Category: Diet

Losing weight through caloric restriction.

3 Benefits of Eating Organic Food

Conversations about organic food can quickly become heated. What makes food production such a controversial topic? Whichever side of this issue you find yourself on, it’s important to understand the facts from all angles. Consider a few of the top reasons many people strongly support organic food sourcing.

1. Take Care of Your Health

Raising certified organic produce generally involves the use of much fewer chemicals than conventional farming. While many modern farmers use potentially harmful pesticides and herbicides to protect their crops, organic farmers use natural techniques such as crop rotation, traps, and natural herbicides and pesticides. Additionally, conventional farmers use hormones and broad-spectrum antibiotics to bring up livestock. By not using these treatments, organic agriculturalists avoid contributing to antibiotic-resistance and human hormone-related problems.

It is also possible that organic produce and dairy products actually have more nutritional value than their conventionally raised counterparts. Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and other minerals may be present in higher quantities in organic food.

2. Protect the Environment

Organic agriculture is believed to impact farmland less adversely than does conventional agriculture. Organic farmers prioritize crop rotation, tilling, and other practices which may slow down the loss of topsoil. On top of that, there are fewer risks to animals and water sources when the use of pesticides and herbicides is limited.

3. Treat Animals Well

Finally, organic farmers often aim to raise animals in healthy living conditions. This may involve keeping livestock outside, providing adequate space, and feeding them according to their natural diet.

While supporters of conventional farming may argue that organic food is more expensive or spoils more quickly than other food products, there are certainly a number of compelling reasons to look for organic items on your next shopping trip. Consider whether making the switch to organic meat and produce is right for your family.

Top Tips for Mindful Eating

Having a healthier relationship with food can increase your overall wellness. One way to achieve this is to embrace the concept of mindful eating. Being fully aware of the present moment when you are eating can help you avoid overindulging and enhance your enjoyment of food. Consider implementing the following guidelines when you sit down for your next meal.

Don’t Clean Your Plate

While you may feel that not emptying your entire plate is rude, there are health benefits to leaving some of your food behind. Overindulging is the exact opposite of mindful eating and can cause weight gain, which leads to more serious health issues. Doctors like Dominique Fradin Read recommend that you don’t finish all portions on your plate and instead put it aside when you feel full.

Stop Eating When You Are Full

It can be easy to confuse eating for pleasure with eating for fuel. The key is to know what your body feels like when your stomach is full and to stop eating when you receive that signal. Take time to connect with the sensations in your body as you eat. With some time and discipline, you will be able to train yourself to walk away from your plate before you overstuff yourself.

Engage Your Senses

Using all your senses to fully connect with the experience of eating is one of the best ways to bring mindfulness to your table. Notice the colours, textures and smell of your food. Consider where your food came from and the journey it took to end up on your plate. Chew thoughtfully and take time to analyze the flavour of the meal. Finally, swallow slowly and take some time to consider your emotions around the food you have just eaten.

Eliminate Distractions

Turning off the TV and silencing your cell phone at dinner can go a long way towards eating in a more mindful and meditative manner. When you are distracted, you are more likely to overeat and ignore your body signalling to you that you are full. Make the table an electronics-free zone so you can focus on your food and the people who are eating with you.

Mindfulness can truly change your whole relationship with eating by making you healthier, increasing your gratitude for the meals on your plate and helping you connect with your feelings about food. Take some time to make some simple shifts in your eating habits and watch as your wellness improves.

10 Nutrient-Rich Foods for the Elderly

Nutrition is a vital part of overall health from the day you’re born, and it remains essential as you age. Your body requires many different nutrients (carbs, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and fats) to sustain proper function, regulate energy levels, and maintain a healthy weight. Believe it or not, your diet has the power to significantly impact the way your body fights off diseases and ailments.

