Thinking about starting the 16:8 diet, but want to find out more before you do? Well, you've come to the right place. This intermittent fasting diet has grown in popularity over the last few years and it's no wonder why. Changing the hours you eat can be a simple way to change your mindset about food, and it has great results.

Here's our expert advice on why the 16:8 diet may work for you...

"The 16:8 diet is an intermittent fasting diet," says dietitian,Dr Carrie Ruxton from The Health & Food Supplements Information Service. "16:8 intermittent fasting involves limiting consumption of foods and energy (calorie)-containing beverages to a set window of eight hours per day and abstaining from food for the remaining 16 hours. This cycle can be repeated as often as you like from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on personal preference.

"Restricting food intake to eight hours a day helps to cut calories," says Dr Ruxton. "It may also help weight loss if the diet is healthy and the person does not make up for fasting by eating large amounts of foods during the eating period of eight hours. As well as cutting calorie intake, the diet may reduce resting energy expenditure and contribute to weight loss.

Don't worry about starving, you won't on this diet.

Start by picking a time frame for fasting, say 8pm until midday the following day or 5pm until 9am until the following day," says Dr Ruxton. "So, youd eat during the hours of 12 noon until 8pm or from 9am until 5pm. You could eat anything you like although any benefits that might be gained from the diet would not be so great if you choose a high proportion of less healthy foods.Its important to stick to nutritious whole foods during the eating period.Drink calorie-free beverages, like water and unsweetened teas, during the fast period to curb appetite and maintain hydration.

READ MORE:

While other diets often set strict rules and regulations on what can be eaten, 16:8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow and requires minimal effort," says Dr Ruxton.

It is really simple to follow. "It is generally considered less restrictive and more flexible than some other diet plans and is easier for some people to fit into their lifestyle, which can contribute to weight loss, adds Dr Ruxton.

Restricting food intake to just eight hours per day can cause some people to eat more than usual during eating periods in an attempt to make up for hours spent fasting," says Dr Ruxton. "This may lead to weight gain, digestive problems and the development of unhealthy eating habits. The 16:8 diet may also cause short-term negative side effects at the start such as hunger, weakness and fatigue though these often subside once a routine is established."

And that's not the only thing to look out for. Restricting food intake could also reduce intake of vitamins and minerals," says Dr Ruxton. "In fact, any change of food/diet regime can prejudice vitamin and mineral intake.

"This depends on your calorie intake during the eight hours you eat," says Dr Ruxton. "Research on this diet is limited, but has shown similar weight loss on an intermittent fasting diet and a low-calorie diet although intermittent fasting may be more effective for retention of lean tissue (e.g., muscle).

Yes, this one is definitely worth trying. "The 16:8 diet can be a safe and easy way to improve your health when managed with a healthy nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle," says Dr Ruxton.

"However, it shouldnt be viewed as a substitute for balanced, healthy diet rich in whole foods. Though 16:8 intermittent fasting is generally considered safe for most healthy adults, its important to talk to your doctor before giving it a try. This is especially the case if you have any underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, low blood pressure, a history of disordered eating or if you take any medication. Plus, intermittent fasting is also not recommended for women who are trying to conceive or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Here's the great news. "You dont have to sign up to anything," says Dr Ruxton. "There are plenty of 16:8 plans online. The cost of the diet is your choice as you choose what to put in your shopping basket. You may spend less eating during eight hours each day.

Good luck if you try the 16:8 diet - we hope it works for you.

See the rest here:
The 16:8 diet: what is it and could it work for you? - woman&home

Many people are making changes to their diets to eat healthier or in a more environmentally friendly manner. They might choose to eat less meat, less sugar or even adopt an entirely vegan diet. A growing number, however, are choosing a plant-based diet that focuses on foods that come from plants, but may still include animal products, such as meat or cheese.

American biochemist Thomas Colin Campbell coined the term plant-based in the 1980s to better explain his research on diet and nutrition. The term surged in popularity in 2016 when Campbells book The China Study was reprinted and alternative meat products such as Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger were launched.

