Do cranberries conjure up thoughts of the holidays? Whether you drink cranberry juice, blend canned cranberries in smoothies, add cranberries to poultry or pork stuffing, or enjoy cranberries in salsas, salads, or side dishes, cranberries help keep you healthy any time of year. They’re loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants. Their crimson color comes
Time for holiday feasting, and you’re entitled to a little indulgence. Sure. But just one seasonal feast may add up to a whopping 3,000 calories! Why not make over your holiday meal to bring up the flavor and nutrition, take down the fat and calories, and keep your eat-smart plan on track? When planning, shopping
Does a sumptious holiday dinner leave you with an upset stomach or a bloated feeling? (Be careful about blaming the cook.) Indigestion is certainly caused by digestive diseases. But according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, indigestion may happen if you: Eat too much or too fast Eat high-fat foods
Root vegetables, that is, and tubers, too! Besides beets, carrots, potatoes, radishes, and turnips, a lot of nourishing vegetables grow under the ground. Have you ever tried boniato, celeriac, jicama, malanga, salsify, sunchokes, taro, or yuca? All supply plenty of complex carbs and fiber, yet virtually no fat. With flavors that range from sweet to
Nothing tastes better than turkey with all the trimmings! But what to do with leftovers? Reheating is one option. But refrigerate leftover turkey for no more than three or four days, and stuffing for one to two days. And for safety’s sake, reheat to 165°F internal temperature. (See April 22 and November 19.) Another option:
Want to feel like a kid again? Get a jump start with a jump rope! You’ll get a great cardio workout while you fine-tune your foot-hand coordination. The only expense: a good pair of cross-trainers (shoes with a reinforced toe and good cushioning) and a lightweight jump rope. For the right length rope, step on
Live in a family of snackers? Likely so. On average, 20 to 30 percent of calories consumed by Americans come from snacking—and about 75 percent of us snack! Snacking itself is okay when it fills in the day’s nutrition gaps—and if you don’t overdo on calories, sugars, or fat. For everybody in your family, smart
Looking for a quick way to assess your daily dose of “news-trition”? Watch for these ten red flags of junk science from the Food and Nutrition Alliance (FANSA): Recommendations that promise a quick fix Dire warnings of danger from a single product or regimen Claims that sound too good to be true Simplistic conclusions drawn
Herbals are not necessarily safe, even though they’re natural. Although many herbal supplements probably are safe, their use is still full of unknowns. (See August 22.) Some are known to have hazardous, even deadly, side effects. It’s best to avoid these. If you take herbal supplements, do this today: Check the label. If any contain
Busy schedule mean there’s no time for the gym? No fitness center nearby or cost too much? Prefer working out on your own? You still can it in workouts. Borrow, buy, or rent an exercise video; work out on your schedule, in the privacy of your home. Stores stock dozens of exercise videotapes. Picking the