As you reach your senior years, your body undergoes a variety of changes. However, what foods you eat and how much you consume is still a contributing factor to your overall wellness. Below are ten nutrient-rich foods seniors can eat regularly to remain healthy:

  1. Avocados are a high-calorie food that’s an excellent source of healthy fat.
  2. Fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and herring can help deter heart problems and reduce mental decline.
  3. Oats are easy to eat and supply seniors with a significant amount of fibre while lowering blood sugar levels.
  4. Berries like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries harbour tons of antioxidants and are a low-glycemic fruit that can also satisfy your sweet tooth.
  5. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and others are a powerhouse of nutrients, providing substantial amounts of fibre, protein, and healthy fats.
  6. Seeds such as sunflower, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), chia seeds, and flaxseed provide healthy fats and also make for a convenient, nutrient-rich snack.
  7. Chicken is packed with protein, which is important for building and maintaining muscle mass in the elderly.
  8. Dark, Leafy Vegetables like kale, spinach, collard greens, and swiss chard have plenty of fibre, which can help maintain cholesterol levels.
  9. Water isn’t technically food, but it plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy body, ridding it of toxins, aiding digestion, preventing constipation, helping your body absorb nutrients, and so much more.
  10. Dairy products, including yoghurt, milk, and cheese, are rich in calcium, a valuable nutrient that helps keep bones strong and prevent bone loss in seniors.

As always, it’s important for seniors to also engage in routine physical activity. Paired with a nutritious diet, exercise can offer an abundance of health benefits such as improved memory, boosted energy, increased flexibility, a positive mood, better balance, and much more.

Watch Out for Loss of Appetite in Seniors

Have you recently noticed a change in your elderly loved one’s appetite or your own? This is likely due to the natural ageing process or potentially signify another underlying health condition. Fortunately, there are a variety of things that can be done to increase a senior’s desire for food, like finding higher-calorie foods, sharing frequent meals with others, snacking often on nutritious foods, and ensuring foods are easy to eat and digest.

If you are a family caregiver, make sure that you keep an eye on your senior’s food consumption habits and contact their doctor if things worsen. Malnourishment can lead to severe health consequences in seniors, such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, and eating disorders if not treated as soon as possible.

What Does Cold Press Mean?

Juicing is all the rage lately! However, unless you’ve become a juicing expert overnight, you might not be totally familiar with all of the terminology involved. The first thing that you should know is that not all juices are created equal and that methodology matters! And when it comes to methodology, cold press is where it’s at. But what does cold pressing actually mean, anyway?

What Does Cold Pressed Mean?

Cold pressing is a method of juicing – and the best one, in our opinion! Cold press juicing does not involve any heat, which means that it does take longer but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. Other methods of juicing, like centrifugal juicers, involve heat and oxidation in the process. While this might not seem like a big deal, the introduction of heat into the process can actually affect the nutritional value of the ingredients in the juice. Different vitamins and compounds have different makeups and react to heat differently, so not all the nutritional value is destroyed by heat but it can affect things like Vitamin C, Vitamin B, and more.

Cold pressed juicing, on the other hand, doesn’t involve heat at all and instead uses a hydraulic press instead of an electric one to get the juice out of the fruits and veggies. The first step in the process is to shred the produce. The second step is to compress the shredded bits between two hydraulic plates at extremely high pressures – called high-pressure processing or HPP. This method results in maintaining the highest amount of liquid and nutritional value out of the products as possible leaving you with extremely high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

What Are the Benefits of the Cold Press Method?

While we have already touched on some of the benefits of cold pressed fruit juices, let’s go more in-depth so that you can really see how amazing this method is:

  • The cold press method of juicing produces less waste than the centrifugal method since the entire product is crushed and turned into juice instead of just shredded.
  • The cold press method of juicing really gives you the most bang for your buck. In fact, some of the best cold press juices include up to four pounds of fresh produce in a single small bottle!
  • The high-pressure processing method is able to kill potentially harmful pathogens without heat and increase the shelf life of your juice so that you have plenty of time to enjoy it!

 Where to Get Cold Pressed Juice?

