That's Fit

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After years of having low-fat and no-fat foods pushed at us, it's no wonder that some people are a bit confused over the concept of a healthy fat. The American Heart Association has a fun way to clear up the confusion; meet the Better Fats Sisters:

Mon. Short for monounsaturated fat, Mon is found in fish, seeds, nuts, avocado, and vegetable oils. Mon offers some heart health benefits but, as all fats are high in calories, it's important to practice moderation.
Poly. Short for polyunsaturated fat, Poly is a heart helper like her sister; she can help lower your bad cholesterol.

Nutrition labels usually only list total fat grams, saturated fat and trans fat. To estimate how much monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats are in a product, just subtract the saturated and trans fat from the total fat. Want more of the skinny on fats? Check out AOL Health.

Try these tasty sources of healthy fats(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Healthy diet - better than any skin cream you can slap on your face

by Jacki Donaldson Oct 31st 2008 7:00AM

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If you're not convinced a healthy diet is the way to go, consider this: The better you eat, the better your skin looks. I don't know about you, but I sure don't like a compromised complexion. If you don't either, try incorporating these healthy goods into your diet -- they'll work from the inside out and are as good for your skin as any cream you can slap on it, says Cheryl Forberg, author of Positively Ageless and contributor for Prevention.com.

Omega-3-rich fish, such as salmon, anchovies, and sardines. Flax seed counts too. Full of wonderful oils for the skin, omega-3s promote softness and minimize fine lines.
Lean dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir. These contain loads of calcium and protein and work to repair cells and promote the growth of collagen.
Healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts. Get your vitamin E and more omega-3s here if you want softer skin.
Fruits and vegetables, especially berries, like blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Can't go wrong with these picks -- they'll secure the integrity of your skin.

Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

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Want protection against ALL diseases? Go Mediterranean

by Martha Edwards Sep 16th 2008 11:29AM

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Love the rich, flavourful, fresh cuisine of Greece and Italy? Eat up! Not only is the Mediterranean diet effective and recommended by medical professionals, but a recent study shows that it protects against all major chronic diseases, according to this article from the Daily Mail.

That's a pretty bold claim, but it seems to be legit. Researchers in the UK analyzed data from 12 different studies worldwide that took place over time periods of up to 18 years and found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet closely had a significantly longer lifespan and a lower risk of diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is high in nuts, fish, whole grains, healthy fats, fresh fruits and veggies and even red wine in moderation. To find out how you can incorporate it into your diet, click here.

You Are What You Eat: Don't forget the fats

by Martha Edwards Jul 22nd 2008 7:00AM

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Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

From an early age, we're told that fat is bad for us. We count it, avoid it, cut it from our recipes and diets. We stay away from things that are deep-fried or covered in cream, just in an effort to lower our fat consumption. We're drawn to flashy labels that say 'low fat!' and 'fat free!' And why? We're told it's the enemy, causing a myriad of problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

But if you've been reading That's Fit for a while, you know it's not the enemy at all. In fact, it's an essential part of your diet.

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What's in a cashew?

by Jacki Donaldson Jul 20th 2008 9:00AM

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If I had to pick a nut to eat, it would be the cashew. My husband too. He sometimes buys the big container when shopping in bulk and together, we manage to polish the whole thing off. Not in one sitting, mind you, but we probably do eat too many, too quickly. And then we swear off these nuts for a while because we're never quite sure how healthy they are, in the whole scheme of nuts.

According to The World's Healthiest Foods, cashews are good, in moderation. Here's why.

Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts.
About 75 percent of their fat is unsaturated fatty acid, and 75 percent of this fat is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat found in olive oil.
Consuming a handful of cashews four times per week can lower the risk of heart disease.
Consuming a handful of cashews at least twice a week helps lower risk of weight gain.
Cashews contain copper, good for iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue, and the production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin.
Cashews contain magnesium, good for the bones, muscles, and nerves.
Cashews help prevent gallstones.

So, what's in a cashew? Some pretty good stuff and about 196 calories per one-fourth cup -- another reason to keep this nutty pursuit to a minimum.

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Research declares low-carb diet a winner

by Jacki Donaldson Jul 19th 2008 7:30AM

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Which is best: Low-fat or low-carb? Results of one of the longest and largest studies to compare the two weight-loss techniques reveals that low-carb is the way to go -- for both weight loss and cholesterol management. Bummer for me, a carb-loving gal who is quite happy with a basket of bread, a plate of pasta, or a bowl full of crackers.

