Dense bean salads are having a moment. If you're unfamiliar, they are simply nutrient dense salads with a bean base. They can include anything from black beans to chickpeas and are mixed with a plethora of nutritious veggies and dressed generously to up the flavor factor. Why are they so popular? The reasons this simple salad is taking off has a lot to do with the same reasons we recommend it. This includes:
Who shouldn't eat dense bean salads?
We only caution those who struggle with IBS or SIBO. Beans are high on the FODMAP list which means they are highly fermentable in your gut which can lead to increased gas and bloating for some. If you're not sure your tolerance level, start slow with a 1/4 cup of beans and go from there.
How can you eat and prepare them?
For more ambitious readers, you can try preparing beans and lentils from scratch and tossing together with your favorite assortment of cooked and raw veggies. For everyone else, you can simply buy beans like black beans, kidney beans or chickpeas from a can, drain and rinse and then add to a salad. Go with whatever is more comfortable for you.
Other ways to eat beans outside of salads.
If you're not a salad person, you can also enjoy beans in a bowl with rice or quinoa and some fun toppings such as shredded cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo.
Need more healthy meal ideas? Our team is ready and available to help you find a personalized and healthy meal plan. Schedule a consult today!
Losing weight is among the top goals of most of our clients, but it's not always as easy or straightforward as it seems. Further, there is a plethora of misleading and misunderstood ideas around weight loss that can make it even harder to achieve. Here are some of the biggest weight loss myths we encounter that need to be debunked once and for all:
Fiber is a non-digestible, virtually zero-calorie carbohydrate that provides a plethora of benefits from treating digestion issues, feeding good gut bacteria, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering cholesterol and promoting satiety. Focusing on a more fiber rich mid-day meal can ensure better energy levels throughout the day and help tame cravings and hunger. Many people experience late afternoon energy crashes; by eating more fiber, you can reduce this effect and feel better all the way to dinner time.
Fiber needs vary from person-to-person, but the average recommendation for adults is 25-35 grams of dietary fiber per day.
Here are our top 11 favorite high fiber lunch ideas:
Total fiber: ~20 grams
Total fiber: ~27.2 grams
Total fiber: ~11.8 grams
Total fiber: ~6.5 grams
Total fiber: ~17.2 grams
Total fiber: ~17.3 grams
Total fiber: ~10.6 grams
Total fiber: ~15.1 grams
Total fiber: ~10 grams
Total fiber: ~7 grams
Total fiber: ~12.5 grams
Ozempic hacks are on the rise and "ricezempic" is another example of how many people are searching for magic bullets for weight loss. But can "ricezempic" actually help with weight loss?
Weight loss is not so simple for the vast majority of people battling against bigger waistlines due to stressful lifestyles, genetics and other impeding factors. For that reason, it's not surprising to see trends like these keep popping up attracting low hanging fruit and instilling a false sense of hope.
How does it help with weight loss?
Ricezempic involves soaking uncooked rice in water for a short period of time, removing and discarding the rice and then drinking the water. The claim is that the water now contains the naturally occurring resistant starch found in rice. Resistant starch can slow down digestion leading to better blood sugar levels and a longer sense of fullness and therefore, make it easier to eat less and promote a calorie deficit necessary for fat-burning. Ozempic works through similar mechanisms, although it is much stronger and also targets areas in the brain that regulate appetite.
Essentially ricezempic is touted as a drink that can make you feel more full and less hungry throughout the day, thus helping you eat less without feeling starving or spend hours at the gym.
What are the benefits?
The main benefit of ricezempic is consuming more resistant starch. Resistant starch not only promotes better blood sugar levels, but it can also benefit your gut health and bolster good gut bacteria proliferation. In other words, it can help increase the amount of good bacteria in your digestive tract which is important for not just proper digestion, but can improve immunity, mental health, metabolic health and more.
You can also get resistant starch by eating a variety of foods (which is safer and more effective) such as potatoes, oats and bananas.
What are the risks?
There are several risks involved with jumping on the ricezempic bandwagon. First, consuming anything uncooked or raw always leaves the possibility of food borne illnesses, and rice is no exception. Second, rice is one of the leading sources of arsenic and drinking rice-infused water can increase the concentration and exposure of this toxic heavy metal. Third, replacing food with water means you're reducing the amount of nutritious foods in your diet, which is never ideal.
What are alternatives?
