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. 

Many of us grew up eating Oreos as kids, breaking apart the creamy middle from one half of the cookie and dunking it into a tall glass of milk.

Little did we know that these favorite childhood treats contain no animal products.

Are Oreos really vegan?

Oreo cookies do not contain any animal-derived ingredients and are safe to eat for vegans. If you have a dairy allergy, keep in mind that Oreos have milk as cross-contact.

Oreo ingredients

The ingredients listed on the Oreos packaging are: unbleached enriched flour, sugar, palm and/or canola oil, cocoa, high fructose corn syrup, leavening, corn starch, salt, soy lecithin, vanillin, and unsweetened chocolate.

There is no mention of dairy or eggs, yet the Oreo company itself says they do not consider the cookie “suitable for vegans” on the FAQ page: “Oreos have milk as cross-contact and therefore are not suitable for vegans.”

Oreos were not always vegan

In the past, Oreos definitely weren’t vegan. In the early twentieth century, they were made with lard (pig fat). It was only in the mid-1990s, over concerns about the healthfulness of animal fat, that Nabisco, Oreo’s parent company, decided to replace lard with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. That change lasted another decade until further health concerns. So in January 2006, under pressure from the public, Oreo replaced the trans fat in the biscuits with non-hydrogenated oils. Still, the recipe included whey protein, which is derived from dairy, until 2013 in the UK and 2014 in the US. When that ingredient was removed, the cookies finally became animal-free.

Can vegans eat Oreos?

Given that most products are made in facilities that contain animal products, does a trace amount of milk make something definitively not vegan?

For an answer, we turn to PETA, the organization many would consider the authority on what counts as vegan. They have a whole statement about foods containing small amounts of animal products with a sticky note that reads “Don’t worry”. The statement reads:

“Some packaged foods have a long list of ingredients. The farther an ingredient is down the list, the less of that ingredient is in the food. People who have made the compassionate decision to stop eating animal flesh, eggs, and dairy products may wonder if they need to read every ingredient to check for tiny amounts of obscure animal products. Our general advice is not to worry too much…The goal of sticking to a vegetarian or vegan diet is to help animals and reduce suffering; this is done by choosing a bean burrito or a veggie burger over chicken flesh, or choosing tofu scramble over eggs, not by refusing to eat an otherwise vegan food because it has 0.001 grams of monoglycerides that may possibly be animal-derived.”

“Our general advice is not to worry too much…The goal of sticking to a vegetarian or vegan diet is to help animals and reduce suffering.”

— PETA.

Indeed, PETA complies a whole list of “Accidentally Vegan” foods, which contains such items as Life Original Cereal, Lay’s Barbecue Potato Chips, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, Aunt Jemima Pancake/Waffle Mix, and Old El Paso Fajita Dinner Kit.

Related: Most popular vegan snacks

Now that we have determined that Oreos are technically vegan, should you be eating them?

Unfortunately, the fact that Oreos are vegan is more a testament to the ingenuity of fast food producers than any moral or health claims. None of the ingredients found in an Oreo cookie are whole, real foods. Like other processed foods, Oreos contain many genetically engineered and harmful ingredients, including high fructose corn syrup, an omnipresent sweetener, and soy lecithin, an emulsifier extracted from soybeans. While both of these ingredients are derived originally from plants, they are a far cry from healthfulness. Indeed, Oreos are a perfect example of that fact that just because something is vegan does not make it healthy.

Nor does it make it ethical in a broader sense than solely animal welfare. One of the main ingredients is palm oil, which is not only a processed food that is bad for our health, but is also disastrous for the environment. The vast majority of palm oil produced today is grown unsustainably in developing countries where large swaths of tropical forests have been cleared to make room for palm oil plantations. Given that it’s cheaper to produce palm oil than animal fat, this ingredient has become almost ubiquitous in processed food today.

So, while you should consider Oreos vegan, you should not consider them healthy, nor necessarily ethical. At Fresh n’ Lean, we believe in more than providing you with vegan meals, but also providing you home-cooked wholesome goodness made of real plants from the earth, rather than processed foods. That being said, you can still eat Oreo cookies on occasion, and consider it a nostalgic indulgence.

Just make sure to dunk it in a glass of plant-based milk.

What makes a product vegan?

Veganism goes a step beyond vegetarianism. Whereas vegetarians avoid eating meat, vegans try to avoid all animal product consumption. This includes dairy, honey, and eggs.

Things get a bit more complicated when you ask different vegans whether this product or that product counts. For example, some people are just dietary vegans and they’re fine with animal products as long as they aren’t eating them. Others are lifestyle vegans and try to avoid animal products that include fur and leather.

There’s also the question of what constitutes an animal. For example, B12 comes from meat, hemp seeds, and bacteria. Some vegans feel that the bacteria produced B12 found in supplements goes against their style of veganism while others do not. Additionally, insulin is made from yeast and other bacteria.

Some people would say that taking insulin is non-vegan-friendly whereas others say that exceptions have to be made in specific medical situations.

Others go as far as to say that certain plants are not vegan-friendly because they harm more animals than other plants. Palm oil, found in Oreos, is an example of this. Although palm oil comes from palm trees, many vegans feel like they should avoid this ingredient because it has a very negative impact on the environment and hurts animals who depend on palm trees in their ecosystem.

So although all vegans agree that veganism is about avoiding animal products, it’s clear that vegans draw the line differently one from another.

With Fresh n’ Lean, you don’t have to worry if your food is vegan

No matter where you fall on the great Oreo debate, there is one thing we should all be able to agree on. Being vegan can be hard sometimes and questions like, “Are Oreos vegan,” just add unnecessary complications to breakfast, lunch, and dinner that don’t need to be there. Fresh n’ Lean can take away all of that and make eating simple again.

Our Fresh n’ Lean chefs make amazing meals out of in-season ingredients that are suitable for vegans of all stripes and standards. Our vegan meal delivery service has been a real blessing to those who are trying to keep vegan while not spending all of their spare time planning their next meal. Our food is organic, in-season, healthy, and vegan, basically it’s everything you need and nothing that you’re trying to avoid.