Nowadays, it seems like everyone is getting into the cold pressed juice trend. So with all these choices, how can you find a great place to get your juice? While everyone has different requirements and qualifications for a good juice, here are some key things to look for when considering juice sources:

  • Look for juice that is sourced through environmentally-friendly methods with minimum transportation involved
  • Look for juice that is made from produce grown from independent farmers who maintain the highest quality in their products
  • Look for juice that comes from a company who disposes their waste in proper ways and recycles as much as possible
  • Look for juice that offers delivery as well as curbside pickup so that you can get your fix quickly, easily, and safely
  • Finally, look for juice that uses the superior HPP method of juicing so that it’s 100% healthy, tastes good, and lasts

Now you know everything you need to know to hop on the juice train and start enjoying some delicious, healthy, and ethically-sourced juice! We promise that it totally lives up to the hype and is worth checking out.

 

How to Stay in Shape without Exercising?

No pain, no gain. 

We’ve heard this all our lives, and it’s true. When it comes to losing weight and staying in shape, you need to hit the gym or jogging track and sweat it out. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get in good shape without exercising. 

Here are a few easy tips to follow to get rid of excess body fat and get in shape without hitting the gym and lifting weights. 

Stay hydrated

Summer is coming, and your body needs more water. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, especially if you live in a place where the climate is hot and humid. 

60% of the human body is made up of water, so refilling your body’s liquid content is crucial to flush out toxins, maintain metabolism, and promote skin health. 

Lastly, drinking more water also promotes weight loss. When you drink water, your energy levels increase, which promotes weight loss. Water also makes you feel satiated and reduces your intake of sodium and sugar-heavy snacks. 

Chew thoroughly and slowly

Keeping your body in shape has a lot to do with your diet. If you can’t exercise, you’ll need to make some changes to your diet. The first step is to eat less than you eat normally. Food provides calories, and if you’re taking more calories than you lose, you’ll gain weight. However, you can trick your brain into eating less. 

Your brain needs time to process that you’ve eaten enough. When you eat slowly and chew thoroughly, you’ll feel satiated soon. Thus, you’ll end up eating less. Fast eaters, on the other hand, are more likely to be obese. So, get into the habit of eating slowly and chewing your food properly. 

Walk more often

If your office is not far from your home, you can opt for walking instead of taking a bus or taxi. When you walk, your body burns calories and causes weight loss. Besides, walking in the morning also boosts the metabolism of your body. 

While the benefits of walking may not equal the effects of full-scale workouts, it is a painless way to stay in shape. Walking is also a brisk cardio exercise, so it keeps your heart strong and protects you from health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes. 

Eat a balanced diet

If you don’t exercise, you’ll need to be extra watchful of what you eat. Cut out junk food completely from your diet. If you can’t eliminate junk food entirely, at least lower the intake to once or twice a month. Junk food contains unsaturated fat, sodium, and refined carbs – which can lead to weight gain and a higher risk of heart disease. 

It’s not necessary to eat unhealthy every time you eat out. There are healthier alternatives as well, such as salads, sugar-free desserts, nuts, etc. Non-veg snacks are healthier compared to veg snacks, as they don’t contain large amounts of refined carbs. 

Eat a lot of protein

Protein not only helps you build muscle, but it also has powerful effects on your appetite. It can make you feel fuller, reduce your hunger, and reduce your calorie intake. Proteins contain hormones like ghrelin and GLP-1, which play a role in fullness and hunger. 

So, if you eat grain-based breakfast, like bread, consider switching to a protein-rich meal like eggs. If you’re already overweight, eating eggs for breakfast can also help you lose weight. If you don’t like eggs, you can go for other protein-rich foods, like chicken breasts, Greek yogurt, lentils, fish, almonds, and quinoa. 

Take the stairs

This one is quite common: take stairs instead of elevator and escalator whenever possible. Studies suggest that taking stairs burns more calories than jogging. And if the lift of your office building is always busy and takes forever to arrive, taking stairs can help you save time as well. 

But that doesn’t mean you should get late to your office. Try reaching your workspace early so you can easily take stairs without rushing. If, by chance, you arrive late, take the lift instead of running up the stairs and showing up at your office sweaty and messed up. 

