faster to operational disruptions; a number of ultra-long-haul route expansions and outfitting 50% of its widebody aircraft with its luxurious Polaris business-class seats.

To further prove its new image as a carrier committed to its customers, the airline is overhauling another major aspect of its service its in-flight dining experience. To keep up with evolving food trends, United is offering meal selections designed to meet the demands of consumers whose preferences are shifting toward a diet that's healthier and made with higher-quality ingredients.

Although the airline started introducing healthier options this year, with gluten-free alternatives, the carrier is now focusing heavily on plant-based options, said United Airlines' Executive Chef Gerry Gulli. Among United's 2020 offerings: red beet hummus with roasted vegetables; roasted curry cauliflower with whipped hummus and pomegranate; and vegan stuffed grape leaf with dolma infused yogurt.

United is not alone. Turkish Airlines, Air New Zealand, Emirates and Aegean also offer plant-based options. In July 2018 Air New Zealand collaborated with Silicon Valley food tech start-up Impossible Foods, becoming the first airline to serve the plant-based Impossible Burger as part of its Business Premier menu on flights from Los Angeles to Auckland. Emirates claims it has more than 170 plant-based recipes in its kitchen to cater to its vegan customers, and vegan meals rank as the third most commonly requested special meal in economy class.

But, said Munoz at CNBC's Evolve event in Chicago in September, "we are the only airline in the U.S. that has our own kitchens, because we like to control our quality as much as possible, and we are constantly trying to improve." United has five main kitchens, in Denver, Houston, Cleveland, Honolulu and Newark, New Jersey. Their test kitchen is in Chicago.

CNBC Evolve will return, this time to Los Angeles, on Nov. 19. Visit cnbcevents.com/evolve to register.

Gulli and Gerry McLoughlin, United's executive chef and senior manager of food and beverage design, will both mark their 35th anniversary with the company next year. Gulli joined United after working as an apprentice at Chicago's Ritz-Carlton, Drake and Palmer House hotels. McLoughlin completed a five-year apprenticeship at The Shelbourne, a historic hotel in Dublin, then worked at various establishments, including Chicago's Drake hotel and The Metropolitan Club.

The scope of their role is enormous: The chefs oversee the distribution of 55 million meals a year and manage more than 2,500 catering employees, along with an additional 6,000 within their catering partners all over the world.

When they came onboard in 1985, meals were frozen, prepackaged entrees, heated on the ground and kept hot in thermal containers until serving time or taken aboard chilled or frozen and reheated in a convection or microwave oven at 35,000 feet. A typical entree consisted of a chicken thigh in tomato sauce with yellow rice and green beans; iceberg lettuce and cucumber salad with a thick, sweet dressing; and a slice of cake. "Thirty years ago our produce suppliers were very limited," said Gulli. Now, he said, they are able to get produce in every overseas market from local suppliers.

Improvements in United's kitchens also come in the form of technology. "You eventually are going to see an ordering system where you will be able to secure the options that are available on your [upcoming] flight so you get your choice and we get to figure out the inventory better," said Munoz.

Gulli explained that advances in technology within the kitchen has also eased the process. "Our aircraft ovens today allow us to have more flexibility in reheating the food with steam. In years past, food was only cooked in high-speed convection ovens," said Gulli, explaining that airline catering also has the added challenge of ensuring the food is packed correctly. "The logistics and complexity of getting the food onto the plane and realizing the parameters of the different types of aircraft is complex," said the chef. In 1985 the air carrier flew only domestic; its longest flight was to Hawaii. Now United's fleet consists of at least nine different aircraft and flies to 192 countries.

United's Executive Chef Gerry Gulli has been with the air carrier since 1985. Over the past four years, he has been working with celebrity chefs and culinary experts to design healthier dining options for travelers.

United Airlines

"Back then I didn't think the meal service would ever be where it is now. Travelers wanted to get from point A to point B. Now cable TV and the Food Network has put excitement into food and made it fun. A lot of our customers are very food savvy," said Gulli.

Today Gulli said he and McLoughlin work closely with corporate and celebrity chefs to continuously evaluate evolving food trends. "We also listen to what our flight attendants tell us," he says, adding that the duo will even sometimes be seen hopping aboard a United flight to interact with customers and solicit feedback.

In 2015 United partnered with the Trotter Project, a nonprofit organization committed to continuing the legacy of legendary chef Charlie Trotter through mentoring and internship programs for youth interested in the culinary arts. For the past four years the Trotter Project has been gathering teams of chefs worldwide to join with United's culinary team in an ongoing collaboration to design new premium-cabin and United Economy meals. In turn, United supports the mission of The Trotter Project through sponsorship and mentorship programs, helping to develop the next great generation of chefs.

The chefs believe their recipes are so delicious, they released "The Polaris Cookbook" this year. It has more than 40 recipes, based on United's in-air dining menu. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the Polaris Cookbook go to The Trotter Project.