Forget about the Oreos and check out our menu instead to see if going vegan with Fresh n’ Lean is the right choice for you.

The post Are Oreos Vegan? appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

Wondering how you can have a beach-ready body all year round? The tips for maintaining a flat stomach include eating more plant-based foods and reducing your oil intake.

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. 

Whether they admit it or not, most people would prefer to have a flat stomach.

These desires are not entirely vain — research suggests that where you store fat on your body is indicative of health, and that belly fat is the worst kind. Research has shown that weight gain specifically around your middle section is often visceral fat, the type of fat that encases internal organs. The more fat you have in your midsection, the higher your likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A more recent study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that having a “spare tire” around your middle is even worse for women’s heart health than men’s. Researchers followed 500,000 people between 40 and 69 for seven years in the UK, and found that women who carried more weight around their middle (measured by waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or waist-to-height ratio) had a 10–20% greater risk of heart attack than women who were just heavier overall.

So how do you lose weight specifically around your middle, especially if you’re genetically programmed to gain weight there (an “apple” rather than a “pear” body shape?). Unfortunately, most of the advice people (and women in particular) get just tells them to lose weight by restricting calories and increasing their level of exercise.

This might work in the short term to drop pounds before bikini season or a wedding, but it is not sustainable over the long term. Eventually, the weight creeps back up. Not to mention, you will be miserable in the process. The best way to a flatter tummy is to take a systemic, lifestyle approach. By making small behavioral modifications, you can lose weight from your stomach as a side effect of better health.

There are no gimmicky steps here, but they will lead to lasting, true results.

1. Eat (mostly) whole unprocessed plants.

If you are a Fresh n’ Lean meal delivery subscriber, this one comes as no shock to you. Whether they advocate for an entirely plant-based diet or not, virtually every nutritionist and doctor will agree that you cannot go wrong with filling your plate with whole, unprocessed plants in their natural state. When you choose what kinds of plants to eat, focus on those that are the most nutrient dense, but least calorie dense.

What is caloric density, you ask?

Caloric density is a measure of how many calories are in a given weight of food, expressed as calories per pound. Higher-fat foods such as avocado, nuts, and nut butter — although all healthy — are among the most calorically dense plant foods, which explains why you will likely gain weight if you eat them in excess. Greens such as spinach and kale are very low in caloric density, so you would have to eat a ton of them to get pack on the pounds (in fact, they are so low calorie that your stomach will fill to capacity with fibre before you can eat too much).

Starchy plant foods such as potatoes and squash are somewhere in between — they are filling but not as calorically dense as overt fat foods, so you can actually eat quite a bit of these without gaining weight. Forget what you thought about carbs making you fat — it really depends what kinds of carbs. Sweet potatoes will keep you satiated but keep the weight off, while processed breads and pastas will likely lead to weight gain.

The great thing about eating vegetables and fruits in their natural state is that they contain a lot of fibre but not a lot of calories. So you can eat a whole big plate of food, and yet still not have consumed many calories. Compare that to eating processed carbohydrates or fleshy (and even lean) pieces of meat, and you will see that plants contain the least calories but most nutrition.

As a guideline, consider that vegetables contain about 60–195 calories/pound, fruits contain 140–420, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, pasta, rice, barley, and yams contain 320–630, beans and legumes contain 310–780, sugars such as honey, maple syrup, white table sugar contain 1,200–1,800, dry cereals such as crackers, chips, and popcorn contain 1,480–1,760, overt fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, and butter contain 2,400–3,200, and finally oils contain a whopping 4,000 calories per pound.

2. Reduce oil.

As you can see from the chart above, the most calorically dense food — above and beyond even butter and nuts (at an average of 2,800 calories/pound) is oil. We’ve talked about this culprit on the blog before, and it includes all types of oil, whether coconut, olive, or any other kind. You may think that oil is healthy, but that is a misconception people have from the “Mediterranean diet” myth, which has been shown to be much less healthy than people thought.

Take the simple salad you order for lunch. It probably contains at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the dressing (if not also in the roasted veggies on top). That is 239 calories of pure fat. And it is very likely that you are eating much more fat than that per day. If you cut out — or at least vastly reduce your consumption of oil — you will create a calorie deficit without even realizing it, leading to weight loss, especially in the tummy area.

Some of the easiest ways to reduce oil in your diet include: sautéing with vegetable broth or water instead of oil, replacing oil in baking with applesauce or tofu, using non-stick pots and pans, using baking sheets, adding flavor to food using balsamic and other vinegars instead of oil, and ordering salads with dressing on the side in restaurants.

3. Watch out for your macronutrient ratio.

When it comes to losing weight, it matters how much overt fat we have in our diet. All foods contain fat, but some foods are mostly fat (e.g. dairy, meat, oil, avocado, nuts, etc.). By “overt” we mean that they are primarily fat. According to the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine’s macronutrient recommendations for humans, we only need: 10% protein, 6% essential fats, and at least 130 grams of carbohydrates per day. The average person eats much more protein than that per day and definitely much more fat.

In fact, research on the longest-living populations around the world finds that the healthiest populations eat only about 15% of their calories from protein, 20% of their calories from fat, and 65% of their calories from whole carbohydrates. The Okinawa people of Japan, prior to their diets changing with globalization, ate 85% of their calories from Japanese sweet potatoes (carbohydrates) alone, and lived to ripe old ages with slender physiques. It turns out that indeed, “The fat you eat is the fat you wear.”

Although there is no conclusive evidence for the exact percentages you should aim for, somewhere in the range of 10–15% of both protein and fat and the rest carbohydrates in their whole unprocessed states (vegetables, fruits, starches, beans, etc.) is ideal. For a 2,000 calories diet, 15% means only about half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of nuts or seeds per day, and definitely no oil.

An easy way to keep track of these ratios for a couple of weeks until you get the hang of how much to eat is the website Cronometer, where you can enter your food and activity level. This is not to count calories, but instead to keep track of rough macronutrient proportions. You can even adjust the ideal macronutrient ratios for yourself in the settings.