Since then, plant-based foods have taken the world by storm. They are everywhere: fast-food chains, restaurant menus, grocery stores, social media, food blogs and on your plate. The global plant-based food market is predicted to reach a market valuation of US$38.4 billion by 2025. In the United States alone, the number of plant-based products available increased 29 per cent between 2017 and 2019.

As a research assistant at the Centre for Culinary Innovation, I work with industry to develop new food products. Although the work of the centre is not limited to plant-based foods, our team focuses on researching, understanding, experimenting and creating new ones.

The rapid growth of plant-based food is due to several factors. The most common reasons people in Europe, the U.S. and Canada give for eating plant-based food are the health benefits, curiosity to try new food, environmental concerns and animal welfare.

If you are thinking about switching to a plant-based diet, here are six things you should know about plant-based food.

According to the Plant Based Foods Association, a plant-based product consists of ingredients derived from plants, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds or legumes.

The final product directly replaces an animal product. By this definition, a cheese made from plant sources can be called plant-based, but flour or bread cannot. If the final product only partially replaces an animal product, then it should be labelled as a blend.

The terms vegan and plant-based have long been used interchangeably. But following a plant-based diet does not necessarily mean that you are vegan or vegetarian. It means that you are consciously choosing to eat more from plants, but you may still be eating meat, fish, eggs or other animal products.

In fact, plant-based food manufacturers are not targeting vegans and vegetarians since they are only a small percentage of the population. Their main targets are meat eaters and flexitarians people who eat mostly plant-based diets, but still eat meat.

Usually, a diet containing a higher proportion of plant-based food is automatically associated with being healthy. However, it might not always be the case.

A plant-based diet is healthy when it is mainly composed of whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts. In fact, such a diet has been shown to decrease the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Nutritionists remain concerned about heavily processed meat substitutes that contain high levels of saturated fats and sodium. These ingredients preservatives, flavouring and fillers enhance the taste, shelf life and texture.

Although they are considered natural, they are not necessary for a healthy diet. They may be environmentally friendly, but they may not be healthy, especially in large amounts.

Plant-based food is not going away anytime soon. In fact, what we are seeing now is a global increase of plant-based products.

What started with soy milk in the 1990s, and continued with almond milk in the 2000s and burgers in 2010s, has expanded to different types of plant-based products: pork, chicken, yogurt, ice cream, seafood, fish, eggs, cheese, sausage, jerky and more.

While Gen X and baby boomers may be more resistant to change their diets, millennials and Gen Z who are more likely to consider the food source, animal welfare issues and environmental impacts when making their purchasing decisions are embracing plant-based food and will continue to do so.

Millennials did not invent this type of eating, but they are re-inventing it and spurring a broader change in attitudes and consumption of plant-based food. Gen Z is growing up with plant-based eating as a norm.

What goes unnoticed by many consumers is how these products are made. Replacing animal food products is not an easy task, quite the opposite, it is a very complex one.

It takes years to research and develop plant-based food products. And it has only been possible because of the ingredients available, such as plant proteins, oils, flavourings and binders. The better they are, the better the final product will be. Not only in the sense of texture, appearance, flavour and mouthfeel, but also health.

The next wave of plant-based products will likely be healthier as better ingredients and processes (like 3D printing) will be available. If we look at Beyond Burger, for example, the new formulation is healthier than the previous one.

One of the main reasons consumers switch to a plant-based diet is because of sustainability and environmental concerns. Indeed, eating plant-based reduces the impacts of climate change, saves water and minimizes agricultural land use.

But be aware that many plant-based brands are a part of a larger operation. A specific brand may be sustainable and environment friendly, but the company that owns it may not be.

It is important that food companies be transparent. Consumers have the right to know where the products they buy come from and how they are made so they can make informed decisions and hold companies and brands accountable.

