Get Cultured

How to Choose the Best Yogurt
You want to eat healthier, so the next time you swing by the dairy case, you reach for the yogurt. Healthy, right? Perhaps...

There are so many yogurt products out there, and many of them are absent of all the redemptive qualities that make us seek it out in the first place. Here's a list of guidelines to help you choose a tasty yogurt that gives you all the health benefits you're craving.

When choosing yogurt, look for Low-Fat or Fat-Free Yogurt that contains (per 6-ounce serving):
1. Has the official "LIVE AND ACTIVE CULTURES" Seal. 2. No more than 180 calories. 3. No more than 1.5 grams of saturated fat. Saturated fat's daily limit of 20 grams is easy to reach, so avoid it here.
4. No more than 30 grams of sugar. Naturally occuring lactose accounts for about 12 grams; more means excess sweeteners.
5. At least 20% of your daily calcium. This nutrient can be watered down by added sugars and filler ingredients.
6. 300 mg of potassium. Okay, so this tip is a little picky, but if you can find it, go for it!

Remember:
"Plain" doesn't have to be... Layer low-fat Greek yogurt with blueberries, a thin drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of granola. Mmmmm.

If it says "creme" or "custard" on it, nutritionally, it's probably one step away from ice cream.

Understanding Weightloss Plateaus

Slowly but surely you've lost ten pounds. But now, the scale is stuck and won't budge. What gives? Don't blame it on a slow metabolism. Hers Muscle and Fitness explains why plateaus happen in the June 2007 issue:

There are two reasons why: First, you're smaller, so your metabolism is matching the "new" you; second, your body thinks it's starving, and as a result, thyroid hormone levels drop and your resting metabolic rate may drop 10%-25%, so you aren't burning as many calories in a day as you were before you lost the weight. And here's what most of us forget: when we lose weight, we become lighter, meaning the amount of calories we burn in everyday activities drops as well. Eventually, your metabolism adjusts to your new, smaller body.

"At some point you come back to energy balance--where your output and input are the same--so you stop losing weight," Robert Keith PhD, RD, FACSM, explains. "That's the sticking point or plateau a lot of people talk about."

If losing more weight is your goal, you'll have to either exercise more or restrict your calories more, but be wary--if you're already at a healthy weight, be honest with yourself in analyzing whether you truly need to push to lose even more.

Tip: Metabolism Booster

GO LONG! LONGER!
Research shows that the longer your cardio sessions go, the longer your RMR (resting metabolic rate) will stay boosted after the workout.

from Hers Muscle and Fitness, June 2007

Drink Up!

Hydration is important. Water keeps digestion, nutrient absorption, temperature regulation, and waste elimination running smoothly. A 2003 study found that drinking a half-liter of cold water increased metabolic rate by 30% for more than an hour after drinking.
To calculate your water intake, take your body weight in pounds and divide that number by 2. That gives you the minimum number of ounces you should drink daily.

You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to

Q. What are the nutritional differences between a sweet potato, yam, and white potato? Which is healthier and how often should I include them in my diet?

A. Yams and sweet potatoes look alike, and they have just about the same amount of calories, carbohydrate and fiber. Even though yams have twice the potassium, sweet potatoes rule because they supply the most beta-carotene of all vegetables, while yams have virtually none. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that fights cell damage and helps reduce the inflammation common after hard workouts. Because they're digested and absorbed much slower than white potatoes, sweet potatoes help ward off diabetes by controlling blood glucose levels. In fact, white potatoes raise blood sugar levels almost as quickly as sugar and spike insulin in a similar manner, making them a great postworkout snack when they're paired with a protein shake. The folate levels in white potatoes come in handy after you train, as folate helps with cell regeneration. However, sweet potatoes are the best with most other meals since you don't want insulin spikes at other times of day. They're also a good source of vitamin E, another potent antioxidant. With the exception of potassium, white potatoes are on a nutritional par with yams.

Recipe of the Week: Lemon Herb Chicken

Lemon Herb Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons, plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
2 large chicken breasts
juice and zest from one lemon
1/3 cup each fresh parsley, mint, and basil
1/3 cup white wine

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespooons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet on high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and sear for 2 mintues per side.
• While the chicken cooks, put the remaining oil, along with lemon juice, zest, and herbs into a blender or food processor and pulse until well mixed.
• Place the skillet witht he chicken in a 400 degree oven to roast for 8 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and place the chicken on a plate.
• Pour the wine into the skillet, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the herb sauce to the skillet and cook on the stove for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Serves 4
Per serving:
199 kcal
28 g protein
24 g fat

Beer Belly

How Beer Makes You Fat

Leave it to Men's Health Magazine to it down....

1. You take a swig of beer.


2. Within seconds, the beverage passes through your esophagus and into your stomach.


3. Twenty percent of the alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream; the rest is absorbed into your intestines.


4. The alcohol travels through our blood to your liver, where it is broken down. During this process, waste products called acetate and acetaldehyde are created.


5. Acetate and acetaldehyde signal your body to stop burning fat. At the same time, your body starts making fat from another waste product of alcohol, acetyl CoA.


6. Your body can effectibely process only 0.5 to 1 ounce of alcohol per hour.


So the more you drink, the longer your body is inhibited from burning fat, and the more fat builds up from the excess acetyl CoA.

A 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol.
The following contain 0.6 ounces of alcohol:

• 5.5 ounces wine (11% alcohol)


• 14.3 ounces of light beer (4.2% alcohol)


• 1.5 ounces of hard liquor such as whiskey (40% alcohol/ 80 proof)


• 1.2 ounces of hard liquor (50% alcohol/100 proof)

The above calculations are based on the percentage of alcohol present in each beverage, so the alcohol percentage or proof is given. For example, wine can sometimes be more than 11% alcohol. If you would like to learn more about calculating the amount of alcohol in your drinks, please visit www.elegantpie.com/cheers.html for formulas to help you calculate the ounces of alcohol in your drinks as well as blood alcohol content.

What's the point? If you're trying to lose fat, cut out alcohol for a while. You'll see and feel your results faster.