The good news is that there are many ways to mimic the effects of drinking ricezempic water in your diet without succumbing to these dangerous trends. Eating a higher fiber and antioxidant-rich diet is the best way to boost gut health, promote more stable blood sugar levels and make it easier to keep calories down and promote healthy, sustainable weight loss.
Further, you can supplement with potato starch which contains a significant amount of resistant starch, even more so than ricezempic.
Lastly, hydrating with plenty of plain water and fluids can improve digestion, nutrient absorption and metabolic health.
While social media has no shortage of interesting weight loss hacks, it's always important to consult with a registered dietitian (RD) and MD before trying anything new. Even trends that involve plain food can be harmful.
Shopping for a coffee creamer can be harder than picking out a car with the increasingly wide selection and confusing package labeling. From dairy-free to sugar-free, ultimately, a coffee creamer should satisfy three main areas: taste, quality and accessibility. A creamer that tastes good to you, has quality ingredients devoid of excess added sugar, cholesterol-reasoning palm oil and digestion-disrupting carrageenan, and that is available at your local store are key.
Here are our top 4 favorite non-dairy creamers:
Nut pods
This dairy-free option is also sugar free and lower calorie compared with other creamer brands.
Califia Farms
This is another creamer that tops the list of top quality dairy-free creamers. With minimal ingredients, no sugar and very little calories, you can add a generous amount to your coffee without worrying about blood sugar spikes.
Four Sigmatic
If you like your coffee to do the most in the morning, Four Sigmatic packs in an additional serving of energizing adaptogens and herbs that also fight stress and bolster metabolic health.
Laird Superfood creamers
These are not just a dairy free coffee flavoring agent, they also provide additional functional ingredients like prebiotics and anti-inflammatory turmeric depending on the flavor you select. The best part is it comes in powder form which makes it more shelf stable than it’s refrigerated creamer counterparts.
No matter what, find a creamer that speaks to your taste buds and aligns with your nutritional goals. Considering what you're using creamer for, it should never be a staple in your diet as caffeine intake should ideally be under 400 mg per day which is equivalent to 4- 8 oz cups of brewed coffee per day.
**For more custom nutrition recommendations, book a 1:1 insurance-covered nutrition consultation with one of our experts today!
In the past, cottage cheese was often considered a snack for those with an acquired taste - it was often associated with something our grandparents ate who had chewing difficulties. Now, thanks to avid cottage-cheese-eating influencers on Tik Tok, this curdled cheese alternative is becoming more cool and trendy. Why? It's a healthy food that can be easily incorporated into your favorite comfort dishes like mac and cheese, pizza, and even ice cream! Whenever people learn about the high protein, low calorie and nutrient-dense nutritional profile, they're even more excited to try it as part of healthy, weight loss-promoting diet.
What to look for in the grocery store:
When it comes to brands, it's really a personal preference as each one can look and taste slightly different. I recommend sticking with what's available, affordable and enjoyable to you. Some brands add bonus functional ingredients like probiotics which is great for your gut health and others focus on flavoring it with fruit so it appeals to the masses, and even kids!
What are the health benefits?
Cottage cheese is similar to any cheese in that it's a top source of complete protein, bone-building calcium and vitamin D, as well as thyroid-supporting iodine. What's great about cottage cheese is that compared to other protein sources, it is more approachable, time-saving, convenient and economical than preparing fresh meat or seafood every single day. Cottage cheese can make hitting your daily protein needs much easier and less overwhelming.
How can I get creative with cottage cheese in my diet?
My favorite way to eat cottage cheese is mixing into a high-fiber pasta with some cooked spinach or broccoli and seasonings. However, it can also be spread onto your favorite bran cracker or pita, topped with tomato sauce and baked in the oven for a yummy personal pizza alternative.
Other ways to enjoy cottage cheese including layering into a tortilla with marinated veggies, blended in a smoothie with fresh fruit and nut butter, combining it into an egg scramble, or using it in any recipe you would use regular cheese. The versatility is the best part about cottage cheese.
While some belly fat is normal and even protective, excess fat around your midsection can be uncomfortable and unhealthy. So what is belly fat? Belly fat is specifically excess adipose tissue surrounding your central abdomen. Unlike the belly fat we think of when we hear that descriptor, visceral fat, on the other hand, is not visible by the naked eye. Instead, it's fat that surrounds vital organs and is often referred to as "toxic" fat given that it can increase risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.