Excerpt from:
Diet resolutions: 6 things to know about eating less meat and more plant-based foods - The Conversation CA

Two new studies in mice and humans suggest that some individuals may produce insufficient quantities of vitamin A from the beta carotene in their diets. To compensate, they may need to eat more foods containing vitamin A to maintain good cardiovascular health.

Beta carotene is a pigment in all fruits and vegetables, and carrots and sweet potatoes are particularly rich sources.

Various findings indicate that people with high blood levels of beta carotene tend to have lower serum concentrations of the bad cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

As a result, they have a lower risk of ischemic heart disease, which is the most common cause of death worldwide.

The molecular mechanisms that link beta carotene to lower blood cholesterol levels are poorly understood, however.

Now, two new studies have discovered that the body needs an active version of a certain enzyme to reap the full benefits of beta carotene for cardiovascular health.

The enzyme in question converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which reduces the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol produced in the liver.

However, up to 50% of people make a less active form of the enzyme, according to Jaume Amengual, an assistant professor of personalized nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who was involved in both studies.

Having a less active form of this enzyme makes the body less efficient at producing vitamin A from the beta carotene in fruits and vegetables.

To reap the full benefits to cardiovascular health, Amengual says, a person may need to get more vitamin A directly from animal sources, such as dairy, milk, oily fish, or cheese, for example.

In the first study, the scientists began by measuring the impact of the enzyme, called beta carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1), on cholesterol levels in mice. Their findings have been published in The Journal of Nutrition.

The team compared the effects of a beta carotene-rich diet in one group of regular mice and another group of mice without the gene for making BCO1.

After 10 days on the diet, the mice without the enzyme had more beta carotene in their blood and higher cholesterol levels than the normal mice.

Next, the researchers analyzed DNA and blood samples from 475 healthy young adults aged 1825. The participants also filled out questionnaires about their diets.

After factoring in the amount of beta carotene and vitamin A in the participants diets, the researchers discovered that those with a particular variant of the BCO1 gene had significantly lower cholesterol levels.

This genetic variant produces a more active form of the enzyme that converts more beta carotene into vitamin A.

The authors estimate that people who have one or more copies of this BCO1 gene variant could have a 9% reduction in LDL cholesterol, compared with those who do not. Although speculative, this decrease may be clinically meaningful if maintained through adulthood, they write.

The researchers acknowledge that one limitation of their study is that it relied on the accuracy of participants responses to the diet questionnaire.

It is also worth noting that this study was not intended to test the efficacy of any particular dietary intervention.

To explore whether the BCO1 enzyme could have a direct effect on the risk of atherosclerosis, the team conducted another study.

In the human study, we saw that cholesterol was higher in people who do not produce much vitamin A, explains Amengual, adding, To know if that observation has an effect in the long run, we would have to wait 70 years to see if they develop [cardiovascular disease].

Instead, the scientists fed beta carotene to two types of mice made genetically prone to develop atherosclerosis. The first type had a working version of the gene for making the BCO1 enzyme, and the other did not.

Overall, the mice with the enzyme that converts beta carotene into vitamin A had reduced plasma cholesterol levels and developed less severe atherosclerosis than the mice without the enzyme.

The researchers traced this effect to the animals livers. We observed that in mice with high levels of vitamin A, the secretion of lipids [cholesterol] into the bloodstream slows down, says Amengual.

The second study has been published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

See the article here:
What happens when the body cannot process beta carotene? - Medical News Today

(CNN)

If youre reading this, you deserve a big congratulations. You made it through 2020, a year that waschallenging, to say the least. And if youre anything like us, you probably deserve some dedicated self-care too. Maybe your yoga routine fell by the wayside when you became your kids substitute teacher. Maybe comfort food was on the menu after a day of endless video calls in your makeshift closet turned office. Or maybe you had to give up your daily runs with your best friend, the one person who really challenges you to be your best. And theres no shame in any of that; after all, living a balanced, healthy life can be hard enough in a normal yearone without a global pandemic.