There are still headwinds facing United, including the unexpected grounding of its Boeing 737 Max fleet. But Munoz believes that at the end of the day, he will continue to build loyalty by offering great service and listening to customers about what they want.

"People want to be more comfortable, and they want to feel better about the flights, and so amenities anything that makes it easier for them to travel is an issue. That's part of flying 160 million people. We have 160 million opinions on most of that stuff, so we're listening and listening and listening," Munoz said.

Read more:
United Airlines overhauls its 2020 menu to cater more to the vegan crowd - CNBC

Visit the News Hub

Mouse studies show effects can linger at least two generations

Multiple generations of mice studied in the lab of Farshid Guilak, PhD, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicate obesity has an impact on arthritis risk of future generations.

Arthritis affects one in five Americans, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that number jumps to one in three among people with obesity. Now, new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests obesity may increase arthritis risk not only in obese people but in their children and grandchildren, too.

Studying mice that became obese after being fed a high-fat diet, the research team found that the animals had an elevated risk for osteoarthritis, a condition that causes cartilage in the joints to break down and is the most common type of arthritis.

Surprisingly, they also found that the mices offspring, even when fed a diet lower in fat, tended to gain nearly 20% more weight than the offspring of their littermates that had never been overweight. In addition, they were at higher risk for arthritis. The same was true for the next generation of mice as well, which gained up to 10% more weight.

The study is published online Oct. 24 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology.

This study tells us that environmental factors can influence how genes behave and influence the risk for arthritis for multiple generations, said senior investigator Farshid Guilak, PhD, a professor of orthopedic surgery. Arthritis prevalence is affecting many more people than it used to, more than 250 million people worldwide, and these findings suggest that obesity may help explain why the disorder is becoming so much more common.

Guilak and his team analyzed more than 120 mice whose parents had consumed a high-fat diet. The researchers found that the offspring despite having eaten a low-fat diet were significantly heavier and had more body fat than the offspring of mice that hadnt consumed a high-fat diet.

Then, when those mice had pups the grandchildren of the original mice that third generation of mice also had higher levels of inflammatory molecules and cells in their systems than their littermates, despite never having been fed a high-fat diet. Higher amounts of those molecules, called cytokines, are linked to a variety of problems, including arthritis. In fact, the third-generation mice had higher levels of molecules that cause inflammation, and lower levels of molecules that protect against inflammation. The children and grandchildren of the obese mice in the study also were more likely to have bone and cartilage changes that put them at risk for osteoarthritis.

We cant assume everything we found in these mice will turn out to be true for people, said first author Natalia S. Harasymowicz, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Guilaks lab. But theres more and more evidence that when parents eat a bad diet or smoke or abuse alcohol, the next generation is more likely to inherit a predisposition for diabetes, cancer or other diseases. Here, weve shown the same appears to be true for arthritis.

Guilak, who also is director of research at Shriners Hospitals for Children St. Louis, said that in the past, scientists had assumed that the relationship between obesity and osteoarthritis was a mechanical one: More weight puts stress on joints, eventually leading to the pain and stiffness of arthritis.

Weve known for years that obesity is the No. 1 preventable risk factor for osteoarthritis, Guilak said. It turns out, however, that obesity also increases arthritis risk in body parts that dont bear weight, like the hand or the thumb.

Guilaks lab has determined that inflammation plays a much more important role.

What we find is that changes in mechanical loading that occur with obesity dont seem to be the primary risk factors for arthritis, he said. Almost all of the risk is coming from either metabolic or dietary influences, and that risk is then passed down to subsequent generations.

The animals genetic makeup doesnt change to cause increased risk of arthritis. Rather, scientists refer to the changes as epigenetic, meaning that behavior in this case, consuming a high-fat diet changes the way genes work. Its those changes that are passed on.

Poor diet and bad habits may affect not only the individual who has such habits but also future generations, Harasymowicz said. However, recognizing that potential risk may convince people to take steps to be healthier and to reduce their weight, potentially lowering risks for their children and grandchildren.

Postdoctoral research associate Natalia Harasymowicz, PhD, (left) and Farshid Guilak, PhD, analyze lab specimens for signs of osteoarthritis.

Harasymowicz NS, Choi YR, Wu CL, Iannucci L, Tang R, Guilak F. Intergenerational transmission of diet-induced obesity, metabolic imbalance, and osteoarthritis in mice. Arthritis & Rheumatology, published online Oct. 24, 2019.

This work was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Grant numbers AR50245, AR48852, AG15768, AR48182, AG46927, AR073752, OD10701, AR060719, AR057235. Additional funding was provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children, the Arthritis Foundation and the Nancy Taylor Foundation for Chronic Diseases.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

View post:
Arthritis risk linked to obesity may be passed down through generations - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

A number of chefs working to expand diners palates while supporting biodiversity.