Two years this study has been taking place. And for two years, 85 percent of the participants stuck with the competing diets -- amazing, just like the results, which indicate for some that Atkins-like diets are pretty effective and are even capable of lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Not everyone agrees. One nutritionist says this study is deceiving and leads people to assume low-carb and Atkins go hand in hand. But dieters ate the mono- and polyunsaturated fats found in vegetables, not the Atkins saturated artery-clogging fats found in cream and butter.

Heart associations are not jumping on board the low-carb anything just yet but are still recommending low-fat diets for the reduction of heart risks. They also like the Mediterranean diet.

What about you? What do you like? And what diet are you most likely to follow?

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Need energy? Find it in your food

by Jacki Donaldson Jul 7th 2008 9:00AM

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AOL Health has the secret for energetic living. It's as easy as eating well -- and avoiding foods that zap the life out of us. Here are some of them.

While not everyone will get sleepy after a turkey sandwich, turkey (and milk, corn, brown rice, and legumes too) contain an amino acid called tryptophan that can be both relaxing and exhausting. If fatigue is a problem for you, you might want to steer clear of these foods.
Sugar may seem to give you a burst of energy, but that's all it is -- a burst. Long-lasting energy will never come from sugary foods. The body metabolizes sugar too quickly and then leaves you feeling just plain "blah."
Any food with lots of fat takes longer to break down in your body and won't leave you feeling perky.

For more eating-for-energy secrets -- Hint: sports drinks may not be all they're cracked up to be -- check out this AOL site.

Fatten up if you want a baby boy

by Jacki Donaldson Jun 13th 2008 7:00AM

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I'm trying to think back seven years ago to a time when I was pregnant. I'm trying to recall exactly what I ate before conceiving my baby #1. I'm not having much luck with this memory game. My long-ago diet details are pretty much a blur. Same goes for the time preceding baby #2. No idea what I ate then either. I do know this, though: I had boys. Hmmm. Could it have been polyunsaturated fats I was ingesting?

New research supports the notion that a mother's diet before conception can influence the sex of her kids. Well, in sheep, anyway.

Ewes fed a diet enriched with polyunsaturated fats for four weeks prior to breeding were significantly more likely to conceive males than females. Specifically, seven out of 10 lambs conceived by sheep on a high-fat diet were male. Five out of 10 females were delivered by sheep fed a standard diet of roughly the same calories but less fat.

Think this might work for you? Don't get your hopes up just yet -- although feel free to give it a try. Researchers are not yet sure if the increase in males was due to a diet higher in fat in general or a diet higher in polyunsaturated fats. There may be nothing magical about polyunsaturated fats at all. Same goes for breakfast cereal -- in April, it was suggested that women who consumed more calories in the form of cereal were more likely to conceive boys.

Are trans fats ever OK?

by Jacki Donaldson May 11th 2008 8:00AM

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I'm a food label reader. I don't always understand everything I read. But I read. I mostly look for foods with way low sugar, minimal levels of sodium, moderate amounts of calories, and pretty darn low servings of fat. But what about trans fats? What if I find a low-fat item that happens to list a teeny tiny trace of trans fat? Is this OK?

It's OK, says this doctor who maintains that as long as saturated fats make up less than 10 percent of daily calorie intake, no harm will be done.

I'd still prefer none of this trans fatty stuff. But if I happen to swallow a bit of it, I guess I'll survive.

Healthy Habits, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements

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Trans fats linked to breast cancer risk

by Jacki Donaldson Apr 14th 2008 7:00AM

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Good news: Trans fats are linked to breast cancer risk. Why is this good? Two reasons. One, it unravels another bit of the mystery surrounding why people get cancer. Two, it gives us more reason to ditch trans fats from our diets.

We already know trans fats are artery-cloggers. That's why they're being phased out of various foods. Now researchers suspect they cause breast cancer too.

Women with the highest blood levels of trans-fats had about twice the risk of breast cancer compared to women with the lowest levels, say the findings of a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. We'd all be wise then to limit our consumption of processed foods, the source of trans-fatty acids. Trans-fats are mostly found in cooking fats, baked goods, snacks, and a variety of other prepared foods.