The best part is, no calorie restriction — just eat whole plant foods until you are satiated.

Note: Some people may lose muscle mass with this macronutrient ratio so it’s not ideal for everyone.

4. Stay hydrated, but do not drink your calories.

You hear all the time that drinking plenty of water is essential for health. There does not seem to be some magic number — like 8 glasses a day — but simply, you should make sure you quench your thirst throughout the day with, ideally, filtered pure water. Limit your caffeine, and try to drink more green and herbal tea than coffee.

Be careful, however, not to drink your calories in the form of juices, smoothies, and protein drinks. Juices hardly satiate you, giving you a sugar high, and smoothies, though they may fill you temporarily, tend not to trigger your “I’m full” signals as readily.

As a nutritionist Sarah B. Krieger explains, “The fiber in whole fruit ‘acts as a net’ to slow down the process by which the body turns sugar from food into blood sugar, and though the smoothie still contains fiber, it has been pulverized during the blending process. As a result, you’re likely to feel hungrier again sooner after drinking the smoothie than you would have had you eaten the same fruits and vegetables whole.”

It goes without saying that you should really watch out for alcohol too, as it’s incredibly calorically dense. A couple of beers or a few glasses of wine, and you have drunk more calories than in a typical meal.

5. Avoid snacking between meals, and fast overnight.

Every few months, it seems there is a new diet fad being promoted, and the latest is undoubtedly intermittent fasting. The idea is based on the insight that in order to burn fat, our bodies need to be able to digest food and then return to a resting phase before we begin eating again. If we keep eating every couple of hours, we never allow it to get to that state, thus packing on the pounds.

There is some truth to this insight, as in our food-obsessed and stressed-out culture, we seem to eat constantly. The solution some have proposed is intermittent fasting, which means following a dietary regimen where you limit the “windows” during which you consume food and create pockets during which your body is allowed to rest. Sometimes, this takes the form of fasting for one day a week, or perhaps every other day.

The once a week or even once a month fasting idea is probably practical, but who is likely to eat only once every other day for long, especially when research now shows that it is not necessarily effective for weight loss?

A better approach is to simply avoid snacking in between meals. If you eat every few hours, then that will give your body enough of a break. Better yet, commit to fasting overnight, between dinner and breakfast, for about 12 hours a day. Say you eat breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at noon, and dinner at 7, if you fast between 8 at night and 8 in the morning, that’s 12 hours and technically counts as intermittent fasting every day.

6. Do weight training.

Apart from food, other lifestyle factors also matter in terms of belly fat. No surprise, exercise is important. To get a flat stomach, most people think they need to do lots of cardio. Of course, cardio is important, since it burns calories and keeps your heart healthy. But if you want to tighten your tummy, you need to build muscle too.

While burning calories leads to weight loss, strength training is especially important for belly fat. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that “healthy men who did 20 minutes of daily weight training had less of an age-related increase in abdominal fat compared with men who spent the same amount of time doing aerobic activities.”

7. Get plenty of sleep.

Finally, overall health is affected tremendously by how much sleep we get. If we do not get those 7–9 hours of daily Zzz…, we are likely not only to be in a bad mood, but also to crave extra calories to compensate for missing energy.

When sleep is restricted, our bodies produce higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and reduces energy expenditure. A study from the University of Chicago showed that weight loss was reduced by 55 percent when dieters limited how much they slept. So while you might spend the day eating perfectly and exercising, if you do not get enough sleep at night, you may sabotage your own efforts.

Try not to fight your body — if you need those nine hours, it’s better to get them and feel better than to try and be the kind of person that does fine with six. We are all different, and it’s best to simply embrace this variation rather than fight it. You will be a happy, and slimmer person for it.

—

Having a flat stomach is not as simple as following a short-term diet or even going on an occasional fast. It is the product of small behavioral modifications each day that add up to a slimmer you all year round.

The post The Real Secrets to a Flat Stomach appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

Everything you thought about these foods may well be wrong. Here are the facts on some foods that are often misrepresented.

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. 

Every day, we get new research data regarding nutrition.

Sometimes the latest data conflicts with what we thing we know about a particular food.

In this article, we’ll take a look at foods that are more beneficial that you might have realized. 

Many people think these four foods are unhealthy. However, they have key health benefits. 

1. White potatoes

Ever since the Atkins Diet, the humble potato has taken a beating in the health world. Like other carbs, it has been vilified as the culprit in the American obesity, diabetes, and heart disease epidemics. Yet, white potatoes, like other starchy foods such as sweet potatoes, rice, and corn, contain dietary fiber, more potassium than bananas, and importantly, a low amount of fat.

Recent evidence shows that much of the link between potatoes and obesity is owed to the fact that chips and fries, the dominant ways in which potatoes as consumed, are covered in vegetable oil. In fact, the more whole unprocessed starch foods you eat, the fuller you will be, and your body will convert the glucose in carbohydrates into energy. So steer clear of added oils, and instead bake (without oil) or steam your spuds for a delicious, nutritious meal.

Better, yet, combine white potatoes with their cousin, the mighty sweet potato, which adds even more nutritional punch. Just be sure to add other vegetables too for nutritional variety. Also buy organic potatoes whenever you can, since spuds are often the most pesticide-laden products you can buy.

2. Wheat

Despite books such as Wheat Belly wheat is likely beneficial for most people, boosting immune function and improving your triglyceride levels. While it’s true that processing wheat into white bread robs it of its nutrients (and leads to potential prostate cancer risk and decreased cognitive function) and spikes insulin levels, true unrefined whole grains are associated with lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

With regard to gluten, the protein found in wheat, only a few people have true sensitivity and should avoid wheat. These include those with Celiac disease and others who have a gluten sensitivity. Before assuming you do, however, be sure to rule out other causes such as dairy, oils, and reactions to other additives in commercial bread rather than gluten itself.

Buy breads made from real yeast starters and containing as few ingredients as possible, ideally two: flour and water, and also ideally organic given the pesticides used to grow wheat today.

