Luke Jones – Fresh n' Lean

How to Choose the Right Meal Prep Containers

Luke Jones — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 20:44:13 +0000

SUMMARY

There’s an almost endless selection of meal prep containers to consider. To decide which container is best for you, you’ll need to consider factors such as where the container will be stored and what type of food it will hold.

Fresh N’ Lean is the nation’s largest organic meal delivery service. Our tasty, chef-prepared cuisine is always fresh and never frozen, and we offer five convenient meal plans: Protein+, Keto, Paleo, Standard Vegan and Low-Carb Vegan. Choose Fresh N’ Lean for affordable nutrition, delivered to your doorstep.

When you embark on your meal prep journey, choosing the right containers to do the job can be a bit of a minefield.

Sifting through all the different shapes, sizes, and materials on your own is enough to make your head spin. As if you weren’t already busy enough.

Today we’re going to take you through a fool-proof guide to buying the best meal prep containers for your goals. We’ll go over what to look for, what to avoid, and much more.

Best Meal Prep Containers

We researched and tested some of the best meal prep containers to find the options that are both affordable and durable.

Single Meal Containers

Bowls:

Great for salads, stews, casseroles, and soups.

Rectangle:

Super versatile containers that work well for just about any meal.

Jars:

Excellent for breakfast dishes like overnight oats and smoothies.

Bulk Meal Containers

Great for dividing your ingredients into separate compartments.

Portable Cups

Essential for transporting liquids like smoothies or juices.

Sauce Containers

Great for homemade snacks, sauces and condiments.

Lunch Boxes + Bags

Essential for the traveling meal prepper.

Veggie Storage + Produce Containers

Great options for storing meal prep ingredients in bulk.

Dry Goods + Grain Storage

Storage options for dry ingredients like rice, beans, and oats.

How to Choose the Perfect Meal Prep Containers

Before you jump in and purchase a bunch of different food prep containers that may or may not be suitable, there are a few simple questions that can help you figure out exactly what you need.

What do you need your containers for?

This will help you determine the size and material you should choose for your containers.

What type of meals you’re looking to prep?
How much do you typically eat?
What method of meal prep are you likely to use?

For example, containers for your breakfast meals might need to be smaller than your typical lunch and dinner time containers. You might even need a few miniature pots if you’re looking to prep snacks, condiments, or desserts.

And if you’re going to be bulk cooking ingredients as opposed to individual meals, you might want to opt for bigger storage containers as opposed to single portion ones.

Do your meals need to be reheated or frozen?

It’s important to keep in mind that various meal prep container materials respond differently to heating and cooling.

The Pros and Cons of Meal Prep Containers

Here’s a comparison of different types of food storage containers to help you decide which type is best for you.

Glass Containers

Store well in the fridge.
Perfect for reheating in the microwave or oven.

Non-porous and super easy to clean.
Freezer-safe options are available, but standard glass typically doesn’t respond well to freezing (and may shatter).

Plastic Containers

Great for refrigerating and freezing.
Can usually be reheated in the microwave if it is microwave-safe.
May stain or hold onto odors.
Typically not good for oven reheating as it may melt.

Metal Containers

Store well in the fridge
Can be reheated in the oven.
Microwaving is a big no-no as it results in uneven heating (and may also be a fire hazard).
Like glass, the smooth surface makes metal containers super easy to clean.
Can be stored in the freezer, as long as you leave room for food to expand.

The takeaway:

For cold meals: Glass, metal, and plastic containers are all great options if you’re storing your meals in the fridge and then eating them cold.

For warm meals: If you want to heat your meals up, glass container is the most versatile option (unless you’re storing in the freezer, in which case you’re better off with metal or plastic containers).

Pro Tip: If you opt for plastic containers, BPA free is the way to go.

The chemical has been shown in research to leach into the contents of containers (your food). While small bouts of exposure are probably okay, more prolonged ingestion can potentially have negative impacts on the brain, prostate and blood pressure.

Container Size Matters…

If you’re seeking a one-size-fits-all approach, containers that are 6-9 inches long by 6-9 inches wide, and 2-3 inches deep typically work well for most people.

Meal prep containers can be found in all shapes and sizes. What’s important is that you find a container size that fits in with your current dietary goals.

That means shooting for something that’s not so small that you’re likely to undereat, but not so big that you’re going to fill up on more food than you need. We’re looking to hit that sweet spot somewhere in the middle.

Travel-Friendly Meal Containers?

Many people get into meal prep because it’s a convenient way to have healthy food on the move. If that’s you, it’s important to make sure your containers are as secure as possible.

When you’ve been looking forward to reheating that homemade curry at lunchtime, the last thing you want to discover is it coating the inside of your bag…

Plastic and metal containers are typically more travel-friendly than glass, as they’re less likely to break.

Most will come equipped with a tight, leak-proof lid, but it might be worth doubling up your container inside a ziplock bag and surrounding it with some padding if it’s likely to get bashed around en-route.

There you have it.

From shape to materials and everything in between, everything you need to know about meal prep containers.

Have a favorite vessel? Anything we missed on our shopping list? Get in touch and let us know.

Happy meal prepping!

The post How to Choose the Right Meal Prep Containers appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

What Makes Junk Food “Junk”? The Ultimate Guide

Luke Jones — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 18:10:38 +0000

SUMMARY

Junk food typically lacks fiber and micronutrients, and it’s high in calories. To break the junk food cycle, avoid foods with certain additives and preservatives, and opt for whole foods whenever possible.

When we take a look at stats regarding junk food, things don’t look too promising.

Here’s some of the scariest I recently stumbled upon:

Fast food restaurants in America serve 50 million customers per day. That’s more than 15% of the population!
On any given day, 34% of children between ages 2 & 19 consume junk food.
The average American spends an estimated $1,200 on fast food each year.
In 2015–2016, 39.8% adults and 18.5% youth were obese.

It seems that our search for faster-paced living and even faster food is beginning to catch up with us. When we started to prioritize flavor & speed of delivery over food quality & freshness, there was always going to be a trade-off (turns out it was our waistlines and heart health).

The good news is that all is not lost!

In this guide, we’re going to take a deep dive into all things processed and greasy. We’ll look at what junk food is, why it’s so appealing to us, and what we can do to break the vicious cycle and take back control.

Let’s take a look…

INFOGRAPHIC

How Much Junk is in Your Junk Food

Are we in the midst of a junk-food-fuelled health crisis? Is it too late to turn things around? Junk food is a silent killer, waging war on your waistline & placing the health of the nation in jeopardy. Here’s how you can join the food revolution & take back control!

What is Junk Food?

The official definition defines junk foods as:

“Pre-prepared or packaged food that has low nutritional value.”

If we dig a little deeper…

Junk Food is Usually High in:

1. Empty Calories

Empty calories are essentially those with very little nutritional value. They provide energy to the body, but not much in the way of vitamins or minerals.

Regular over-consumption can cause an almost paradoxical dilemma – a combination of unintentional weight gain and nutrient deficiencies. Essentially, we become overfed but undernourished.

2. Unhealthy Fats

Junk food often contains inflammatory omega-6 rich vegetable oils and/or trans or hydrogenated fats. These have been shown to raise “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and potentially increase Cardiovascular disease risk. Heart disease is currently the number one cause of death in the US, killing 1 in 3 people.

3. Added Sugar + Refined Carbohydrates

Processed sugars spike blood glucose levels and lead to a big release of insulin into the bloodstream. If this happens on a regular basis, insulin resistance may occur, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

A staggering 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. In 2015, 30.3 million Americans, or 9.4% of the population, had the disease.

4. Sodium

Excess sodium in the diet increases water retention, and too much can increase blood pressure (hypertension). This contributes to an increased risk for heart disease.

About 1 in 3 U.S. adults (about 75 million people) have high blood pressure, and only about half (54%) of these people have their high blood pressure under control.

5. Additives + Artificial Ingredients

Junk food often contains artificial preservatives, colors, sweeteners, and flavorings to improve shelf life and alter taste. Various additives have been linked with everything from digestive issues to certain cancers.

Junk Food Usually Lacks:

1. Micronutrients

Junk food is notoriously lacking in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – needed to support just about every bodily function. As noted above, for the first time in history, we’re seeing a paradoxical nutritional deficiency in people who are also overweight or obese.

2. Dietary Fiber

Fiber is needed to support a healthy digestive system and slow down the absorption of sugars. Fast food is often void of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

It’s no wonder then that a 2013 survey showed that 74 percent of Americans are living with digestive symptoms like diarrhea, gas, bloating or abdominal pain.

3. Balanced Macros

In an ideal healthy meal, we’re shooting for a nice balance of complex, slow release carbs, healthy, omega-3 rich fat sources, and lean protein. In junk food, we rarely see this mix. Instead, it’s usually full of simple sugars, inflammation-promoting fats, and some protein. Satisfying on the taste buds, but doing nothing for our wellbeing.

The Junk Food Trap

If we know that junk food is not doing us any favors when it comes to living a healthy, active lifestyle, why does it still seem so alluring to so many of us? Here’s the lowdown:

1. Junk food plays to our senses

Our natural instinct as nomadic hunter-gatherers is to seek out high-calorie foods. Junk food manufacturers sneakily played on our built-in survival mechanism. They filled their foods with sugar, salt and fat, the perfect concoction to get our bodies wanting more!

2. It’s easy to access

Junk food requires minimal effort when it comes to meal prep. It’s usually inexpensive and more readily available than whole, natural foods. It also comes wrapped in bright packaging that’s appealing to the eye.

Add all these things together, and there’s no wonder you picked the Pop Tart over the salad – the decision is made subconsciously, before you’re even aware of it.

3. It leads to poor health

Poor nutrition is a strong behavioral risk factor for developing chronic diseases. As we touched on earlier, we get those big sugar spikes and energy dips. Raised insulin levels impact other hormones, can lead to fat storage, reduced energy levels, and poor sleep quality too.

All these factors add up and can potentially reduce activity levels, leading to more physical and mental health challenges. It’s a vicious cycle!

4. Enter the pleasure trap

Eating junk food on a regular basis can lead to cravings. This may be partly related to dopamine, a “pleasure” hormone in our brain that’s released in large amounts when eating junk foods (mainly due to sugar and processed ingredients).

Because your brain feels “rewarded” after eating junk food, you then crave more. The more junk food you eat, the more your tolerance builds towards dopamine, and the more you crave it. It’s scarily similar to the process of drug abuse and addiction…

Breaking the Junk Food Cycle

So how can we break out of the junk food cycle and regain control over our eating habits? Here are four simple steps you can start with today:

1. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods

Whether you cook at home or opt for a healthy food delivery, you’ll no doubt benefit from basing your diet around whole, natural produce with a short shelf life – packed with micronutrients, fiber and balanced macros.

2. Stay active

A combination of cardiovascular exercise and some form of resistance training supports overall wellbeing and can potentially make you crave healthier foods to refuel with.

3. Control stress levels

Sleeping well, meditating and confiding in others can help keep stress hormones low, potentially reducing food cravings.

4. Get your dopamine hit elsewhere

Learning new things, enjoying novel experiences, exercise and spending time with loved ones are all great, natural ways to substitute the dopamine hit you may crave from fast food.

3 Classic Examples of Junk Food

1. Processed Meat Stick (Original Flavor Giant Meat Stick, 28g)

Nutrition: 140 kcal, 11 g total fat, 4g of saturated fat (20% of the DV-high), 480mg sodium (20% of the DV-high), 4g carbs, 6g protein.
Contains: nitrites/nitrates, mechanically separated chicken (a puree that may include bone, skin, nerves & blood vessels), hydrolyzed soy protein – contains MSG (some people have a sensitivity to it) and may have chemical byproducts from manufacturing.

2. Donuts (Glazed Blueberry Donut, 1 donut)

Nutrition: 340 kcal, 16g total fat, 7g saturated fat (35% of DV-high), 370mg sodium (16% of DV-moderate, but high for a dessert), 44g carbs, 22g sugar (assuming most are added, 44% DV-high), 4g protein
Contains: Refined sugars and wheat flour, along with palm oil and artificial flavorings. The donuts are shipped to the stores, frozen and reheated – they are not fresh.

3. Canned Potato Chips (1.3 oz can-small, 37g)

Nutrition: 200kcal, 12g total fat (15% DV), 3.5 g saturated fat (18% DV-high for a snack), 200 mg (9% DV), 21g carbs, 0g added sugar, 2g protein.
Contains: Although there is no added sugar, the carbs sources are high GI (quickly spikes blood sugar) – such as dried potatoes, cornstarch, rice flour, maltodextrin, and wheat starch. If you get the big can and eat the whole thing, multiply each number by 4!

Hidden Junk Food Nasties

It’s not just the sugars, fats, carbs and calories to be mindful of in junk food. Often there are also a number of hidden nasties that are easy to miss. Here are some to watch out for:

The Wraps With a Bad Rep…

Fast foods and greasy carryout food often come in PFC (poly-fluorochemical) wrappers. PFCs are are also used in coatings in carpets, clothing, waterproof clothing, and nonstick/Teflon pans.

Exposure has been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects, including kidney and testicular cancer, high cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, obesity and low birth weight. On top of all that, they’re usually not recyclable, so contribute to environmental issues.

Additives + Preservatives

Additives and preservatives increase the shelf life of food and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Sounds great, until we look at the potential side effects…

The research is a little fuzzy, but various compounds have been linked to increased risks for certain cancers and other health conditions. These typically occur with exposures of the additive/preservative higher than the values generally allowed in the food, or toward people with specific sensitivities/asthma. To be on the safe side, your best bet is to minimize them and instead consume more whole foods!

7 Common Additives to Look Out For in Junk Foods:

1. Potassium Bromate

A possible carcinogenic found in baked goods and other products on supermarket shelves. It’s typically added to flour to allow the dough to rise higher and have a white color.

Whilst the industry claims that it is fully converted to potassium bromide (safe) during baking, tests in the UK still detect it after baking. It’s banned in the UK and Canada, but the US still allows it to be added to flour.

2. Sodium Benzoate

Sodium benzoate is a food preservative/antifungal commonly used in processed foods and drinks to prevent spoilage. After ingestion, it is absorbed and excreted quickly. However, Sodium benzoate can trigger allergic reactions in some people.