It would be easy to walk past Teranga in New York Citys East Harlem and overlook it as any other fast-casual spot. The format is similar to other popular Chipotle-esque eateries where you customize your dish, but the ingredientssuch as fonio an ancient West African grain similar to both couscous and quinoa, with a mild, nutty flavorstand out.

Todays food system is limiting our global diet to four major crops: corn, rice, soy and potatoes, Teranga chef and the author of The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered, Pierre Thiam said. This limited diet is affecting both our planet and our health. By supporting underutilized crops in my menus, I contribute in saving our planets biodiversity. In the current context, designing a menu should be a conscious and responsible act. When choosing ingredients for my dishes, I try to be mindful of the impact on the environment as well as the flavor and nutrition. By offering grains like fonio, that are drought resistant, versatile, nutritious and delicious I check all the boxes.

Thiam who grew up in West Africa where ingredients like baobab, millet, amaranth or fonio, are standard fare is one of a number of chefs working to expand diners palates while supporting biodiversity.

Spelt is one of a number of ancient grains that are becoming popular among professional and home ... [+] chefs.

Our food system currently rests on a very fragile foundation. While it may seem like we have a lot of variety when we walk down our supermarket aisles, were actually losing the biodiversity of our foods every day. The United States has lost 90 percent of fruit and vegetable varieties since the 1900s. And while there are still over 30,000 edible plant species that exist, just 12 crops provide 80 percent of our calories, said Marie Haga, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which works to support crop conservation in genebanks.

Dependence on a limited range of crops means the food supply is vulnerable to drought, pests, disease outbreaks and a changing climate.

Take the Irish potato famine: in the early 1800s, Ireland grew a lot of potatoes. The problem was that they grew a disproportionate amount of one kind, the Lumper variety, which happened to be especially susceptible to late blight. So when the late blight hit the country, there was a major crop failure causing millions of people to die from hunger. Had the country grown a more diverse variety of potatoes and not been so over-reliant on one variety, the famine wouldnt have caused such devastation, as what one potato may be susceptible to, another perhaps can withstand, Haga said.

As the worlds population continues to grow and the planet warms, the shrinking variety of food crops and livestock could contribute to a global hunger crisis. Chefs, like Thiam and Mailea Weger of lou in Nashville, Tennessee who uses ingredients like palm sugar, buck wheat, teff, amarantha flours and more in her dishes which are often paired with natural wine, are part of a growing number of chefs using ingredients that could be the key to preserving and expanding food diversity.

By actively championing biodiversity inside and outside the kitchen, chefs can play a key role in creating interest in and a market for more diverse ingredients, helping to support farmers livelihoods, improve diets and strengthen our food systems, Haga said, who through the Global Crop Trust is working to bring 2,020 chefs together by the end of 2020, to be advocates for biodiversity through our Food Forever campaign.

Supporting biodiversity isnt just for professional chefs, though.

Start simple, Weger advises home chefs. Pick a few items that are easier to find or substitute out like sugars, lactose free milks, or alternation flours. Try brown rice instead of white, use honey in recipes instead of white sugar, play around with kimchi or saurkraut recipes, substitute vegetable oil for a more heart healthy oil like avocado oil or evoo.

You might just find a new flavor experience you love, while helping to build the foundation for a resilient food system.

See the original post:
How Chefs Are Supporting Biodiversity in the Face of Climate Change - Forbes

When I was 10, a doctor pointed to a chart on the wall in his office and told me I was here, obese. From the way he said it, I took this to be a bad thing. I didnt want to be bad. That summer, I discovered diets do work the first diet, anyway. By following his strict instructions, I returned after the summer holidays to find the world had changed. Now, I was thin.

The rewards were immediate and shocking: friends, attention, approval. When friends mothers asked me for a photocopy of my diet, it felt as though, suddenly, I mattered. And I wanted, more than anything, to keep on mattering. I felt guilty for wanting this it was against the values my parents had taught me, about how its our insides that count. My head, however, said I needed to stay thin, and I bought it.

Still, I did not allow myself to swim. Thin, but not thin enough so said the voice in my head. I believed it. First as a child, then as a young women, what followed was a decade of vicious ping-pong trapped in the dieting cycle. I had no idea there were other options available.

I am a grown woman now, a woman who, once again, rather likes her jiggly little body. In my childbearing years first a daughter, then twin sons my body has continued its dance up and down the scales, yet I no longer think of its waxing and waning as a thing I did wrong. Instead, I think of my body as a walking, talking piano accordion, just here, playing its song. That, I believe, is what can happen when we learn to tell ourselves better stories.

I took a while getting here. The stories Id internalised about size and power are not ones I made up on my own. Society really does hold in trust certain rewards for women who appear to know how to control their weight (their wrinkles, their feelings). One doesnt need a PhD to explain how this privilege plays itself out, to this day, in the arenas of career, romance, politics, the arts.

