While some foods should indeed be chucked after their use by has passed, others you can take with a pinch of salt

HAVE YOU ever been scared to eat the food in your fridge because its out of date?

While some foods should indeed be chucked after their use by has passed, others you can take with a pinch of salt.

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It is always wise to pay attention to the dates when it comes to meat, fish and seafood but plenty of other foods are perfectly fine to eat.

Sheer Luxerevealed 13 foods you can safely eat past their use by date.

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Although your favourite snacks might lose some of their freshness once their best by date has passed, you can eat them for a few weeks after.

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While dry pasta usually comes with a long shelf life, you can push this to three years if it is stored in a cool, dry and airtight environment.

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Most tinned food will come with a best before date that is years ahead, but adding on extra time wont hurt you.

As long as your cans are undamaged and stored somewhere cool away from direct light, then they can last four around four years.

The use by date on bread assumes youve left it out in the kitchen you can extend this by up to two weeks by keeping your loaf in the fridge.

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Preserved foods such as pickles can last for up to two years past their use by date if theyre stored in an airtight container in the fridge but they may start to lose some of their crunchiness.

If you keep your eggs in the fridge, you can eat them up to three weeks after the use by date.

But, beware of any unpleasant odour when you crack them this means they should be chucked.

Another way to check if theyre still good is to drop them in a bowl of water, a fresh egg will sink and a bad one will float.

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As long as your chocolate tastes ok, youre pretty much good to go.

Sometimes a white film might form on older chocolate, which is caused by the sugar crystallising, but it wont harm you.

Mould is unable to penetrate harder cheeses such as cheddar, so you can cut off any mould and it will be safe to eat.

If your veg is kept frozen, in theory, it can last indefinitely.

While out of date goods wont hurt you, the texture and taste may change over time.

As long the yoghurt hasnt been opened, you can usually enjoy it for two weeks after the sell-by date.

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As long as your leaves havent gone mouldy, its perfectly safe to eat them past their use by.

When taken care of properly, spirits such as whiskey can be kept open-endedly and the same goes for gin and vodka.

You may be worried about milk, but as long as it tastes and smells OK you can ignore the sell-by.

If thats got you thinking about food,you may beshocked to find outyouve likely been making scrambled eggs all wrong.

On top of that, theres actually a right way to microwave your leftovers and mash potatoes.

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Baked beans, eggs...and the 11 other surprising foods you can safely eat past their use-by dates - The Sun

The following bi-weekly column is written and sponsored by Bark & Boarding, which provides aheart-centered and safe environment for your pets. Conveniently located at5818-C Seminary Road inBaileys Crossroads, Bark & Boardingoffers doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking and training services, plus in-home pet care.

I first met Saphy, Vega and Boudreau on an in-home registration. It was hard not to fall in love. Saphy, the oldest of the three dogs, is blind and follows you with her nose. Vega is light brown and small. She wears a constant look of concern on her face. Boudreau is the largest dog with dark patches on his white fur and the attention hog of this Pit-bull crew. Theyre three of the most wonderful dogs Ive known and the first Ive cared for whose meals are based on the trendy raw diet, specifically, Primal Pet Food.

The first thing I noticed about these dogs is how healthy they are. Each is the perfect weight for their frame. All of them have the shiniest fur Ive ever seen. Theyre strong and athletic. Although she cant see, Saphy jumps around like a puppy at playtime. Their feces are small and compact with no odor. Did their raw diet have anything to do with it?

Raw Diet Theory

The theory behind the raw diet is to feed your cat or dog food closest to what they would be eating if they were still in the wild. All proteins, usually muscle meat often still on the bone and organ meats such as kidneys and livers are 100 percent human grade, meaning the product is legally suitable and approved as nourishment for humans, as well as antibiotic and steroid free. All fruits and veggies, for example, kale, carrots, squash, broccoli and apples are certified organic with no preservatives added.

Benefits for dogs and cats include better intestinal health, healthier teeth and gums, shinier coats, weight loss, smaller amounts of feces with less offensive odors, urinary tract health and increased energy. Using a ready-made product saves you time in preparing meals from scratch and they are complete diets containing all the essential vitamins and minerals your pet needs. The feeding amount is usually smaller per meal meaning less food is needed.