Sodium benzoate can form benzene when combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is linked to increased risk for leukemia/blood cancers. The safe level of benzene for drinking water is only 5 parts per billion, but some sodas and beverages have been found to have 10-20 parts per billion!

3. Sodium Nitrate + Nitrite

Nitrate and nitrites help stabilize, color and flavor meat, and prevent harmful bacterial growth (especially Clostridium botulinum).

When heated at high temperatures, nitrosamine can form. Found in cigarette smoke, this is linked to pancreatic, ovarian, stomach, esophageal, thyroid and colorectal cancer risk. Not all cured meats contain detectable amounts of nitrosamines, but it usually is formed during high heat cooking such as frying (watch out for that bacon).

Nitrite can usually be excreted without harm, but if the body doesn’t have enough vitamin C, the nitrite can generate nitrosamines with the acidic environment of the stomach.

4. Sulfites

Sulfites occur naturally in many foods and are a byproduct of fermentation. They’re also added as preservatives in most wines, dried fruits, and other foods to increase shelf life.

People who are sensitive can experience adverse reactions, especially those with asthma because it can severely aggravate asthma.

5. Sulfur Dioxide

Sulfur dioxide is sometimes used as a preservative in dried fruits such as figs and apricots. It has antimicrobial properties that prevent rotting.

It affects human health when breathed in and may cause symptoms for people with sensitivity or asthma. It’s a gas that usually comes from industrial activities that process sulfur, such as electricity from coal, or oil and gas that contain sulfur, and is also present in motor vehicle emissions.

6. Propyl Paraben

Parabens are preservatives often found in beer, sauces, desserts, soda, processed fish, jams, pickles, frozen dairy products, processed veggies, and some cosmetics.

Whilst some studies have shown a potential link between parabens in cosmetics and breast cancer (the more woman that shaved underarms and used antiperspirants got breast cancer sooner), the evidence is inconclusive.

7. BHA and BHT (butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene)

BHA and BHT can be found in chips, vegetable oil, packaged sausage, and cereal/cookies. They’re used to prevents oils in foods from oxidizing and becoming rancid. The bad news is that they’re possible carcinogens in high doses, however, the evidence is mixed.

Kicking the Junk Food Habit

Education is one of the most important steps in making a positive change in life. Now you’re armed with all the knowledge you need about junk food, you can see where it applies to your own life, and maybe start to make some changes.

Remember:

It’s not about being perfect. You don’t have to ban certain foods altogether, or make huge changes overnight.

It’s about taking small, consistent steps towards healthier, whole food choices. What we see time and time again is that when we make this commitment and try our best to stick with it for the long-haul, the results for our health and wellbeing are overwhelmingly positive.

References

Trans fat is double trouble for your heart health: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114
Leukemia and Benzene: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3447593/
Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and Nitrosamines Intake and the Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4690057/
Junk-Food Facts: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/junk-food-facts
Dangerous Chemicals in Fast Food Other Than MSG: https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/dangerous-chemicals-fast-food-other-msg-12342.html
Reasons Eating Junk Food Is Not Good: https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/reasons-eating-junk-food-not-good-3364.html
Acrylamide and Cancer Risk: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
These Chemicals Are Keeping Your Food Fresh: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/these-chemicals-are-keepi_b_5766548
10 Similarities Between Sugar, Junk Food and Abusive Drugs: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-similarities-between-junk-foods-and-drugs
Nitrosamines: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/nitrosamines
Many Fast Food Wrappers Still Coated In Pfcs, Kin To Carcinogenic Teflon Chemical: https://www.ewg.org/research/many-fast-food-wrappers-still-coated-pfcs-kin-carcinogenic-teflon-chemical
The Truth About Potassium Bromate: https://www.livescience.com/36206-truth-potassium-bromate-food-additive.html
Facts on Sodium Benzoate: https://www.livestrong.com/article/525531-facts-on-sodium-benzoate/
The real risks of sulfites: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/06/the-real-risks-of-sulfites/index.htm
Sulfur dioxide (SO2): http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/publications/factsheet-sulfur-dioxide-so2
Are You Eating Parabens? http://www.herbhedgerow.co.uk/are-you-eating-parabens/
The Truth About Food Additive BHA: https://www.livescience.com/36424-food-additive-bha-butylated-hydroxyanisole.html
Two Preservatives to Avoid: http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food-safety/article/two-preservatives-avoid

Reviewed and fact checked by: Ysabel Montemayor, RD

The post What Makes Junk Food “Junk”? The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

25 Meal Prep Hacks to Supercharge Your Nutrition

Luke Jones — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:23:58 +0000

SUMMARY

Certain meal prep hacks can save you time and money. For example, you can make your tomatoes last longer by storing them stem-side down, and you can easily pit cherries using a beer bottle and a chopstick.

Paleo or plant-based, keto or carb loading, we can all agree on one thing: Meal prep makes a whole lot of sense.

It frees up precious time, saves money, and makes it way easier to stay on top of your nutrition. If you’ve already delved into our ultimate guide to meal prep for beginners and you want to make your life even easier, today you’re in luck.

25 Genius Meal Prep Hacks

We’ve put together 25 genius meal prep hacks for supercharging your nutrition and taking your diet to the next level. They’re absolute game-changers, each and every one of them.

Let’s take a look…

1. Keep your tomatoes longer

Most people don’t realize that storing your tomatoes stem side down helps to prevent air from entering and moisture from exiting the scar where the vine used to be. This slows down the ripening process.

Keeping them at room at room temperature can also help, as the fridge tends to have a higher moisture content.

2. Stop bananas from over-ripening

If you’re more of a green banana kind of person, good news! Simply separate each one from the bunch and wrap the stems with plastic wrap or foil to keep the ethylene gas from releasing.

3. Help brown sugar from hardening

To keep your sugar soft, add some orange peels or a thick slice of apple in a storage container (along with the sugar of course). If it’s already hardened, you can microwave the sugar next to a small cup of water, about 6 oz for 1–2 minutes.

4. Check for rotten eggs

Pro tip – if a raw egg sinks in a bowl of water, it’s good, but if it floats, it’s near the end of its rope. This is because the longer eggs have been kept, the liquid inside begins to evaporate so the air pocket inside grows.

5. Pit cherries faster

Place a cherry on top of your beer bottle and use a chopstick or skewer to push the seed into the bottle. A great excuse to have a beverage before you make that cherry topped cheesecake…

6. Peel ginger faster

Ginger is always a fiddly one, but not many people realize you can simply use a metal grapefruit spoon to scrape away the skin. It’s much easier to get into those nooks and crannies.

7. Speedy citrus peeling

Turns out there’s more than one way to skin an orange.

The rolling method: Simply roll your chosen citrus fruit gently over countertop to help loosen the pith from flesh, and enjoy easy-peeling.

The microwave method: Use a fork to poke a couple of holes in the skin, then microwave it for a minute. Let it cool for 20-30 seconds and then start peeling.

8. Fast hard-boiled eggs peeling

Add 1 tablespoon baking soda or 2 oz vinegar to the pan when boiling your eggs. Both help separate the egg white from the shell when cooking.

9. Even faster egg peeling

This technique works well if you don’t mind your eggs looking like a hot mess… Simply place your eggs in a lidded container with couple tablespoons of water, and shake for 30 sec to 1 minute. Your egg shells will crack and loosen from the egg with vigorous shaking. It’s not pretty but gets the job done.

10. Remove stem from strawberries

Use a trusty straw and press from the bottom of strawberry until it breaks the hull (white part) and removes the stem/leaves. So satisfying.

11. De-seed your pomegranate

Start by cutting a shallow cone in the flower end of your pomegranate. Then simply score along the ridge lines, peel apart, and pull the middle pith out. Simple!

12. De-kernel corn faster

Placing the pointy end of your corn into the middle of a bundt cake pan, slice downwards with a knife using an angular motion to keep from cutting the core.

13. Grate soft cheese easier

Freeze soft cheeses such as fontina, mozzarella, gruyere for 30 mins before grating to get the perfect pizza coverage.

14. Cut onions without crying

There are a couple of options available if you’re trying not to sob your heart out while you slice your onions:

Option 1 (freezing method): Freeze those onions for 1 – 2 hours before cutting. This only works however if you’re cooking the onions that same day, otherwise when they thaw, they will be mushy.

Option 2 (bread method): Alternatively, if you don’t mind looking a bit daft, you can cut your onions with a slice of bread in your mouth, partially sticking out. Bread helps absorb irritating gases before they reach your eyes.

15. Decrystallize your honey

Place your honey container in hot water for 5 – 10 mins to get rid of any pesky crystallization.

16. Microwave food without drying it out

To prevent your meals from drying out when you reheat them in the microwave, simply place a cup of water in the microwave along with the item to add moisture to the air. This works great with muffins, pizza, brownies, bagels, and baguettes.

17. Prep your peppers faster

Here’s how to prep your peppers like your name is Gordon Ramsey:

Cut off the top and bottom.
Cut a slit into one side.
Place your pepper on its side and roll the knife through pith and seeds.

18. Replace lost lids with a balloon

Lost a jar lid? No problemo. Use a balloon instead! Inflate a standard balloon to size and place it over the container. Press down and release air to tighten around the opening, and hey presto, you have yourself a makeshift lid.

19. Chop cherry tomatoes quicker

This one is an absolute lifesaver… Instead of chopping every tomato one by one, place them all between 2 plates and carefully run your knife through the middle of the opening.

20. Know your male vs female bell peppers

Fact of the day: male bell peppers have 3 “butts” and are best for cooking, whereas female peppers have 4 “butts” and are sweet to eat raw.

21. Remove fishy odors

If you’ve been cutting fish and can’t seem to shake the smell, try using toothpaste to clean your hands. Sounds strange, but works surprisingly well!

22. Separate yolks from whites

Two ways to separate your yolks like a pro:

Option 1 (the funnel method): Place a funnel over a cup, crack your egg into it and let the whites drain down.

Option 2 (the bottle method): Crack your egg onto a plate. Then take an empty plastic water bottle, squeeze the air out, place over the yolk and suck it up.

23. Keep your avocado from browning

Two easy ways to protect those sacred avocados:

Option 1: Chop an onion, line the bed of your container with the pieces, then place the avo skin side down on top of the onions. Seal it up, and the gases from the onion can prevent the avo from browning.

Option 2: Baste your avo with lemon juice and the citric acid in the liquid will help keep browning at bay.

24. Label your prep

If you’re a smart cookie and you prep food ahead of time, be sure to label your containers with a marker – the type of meal if it’s not a clear container, and most importantly, when you made it. Food poisoning is never fun!

25. Make your own spray oil

Mix one parts oil with five parts water, add to a squirt bottle and you have your very own cooking spray.

Share your meal prep hacks!

So there we have it:

25 genius food prep hacks that will save you time and generally make your life easier in the kitchen.

Have a hack of your own that we didn’t mention above? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post 25 Meal Prep Hacks to Supercharge Your Nutrition appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Top 100 Worst Foods in America

Luke Jones — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 18:39:54 +0000

SUMMARY

What are the absolute worst foods to eat in the United States? We establish criteria to consider, and identify those foods that do the most harm to your health.

What are the absolute worst foods to eat in the country? The franken-foods that we should all perhaps avoid (or at least limit our consumption of) if we’re looking to live a healthy, active lifestyle long into the future?

It’s a great question, and today we’re going to take a deep dive into it – exploring all things sugary & saturated.

Some will come as no surprise, but there are a number of products listed below that may give you some pause for thought – sneakily disguising themselves as ‘health foods’.

Read on to discover our list of the bad and ugly – the 100 worst foods in the United States, and why it may be worth considering giving them a wide berth.

INFOGRAPHIC

Top 100 Worst Foods

What if we said that most of the so-called ‘food’ on supermarket shelves is destroying your health & expanding your waistline? Here are the 100 absolute worst offenders (and what to eat instead).

Remember: Moderation Not Deprivation

As with anything in life, it’s important to practice moderation in our diet. You may read through the list of the most unhealthy foods below and realize you’re eating a fair few of them on a regular basis.

Does this mean you should cut them all out right away and never let a mozzarella stick pass your lips again?

The short answer is no. This list wasn’t created to scare you into starvation mode, take away your favorite desserts or highlight foods to never eat again! It’s just here to serve as a reminder that we can all benefit from being more of what we put into our bodies, and how it can impact our health and wellbeing.

It’s definitely not about perfection – it’s about doing your best and taking small steps every day in the direction you’d like to head!

The ‘Worst Foods’ Criteria:

With our disclaimer out the way, now let’s establish some basic criteria for determining our worst foods for your body.

Those found on our unhealthy food list include 30% or more of the DV for the following markers (or contain 20% or more of at least two markers – trans fat is the exception):

1. Refined Sugar

Refined sugar may excite the taste buds, but it’s also a surefire way to spike your blood sugar.

When this happens on the regular, it increases your risk for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. Weight gain is also likely because excess sugar can be stored as fat. The DV for added sugar is 50 grams.

2. Sodium

Consuming too much salt on a regular basis can increase water retention and may raise blood pressure levels.

This increases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart and kidney disease, amongst other things. The DV for salt is 2300 mg.

3. Saturated + Trans Fat

Saturated fat may raise blood cholesterol (“good” & “bad”) and can also impact blood sugar too – a double whammy. The current DV for saturated fat is 20 grams.

Trans fat may raise bad cholesterol and decrease good, but there’s currently no DV for trans fat. Both saturated and trans fat can cause plaque buildup in arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.

The Top 100 Worst Foods List

Sugary Foods

As we touched on above, consuming refined sugar on a regular basis can spike blood sugar, cause insulin resistance, and eventually lead to diabetes & fat storage. Here are some of the worst culprits by the numbers:

Maraschino Cherries

The food coloring Red 40 is still used in some maraschino cherries, which are used in fruit cocktails. For those who are sensitive to artificial colors, Red 40 can cause allergy-like symptoms.

Healthy alternative: fresh fruit salad.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

This may seem like a strange addition to our unhealthy food list. Purchasing a low-fat yogurt option may seem like a healthier alternative, but the fat is often replaced with added sugar.

