Healthy and Fast Food: No It's NOT an Oxymoron

Let's face it- we don't live in a bubble and while we try and eat well most of the time, there are just those times when the drive-thru or fast food restaurant is inevitable.  Believe it or not you do not need to succumb to greasy, low quality burgers, french fries and deep fried and battered chicken sandwiches.

Here are the most frequented U.S. fast food joints and healthy options you can feel good about:

McDonalds

Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich- skip the mayo, ask for extra lettuce and tomato; eat it with only the bottom part of the bun

Premium Southwest Chicken Salad- hold the dressing and squeeze the lime on instead

Fruit and Walnuts - as a side if you are still hungry after that salad; the fat in the nuts will satisfy and are a good use of your daily calories.

Subway

6-inch Turkey Breast or Veggie Delite on one of the whole grain breads- keep toppings to fresh vegetables to avoid preservatives and additives; mustard ok, cheese ok, and avocado a great nutritional and filling boost.

Double Chicken Chopped or Turkey Breast Salad- swap dressing for a drizzle of vinegar and olive oil; ask if you can add avocado to it.

Sliced Apples- the crunch and sweetness are perfect substitute to satisfy the crunch from chips and the sugar craving from cookies.

Chick-fil-A

Grilled Chicken Garden, Grilled and Fruit, and Southwest Grilled, or Side Salads- try to leave off the salad dressing but if you must order the lite Italian and use as little as possible.

Grilled Chicken Salad- skip the mayo, ask for extra lettuce and tomato; eat it with only the bottom half of the bun.

8-Count Grilled Nuggets and a Side Salad- skip the dipping condiments and use as little lite Italian dressing as possible

Fruit Cup- best choice for a side, especially if you are only ordering a side salad

KFC

Grilled Chicken Breast or Drumstick, side salad or green beans, side of mashed potatoes- take the skin off the chicken, have the gravy on the side if you must have it- and dip mashed potatoes in it with your fork rather than dump the whole container on it.

Panera

Anything on their "hidden" menu- they are all high quality ingredients and minimal processed carbs. In lieu of dressing there is lemon juice and olive oil.  My favorite are the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl and the Power Steak Lettuce Wraps.

Their new Broth Bowls- I have yet to try these but they look amazing, fresh and healthy. The only caveat would be they are high in sodium.

Half Smoked Turkey Breast on Whole Grain and a cup of Garden Vegetable Soup- hold the mayo and load up on lettuce and tomato; cheese ok


Wendys

Baked Potato with Sour Cream and Chives and a side salad-stick with the balsamic dressing for your salad.

Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich with side salad or apple slices- hold the mayo, double up on lettuce and tomatoes; eat only bottom part of the bun.

Large Chili with a side salad- stick with balsamic dressing


Burger King

Whopper Jr - nix the mayo; cheese ok, ask for extra lettuce and tomato.

Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich - no mayo, extra lettuce and tomato; eat only bottom part of bun.

Veggie Burger- it's a Morning Star one but skip the mayo; order extra lettuce and tomatoes.

Side Salad and/or Apple slices are a healthy sides.  Stick with lighter dressings for the salad.

Chipotle

The Salad Bowls- choose any of the meats and they now have a vegetarian tofu scramble.  Nix the cheese, sour cream and opt instead for beans, a little rice and the salsas.  A side of guac is well worth the extra money as its good fat and fills you up.

Taco Bell

Their Fresco menu is the best bet- try the Fresco Grilled Steak or Chicken Soft Taco

Pinto or Black Beans are the perfect side for fiber to fill you up


Starbucks

Protein Bistro Box

Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Salad Bowl






Beverages

As far as beverages go, keep to water, unsweetened hot or iced teas and coffees (and no, not the mocha lattes and frappuccinos).  Skip all sodas, even the diet.  If you must have something sweet, stash stevia packets on you to sweeten your teas and coffees.  If you are at a fast food that has fresh lemon slices, grab a few and squeeze into your water with a packet of stevia- voila- lemonade (a favorite of my daughters).

Beauty IS Skin Deep: Eat These Foods for Glowing, Wrinkle Free Skin

We've all heard the expression "You are what you eat" and no where is it more evident than the health of our skin and most noticeably our face, neck, chest and hands.  Growing evidence via research shows that your diet does affect your complexion.  What you eat also affects your hormones, can cause acne, and will create or lessen inflammation, which is associated with skin aging.

While many of us have chosen to take the route of serums, creams and medical procedures marketed to boost collagen, get rid of dark spots, reduce or eliminate wrinkles, and shed dull skin (it is a multi-billion dollar industry, after all) try eating some of these foods instead of, or in conjunction with, all the magic potions and elixors.... and you just may find there is more "magic" in whole foods than in all those costly products.

These are my top picks that most of us would find easy to fit in to our regular diets:

TOMATOES: The antioxidant/phytochemical lycopene, which makes tomatoes red, improves skin’s natural SPF by eliminating skin-aging free-radicals caused by ultraviolet rays.   While a slice of tomato is pretty yummy, levels of  lycopene are higher in cooked tomatoes. 

DARK CHOCOLATE: One of your favorite treats (72% or higher; sorry your favorite Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar does not count) is rich in cocoa flavanols, plant compounds with antioxidant properties, which help hydrate skin and improve circulation.  In a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with 326 milligrams of flavonols (equal to a standard Hershey's Special Dark bar) had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank cocoa containing just a small amount of the antioxidant.  That is almost 3.5 ounces which is a lot of calories so stick with a daily 1-ounce portion, or 150 calories, to reap the good skin benefits without the weight gain.

