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Next 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade starts March 18th

The next 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade program kicks off on March 18th.

This fun and flexible group challenge is a great way to kick-start healthy routines and to stay motivated long enough for new behaviors to become established habits.

Over 2,000 people have now done this program with me and the results have been incredible!

  • Virtually all of the participants report that the program made a positive difference in their eating habits
  • Half of them reported losing weight (even though weight loss is not a goal of this program)
  • More than half also reported having more energy/better mood
  • Participants reported everything from enjoying their food more to improved digestion to feeling less hungry to finally bringing out of control snacking under control

But perhaps the best part is the the warm, supportive (and funny!)  community…men and women from all around the world, from college age to post-retirement, sharing their questions, challenges, and triumphs. Seven years after the very first Upgrade, they’re still checking in with other, exchanging tips, recipes, and encouragement.  We’ve had meet-ups in half a dozen cities around the country.

It’s Your Turn!

The next 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade group challenge launches Saturday, March 18th at 12pm ET.  (Yes, the session will be recorded if you can’t join us then.)

Cost: $69
Includes:

  • Live one-hour online kick-off, plus Q&A for as long as there are questions.
  • Access to a video recording of the session afterwards.
  • Free tracking app
  • Downloadable handouts and other program materials.
  • Private Facebook group for ongoing (and I mean ongoing!) connection and support.

You’ll find lots more details here or, if you’re ready to take the plunge, you can:

JOIN US!

Tip: Add my email address to your contacts or safe sender list to be sure the registration info doesn’t land in your Spam/Junk folder.

Not sure if this is for you?

My post on “Is the 30-Day Challenge Right For Me?” has answers to frequently asked questions. And feel free to contact me. I’d be happy to answer any other questions you have and help you decide whether this is a good fit for you.

Potassium content of common foods

Potassium plays an important role in regulating high blood pressure – a potentially lethal condition that affects a quarter of American adults and two-thirds of those over the age of 60. Potassium does a few other useful things as well, such as preventing bone loss, reducing the risk of kidney stones, and keeping your heart beating.   Studies have also found that a high potassium intake can largely offset the effects of high sodium intake.   Here’s more from the Nutrition Diva podcast.  Below is a table showing some good dietary sources of potassium.

Potassium cheatsheet

FoodServing sizePotassium (mg)
Potato, baked, with skin1 medium926
Apricots, dried½ cup755
Beet greens, cooked, boiled½ cup654
Plums, dried (prunes)½ cup637
Raisins½ cup598
Yogurt, plain, low-fat8 ounces531
Lima beans, cooked½ cup478
Acorn squash, cooked½ cup (cubes)448
Banana1 medium422
Spinach, cooked½ cup419
Tomato juice6 fluid ounces395
Orange juice6 fluid ounces372
Artichoke, cooked1 medium343
100% Prune juice6 fluid ounces322
Molasses1 tablespoon293
Tomato1 medium292
Pistachios1 ounce285
Milk8 ounces281
Orange1 medium238
Almonds1 ounce208
Sunflower seeds1 ounce137
Egg, whole, cooked1 large81

How to Avoid Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking

Q. I have a friend who just quit smoking. He’s started to gain the typical weight and went into his local GNC yesterday to get some supplement that’s supposed to speed up his metabolism. He already has a fairly good diet. I told him he might be better off just letting his metabolism balance itself out, rather than substituting one stimulant for another. Any ideas on how he can naturally adjust better?

A.  People who quit smoking do often gain a few pounds but changes in metabolism are the least likely culprit.   Nicotine does slightly increase one’s metabolic rate.  More significantly, however,  it acts as an appetite suppressant. Ex-smokers often eat more when they stop smoking because they have more appetite.  The mental and physical stress of nicotine withdrawal may also drive cravings for certain “comfort” foods.   Add to that the fact that ex-smokers need something to do with their hands (and mouths) to fill the time that they used to spend smoking and it’s easy to see why quitters often gain a few pounds.

But because a slower metabolism isn’t really the main issue here, a “metabolism booster” from the health food store probably isn’t going to be a very effective solution.   Here are some tips to help manage this transition. Continue reading “How to Avoid Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking” >

Pumpkin Avocado Pie Recipe

Avocado and almond milk replace evaporated milk in this healthy take on a holiday classic. But this nutritional upgrade can be your little secret…no one will be the wiser.

Pumpkins are super high in beta-carotene and recent research shows that adding avocado to carotene-rich veggies not only boosts absorption of the nutrient but also aids in their conversion to vitamin A.

As an experiment, I replaced the evaporated milk in the standard pumpkin pie recipe with a blend of almond milk and ripe avocado and served it to guests without tipping them off. Not only were they none the wiser, but the superior flavor and light, mousse-like texture of the filling prompted several requests for the recipe.

Here’s my recipe for Pumpkin Avocado Pie. The fact that it contains nutrient-boosting avocado (or that it has 25% fewer calories and 40% less sugar than the standard recipe) can be your little secret.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 inch piece of ginger root (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
  • 1 9-inch pie shell (unbaked)

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 4250F.
  2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place almond milk, avocado, vanilla, and ginger into blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
  4. Add eggs to blender and blend on low speed until combined.
  5. Add avocado mixture and canned pumpkin to sugar mixture and stir until combined.
  6. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
  7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 40 minutes. Pie will be slightly jiggly but set.
  8. Cool on a rack and serve with whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 220, Total fat 10g, Saturated fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 45mg, Sodium 310mg, Total carbohydrate 28g, Fiber 3g, Sugar 14g, Protein 4g.