But my life today is dedicated to a different theory. What if life also rewarded those of us who show up boldly and confidently despite the stories the world tells us? What if we just count ourselves in, regardless of our size, and what we take it to mean? What might happen then?

Loading

I have two pairs of bathers now a navy one-piece with white polka dots, and a red two-piece, also with white polka dots. Old-glamour-Hollywood-style cuts. Just my size. For a girl like me, online shopping is the miracle Ive been waiting for all these years.

My local pool is the very same pool around which Helen Garner set her seminal 1977 novel, Monkey Grip. Its bleachers are full of beautiful, golden people living the Offspring dream (yes, the TV show I once acted in this irony does not escape me). Im tempted sometimes to compare my body to theirs, but I resist, make a practice of reminding myself as many times as I need to that my body does not have to impress anyone. It is mine to be enjoyed. Bowditch, I say, get in the water. So I get in. It feels delicious.

Clare Bowditchs memoir, Your Own Kind of Girl (Allen & Unwin), is on sale tomorrow.

Follow this link:
'One day, tired of all the teasing, I stopped wearing bathers' - The Age

They say that abs are made in the kitchen but revealed in the gym, and Robert Pattinson has a pretty particular method of eating he's using tobuild a superhero physique.

By his own admission, the 33-year-old actor is "an extremist" when it comes to his eating choices in that he'll go on a months-long junk food bender before it comes time for him to drop weight. Pattinson's apparently taking this approach forThe Batman, and he's teased that his everyday menu has consisted mostly of pizza recently.

"I'll eat nothing but pizzas for months so by the time I have to diet, my body is like, 'Thank God. Please only healthy stuff from now,'" he said during an interview while promotingThe Lighthouse."I've been bulking."

For those unaware, bulking is a common dietary practice, and can be done by everyone from professional athletes to bodybuilders in their off-season to actors needing to gain body mass for a certain role to an everyday person wanting to literallybulk up their body either in preparation for a "cut" (a period of fat and weight loss intended to reveal the muscle built in the bulking phase) or simply to keep extra pounds on their frame because they want or need to.

There's no one "right away" to bulk, though two of the most popular and well-known methods are clean bulking and dirty bulking. Those who clean bulk gain mass by eating in a caloric surplus intaking more calories than their basal metabolicrate (BMR), the total amount of energy one expends simply by being alive and choosing healthier foods to chow down on. Think oatmeal and brown rice; almond butter and peanut butter; proteins like salmon, chicken, and lean beef; and healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, and whole-fat coconut milk. Those who dirty bulk, on the other hand, smash in calories from all kinds of sources the more calorically dense or "dirtier," the better.

It certainly sounds like Pattinson is dirty bulking forThe Batman, though we're betting he's balancing his self-admitted pizza-only diet with some healthier options. After all, Pattinson does have a penchant for exaggerating the truth and sometimes flat-out fibbing (see that now-infamous interview with Matt Lauer during which Pattinsonlied about having witnessed a clown die at the circus). So while his current best friends may be Papa John and Little Caesar, the actor likely gets down with some greens every once in a while as well.

When it comes time to diet, Pattinson will ditch the saucy, cheesy, doughy delights in favor of healthier options. And the way he tells it, when that moment comes, his body will thank him.

Continue reading here:
How Robert Pattinson will get ripped for The Batman - Looper

Last fall, Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert was playing the best basketball of his careeruntil November 12, when he dislocated his foot in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was an injury far too gruesome to show on replay, the kind involving a mangled extremity that causes teammates and opponents to collectively shake their heads in disbelief while the crowd sits in absolute silence. (Seriously, dont Google it.) Except, LeVert remembers, it didnt actually hurt that much. At first.

I was more mad than anything, he says. I wasnt even thinking of the pain, which was probably partially adrenaline and disbelief. It didnt hit me until we got in the ambulance 15 minutes after they carted me off the court, and my trainer was talking to metrying to distract me. Next thing I know, theyre jerking my foot, and thats when I realised, Oh, this is real. That moment was the worst pain Ive ever felt.

Remarkably, after doctors popped LeVerts foot back into place, no surgery was required. He missed three months, but returned to action in February. He had an (understandably) up-and-down remainder of the season, but capped it off with an impressive performance in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers.

This offseason, LeVert prioritised strengthening his foot and ankle by employing a variety of balancing drills, while also squeezing in a healthy amount of hooping. LeVert logged four-a-days: two on-the-court workouts and two off-the-court workouts. Thats an encouraging development for Nets fans hoping hell emerge as the teams second star this season, behind Kyrie Irving (and third star next season when Kevin Durant presumably returns after suffering a ruptured Achilles.)

A few weeks ago, I spoke to LeVert about the full extent of his offseason routine, recent changes to his diet, and his affection for float tanks. At the time of our conversation, LeVert was gearing up for his first-ever trip to China as part of a preseason double-header against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey had yet to fire off his fateful tweet about Hong Kong. LeVert said he was looking forward to the overseas experience, which presumably became a bit more complicated than originally anticipated.