Healthy alternative: Plain Coconut or Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruit

Toaster Breakfast Tart

One of the worst foods to eat when it comes to artificial preservatives, such as benzoates and sulfates, which may aggravate asthma symptoms in affected people

Healthy alternative: Whole grain toast with low sugar jam

Other foods high in sugar:

Apple Pie
Pancake Syrup
Blueberry Muffin
Boxed Cake Mix
Brownie
Cake Pop
Cannoli
Chocolate Ice Cream
Coleslaw
Cotton Candy
Gummy Bears
Chocolate Bar
Peanut Butter Cups
Smores
Taffy Candy
Vanilla Buttercream Cupcake
Yogurt Covered Pretzels
Glazed Donut
Gelato
Macaroni Salad
Candy Corn
Wafer Cookies
Pudding
Pecan Pie
Caramel Corn
Strawberry Funnel Cake
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Fried Ice Cream
Rock Candy Stick
Fruit Tart
Banana Foster

High-Sodium Foods

Sodium is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to water retention, bloating, and potentially even increase blood pressure levels. Some of the worst foods to eat when it comes to salt content include:

Bacon Cheese Burger

Bacon and other cured/processed meat typically contain Nitrates and Nitrites which can turn into a harmful molecule called nitrosamine when cooked at high heat (such as frying). Nitrosamines are carcinogens that are also present in cigarette smoke.

Healthy alternative: Cheese and turkey club sandwich

Buttered Microwave Popcorn

The lining of popcorn bags often contains the chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), which may be a carcinogen. Diacetyl is another chemical often found in artificial butter – linked to lung problems if buttery fumes are inhaled.

Healthy alternative: Unbuttered, plain popcorn

Hash Brown

Acrylamide, a chemical that is a potential carcinogen, may be produced when starchy foods such as potatoes are fried or cooked at high temperatures.

Healthy alternative: boiled potato or sweet potato.

Processed Meatstick

Contains mechanically separated chicken, meaning it may include bone/bone marrow, skin, nerves, blood vessels, etc – primarily the parts of the chicken that are not the muscle/actual meat.

Healthy alternative: baked chicken strips.

Other foods high in sodium:

Meatlover’s Deep Dish Pizza
Biscuits and Gravy
Buffalo Wings
Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Canned Chicken Noodle Soup
Caesar Salad
Canned Ravioli
Chimichanga
Chow Mein
Corn Dog
Country Fried Steak w/Gravy
Crispy Calamari
Cup Noodles/Instant Noodles
Egg Roll
Fried Chicken
Fried Rice
Frozen Dinner
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Kung Pao Chicken
Mozzarella Sticks
Parmesan Risotto
Pastrami Sandwich
Pork Rinds
Refried Beans
Teriyaki Chicken
Sloppy Joe Sandwich
Potato Salad
Corned Beef
BLT Sandwich
Cheese Crackers
Vienna Sausages
Potstickers

Saturated & Trans Fat

Saturated and trans fats may raise blood cholesterol (“good” and “bad”) and can impact our blood sugar. Some of the highest-fat, unhealthiest foods you might want to be mindful of include:

Fish and Chips

If you purchase frozen fish sticks, they may contain Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) – used to help retain moisture but increases sodium and is a possible neurotoxin

Healthy alternative: grilled fish and steamed veggies.

Frozen Calzone

Like many processed foods, hot pockets contain a preservative called sodium phosphate and when consumed regularly can cause a phosphorus and calcium imbalance in the body, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and kidney disease

Healthy alternative: Home-made pizza.

Hamburger

Potassium bromate is often added to hamburger buns and other bread to bleach the dough and increase elasticity. It’s been linked to numerous health conditions and banned in certain countries

Healthy alternative: lettuce wrap with lean meat.

Other foods high in saturated and trans fat:

Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Baklava
Blooming Onion appetizer
Cheesecake
Chicken and Waffles
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chili Cheese Fries
Cream Cheese Bagel
Creme Brulee
Fried Mac and Cheese Balls
Grilled Cheese
Ham and Cheese Croissant
Italian Sausages
Loaded Nachos with Chicken
Onion Rings
Poutine
Samosa
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Muffin
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Custard Danish Pastry
Carne Asada Taco
Philly Cheese Sandwich
Steak Enchilada
Croissant

Beyond the Big Takeaway: What Should We Eat Instead?

So there we have it:

100 of the most unhealthy foods in the U.S. today.

The question begs:

If we’re going to be mindful of these products and limit them in our diet, what should we eat instead?

There’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution, but something we’re passionate about here at Fresh n’ Lean is filing up on whole, unrefined, natural produce. Fruits, veggies, legumes nuts and seeds. And that’s exactly what we include in our ready-to-eat meal delivery service – wholesome meals made from organic ingredients, sourced from local producers, designed to help you thrive.

The simple truth remains:

Whether you opt for home delivery or choose to learn more about how to meal prep yourself, becoming more in tune with the ingredients you put into your body and going as natural as possible when it comes to your produce is almost always going to be a big step in the right direction.

References

http://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/sodium-and-salt
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats#1
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/maraschino-cherries-healthy-4341.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/hemi-weingarten/does-the-world-need-pop-t_b_358672.html
https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/nutrition/microwave-popcorn-threat/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-nitrates-and-nitrites-harmful
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
https://www.ewg.org/research/potassium-bromate

Reviewed and fact checked by: Ysabel Montemayor, RD

The post Top 100 Worst Foods in America appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Easy Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes For Healthier Mornings

Luke Jones — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 00:44:50 +0000

SUMMARY

Breakfast meal prep can be a true time saver. These meal prep recipes incorporate staples such as eggs and oatmeal, and they can be prepared in mere minutes.

A balanced breakfast is essential for getting through the day, but not everyone has time to spare over the stove in the mornings.

This is where breakfast meal prep can be a real lifesaver.

With these delicious breakfast recipes, you can meal prep over the weekend and get yourself set up for a week of healthy, hassle-free mornings.

It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Despite this, 31 million Americans still give it a miss on a regular basis (and you may well be one of them). The truth is, if you get your breakfast meal prep right, you’re already off to a winner. Your body and mind are primed for whatever challenges may lie ahead. Get it wrong or skip it entirely, and your productivity, motivation and energy levels plummet – setting you up for a struggle from the get-go.

If you often find yourself grabbing a last-minute coffee on the mad dash to work, or improvising a measly breakfast from a mix of children’s cereal and stale bread, fear not…That all stops today.

Join us on our mission to upgrade breakfast as we explore 17 healthy (and delicious) meals that take next to no time to prepare. It’s time to finally get on top of your AM nutrition and start every day as you mean to go on!

Let’s take a look.

The Perfect Meal Prep Breakfast Ideas

Scroll down to check out a varying collection of incredible breakfast recipes – perfect for getting all the nutrition you need with minimal hassle.

Under each staple ingredient, we’ve included recipes that are suitable for:

Grab and Go: These are meals you fully cook or prep ahead of time – perfect if you’re always in a rush in the morning. They may require quick reheating, but otherwise, need minimal work in the AM.
Partially Prepared: These are meals that are partially cooked/prepared. Most of the work is done, but they may still require a little morning prep to enjoy the finished dish.

Breakfast Meal Prep: Egg Recipes

1. Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Burrito – 8 min prep time / 22 min cook time

Start your day the right way with this brilliant fast breakfast idea. From start to finish, this vegan breakfast burrito takes a mere 30 minutes to whip up. It’ll keep you feeling full all morning long thanks to the protein powerhouse combo of tofu and ultra-tasty avocado. It’s packed with veggies and healthy spices, making it a well-balanced way to get going in the AM.

2. Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos – 5 min prep / 10 min cook

Need a little fresh breakfast meal prep inspiration? Say hello to scrambled tofu breakfast tacos. Seasoned with a savory array of spices, these tofu tacos can be made completely vegan-friendly by swapping out the goat cheese for a dairy-free substitute. You can also skip that step altogether. Make them ahead then just reheat and eat in the morning.

3. Oven Baked Eggs – 0 min prep / 15 min cook

For a fast, healthy breakfast when you’re short on time, oven baked eggs can’t be beat! Put these in the oven for fifteen minutes while you go about your morning routine. They’ll be ready to pop into a whole wheat English muffin by the time you’re ready to head out the door – flawless breakfast on the go.

4. Vegetarian Black Bean Breakfast Burritos – 15 min prep / 25 min cook

We can’t say it enough. The breakfast burrito is a thing of beauty. They’re outstanding candidates for freezer-friendly meal prep and are easy to take to work if you happen to sleep through your alarm (we’ve all been there.). This vegetarian black bean breakfast burrito boasts 16 grams of protein and loads of flavor.

Breakfast Meal Prep: Oatmeal Recipes

Overnight oats recipes

5. Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats (Vegan Option) – 5 min prep / Ready to Eat

Not only is this overnight oats recipe absolutely mouth-watering, but it’s also ideal for anyone looking for high protein breakfast meal prep ideas. Bringing together protein-packed foods like oats, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt, this is one breakfast that won’t leave you feeling hungry. You can even take your protein consumption to the next level by swapping out the almond milk for soy milk.

6. Overnight Oats Five Ways (Vegan Option) – 5 min prep / Ready to Eat

Can’t get enough overnight oats? Here are five takes on this super easy meal prep breakfast classic. Just further proof that oats need never be boring.

7. Overnight Chia Oats with Coconut Yogurt – 5 min prep / Ready to Eat

Overnight oats with coconut yogurt is the vegan-friendly breakfast meal prep plan for anyone who wants to stay healthy while satisfying their sweet tooth. Fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds help make this a complete, nutritious breakfast to see you through until lunch while a drizzle of honey or maple syrup gives a perfect hit of sweetness.

8. Vegan Protein Smoothie Bowl – 10 min prep / Ready-to-Eat

This plant-based smoothie bowl is packed with up to 15 grams of protein, perfect for a boost of energy in the morning.

How to make overnight oats:

Start with a clean jar with a lid
Add your dry ingredients: oats, chia seeds, flax seed. Add spices and flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.)
Cover with wet ingredients (milk or yogurt)
Add toppings: nuts & seeds, fruits
Close & refrigerate

Oatmeal breakfast bars

9. No Bake Meal Prep Breakfast Bars – 10 min prep / 5 min cook

If your busy lifestyle precludes you from making breakfast in the morning and has you scrambling to find time to do meal prep, here’s a great premade breakfast idea for you. No bake meal prep breakfast bars take about ten minutes to put together, plus an hour in the fridge. It really doesn’t get any more convenient.

10. Healthy Banana Porridge (Vegan Option) – 5 min prep

Porridge is absurdly healthy, very filling, but doesn’t need to be plain. Think of porridge as a blank canvas you can customize to suit your tastes. This recipe is superb for warming up on those chilly mornings when you have a bit of extra time to spare.

11. Healthy No Bake Almond Breakfast Bars – 10 min prep / 5 min cook

Granola bars are a great pick-me-up for when you’re on the move, but store-bought bars tend to have undesirable extras. These fantastic no-bake granola bars have a mere five ingredients and are packed with healthy proteins. Make ahead and stash a few in your bag or desk to keep your energy up throughout the day.

12. Protein Breakfast Bars (Vegan and Paleo) – 5 min prep / 15 min cook

Seeds are a super healthy, nutrient dense food which are a must for anyone looking to improve their diet. These delectable protein bars are packed with seeds and other healthy ingredients to create an absolutely divine flavor combination.

13. Toasted Coconut Quinoa Breakfast Porridge – 10 min prep / 20 min cook

Seriously though, who doesn’t love the taste of toasted coconut? This phenomenal porridge recipe brings together the irresistible taste of coconut with quinoa and oats, two plant-based superfoods that everyone can benefit from adding to their diets.

14. Grab & Go Breakfast Oatmeal Cups – 10 min prep / 20 min cook

Love the idea of a breakfast muffin but want something more nutritious? Check out this breakfast oatmeal cup recipe. They’re a stellar gluten-free, vegan-friendly healthy meal prep which you can munch down on the commute to work or pack for a midday snack.

4 ways to liven up oatmeal:

Black Forest: Dark chocolate + fresh cherries
Apple Pie: Apple + cinnamon
PB Jelly: Banana, raspberries & PB
Pistachio Pear: crushed pistachios & diced pears

Breakfast Meal Prep: Parfait Recipes

All yogurt recipes below can be made vegan by switching conventional dairy yogurt for plant-based variations (soy, almond, coconut etc.).

15. Cinnamon Pecan Vegan Yogurt Parfait – 10 min prep / Ready to eat

If you’re a fan of doing all your meal prep for the week over the weekend but want to keep some variety to your breakfast rotation, this round-up of five easy breakfast meal prep ideas for fall is perfect for you. But let’s be honest. These recipes are so delicious you’ll want to make them all year round!

16. Simple Fruit and Yogurt Parfait – 15 min prep / Ready to eat

With its high protein content, yogurt is an excellent way to set yourself up for the day. These lovely parfaits are perfect for getting in a serving of fresh fruit as well. Plus, the handy trick to keep the granola fresh and crunchy is pure genius. Great on the go.

17. Easy Parfait Breakfast Meal Prep – 5 min prep / Ready to eat

Simple, tasty breakfast meal prep which can be done in five minutes is something we can all get behind. This easy parfait recipe is so quick to make you can whip it together if you have a little extra time in the mornings. Of course, you can also make it ahead to really get a jump on the day. For a healthier option, swap out the vanilla yogurt for Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt if you’re dairy-free.

Partial Prep Smoothies

Partially-made smoothies are a great option for a healthy breakfast on the go. All you need to do is refrigerate your favorite mix of yogurt and fruit in single portion bags at the start of the week, and then blend with your choice of liquid in the morning when you’re ready to go.

Pro Tip: To stop sliced fruit from oxidizing and going brown during storage, dipping the slices in lemon juice or lightly brushing them can help slow the enzymatic reaction and keep them fresh!

Some great-tasting fruit combinations include:

Mango, pineapple, and banana
Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries
Banana and blueberries
Apple, pear, and raspberries
Dates, banana, and cocoa
Acai, blueberries, and banana

Why Should You Meal Prep for Breakfast?

Breakfast. It’s widely regarded as being the most important meal of the day (just ask your grandparents). But it’s perhaps not surprising in our fast-paced modern world that 31 million Americans skip their morning bite on a regular basis.

Why is this such an issue?

The big one for most people is that it can result in lower energy levels and focus throughout the AM. There goes your productivity out the window.