Sleep well

Taking a good 7-8 hours of sleep has health benefits that go beyond weight loss. It helps you feel refreshed, alert, and happy. It’s healthy for your brain too. When you take quality sleep, your brain signals your body to release hormones that improve the metabolism of your body. These hormones burn body fat and promote weight loss. 

Manage your stress

We live in a fast-moving society. There’s so much happening in everyone’s lives that it’s almost impossible to get rid of stress. Therefore, it is critical to learn how to cope with it. Excessive stress can lead to many health problems, like heart diseases, hypertension, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, gastrointestinal problems, etc. 

In addition, many people binge eat when they are stressed or depressed. Binge eating can cause a sudden increase in weight, and losing it can be a challenge. So, make sure to manage your stress before it gets over your head and starts deteriorating the quality of your life. 

Here are ten easy ways to reduce stress:

  • Avoid alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine
  • Indulge in some physical activity
  • Eat healthily
  • Get more sleep
  • Manage your time
  • Try relaxation techniques
  • Keep a stress diary
  • Talk to someone

Eliminate sugary drinks

Sugar is the major culprit of weight gain. Sugary drinks are considered the worst beverages today, not only because they cause obesity, but because they increase the risk of other diseases as well. For example, carbonated beverages like soft drinks and soda are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, digestive disorders, and cancer. 

Therefore, stay away from unhealthy sugary drinks. Instead, opt for healthier drinks like water, coffee, and green tea. Also, keep in mind that fruit juice (unless pure) is also high in sugar and can cause obesity. 

Use smaller plates for unhealthy foods

 

You are likely to eat less when you get less to eat. Most restaurants serve in large food plates, which increase your risk of overeating. Moreover, eating on a bigger plate can make the served food quantity look smaller, encouraging you to eat more. 

So, when you eat unhealthy food, make sure to serve it on smaller plates. Another unusual way to help you eat less is to serve food in red plates. The effects are not clear, but research suggests that people tend to eat less when they eat from a red plate. Combine the two techniques, and eat in a plate that is small and red in color. 

Be healthy

You might follow all the tips discussed above and be in great shape, but all it takes is a flu or fever to ruin the shape of your body. Therefore, focus on your lifestyle to make sure you stay healthy and don’t fall sick too often. 

Conclusion

Staying in shape is all about eating healthy food and exercising regularly. And since you’re cutting off the exercising element, you’ll need to focus more on what you eat. The rules are quite simple: avoid sugary foods, unsaturated fats, and refined carbs, and eat more proteins and whole-grain foods.

How to Elevate Your HCG Program for Ultimate Weight Loss

If you’ve started to follow the HCG diet plan, then you probably have one goal in mind: reducing weight loss so that you can get your health and the aesthetics of your body to exactly where you want them to be.

If you want to realize the maximum potential weight loss from this diet strategy, it’s important that you follow a few key principles of HCG diet protocol. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at some techniques that you can implement to elevate your HCG program.

Combine Exercise with HCG Dieting

Like it or not, exercise is a key component of any successful weight loss strategy. If you truly want to build the best you possible, then it’s absolutely crucial that you incorporate some kind of exercise routine into your daily life.

The exercise will aid the HCG’s effort to increase metabolism and spike weight loss. But besides that, exercise also has a host of other benefits.

Firstly, exercise will enable you to build muscle. While fat loss will certainly make you look better, building muscle will take your body’s aesthetics to the next level. As an added plus, toning up is going to make you feel better, stronger, and more capable as you attack your everyday tasks!

Last but certainly not least, exercise is also linked to profound mental health benefits. Simply put, exercise can help to alleviate extreme stress and even depression in many folks. It does this by improving your body’s neural activity while also giving you more confidence in how you look.

Thus, it’s clear that to elevate your HCG diet plan you need to pair it with regular exercise.

Limit Calories As Much As Possible

The next thing to consider with the HCG fat loss is limiting your caloric intake. It is not sufficient to take the HCG protein and expect to start losing weight immediately.