Enter Noom.

Noom is a weight loss program that combines the power of technology with the empathy of real human coaches to help you achieve your long-term wellness goals. When you log in to Noom, your own personal specialist guides you along your journey to a new you. That means that youre not alone in facing down your wellness resolutions in 2021.

As our lives begin to return to normal, theres no guarantee that our old healthy habits will make a comeback or that well be able to forge the new habits we resolved to achieve last year, before wed ever heard the phrase quarantine 15.

Just think back to last year. According to a You.gov poll, the most popular resolutions for 2020 included exercising more (50%), eating more healthily (43%) and losing weight (37%). And last year, like every other year, diet books flew off the shelves around New Yearsonly to collect dust within a few months. That doesnt mean the books were bad. Restrictive diets just arent a long-term solution for achieving a healthy, sustainable body weight. As we learned in 2020, going carb-free doesnt help you deal with negative thinking or stress eating the things that can hold you back in the long run.

For real, lasting change, you need to learn how to identify the habits that are holding you back and how to change them. With Noom, youll answer a series of questions about your health, behavior and lifestyle that will help you set achievable, lasting goals, whether thats losing weight or getting fit. Then youll receive coaching from professionals trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Already exercising? Noom can fit in with your routine and syncs with all major fitness trackers. Coaches will help you with weekly, individual goal-setting tailored to your journey and lifestyle. Not sure where you want to end up? Nooms coaches will be happy to give you some ideas and the inspo you need to get there.

So this new year, forget the fad diet and go for Nooms two-week trial instead. If you find you like it (and you will), pricing starts at just $59 per month or $99 for two months. No need to wait for the new year to make some new resolutions. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of self-care, support and success. Give yourself Noom.

Read more:
In 2021, say goodbye to restrictive diets and hello to Noom - CNN

SALT LAKE CITY Pursuing weight loss can be frustrating, lead to weight cycling, and it doesn't necessarily promote more healthful behaviors in the long run.

Some research published in the journal Obesity also indicates that, in some cases, it can actually lower people's metabolisms. Essentially, that means some people can't eat as much as they may want or are hungry for. As a dietitian, I do not recommend weight loss to my clients.

The way we think about our bodies and food has an impact on how we take care of ourselves. I used to mistakenly think that if I ate the "right foods" and exercised the "right amount," then my body would look similar to the bodies of celebrities and people in magazines. Even with a nutrition degree and access to a variety of foods, I never felt like I could eat all the "right foods" and exercise as much as I thought I should. That left me feeling like I failed and wasn't good enough.

I've talked to many clients and others about this and found it's a pretty universal thought. Some might not desire to look like celebrities, but they may want to be smaller than their current selves and believe that pursuit would make them happier, healthier and more worthy of self-acceptance and acceptance from others.

When it comes to giving or receiving compliments for weight loss, our desire to be accepted and receive positive feedback can make it easier to participate in habits that may not benefit us as much as we think. Or, it may keep some people stuck in habits that they know can be harmful.

One way to help ourselves and others feel better in our bodies as they are is to stop complimenting weight loss and avoid talking about weight altogether. Here's why.

Who doesn't want to get complimented? It feels good and encourages continuing the habits that got a person to that compliment. Because it may feel good and validating to receive compliments, they might encourage habits that don't promote health/well-being, as explained on the National Eating Disorder Association's website.

Here's an example: You notice that your friend is looking thinner so you tell them so, and that they look good. If your friend has felt insecure about their body, or even still feels insecure, this positive reinforcement may be interpreted as acceptance for being smaller rather than a simple compliment.

We all want to be accepted, so if someone interprets compliments about their body as acceptance, they may continue to do what they did to get there even if was through habits that weren't enjoyable, or even harmful. There can be a lot of unintended consequences from a simple statement because our relationships with our bodies are complicated and deep.

