beans-related stories
Lose Your Gut (Biggest Loser Trainers' Tips) - This Week on AOL Health
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Just because our stomachs might be the number one body part that drives us crazy when trying to lose weight, doesn't mean we're crazy about doing crunches or other tummy-flattening exercises at the gym (even Jillian Michaels admits it). Enter "Biggest Loser" trainers Bob Harper and Michaels with their top gut-busting tips, which call for small changes like adding mustard to your favorite sandwiches and fueling up with more bean-based dishes. Read the rest of their slim-stomach tips here.
Running in Sub Zero Temps and Cooking Quinoa - Why Does This Brit Do It?
That's Fit Club, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.
Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!
Name: Matt Dunn
Age: 31
Occupation: Software Engineer
How often do you exercise? Five times a week.
What type of exercise do you do? Mostly running -- I'm currently training for my first and second marathons this spring.
Beans - Prep Them Like This
So beans aren't the most alluring food, what with the side effect that often comes with digesting them. So what. They're good for you. And that's all that matters.Beans are nutritional powerhouses. They're packed with soluble fiber, for example, which is super for boosting energy and lowering cholesterol. Fiber also helps keep your bowels moving properly. As you know, we like movement around here. Beans are also always available and mostly inexpensive. Sold? Good. Now this is how you should prepare them.
When ready to make your beans, spread them out on a light colored plate, remove any small stones and debris and then rinse thoroughly. To cut down on cooking time, pre-soak overnight in the fridge for about eight hours -- this will break down the outer coating, rendering them more digestible. Keeping them chilled prevents fermentation. Last step: Cook them. Too much work for you? I'll be honest -- it's too much for me. If you're with me, buy canned. Just be careful of added sodium.
Nutrition cliches - truth or myth?
You should always listen to what your momma tells you. Unless what she's telling you is just an old wives' tale. Ella from Ruby Room helps us decipher the truths from the myths:- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There aren't too many people who would dispute this. A good breakfast gives you the energy to get through your day and it can even help you lose weight.
- Hot milk will help you get to sleep. Milk contains melatonin and tryptophan so it can help you feel sleepier.
- Beans are the musical fruit. They certainly do produce a fair amount of gas while digesting. But they're a healthy addition to your diet ... so they're worth it.
- Mixing drinks will increase your hangover. I remember a little rhyme from when I was in college: "Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor then beer, nothing to fear." The truth is, it's simply the level of alcohol in your blood and the amount of dehydration that creates a hangover.
- Carrots will help you see in the dark. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is beneficial for vision. But the direct link between carrots and eyesight is far more myth than fact.
5 healthy crock pot meals
Healthy Habits, Healthy Recipes, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
The days are getting shorter ... and colder! You don't have to resort to canned cream of mushroom soup to prepare a hearty meal in your slow cooker. There are healthy recipes to be had and precious time to be saved.You can't go wrong with Crock Pot Black Bean Chili -- beans for protein and fiber, peppers for vitamin C, and herbs and spices for all of their numerous health benefits.
Crockpot Chicken Curry is loaded with zesty flavors, from fresh gingerroot and mango chutney to crushed red pepper and cilantro. This one could be -- dare I say it? -- company food. Serve it over brown rice.
Healthy Recipe: Apple turkey picadillo
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
A pica-who? I didn't know what a picadillo was either, but I was sure enamored with this delicious recipe.This traditional Latin American dish usually consists of ground beef and seasonings, sometimes with veggies added. It can be used to stuff a taco or served with beans and rice.
So the apple turkey picadillo recipe I fell in love with is definitely a twist on tradition, but a clever and welcome -- and healthy! -- one, in my opinion. Imagine the sweet-tart of the apple combining with the cumin and Worcestershire sauce ... I can almost smell it sauteing on the stove.
Eat beans, lower cholesterol
Eat beans, say the smart ones at my fitness center. Just got another e-mail health tip from them, and it's all about, yep, beans.Beans are inexpensive and delicious and easy to keep stocked in your pantry. Best of all, they're packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. They're also cholesterol-free, almost fat-free, and if the health experts of the world are right, they'll even lower your cholesterol. The best when it comes to cholesterol-lowering beans: Pinto, navy, and garbanzo beans all have similar lowering effects. Researchers think it's phytochemicals, the compounds that gives plants their color, that may be responsible.
Time to add beans to your soups, casseroles, salads, dips, and more. Think about making them the focal part of your next meal and see what you think.
Healthy recipe: Chick pea and black bean salad
Healthy Habits, Healthy Recipes, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Yes, I'm still trying to increase the amount of beans we eat, as I had mentioned when I posted the polenta and butter bean recipe earlier this month. We love beans, don't get me wrong. What we are finding hard is summertime bean dishes.It's easy in the wintertime to do a one-pot hearty bean stew or something of the sort, but when we crave grilled food, it isn't as easy to serve up beans with no meat.
This recipe for Chick pea and black bean salad is summery enough to steer us away from our grill once in a while (although I'm sure tempted to serve it alongside a medium-rare grass-fed beef burger). It calls for tomatoes, red and green peppers, onions and other bounty we are getting from our CSA Farm share right now, so that makes it a fresh and nutritious choice.