It might sound counter intuitive, however one way to reduce unhealthy, excess belly fat is by eating more dietary fat! I am not talking about any fat, but rather anti-inflammatory, plant-based fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado and extra-virgin olive oil.
Countless studies and research proves anti-inflammatory fats like avocadoes can promote healthier waistlines and reduce unhealthy, excessive body fat levels. For examples, the National Health and Examination Survey, finds that those who eat avocados regularly have a considerably lower body mass index, waist circumference, and body weight than people who don't.
Aim for about 4-5 servings per day of nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocado. Top your yogurt with slivered almonds, layer your sandwiches with sliced avocado, swap butter for heart-healthy EVOO and even consider soaking chia seeds in almond milk overnight for a delicious breakfast chia pudding.
Another approach to shedding central weight is to not eat less, but eat more! Eating more, specifically more fiber and lean protein foods throughout the day can help minimize pre-bedtime, empty-calorie snacking which can be a major contributor to adipose tissue build up.
According to a 2024 ZOE Snacking Study, subjects who snack after 9 PM have less favorable blood sugar levels and blood fat responses after eating than those who snack at other times.
So instead of skipping breakfast or pushing off lunch, remember that you can either eat a little more now, or you might need to eat a lot more later at a time when your body won't be able to metabolize it the same way.
Of course, that doesn't mean all night-time snacking is "bad" or off-limits. The point is to eat enough throughout the day to keep your fat-burning furnace activated and limit mindless or stress eating at night which can also disturb the natural circadian rhythm and restful sleep.
If you feel like you've tried everything and are still struggling with unwanted body fat, book an insurance-covered consultation with one of our weight loss experts. We accept most major health insurance plans. =)
A question we get asked quite often due to misinformation online, is whether fruit can make you gain weight. The answer is a resounding NO. Fruit is incredibly nutritious, full of filling fiber, metabolism-bolstering antioxidants and hydrating water. So why does it get categorized a weight loss no-no? One possible reason is because of the natural sugar it contains and while yes, it does have sugar, it is by no means the same as eating donuts, cookies or candy.
Although all fruits can have a seat at the table, here are some of the more popular choices people gravitate towards and how they can be incorporated into a healthy, and even weight loss-friendly, meal plan:
Strawberries:
Among the fruit family, strawberries can be a productive pick if you're trying to shed excessive body fat. Why? Strawberries are highly nutritious, low in calories, and are packed with digestion-slowing fiber: fiber keeps blood sugar stable which can make it easier to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable manner. One cup of strawberries has only 50 calories and a 3g of fiber.
Blueberries:
Like strawberries, blueberries are another weight-friendly choice due to their relatively low calorie, yet high fiber content. In fact, blueberries are not only a great source of fiber, clocking in at almost 4g of fiber per cup, but they are a leading source of disease-fighting antioxidants. Antioxidants are also masters of bolstering of metabolic and hormonal harmony which is essential for burning body fat and sustaining healthy energy levels.
The bonus with blueberries is that when picked in-season, they are plenty sweet which can curb sugar cravings and hold you over in between meals. You can add berries to a high protein yogurt parfait, blend in a smoothie with spinach, avocado and protein powder, or stir together with oats and chia seeds for a yummy and weight loss-promoting "pudding."
Bananas:
Bananas do not deserve the bad rap that they're used to getting when it comes to weight loss. While they are comparatively higher in calories, carbs and sugar, they are no where near close to eating a donut or cake - although they are often categorized together. When still slightly green, bananas are a leading source of resistant starch which can be equally beneficial for your gut health and stabilizing blood sugar to keep hunger and energy levels even keel.
Further, bananas are a highly convenient and portable snack. When paired with an anti-inflammatory fat or lean protein such as nuts, nut butter, Greek yogurt or a cheese stick, can make for an incredibly filling and well-rounded on-the-go source of fuel.
What's always important with any successful weight loss plan is to incorporate foods you enjoy that are easily accessible. The way you eat to lose weight is the way you need to eat to maintain that weight loss. So if you enjoy eating bananas, they can absolutely be enjoyed without sacrificing the goal of finding your healthiest, happiest weight.
Need more personalized nutrition coaching? Travel to our book an appointment page and select the provider who matches what you're looking for. We accept most major health insurance plans.