The Decision

Thinking of my pets, I wondered if a raw diet could help one of my cats thats overweight as well as my beefy dog? Would it improve the overall health of all three of my cats and dog?

When I was told one of the new products our retail store would be carrying was Primal Pet Food, I decided to make the change. Before trying a raw diet with your pet its important to first discuss this dietary change with your vet. My own vet was very supportive of my decision, especially for my dog. Your vet can guide you on how to ensure your pet will receive a balanced diet and remain healthy through the transition.

Transitioning to a Raw Diet

Its important to start your pets off slowly when moving to the raw diet. Read the transition instructions the company provides on the back of the packaging. Each pets needs will vary depending on size and how much he or she normally eats. Gradually increase the amount of raw food until your pet is eating a full diet of raw products. Take as much time as your pet needs. The Primal Pet Food website has a great feeding calculator to determine the amount your pet should be fed. If your pet has a sensitive stomach, you may want to give him a digestive enzyme. Speak with your vet about recommended dosage.

Future Results

I begin the transition this week and will keep a journal to report any changes in my pets from their raw food diet. I will share my results over the next few weeks.

If you already use Primal Pet Food products or would like more information, we sell them at competitive prices in our retail store and Bark + Boarding (formerly Dog Paws n Cat Claws) staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Sara Schabach In-Home Pet Sitting Manager and Company Writer

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The Chew: The Raw Diet - ARL now

Bob Harper isgetting diet-shamed.

To all the vegans out there that follow me and tell me that Im gonna have another heart attack if I continue to eat fish, pleaserefrain from posting those awful comments, the Biggest Loser trainer and host shared on Instagram on Saturday.

They are just plain hateful and mean, added the 51-year-old, who recently suffered a heart attack. I will continue to do what my doctors feel is right for me in my situation so please unfollow me instead. In the words of one of my best friends, you do you and Ill do me.

Many of Harpers recent Instagram posts show his meals filled with healthy grains, veggies and fish.

The fitness guru said in a previous post that his doctors have instructed him to stick to a Mediterranean-style diet.

Its been over a month since his cardiac event caused him to collapse at a New York City gym and left him unconscious for two days.

Two weeks ago, he posted a video of himself doing light exercises, as suggested by his doctor.

A request for comment was not immediately returned.

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Bob Harper wants you to shut up about his new diet - Page Six

Forbes

NFL Teams Reportedly Concerned About Colin Kaepernick's Commitment And Vegan Diet Forbes Throughout the Colin Kaepernick saga, his end game likely did include still being a free agent in April. While the 49ers' performance on the field declined quickly last season, Kaepernick still threw for 16 touchdowns, along with only four ... NFL News: Colin Kaepernick Vegan Diet Is Least Concern of Interested TeamsChattSportsNet.com Teams' latest excuse for not signing Kaepernick is their most laughable one yetFor The Win all 27 news articles »

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NFL Teams Reportedly Concerned About Colin Kaepernick's Commitment And Vegan Diet - Forbes

Now were into the fourth month of the year, hows your New Years resolutions going?

If you were one of the many who picked losing weight or eating more healthily as their aim for 2017, youre probably not going so great. We dont say that because we doubt your willpower, but because the research shows youre very unlikely to have stuck to your best intentions.

A great blog by the CSIRO sets out the stats that back up that supposition; nine out of 10 Aussie adults have attempted to lose weight at some time, five in 10 have tried more than six times to do the same, and almost one in five has tried more than 25 times!

So, where do we go so wrong?

The CSIROs scientists studied 4,000 people to learn how Australians diet, which helped it identify five distinct diet personality types, all of which have their own particular pitfall. The science agency believes that although eating more healthily will help people lose weight, each personality type has its own Achilles heel when it comes to staying on the diet wagon.

Heres how the diet personalities line up:

The Thinker makes up 41 percent of all dieters. These people are goal-oriented and analytical, but they overthink their diet and worry about it, and that can lead to anxiety and stress that kicks off over-eating, derailing the best of diet plans.

The Craver, at 25 percent of all dieters, loves yummy food and finds it hard to stop eating, particularly in tempting situations. The CSIRO found that young adults and people who were obese tended to fall into this group.

The Foodie 15 percent are the most likely to be in a normal weight range, despite enjoying making, eating and experiencing food.

The Socialiser 15 percent need flexibility. They wont let a diet restrict their social life.

The Freewheeler 4 percent- is a spontaneous and impulsive eater, which makes planning meals hard for them.

CSIRO launched a free diet plans launched around the diet personality type, to help people avoid their personal pitfalls.

Manny Noakes, research director at the CSIRO, says that dieters have always assumed that losing weight was just about picking theright foods, when behavioural science was needed to help people stick to their diet and sustain their weight loss.

For many people, they will achieve success eating a healthy diet but actually maintaining it appears to be elusive for a good number of people, Noakes told 9Honey. We do think [ours] is a unique and new approach.

The CSIROs Total Wellbeing Diet isnt free, but you can check your Healthy Diet Score at no cost to see how your food choices measure up against Australias healthy eating guidelines.

Continued here:
New Year's diet resolutions ditched? It's not your fault | Starts at 60 - Starts at 60

By Keri Wiginton Chicago Tribune

If youre one of the 60 million Americans with a digestive disorder, you may be used to approaching each meal with a sense of dread.

Simply snacking on a piece of fruit can leave you gassy, bloated or in pain. In my case, a couple of pieces of cauliflower can puff up my stomach like a balloon.

I have endometriosis, an inflammatory condition in which uterine cells grow outside of the womb, sparking symptoms like abdominal cramping and bloating. Ditching dairy and meat relieved many of my worst digestive woes. But as I entered my 30s, it seemed as if every bite of food became a gamble.

Some doctors suggested I take probiotic supplements loaded with healthy bacteria, but each pill gave me gas pain. One diet I tried suggested smoothies made of vegetables like kale, peas and garlic. After one souplike shake, I thought my stomach was going to explode.

Then another doctor suggested something Id never heard of: the low-FODMAP diet.

FODMAP is an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols certain carbohydrates prevalent in a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as milk and wheat, among other things. These carbs are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly fermented by bacteria in the colon, causing a wide range of abdominal woes, especially in people with sensitive guts, like those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Whats going on when youre eating a high-FODMAP diet is youre getting this osmotic effect in the bowel, said Bethany Doerfler, a clinical registered dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. That means that youre eating all of these sugars and fibers that are feeding gut bacteria, and theyre causing water to get pulled into the intestine.

The result can be cramping, diarrhea, bloating and those stomach noises even your co-worker three desks down can hear.

Researchers at Australias Monash University created the low-FODMAP diet in 2005 to alleviate symptoms in patients with IBS, but its recently been gaining traction with others (like me) who are digestively challenged. Companies such as Nestle have even introduced low-FODMAP products like ProNourish, a nutrition drink.

I think this is probably the first diet that weve had that has excellent data behind it to say manipulating carbohydrates actually helps change your symptoms, Doerfler said. Before that, it was a little anecdotal.

Those wanting to try a low-FODMAP eating plan should talk to their doctor and consult a dietitian familiar with the diet; its important to make sure youre getting enough nutrients since youll be cutting out or reducing important food groups.

Low-FODMAP followers start by eliminating high-FODMAP foods from their diet, often for a few weeks, before gradually reintroducing them. The idea is to keep a close eye on symptoms to figure out which foods you can tolerate. You might only have a problem with one category, and lower portions of some foods could be fine.

If you eat something problematic, it may take a couple of hours or a day for your gut to get back to normal.

I remind people that if they have a symptom flare, theyre not in danger they just feel crummy, Doerfler said.

What foods should low-FODMAP followers avoid?

Forgo dairy products with large amounts of lactose, a disaccharide. This means no ice cream, milk or yogurt. Humans cant digest lactose without the help of lactase, an enzyme many people stop producing as they age. Products with low-lactose levels butter and feta and cheddar cheeses tend to be well-tolerated. Almond-based milks and desserts are dairy-free alternatives.

Watch out for wheat. If you get gassy after eating bread or drinking beer, you could be reacting to the fructans an oligosaccharide not the gluten protein. Dont just switch to artificially gluten-free products, which can still be hard on the gut. Try sourdough bread. The fermenting process breaks down some of the fibers for you.

Raw onions and garlic are also high in fructans. If youre sensitive to garlic, you can still use garlic-infused oil. For onions, substitute the green parts of scallions or leeks.

Most beans need to be avoided, but you can try a quarter cup of canned chickpeas or a half cup of canned lentils. The canning process leaches out some of gas-producing elements.

Fructose is another red flag. These are the single sugars, or monosaccharides, found in fruit. It becomes a problem when the amount of fructose is higher than the amount of glucose. Opt for fruits like bananas and blueberries instead of apples and cherries.

Limit your intake of sugar alcohols, or polyols. They occur naturally in foods like mushrooms, watermelon and cauliflower and are used to make artificial sweeteners. If you need to add a little sweetness, try table sugar or stevia instead. Avoid any sugar ending in ol.

In my case, I realized Id been eating high-FODMAP foods throughout the day. I put artificial sweetener in my coffee, had whole-wheat toast for breakfast and black beans for lunch. My usual afternoon snack a nutrition bar was chock-full of things on the high list.

I now have steel-cut oats with natural peanut butter and a banana in the morning. Lunch is sourdough bread, tofu and carrots. For dinner, I make sure to cook all my food.

Heat is a great natural digestive enzyme, Doerfler said. I think that for some of these vegetables that might be too difficult to do raw, its a wonderful option to have them cooked.

After the first week, I lost 2 pounds and my post-meal balloon belly had all but disappeared. After three months, I have an even stronger grasp on my problem foods. I still have bloating issues if I dine out, but at least I know my triggers.

FODMAP Tools

For an updated list of high-and-low FODMAP foods, download Monash Universitys app. Its $7.99 at the Apple App Store and $9 on Google Play.

Other helpful resources can be found at MyGiNutrition.com (which receives funding from Nestle Health Science) and KateScarlata.com, a site run by a Boston-based dietitian by the same name.

If youre looking for a guidebook with recipes, check out Healthy Gut, Flat Stomach: The Fast and Easy Low-FODMAP Diet Plan by Danielle Capalino ($17.95, Countryman Press).

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How the low-FODMAP diet helped me beat my bloat - The Ledger

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn discussed at length this spring the potential Yoan Moncada has to impact a game with his power, speed and athleticism.

But there was one thing left off of Hahns scouting report -- a dietary quirk that has been reported by the Tribune and various other news sources following the No. 2 overall prospects journey from Cuba to the Red Sox organization to the White Sox system over the last two years.

Moncada loves Twinkies.

That was news to me, Hahn said.

Miami restauranteur Jo Hastings, who with husband David helped Moncada make his transition to the United States out of Cuba, told the Tribunes David Haugh in December Moncada ate as many as 200 Twinkies a week when he first arrived.

Hahn doesnt flinch at such a food fascination, however, and heres why.

Even if Moncada were to continue consuming the Twinkies, it wouldnt be the most unusual diet the club has ever had to deal with. That honor would go to former Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

When we had his debut in Cleveland, his major-league debut, he pregamed with two Krispy Kremes with mayonnaise in between, Hahn said. He put them together and enjoyed that for his pregame meal. So we're not unaccustomed to the transition in his diet.

Hahn then laughed at the notion that the donuts had any effect on Ramirezs famously lanky figure.

As for Moncada, who looked more like he never touched junk food during spring training, the Sox wont be dealing with his diet at the major-league level for a little while. He is starting the year with Triple-A Charlotte, but Hahn said its not out of the question he could join the big-league club at some point this year.

The tools are as advertised, Hahn said. They jump out at you, the bat speed, the athleticism, the power. We want to get him as comfortable as possible at second base, with more repetition there. Wed like to see him against more Triple-A pitching, which unlike where he has been tends to be a little bit more breaking-ball heavy, a little more savvy-veteran heavy, and see how they work him over a little bit. But it's not going to surprise me if he forces the issue, and he's up here at some point this year.

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Fascinated by Yoan Moncada's Twinkies diet? Wait 'til you hear this old Alexei Ramirez tale - Chicago Tribune