Some may think the faster the weight loss, the better. But a couple of studies that came out from following past participants of "The Biggest Loser," [including one study published Obesity](ne published in Obesity,), show that their metabolisms actually slowed down after lots of exercise and extreme dieting. Unless you're someone who could eat whatever you wanted without it affecting your weight or health, that's not ideal.

There are lots of medical conditions that can affect weight, and even medications or life changes. The Mayo Clinic says eating disorders, heart failure, diabetes, Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases, and depression can contribute to weight loss. Some can also cause weight gain.

Consider this conversation: "Oh, you look great. What diet are you on?"

"I'm doing chemotherapy and it's zapped my appetite."

Avoid putting someone who is already dealing with a medical condition in an uncomfortable position by not commenting on weight loss.

Think about your own experiences or the experiences of people close to you. Have you ever worked to change your weight? If so, how hard was it? What happened when you eased back into eating the way you did before a diet or lifestyle change? Parts of losing weight or working to keep it off can be extremely difficult, and even miserable for some people.

Our bodies are designed to protect themselves, as research published by the American Journal of Psychology shows, that's why we get hungry and preoccupied with food when we're not eating enough. Constantly working against that biological, necessary drive can make things even harder.

As mentioned above, trying to lose weight and keep it off is difficult and doesn't work the same for most people. When we focus on weight, we're often missing the very important actions of adapting our habits to make us feel better physically and emotionally. These habits will look different for everyone and may not cause weight changes but, as the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine points out, you can still improve overall well-being and health if that's something you want to pursue.

One hurdle to practicing beneficial habits is weight stigma. Weight stigma is more defined in an article for Scientific American by Lindo Bacon who also wrote "Health at Every Size" which goes on to say, "Fat isn't the problem. Dieting is the problem." The concept of losing weight to achieve health and wellness doesn't look at the full picture, and it definitely doesn't take the harmful outcomes from weight stigma into account either. Some collateral damage from weight stigma include discrimination, fear of fat and the habits that result from fearing fat, medical misdiagnoses, bullying (including people being harassed to get "healthier"), and a sedentary lifestyle.

Therefore, when you compliment someone for weight loss you may be reinforcing the idea that smaller is better even healthier than bigger, and that isn't always true.

How do you lose weight? You can do lots of things and boil it all down to weight loss, but is it the weight loss or the habits that change your well-being and/or health that can also result in a change in your weight?

It's the habits.

And you can still see benefits from changing habits even if your weight doesn't change. When you focus on a number on the scale, you might be missing the habits and can feel like a failure because you're not paying attention to those habits you may have changed. Feeling like a failure doesn't set you up for continuing with habits that make your body feel better or improve your overall well-being.

Imagine this: You're exercising for hours each day, you're hungry most of the time, and you've lost weight. You're not supplying your body with the energy and nutrients you need, and it's hard. But you get lots of compliments on how your body looks. Is it really better to continue those miserable habits that don't promote your health if you keep getting little hits of positivity from others?

My suggestion is to just stop complimenting others for weight loss. Many people might be trying to be nice by giving compliments, but it's important to consider the downstream effects of comments on weight before paying a "compliment."

And with that, consider not mentioning any weight changes at all. Weight talk doesn't always motivate people to take care of themselves in the best way. The first step toward true body acceptance is to just become more aware of the way we talk about food, dieting and weight, and start to change the things we say to others and to ourselves.

If you struggle with your body image, or have an eating disorder, check out these resources from the National Eating Disorders Association.

Editor's Note: Anything in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended, nor should it be interpreted, to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition; Any opinions, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and not of KSL. KSL does not endorse nor is it responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, information, or statement made in this article. KSL expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on the content of this article.

Go here to read the rest:
7 reasons to stop complimenting others on weight loss - KSL.com

Drew Barrymore finds it hard to work out every day now that she has kids.

The 45-year-old actress is mother to Olive, eight, and Frankie, six, and has said looking after her brood whilst also keeping up her Hollywood career has made it impossible for her to prioritise her gym routine.