And if you’re looking to lose weight, there’s not much good news either…

You might think that skipping breakfast is an easy way to reduce your caloric intake, but in actual fact it can mean you’re more likely to overeat in later meals, making it even harder for you to reach your body goals.

It gets worse…

If you’re someone who’s currently dealing with health challenges such as diabetes, you may need to be even more careful. Missing breakfast has been shown to cause greater spikes in blood sugar levels in subsequent meals, which can wreak havoc in the body.

So what’s the solution?

It all comes down to preparation.

By setting aside a little time for breakfast meal preparation, you can avoid the morning rush and still have healthy, delicious food on hand to fuel your day.

Let’s take a look at exactly how to get started…

What makes a balanced breakfast?

The beautiful thing about nutrition is that there’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach.

This means there are a whole host of foods that fall under the umbrella of ‘healthy breakfast options’, and plenty of room for creativity.

What you should look for:

The ideal breakfast is hearty, filling and nutrient dense. You want something that will keep you satisfied, alert and energized all throughout the morning, with no blood sugar spike and crashes, and no pesky brain fog to distract you during work.
It almost goes without saying that to ensure you stick with your healthy breakfast in the long-run, it’s also got to taste good too.
In order to achieve this, it’s important to shoot for variety.
As a general rule of thumb, a combination of lean protein with complex, fiber-rich carbs (like whole grains, fruits, and veggies) is a great place to start.

Why?

High protein breakfasts have been shown in scientific literature to help maintain satiety and reduce overeating throughout the day (compared to higher carb, low protein meals).

Likewise, opting for whole-grain, complex carbs instead of simple sugars can help reduce energy intake in subsequent meals, and result in less desire to opt for refined, processed foods to keep you going.

3 Breakfast Staples to Prep Into Balanced Breakfasts

If you find yourself perpetually hitting the snooze button, skipping breakfast and making the mad dash to work in the morning with a quick cup of coffee (at best), we’ve got you covered.

No more missing out on important morning nutrition – we’re going to share a few simple principles (and delicious recipes) you can use to get a great headstart on the day (without having to spend hours in the kitchen).

If you want to go super minimalist, a balanced breakfast can be as simple as eating 1-2 hard boiled eggs, an apple, and drinking a glass of milk. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that if you don’t want it to be.

But if you want to liven up your mornings and enjoy speedy, great-tasting, gourmet-esq meals, here are some simple ideas for you to play around with.

All you need to get started are these three breakfast staples:

Breakfast Staple #1: Eggs

There are a whole host of reasons why eggs are an awesome way to kickstart your morning:

For starters, they’re packed with protein to aid in muscle repair and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
They’re also super rich in fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin K, Omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals like iron and magnesium.
On top of all that, they contain disease-fighting carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin.

To make any egg-based meals even more satisfying, add a source of high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole grain toast, English muffins, tortilla, vegetables, or a side of fruit.

Another massive benefit of opting for eggs is that they’re so versatile:

Hard Boiled eggs
Sunny Side up eggs
Simple Scrambled eggs

Breakfast Staple #2: Oats

It may not get as much press as quinoa or spirulina, but the humble oat might just be one of the most nutritionally complete foods on the planet today.

Used as fuel by fearsome Scottish Highlanders as they headed into battle, oats make for an incredible source of high-fiber, low-GI carbs – perfect for slow-release energy.
Oats contain a surprising amount of protein too, along with a healthy dose of unsaturated fatty acids.
They’re also rich in energizing B-Vitamins and a wide range of important minerals too, including selenium, manganese, magnesium, and zinc.

Overnight oats are a perfect breakfast meal you can grab and go when you’re in a rush. Get creative and tantalize those tastebuds by experimenting with various fruit, nuts, and seeds for toppings, and milk or yogurt varieties for soaking.

Breakfast Staple #3: Yogurt

Yogurt is another excellent source of protein (particularly Greek and Icelandic varieties), and it’s also jam-packed with important micronutrients like calcium and phosphorus.

One important thing to note:

When it comes to choosing the perfect yogurt, it’s important to read your food labels, as many varieties labeled ‘low fat’ are instead packed with processed sugars.

If you’re lactose intolerant or simply trying to limit dairy, the good news is that there are more and more plant-based options available these days – including coconut and almond-based yogurts.

To really spice things up, you can mix your yogurt with a variety of toppings or incorporate it into a smoothie blend to really craft that perfectly balanced breakfast.

Conquer Your Morning & Win The Day

No more skipping breakfast and feeling sluggish until lunch. You’re now armed with all the knowledge and recipes you need to take back control over your breakfast and get a great headstart on the day.

All you have to do is start putting things into action.

Remember to start small, have fun experimenting with the recipes, and above all, find what works for you and allows you to make breakfast meal prep a permanent habit.

The post Easy Breakfast Meal Prep Recipes For Healthier Mornings appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Vegan Sources of B12

Luke Jones — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 19:31:19 +0000

SUMMARY

A vegan diet boasts a long list of benefits, but there’s one key micronutrient you may be missing out on: B12. Here’s the lowdown on vegan B-12 sources, along with tips on how to make sure you’re getting enough.

Vitamin B12: It’s arguably one of the most important micronutrients on the face of the planet, involved in the metabolism of every single cell in your body.

The scary truth?

If we don’t actively stay on top of our B12 consumption, it turns out a deficiency is a very real threat (and the consequences can be pretty dire). This is especially the case if you’re doing your bit for the planet and consuming a plant-based diet, with studies showing that up to 92% of vegans may be deficient…

But fear not:

You don’t have to swap your chickpeas for chicken just yet. There’s still plenty of things you can do to stay on top of your vegan B12 and remain a healthy herbivore. Today we’re going to explore how to get B12 as a vegan, and some of the best natural sources.

Let’s take a look!

SUMMARY

Vegan Sources of Vitamin B12:

1. Nutritional Yeast
2. Marmite + Yeast Spreads
3. Fortified Soy + Almond Milk
4. Plant-Based Meats
5. Fortified Cereals
6. Tempeh
7. Chlorella
8. Nori Seaweed
9. Cremini Mushrooms

Vitamin B12: The Quick Facts

What is Vitamin B12?

Fun fact time:

Vitamin B12 is one of eight B-vitamins.
It’s water soluble and is structurally the largest vitamin we know of.
We absorb B12 in the gut with the assistance of a protein called Intrinsic Factor.

Where Does B12 Come From?

The most common dietary sources of B12 consumed around the world are animal products such as meat, dairy, seafood, and eggs. But B12 isn’t necessarily produced by the animals per se… Many people don’t realize that B12 is actually synthesized by certain bacteria and archaea.

We humans actually produce our own B12 from bacteria in the colon, but in a cruel twist of fate, it’s too far down in thfre digestive tract for us to absorb any!

How Much B12 Do We Actually Need?

It’s a super common question – how much vitamin B12 per day do we actually need? The current recommendations from the National Institute of Health are as follows:

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–6 months*	0.4 mcg	0.4 mcg
7–12 months*	0.5 mcg	0.5 mcg
1–3 years	0.9 mcg	0.9 mcg
4–8 years	1.2 mcg	1.2 mcg
9–13 years	1.8 mcg	1.8 mcg
14+ years	2.4 mcg	2.4 mcg	2.6 mcg	2.8 mcg

The values above are based in the USDA daily guidelines. However, in 2015, the European Food Safety Authority established a new ‘adequate intake’ of 4μg (microgram) per day for the general population.

If you’re concerned that your B12 levels may be less than ideal, there are various ways to measure B12 levels for vegans. We could go down a rabbit hole with B12 testing, but instead, the guys at Vegan Health put together a great summary:

“It is prudent for people to routinely have their homocysteine levels tested every 5 years after age 45. But unless you suspect a B12 absorption or metabolic problem, there is no reason to get MMA (Methylmalonic Acid) or B12 levels tested if you follow the recommendations (hitting the daily intakes above).”

In short – make sure you’re getting enough B12 through your diet or supplements, and be sure to go to a doctor and get tested if you suspect you may be running low.

What Does B12 Do? Why Do Vegans Need B12?

Vitamin B12 is involved with a long list of important chemical and metabolic processes in the body – red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, nervous system function, and energy metabolism just to name a few.

Maintaining adequate B12 levels also helps to prevent anemia (a lack of healthy red blood cells) and various neurological issues – both of which can have serious health implications.

As we touched on above, vegans need to pay particular attention to their B12 levels because the micronutrient is mainly found in animal foods.

Vegan B12 Deficiency and Symptoms:

If you follow a plant-based diet, it makes sense to be a little concerned about getting enough B12. After all, B12 is one of the most common vegan vitamin deficiencies. But it’s not just herbivores who should be mindful of their intake:

According to The National Institute of Health, older people, those with atrophic gastritis (thinning of the stomach lining), pernicious anemia, and other gut issues like Crohn’s and Celiac disease may also be at an increased risk.

Some of the key signs and symptoms of a B12 deficiency to look out for may include:

Strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
Difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
Anemia
A swollen, inflamed tongue
Difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
Weakness and fatigue

Source: Harvard Health

Vegan & Vegetarian Sources of Vitamin B12

So if you’re looking to maintain healthy B12 status when on a plant-based diet, what are your best options? Let’s take a look.

Keep in mind:

The percentage of DV listed is based on the European Food Safety Authority adequate intake’ of 4μg. Your actual values may need to be adjusted based on your age and various other factors.

Vegetarian B12 Sources

Typically it’s a fairly simple process to source vitamin B12 foods for vegetarians, as the diet allows for the consumption of some animal products.

This explains why a vegetarian B12 deficiency is less common than a vegan deficiency. That being said, it’s still important to make sure you’re covering your bases:

1. Shellfish

19.5mcg / 485% DV per 100g

Shellfish are some of the most dense natural sources of B12 on the planet, as well as being rich in other important micronutrients like omega-3s, zinc, and iron.

Although they’re not strictly plant-based, some vegetarians choose to consume them as they have no central nervous system (the shellfish, not the people).

2. Eggs

1.3mcg / 32.5% DV per 100g

As well as being a super source of B12, eggs are rich in protein and vitamin D. There is however some controversy over whether eggs should form a regular part of a healthy diet, with potential links to certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.

3. Whole Milk

0.4mcg / 10% DV per 100g

Along with B12, milk contains high concentrations of calcium, important for maintaining healthy bones. Many people are allergic or intolerant to lactose, the milk protein found in dairy, and may benefit more from goats milk or plant-based alternatives.

4. Swiss Cheese

3.3mcg / 82.5% DV per 100g

The B12 levels in cheese vary depending on the type – with higher concentrations found in Swiss Cheese and Gjetost, and lower values in Cheddar and Romano.

Reliable Vegan B12 Sources

In terms of fully vegan B12 sources, B12 fortified foods are widely regarded as being the most reliable.

Interestingly, a study in 2000 found that vitamin B12 from fortified foods was actually linked with a better B12 status than B12 intake from animal products.

Researchers hypothesized that the B12 in meat and dairy might actually be damaged during cooking, whereas the form used in fortified foods tends to be more stable with heat.

With that in mind, some of the best include:

1. Nutritional Yeast

48.7mcg / 1217.5% DV per 100g

Nutritional yeast is a vegan’s secret weapon, great for sprinkling over salads or crafting vegan cheese alternatives. One thing to note:

Although fortified yeast is a super dense B12 source, it may be wise to diversify your B12 sources (as opposed to just relying on this one). B12 is light sensitive, so if you get your nutritional yeast from clear plastic containers like those found in Wholefoods, the micronutrient may degrade and the actual values may be lower than usual.

2. Marmite + Yeast Spreads

0.5mcg / 12.5% DV per 100g

You either love or hate it. Regardless, it may be worth experimenting with marmite or other yeast spreads from time to time if you’re looking to keep your B12 levels in check. They don’t provide a whole load of bang for their buck, but every little helps!

3. Fortified Soy + Almond Milk

0.9mcg / 22.5% DV per 100g in fortified soy milk

Fortified milk substitutes are a super convenient way to keep on top of your B12 levels. Some of the best sources include:

Hemp milk
Almond milk
Oat milk
Soy milk

Whenever possible, go organic and double check the label to confirm it is actually fortified with B12!

4. Plant-Based Meats

Up to 100% DV in one Moving Mountains B12 Burger

Many plant-based meats are a great source of B12 – including the B12 Burger made by British brand Moving Mountains. Again, not all plant-based meat alternatives are fortified, so remember to check the nutrient labels!

5. Fortified Cereals

You can stay on top of your B12 from the get-go by adding fortified cereals to your breakfast meal prep. Some of the richest sources on supermarket shelves include:

Kellogs All Bran – 24.0mcg / 600% DV per 100g
Nature’s Path Optimum – 10.9mcg / 272.5% DV per 100g
Kellogs Low Fat Granola – 10.0mcg / 250% DV per 100g

Natural Vegan B12 Sources

When it comes to vegan sources of vitamin B12, it’s widely agreed upon by medical and nutritional professionals that the most reliable are B12 fortified foods and supplements.

While there are some natural plant sources of B12 (and some with relatively high concentrations), unfortunately the evidence is not yet strong enough for you to rely on them solely.

So it’s important to take the following vitamin B12 vegan foods with a pinch of salt, and avoid relying on them as your sole source.

1. Tempeh

Up to 14.8mcg / 370% DV per 100g

Fermented foods are becoming increasingly popular because of the potential benefits when it comes to digestive health and the gut biome. On top of that, they may also be a source of vegan B12 – particularly tempeh, or fermented soy beans.

Interestingly, the soy beans themselves do not contain B12, but it’s actually generated during the fermenting process.

Lactobacillus bacteria is a bacteria commonly found fermented foods which has been shown to produce some B12, but there’s yet to be enough hard evidence to suggest it is a reliable source.

This is also the case with Kimchi – a Korean dish of fermented cabbage. One study calculated 0.18-0.24mcg of B12 per 100g, but this is not necessarily representative of all store-bought varieties.

2. Chlorella

80-100mcg / 2000-2500% per 100g

Algae like chlorella and spirulina are often brought up when it comes to natural sources of B12.

While there is some good evidence to suggest chlorella can contain some B12 precursors and may be a viable option, most of the evidence shows that spirulina is NOT a reliable source (and may even negatively impact B12 levels).