After all, remember that what the protein does is increase metabolism. If this increase in metabolism is paired with an increase in food intake, then nothing will happen! The status quo will be maintained.

On the other hand, now consider the situation where you intentionally limit your calories to the recommended 500 calories per day. You will now be taking in far fewer calories than you expend through metabolism and exercise. The natural consequence of that is significant weight loss.

Eating fewer calories doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on delicious meals either. Check out this post to learn a few tasty recipes that are HCG-friendly!

Make the Most Out of Your HCG Diet Plan

There you have it. Now that you know how to make the most out of your HCG diet plan, you should be far better equipped to lose as much weight as you need to while also increasing muscle and improving your body’s overall look.

For more health advice, you’re definitely in the right place! Be sure to check out the rest of the articles available on the website before you leave!

Lemon Coconut Cookie- A Delight for Keto Lovers

Do you ever get a craving for a slightly sweet treat but want it to be healthier too? Well, surely each one of us does! The keto coconut cookie is the perfect little option for you with health and spectacular flavor intact splendidly.

Is coconut suggested for a keto diet?

Yes, coconut is highly rich in fiber, iron, and zinc. Yes, it has a plethora of nutritional benefits and that is why eating a Gluten-free coconut cookie is healthier. 

A simple word of caution here that you shouldn’t use coconut flour instead of almond flour as it doesn’t act the same and may change the taste. Hence both of them are not interchangeable

You don’t have to eliminate your favorite sweet dishes and dessert to eat healthier and low carb. All you need to do is make smart choices like keto coconut cookies and know the right way to make them.

 The recipe for Keto lemon coconut cookie is given below:

  • ¾ sucralose sweetener
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp almond milk
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Some butter
  1. It is important to get a big bowl first which can help you mix all the content easily.
  2. Now preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  3. Get a baking sheet with parchment paper
  4. Beat butter, milk, and egg till smooth. Now beat sweetener too. 
  5. Wipe out the sides of a spatula.
  6. Mix coconut flakes, almond flour, baking powder, some lemon zest, baking soda and salt in another bowl.
  7. Now beat the mixture till the dough gets made.
  8. Drop some cookie dough on the parchment paper.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven till they turn golden brown. It may take around 17 minutes for normal size cookies to bake properly. 
  10. Now cool the baking sheets for at least 3-4 minutes to enjoy eating them

So, if you are looking for an amazing gluten-free baked stuff, then rather than putting in so much effort, just order it online. These cookies don’t just suffice the keto guidelines but also tickle your tastebuds too. They have an enticing taste of lemon topped with coconut. They are low on carbs and prove to be one of the best keto desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth while sticking to your keto lifestyle. They are also considered to be an amazing travel snack too. Get some freshly based gluten-free lemon coconut cookie only and get them delivered to your door from PBH Foods.

The online store is renowned for its collection of yummy, sumptuous and delicious keto snacks which don’t let you compromise with your health and taste anywhere. The sugar-free, gluten-free cookies prove to be the ultimate treat idea for all foodies. It is a guilt-free tasty snack that anyone can enjoy. Just place your order online and it will reach your doorsteps in just no time. 

 

5 Nutritional Pitfalls to Avoid

Sometimes, you can trace a habit you have back to the original source. Maybe it was your mom or dad always telling you to make your bed every morning, so you make your bed every morning. In high school, you started showering before heading out so now you start showering before you start your day.

Other times, we accrue bad habits in our daily lives. One day, we sit around with bad posture and before long, it feels weird to sit with correct posture. Other times, we are told certain things about certain foods and believe them, whether or not they’re good or bad.

You might be making some mistakes without even knowing them. That’s why it’s time to head back to the basics and make sure you’re avoiding those pitfalls, and what you can do to correct them.

Not Drinking Enough Water

It’s one of life’s most basic principles: in order to survive, you need to drink water. Too often, people substitute juices or other drinks for their water requirement.