However, Drew - who has her kids with her husband Will Kopelman - also admitted her life is better now that she doesnt put a strain on her diet.

She said: "I will never be all one thing - eating the perfect food and working out every day. I just will never be that person. Between my kids and work, I don't have the time in life.

"But I realised that if I'm more consistentabout it and carve out the time for it, it leads to a better life. Before, it was all workout or none. And that really didn't suit me. I had to prioritise it, but I will tell you, it is, like, third on my list. It probably should be first, but it's, like, kids and work are probably rivals.

The Santa Clarita Diet star says her new priorities are for the best though, because even though she doesnt obsess over her exercise regime, she values it more than she used to.

She added: "Years ago working out was, like, number 24 on the list. Actually, my health is fourth on the list - my friendships are third. But, hey, it's in the top five - so that's good.

View original post here:
Drew Barrymore: It's so hard to work out with kids - Roanoke Times

Skies are gray, clouds are lowering and the temperature is dropping. And with the changing weather usually comes a transition in food, from the lighter fare of summer to more hearty winter meals.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy

But whats the best way to make the switch and stay healthy? Should you really switch up your diet that much? And whats the best way to adapt your meal planning during the coronavirus pandemic so you dont have to leave your house as much for grocery runs?

To figure out the best way to approach your winter meal planning, we talked to registered dietitian Lisa Burnett, RD, about some important tips and tricks to getting through the long, cold season with your nutrition intact.

Youve probably heard a lot about the need to up your vitamin D intake, especially during the winter. Thats because vitamin D not only is essential to muscle and bone health, deficiency in vitamin D has also been linked to decreased immunity and fatigue. And its harder to keep your vitamin D up in winter.

Were supposed to get most of our vitamin D from sunlight but theres less sunlight in winter, especially in certain regions, says Burnett. Certain foods like fortified dairy products and cold-water fish (like salmon and tuna) are good sources of vitamin D.

The bottom line, she says, is getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. And its important to remember that even if the seasons change, your body still needs the same maintenance.

While your tastes may change, your needs dont change a lot in terms of the vitamins and nutrients you need, she notes. Its always important to eat well and keep eating fruits and vegetables to get those vitamins and minerals.

Other nutrients Burnett suggests getting in your regular cold season diet as its better for your body to absorb these through digestion than through supplements.

Vitamin C can boost your immunity so its a great thing to include however if youre getting two-to-three servings of fruit and three-plus servings of vegetables each day, you should be able to get adequate amount of vitamin C, she says.

And getting those vegetables doesnt mean you have to eat a huge serving, either. Generally, a half-cup is good.

Bell peppers are a good veggie source for vitamin C, Burnett says. And for fruits, the reliable citrus fruits are good sources as are cranberries, which are more in-season, especially during the holidays.

When the season gets colder and drier, many people complain of dry, itchy and flakey skin. vitamin E can reduce inflammation and can help skin health and if youre keeping that fruit-and-veggie intake up, you should get plenty of that, too.

B vitamins are also important, she says, as theyre antioxidants and influence your energy and brain functions. Your dark, leafy greens are good sources for those vitamins as are legumes, like beans and lentils, she adds.

Speaking of tastes changing with the seasons, colder weather often brings on a wave of heartier, heavier foods. But, while these meals may be beloved cold-weather traditions, Burnett says to beware of starches.

Winter squashes are considered vegetables, but, nutritionally, they look a lot more like starches, she points out. They do have vitamins and minerals but they also have a lot of carbohydrates.

One way to moderate that intake, she says, is to make sure you include another vegetable into your meal plan instead of another starch. For instance, if youre eating chicken with butternut squash, have a salad on the side instead of bread or potatoes. That helps keeps down the starch portion of your plate.

Soups are very popular in winter for a variety of reasons: theyre easy to make, they warm you up in the cold, they can keep in your freezer or fridge and they offer a wide range of flavors and combinations.