3. Soy

Soy has gotten a bad rap in the last few years over fears that it contains estrogens that are particularly harmful to men. Much of the conflicting advice about soy is due to how it is studied, with variations in type of study, type of population (e.g. ethnicity, hormone levels), and type of soy. Once again, it is best to buy organic to avoid GMO soy just in case (the jury is still out on GMOs).

As the Harvard Chan School of Public Health concludes: “Results of recent population studies suggest that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect on various health conditions. Soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week, and is likely to provide health benefits — especially when eaten as an alternative to red and processed meat.”

4. Beans

Some of those in the Paleo and Ketogenic community are concerned about consuming beans due to their phytate content. This is in contrast to evidence from the longest-living populations around the world in the Blue Zones, who all consume large amounts and variations of pulses.

Phytate, or phytic acid, is a naturally occurring compound in food such as beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, and while in the past there were concerns that these compounds may reduce the absorption of minerals, in fact recent evidence finds that this is only the case with diets otherwise poor in nutrition.

In fact, legumes lower cholesterol and promote health in conditions ranging from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Not only that, but they also provide a healthy source of plant protein.

So cut back on the unhealthy foods listed above, and instead load up on these health-promoting plant foods that have been wrongfully vilified in the nutrition world.

—

Nutritional advice is confusing as it is, but especially so when it keeps changing on what appears to be a whim. However, no matter your thoughts about healthy eating, the best rule of thumb is to eat as many whole, unprocessed plant foods as possible, and to exercise caution with the latest nutrition trend.

The post Surprising Food Myths appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

Need something in between meals, and want to stay healthy? Try these nutrient-dense, easy vegan snack ideas.

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. 

One of the questions people most often ask when they are trying to eat healthier is what do you do for snacks?

Fresh n’ Lean provides you with healthy premade vegan meals, but here are some vegan snack ideas when you need a little something extra and do not want to reach for the chips and cookies.

10 Super Easy Vegan Snacks

Filling your day with healthy snacks is important to keep your metabolism running and your blood sugar levels stable. We’ve curated a list of nutrient-dense plant-based snack ideas that will keep you energized until your next meal.

1. Dates & Nuts

This is truly a heavenly pairing and there is so much room for variation.

Get yourself a box of dates, open each up, take out the seed, and stuff with either nuts or nut butters. My favorite pairings are dates stuffed with almonds or walnuts or peanut, almond, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed (tahini), or other types of plant-based butters.

The largest and most indulgently delicious dates are Medjool, but there are many other varieties to explore.

Dates are an incredible source of energy, fiber, and lots of vitamins and minerals.

You can also store them for a long time, especially in the fridge or freezer.

The only thing to be aware of is that dates do pack a caloric punch, which may be perfect if you’re an athlete or someone in need of calories, especially paired with the nut butter. For others, moderation is key.

Two wonderful date farms in the US include 7 Hot Dates and The Date People, who harvest their produce in early fall and can ship directly to you throughout the year. There is no match for the quality.

2. Fruit & Veggie “Toast”

Nut and seed butters are also amazing paired with other fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas, apples, pears, celery, carrots, and anything else you love.

One of the easiest vegan snacks you can make is cutting bananas into two lengthwise and then topping with peanut butter and coconut flakes or raisins, or slicing an apple into disks and topping with almond butter and cocoa nibs. Other topping ideas include cocoa powder, fresh berries, chia seeds, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, and once again, anything your heart desires.

Japanese yam toast: The best version of non-bread toasts are sweet potatoes. All sweet potato varieties work, but by the far the best are Japanese (sometimes called “Oriental” yams) which are purple on the outside and white on the inside because they are delicious, nutritious, and retain their shape when baked. If you cannot find them at your regular grocery store, try an Asian supermarket.

How to make fruit & veggie toast:

Wash, cut in half lengthwise, and place face down on parchment paper to bake at 400F for 45 minutes or until the faces are browned but not burned. Let cool (in fact they are absolutely delicious cold out of the fridge), and then top with nut butter and jam.

They legitimately taste like cake and yet are full of antioxidants and are fat-free! Top with anything you normally put on toast: avocado, peanut butter and jam, apple butter, etc.

3. Popcorn Chickpeas

One of the best plant-based snacks when you’re on the run or for traveling is what I call “popcorn” chickpeas.

How to make popcorn chickpeas:

They are super easy to make. Simply drain a can of chickpeas (or cook from scratch for larger volume), place on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover in any spices or herbs (I like paprika, turmeric, curry, dried basil, etc.) and then bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until the soft chickpeas harden. No need to add oil, as it does not need the excess fat. You can try this with other cooked beans as well, such as black bean or pinto for an easy, portable vegan snack.

4. Cinnamon-Dusted Plantains & Sweet Potatoes

Another easy and delicious vegan snack to try are cinnamon-dusted plantains or sweet potatoes.

These naturally sweet vegetables become even more so when dusted with cinnamon.

How to make cinnamon plantains:

Simply cut them up into any shape you like and then cover sparingly with cinnamon. Bake at 400F until cooked through. You can actually also do this with bananas, apples, and pears as well, but they will be mushier (still delicious!).

5. Homemade Hummus

There are many hummus “recipes” online, but in fact this is one of the easiest vegan snacks you can make at home, so it’s worth learning the basics to make your own. Chickpeas are the foundation of any hummus recipe, but you can actually use other beans as well to make various dips, and simply rotate around the different flavor combinations.

How to make your own hummus:

Generally, a simple hummus recipe is 1 can or 2 cups of chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed paste), a clove of garlic, herbs and spices (e.g. paprika, cumin, coriander, etc.), lemon juice, and water added to create the desired consistency. Put everything in a blender or food processor and voila! It will last about 5 days in the fridge, shorter than the grocery store varieties which all contain preservatives.

With that basic recipe in mind, you can experiment with different flavor combinations. For an Indian twist, add turmeric and curry powder. For Mediterranean, add fresh or fire-roasted red pepper. For Italian, add sun-dried tomato and fresh basil. For Mexican, add black beans (on top of chickpeas or instead) and chipotle.

