Live Healthy NYC: Happy Valentines Day

Live Healthy NYC: Happy Valentines Day: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! If you choose wisely, chocolate can be one of those treats that can be both pleasurab...

Happy Valentines Day

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

If you choose wisely, chocolate can be one of those treats that can be both pleasurable and healthy!

Since we have cocoa and its flavonoids to thank for the health benefits of chocolate, it makes sense that dark chocolate with its higher cocoa content will have more health benefits. In contrast, milk chocolate has less cocoa and therefore far fewer flavonoid-related health benefits. The addition of milk or cream to milk chocolate increases the amount of unhealthy saturated fat in the treat. Added sugar and other ingredients such as caramel, jellies or creams, which often come in those assorted chocolate boxes, further counteract any healthy qualities of the chocolate. And what about white chocolate? Without the cocoa, white chocolate has none of the beneficial flavonoids of its dark counterpart.

Cocoa powder, a byproduct of cocoa beans, has surprising health benefits. Not be confused with chocolate-powdered drink mix, cocoa powder contains no added sugar or fat. The nutritional contents of cocoa powder are getting recognition from doctors, scientists and dietitians for the cardiovascular and weight maintenance advantages they have to offer. Mostly used for baking, cocoa powder is what's left after removing cocoa butter from processing cocoa beans. One tablespoon, or 5 g of cocoa powder, contains only 20 calories. Of those 20 calories, there are 5 calories, or 0.5 g of fat. The remaining calories consist of 3 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of which are fiber. This amount makes cocoa powder a significant source of fiber.

Therefore, this Valentine’s Day, do your (or your Valentine’s) heart a favor and look for a good quality, dark chocolate (over 60% cocoa) and savor it slowly, 1-2 oz at a time.
And for a balanced, chocolatey start to the morning, check out this Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Smoothie:

3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 medium banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 scoop (24 g) whey protein powder (optional)

Live Healthy NYC: SIZE MATTERS!

Live Healthy NYC: SIZE MATTERS!: SIZE DOES MATTER! Whoever told you that it didn’t, was lying! I am talking about your portion size ! I know...

SIZE MATTERS!

SIZE DOES MATTER!

Whoever told you that it didn’t, was lying!

I am talking about your portion size! I know that talking about how to “right-size” your meals is not as “sexy” as this guy in the picture. How sexy do you feel with that extra 5-10lbs that you have added to your hips by eating too much?

“Portion distortion” is one of the prime causes of America’s obesity epidemic. Yet most of us don’t realize that we overeat or that when it comes to reining in calories, serving size is crucial.

Here are some tips: 

 

Use a salad plate or small bowl for your meals. Less real estate means automatic portion control. But, if you insist on a big plate or bowl, overload with veggies or salad or steaming broth-based soup. The water-rich, low-fat foods are so low in calories that a big portion isn’t a problem. But, gotta tell you, a smaller plate or bowl is truly the way to go!

Remember the “clean plate club”? Well, quit that club! Surveys reveal that one in four Americans eat everything they’ve been served no matter how big the portions are. Eat a healthy portion then stop. Better to waste a little food (and save it for tomorrow). However, if you are out at a restaurant and afraid that you won’t have enough restraint, try sharing! Or you can ask the server to wrap up half before they serve it to you. You can also order an appetizer for your main course.

Never eat out of the bag or the box or carton. Grabbing a handful can be tempting and can fool you into thinking that you didn’t eat it. Put the portion on the plate right away and put the package away and sit down and enjoy.

Read the labels. Many packaged foods and drinks look like one serving. But they are actually meant to serve two or more. Read the number of servings and be sure to eat just one serving.

Round out your meal with raw fruits and vegetables. As you transition to a more “modest portion," you may find yourself craving more food with your meal. Well I have the answer: a piece of fruit or veggies will do the trick. There is no easier way to add to your plate than with a side of fruit (think sliced apples, watermelon, an orange) or a side of veggies (think slice tomatoes, steam spinach or crunchy carrots).

Ok, now that we have some guidelines about what to put on your plate and how much, let me show you some real examples of what you might be eating and how much you REALLY should be eating. 

A bagel: I would bet that you would never start your day, or much less at any point in the day, by eating 6 or 7 slices of white bread. Well, that’s the calorie equivalent of a bagel. And, that’s before anything is put on it! Eating a whole bagel means you’ve already put away almost all of your six recommended daily servings of grains! I don’t know about you, but I think that’s INSANE!!! However, many brands offer bagel thins. That’s a better choice!

Alcohol: Mixed drinks frequently contain 42% more alcohol than a standard one-shot drink. It’s not the alcohol that will do you in, it’s the sugary, high-calorie mixer that will lead to weight gain. So switch to light beer, wine, or liquor on the rocks (with a splash of club soda).

Chicken breasts: We tend to think of chicken breasts as the ultimate “diet” food. However, have you noticed that many are now bigger than they use to be? Look for labels that say “thin-cut” or “thin-sliced”. A portion should be 4oz (uncooked) and 3oz (cooked). Imagine the inside of the palm of your hand. You could also say that it is about the size of a deck of cards. That’s a healthy plan (and you can think the same size portion for meat and fish).

White rice: How many of you eat the rice from the Chinese or Japanese restaurant? Do you think that because it’s “steamed” that it’s healthy? Well, think again! Your side of steamed rice will contain as many as 400-500 empty calories. Switch to brown rice! It contains fiber which is great for you! Use a measuring cup (or eyeball half the size of a tennis ball).

Chips: Do you snack on chips? Studies have shown that potato chips (one of the most popular snacks) may contribute to long-term weight gain more than any other food or drink. So if you must have chips, opt for “popped” as opposed to fried to get more food for fewer calories. Honestly though, I’d prefer to snack on fruit or raw veggies that won’t add pounds, for that same crisp snack.

Smoothies: Even the smallest size of a smoothie is often double the amount of a healthy serving. Pass up the juice bar and make your own smoothie at home. You will use fresh ingredients and you will be able to contain the portion.

THINK SIZE, THINK PORTION CONTROL, THINK HEALTHY!