Yes, it can be hard to remember to drink water during the busy day but the best thing to do is drink a glass of water within 30 minutes of waking up each morning. With that, you’re going to help boost your metabolism, jumpstart your brain, and rehydrate. You did just go 7-9 hours without sleep!

If you’re finding it difficult, bring a water bottle from home today and make a point to go refill it at work or school whenever it goes on empty.

Not Enough Lean Meat

You don’t need to be a dietician or nutritionist to know that protein is important for your body. It helps you build up muscles, keeps your nails and hair healthy, and is important for blood health.

Just where you’re getting that protein though, is often the issue. Red meat is fine in small quantities, but you shouldn’t be making it part of your regular diet. Instead of relying on red meat, substitute it with lean meats like turkey, chicken, and lean beef.

You can use those to substitute just about any non-lean meat out there, making it delicious and healthy. Also check out non-meat sources of protein, like delicious falafel or trail mix.

Not Reading Labels Closely

Food is advertised just like anything else. The important, eye-catching parts are put in big letters at the front while secondary information is found in the corner or back of the box.

For example, you should be checking out serving sizes. While it may look great that the box of cereal only has three grams of sugar, how big is a serving size? Before you know it, you might have eaten 10 servings, putting a whopping 30 grams of sugar in your body in one sitting.

Along the same route, sugar-free foods are often packed with artificial sweeteners which can have negative impacts on your health.

Skipping Meals

Sometimes, life is busy and you realize an hour later you completely forgot about lunch. Other times, you think skipping a meal is a great way to lose weight. Both of these occurrences have negative impacts on your body. The meal most likely to be skipped is breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day.

When you skip a meal, your body is going to look for other reserves to keep itself going. Or you may find later that you’re having unbearable cravings and you consume more than you normally would. Make sure you’re sticking to a regular meal plan.

Eating Whatever You Want After a Workout

Working out takes a level of commitment and dedication in of itself, and you should be eating something after your workout. One of the biggest pitfalls is people believe they can eat whatever they want after finishing a workout. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yes, your body does need fuel after working out, but you need to put something healthy back into it, like vegetables, nuts, lean meats, or other protein-filled foods.

The average person burns the number of calories in a chocolate chip cookie after one mile of running. Running a mile takes anywhere from 7-12 minutes, but you could eat 7-12 cookies in a minute. Make sure you have healthy post-workout food options when you call it a day.

Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight and Lean Muscle Mass

While everyone wants to lose weight, there are seldom few people who want to gain weight. Most people are of the view that losing weight is tough but to gain is really easy. If you are under the view that just by binging on a lot of junk food, you can gain weight, you are absolutely wrong. No doubt, you will surely gain weight but it will all be unhealthy weight.

How fast your body sheds or gains weight entirely depends on its metabolism. As a result, it is extremely necessary to be careful and keep a check on your diet. Every human being is different and so the process of losing it gaining weight will vary too. Therefore, it is necessary to reach out to experts to find the best solution to your problem.

Can you gain weight?

Gaining weight and lean muscle mass can be difficult but if the food is consumed right way, it can be helpful. Nutrition, as well as physical activity, has an important role to play in building the body. People looking forward to bulking up need to consume protein-rich foods. Apart from exercising regularly, you should also keep a check on your nutritional diet for better advantages. Thus, when trying to gain weight and muscle mass, both nutrition and exercise have an equal role to play.

What to consume?

If you are trying to gain weight, make sure that you bring changes in your diet. Some of the prominent food items to consume include the following

  1. Egg

If you have been searching for quality protein-rich, healthy fat food then an egg is the best choice to make. The egg is enriched with necessary nutrients like choline and vitamin-B, which makes it a major addition to your muscle gain diet.

Eggs are extremely rich in the amino acid, leucine, which is extremely necessary for muscle gain. Vitamin B is also a major requirement of the body. It helps to produce energy in large numbers. Compared to egg yolks, egg whites are more enriched in proteins. You should consume at least four eggs a day if you have been trying to gain muscle mass.