3. Nori Seaweed

11-42mcg / 275-1050% DV per 100g

Nori is a great source of iodine, another micronutrient that vegans and vegetarians sometimes need to be aware of.

When it comes to B12, evidence suggests that raw nori could be a viable source. Interestingly, when nori is cooked or dried, it seems the B12 levels deteriorate. Like spirulina, we start to see high amounts of ‘pseudo-vitamin B12’, which may actually negatively impact B12 levels.

4. Cremini Mushrooms

Up to 3-4% DV per 100g

There is some evidence to suggest that certain types of mushrooms may contain active B12. One such ‘shroom is the Cremini.

Some sources suggest that 100 grams of mushrooms can contain up to 26 micrograms of vitamin B12, but experts warn that they should not be relied upon as a primary source. The guys at World’s Healthiest Foods conclude:

“Vitamin B12 is not always detected in mushrooms, including crimini mushrooms. When vitamin B12 is detected in mushrooms, it is usually found on the outermost portions of the mushrooms, suggesting that bacteria on the mushroom surface may have produced the vitamin B12 rather than the mushrooms themselves.”

Is Organic Food a Source of Vegan B12?

Some proponents of a plant-based diet argue that organic, unwashed fresh produce is a natural source of B12. Is there any merit to this?

While bacteria in the soil can produce B12, and opting for organic food is in many ways better than non-organic, the evidence that we can get all the B12 we need from dirty vegetables isn’t all that convincing.

So by all means buy organic food when possible or opt for an organic vegan meal delivery service, but keep on top of your fortified foods and/or supplements as well.

Vitamin B12 Supplements

Many people debate over what vitamins should vegans take. Iodine, Omega-3s and Vitamin D are all hotly contested. However, one that’s pretty much universally agreed upon is our old friend B12.

All vitamin B12 supplements are based around the same structure – a cobalt ion surrounded by a corrin ring. But there are variations around this theme, each with their own set of unique properties and potential benefits.

So what are the most popular vegan B12 supplements, and which one is right for you?

3 Types of B12 Supplements:

1. Cyanocobalamin

Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of B12, but it’s also the most studied, most stable and cheapest. Here the cobalt ion is attached to a cyanide molecule, which breaks off during absorption.

Is this an issue?

Most experts agree that it’s not, as your body is exposed to similar concentrations of cyanide in various whole foods.

2. Methylcobalamin + Adenosylcobalamin

Methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin are the more natural forms of B12 found in foods. The body has to convert cyanocobalamin into these two forms to actually put your B12 to work.

One study showed that cyanocobalamin may be easier for the body to absorb than methyl (49% vs 44% absorption), whereas slightly more recent research has shown that cyanocobalamin may actually be harder for the body to retain than the natural form of B12.

3. Hydroxocobalamin

This is the form of B12 often found in food or used in B12 injections. Hydroxy is often retained better than cyanocobalamin after injections, but getting a shot is less convenient and more expensive than taking a daily supplement.

The Lowdown on B12 Supplements:

Is B12 vegan? In almost all cases B12 supplements are vegan as the B12 is derived from bacteria, not animal sources.
Which is the best form? When it comes to the best B12 for vegans, cyano, methyl + adenosylcobalamin are all decent options. If you go the natural route however, you may need to take both methyl and adeno, as cyano typically converts to both (but methyl does not necessarily convert to adeno, and vice versa).
Spray or pill? When it comes to sublingual sprays vs normal pills, there does not seem to be a significant difference when it comes to absorption, so either would be fine.
How much should I take? Absorption rates in B12 supplements are typically lower than in fortified foods, so it’s recommended that you get 25–100 mcg per day (as opposed to 4mcg from foods)

In Summary: Take Your B12 Seriously!

If you’re looking to stay on top of your B12 levels, hopefully now you’re armed with everything you need to stay safe.

To summarize the daily recommendations, let’s turn to vegan health expert Dr. Jack Norris, who states there are three options for people age 14–65 who aren’t pregnant or breastfeeding:

Fortified foods of 2.0-3.5 mcg per serving, twice a day.
Daily supplement of 25–100 mcg per day.
Supplement of 1,000 mcg, twice per week.

With the above recommendations, you should be able to keep your B12 levels in a healthy range, but if you do suspect you may be falling short, consult a medical professional for testing.

The post Vegan Sources of B12 appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

The War on Sugar – Why Is Sugar Bad for You?

Luke Jones — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 18:57:21 +0000

SUMMARY

Eating too much sugar can lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. There are different types of sugar that are commonly added to foods; these include ingredients such as corn syrup and dextrose. We’ve provided a full list of these sugary additives so you can easily identify them when reading nutrition labels on your favorite foods.

Sugar. It’s been declared by many health experts as “public enemy number one”.

Despite potential links to a number of chronic diseases, the truth is that sugar consumption is at an all-time high across the globe.

The worst part?

A combination of clickbait magazine headlines and conflicting nutrition advice has us all confused…

What even is sugar? Why is sugar consumption such a hotly contested topic? Why is sugar supposedly so bad, and what can we do about it?

The questions seem to be endless, but fear not:

In this guide and infographic, we’re going to get to the bottom of things and take a deep dive into everything sugar coated.

Let’s take a look…

INFOGRAPHIC

The War on Sugar

There’s an enemy in our ranks, hiding in your favorite foods, expanding waistlines & devastating your health. Let’s explore the deadly impact of sugar, and how you can join the fight.

The Basics: What is Sugar?

Let’s start with the basics:

What is sugar exactly?

Because of their chemical characteristics, sugars belong in the macronutrient group carbohydrates, providing 4kcal of energy per gram.

Whilst sugar can occur naturally in whole foods like fruits and vegetables, it’s also commonly processed and produced commercially to be added to a variety of products.

The confusing part is that not all sugar is created equally…

The Different Types of Sugar

Sugar molecules come in different forms & chain lengths and can be used immediately in the body or stored for energy.

The smallest forms of sugar are monosaccharides, meaning they occur as single molecules. They include:

Glucose. The product of photosynthesis and what most carbohydrates are converted to in the body before being used as an energy source. Occurs naturally in fruits.
Fructose. Sweeter than glucose and often referred to as fruit sugar. Found in fruits, cane sugar, and honey.
Galactose. It may sound like it comes from outer space, but galactose actually occurs alongside glucose to form lactose.

Most of the sugar found in nature comes in paired molecules (disaccharides). The most common forms include:

Sucrose. Commonly known as table sugar. Sucrose is two-molecule sugar (disaccharide) made of glucose + fructose.
Lactose. Also known as milk sugar. Lactose is formed by combining glucose + galactose. Many people have an intolerance to it.
Maltose. Malt sugar is a combination of two glucose molecules. It’s often found in germinating grains.

To make things more confusing…

There are also a whole host of ingredients disguised as sugar, including:

Anhydrous dextrose
Brown sugar
Cane Sugar
Confectioner’s powdered sugar
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
Honey
Invert sugar
Malt syrup
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Nectars (e.g., peach nectar, pear nectar)
Raw sugar
Sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Sugar
White granulated sugar
Fruit juice concentrates *When sugar exceeds sugar content in 100% juice of the same fruit.

What is the Recommended Daily Added Sugar Intake?

First, let’s look at what an added sugar is:

Added sugar definition: sugars that are added during the processing or packaging of foods, including sugars from syrups, honey, and concentrated fruit or vegetable juices that are in excess of what would be expected from the same volume of 100% fruit or vegetable juice of the same type.

In other words, added sugar is any excess sugar added to a food, up to a level that wouldn’t be found in that foods natural state.

According to the American Heart Association, we should not regularly exceed:

Men – 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons added sugar)
Women – 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons added sugar)

But here’s the scary part…

The average American gets around 17 teaspoons (270 calories) of added sugars each day.
The average child under 12 consumes 49lbs of sugar/year – 15 teaspoon per day.

Which Country Consumes The Most Sugar?

According to World Atlas and The Washington Post, the countries with the highest sugar consumption include:

United States: 126.40g* (30 tsps)
Germany: 102.90g (24.5 tsps)
Netherlands: 102.50g (24.4 tsps)
Ireland: 96.70g (23 tsps)
Australia: 95.60g (22.7 tsps)
Belgium: 95.00g (22.6 tsps)
United Kingdom: 93.20g (22.2 tsps)
Mexico: 92.50g (22 tsps)
Finland: 91.50g (21.7 tsps)
Canada: 89.10g (21.2 tsps)

* Average amount of sugar consumed per day (average adult)

Why Sugar Can be Bad for You – The Shocking Facts!

Let’s clear one thing up:

Sugar isn’t inherently bad. You could even argue that the occasional sugary dessert when out with loved ones or even a tactical sugar hit post workout can actually be beneficial.

It all comes down to the volume and the consistency.

If we’re filling our boots on a regular basis, that’s when we start to see some big problems.

Here are some of the most concerning:

1. Obesity and diabetes risk

It’s totally normal for blood sugar to rise when you eat anything that contains sugar, but as we touched on above, too high too often is when it becomes an issue.

Constant spikes in blood sugar may cause your cells to become resistant to insulin (a storage hormone that helps your body use sugar for energy, or store it for later use). If insulin isn’t being utilized correctly, blood sugar can remain high.

This is bad news:

Chronically high blood sugar levels are known to be a big risk factor when it comes to weight gain and type 2 diabetes, both of which can potentially lead to further health complications.

2. Empty calories

As well as spiking blood glucose, added sugar typically contains little to no beneficial nutrients. It’s what we would refer to as ‘empty calories’ – compared to a nutrient dense food that contains a wide variety of important vitamins & minerals (like broccoli).

High-fructose corn syrup is a classic example:

Also known as glucose-fructose syrup, it’s a sweetener made from corn starch. As you might expect, it contains a combination of glucose + fructose, but often with a higher concentration of fructose.

Because it’s so cheap to produce, it’s commonly used in beverages and snack foods. The bad news is that it’s been linked with weight gain, certain cancers, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and more.

3. Sugar addiction

Dopamine, a “pleasure” hormone in our brain is released in large amounts (more than we need) when eating foods high in sugar. The brain feels “rewarded” from the hit.

Here’s the kicker:

The more sugar you eat, the more your tolerance builds towards dopamine, and the more you crave it. The vicious cycle continues and rarely ends well…

This is scarily similar to the process of drug abuse. It’s a vicious cycle that can be super challenging to break out of.

What is Being Done In The War on Sugar?

Over the past decade, we’ve seen a number of changes around the world geared at reducing our overall sugar consumption (with mixed results):

In 2016, the World Health Organization called for governments to introduce subsidies for fruits and vegetables and taxation of unhealthy foods, with a particular target on sugary drinks.
Starting July 2018, FDA implemented a rule that requires the addition of “added sugars” under “Total Sugars” for consumers to better understand how much sugar has been added to the product.
Despite a tax on sugary foods and beverages, sugar consumption in the UK continues to rise, and it’s reported that puddings are only getting sweeter.

Despite these measures, sugar consumption has continued to increase.

How to Be More Aware of Sugar Consumption

Making any change in life starts with being aware of your current habits. With that in mind, a great first step towards reducing your sugar consumption is to be mindful of just how much is in common foods.

Below is the sugar content of seemingly ‘healthy’ grocery store drinks, ranked worst to best in terms of total sugar content:

POM (32g sugar, 8oz)
Naked Green Juice (53g sugar, 15.2oz)
Sambazon (31g sugar, 10.5oz)
Organic Valley Protein Shake (26g sugar, 11oz)
Yerba Mate tea (28g sugar, 15.5oz)
Vitamin Water (32g sugar, 20oz)
Mama Chia (14g sugar, 10oz)
Honest Tea (19g sugar, 16.9oz)
Zico coconut water (12g sugar, 11.2oz)
Kombucha (12g sugar, 16oz)
Kevita (8g sugar, 16oz)

The Worst Types of Sugary Drinks for Kids

It’s recommended that children should consume no more than 4-8 oz of these sugary beverages per day. Better options are water, diluted 100% fruit juice and plant-based milks.

Ranked worst to best in terms of total sugar content:

Hi-C Fruit Punch (22g sugar, 6oz)
Once Upon A Farm juice (11g sugar, 3.2oz)
Danimals Pre-flavored Milk (9g sugar, 3.1oz)
Caprisun Fruit Punch (13g sugar, 6oz)
Gatorade Energy Drink (34g sugar, 20oz)

*While some drinks contain less sugar than others, it is best to avoid all drinks with added sugar.

Three Top Tips for Safe Sugar Intake

1. Be mindful of your sugar limit:

Remember:

When it comes to added sugars, according to AHA, the upper limit for men is 9 teaspoons, 36g, 150 kcal a day, and for women 6 tsp, 25g, 100 kcal. Kids would ideally be eating no more than 6 teaspoons (25g) added sugar/day

A quick way to evaluate your own sugar intake is to take a food diary or use a tool like Cronometer to track your intake.

According to Dr. Amy Shah, “the ideal goal is to limit your sugar consumption to a total of 25-50 grams of sugar per day.”

2. Pay attention to nutrition facts + portion sizes

Ideally, we’d be looking to limit beverages with added sugars to no more than 8g (~2 teaspoons) of added sugar/8oz serving.

If choosing 100% fruit juice, many experts recommend limit consumption to 8oz -12 oz/per day, 4-6 oz for kids under 6 years and ideally diluting the juice with water.

Why?

Whilst fruit juices are a good source of vitamins and minerals, they contain more sugar than it’s whole fruit counterpart and they also lack fiber (1 cup of apple juice can take 3-4 apples). This can cause spikes in blood sugar like any other sugary beverage, as the fiber is important for slowing down the absorption of sugar.

Another important thing to consider:

When it comes to other beverages, many manufacturers add different types of sugar, such as dextrose and high fructose corn syrup, into one product. They do this so that sugar doesn’t appear as the first ingredient, but don’t be fooled!

3. Before opting for sugar, ask yourself why?

Are you turning to that third chocolate bar of the day for the taste? For emotional support? Post-workout nutrition for optimum gains?

When we have a better understanding of our reasoning behind the choices we make, it usually becomes much easier to make changes.

If we’re eating for emotional support, what else can we perhaps turn to for nourishment instead?

If we’re after the taste, can we opt for a whole food source of sugar instead?