 

Carrot Avocado Soup Recipe

This soup tastes rich and creamy but only has 100 calories per bowl. Avocados boost the absorption of the beta-carotene in the carrots and also help your body convert it into vitamin A.

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pound carrots, roughly chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ripe avocado (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large saucepan until shimmering and add onions. Cook over low heat until golden (5-10 minutes).
  2. Add spices and cook until fragrant (1 minute)
  3. Add carrots, stock, and soup and simmer gently until carrots are tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  4. Transfer soup to blender along with avocado, cover and blend until smooth. (Use caution when blending hot foods!)
  5. Taste and add salt, if needed. If your carrots weren’t very sweet, you may also want to add a teaspoon of honey or other sweetener.
  6. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with plenty of fresh cilantro and a thin slice or two of avocado, if desired.

Serves 6

Eat Better, Age Better: A Nutrition Diva Playlist

Healthy eating habits are important throughout life. But as we get into mid-life (and beyond), they offer a unique opportunity to set ourselves up for awesome aging.

Here are a handful of episodes from the Nutrition Diva archives focusing on nutrition for the second half of life: Eat Better, Age Better playlist


Of course, nutrition is only one aspect of a healthy lifestyle. For more on all the other things that go into living your best and healthiest life, check out this special series from the Change Academy podcast.

 

Nutritional comparison of plant-based chicken

image of chickens in a grass yard
Photo by Thomas Iversen on Unsplash

In an recent episode of the Nutrition Diva podcast, I talked about the pros and cons of plant-based chicken.

As  a supplement to that episode, I’ve put together a comparison of key nutrients and ingredients in several leading brands of plant-based chicken (as well as actual chicken).

The first table compares breaded nuggets, which is the most common format.  The second compares the one brand of unbreaded plant-based chicken I could locate with boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked).

Note: The values in these tables may not match the numbers that you’ll see on the Nutrition Facts labels of these products. That’s because the manufacturers’ serving sizes ranged from 2.5 ounces (70g) to 3.5 ounces (95g). In order to make the comparisons fair, the tables below show the nutrient values for 3 ounces (85g) of each product.

Plant-based chicken nuggets (breaded)

3 oz servingChickenDaringMeatless FarmBeyond MeatImpossible
Calories214180240225216
Fat (g)117131311
Sat fat (g)312.521.5
Carb (g)1519221617
Fiber (g)04222
Sugars (g)0221<1
Protein (g)1410121412
Iron (mg)13212
Potassium (mg)191196370265510
Sodium (mg)379610400475430
Gluten freeNoNoNoNoNo
Soy freeYesNoYesYesNo
IngredientsChicken, water, wheat flour, contains 2% or less of the following: brown sugar, corn starch, dried garlic, dried onion, dried yeast, extractives of paprika, natural flavor, oat fiber, salt, spices, wheat starch, white whole wheat flour, yellow corn flour. Breading set in vegetable oil.Water, Soy Protein-Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Spices (Paprika, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamon), wheat flour, canola oil, water, yellow corn flour, potato starch, rice flour, salt, leavening (cream of tartar, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate), sugar, dextrose, garlic, onion, yeast.Vegetable proteins (Water, Wheat Protein, Wheat Flour), Cornflakes (Corn, Sugar, Salt, Barley Malt Extract), Water, Sunflower Oil, Wheat Gluten, Wheat Flour, Pea Starch, Pea Protein, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Yeast Extract, Bamboo Fiber, Methylcellulose, Potassium LactateWater, Faba Bean Protein, Breading (Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Salt, Corn Starch, Pea Proteinᵗ, Canola Oil, Wheat Gluten, Paprika, Spices, Dextrose, Leavening[Sodium Acid Phrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate], Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Dried Onion, Dried Garlic, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavors), Breadcrumbs (Wheat Flour, Sugar, Sea Salt, Dried Yeast), Vital Wheat Gluten, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Flavors, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Pea starch, Methylcellulose, and 1% or less of Yeast Extract, Refined Coconut Oil, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Sodium Phosphates, Spices, Titanium dioxide (for color), Sunflower Lecithin.Water, Wheat Flour, Soy Protein Concentrate, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Oil, , 2% or less Of: Potato Starch, Methylcellulose, Salt, Natural Flavors, Cultured Dextrose, Wheat Gluten, Yeast Extract, Yellow Corn Flour, Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spices, Leavening (Cream of Tartar, Sodium Bicarbonate), Dried Yeast, Paprika Extract (for color), Mixed Tocopherols (Antioxidant) Vitamins and Minerals: (Zinc Gluconate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12).

Plant-based chicken vs chicken (plain)

3 oz servingChickenDaring
Calories128108
Fat (g)32
Sat fat (g)10
Carb (g)06
Fiber (g)06
Sugars (g)00
Protein (g)2617
Iron (mg)0.54
Potassium (mg)332416
Sodium (mg)44480
Gluten freeYesYes
Soy freeYesNo
IngredientsChickenWater, Soy Protein-Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Spices (Paprika, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamon)