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Top 10 Foods for the Freezer Wondering how to create healthy at-home meals in a hurry? Your freezer can be key. A well-stocked freezer is a dinnertime savior during busy weeks when you don’t have time to hit the supermarket. A cool stash of lean proteins and produce can help you put together nutritious meals and snacks quickly — even when your fridge is bare. Keep these ten items on hand and you’ll always have healthy eating options at the ready. Light Ice Cream My freezer selection wouldn’t be complete without something sweet. Ice cream is definitely my guilty pleasure: I love slightly melted vanilla (admittedly, sometimes with mini peanut butter cups…yum!). Look for “light” brands with 130 calories or less per half cup. To keep your portions in check, serve up your dessert in a mug, small bowl, or ramekin versus a soup or cereal bowl. If scooping from a pint is too tempting, stock up on some of the portion-controlled, low-cal ice-cream pops and sandwiches that now come

What Top U.S. Olympians Really Eat Heather Mitts Soccer defender Two-time gold medalist Heather Mitts rocks the defense position on the U.S. National Women’s soccer team, which defeated Canada in a dramatic overtime thriller on Monday and advanced to the finals against Japan this Thursday. Off the field, this 34-year-old superstar loves to cook, and preparing healthy, organic meals is a top priority. Her typical dinner consists of fish, chicken, or steak; salad with strawberries and balsamic dressing; and her favorite side dish, oven-roasted sweet potatoes. Heather’s secret weapon after a long practice session may surprise you with its simplicity: It’s a tall glass of chocolate milk. This childhood favorite actually contains the perfect blend of protein and carbohydrates to help repair muscles and replenish their energy supply after a vigorous bout of exercise. To fuel up for matches and top off her glycogen (carbohydrate) stores, Heather tucks into a big plate of pasta

Fall Produce With Hidden Healing Powers Figs A culinary delicacy of biblical proportions, figs have been revered by ancient civilizations for centuries. These sweet, delicate produce specialties are one of the best fruit sources of polyphenols, antioxidants that may help prevent LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” from clogging up arteries. For a classic Mediterranean breakfast, top a bowl of tangy plain nonfat Greek yogurt with sliced fresh figs. Or, use dried figs to add natural sweetness to homemade protein bars — the perfect treat for fall hikes. Pumpkin Native Americans first shared the nourishing properties of pumpkin, a staple of the autumn table, with our Pilgrim ancestors hundreds of years ago. From its vitamin-packed flesh to its magnesium-rich seeds, this earthy vegetable is truly a “whole food.” Pumpkin also contains a unique medicinal component called cucurmosin, a compound that is currently being studied for its ability to inhibit tumor growth. To get your fill of t

Health Benefits of Chocolate Revel in the potential health benefits of chocolate, but don’t overindulge! Chocolate is still rich in calories, sugar, and fat that can bust your diet if you overdo it. Chocolate contains powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, as well as some magnesium. These nutrients may help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Dark chocolate is the most nutritious form of chocolate. Compared with milk chocolate, it contains more than double the amount of heart-healthy flavonoids. Milk chocolate has another strike against it: The added milk it contains may reduce the body’s ability to absorb the beneficial flavonoids. To enjoy the delicious taste of chocolate and receive the benefits of flavonoids, choose a dark-chocolate variety that contains at least 70 percent cacao, or cocoa. Dark chocolate’s potential health benefits certainly don’t give you a free pass to overindulge, though. You’ll still need to watch your portions

Health Benefits of Cheese There are many different cheeses in the world — and in your supermarket — but the healthiest choices are cheeses that are lower in fat and sodium. Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium. Since protein curbs hunger and keeps you feeling satisfied after meals and snacks, cheese can help you to lose weight. As part of a well-rounded nutrition plan, the protein in cheese can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates eaten at the same meal or snack and therefore help balance your blood-sugar levels and improve mood as well. The calcium in cheese can help keep your teeth and bones strong and guard against osteoporosis. In women, it can also offer some relief from PMS symptoms. Cheese contains additional nutrients like zinc and biotin. Zinc has several functions in the body: It aids in tissue growth and repair, prevents and treats macular degeneration, protects your skin, and helps keep your nails strong. Both zinc and biotin are also important