If we want to refuel post-workout, are there healthier options for us to pick now and again?

In the end…

It’s important to remember that cutting your sugar consumption isn’t about being perfect.

Sure, from the statistics it looks like most of us could do with cutting back, but no one said that has to happen overnight.

The path to success lies with making a series of conscious decisions that over time help make healthier eating a lifelong habit.

What are your thoughts on the sugar debate? Are there any foods we listed that you were surprised to see? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The War on Sugar – Why Is Sugar Bad for You? appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Healthy Holiday Feasting: The Ultimate Detox Guide

Luke Jones — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 19:59:47 +0000

SUMMARY

These nine tips can help make your holiday feasting healthier. We’ve also included a guide for post-holiday detox to help your body recover faster.

The holiday season is upon us once again.

For the most part, it’s a magical time, full of love, gratitude, and celebrations.

But amongst the festive fun and family gatherings, for many people, this time of year can present a BIG challenge when it comes to staying on track with health and fitness goals. How can you enjoy the holidays and come out the other side with your wellbeing intact? It’s a tough ask and one that isn’t always easy to navigate.

Fear not:

In this guide, we’re taking a deep dive into healthy holiday feasting – from ingenious eating tips to a backup SOS holiday detox plan.

Let’s take a look!

INFOGRAPHIC

Holiday Feasting Guide

Tips for eating healthier during the holidays and a guide for your post-holiday "detox" if that healthy holiday eating doesn't go to plan.

9 Tips for Healthier Holiday Feasting

1. Be mindful of portion sizes

Around the holidays, it’s completely normal to load your plate with a few more roast potatoes than you usually would. It’s important to remember that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A few days of indulgence won’t undo years worth of eating well!

That being said, if you’re someone who’s prone to slipping back into unhealthier habits, or you’re just getting started with a healthier eating regime, keeping an eye on your holiday portion sizes may be something worth considering…

And no, this doesn’t mean starving yourself!

It’s just a case of slowing down and being a little more conservative. Remember that holiday eating is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about the long game.

Going a little smaller than usual with your meals and snacks has two main benefits:

It gives you more room to sample a wide range of holiday specials.
You don’t run the risk of overeating and having to be rolled away from the dinner table.

2. Start with a protein source

Aside from helping you maintain lean muscle mass, protein can be useful in increasing satiety – helping you feel fuller for longer.

In fact, a 2014 study concluded that:

“Increased satiety helps to decrease energy intake, which is a requisite for successful weight loss. In general, increased satiety has been observed after meals with a protein content in the range of 25% to 81%”.

It makes sense then that eating a portion of protein at the start of your day (or at the beginning of your meal) may help to control your appetite.

A few options you might like to explore:

3. Fill up on the veggies

Non-starchy veg like leafy greens, broccoli and sprouts are low in total calories, but full of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Like protein, they help to keep you full and nourish your body, so pile them up before you reach for the roast potatoes!

Some delicious, healthy options you can try this holiday season include:

4. Put a healthy twist on the classics

It turns out you can have your holiday cake and eat it too!

By making a few small tweaks to timeless festive classics, you can still enjoy those familiar flavors without having to compromise your dietary beliefs.

A few great alternatives:

5. Slow down & savor the flavors

As with many things in life, a little bit of mindfulness can go a long way.

By slowing down with your food, you really get to appreciate each mouthful and experience all the intense flavors present. It’s also way better for your digestive system, and it gives your gut a chance to signal when it’s nearly full. This means you’re less likely to overeat! In fact, several studies have shown that mindful eating can be an effective strategy for weight loss and managing eating disorders.

Let’s face it – in amongst all the family banter and cracker-pulling, being fully present for every single mouthful isn’t realistic. But just picking one element of your meal or bringing your attention back every few minutes can still make a big difference.

A few questions you might want to ask yourself:

Which of these 5 tastes are in your meal? Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, Umami (Savory)
Can you identify any of these holiday flavors? Fruity, buttery, earthy, vanilla, fudgy, nutty, smoky, minty
What is the texture/mouthfeel of the food? Crispy, Creamy, Tender, Rough, Chewy

6. Be aware of high-salt foods

Being mindful of your salt intake over the holidays can help you to avoid water retention (and the dreaded bloat) later in the day.

Excess salt intake has also been linked with raised blood pressure. If you’re in charge of prepping foods and you’re likely to be a little stressed over the holidays, it may be an important thing to keep in mind.

Examples of common high-salt holiday culprits include:

Ham (1 slice 56g): 730 mg sodium (32% DV)
Stuffing (½ cup): 543mg sodium (24% DV)
Turkey Gravy (½ cup): 540 mg sodium (22%DV)

Again, it’s not about complete elimination or restriction. Just being more aware of these foods, trying not to go overboard and staying hydrated can make a big difference!

7. Be sensible with your drinks

Here’s the thing:

I’m definitely not saying there’s anything wrong with a little holiday tipple.

That being said, there is a smart way to go about it. When it comes to festive fluids, here are some useful tips to have a think about:

Drink water prior to meals to aid digestion and increase satiety.
Try mocktails, kombucha or stevia-sweetened teas as healthy alcohol-alternatives.
If you do drink alcohol, think about quality over quantity. Opt for a decent wine, don’t overdo it, and make sure to drink water in between glasses.
Ginger or peppermint tea is a lifesaver when it comes to relieving gas and bloating.

8. Stay active

The holidays can be a great time to relax and spend time with loved ones, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop moving altogether!

A few ways to keep active over the festive period:

A family walk pre or post meal to help control the blood sugar response.
Active, outdoor games over indoor board games.
Short, early morning workouts to get your activity in for the day.

9. Let go of perfection!

Remember:

The ‘perfect diet’ doesn’t really exist. It’s okay to let your hair down and enjoy yourself from time to time.

If that means eating a few foods here and there over the holidays that you wouldn’t normally go for, that’s okay. You don’t have to beat yourself up over every gram of cranberry sauce that passes your lips. You have permission not to be perfect (because in reality, none of us are).

Balanced wellbeing isn’t about getting everything spot on every minute of the day. It’s about doing your best and trying to eat well 80-90% of the time, but still leaving some room to have fun!

What if it All Goes Wrong? Your Post-Holiday “Detox” Plan

If despite all the above tips, your healthy holiday eating doesn’t quite go to plan, all is not lost!

The body is a marvelous and incredibly resilient machine, and there are many things you can do to support the recovery process to help yourself get back on track.

Here are some of the most effective:

1. Don’t beat yourself up.

I really can’t reiterate this enough:

Letting go and having a bit of binge doesn’t make you a bad person.

It doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that you have no willpower. Sure, you took a bit of a detour, but you’re still awesome, and can pick yourself up and get back on track!

Dwelling on your perceived ‘mistake’ is a surefire way to stress yourself out, so instead do your best to let go, move on, and learn from the experience.

2. Avoid the extreme.

Severe calorie restriction or going on a juice cleanse isn’t the answer to a heavy holiday season. They may sound trendy and promise life-changing results, but unfortunately, that’s largely the product of marketing…

What does work?

Gently making your way back to a balanced diet and an active lifestyle. No secret shortcuts or magic potions required.

3. Aid digestion

If you’ve overeaten during the holiday period, your digestive system may benefit from a little helping hand to get back to normal.

A few tips and tricks that are tried and tested:

Fiber-rich food – such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds can support digestion and have a whole host of other benefits.
Probiotics – if your gut isn’t super-sensitive to yeasts and fermented foods, friendly gut bacteria found in yogurt, kimchee, miso, tempeh, and kombucha can often help improve digestive health.
Limit stress – guided meditation and good sleep quality are two amazingly simple ways to help keep stress levels low, supporting the gut biome.

4. Support the liver

If you had a few too many beverages over the holidays, supporting your liver may prove beneficial. The liver is involved in processing alcohol in the body, so anything we can do to help it do its job better and come back strong is worth experimenting with.

A few ways to potentially do that:

Limit alcohol – as you might expect, you can probably benefit from giving your liver a rest by limiting alcohol for at least a month or so, and drinking plenty of water.
Eat cruciferous veg – cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts are rich in sulfur. Sulfur is involved in the production of glutathione – an important antioxidant involved in liver function and natural detoxification.
Eat your berries – blueberries and cranberries are rich in anthocyanins, which may help protect the liver from damage.

5. Get moving

The post-holiday season is the perfect time to get active and set new targets for your fitness.

You can take advantage of the collective consciousness – millions of people around the world setting resolutions and doing their best to make positive changes in their lives.

A few ideas you can play with:

Take up a new hobby or activity like running, martial arts, climbing or yoga.
Revamp your current exercise routine and set some new goals for the next few months.
Commit to a challenge or race and prep a training plan for it.

3-Day Post-Holiday Booster

Add these to your balanced diet within the first 3 days after your holiday feast to bring down inflammation and supercharge digestion.

Drink 1 cup of Kombucha made from green tea. If you’re okay with fermented foods, kombucha is a great one to incorporate. It contains antioxidants and probiotics to help maintain a balance of good bacteria in your gut. Make sure you stick to ones with no more than 5g added sugar per serving.
Snack on 1 handful of unsalted brazil nuts (1 oz). Brazil’s are rich in selenium which increases antioxidant activity (protects cells from damage) and reduces inflammation. They also contain calcium, magnesium, and potassium (great for heart health).
Eat 1 cup of red cabbage as part of a meal (try shredded in a salad). With more Vitamin C than green cabbage, the red variety is rich in fiber, sulfur, and anthocyanins (which may reduce blood pressure, liver damage and inflammation).

Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday!

Now you’re armed with all our top tips and tricks for enjoying a healthy festive season, it’s over to you!

Out of all the ideas we discussed above, number 9 in the first section may well be the most important – to let go of perfection.

Yes, there are things we can do to make the holidays a little healthier. But remember to keep that big picture in mind, don’t be too harsh on yourself, and have some fun!

And if you have any nifty tactics that you like to use over the holidays, feel free to reach out and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015032/
http://www.brainfacts.org/Thinking-Sensing-and-Behaving/Taste/2012/Taste-and-Smell
https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030314p34.shtml
https://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/whats-the-deal-with-detox-diets
https://www.livestrong.com/article/522902-does-ginger-treat-bloating/
https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/tdmay2008pg34.shtml
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123756886100295
https://www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/holidays/how-to-enjoy-the-holiday-without-the-weight-gain

The post Healthy Holiday Feasting: The Ultimate Detox Guide appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

How to Meal Prep: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Time and Eating Healthy

Luke Jones — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 20:31:04 +0000

SUMMARY

Are you interested in meal prepping, but clueless as to what it’s all about? Here are five simple steps to meal prepping for beginners.

People that succeed with healthy eating and see long-term results usually have one crucial thing in common: They know a thing or two about how to meal prep.

It’s a ritual they’ve ingrained into their everyday life, allowing them to put their diet on autopilot (and enjoy an extra serving of leisure time instead).

You might be sitting wondering:

“Meal prep sounds like a great idea, but it seems so complicated and scary”.

Whether you’re a seasoned healthy eater or you’re just getting started, don’t fear… You can also make it even easier, check out our ready-to-eat meal plans. Delivered.

If you’re ready to make it yourself, we’ve put together an in-depth meal prep guide. It has everything you could possibly need to know about prepping healthy meals and seeing sustainable results with your diet. From which containers work best to all the delicious recipe options you could hope for – we’ve got you covered.

Let’s dive in…

All you need to do is follow along below five simple steps, and you can enjoy delicious, nutritious meals whenever you like.

The Big Benefits of Meal Prep

The Different Levels to Meal Prepping

5 Steps to Successful Meal Prepping

Meal Prep FAQs

INFOGRAPHIC

Beginner's Guide to Meal Prepping

Are you new to meal prepping? Do you want to learn the best way to prep your meals for the week? Learn how to meal prep efficiently in five simple steps.

The Big Benefits of Meal Prep

Before we look at exactly how to get started with your meal prep journey, let’s take a quick glance at some of the amazing benefits it has to offer (some of which might surprise you).

“When you prep your food with the intention of maximum health benefits, you’re going to be eating a solid meal every time.”

– Mike Israetel, Ph.D., U.S. Olympic Sports Nutrition Consultant

The Top 4 Meal Prep Benefits

Save 9 Days A Year. On average, Americans who cook at home spend 7 hours plus on food prep and cleanup each week – equivalent to more than 2 solid weeks of the year (15.8 days) just in the kitchen! Seasoned meal preppers, on the other hand, can batch cook a week’s worth of meals in one speedy 1-4 hour block (this lady took just 30 minutes). Using a conservative figure of 3 hours still leaves you with more than 9 extra days every year to fill doing things you love!
Make Healthier Choices. The Harvard School of Public Health concluded that meal prep can “help with weight control [and] contribute to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet”. The simple truth is that by creating meals from scratch, you have complete control over what goes into your body. And because everything is pre-made, the temptation to buy unhealthy snacks or resort to Uber Eats is no longer an issue…
Supercharge Your Productivity. Innovative leaders like Steve Jobs and Einstein were known for wearing the same outfits every day. Why? It’s all about eliminating decision fatigue. By minimizing the number of decisions in your day, you have more time and energy to be productive. Likewise with your meal prep. You no longer have to worry about what you’re going to eat multiple times a day – freeing your mind and skyrocketing your productivity. And by always having healthy meals on hand, distracting hunger pangs and pesky brain fog are no longer on your radar either. Win-win.
Save $215,000 (+Reduce Waste by 62%). Waste is a growing problem worldwide, so anything we can do to reduce our footprint is great news. By planning your meals, you buy only the ingredients you absolutely need. Not only does this mean way less food wasted at the end of the week (up to 62%), it also results in a whole lot of money saved too. For the average American, meal prepping could potentially add an extra $215,000 to their retirement fund. Not bad for a little bit of forward thinking.

The Different Levels to Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is a fine art, and there are many ways to skin the orange. The two main methods include:

Option 1 – The Partial Meal Prep

As the name suggests, partial meal prep means you prepare most of your meal beforehand, but it still leaves you with a little work to do before it’s complete.

So you might cook up a big batch of grains or a wholesome salad that you can dip into and transform into a variety of culinary masterpieces as you see fit.

The big benefits?

Partial prep doesn’t take a big chunk of time to get started with, and it gives you a little more room for creativity when it comes to meal times.

