Do You Need To Buy Organic?
Organic foods are often more expensive. Here are some tips for how to get the best bang for your buck while also ensuring that you are eating foods that healthy, non-toxic and delicious.
Some foods are simply worth the extra few dollars every time.
I try to buy ONLY organic meats. This means that the animals were pasture-raised and grass-fed. Why is this important? Well, there are several reasons. First, you don't what to eat meat from animals that were fed (almost always) GMO grains, corn, soy, etc. These meats are unhealthy and do not have the same thermic (fat-burning) effect as meats raised organically. Non-pastured, factory-raised animals (almost always) have been injected with hormones throughout their lives and we absolutely do not want to ingest these. Additionally, because of the close and terrible living conditions on factory farms, these animals would become sick and unusable very quickly if they were not also given antibiotics. Antibiotics used indiscriminately are one of the biggest health problems facing Americans today. You just don't want to ingest them - they are anathema to good health. Almost every supermarket and grocery store now sells meats that were raised correctly. They are a little bit more expensive and worth every penny. Also, buying meats raised by local farmers at greenmarkets and farm stands is one of the best ways to ensure you are getting high-quality, nutrient-filled and safe products.
The same conditions apply to dairy products. You don't want products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, etc which comes from the milk of factory-raised animals. It is just unhealthy. And doing so will also cause more fat storage. Buy products that state clearly they are organic.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the question of whether organic is essential becomes less clean-cut. It depends on the fruit or vegetable. Unlike meats, produce is not injected with steroids or antibiotics. What we are trying to avoid here are the pesticides and chemicals used to keep insects and other pests at bay.
Some vegetables like onions, garlic and scallions do not pose a threat because they are not treated with pesticides. Their natural sulphur content is a natural protection agains insects and pests and so they are rarely treated.
Other fruits and vegetables need not be bought organic because the parts that we are eating were not treated with pesticides and chemicals. Think about produce with thick skins, impenetrable to pesticides. Fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruits, melons, avocados and bananas. The pesticides here remain on the skins and we typically discard the skins. If you are using the skin for a zest, it is important to wash and scrub them before using them.
Fruits and vegetables with thinner skins, and skins that we eat - like apples, pears, tomatoes, green beans, berries, etc - are the ones which should be bought organic. You really don't want to be eating pesticides and other chemicals which is the case with these types of produce.
Again, if you have greenmarkets, farm stands or farm-share programs in your community, buying from the farmers who grew the fruits and vegetables organically and harvested them recently and nearby are the very best choices your can make when buying produce. They have the advantage of being harvested and directly on your table within a day or two, preserving all of the nutrients that are often lost in long shipping times. This will also reduce your carbon footprint greatly.
When it comes to organic vs non-orgranic, sometimes it is worth it to buy the former while other times it is less important. I hope this information helps you to make better decisions when choosing what foods you buy for yourself and your loved ones.
Some foods are simply worth the extra few dollars every time.
I try to buy ONLY organic meats. This means that the animals were pasture-raised and grass-fed. Why is this important? Well, there are several reasons. First, you don't what to eat meat from animals that were fed (almost always) GMO grains, corn, soy, etc. These meats are unhealthy and do not have the same thermic (fat-burning) effect as meats raised organically. Non-pastured, factory-raised animals (almost always) have been injected with hormones throughout their lives and we absolutely do not want to ingest these. Additionally, because of the close and terrible living conditions on factory farms, these animals would become sick and unusable very quickly if they were not also given antibiotics. Antibiotics used indiscriminately are one of the biggest health problems facing Americans today. You just don't want to ingest them - they are anathema to good health. Almost every supermarket and grocery store now sells meats that were raised correctly. They are a little bit more expensive and worth every penny. Also, buying meats raised by local farmers at greenmarkets and farm stands is one of the best ways to ensure you are getting high-quality, nutrient-filled and safe products.