'As Ive matured and learned more about food, Ive stopped eating as much for taste'

GQ: Can you walk me through a normal day for you this offseason?

Caris LeVert: I took about two weeks off after we lost to the 76ers in the playoffs. After that, I started my workouts here in Brooklyn. First, Id get some breakfast inusually two or three eggs, some veggies like broccoli, and I love oatmeal in the morning, too. Id head to the gym around 9 a.m. to do a 30-minute lift. We call those correctives, where youre more working on balance drills, hamstrings, and core work. The Nets are big on that. The corrective workout isnt your typical lift, but it helps strengthen your little muscles.

Then, Id have an hour-and-a-half workout on the court, and after that is a bigger upper- or lower-body lift. Id get some treatment, do some more balance drills to strengthen my ankle back up. Then Id usually go home and take a nap, chill for a couple hours, and head back to the gym later that night and get a bunch of shots up.

Have you always stuck to a healthy-sounding diet?

No, thats been the biggest adjustment the past couple of years: I wasnt really very educated on what makes up a healthy diet. In college, I would eat a lot of Five Guys and burgers. Everybody eats differently, but thats not the best for your digestive system, and Ive learned that over the years. Now I stay away from pork, beef, and things like that. I stick to chicken a couple times a week, and I eat a lot of fish and veggies. I dont really like fruit, so I drink a lot of smoothies to get my fruit intake up.

Yeah, Ive seen that the Nets are big on pre-game fruit smoothies.

Weve got a couple smoothie-makers. Ill drink one on game days, and then any other day, if you ask for one, youll get it. I think as Ive matured and learned more about food, Ive stopped eating as much for taste. I eat and drink based on what I need in my body. Usually my smoothies have strawberries, bananas, some sort of vegetable, a protein powder, almond milk, honey, blueberries, and sometimes orange juice.

Whats the one thing you still sneak in when you can?

Chocolate chip cookies. I cant go too long without having one. Theyve gotta be homemade, straight out of the oven. I dont like the store-bought stuff. They need to be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.

I read that you eat Chipotle five times a week. True or false?

True, though Im sad to say me and Chipotle have cut ties a little bit. I got sick eating while training in LA over the summer, and Im not positive, but I think it was Chipotle, so I havent had it since. It was definitely tough at first, but Im doing alright now, starting to get used to not eating it every day.

'I do things like the float tank, which helps me get into that mindframe of calmness. I take that really seriously'

I wrote a hot take essay for GQ where I proudly proclaimed that Qdoba is better than Chipotle, so this is an issue near and dear to my heart. Are you familiar with Qdoba?

I am, and wow, I disagree with that statement. I know a lot of people think that, though, so I dont know if its even a hot take. Maybe its a Midwest thing, but in high school and college, people really liked Qdoba more than Chipotle. To each their own.

You weighed 162 pounds when you arrived at Michigan in 2012. Were you getting thrown around at practice your freshman year?

Honestly, I wasnt. I was so used to playing at that size that I adjusted to it. People probably werent used to seeing someone that small. Playing in the Big 10 was definitely an adjustment though. Unlike a lot of other conferences, its very physical and defense-based. I feel like at a lot of other conferences, everybody scores 80 or 90 points a game, but Big 10 scoring was in the 40s when I was there. I definitely had to bulk up. Some of that happened naturally, but I had a great strength coach too who prepared me for the next level. Going into my sophomore season, I was up to 190, 195. I stayed at Michigan through the summers when people went home and dedicated all my time to my body and my game, and it paid off for me.

One of the many, many reasons I did not advance past high school basketball: I avoided the weight room like the plague. How was your workout regimen growing up?

My high school coach my junior and senior year was a man named Jerry Francis. He played basketball at Ohio State and is one of their all-time great players. He started to get us in the weight room, and I hated the weight room. Wed go in there and Id act like I was doing stuff, but I really wasnt. Id do a pull-up here, maybe a bench press there, but I wanted to play basketball. I was not dedicated to the weight room. He changed my mindset and pushed me on that, which I appreciate him for. But back then, I really didnt want to be there.

Youve had to deal with a couple annoying and painful injuries over the years. Do you practice any relaxation techniques or meditation so you dont go stir crazy during those rehab periods?

Ive been doing headspace stuff since before I had any of those injuries. [John Beilein, current Cleveland Cavaliers coach and former Michigan Wolverines coach] actually brought someone in who taught that stuff to us, and Ive carried it with me ever since. I do meditation and visualisation before every game. I do things like the float tank, which helps me get into that mindframe of calmness. I take that really seriously.

How long does a float tank session last?

As long as you want it to, but I usually do an hour. You go into a podits kind of like The Matrix. The first time I did it, I was a little skeptical, because Im claustrophobic. You put headphones on, you dont hear anything, and its pitch-black. Its just you and your thoughts. I use that time for meditation, focusing on breathing and visualisation. I do that once or twice a week during the season, and it relaxes me.