  1. Milk

Milk has played an important role in helping people gain weight for a long time. This muscle builder is an important aspect in the long run. Milk is the perfect combination of proteins, carbs, and fats. Apart from that, milk is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and calcium.

Milk forms a major part of whey proteins and casein. Research has shown that milk also boosts your energy so you can indulge in weight lifting. As a result, the chances to gain muscle mass eventually increases. If you are not consuming protein powders, you should drink a meal twice a day, before and after a workout.

  1. Nuts and Peanut butter

Who doesn’t love peanut butter? To know peanut butter as an efficient weight builder is a great boost. If you have been looking forward to a perfect snack that can help you in the long run to build your muscle mass, then nuts are the right choice to make.

Compared to all nuts, almonds are the healthiest for they contain healthy fats and a sufficient amount of proteins. Two handfuls of nuts each day can boost your muscle gain diet. These calories are healthy for your body. You can either consume nuts with your smoothie or salad. The peanut butter can also form an important part of yoghurts, smoothies, and snacks. However, if you are purchasing but butter you need to ensure that it does not contain added sugar or extra oil.

  1. Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is a major food for boosting your weight gain procedure. Compared to other body parts, chicken breast contains healthy fats and fast quality protein. Apart from that, chicken breast also contains a sufficient amount of vitamin B complexes such as niacin and vitamin B6.

The vitamins are an important requirement of the body to boost your physical activity. As a result, chicken breast is extremely necessary for ensuring muscle gain. Studies have also shown that chicken breast will not only aid in muscle gain but will also contribute towards fat loss.

  1. Potato and starchy foods

If you are looking forward to an affordable range of healthy foods, then potatoes are the right choice to make. These starchy foods can add up the extra calories to your diet thereby helping you gain muscle mass. Some of the prominent starchy foods you can consume are squash, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, winter root vegetables and more.

These starchy foods can add an adequate amount of calories and carbs into the body thereby increasing the muscle glycogen stores. Moreover, starchy foods can also help to enhance the nutrient and fiber content of the body which will help to improve the gut bacteria.

  1. Greek Yogurt

Greek Yogurt is a healthy combination of healthy fats and high-quality protein. Greek yoghurt contains a sufficient amount of quick to digest whey protein with slow to digest casein protein. Research shows that one can easily gain lean muscle mass if they eat a perfect balance of quick and slow-digesting dietary proteins.

Greek yoghurt is extremely healthy as compared to the regular yogurt. Greek yogurt can make an important part of the diet and is a perfect snack. But, it is always recommended to consume Greek yogurt before and after a workout to enjoy maximum benefits.

  1. Avocados

Nothing on this Earth is as healthy as avocados. It won’t be wrong to call avocados magic food because they are enriched with healthy proteins and fat. Avocados are rich in calories thereby helping you gain weight in a healthy way. Not only is avocado rich in fiber, but also minerals, vitamins, and plant compounds. You can include avocados in your omelets and sandwiches for extra benefits.

  1. Soybeans

Cooked or boiled soybeans contain a sufficient amount of healthy unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. They are a great source of vitamin K, phosphorus and iron. Iron is further required for the healthy functioning of the body. The deficiency of iron can further be harmful to the body. Soybeans can further be helpful for young women who undergo blood loss due to menstruation for it provides healthy iron content.

Various foods can help to gain lean muscle mass. You should be consuming protein-packed foods that will eventually help you recover from deficiency. This further helps to boost your physical activity. Apart from protein, you should also be consuming a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals to meet body requirements.

6 Reasons Why Dietary Fiber Is Good for You

Sitting in the bathroom, you notice that your legs have gone numb again, but you still can’t drop the kids off at the pool. If you have ever felt constipated or bloated, you may not be getting enough fiber in your diet.

There is a real problem with Americans having fiber intake deficiencies. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a study in 2014 which found that Americans get about two-thirds of the fiber intake recommended by doctors and nutritionists.

Beyond keeping your bowels regular, there are many reasons why proper fiber intake is good for you. Keep reading to learn some of the amazing health benefits of adding fiber to your diet.