Depending on the season you could also try beet (fresh or cooked), spinach, carrot, sweet potato, or pumpkin. And you can also substitute tahini with any other healthy fat like pumpkin butter or sunflower seed butter or even experiment with peanut and other nut butters for a twist!

For things to dip with, there’s always crackers (Mary’s Gone Crackers are amazing and oil-free, as are Engine2’s line), but you can literally use any fresh fruit or veggies you have on hand, including raw lettuce and greens such as collard greens which make an easy and deliciously crunchy wrap with nutritional bang for your buck.

6. Sweet Potato “Boats”

Sweet potatoes are also great for stuffing, and you can try both sweet and savory varieties (softer varieties like the regular orange and yellow sweet potatoes work well as they soften more than the Japanese variety).

How to make sweet potato boats:

Choose any type of sweet potato and then bake whole on parchment-lined sheets at 400F for 45 minutes. Let cool and then pierce with a knife just to open them up, keeping the bottom part of the potato intact. Take out the insides and place in a bowl. Add the other ingredients, combine well, and “stuff” the sweet potatoes back up with the filling and place in oven for a little longer until crispy.

Some savory ideas include adding baked chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, parsley, and herbs. A Mexican variation could be black or pinto beans and salsa and then topped with guacamole. An Indian version would be lentils and curry dressing and Italian might be fresh tomatoes, baked mushrooms, and pesto on top. The combinations are endless.

You can even do sweet versions! Japanese sweet potatoes in particular are so sweet that when you stuff them it’s almost like a dessert. Slice bananas and lay them inside the potato in a row, and once those are baked through, top with maple or date syrup, jam, nut butter, or anything else you fancy.

One easy way to make homemade jam is to heat up frozen berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc.) in a pot and then add maple syrup or date sugar until boiling and then turn off the stove and add chia seeds and place in mason jars. The chia seeds will expand and take on a jam-like consistency.

7. Easy Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a healthy vegan snack or breakfast idea that once again, can be modified in many different ways to suit your liking.

How to make overnight oats:

One of the most popular ways to have it is in the form of overnight oats. The basic idea is to take old-fashioned rolled oats, add in any spices (e.g. cinnamon, cardamom, cocoa powder), and then either water (for a lower-fat version) or plant milk (e.g. soy, almond, oat, etc.) and a tablespoon or so of chia seeds.

Mix it up in a mason jar and leave for a few hours or overnight until a thick mixture forms as the chia seeds expand. You can then top it with bananas, berries, or nut butter. You can also add nut butter right in the beginning for a thicker more indulgent vegan snack.

The thing that most people do not know about rolled oats is that unlike steel cut oats (which are less processed and therefore need to be cooked), rolled oats can actually be eaten “raw” (as they are already slightly cooked) if you’re in a pinch. Simply put some oats in a bowl, top with plant milk, and then bananas and peanut butter, or apples, applesauce, and cinnamon, or tahini and fresh or frozen berries.

You can even add savory ingredients like baked chickpeas with spinach which also works beautifully for steel cut oats you prepare ahead of time.

8. Frozen Mangoes

Frozen mangoes are available in almost any grocery stores, and they are an incredibly easy vegan snack especially in the summer months — simply take out of the freezer and enjoy. They truly do not need to be processed in any way, as they taste nearly like ice cream already.

If frozen fruit is too cold for you, simply boil some water and then pour into a metal bowl containing the frozen fruit, then drain and enjoy. A fast and easy way to eat healthily throughout the year. Enjoy the fruit by itself or on top of oatmeal, toast, or granola.

9. Sushi Burritos

Roasted nori sheets are easy to find, and you do not have to go to the trouble of making sushi to enjoy them (though it’s worth the time investment).

How to make vegan sushi burritos:

Simply cut up your favorite veggies (e.g. red pepper, cucumber, avocado, etc.) and wrap it inside the sheets. You can even add sweet potato mash or make an easy dressing on the side to dip into (look out for a post on easy dressings soon). If you’re short on time, simply dip into rice vinegar, tamari, or coconut aminos.

10. Rice Paper Rolls

Like roasted nori sheets, rice paper rolls (white or brown rice) are easily available and easy to work with.

How to make rice paper rolls:

Simply cut up some veggies (and even fruit like mango) and following the instructions on the package to soften the sheets, roll these up and dip in rice vinegar, tamari, or coconut aminos. You can also make a simple nut butter dressing based in peanut or almond butter with rice vinegar and coconut aminos plus water to thin it out. Some fresh cilantro also does the trick!

There you go — a few nutritious (and super easy) vegan snacks to keep you satisfied and healthy throughout the day.

Ready-Made Snacks You Can Find in the Store

Now, if even all of this seems a bit overwhelming, here are some great brands you can pick up at the grocery store to have on hand if you are feeling hungry. You can find most of these brands at Whole Foods, your local health food store, or online at Thrive Market.