The downside is that it requires a little more time and effort in the moment to complete your meal before you can tuck in.

Option 2 – Fully Cooked Meal Prep

If you go the whole way and prep your entire meals, the big plus point is that there are no steps required prior to cooking. You can just heat and eat whenever you feel, and you’re good to go.

Sure, you need to set aside a bigger chunk of time initially. However, in the grand scheme of things, you’re cutting down your total time in the kitchen.

In terms of what you actually eat:

These could be homemade meals you’ve already portioned out yourself, or ones bought and stored in bulk. It’s a great option if you’re looking to maximize the amount of time saved and minimize the number of decisions you need to make in a day.

5 Steps to Successful Meal Prepping

Learn how to meal prep like a pro in five easy steps.

Step 1 – Plan Your Prep

*for fully cooked individual meal prep

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

– Alexander Graham Bell

As with many things in life, a little planning with your meal prep can go a long way.

Not only does it make things easier for you in the kitchen, but meal planning has even been linked to improved health. A 2017 study showed that thinking ahead when it comes to your nutrition is associated with better food quality and variety, and lower incidences of obesity.

So what are the main things to consider when doing just that?

First up – choose when you’d like to cook your meals

It may sound like a trivial step, but it’s probably one of the most important.

Here’s the thing:

Our guess is that you’re already super busy. Juggling work, family commitments, school, household chores – let alone finding the time to do something for you…

One of the biggest reasons why people struggle to make lasting changes to their diet isn’t because they lack willpower – it’s because of the method.

Preparing meals from scratch day in day out becomes another daunting task to add to the infinitely long to-do list.

The great thing with meal prep is that it only takes a chunk of time once or twice out of your week. You can pick whenever suits you best!

Many people have success making their meals on a Sunday afternoon (#SundayMealPrep) and maybe topping up the stock on a midweek evening.

Why do Sundays work so well?

For most people, it’s the day we’re most likely to be able to create a block of free time. Prepping on a Sunday also means you’re set for the start of the workweek. It’s the perfect way to kick things off on the right foot and build a healthy dose of momentum to carry you through.

That being said, the most important thing is to find a time that works for you and to put it into the calendar. If you can make it a priority, it’s more likely to stick as a habit, and you’re going to start seeing those lasting results.

Secondly – decide how many meals or days you want to cook for

Ultimately this is going to depend on your lifestyle and personal preferences.

If you’re a meal prep beginner, it may be wise to start with just one meal for the whole week. There’s no use in biting off more than you can chew and getting overwhelmed right off the bat.

So you could set aside a few hours Sunday afternoon to prepare one of the delicious recipes linked below, and have that for lunch every day throughout the following week. Easy-peasy.

When you’re comfortable preparing one meal, you could then progress (at your own pace) to making two or three meals at a time. It’s important to note that you might not get it spot-on the first time around, but don’t let that deter you!

If you find yourself struggling, take a step back, revisit these steps, and keep trying your best.

Before you know it, you’ll be a meal prepping wizard. Your fridge will be stacked with delicious, nutritious meals, on hand whenever you need.

Last but not least – do you have everything you need to start meal prepping?

Cooking at home doesn’t mean you need a Michelin star esq kitchen. However, a few basic utensils and ingredients can make your meal prep much easier:

Kitchen + Cooking Basics

Heat: stove, oven, microwave, toaster oven, rice cooker
Pots/pans
Baking sheets
Knife
Cutting board
Spatula
Food thermometer
Foil
Measuring Cups (for dry and liquids)
Measuring spoons
Containers (more on this in step 2)

Pantry + Grocery Basics

Protein sources: Lentils, beans (such as black, kidney, and pinto), tempeh, tofu, nuts, seeds, wild salmon, sardines, grass fed beef, free range chicken, eggs.
Grains/starchy vegetables: Buckwheat, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, plantain, corn.
Non-starchy vegetables: Spinach, leafy greens, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage, artichokes, peppers, garlic, ginger, eggplant, carrots.
Vegetable oil/unsaturated oil: Olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, coconut oil.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, dried herbs + spices

SUMMARY

Step 1: Plan Your Meal Prep

A) Pick a day to meal prep. Sundays work well for most people.
B) Decide how many meals you need for the week.
C) Get your kitchen ready for meal prepping. Do you have basic kitchen tools and grocery items?

Step 2 – Choose Your Meal Prep Containers

Whether you’re looking to enjoy your meals at home or eat them on the go, your container choice is super important to think about.

Why?

There are a few crucial factors that are easy to overlook when it comes to picking the perfect vessel for storing your meal. It may sound trivial, but your container choice could make or break your meal prep journey, so listen in for the lowdown…

How to choose the perfect meal prep containers:

Will your meals be hot or cold?

Glass containers: If you’re looking to reheat your meals in the oven, glass containers would be the best way to go. They’re super sturdy and respond to heating well.

Glass or BPA-free plastic containers: If you’re more likely to use the microwave, glass or BPA-free plastic containers are your best bet.

“Why BPA free?” you ask.

The pesky chemical used in certain plastics has been shown in research to leach into foods and drinks – potentially impacting the brain, prostate and blood pressure.

Not ideal…

Metal containers: If you want to eat your meals cold and skip the reheat altogether, metal meal prep containers are a reliable option (as well as glass and plastic).

However, it’s important to remember that most metals are not safe for reheating in the microwave.

The metal reflects the electromagnetic waves away from the food, resulting in uneven heating, damage to the oven and potentially even a fire hazard!

Bonus pro tip for cold foods:

Glass mason jar containers: If you really want to look like you know what you’re doing, glass mason jars make for super Instagrammable salads and breakfast pots. #INSTAFood

Container size matters…

As you’ve likely noticed, meal prep containers come in all shapes and sizes. The most important factor here is to find a container that’s right for you and your current goals.

The Goldilocks principle is what we’re shooting for:

Not something that’s so small you’re likely to undereat, but not so large you’re going to fill it up and eat more than you need. Find that sweet spot in between.

For many people, meal prep containers that are 6-9 inches long by 6-9 inches wide, and 2-3 inches deep typically work the best.

Travel-friendly containers?

If you know you’re going to be traveling to and from work or school or wherever it is your adventures take you, make sure your containers are secure.

That means a tight clip lid to prevent any leakage. You might even want to use extra padding around the vessel if it’s likely to get bashed around.

The last thing you want to discover on your lunch break is that the lentil stew you spent hours slaving over on the weekend is now decorating the inside of your backpack…

Meal prep containers we like

With all of the above in mind, here are a few meal prep container options that work well:

SUMMARY

Step 2: Choose Your Containers

A) Container size: 6-9 inches long, 6-9 inches wide, 2-3 inches deep. You may also need smaller pots for sauces, snacks + sides.
B) Glass and metal containers are usually oven-safe. Never microwave metal!
C) Plastic containers are travel-safe and can often be microwaved (go for BPA free).

Step 3 – Picture Your Portions

Now that you have chosen your containers, portioning your food will come easily. Thinking about portion sizes before cooking is a crucial step in creating nutritionally balanced meals. It also makes it easier to see exactly what you need to shop for. This means less food waste at the end of the week – saving you money and helping out the planet.

The Breakdown – The Easy Way!

On an average day, health professionals recommend 45-65% of calories to come from carbohydrates, 20-35% from fat, and 10-35% from protein. Portioning out your meals can help achieve that breakdown, but put the calculator away! Simply looking at your container will give you an idea of how to puzzle together a balanced meal.

For a lunch or dinner meal:

As a general rule of thumb, about a quarter of your container would be filled with protein, another quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables, and the remaining half with non-starchy vegetables or salad greens. Take a look at the infographic below to see what we are talking about:

You can also use your hand as a reference. If using meat, fish or poultry for protein, a good portion would be around the size of your palm. For grains or starchy vegetables, aim for a portion the size of your fist. Non-starchy vegetables and leafy greens tend to be packed with vitamins and minerals but low in total calories. Feel free to fill the rest of your container with as much as you’d like.

Healthy fats can be incorporated into the meal through the use of oils during cooking or in salad dressings. Other great sources include oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds.

When it comes to breakfast:

Some people enjoy eating a lunch-like meal, but many lean towards smaller portions. Unless intermittent fasting is a part of your nutrition practice, it’s a good idea to prioritize a healthy breakfast. This will help you maintain a stable appetite and energy levels throughout the day.

Again, make sure to incorporate good sources of protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs to keep you fuller longer. Check out our breakfast recipes later in the guide for some inspiration!

SUMMARY

Step 3: Picture Your Portions

A) A typical lunch or dinner meal will include: ¼ Protein source, ¼ Carbohydrate source, ½ Non-starchy veg/salad.
B) Healthy fats can be incorporated within the non-starchy veg portion of the meal.

Step 4 – Choose Your Recipes and Get Cooking!

Time for the fun part…

With the groundwork set and the planning complete, you’re now ready to choose your recipes and get cooking!

Use the portions outlined in step 3 to craft your own amazing recipes, and get your chef on!

Protein Recipes

Non-Starchy Vegetable Recipes

Whole Grain/Starchy Vegetable Recipes

Meal Prep Roasting Basics

If it’s not already, your oven is about to become one of your best buddies.

When it comes to meal prep, roasting is a super convenient way to batch cook ingredients with minimal effort required. All you need to do is slice, dice, season and relax.

If you want to get creative and play around with your own seasonings and roasting recipes, follow this chart from the Food Safety guys at for some inspiration.

And remember:

Safety first!

Different foods cook best at different temperatures, so make sure you’re following recipe instructions and food safety guidelines to ensure your food is not only delicious, but also free from harmful bacteria.

SUMMARY

Step 4 – Choose Your Recipes
A) Craft your own delicious recipes by mixing and matching protein, non-starchy veg and starchy veg/whole grains.
B) Add in healthy fats and natural seasonings (herbs and spices) to taste.
C) Roasting is a super convenient way to bulk cook ingredients.

Step 5 – Pack and Store

With your mouth watering meals prepared, now it’s time to pack them away so they’re ready to consume whenever you need them.

A few storage basics:

Portion. Start by evenly portioning out your meals into your containers of choice. Measuring each time using a weighing scales can help you be more accurate with portion sizes, but it’s totally optional.
Organize. Store those containers in the fridge or freezer (within two hours) to help prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria. Bonus points for organizing your meals for each day of the week.
Enjoy. When you’re ready to eat, reheat your nutritious meal to the correct temperature (defrosting if needed) and tuck in!
Be Safe. If you’re unsure how long a certain food will keep after refrigeration, refer to the chart provided by the Food Safety Administration

SUMMARY

Step 5 – Pack and Store
A) Evenly portion out meals into containers and store them in the fridge or freezer.
B) Pack away within 2 hours of cooking to minimize the risk of harmful bacteria growth.
C) Refer to the Food Safety Administration guidelines on storage times for various foods.

Meal Prep FAQs

You ask, we deliver.

There’s a lot of information in this beginner’s meal prep guide, and we’re not expecting you to take it all in first time.

So with that in mind, here are some of the most common questions and struggles we see related to meal prepping, and how to conquer them:

Meal prep seems overwhelming… How can I make sure I stay on track?

Start slow and follow along with a process (download our free PDF checklist as a reminder). Once you get over that initial adjustment period of making the change, meal prep will quickly become an ingrained part of your lifestyle. You’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner!

How do I avoid getting bored of the same old meals?

Using exactly the same ingredients for your week’s worth of meals is convenient, but it’s not necessarily the most inspiring way to go. Keep things fresh and exciting by experimenting with different flavor profiles. Use herbs and spices to dip into cuisines from all around the world.

What’s the difference between meal prep and meal delivery?

With meal prep, you set aside time once or twice to prepare your own meals. With a meal prep delivery service, you get to choose your pre-packaged meals, but with the added bonus of not having to plan them, shop for ingredients or do any prep.

How long does it typically take to meal prep?

This depends on how many meals you’re making at a time and how complicated each recipe is. Anywhere between 30 minutes to 4 hours seems to be standard for a week’s worth of meals.

Do I need to count calories?

Not necessarily. Some people looking to achieve certain body composition or weight loss goals can benefit from measuring their food and measuring their calorie intake. However, it’s not an absolute requirement to make meal prep work!

Is meal prep suitable for my diet?

Yes. Plant-based, Vegetarian, Paleo, Atkins, Keto, Whole30, Flexitarian, Gluten-Free – the great thing about meal prep is it can be tweaked to meet any dietary requirements you can think of.

How do I store meal prep and how long do they last in the fridge?

We recommend storing your prepped meals in BPA-free and microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe containers in the refrigerator for up to a week. Storing them in the freezer can extend shelf life for much longer. Follow this refrigerator and freezer guide by the Food Safety Administration for specifics.

How do I freeze meal prep?

Store your meals in freezer safe, airtight containers for optimal freshness. It is best to store each meal separately so that you are only thawing and reheating what you need when it is time to eat. Follow this refrigerator and freezer guide by the Food Safety Administration as a reference for storage times.

Where can I buy meal prep containers?

Meal prep containers can be found in the food storage section at a variety of department/grocery stores, such as Target or Walmart. You can also purchase them online on sites such as Amazon.

How many days can I meal prep for?

This number is completely up to you! Many individuals who work during the week prefer to prepare their meals on a Sunday to enjoy for the next 5 days. If you are looking to meal prep for more than 5 days, you can store your meals in the freezer to extend shelf life. Keep in mind that certain meals, such as salads, will not taste as good once frozen.

Why do people meal prep and is it worth it?

People meal prep for a variety of reasons. Many do it to help them save time during the week, eat a more balanced diet, or save money. It is totally worth it if you eat and enjoy the meals you prep!

Is meal prep safe?

As long as you are safe in the kitchen and store your meals properly, meal prepping is safe. Follow these Food Safety Tips by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for how to meal prep safely and avoid food-borne illnesses.

How do I cook rice and how much should I cook for meal prep?

This depends on how many meals you are prepping for. As a rule of thumb, one cup of uncooked white rice yields 3 cups cooked. One cup of uncooked brown rice yields 2 cups cooked. If you are prepping 5 meals, we recommend cooking 2 ½ cups of brown rice. You then end up with 5 cups (1 cup for each meal). Follow this Stove-top Rice recipe if you want to learn how to cook rice and don’t own a rice cooker!