But one thing you should be wary of, Burnett says, is sodium. That high sodium content is always a fear with soups. If you check the labels of a lot of popular store-bought soups or soups you can buy at restaurants, they have those high sodium levels.

Instead, she says, consider making your own soups. Not only can you make your own flavor combinations but you can ensure theyre healthier options. And when it comes to bases, she also suggests choosing broth over cream.

In cream-based soups, youll have those saturated fats from whatever dairy was used to make that cream base, she says. A great idea is to use low-sodium broth and use real, fresh ingredients.

One more advantage of soup? A welcomed versatility in a time of social isolation.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, its best to minimize trips to the grocery store (to protect yourself) and minimize those grocery delivery orders (to protect workers). That makes long-term meal planning and meal freezing an overlooked yet key step to staying safe and nutritious this winter.

And thats where soups can be a big help. Says Burnett, Soups are great to freeze so they last a long period of time. You can always pair it with a salad or, if its a lean protein-based soup, it could be a whole meal by itself. Thats also true of stews, too, as long as you stick healthy, fresh ingredients.

Burnett says that batch-cooking cooking many meals in one batch is a big plus for the winter. You can make several plates of three or four meals, free them and then work through them over the course of a few weeks, she says.

She adds that crockpots are a good way to prepare those batch-cooked meals. With a crockpot, you not only can cook large portions to break up over time but you can also get in everything you need, from proteins to your vegetables with necessary nutrients and minerals.

The one thing to keep an eye on, besides ingredients, is portion size, she adds. Certain comfort foods, like lasagna, do well with freezing and keeping for a while. You just need to be aware of portion size and what other vegetables and food options youre cycling in to go with it.

Fresh fruits and veggies are always the best options if you can swing it. But certain items may be out of season depending on the time of year. Or maybe youre looking to minimize trips to the grocery store or get certain produce in bulk.

In that case, youre faced with a decision: canned or frozen?

According to Burnett, go with frozen. Frozen vegetables and fruit have come a long way. Steamer bags make it much easier and have helped improve the quality. And nutrient-wise, those frozen options are fairly comparable to the fresh options.

With the canned options, you run into issues like higher sodium in canned vegetables and higher sugars in the syrup with canned fruits. There are some options that are healthier, like low sodium canned vegetables, she says, but youll just need to keep an eye on the nutrition labels and looked for those added sugars and salt.

Read the original here:
Heres How to Make a Healthy Winter Meal Plan - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Martha and Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service comparable to HelloFresh and Blue Apron.

It offers balanced, easy-to-prepare meals for couples or families and provides vegetarian options. The service allows you to choose from a generous variety of 22 meals each week.

However, it may not be the best fit for people with specific dietary needs.

This article reviews Martha and Marley Spoon, how it works, and its pros and cons.

Martha and Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service from Martha Stewart, a renowned TV host, cookbook author, and lifestyle expert. It features her popular recipes alongside some new ones.

With this service, youll receive a weekly box of recipes, along with preportioned ingredients and seasonings. You can then use these to cook the meal fresh in your own kitchen.

According to the website, all youll need to prepare Martha and Marley Spoon meals are basics like cooking oil and salt.

If you have any problems with your order, you can contact customer service via email or phone.

Martha and Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service that ships recipes and their preportioned ingredients directly to your home each week.

Martha and Marley Spoon offers a rotating selection of 22 recipes each week, and you have total control over which recipes you receive in your shipment.

Recipes you can choose from are typically dinners, but the service may occasionally include appetizers, holiday foods, and breakfast items.

The service also offers extras each week, including dessert baking kits, some of which are themed around holidays or special events.

You can also add what the service calls a #CoffeeBreak to your order. This includes several single-serving pour-over coffee kits from the company Dripkit, along with milk.

Whats more, Martha and Marley Spoon allows you to add extra protein to your order if you need more meat. It comes in variety packs and can include extra portions of burger patties, steak, chicken, salmon, or shrimp.