• Mary’s Gone Crackers: Delicious oil-free seed-based crackers which are perfect for dipping into hummus. They are gluten-free and vegan too. The superseed collection is especially good, in particular the Seaweed & Black Sesame and Chia & Hemp. Mmm!
• Engine 2 “Plant Strong” Food Line: Offering everything from breakfast granolas, frozen burgers and burritos, tomato sauces, crispbread, and tortillas and burger buns, this company makes oil-free vegan snacking a piece of cake. Found only in Whole Foods.
• Oil-Free Hummus: A few different brands offer this popular dip in an oil-free version, including Engine2, Cedar’s, and probably a local brand you can find at your health food store. Just check the ingredients and make sure there is no added oil, including olive or canola.
• Fig Food Co: This company makes delicious organic soups, as well as pre-cooked beans that you could easily beak or eat as is. Soup flavors include: Nonna’s Minestrone, Split Pea & Potato, and Tuscan White Bean.
• Larabars: These delicious date- and nut-based bars are the ultimate life-saver as they are popular and widely available, and a relatively healthy snack for in-between meals. They are all vegan and gluten free, and contain no egg, honey, or oil like most other bars. You can also of course just grab unsalted nuts and dried fruit as well, but why would you when you can grab a Peanut Butter Chocolate Larabar instead? Other flavors include Blueberry Muffin, Banana Bread, and one of the originals, Apple Pie.
• Go Raw: This company has a great selection or quite healthy snacks including crackers, chips, and bars which are all sprouted and entirely raw. Check out their amazingly diverse set of products which make great travel snacks.
• Natierra: This company does a whole line of free-dried fruit including banana, apple, and mango slices which are an amazing product if you are traveling and cannot transport fresh fruit easily.
• Bare: These amazing oil-free these vegetable and fruit-based snacks are a great way to get some nutrition even while you may not have access to fresh produce. Given that most such products contain a ton of added oil, these are a fat-free (guilt-free!) way to enjoy a healthy snack break.
• Made in Nature Figgy Pops: Although not entirely oil-free, these snacks are like healthy desserts made of dried dates and figs. A good on-the-go snack to keep you happy between meals. A few of the delectable flavors include Nana Nut Butter Filled, Razzy Pops, Mocha Almond Nut Butter Filled. I mean, those sound almost sinful.
• Lundberg Rice Cakes: These organic crackers are the perfect thing to top with nut butter and banana, jam, or avocado and lime. They have a few different flavor profiles, but our favorites are Salt-Free Brown Rice, Cinnamon Toast, and Sesame Tamari.
• Hippeas: Cleverly crafted chickpea snacks, these are a better alternative to chips and Doritos. Although they are not healthy per se, they will satisfy any salty craving with their Sriracha or Bohemian BBQ flavors.
• Saffron Road: If you do not have time to make your own oil-free baked chickpeas, these are a good second bet. Although not oil-free, they are still a good way to get an amazing load of nutrition into an afternoon snack. Flavors include the classic Falafel and the unconventional Korean BBQ and Bombay Spice.

The post 10 Easy Vegan Snack Ideas appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

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. 

You probably think of erections as something that happens mechanically — add stimulation and voila, it rises to the occasion.

But in fact, for a long time impotence (the inability to have an erection) has been seen as the “canary in the coal mine” of heart disease. In other words, if a middle-aged man has trouble getting hard, it is likely that a heart attack is not too far down the line. Why is this the case?

In a new book called simply The Penis Book: A Doctor’s Complete Guide to the Penis — From Size to Function and Everything in Between, Dr. Aaron Spitz, a nationally-recognized urologist and expert on male sexual health and fertility, explains that like the heart, the penis is made up of a cell layer called the vascular endothelium that fill with blood when the man is aroused. This is the same type of cell layer that lines all blood vessels in your body, from your heart to your toe.

This layer releases a special molecule called nitric oxide (NO) that is critical to proper blood flow. It turns out that a man’s ability to produce NO declines as he ages, which explains why some older men have trouble with erections and may need drugs such as Viagra. If you’re having problems getting hard, it is likely a signal that there are issues with your overall cardiovascular health.

Diet is the biggest contributor to penis health

The good news is that there are changes you can make in your lifestyle that can help your penis, as well as your body. It turns out that exercise and sleep can help, but by far the biggest contributor to penis health (as well as overall health) is your diet. Some foods help to increase NO in a man’s body, while others block it. Which foods do what?

Which foods improve penis health?

You guessed it: Plant-based foods such as vegetables (especially the green leafy ones), fruits (especially berries), legumes, and grains all contribute to healthier levels of nitric oxide.

Which foods lower sexual performance?

Meanwhile, animal products, processed carbohydrates, and oils (including olive oil) add fat and viscosity to your blood and stifle the naturally occurring NO.

Research also shows that it is important to get your dose of nitrates (which produce NO) from whole foods, rather than juices or even smoothies. We have special bacteria in our mouths that break down nitrates into NO, but only when we salivate. So, you need to eat whole foods in their natural state. Luckily for you, Fresh n’ Lean vegan meals are created entirely from wholesome, plant-based ingredients so you do not have to think twice about it. By helping your overall health, you will also be improving your sexual health. Talk about win-win.

What about protein?

Research shows that even when animal products are organic, grass-fed, wild-caught, or free-range, they still seem to have a detrimental effect on penis health due to excess protein and fat. That being said, a diet that is 90% plant-based will still give you incredible health benefits, and if you are an omnivore you should see much of the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet even if you do not stick to it 100%. Indeed, Dr. Spitz himself takes a 90/10 approach, keeping his meals about 90% plant-based, without excess fats and simple carbohydrates, but occasionally indulges in meat when it’s high quality.

Plant-based diet gives you better erections, more stamina, better body odor

Not only does a plant-based diet give you better erections and more stamina, but it will improve other aspects of your sex life as well. First, it will help you lose weight, not only increasing your stamina but also your attractiveness to your mate and better body image for you. Plant-based foods also contribute to a better body odor (BO) and taste, including in the genital areas, which is surely to increase pleasure for both men and women.

Now, we just need more research on how lifestyle factors and diet in particular affect women’s sex lives. It would not be surprising if the same foods that help men get off the couch and into the bedroom help women’s pleasure too.

The post Can What You Eat Give You a Better Erection? appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

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. 

Who doesn’t love ice cream?

What if I told you there is a way to eat ice cream all day, even for breakfast, and stray trim and healthy?

Sounds like a gimmick, I know, but it’s true.

If you’re tuned into the Instagram universe, you have likely seen “nicecream” — vegan ice cream made out of bananas. That’s right, this magical fruit takes on a creamy and delicious soft serve-like consistency when frozen and processed in a powerful blender.

The concept is easy enough, but you have to know how to do it right to get the perfect consistency for your banana ice cream.

In this simple how-to guide, we teach you how to make nicecream and get it right every time.

Why “nice”? Because it’s healthy, delicious, and vegan too!

*Note: You will need a powerful blender or food processor for this nice cream recipe. Other more specialized appliances can also be used, as described below.

Step 1: Get yourself some ripe bananas.

This step seems easy enough, but in fact it can be tricky since most people do not know what a ripe banana actually looks like.

Grocery stores sell mostly unripe green or yellow bananas, and most people think bananas are ripe when they only have a few brown spots.