Interestingly, this study found women with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids -- the good stuff, found in fish such as salmon, walnuts, and leafy green vegetables -- were not any less likely to have breast cancer. So the mystery continues. And all we can do is the best we can, with the information we have. See how good you're doing with this AOL Body cancer quiz.

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The 5: Foods for flat abs

by Martha Edwards Dec 5th 2007 10:24AM

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Flat abs are like the holy grail of fitness. Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic because some people actually do have real six packs, but for most of us? A flat stomach seems unattainable, despite hours of cardio and countless crunches. But don't give up. Here are some foods to load up on if you're trying to trim the bulge around your midsection:

Fruits and Veggies. With lots of fiber and antioxidants, fruits and veggies will make your whole body healthier
Selenium. This nutrient has been linked to smaller waistlines. To make sure you're getting enough, eat a varied diet full of fruits, veggies and whole grains.
Protein. It will keep you full and full of energy, which will lead to weight loss.
Red wine. A glass of red wine with dinner has been linked to smaller waistlines, particularly in women. If you don't already drink, don't take up the habit, but if you like wine, drink up (in moderation.)
Healthy fats. Think olive oil, fish and flaxseed -- and anything else with Omega-3. Fats to avoid? Omega-6s (found in baked good, corn oil and cereal) -- they'll pile pounds onto your tummy. And always avoid trans fats.

Don't be fooled by these 12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

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Five potentially cancer-causing foods to avoid

by Brian White Oct 22nd 2007 2:35PM

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There are many known cancer-prevention foods like pomegranates, blueberries and broccoli. Although many tend to knock these foods for traditional medicinal treatments, I'm still a big believer in the power of nature to give the human body tools to prevent many maladies that we create ourselves from bad environments and junky foods.

But what do those 'junky foods' entail? Plenty -- and you'd be wise to eliminate these foods entirely from your diet.

Bad fats like saturated and hydrogenated fat
Meats that contain substances linked to colon, stomach and other cancers (as in, nitrites and nitrates)
Burnt meat that can contain acrylamides, created when heat breaks down amino acids in meats
An abundance of alcohol
Last but not least -- sugary sodas

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Big Loser Jim shares weight loss tricks

by Jacki Donaldson Oct 17th 2007 9:00AM

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He's lost more weight than he ever imagined, and he's still losing. He's dropping more weight at home, in fact, than he did as a contestant on NBC's The Biggest Loser. And that makes him a winner, despite his eviction from the show.

Jim Germanakos, 41, is 136 pounds lighter today than when he first set foot on the Biggest Loser set. He's dedicated everything to his weight loss, he told Today Show host Ann Curry on Tuesday. He left the comforts of home, left his wife and kids, and set forth on a journey he says is still not complete. Germanakos wants to lose another 35 pounds. I have a hunch he'll do it.

How exactly will he do it? Well, he'll work hard, hit the gym, and continue practicing what trainer Jillian Michaels has been drilling into his head about nutrition. He will (1) count calories, (2) avoid trans fats, (3) limit processed foods, and (4) consume mostly organic products. That should do it for the man who is putting his health and family first, the man who has inspired his wife to lose 45 pounds, the man who has happily become: one big loser.

Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements

Understanding the vegetarian food pyramid

by Lauren Greschner Oct 16th 2007 8:53AM

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For a lot of people it's tough figuring out what kinds of food to eat as well as how much. But for vegetarians, it can be even harder as a major staple of their diet -- protein derived from eating meat -- is removed from the list of foods they can eat.

If you're a new veggie and you're wondering what exactly you need to consume each day to maintain a healthy diet, this vegetarian food pyramid is a great place to start. Obviously, it's pretty similar to a traditional food pyramid (and shouldn't be confused with a vegan food pyramid) but offers examples of what you should eat to replace meat in your diet.

This article goes into a bit of depth explaining how the pyramid works. Basically, you should eat the foods at the top (vegetable fats and oils, sweets and salts) sparingly, and munch on more of each of the subsequent levels. Staples like whole-grain bread, cereal, rice and pasta are at the bottom of the pyramid, so you should include lots of these in your meals and snacks each day.

Remember though that everyone is different and while the pyramid is a useful general guide, it may be a good idea to chat with a nutritionist about your own personal dietary needs.