Healthy recipe: Catalan sauteed polenta and butter beans
Healthy Recipes, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
My husband recently met with a kinesiologist who told him that meat five days a week is fine, but for the other two dinners, he'd need to use beans as his protein. This isn't a huge problem for us, because we do eat a lot of beans and we do cook vegetarian some nights, but it did leave me wanting to find some new recipes to add to our repertoire.Well, the first thing I realized is that there are a lot of bean recipes that include meat in them as well. After some searching, I found one that we were both really excited to try. And since my three-year-old loves corn, I thought the polenta would appeal to him.
Catalan sauteed polenta and butter beans is so easy to prepare it seems almost wrong. Using prepared polenta, baby spinach, canned beans, and onion, garlic and other flavorings, it is a well-balanced, healthy, vegetarian meal. Holler if you try this one -- I'd love to know how it turned out!
Bean-eaters weigh less
Beans. The more you eat, the ... less you weigh. That's what science says, that bean-eaters weigh less on average than non-bean-eaters. About 6.6 pounds less, to be exact.RealAge expert John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, says it makes sense that beans have the power to knock off a few pounds. They are full of fiber, full of protein, and low in fat. This means they'll keep you fuller longer and will make only a small dent in your calorie intake.
Not sure which beans to eat? Dark beans are best because they have the most antioxidants. Top antioxidant content, in order, is as follows: black, red, brown, yellow, and white.
Healthy Recipe: Bean bolognese sauce satisfies
Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Beans are good for us. Martha's post about beans, the magical fruit tells us this, and the high-fiber protein powerhouse can make even the staunchest carnivores feel satisfied after a vegetarian meal that includes beans.But did you know that eating vegetarian will actually save you money? That's a big consideration right now, with the penny-pinching hitting nearly everyone in some way.
Start with this well-rounded recipe from Epicurious, Pappardelle with Bean Bolognese Sauce, and convert your meat-lovers! With three kinds of beans, tomatoes, butternut squash, and fresh rosemary, you won't be lacking for flavor.
Jumpstart Your Fitness: The 5 most energizing foods
Who isn't at least a little short on energy sometimes? Besides your toddler or small dog, I'd bet nobody really. Lack of energy on a regular basis and/or sudden energy slumps in the middle of the day are two of the biggest reasons why people skip workouts and find excuses not to exercise. It's hard to motivate yourself to do something when you're really just not in the mood.
Energy levels are affected by a lot of different things, but one of the biggest players is of course your diet. Eating right on a regular basis will go a long way towards increasing and evening out your energy levels, but there are also specific foods that you can incorporate into your day whenever you need an additional boost. And no, a Starbucks triple shot latte is not one of them (darnit!).
How much protein do you need?
Vegetarian, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
We've all accepted the fact that we need protein. But do you know specifically how much protein you need to be getting as part of a nutritious diet? If you're anything like me, you might not be getting enough. I'll be honest here--I'm not a protein person. I prefer carbs, veggies and fruits to anything else out there, and seeing as I'm not much of a meat eater, it's sometimes a struggle to get my fair share. But I do ok--or at least I though so.
I recently paid attention to what the recommended daily intake of protein is for people depending on their weight. Here's a quick breakdown (to find out your own, just multiply your weight in lbs by .36:)
How do you get your protein?
I recently paid attention to what the recommended daily intake of protein is for people depending on their weight. Here's a quick breakdown (to find out your own, just multiply your weight in lbs by .36:)
- If you weigh 100 lbs, you need 36g
- If you weigh 120 lbs, you need 43.2g
- If you weigh 140 lbs, you need 50.4g
- If you weigh 160 lbs, you need 57.6g
- If you weigh 180 lbs, you need 64.8g
How do you get your protein?
7 foods to eat every day
We all know what foods to avoid--trans and saturated fats, refined sugars, white carbs, etc. But do you know which foods you should make a regular part of your diet? eDiets recently counted down the seven foods you should be eating every day. Every day sounds like a lot, but making these your staples will improve your overall health and help you live your best life.
Curious to know what they are? Click on the images below:
Curious to know what they are? Click on the images below:
Better go with beans
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
You may already know that beans are a high-fiber, low-fat, vitamin-packed source of protein. There are lots of reasons to fill up on them, though, say Reader's Digest health experts this February. Here are three of them.
- They are loaded with antioxidants. Black beans are the best, followed by lentils, black soybeans, and red kidney beans, according to a study from North Dakota State University. The high doses of phytochemicals can help prevent artery hardening by reducing plaque buildup and keeping blood vessels healthy.
- They lower cholesterol, at least in one study group. People at risk of developing diabetes cut their overall and LDL (bad) cholesterol by eight percent after eating a half cup of pinto beans every day for eight weeks, say Arizona State University researchers. For comparison sake, a half cup of oatmeal will lower cholesterol by two percent.
- They prevent disease. Nutrients in legumes may halt the development of Alzheimer's and breast and colon cancers.