In fact, a fully ripe banana is covered in spots, like a cheetah’s coat, and are browned too (though not fully brown or black as that is overripe). The more spots, the more sugar concentration, which means sweet and delicious (rather than indigestible) banana ice cream.

Here’s a scale to help you out.

If you become a true nicecream connoisseur, I suggest buying bananas by the box, as you can get a discount that way. You will probably have to wait a long while for them to ripen properly (up to a month), but it will be well worth it.

Whole Foods gives a 10% discount on a box of 100 bananas (that seems like a lot unless you eat nicecream every day in the summer, plus the weird looks from employees are well worth it).

Grubmarket (which unfortunately only ships in some parts of the US), even offers “cosmetically challenged” bananas which should seriously be renamed “nicecream-ready bananas” for a more positive spin on their perfectly ripe state.

Step 2: Peel and freeze.

When your bananas are ready, get your compost bin ready and begin peeling (I suggest taking out the compost after, otherwise it will attract fruit flies).

I once explained how to make banana ice cream to a friend, and forgot to mention that she should peel the bananas before freezing (this is seemed obvious to me at the time), but she neglected this step and was left with frozen peeled bananas which was a pretty hilarious situation.

In any case, make sure to peel the bananas and then break them up into chunks (thirds or smaller) and put them into reusable cotton bags or else plastic bags or boxes and then the freezer.

Some people cut the bananas up with a knife and pre-freeze the chunks so they don’t stick together, but I find this step unnecessary as you will blend them later anyway.

Step 3: Wait at least 24 hours.

Now, wait for at least a day and night, since it takes a while for the bananas to truly freeze.

This depends, of course, on your freezer. Make sure the setting is not too high (as they will be too hard and lose their magical consistency when thawing) nor too low (they will be like mush).

Step 4: Power time!

As mentioned above, you will need a powerful blender (e.g. Vitamix) or food processor (e.g. Magimix) to make nicecream.

However, you can always use this specialized Yonanas machine, which was made for nicecream, or else a powerful juicer, which will both create slightly different consistencies.

The description below focuses how to make nicecream in a Vitamix, but you can adapt the technique depending on the appliance you have at home.

The proportions below are for one large serving (meal size) or two small servings.

1. Put on our headphones. A Vitamix is very loud, and making nicecream daily is probably not the best way to keep your ears safe. Wear a pair of headphones if you have them. You’ll feel like a pilot on a mission!
2. Place the frozen bananas into the blender. If the bananas are too frozen, let them thaw for a few minutes before blending. A Vitamix should be powerful enough to process even fully frozen fruit. Put in about a dozen chunks, or four bananas, enough for the tamper (the thing you use to blend with which comes with the blender) to reach the chunks comfortably.
3. First round of blending. Using the tamper (make sure to only use with the Vitamix cover on to protect the machine and your fingers), turn up the power halfway, and then furiously beat down the bananas (and other ingredients if using) down into the blade.
4. Second round of blending. Once most of the chunks have been processed, now comes time for the arm workout. Turn up the power all the way and stick the tamper into the four corners of the Vitamix as quickly as you can in successive motions to keep the blade processing the bananas. You do not want the blade to get stuck as it will overheat the motor and turn off the machine (temporarily for about 5 min, but it can ruin the nicecream consistency and your blender so the key is to keep pushing down).
5. Finish blending. Once all the banana chunks have been processed, you should have a mixture that has the consistency of soft serve ice cream. I personally prefer my nicecream slightly chunky and thick, but others prefer it more runny, so if you wish you can add some plant-based milk (e.g. soy, oat, rice, almond, etc.) which also helps with blending if you have trouble.
6. Serve in your favorite bowl. I love to serve mine in a wooden or repurposed coconut bowl.

That’s it, pretty simple one-ingredient nicecream recipe. But the fun part is making all the different flavor combinations so here are a few ideas to get you started.

Step 5: Nicecream flavors.

The best is when you make several flavors and then combine them together with different toppings.

But work fast, as the bananas begin to lose their consistency quite quickly and taste more and more like the bananas they are as they melt.

Remember, the fun is in experimenting, so go wild!

• Basic: vanilla (add vanilla extract or vanilla bean) or chocolate (add cocoa powder and top with cocoa nibs). I like making the vanilla first, then chocolate, and combining them together after in the bowl for a swirl effect. For fancier versions, try adding peanut/almond butter and dates and topping with pistachios, macadamia nuts, or raw dark chocolate (e.g. Rawmio).
• Berry: blackberry, raspberry, wild blueberry, strawberry, acai (can be found in the frozen section in packs) or a combo. I like adding hemp, chia, or flax seeds on top for a truly healthy summer breakfast, lunch, or dessert.
• Local: peach, nectarine, apricot, cherries, figs, and even apples and pears can work well when they are in season and with ginger and even turmeric. Top with dried figs, golden or goji berries.
• Tropical: mango, pineapple, dragonfruit (can be found in the frozen section in packs), or even jackfruit. Top with dried mangos, passion fruit, or coconut flakes.
• Nutty: Use one of the bases above and then add in almond/peanut/pumpkin/hazelnut/pistachio butter or tahini (sesame seed butter) and dates for more depth and a chewier consistency. Top with raw buckwheat groats.
• Wild: Think matcha, spirulina, mint, basil, persimmon, or even vegetables like spinach (which you can hardly taste but add a health punch) or pumpkin (in the fall topped with apple cinnamon granola).