Steph Curry ranked the Nets popcorn selection second-best in the league. Have you tried it?

Nah, Im not a big popcorn guy. Ive heard its fire, though.

For a while, I know PB&Js were all the rage in the NBA.

I used to eat a bunch of those my rookie year. Charlotte had the best PB&Jsthey had them toasted or something like that. But I dont really eat that anymore. At halftime now Ill eat, like, pineapples. Just trying to stay consistent with it, you know?

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in-between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.

The hardcore fitness diary of a Strictly contestant

The nine-to-five workout of a world-class sprinter

The founder of F45 teaches you how to keep healthy on a long-haul flight

Read this article:
The real-life diet of Caris LeVert, who swears by fruit smoothies - British GQ

According to a federal indictment, Mossimo Giannulli, Lori Loughlin's husband, admitted that he had to "work the system" to have his daughter admitted to USC. Giannulli and his wife both face multiple charges in the college admissions scandal, including conspiracy fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, and this marks the very first time that either one has come close to making any mention of wrongdoing. People reports that authorities found several emails mentioning the scheme involving falsified crew photos and more evidence that could be incriminating.

The indictment found that William "Rick" Singer, the man behind the scandal, emailed Giannulli and Loughlin, saying he needed Isabella Roses school transcript and test scores "very soon while I create a coxswain portfolio for her."

John Shearer/Getty Images

RELATED: Lori Loughlin Is Reportedly "Terrified" About Her New Charges

He added, "It would probably help to get a picture of her on an ERG in workout clothes like a real athlete." People notes that an ERG is an indoor rowing machine that crew athletes use to train when they're not out on the water.

"Fantastic," Giannulli allegedly responded. "Will get all." After procuring everything Singer had requested, Giannulli reportedly got a $200,000 invoice. In an email dated April 2017, he then sent that invoice to his accountant, along with a note that read, "Good news my daughter [...] is in [U]SC [...] bad is I had to work the system."

In April, the couple rejected a deal from federal prosecutors. They are now awaiting a trial after pleading not guilty to all charges, though they still have the opportunity to plead guilty to the latest bribery charge, which was added this week.

RELATED: We Finally Know the USC Enrollment Status of Lori Loughlin's Daughters

In a statement issued to People, U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lellling explained the new charges: "Today's charges are the result of ongoing investigation in the nationwide college admissions case. Our goal from the beginning has been to hold the defendants fully accountable for corrupting the college admissions process through cheating, bribery, and fraud. The superseding indictments will further that effort."

Read more:
Lori Loughlin's Husband Reportedly Admitted to Working the System - Yahoo Lifestyle

Many processed foods earn high marks for convenience but poor marks for health. But the truth is, the term processed spans a wide range of foods, from healthful pre-washed salad greens (some form of processing occurs to wash and bag the greens) to less healthful processed meats. When it comes to processed foods, the magic is in the minimal minimally processed, that is. Minimally processed foods can simplify prepping and cooking so you can enjoy nourishing and filling meals without spending too time in the kitchen. Its still a good idea to limit the overly processed stuff, but in the name of convenience, I rounded up the 19 processed foods nutritionists cant live without. Here are the items that deserve a spot in your kitchen.

Your goal, should you choose to accept it, is to select healthful, minimally processed foods that save time and enable you to eat well. Whole grain brown rice is a stellar example. It can take up to 45 minutes to make brown rice on the stovetop, but the pre-cooked, frozen brown rice is ready in just 3-4 minutes, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, author of "The Superfood Swap". She recommends adding it to burrito bowls and stir fries.

If youre cooking dried beans from scratch, the Instant Pot shaves some time. But the canned variety saves even more! I love the convenience of canned black beans versus cooking them from scratch, says Keri Gans, RDN, author of "The Small Change Diet" and creator of The Keri Report. Theyre a good source of fiber and plant-based protein and they make a healthy addition to my pasta Bolognese sauce, baked potato, or a bowl of sauted veggies and barley.

When youre using canned beans, be sure to buy no- or low-sodium varieties and if they contain any sodium, give them a good rinse under running water, which reduces the salt count considerably.

While were on the subject of beans, heres another healthy processed food to add to your cart. Roasted garbanzo beans are loaded with plant-protein and fiber so theyre an incredibly satisfying snack, says Jackson Blatner. You can make your own in the oven, but it takes about 30 minutes (and truthfully I can never get them the perfect texture). The pre-made ones come in lots of delish sweet and savory flavors. I love traveling with these in my purse and they also taste great on salads.