You can choose to receive two to six meals per week, for two or four people.

You can choose from 22 different meals each week. Martha and Marley Spoon also offers dessert baking kits, coffee, and extra protein that you can add to your order.

Martha and Marley Spoon recipes include fresh produce and meat, a variety of grains, such as rice or pasta, and premade sauces or premixed seasoning blends.

According to the companys website, it sources seasonal vegetables and works with trusted suppliers to source animal proteins. Many of the spice blends and sauces may also highlight local ingredients or seasonal offerings.

To optimize freshness, the service recommends that you cook seafood recipes within 12 days of receiving the box, ground meat and chicken recipes within 23 days of receiving the box, and all other recipes within 35 days.

At the time of publication, menu offerings for the week included:

Martha and Marley Spoon recipes use seasonal produce, a variety of grains, animal and plant proteins, and premade spice blends and sauces to provide balanced, appealing meals.

While Martha and Marley Spoon does not offer meal plan options that cater exclusively to certain dietary needs, it offers enough vegetarian meals each week for vegetarians to use the service.

The menu includes at least five vegetarian recipes each week, so your weekly shipment can be fully vegetarian unless you order six meals each week.

However, vegan options are much more limited, as many of the vegetarian recipes feature dairy.

Additionally, each weeks menu includes two or three recipes labeled low calorie. These have fewer than 650 calories per serving.

However, if you need more than two or three of these meals each week, it may be difficult to fill your weekly box.

Similarly, the service labels some recipes low carb, but typically, there arent enough of these recipes on the menu each week to fill a box. For this reason, Martha and Marley Spoon may not work for you if youre on a low carb or keto diet.

Additionally, the brand labels some recipes dairy-free or no added gluten. However, Martha and Marley Spoon says it cannot guarantee that there was no cross contamination with allergens or gluten.

Therefore, if you have severe food allergies or follow a strict gluten-free diet, Martha and Marley Spoon might not be a good fit for you.

Martha and Marley Spoon offers enough plant-based meals each week for vegetarians to use the service. However, people with severe food allergies or stricter dietary needs may need to find a service that caters to those needs.

The price per serving for Martha and Marley Spoon is based on how many servings you receive per week.

The most cost-effective option is six meals per week for four people. This costs nearly $4 less per serving than the option of two meals per week for two people.

Additionally, each box comes with an $8.99 shipping fee, regardless of the size of the order.

The price per serving for Martha and Marley Spoon meals varies from $6.3910.25 per serving, depending on the size of your order. Shipping is a flat $8.99 per order.

Heres how Martha and Marley Spoon compares with other meal kit delivery services when it comes to menu variety, price, and which diets it caters to.

Martha and Marley Spoon offers fewer options for specific dietary needs. However, it boasts a wide selection of meals each week and the lowest price per serving if you order one of the larger, four-person boxes.

For households of four, Martha and Marley Spoon offers a competitive price of less than $7 per serving if you order four or more recipes each week.

Youll probably save a lot more on this service compared with dining out, as well as get a wider variety of healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.

The higher cost per serving for couples may still be worth it if youre busy and spending more than that on dining out anyway.

Martha and Marley Spoon is ideal if you value the convenience of meal kit delivery, enjoy cooking, and dont have specific dietary needs.

However, if youre following a specific diet or have severe allergies, you may want to consider a service that caters specifically to your needs.

Martha and Marley Spoon is a good, cost-effective option for families of four who value the convenience of meal kit delivery, want to dine out at restaurants less, and dont have specific dietary needs.

Martha and Marley Spoon is a meal kit delivery service that highlights fresh and local produce and offers vegetarian options.

Its not a good fit for people with severe food allergies or strict dietary needs.

However, for families of four and others who need several meals per week and have no specific dietary needs, Martha and Marley Spoon is a promising option thats much less expensive than dining out.

Get started with Martha and Marley Spoon here.

Visit link:
Martha and Marley Spoon: Review, Pros, and Cons - Healthline