Latest Articles by Cynthia Sass
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Secret Weapons: Three Ways You Never Imagined Vegetables and Fruits Could Help You
How fruits & veggies can help
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No Grain, No Gain
A speedy way to improve a diet
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Superfoods
What athletes should be eating
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Food for Thought: Let an Expert Personalize Your Plan
As with many things in life there is no one size fits all. That’s why many competitive and recreational athletes opt to enlist the help of a dietitian or sports nutritionist to craft an individualized meal plan that matches their performance and recovery needs. If you’re not sure where to find one, hop online. You can search for a registered dietitian in your area who specializes in sports nutrition at
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Food for Thought: Calcium Isn't Just for Strong Bones
In a study published in the
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Food for Thought: Bacteria Are Critical to Your Health
A recent study published in the
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Food for Thought: Drinking Water May Help You Lose Weight
A recent study found that adults who simply gulped two cups of water before meals enjoyed a major weight-loss benefit—they shed 40 percent more weight over a 12-week period while following a low-cal plan identical to a second group of dieters. The same group of scientists previously found that subjects who drank two cups before meals naturally consumed 75- 90 fewer calories, an amount that could snowball day after day. According to the Institute of Medicine, women 19 and over need 2.7 liters of total fluid per day (about 11 8-oz cups) and men need 3.7 (about 15 8-oz cups). But that’s total fluid, not just water. Foods provide about 20 percent of your needs, which still leaves nearly nine cups of fluid to go, so if water is the only beverage you drink, eight glasses a day is a smart strategy.
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Food for Thought: Bacteria Are Critical To Your Health
A recent study published in the
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Food for Thought: Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies
Researchers at Colorado State University fed more than 100 subjects one of two diets: one with produce from fi ve distinct plant families, and the other with fruits and vegetables from 18 distinct plant families. Both diets were consumed for two weeks at a time and provided identical amounts of produce. But blood samples revealed that the more varied diet signifi cantly reduced oxidation in the body, a marker for disease protection. Aim for a wide array of colors and types of produce.
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Food for Thought: A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
Researchers at Arizona State University discovered that vitamin C’s role goes beyond fending off sniffles. This powerhouse nutrient can build stamina and squash a spare tire because the amount in your blood stream is related to your body’s ability to burn fat for fuel, both at rest and during exercise. Men in the study with low vitamin C levels burned 25 percent less fat during a treadmill test compared to those with adequate vitamin C. The link: C is essential for the production of carnitine, a nutrient that helps turn fat into a useable fuel source. This domino effect delays fatigue—each gram of fat packs nine calories, compared to four in carbohydrate. Vitamin C-rich foods include peppers, broccoli and citrus fruits.