1. Bloating and Constipation

As we mentioned, consuming the correct amount of fiber keeps you from feeling bloated or becoming constipated. But how does it work?

Some studies suggest that the fiber absorbs excess water from your digestion tract, which reduces the size of your stools and allows them to pass through. This is not 100% true.

Dry fiber would, in fact, absorb the water and make your stool drier, but that would make constipation worse. What you want for constipation is water-soluble fiber which becomes like a gel in the digestive tract and lubricates the stool. Insoluble fiber has the exact opposite effect, so you should consult a doctor before using any fiber to treat your issues.

2. Fiber Is a Weight Loss Booster

Dietary fiber is another kind found most often in food, but weight loss supplements often include it as well. You can lose weight using dietary fiber to reduce your weight in a natural way.

The fiber absorbs water in your stomach and remains there for a while. As the fiber sits in the stomach, it slows the absorption of nutrients and leads to a longer-lasting feeling of fullness. The longer you feel full, the less food you will eat, thus reducing the number of calories you consume.

Make sure to use soluble fiber for a weight loss boost, but remember that too much soluble fiber has a laxative effect. No one needs that kind of mess!

3. Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the United States. Some people are born with diabetes (type 1) while others develop it later in life (type 2), but both types mean that your body does not process sugar as it should. Some people are choosing to ditch the expensive pills and insulin shots in favor of a diet change to manage their diabetes.

Studies show that high viscosity soluble fiber has the ability to reduce the intensity of blood sugar spikes after eating a carb-laden meal. What this means is, if you eat something with high viscosity soluble fiber before a meal with lots of carbs, your blood sugar levels will not get as high as if you were to eat the same meal without the added fiber.

Be cautious though. If you have blood sugar issues, you should not eat a plate full of spaghetti or a giant cupcake, even with high viscosity fiber in your system. But, having enough fiber in your gut means you won’t need to panic and run to the hospital if you eat a single cookie.

It is not always easy to know which foods have high fiber content. Fiber is not something you can identify in a food item by sight. Check out this page for some of the food items with the highest fiber content.

4. Fiber Reduces the Risk of Colorectal Cancer

Of all the cancers that lead to death, colorectal cancer is the third most common. Studies are still going on, but some scientists believe that fiber keeps your colon healthy and less prone to developing cancer!

The difficult part about these studies is that it appears that there is a connection with a higher fiber diet and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. But, the nutrients and vitamins found in the fruits and veggies that are also high in fiber could also be the reason for the reduced risk.

Until doctors find conclusive evidence, we see no harm in adding more fruits and veggies with high fiber content to your diet.

5. Fiber Is Good for You and Your Gut Health

Another benefit is that fiber helps promote probiotics in your stomach. It helps the probiotic “good” bacteria in your stomach by acting as a food source for it. After all, everything alive has to eat something to produce energy and continue living.

With the probiotic bacteria fed and protected in your tummy, it can spend its energy breaking down food for you and fending off bad gut bacteria.

6. Cholesterol Benefits

if you have problems controlling your cholesterol, you should up your fiber intake. In tandem with other cholesterol control methods, fiber can help reduce your total cholesterol and LDL levels.

In general, it’s not super effective by itself. But, studies are finding that larger amounts of viscous soluble fiber show better results. One thing scientists can say is that high fiber intake reduces your risk of heart disease!

Live Your Healthiest Lifestyle

We hope knowing why fiber is so good for you motivates you to increase your intake. Keep in mind that while fiber supplement pills help increase your fiber levels, they are not as efficient as consuming high fiber foods. If you can’t seem to consume enough fiber in your meals, then adding fiber supplements is your next best option.

Once your gut feels back to normal, keep up your fiber intake to ensure your gut health stays in tip-top shape! Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Paying attention to your nutrient intake is a great first step to living a healthy lifestyle. Check out the rest of our blog for more great information about how to live your healthiest lifestyle!

If you have more tips for increasing your fiber intake or more benefits you notice from it, please let us know!