A typical bowl of pasta is high in carbs and low in fiber and protein. Since these two substances make meals filling, you may find yourself downing multiple portions to satisfy your appetite. You can balance out your pasta and boost the fiber and protein by tossing in foods like veggies and shrimp, but you could also swap it with some bean-based pasta to get a head start. When I don't have anything prepared for dinner and Im short on time, lentil or chickpea pasta is my go-to, says Angie Asche, RD, of Eleat Sports Nutrition. She points out that they're much higher in protein and fiber than traditional wheat pasta. One serving typically provides at least 20 grams of protein and the only ingredient in the product I use is organic chickpea flour or green lentil flour. Since pasta is always dressed up in sauce, its a nutritious upgrade thats hardly noticeable.

Vegetarians swear by this plant-based protein so whether youre a meat-eater or not, take note. As a vegetarian, I always have a block of tempeh in my fridge to add quick protein to my meals. Technically, tempeh is considered a processed form of soy because its made by fermenting cooked soybeans and then molding them into a dense block with some grains (typically rice). With that, it has a dense and chewy texture that I really like, as well as a nutty flavor, explains NYC-based registered dietitian, Natalie Rizzo.

For all you protein seekers, Rizzo also notes that a half block of tempeh has about 20 grams of protein and just 240 calories. Another bonus: The fermentation process creates beneficial probiotics, she says. If you arent sure how to make it, Rizzo offers this pro tip that doesnt require any skill: Just throw it in a pan with a marinade for a few minutes and add to a rice bowl.

Stocking up on frozen produce makes a ton of sense! A recent study found that people who eat these frozen gems consume more produce than people who dont keep their freezers stocked. The frozen fruit and veggie eaters also had higher intakes of fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D nutrients that many Americans fall short on.

Im a big smoothie lover, so my freezer is always stocked with frozen fruits and veggies. And what I love about frozen produce is that its flash frozen at the peak of freshness, locking in great taste and nutrients, so you can eat it out of season, says Rizzo. Not only can you enjoy fresh fruit and veggies year-round, but buying frozen also makes organic produce more affordable.

Its a common misconception that canned fruit is loaded with added sugar and while it can be canned in heavy syrup, its often canned in juice. While I love fresh pineapple chunks, its challenging to get a sweet, affordable, fresh pineapple in the dead of winter in New England. Thats why I head to the canned fruit aisle for the canned variety packed in juice. A cup of canned chunks provides about 100 calories, over 2 grams of fiber, and almost 30 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C for the bargain price of about a buck, says Joan Salge Blake, RD, a nutrition professor at Boston University and the host of the hit nutrition and wellness podcast, "SpotOn!".

Canned pineapple chunks are a great way to sweeten stir fries without added sugar or you can try serving the drained chunks with some lower-sugar granola, chopped nuts, and a spoonful of creamy Greek yogurt for a delicious snack or dessert.

Get the better newsletter.

Notice a theme here? When fresh tomatoes are no longer in season, I rely heavily on canned tomato products, like canned diced tomatoes and tomato puree, says Jackie Newgent, RDN, culinary nutritionist, author of "The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook", and advisor to Lunch Unpacked. In other words, when you want the best out-of-season produce, frozen or canned may be the way to go. Nutritional speaking, tomatoes are canned at their peak of ripeness, nutritional value, flavor and color, says Newgent who also shares that they pack a nutritional advantage. Theyre loaded with lycopene, a health-promoting plant nutrient, which is actually enhanced by the processing.

Heres a fresh, pre-prepped veggie mix that will instantly boost the healthfulness of your next Taco Tuesday. Jackson Blatner points out that cabbage is a superfood thats in the same veggie family as kale and broccoli. Getting it pre-shredded is a major time saver. Plus, to make it from scratch, you need two heads of cabbage (green and red) which is waaaay too much to eat before it goes bad, she explains. The packed mix will minimize food waste. In addition to tacos, Jackson Blatner says she loves it in lunch bowls and stir fries.

Need something to go with that chickpea or lentil pasta? Jarred marinara sauce to the rescue! I have 3 kids and one of them doesnt eat meat, so we eat a fair amount of regular and chickpea pasta. While I love the idea of making marinara from scratch, its time-consuming and I usually only have 20-30 minutes to get dinner on the table," says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, author of "Eating in Color" and creator of the FLR VIP program. She recommends choosing a marina sauce with no added sugars and a reasonable amount of sodium to make this convenience item a very healthy option. Jarred marinara sauce also offers the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to improving eye, skin and bone health and may help reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer, she says.

Herbs and seasonings are one way to boost the flavor of wholesome foods, but hot sauce is another. When creating healthful cuisine, I love sneaking in ingredients to assure flavors are as good or better than not-so-healthful options. I find that adding a few drops of hot sauce to select dishes, especially soups and stews, provides that bonus oomph to create extra enjoyment, says Newgent. Hot sauces are vegetable-based usually with peppers making them versatile in cooking. Newgent recommends using one without sodium bisulfite or other preservatives.