How do I grocery shop for meal prep?

Grocery shopping for meal prep requires some planning. You need to get familiar with how much food you need, and what recipes you will be following before you shop. Follow our 5 step meal prep guide to streamline the process, and check out our “Pantry + Grocery Basics” list for grocery-cart worthy items!

Is a meal prep service worth it?

If you want the benefits of meal prep without any of the work, then a meal prep service may be worth it. Make sure you look for one that provides healthy, balanced meals that come in convenient packaging. Feel free to check out our meal delivery service – it’s what we live for!

Ready… Steady… Cook!

There you have it:

Everything you could possibly need to know about how to meal prep successfully and develop lasting, healthy eating habits – for yourself, and your family.

The remaining step is the most important one:

Putting the ideas we’ve talked about in this meal prep guide into action.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember to start small and move forward at your own pace.

If you can persevere and get over that initial hurdle, meal prepping will become a habit for life. One that will support you and allow you to stay on track with your health goals through thick and thin!

The post How to Meal Prep: The Ultimate Guide to Saving Time and Eating Healthy appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

Best Foods to Eat Before a Photoshoot

Luke Jones — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 06:47:49 +0000

SUMMARY

About to spend some time in front of the camera? Here are some tips to eliminate bloating, combat water retention, and correctly control your carb intake so you can look as lean as possible during your photo shoot.

It’s nearly time.

You’ve been training hard for months on end and measuring every morsel of food you put into your body.

Finally, your consistent effort and discipline have paid off, and you’re being rewarded with the opportunity of starring in a photoshoot.

Great job, but your work isn’t quite over yet…

The week prior to your shoot is arguably one of the most important phases when it comes to looking as lean and healthy as possible on your big day. Today, that’s exactly what we’re going to explore:

How to maximize your time and fuel your physique leading up to the event (and the most common mistakes to avoid).

Keep in mind:

If you’re a newcomer to the workout world looking to get in shape, this guide isn’t about gaining a six pack in a week or unveiling the secret to overnight weight loss…

By all means, read on and experiment with caution, but note this is really designed to help seasoned gym-goers and bodybuilders build upon their years of experience. It’s the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

It’s also important to keep in mind that everybody is different, and whilst this guide contains ideas from both decorated physique athletes and experienced researchers, there’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution. Experiment, adjust and find your sweet spot.

With that all cleared up, let’s dig in!

In this guide you’ll learn:

The best ways to eliminate bloating prior to your shoot (for washboard abs).
Why water retention could be your biggest enemy (and how to beat it).
How to correctly control your carb intake to look as lean as possible.
A step-by-step nutrition guide for hitting your peak on the big day.

3 Steps For Being Shredded for Your Photoshoot

Step 1: Beat The Bloat

Ah, the dreaded belly bloat…

This troublesome buildup of gas is often caused by swallowing too much air or results as a byproduct of gut bacteria digesting certain foods.

By keeping bloating at bay, you’ll not only feel much more comfortable on your shoot, but it’ll also help your stomach appear more slim and toned. Win-win!

Four Top Tactics for Banishing Bloating:

1/ Eat Anti-Bloat Foods

Some of the best foods for keeping bloating at bay include:

Ginger – A powerful anti-inflammatory, this ancient root contains digestive enzymes that help the body break down protein easily.
Fennel – Has a natural diuretic effect (more on this later) which helps to remove excess water (and gas).
Lemons – The acidity of lemons is similar to the pH found in the gut – one of the reasons many believe it aids in digestion.
Avocados – As if you needed an excuse? Avos are rich in potassium, which again helps to release excess water.
Papaya – Contains the enzyme papain that helps break down food and smoothe out digestion.

2/ Limit Stress

Stress is a BIG driver of digestive discomfort and bloating for many people. Your nerves are bound to be a little elevated in anticipation of your big day, but tactics such as box breathing, meditation and journaling can help keep things under control.

A 2001 study of IBS patients showed that 6 weeks of meditation training significantly reduced digestive symptoms, even after a three-month follow-up.

Slowing down when you eat and chewing your food thoroughly may also reduce the risk of bloating, as it gives your body a better chance of digesting your meals properly.

3/ Consider Supplementing

For some, digestive enzyme supplements can reduce bloating by helping to break down indigestible carbohydrates and proteins when taken prior to a meal.

Probiotics or ‘friendly bacteria’ are also worth experimenting with, as they’ve been shown in studies to help reduce gas and bloating. You can get them in supplement form, but also via fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and kombucha.

4/ Keep Things Moving

Constipation can sometimes be a cause of belly bloating. While fiber is often recommended to help things along, for some people this can make things worse, so it’s wise to tread carefully.

If health conditions are ruled out by your doctor, light movement, adequate water intake and keeping a handle on stress can all potentially help out.

Foods to Avoid That Often Cause Bloating

As well as making a few lifestyle modifications, you can also reduce bloating before your shoot by limiting these common food culprits:

SWAP THIS	FOR THAT
Legumes – beans, lentils, peanuts	Soaked beans, fermented tempeh, seafood
Wholegrains – wheat, rye, spelt, quinoa	Rice, starch, maize, potato, tapioca
Dairy – milk, cheese, butter	Rice or soy milk
Certain veg – onions, garlic, cauliflower	Lettuce, courgette, cucumber, herbs, and spices
High fructose fruits – apples, pears, mango, figs, ripe bananas	Dark berries, unripe bananas, orange, grapes

You’ve no doubt noticed:

Many of the foods on the list above are actually nutritious. In most cases, they’re totally fine to eat, and they actually contain a bunch of important vitamins and minerals. But if you’re prone to stress or gut discomfort, you might want to avoid them during the few days leading up to your photoshoot.

Why?

Excess fiber can sometimes be the bloating trigger for some people, as can FODMAPs – fermentable carbohydrates found in many grains, lentils, cruciferous veg, and sweet fruits.

Under normal conditions, a healthy gut doesn’t seem to have any problems with these foods, but people with more sensitive tummies or issues such as IBS or IBD may find they flare up (particularly during potentially stressful times, like prepping for a shoot).

Gluten and dairy can also be problematic, as they’re both common allergens. Alternatives to both may be worth experimenting with both during the buildup to your day and in your everyday diet.

Further resources:

Step 2: Minimize Water Retention

Along similar lines to reducing bloating, minimizing water retention is another effective way to slim down and make your muscles look more defined pre-shoot.

What we’re essentially looking to do is reduce or eliminate subcutaneous water (the water held just under the skin). In doing so, the skin appears tighter, and muscles tend to have more of a ‘pop’.

Four Ways to Cut Water Retention

1/ Take Natural Diuretics

Natural diuretics help to reduce the amount of water your body holds onto. Some of the most effective include:

Fresh ginger
Lemon and lime
Mint
Dandelion root
Tea and coffee

As we touched on earlier, some of the above may also be effective in helping you to beat the bloat too. Win-win.

2/ Manipulate Your Water Intake

Drinking more water at the beginning of the week causes your body to fall into the habit of excreting water at a higher rate (since your body is trying to stay in balance). When you then reduce your consumption towards the end of the week, your body dumps a larger amount in a short period of time (since it’s still used to disposing of the water at a higher rate).

A word of warning:

If you plan on experimenting with your body’s water content, do so with caution. Too much water can cause cells to swell too much. This is especially dangerous if it happens to brain cells, which can be life-threatening.

Common symptoms to watch out for include: headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, and cramping.

On average, a healthy kidney can eliminate about 5.3-7.4 gallons (20-28 liters) of water/day; 27-33 oz (0.8-1.0 liters or 3-4 cups) per hour. With that in mind, you should never drink more than 27-33 ounces (0.8-1.0 liters) of water per hour.

3/ Reduce Your Salt Consumption

Excess sodium is one of the main causes of subcutaneous water buildup. As sodium holds onto water, it builds up and can make the skin appear puffy. By limiting processed foods and added salt, you’ll hold onto less liquid and look leaner.

Some of the biggest culprits when it comes to salt content:

Chips and snacks
Fast food and takeout
Canned goods
Cold cuts and deli meat
Pickled veggies

4/ Get a Sweat On

Whether it’s through exercise or cooking away in a sauna, sweating is a natural way to remove excess water (and potentially toxins) from the body.

Light exercise at the start of the week is also a great way to deplete muscle glycogen levels, which brings us to…

Step 3: Control Your Carbs

When you eat carbs, they are either used right away as an energy source or they get stored for later in the liver and muscles as glycogen. When those two tanks get filled up, any excess carbs are stored as body fat.

When it comes to photoshoots and physique competitions:

It’s widely believed that if you temporarily restrict your carbohydrate intake (which depletes your muscle glycogen), your muscles will start craving more glycogen. When you then decide to eat carbs again, your muscles will store more glycogen than normal, making them appear larger.

It’s an old-school technique typically used by bodybuilders, but also has some science behind it too:

A study in the 60s by Swedish researcher Dr. Bergstrom suggested that restricting carbs over a 3 day period whilst exercising reduced glycogen stores down to less than a third of normal values. The interesting part is that during the carb refeed, higher than normal levels of glycogen were observed.

Timing seems to be super important for this to work correctly.

As a general rule of thumb:

You want to eat small amounts of carbs at the beginning of the week prior to your shoot, and carb load towards the end.

Low Carb Recipes:

The Step By Step Guide to Peaking For Your Photoshoot

Leaning Out Prior to Peak Week

During peak week, the goal is to put the finishing touches on and enhance muscles before you get into the spotlight, but as we touched on earlier, it’s not the miracle cure.

Before you focus on your peak week diet, it’s important to make sure you already have a balanced regime in place, and you’re close to your ideal body composition for the tasks ahead. You might choose to calculate it yourself or consult an experienced sports dietitian/health coach.

Most people usually start off by figuring out how many calories they need and then break them down into macronutrients. This should all ideally be estimated with your bodyweight, height, body fat and activity levels in mind.

Here is a calculator that can give you a good estimate.

After you find a calorie range that fits in with your fitness goals, you can then begin to break down the macros. Thankfully, the smart guys with lab coats on have already done it for us.

An example breakdown from a 2014 study for someone prepping for a bodybuilding contest (or photoshoot) looks like this:

Diet Component	Recommendation
Protein (g/kg of LBM)	2.3-3.1
Fat (% of total calories)	15-30%
Carbohydrate (% of total calories)	remaining
Weekly weight loss (% of body weight)	0.5-1%

Keep in mind:

These macros are primarily designed for aesthetic purposes – to help you lose body fat and maintain muscle mass. From a health and longevity standpoint, focussing on the quality of your food over the quantity is from my experience a more sustainable, long-term strategy.

A Peek Into the Peak Week Schedule

Now we’re onto the final stretch. The last piece of the puzzle. Bear in mind that what follows is a short-term solution for enhancing the way your body looks – it’s by no means a healthy practice to maintain over the long-term.

As well as limiting sodium, managing bloating and cutting out processed foods, below you’ll find a sample plan for manipulating your macronutrient intake in the week prior to your photoshoot.

Since some of these recommendations depend on your usual intake, take the below with a pinch of salt (but not too much). It’s meant to be used as a guide that you can experiment with and tweak based on your specific needs and goals.

The best piece of advice I can give before you continue:

If possible, give it a trial run. Ideally, you don’t want the first time you try your peak week to be during your actual peak week. Have a play around a few weeks or months out from your shoot or show, and you’ll have a better idea of what works for you.

6-3 Days Before Photoshoot

Fluids: drink up to 1.5-2 gallons water/day.
Carbs: ½ normal carb intake.
Lean protein: remains the same as usual.
Fats: adjust to make up for calories lost from carbs.

Remember – it’s during these initial three days that you want to begin drinking more water than normal so that your body gets used to excreting more.

You also want to deplete your carbohydrate intake so that your muscles start craving carbs. The amount may vary per person, but a good rule of thumb is ½ of your normal carb intake. So if you usually eat 150g per day, chop it down to 75g and increase your calories from healthy fat sources to make up for lost calories.

2 Days Before Photoshoot

Fluids: drink ½ gallon for the day.
Carbs: 2x normal carb intake.
Lean protein: remains the same as usual.
Fats: reduce to make up for calories gained from carbs.

Now that your muscle glycogen is depleted, it’s time to begin carb loading. Many people do best with moderate-fiber starchy foods such as oats, potatoes, yams, and unripe bananas. These carbs are easy to digest and get stored quicker into your muscles compared to high-fiber carbs (and are less likely to cause bloating).

As you increase your carb intake, your muscles should soak up the glycogen, adding more volume and shape to your gains. At this time, you’ll also want to slow down on the water to trigger the release of subcutaneous water.

1 Day Before Photoshoot

Fluids: drink ¼ gallon water for the day.
Carbs: make small adjustments if needed.
Protein: lean protein remains the same as usual.
Fats: adjust to make up for calories from carbs.

A day before the event, it’s time to cut your water intake further. Again, proceed with caution and listen to your body.

With regards to carbohydrate intake, play it by ear. If your muscles look full, but the definition is blurry, it’s generally advised that you go back to your normal carbohydrate intake. If you’re still not filling out as much as you’d like, you may want to continue with a high carb count.

Aside from food, it’s also important to pay close attention to your mental health. Prepping takes a lot of effort and can be super stressful. Practice visualization and breathing to channel that nervous energy, and don’t be afraid to talk to someone if you’re starting to freak out!

Day of the Photoshoot

Sip water throughout the day, but ideally no more than 1-2 cups. This will help keep your body from storing water under the skin. Just remember to be smart about it and sip water if you feel too dehydrated.

If you want to eat before the shoot, go for a combination of moderate-fiber carbohydrates, along with some lean protein and healthy fat.

Something along the lines of:

20-30g protein
40-100g carbs
15-30g fat
800-2000mg sodium

Over to you!

There we have it – your ultimate guide to meals before a photoshoot. You now have all the tips and tricks you need to lean out and look as ripped as possible on your big day.

All that’s left for you to do is for you to get out there and put things into action!

After all your hard work, remember to refuel and give yourself the right rest and recovery you need. It’s not often talked about, but preparing for a shoot or a contest places a fair amount of stress on the body and the mind.

So enjoy the process, learn from the experience, and come back even stronger next time.

The post Best Foods to Eat Before a Photoshoot appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.