The same conditions apply to dairy products. You don't want products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, etc which comes from the milk of factory-raised animals. It is just unhealthy. And doing so will also cause more fat storage. Buy products that state clearly they are organic.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the question of whether organic is essential becomes less clean-cut. It depends on the fruit or vegetable. Unlike meats, produce is not injected with steroids or antibiotics. What we are trying to avoid here are the pesticides and chemicals used to keep insects and other pests at bay.
Some vegetables like onions, garlic and scallions do not pose a threat because they are not treated with pesticides. Their natural sulphur content is a natural protection agains insects and pests and so they are rarely treated.
Other fruits and vegetables need not be bought organic because the parts that we are eating were not treated with pesticides and chemicals. Think about produce with thick skins, impenetrable to pesticides. Fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruits, melons, avocados and bananas. The pesticides here remain on the skins and we typically discard the skins. If you are using the skin for a zest, it is important to wash and scrub them before using them.
Fruits and vegetables with thinner skins, and skins that we eat - like apples, pears, tomatoes, green beans, berries, etc - are the ones which should be bought organic. You really don't want to be eating pesticides and other chemicals which is the case with these types of produce.
Again, if you have greenmarkets, farm stands or farm-share programs in your community, buying from the farmers who grew the fruits and vegetables organically and harvested them recently and nearby are the very best choices your can make when buying produce. They have the advantage of being harvested and directly on your table within a day or two, preserving all of the nutrients that are often lost in long shipping times. This will also reduce your carbon footprint greatly.
When it comes to organic vs non-orgranic, sometimes it is worth it to buy the former while other times it is less important. I hope this information helps you to make better decisions when choosing what foods you buy for yourself and your loved ones.
LATE NIGHT EATING FOR MUSCLE GROWTH & FAT LOSS
If you ever get hungry late in the evening, but are worried about eating anything because the conventional wisdom is that it will pack fat onto your body, then worry no more.
It is true that eating starchy carbs and sugars in the later part of the day will pack on the pounds. This is because these foods produce a strong insulin response. Insulin is a storage hormone, so those calories will VERY likely be stored as fat as you are winding down your day. AVOID THESE AT NIGHT.
On the other hand, there are some great, delicious foods that you can eat to stave off hunger and feed your lean (muscle) tissue throughout the night. Some of them will actually help you burn MORE fat, EVEN WHILE YOU SLEEP. Good news!
It is true that eating starchy carbs and sugars in the later part of the day will pack on the pounds. This is because these foods produce a strong insulin response. Insulin is a storage hormone, so those calories will VERY likely be stored as fat as you are winding down your day. AVOID THESE AT NIGHT.
On the other hand, there are some great, delicious foods that you can eat to stave off hunger and feed your lean (muscle) tissue throughout the night. Some of them will actually help you burn MORE fat, EVEN WHILE YOU SLEEP. Good news!
#1 Green Vegetables
If you get hungry after dinner time, you can fill up on a few vegetables without effecting much of an insulin release. Green vegetables, especially the leafy ones, have very few calories and a ton of fiber and water.
I recommend snacking on a cup or two of kale, arugula and green beans with just a drizzle of good olive oil. This is very filling and will kill any late-night cravings you might have.
If you get hungry after dinner time, you can fill up on a few vegetables without effecting much of an insulin release. Green vegetables, especially the leafy ones, have very few calories and a ton of fiber and water.
I recommend snacking on a cup or two of kale, arugula and green beans with just a drizzle of good olive oil. This is very filling and will kill any late-night cravings you might have.
#2 Cottage Cheese or Yogurt
Both are good choices containing slow-digesting proteins which will aid in recovery from your workouts. Eating these will also release Glucagon, your fat-release hormone, which will help your body to burn more fat late into the night. Cottage cheese is also known to coat the stomach, aiding with digestion and improving sleep quality.
Just be sure to choose plain varieties with no sugar (or VERY low sugar). And wherever possible try to buy your dairy organic. You don't want to get your milk products from stressed-out cows (cortisol from stress is a fat-storage hormone). Nor do you want the antibiotics injected into factory-raised animals to keep them alive under horrible conditions.
Both are good choices containing slow-digesting proteins which will aid in recovery from your workouts. Eating these will also release Glucagon, your fat-release hormone, which will help your body to burn more fat late into the night. Cottage cheese is also known to coat the stomach, aiding with digestion and improving sleep quality.
Just be sure to choose plain varieties with no sugar (or VERY low sugar). And wherever possible try to buy your dairy organic. You don't want to get your milk products from stressed-out cows (cortisol from stress is a fat-storage hormone). Nor do you want the antibiotics injected into factory-raised animals to keep them alive under horrible conditions.
#3 Chicken or Turkey Breasts
The protein in these is released very slowly and can nourish your muscles and aid in exercise recovery for many hours.
These, too, have the effect of releasing Glucagon, helping your body to utilize blood sugar and stored fat for energy. Definitely a win-win situation.
The protein in these is released very slowly and can nourish your muscles and aid in exercise recovery for many hours.
These, too, have the effect of releasing Glucagon, helping your body to utilize blood sugar and stored fat for energy. Definitely a win-win situation.
#4 Protein Shakes
If you're feeling hungry after dinner time but don't really feel like eating a meal or snack, a protein shake is a great substitute. They can keep you feeling full for hours, making it easier to sleep. The best protein powders will contain both Whey and Casein proteins.
I generally mix the powder in the blender with six ice cubes, a tablespoon of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of organic, no-sugar yogurt. Delicious. And helps the body to recover and burn more fat while you sleep.
If you're feeling hungry after dinner time but don't really feel like eating a meal or snack, a protein shake is a great substitute. They can keep you feeling full for hours, making it easier to sleep. The best protein powders will contain both Whey and Casein proteins.
I generally mix the powder in the blender with six ice cubes, a tablespoon of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of organic, no-sugar yogurt. Delicious. And helps the body to recover and burn more fat while you sleep.
EAT MORE, LOSE MORE FAT
Have you ever been on a diet?
If you are like most people, you've probably been on many.
What was the biggest problem with the diets you have been on?
For a lot of people, the number one problem is HUNGER. When you are hungry, you need to eat, but doing so could wreck your diet. It's a catch-22. But there are ways around it.
One of the best tricks for being satiated when you are trying to stay within your calorie limits involves a concept called caloric density.
Let me explain. Some food are very calorie dense, so that there are a ton of calories in just a small amount of the food. Others, conversely, have a very low caloric density and you can eat LOT without getting too many calories.
For example, a cup of pasta has 390 calories and one slice of bread has 185 calories. If you eat a lot of these types of calorie dense foods, you will end up eating too many calories and you will gain weight. On the other hand, foods like spinach (7 calories per cup), kale (33 calories per cup) and tomatoes (16 calories, whole tomato) have very low numbers of calories per volume. And volume is what makes you feel satiated so that you don't eat too much. You literally could not eat enough spinach to equal the the 390 calories in just a cup of pasta - unless you think you could eat 55 cups of spinach in one sitting.
Eating vegetables (especially leafy and green ones), fruits (especially berries), many legumes, seeds and lean proteins and dairy will allow you to eat until you are full without getting excess calories.
Another great thing about many of the foods with low caloric density is that they are also very high in fiber, which is not digested, so one can basically subtract those calories from the total.
Replacing just a few of the high calorie density foods with a few lower density choices may be all you need to start losing weight, especially the excess belly fat that so many people have.
LATE NIGHT EATING FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY AND FAT LOSS?
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If you ever get hungry late in the evening, but are worried about eating anything because the conventional wisdom is that it will pack fat onto your body, then worry no more.
It is true that eating starchy carbs and sugars in the later part of the day will pack on the pounds. This is because these foods produce a strong insulin response. Insulin is a storage hormone, so those calories will VERY likely be stored as fat as you are winding down your day. AVOID THESE AT NIGHT. On the other hand, there are some great, delicious foods that you can eat to stave off hunger and feed your lean (muscle) tissue throughout the night. Some of them will actually help you burn MORE fat, EVEN WHILE YOU SLEEP. Good news! |
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#1 Green Vegetables
If you get hungry after dinner time, you can fill up on a few vegetables without effecting much of an insulin release. Green vegetables, especially the leafy ones, have very few calories and a ton of fiber and water.
I recommend snacking on a cup or two of kale, arugula and green beans with just a drizzle of good olive oil. This is very filling and will kill any late-night cravings you might have.
If you get hungry after dinner time, you can fill up on a few vegetables without effecting much of an insulin release. Green vegetables, especially the leafy ones, have very few calories and a ton of fiber and water.
I recommend snacking on a cup or two of kale, arugula and green beans with just a drizzle of good olive oil. This is very filling and will kill any late-night cravings you might have.
#2 Cottage Cheese or Yogurt
Both are good choices containing slow-digesting proteins which will aid in recovery from your workouts. Eating these will also release Glucagon, your fat-release hormone, which will help your body to burn more fat late into the night. Cottage cheese is also known to coat the stomach, aiding with digestion and improving sleep quality.
Just be sure to choose plain varieties with no sugar (or VERY low sugar). And wherever possible try to buy your dairy organic. You don't want to get your milk products from stressed-out cows (cortisol from stress is a fat-storage hormone). Nor do you want the antibiotics injected into factory-raised animals to keep them alive under horrible conditions.
Both are good choices containing slow-digesting proteins which will aid in recovery from your workouts. Eating these will also release Glucagon, your fat-release hormone, which will help your body to burn more fat late into the night. Cottage cheese is also known to coat the stomach, aiding with digestion and improving sleep quality.
Just be sure to choose plain varieties with no sugar (or VERY low sugar). And wherever possible try to buy your dairy organic. You don't want to get your milk products from stressed-out cows (cortisol from stress is a fat-storage hormone). Nor do you want the antibiotics injected into factory-raised animals to keep them alive under horrible conditions.
#3 Chicken or Turkey Breasts
The protein in these is released very slowly and can nourish your muscles and aid in exercise recovery for many hours.
These, too, have the effect of releasing Glucagon, helping your body to utilize blood sugar and stored fat for energy. Definitely a win-win situation.
The protein in these is released very slowly and can nourish your muscles and aid in exercise recovery for many hours.
These, too, have the effect of releasing Glucagon, helping your body to utilize blood sugar and stored fat for energy. Definitely a win-win situation.
#4 Protein Shakes
If you're feeling hungry after dinner time but don't really feel like eating a meal or snack, a protein shake is a great substitute. They can keep you feeling full for hours, making it easier to sleep. The best protein powders will contain both Whey and Casein proteins.
I generally mix the powder in the blender with six ice cubes, a tablespoon of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of organic, no-sugar yogurt. Delicious. And helps the body to recover and burn more fat while you sleep.
If you're feeling hungry after dinner time but don't really feel like eating a meal or snack, a protein shake is a great substitute. They can keep you feeling full for hours, making it easier to sleep. The best protein powders will contain both Whey and Casein proteins.
I generally mix the powder in the blender with six ice cubes, a tablespoon of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of organic, no-sugar yogurt. Delicious. And helps the body to recover and burn more fat while you sleep.
Dark Chocolate is a Super-Food. Pure and Simple.
Dark Chocolate contains Theobromine, an alkaloid, which has the double effect of suppressing the appetite and also mobilizing fatty acids in the body to be burned for energy.
But that's not all.
Dark Chocolate can also boost brain health. Because it contains antioxidant flavonoids, it helps in the battle to keep oxidative stresses from doing damage to brain tissue.
A recent study at Harvard University School of Medicine has shown that consuming dark chocolate daily had a significant effect on reversing cognitive decline in subjects over sixty years old.
And it's delicious.
But make sure you are getting the real thing. Milk chocolate, white chocolate, etc, do not provide any significant amount of the fat-burning, anti-aging properties found in dark chocolate. In fact, your standard Hershey Bar contains zero actual chocolate (cacao) in it's pure form and more than HALF of it's content is added sugar. Yuck.
Make sure you are getting real dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao. And an ounce or two is the right serving size - there are only a few grams of sugar in this amount. The best time to eat chocolate is after a meal.
Enjoy.
Dark Chocolate contains Theobromine, an alkaloid, which has the double effect of suppressing the appetite and also mobilizing fatty acids in the body to be burned for energy.
But that's not all.
Dark Chocolate can also boost brain health. Because it contains antioxidant flavonoids, it helps in the battle to keep oxidative stresses from doing damage to brain tissue.
A recent study at Harvard University School of Medicine has shown that consuming dark chocolate daily had a significant effect on reversing cognitive decline in subjects over sixty years old.
And it's delicious.
But make sure you are getting the real thing. Milk chocolate, white chocolate, etc, do not provide any significant amount of the fat-burning, anti-aging properties found in dark chocolate. In fact, your standard Hershey Bar contains zero actual chocolate (cacao) in it's pure form and more than HALF of it's content is added sugar. Yuck.
Make sure you are getting real dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao. And an ounce or two is the right serving size - there are only a few grams of sugar in this amount. The best time to eat chocolate is after a meal.
Enjoy.
If You Could Do One Simple Thing in the Morning (Takes 20 Seconds) to Improve Your Energy Level, Mood, Digestion and Metabolism (More Fat Burning), Would You Do It?
Here's the Trick and it really is SO SIMPLE. Squeeze a small lemon (or half of a large one) into 8 ounces of room temperature water (your body processes ice cold water more slowly in the morning). Drink! That's it. Just make sure you do this 10 minutes before you eat breakfast. Here is why it is so effective: Even though lemons are acidic, your body alkalizes them and they are actually one of the most alkaline foods you can eat. This has the effect of improving your digestion and causing your stomach to produce more bile. You will process anything you eat for the next 4-6 hours more efficiently. And if you have acid reflux or heartburn, doing this can help to calm it. Lemons also have a strong effect on your mood and energy level, improving them all day, through their detoxifying effect on your liver. So many of the things in modern life - the air you breathe, the bath products you use, the things you eat - are full of toxins. The alkalizing effects of lemons helps detoxify your body, increasing your mood and energy level. Lemons can also help you lose fat by helping your body to process and digest better, and in effect speeding up your metabolism. Of course, nothing improves your metabolism and helps you burn fat more than the right nutrition and exercise program. To read about some things you can do in the kitchen and in the gym to help you get the body you desire, check out my Fitness Blog. Product Recommendations:
Essential Fatty Acids - EFAs - Krill Oil Capsules These increase good cholesterol, Decrease bad cholesterol. Improves blood sugar stabilization & glucose metabolism Helps with fat loss Decreases inflammation |
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Great Flow Chart for the Supermarket
There is a great adage for nutrition today that we would do well to follow:
"If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize a product as food, then it is not food".
Following this flow chart at the supermarket or grocery store will lead you to make much better choices.
Another simple rule to follow is this: Shop in the perimeter of the store; that's where the real food is! Fruits and Vegetables. Meat, Poultry, Fish and Seafood. Dairy Products. On the hand, in the interior of the store is where you will find all of the processed "foods". Many of these items contain VERY little in the way of nutritonal value and a ton of additives, preservatives, sugars and the most unhealthy oils (the ones that are able to stay solid at room temperature, thus increasing shelf-life almost infinitely). If it doesn't spoil on the shelf for 10 years, imagine what it does in your intestines.
Lets look at a great example: Bread. Many stores have a 100-yard shelf full of different kinds of bread. They sound healthy on the front of the package, with words like "Whole Wheat" and "Enriched". What is essential to understand here is that the front of the package is the advertising section of the product. The food companies can say pretty much whatever they want here. If you want to know what is really in it, turn it around and read the ingredients and the FDA-mandated Nutrition Label.