Kudos to anyone whos making broth from scratch, but if youve got better things to do with your time (like binge watching two seasons of Killing Eve), theres no shame in taking this shortcut. While I'd love to make my own homemade broth from scratch, it's just not realistic with my work schedule. I always have a few containers of organic vegetable broth in my pantry to use in several last-minute dishes, soups, curries, or even just to boil quinoa and rice for additional flavor, says Asche.

Most Americans arent hitting the recommended two servings of seafood per week, yet its a simple (and tasty) habit that can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. To help you hit your goal, consider canned seafood. Hands down, one of the easiest ways to get more omega-3 packed fish into your diet is with canned tuna, says Largeman-Roth. You can find it in easy to open cans, pouches and more these days, she explains. Largeman-Roth says that three ounces of chunk light tuna packs 16 grams of protein and about 140 milligrams of DHA and EPA omega 3s per each 70-calorie serving. Its a great choice whether youre trying to boost your omega-3 intake or just looking for a lean source of protein, she says.

Maya Feller, RD, author of "The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook" is another fan of canned and pouched seafood. There are times when we don't have access to wild or sustainably sourced salmon and wild salmon in a pouch is an economical as well as a convenient way to get your recommended two servings per week, she says. Sardines are also tops on her list of healthy processed foods. Theyre a delicious small fish, rich in protein, heart-healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D. Theres some compelling research around brain health and fatty fish consumption, says Feller.

Yes, you can make your own pesto (like you can make your own broth and stock), but you dont have to go the extra mile. Making pesto can take time that many people don't have, says Feller. Pesto in a jar is generally extra virgin olive oil, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, basil, which is rich in phytonutrients, garlic, which has been researched in relation to blood pressure regulation, and pine nuts, which are a good source of heart-healthy fats, she explains. According to Feller, the combination makes for a nourishing topping that can be used in a number of meals, such as a seasoning for baked fish or a dressing (when thinned with extra EVOO or warm water) for greens. Amy Gorin, RDN, says its also a great base for pizza if youre looking for something other than traditional tomato sauce.

Nut and seed butters check a lot of boxes: Theyre super healthy, really delicious, and offer a lot of versatility. Almond butter is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and the antioxidant vitamin E, which may help protect our body from damage caused by free radicals, explains Gans. Its a go-to for me in my morning bowl of oatmeal or on a slice of 100 percent whole grain bread for added protein and fiber to start my day.

Largeman-Roth uses peanut butter for after school snacks and for adding a quick and delicious hit of plant-protein (7 grams per 2 tablespoons) at breakfast. We schmear it on frozen waffles (another great convenience item!), apple slices, muffins and more. Besides being totally delicious, I love that its economical and also shelf-stable, she says.

For those who are allergic to nuts (or those who want to branch out), sunflower seed butter is a great alternative. Its become a huge mainstay in my family's kitchen, says Lindsey Janeiro, RDN of Nutrition to Fit. I've had lifelong severe tree nut allergies, but my baby was recently diagnosed with peanut allergies, too. Thats why she uses sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter and other nut butters. Its full of healthy fats and also contains fiber and protein, making it a great addition to homemade sauces and baked goods. It can also be added to a basic apple or crackers for a more macronutrient balanced snack, she adds.

Though its a fan favorite in the fall, pumpkin puree is a processed food RDs love year-round. The puree adds a boost of immune-boosting beta-carotene to breakfast staples like pancakes, smoothies and waffles, says Largeman-Roth. You can certainly make your own pumpkin puree, especially at this time of year, but the fact that all the strings have been removed makes the canned variety so much easier! she says. I think we can all agree on that.

Canned fish scores high on the convenience meter, but dont rule out frozen seafood, which has the same good-for you omega-3 fish fats, DHA and EPA. Much of the fish you buy has been pre-frozen so buying it already frozen is almost like buying it at the fish counter. To make a quick, easy meal for either dinner or even lunch when Im working from home, I keep ready-to-cook salmon filets in the freezer. All I have to do is stick them in the oven! says Gorin.

Gorin suggests using the mercury wallet card from the Natural Resources Defense Council as a guide to choosing fish with less mercury and FishWatch.gov to see which choices are most sustainable. Spotting the MSC blue fish label is another way to identify sustainable seafood.

Plain yogurt and cottage cheese both fall in the camp of healthier processed foods. This often overlooked gem is one of my daily staples. Not only is it fabulous with fruit, on whole grain toast, waffles, oatmeal or salads, but the super high protein content helps to keep you full in between meals, Lauren Harris-Pincus, RDN, author of "The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club". "There are so many culinary uses for cottage cheese! Its the secret to creamy smoothies as its much less tangy than Greek yogurt. Mix it into eggs before scrambling for a cheesy, creamy texture, or use as a protein boost in pancake batter. Mix with goat cheese for a tasty base for a flatbread. The possibilities are endless, and you will benefit from about 13 grams of satisfying protein per 1/2 cup serving, she says.

Want more tips like these? NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

See original here:
19 processed foods nutritionists swear by - NBC News