Nina’s Favorite Nicecream Flavors

• Cherry-Chocolate: 4 bananas, 1 cup frozen sweet cherries, 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Topped with strawberries, cocoa nibs, and pistachios.
• Nutty-Chocolate: 3 bananas, 3 Medjool dates (or 6 smaller dates), 1 tbsp peanut/almond butter. Topped with almonds/peanuts, pistachios/macadamia nuts, cocoa nibs, and coconut flakes.
• Fancy-Strawberry: 3 bananas, 3 Medjool dates (or 6 smaller dates), 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 tbsp tahini. Topped with fresh strawberries and walnuts.
• Blueberry-Fig: 4 bananas, 1 cup frozen blueberries. Topped with fresh figs and hemp seeds.
• Mango-Turmeric: 4 bananas, 1 cup frozen mango, 1 tbsp ground turmeric, piece of ginger to liking. Topped with fresh mango, dried mango, and raw buckwheat.
• Matcha-Mint: 3 bananas, 3 Medjool dates (or 6 smaller dates), 1 bunch spinach, 1 bunch mint, 1 tbsp matcha. Topped with cocoa nibs and golden berries.
• Apple Pie: 4 bananas, 1 cup apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg. Topped with oil-free granola and walnuts and maybe even a dollop of cashew cream.
• Carrot Cake: 4 bananas, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 all-spice. Topped with oil-free granola and pecans and maybe even a dollop of coconut cream.
• Pistachio-Basil: 3 bananas, 3 Medjool dates (or 6 smaller dates), 1 bunch spinach, 1 bunch basil. Topped with pistachios and fresh basil.
• The Elvis: 3 bananas, 3 Medjool dates (or 6 smaller dates), 1 tbsp peanut butter. Topped with peanuts and sugar-free jam (you can also just melt frozen berries on a stovetop and add chia seeds for a jam-like consistency).

There you go! Nicecream is the easiest and most indulgent healthy food there is. Zero fat, dairy- and gluten-free, and vegan. Enjoy!

The post I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Nicecream appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.

SUMMARY

Want to improve your health? Follow this time-tested diet advice: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.

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. 

Grandmothers hold a lot of wisdom.

We may not see it when we’re young, but while they are old-fashioned in some ways, they are often right about many things. This is especially true when it comes to eating right.

I was lucky enough to grow up with my Russian grandmother living in the same household, and she taught us many food lessons.

So in the age of fancy food marketing and companies trying to sell you this or that oil, superfood, or extract, it’s a good idea to remind yourself of these time-honored lessons and how Fresh n’ Lean can help you eat in a way that your grandma would approve of today.

1. Eat home-cooked meals

The best thing about grandmas is that they like to cook for us. They might not always make the healthiest meals when you visit, preferring to spoil you with treats, but no matter what, they always make you home-cooked meals.

You may have been lucky enough to be fed homemade pasta in an Italian household, homemade falafel in a Middle Eastern household, or homemade dal in an Indian household.

My Russian grandmother cooked up bright red beet soup called borsch with kasha (buckwheat). Even when she made something not-so-healthy, like the scrumptious Napoleon layered cake for our birthdays, she baked every single layer of puff pastry and folded in the cream with architectural precision. The whole process took three days.

Of course, home-cooked meals do not have to take days, but they still do take more of an investment than the typical food we consume in our grab-and-go culture.

2. Eat foods in their whole, unprocessed state

Your grandma may have gone out of her way to make you special food when you came to visit, but day to day, she likely mostly fed you foods in their whole, unprocessed state.

When I was growing up, my grandma had a little plot of land in our backyard where she planted cucumbers and tomatoes, and I still remember that they always tasted so much better than anything you could get at the grocery store.

Even while we begged for the “cool” lunchable foods our friends would bring to school, she would protest and insist that we eat real food — brown rice instead of RiceARoni, whole grain pasta instead of Kraft macaroni, and real potatoes instead of frozen French fries. Granted, she always made sure to add plenty of fat, salt, and sugar to make them taste good for us kids, but these foods were still real, not something made in a laboratory by a corporation.

We are so used to our food coming in packages today. On the airplane, we are offered salted nuts or pretzels, but if we prepare a bit ahead of time, we can pack more real foods on-the-go: baby carrots and hummus, dates, nuts, seeds and fresh and dried fruit. The same is true of the day-to-day.

3. Eat mostly plants

My grandmother was far from vegetarian. As a child during WWII she remembers starving in the frigid Russian winter with nothing to eat. So she found our family’s transition to vegetarianism and eventually veganism downright puzzling. That being said, it was a surprisingly easy transition, and she jumped on board taking out the animal products in her cooking.

It turned out not to be too hard, since nearly all the traditional cultures around the world are largely plant-based already.

As National Geographic’s Blue Zones research has shown, the longest-living populations around the world are not exclusively, but mostly, plant-based. They eat animal products here are there, primarily for flavor, but mostly focus on vegetables, legumes, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

As author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Cooked, and Food Rules Michael Pollan has rightly stated:

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” — Michael Pollan and your grandmother.

Indeed, Pollan also advises to follow your grandmother’s diet advice.

Think of any world civilization and you will see that starches and legumes make up the bulk of their calories: sweet potatoes and corn in South America, plantains and black beans in the Caribbean, rice and beans in Central America, rice and tofu in East Asia, lentils and rice in South Asia, and all kinds of legumes and tubers around Africa.

4. Don’t snack in between meals

Despite recent trends to eat small meals frequently throughout the day, in nearly every culture around the world people only eat two or three meals a day, and they typically do not snack in between meals. In doing so, they simulate a lot of the benefits we are now learning about offered by intermittent fasting.

To be effective, however, it is probably not necessary to fast in any extreme way (such as eating only once a day or severely limiting calories a few times a week). Most of the world’s religions have special holidays (e.g. Lent, Ramadan, Yom Kippur) during which fasting is embedded into spiritual practices.

If you eat three meals a day, however, especially if you eat breakfast later or dinner earlier, you can fast for 12 hours a day or longer overnight, which provides fasting-like benefits. Of course, if you’re starving, have a snack. But it is better to wait until the next meal and have a proper serving of food instead of grazing all day long and especially into the night.

Eating right does mean time and effort that you may not have bandwidth for in today’s fast-paced culture.

But that’s where Fresh n’ Lean comes in—we have our chefs prepare simple, wholesome organic home-cooked meals that are delivered straight to your home.

You will eat home-cooked food that is unprocessed, plant-based, and comes in portion-controlled packages that encourage you to eat three times a day and not snack in between meals.

Let us help you eat in the way that your grandma rightly taught you.

The post Time-Tested Food Advice From Your Grandmother appeared first on Fresh n' Lean.