Fish and Shellfish: How Food Affects Health Fruits of the sea, like fish and shellfish, are some of the best choices of lean protein available — as long as you don’t fry them or drown them in butter! Fish and shellfish are both great sources of lean protein. Protein helps fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied, which in turn aids your weight-loss goals by making you less likely to snack on high-calorie fallback foods between meals. Protein also helps keep blood-sugar levels steady, which improves mood and protects against type 2 diabetes . Some fish and shellfish are high in vitamins and minerals like selenium, vitamin B12, niacin, iron, and zinc. The selenium in seafood is an antioxidant that can help manage arthritis and maintain healthy skin , while vitamin B12 may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and slow memory decline. Niacin is a B vitamin that may aid in cataract prevention. Iron-rich clams, oysters, and shrimp can help maintain healthy hair. T

6 Surprising Superfoods Peanuts Like all nuts, peanuts are an excellent source of good-for-you unsaturated fats, which help lower bad cholesterol and do plenty to protect your cardiovascular health. In fact, a Harvard University Nurse’s Health Study found that women who ate at least five servings of nuts per week (one serving was defined as 1 ounce of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter) had a 44 percent reduced risk of heart disease compared to women who rarely ate nuts. Peanuts also contain ingredients that help you look beautiful, too: biotin, a B vitamin essential for long, luscious locks and overall scalp health, and vitamin E, which nourishes your skin and protects it from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Snack on a handful of roasted peanuts straight-up, or mix them with whole-grain cereal and dried fruit for a nutrient-packed trail mix.  No need to fork over the big bucks on exotic berries and extracts or shop at a fancy health food store to shower your body with good

Peculiar Produce Picks Kumquats With its sweet skin and tart pulp, kumquats taste like an inside-out orange. The small ovular fruit can be eaten whole to savor the contrast in flavor — or, if bitter isn’t your thing, just eat the fiber-rich peel for a straight burst of sweetness. This exotic fruit also provides a blast of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps to prevent arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration, while promoting radiant, glowing skin and healthy, strong hair. Pop it in your bag for a perfect on-the-go snack; or slice into rounds and toss in a salad for a little zest. You can even add these under-the-radar gems to your favorite smoothie recipe for a bright shot of citrus flavor — yum! Rhubarb Rhubarb is a vegetable with a reddish-pink stalk and large green leaves. But fair warning: rhubarb leaves are toxic and the tartly flavored stalks are tough to eat raw. However, the stalks are commonly cooked with sugar or other sweeteners to make sauces, jams, chu

Jazz Up Your Chicken Recipes Tired of eating chicken almost every night of the week?! You’re certainly not alone, considering it’s estimated that Americans eat 60 pounds of chicken every year. Good news: You can jazz up this boring bird and craft a delish pasta dish, scrumptious stir-fry meal, or even a hearty and satisfying salad — simply by spicing up your poultry with interesting flavor combinations and using different cooking methods. Dive in and give some of these protein-packed recipes a whirl! Low-Carb Chicken Pizza If you’re looking to cut down on refined carbohydrates or working on managing your blood sugar levels, this low-carb spin on traditional pizza is a must-try. Instead of layering toppings on pizza dough, I pile them onto a thinly pounded chicken breast. This not only allows you to save calories, but also provides a powerful punch of lean protein. Pretty cool, huh? You can even put out different toppings and allow each family member to create their own ma

Dairy: How Food Affects Health   Dairy products are a great source of calcium and protein, but if you’re consuming full-fat dairy you may be increasing your risk of some conditions. Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and other calcium-rich foods boost bone health and help in the prevention and management of osteoporosis . While dairy is most well-known for its calcium content, it also contains potassium, which helps increase bone formation and density, improves calcium balance, and reduces bone resorption by neutralizing metabolic acids. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, which helps the body absorb and process calcium. In addition to calcium and potassium, dairy contains other nutrients, such as riboflavin, a B vitamin shown to be helpful in the prevention of cataracts; zinc, a mineral involved in maintaining healthy skin and preventing and treating macular degeneration; and vitamin B12, which helps keep hair healthy and may slow memory loss and ease feelings of de