"Enriched Bread" - Sounds healthy, right? These products start out as healthy grains, and then the food companies mill, bleach, refine and process them until their is nothing left that can actually be called food so that it tastes good to the American diet - fluffy, white, sugary-tasting (in fact, HFCS, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, is a MAIN ingredient in most of the breads). And because all of the nutrition is processed out, the FDA mandated that these products could not be sold as food because there was ZERO nutritional value. So, the food companies put a couple of the B-Vitamins back in to appease the FDA (not hard to do) and these breads are the "enriched breads" that you see in every supermarket and grocery store in America.
"Whole Wheat Bread" - This moniker does NOT mean that you are getting healthy grains. Of all of the dozens and dozens of breads that say they are "whole wheat" in the last supermarket I visited, NONE of them actually contained any significant amount of the essential ingredient: Stone-Ground Whole Grain Flour. If the first ingredient on the label (the one that most of the product is made from) is not "Whole Grain" then the bread is probably processed to the point wehre your body will treat it as sugar. So, why are these breads brown? Shouldn't that mean that they are made from whole grains? The answer is probably not - Many of these products are colored with molasses or caramel to appear more brown and healthy.
These are just a couple of examples of how the public is tricked into making poor nutrition choices in every supermarket and grocery store in America. Don't be fooled. Learn how to read labels so that you are getting more nutritious foods, foods that your body will use as fuel for your workouts and activities of daily living.
"If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize a product as food, then it is not food".
Following this flow chart at the supermarket or grocery store will lead you to make much better choices.
Another simple rule to follow is this: Shop in the perimeter of the store; that's where the real food is! Fruits and Vegetables. Meat, Poultry, Fish and Seafood. Dairy Products. On the hand, in the interior of the store is where you will find all of the processed "foods". Many of these items contain VERY little in the way of nutritonal value and a ton of additives, preservatives, sugars and the most unhealthy oils (the ones that are able to stay solid at room temperature, thus increasing shelf-life almost infinitely). If it doesn't spoil on the shelf for 10 years, imagine what it does in your intestines.
Lets look at a great example: Bread. Many stores have a 100-yard shelf full of different kinds of bread. They sound healthy on the front of the package, with words like "Whole Wheat" and "Enriched". What is essential to understand here is that the front of the package is the advertising section of the product. The food companies can say pretty much whatever they want here. If you want to know what is really in it, turn it around and read the ingredients and the FDA-mandated Nutrition Label.
"Enriched Bread" - Sounds healthy, right? These products start out as healthy grains, and then the food companies mill, bleach, refine and process them until their is nothing left that can actually be called food so that it tastes good to the American diet - fluffy, white, sugary-tasting (in fact, HFCS, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, is a MAIN ingredient in most of the breads). And because all of the nutrition is processed out, the FDA mandated that these products could not be sold as food because there was ZERO nutritional value. So, the food companies put a couple of the B-Vitamins back in to appease the FDA (not hard to do) and these breads are the "enriched breads" that you see in every supermarket and grocery store in America.
"Whole Wheat Bread" - This moniker does NOT mean that you are getting healthy grains. Of all of the dozens and dozens of breads that say they are "whole wheat" in the last supermarket I visited, NONE of them actually contained any significant amount of the essential ingredient: Stone-Ground Whole Grain Flour. If the first ingredient on the label (the one that most of the product is made from) is not "Whole Grain" then the bread is probably processed to the point wehre your body will treat it as sugar. So, why are these breads brown? Shouldn't that mean that they are made from whole grains? The answer is probably not - Many of these products are colored with molasses or caramel to appear more brown and healthy.
These are just a couple of examples of how the public is tricked into making poor nutrition choices in every supermarket and grocery store in America. Don't be fooled. Learn how to read labels so that you are getting more nutritious foods, foods that your body will use as fuel for your workouts and activities of daily living.