Cruciferous Vegetables: How Food Affects Health Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts are filling and full of nutrients that help keep you healthy! But if you have IBS, you may want to watch how much of them you eat! Cruciferous vegetables are a group of vegetables that are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Some of the vegetables in this class are also good sources of calcium, beta-carotene, and vitamin B6. Fiber is an important nutrient for weight loss and maintenance because it keeps you feeling full and helps control your hunger. Fiber can also lower cholesterol and blood pressure , and help to temper blood sugars by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream after meals. This lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes Antioxidants in cruciferous vegetables like vitamin C may reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Vitamin C helps the body make collagen, too; collagen is a major component of c

Health Benefits of Berries   They may be little, but boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries are big on antioxidants. The antioxidants in berries can help your body fight oxidative stress caused by free radicals that can lead to illness. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help improve your health, protect your skin and hair, and prevent certain diseases. All fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, but nutrient-rich berries are some of the absolute best sources. There are several powerful antioxidants that appear in berries, including anthocyanins, quercetin, and vitamin C. Anthocyanins give berries their vibrant color, reduce inflammation, and may help prevent and manage arthritis. Anthocyanins work together with quercetin to help slow age-related memory-loss. Quercetin can also decrease the inflammatory effects of chemicals in the synovial fluid of the joints for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arth

8 Summer Superfoods You Should Be Eating Cherries Portable, bite-sized, and fun to eat, cherries pack a potent nutritional punch. Rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin, these deliciously sweet gems help to fight inflammation and ease joint pain. Take advantage of them while you can – peak season is from May to August, so you’ll likely find deals at your local supermarket when cherries are abundant. For those of you lucky enough to live where these yummy jewels grow (looking at you California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, and Wisconsin) hit the farmer’s market for the freshest (and likely least expensive) pick around. When the fresh variety isn’t available, hit the freezer section, pick up a bag and make my Cherry-Vanilla-Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich. Fresh or frozen, this summer favorite is sure to add some sweetness into your day. Swiss Chard Though Swiss chard is known as a dark leafy green, it’s important to note the “rainbow” colors in the stem and veins. The reddish-pu

Tips for Guilt-Free Grilling   Whether you’re cooking out in the backyard with friends or whipping up a quick weeknight meal on a grill pan, you can easily enjoy delicious dishes without weighing yourself down. Just don’t go overboard on fattening fare like marbled steak, hot dogs and ribs.   Switch Up Your Burgers You can enjoy hearty, flavorful grilled foods and keep yourself in swimsuit shape if you tweak your main ingredients. For instance, instead of beef burgers, try lean turkey, chicken or veggie burgers (among my faves are these zesty Spinach Taco Burgers and lean, mean Buffalo Chicken Burgers). Try Meaty Mushrooms Marinated portobello mushrooms take on a nice meaty flavor when they hit the flames, and they taste fabulous when served up on a whole-wheat bun with spicy mustard or fiery salsa. Do it Kebab-Style If you can’t give up your red meat, kebabs are a great way to stretch a small portion of steak and sneak in some vegetables like peppers, onions, mushroo

Beat the Heat with These Cooling Foods   If you’re looking for a way to chill down this summer without cranking the AC down to sub-zero temps or subjecting yourself to ice-cold showers every 15 minutes, I’ve got some tasty solutions. Next time a heat wave hits, cool yourself from the inside out with these frosty eats. Aside from guzzling ice water, munching on the right foods (and seasonings) will give your body a temporary time-out from the stifling temperatures. And while some may seem obvious, I have a few surprises up my sleeve as well.   Spicy Foods Wait, what!?! Most people think that because spicy foods, like hot peppers or chiles, make you sweat, they make you feel warmer and even more uncomfortable. This may be true at the beginning of the eating experience, but some researchers postulate that after you’ve eaten (and perspired a bit!), the evaporating sweat allows body heat to escape, giving you an all-over cooling sensation. It’s no wonder, then, that many tropi

Health Effects of Alcohol   Alcohol may have some heart-healthy benefits, but excess drinking can lead to weight gain and put you at greater risk for additional health problems. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol (one serving for women; two servings for men) per day may offer some heart-healthy benefits. For example, moderate drinking can reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, as well as the risk of death from heart disease. It can also increase your HDL “good” cholesterol. All alcohol seems to have some benefit, but thanks to the nutrient density of grapes (especially their deep-colored skins), red wine offers extra antioxidants, including resveratrol. It’s important to understand that the positive research linking alcohol consumption and improved heart health is based on moderate, appropriate drinking. If you drink heavily (up and beyond the recommended daily dose) you will increase your risk of disease, including high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. If

Health Effects of Meat   Watch out for the saturated fats in animal proteins. Go for lean cuts of meat, and don’t beef up your portions! Meats like beef and pork are high in protein, but they can also contain a lot of saturated fat, so I recommend always choosing the leanest cuts of these meats. Protein can help you maintain a healthy weight, increase your lean muscle mass, and keep you feeling satisfied longer. In addition to being good sources of protein, meats like beef, pork, and ham contain other important nutrients, including iron, zinc, and the B vitamins — B6, B12, and niacin. Eating lean cuts of these protein-rich meats in place of their high-fat counterparts can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and help keep your blood sugars balanced, which may lower your risk of diabetes. Vitamins B6 and B12 may help improve memory. Vitamin B6 is also involved in creating dopamine, a mood neurotransmitter that may reduce PMS symptoms. Both niacin and zinc help pr

Health Benefits of Beans The old children’s rhyme was right: beans ARE good for your heart. So are lentils and other nutritious legumes, which are great sources of vegetarian protein and high-quality carbohydrates. (The other part of that rhyme was right, too!) Beans, lentils and other nutritious legumes are the best sources of lean vegetarian protein. Legumes are made up of high-quality carbohydrates that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They tend to be notably high in soluble fiber, folate, magnesium, iron, and potassium. These heart-healthy nutrients help lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, and they can reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Soluble fiber, in particular, keeps you feeling fuller for longer, so it’s a good tool for weight loss. Many studies suggest that folate can improve mood and memory. Magnesium prevents migraine headaches and works with potassium to help lower high blood pressure. Some legum

Tips for Smart Summer Travel Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! With warm temperatures and fun summer activities that bring on the sweat, staying hydrated is more important than ever. But, how much do you actually need? Divide your weight in half and that’s about how many ounces of fluids you need in a given day. If you’re an avid exerciser, spending long periods of time outside (I’m talking to you beach bums!), frequently taking airplane rides, or living in a particularly dry climate, you may need even more. I suggest picking up a reusable water bottle and filling it with cold water first thing in the morning. Strive to drink and refill the bottle at least a few times a day. Be cocktail conscious. Vacation often means being liberal on the alcohol. But before one fruity drink becomes several sugarific calorie-bombs (and the not-so-healthy snacks that come along with it), decide to sip smart instead. Stick to low-calorie options whenever possible (unless you decide to make it you

Energizing, No-Fuss Breakfasts Want the formula for an ideal AM meal? Aim for an “8/4” winning combination—that means you should incorporate at least 8 grams protein and 4 grams fiber into your breakfast menu . And if you’re trying to lose weight, keep your morning meal under 300 calories. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, need something quick or like to take your time, I’ve got you covered. Each of these delicious suggestions hits the nutrition mark while delighting your tastebuds. Dive in and try something new. Bagel, Lox and Cream Cheese Making a trip to the corner deli? Order a whole grain bagel “scooped out” with a spread of light cream cheese, sliced tomato, sliced red onion, and smoked salmon or lox. Super simple and incredibly tasty – without breaking the calorie bank! 245 calories, 18 grams protein, 5 grams fiber Weekend Western Omelet When the weekend hits, treat yourself to this tasty and leisurely AM meal. Feel free to make it at home or order in a diner: a

Five Age-Defying Foods for the 50+ Crowd   Contrary to popular belief, your 50s and later years bring plenty of perks: self-assurance, perspective, inherent authority, an AARP membership… The list goes on. There may be a few—let’s say—less glamorous physical side effects of aging, but scientists confirm that certain nutrients have the power to keep you feeling young inside and out. Read on for five simple (and delicious!) age-fighting foods you’ll want to add to your grocery list.  Berries are your best anti-aging friends.  They’re rich in antioxidants and a whole host of nutrients that give them scientifically suggested superpowers: maintaining memory sharpness, protecting joints from wear and tear, relieving muscle soreness, preserving eyesight, fighting wrinkles, and even reducing your risk for serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease.  Blackberries are loaded with anthocyanins, an antioxidant that’s known to enhance memory function and prevent problems with wor