GREEN TEA: It might truly be the wonder drink!   When it's hot, the powerhouse brew releases catechins, a type of antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. (the tea's antioxidants start to degrade as it cools, so drink it while it's hot.)  Catechins like EGCG (antioxidants) boost blood flow and oxygen to the skin, which delivers key nutrients to keep your complexion healthy.   A 2007 study in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that drinking two to six cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but may reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sun-exposed skin.  

OLIVE OIL: A 2012 study in PLOS ONE analyzed the diets of 1264 women and found that a higher consumption of olive oil (more than 8.4 grams or 2 teaspoons a day) was associated with 31% fewer signs of aging compared to people who ate less than 3.8 grams (about 1 teaspoon).  About 75% of the fat in olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids, which may play a role in the youth boost. The antioxidant polyphenols in olive oil could also quench damaging free radicals.

GRASS FED BEEF: Not only does grass-fed beef contain a higher ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids (to reduce inflammation), but it also packs nearly 30 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce serving. Protein is the building block of collagen and elastin tissue, which keeps skin taut and less wrinkled.

WILD SALMON/SARDINES:  Both salmon and sardines are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.  Packing your diet with these omega-3s can help keep your skin clear.  One serving (3.5 ounces) of sardines contain 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids, making it one of the best sources of the fat. Fatty fish is particularly rich in the type of omega-3 called DHA, an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is now known as the root cause of acne.

WALNUTS: They are the only type of nut that contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which is especially important for vegetarians who are skipping fish. Walnuts pack an omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid. Deficiency in this fat can result in eczema, which is associated with dry, scaly skin.

SWEET POTATOES:  These sweet tubers are loaded with vitamin C, which smooths out wrinkles. Vitamin C is essential to collagen production and the more collagen you have, the less creased your skin looks.

GREEN, YELLOW AND RED BELL PEPPERS: One study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate the most green and yellow vegetables (up to 250 grams; one large pepper is about 190 grams) had fewer wrinkles, especially in the crow’s feet area, compared to those who at the least amount (69 grams a day). This may be because of antioxidants that fight aging free radicals.  Sweet bell peppers are also high in Vitamin C. Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis, which keeps skin taught and smooths fine lines.

YOGURT: The protein in yogurt helps skin stay firm so it's more resistant to lines.  Greek yogurt is especially beneficial as it has double the protein content as regular yogurt.  Stay away from the sweetened varieties, as the sugar content will negate any benefits (sugar is super aging to your skin).  Check out how yogurt when applied topically can also improve your skin: 5 Ways Yogurt Keeps Skin Glowing and Gorgeous.

KALE/SPINACH/DARK LEAFY GREENS: Kale is one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that absorb and neutralize the free radicals created by UV light—including the wavelengths that actually get through sunscreen and reach your skin. Plus, just one cup gives you 134% and 133% of your daily value for skin-firming vitamin C and A, respectively.  People who ate the most leafy greens actually had half as many skin tumors over 11 years as those who ate the least. It's thought that the folate in these veggies may help repair and maintain DNA—basically bolstering cells' ability to renew themselves. That reduces the likelihood of cancer-cell growth.  The added bonus to Popeye's favorite veggie: the water in greens penetrates cell membranes—which makes for plumper and less wrinkled skin. 

ALMONDS and SUNFLOWER SEEDS:  Almonds are seeds, not nuts, and they're stuffed with

vitamin E, a potent sun blocker and sunflower seeds  meet 37% of your daily needs for vitamin E per ounce.  Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that helps to protect skin cells from UV light and other environmental factors that generate cell-damaging free radicals.   Food rich in Vitamin E  can help keep your skin pimple-free. Vitamin E is thought to enhance immune function, allowing the body to fight off the inflammation that leads to acne.

CARROTS: Literally gives you a "glow" due to the carotenoid, beta-carotene, which when eaten in higher amounts results in more yellow skin tones giving a complexion that others rate as looking healthier.  Beta-carotene also has Vitamin A activity which helps prevent the overproduction of cells in the skin's outer layer.  That's where dead cells and sebum combine and clog pores.   Another reason to snack on carrots: Vitamin A also reduces the development of skin-cancer cells. 1/2 cup of baby carrots daily will do!

Make sure you check out The Whole Meal's extensive library of recipes which naturally include all of these foods.  The Whole Meal was designed to help you eat whole foods on a regular basis with a method of saving you money and time but have some pretty amazing side benefits; glowing skin, time with family, ideal weight, lots of energy.

I love this BBC article, Eat your Way to Fabulous Skin, which lists foods by categories or the correct balance of foods for skin vitality.  It does a good job of giving you a list of the best nutrients and other tips to feed your skin for that natural glow.  Scroll to the bottom of the article on how to combat common skin problems like acne, psorasis, and eczema.

Be patient as it takes six weeks for your skin to renew itself so you will need to consistently feed yourself with  some of these foods to see the benefits.  When you start to receive the complements on your glowing complexion and need less makeup, expensive serums and potions, it'll be worth it!

Feeding Your Family Well... but on a Budget

A recent tweet from Prevention magazine inspired me to tackle the concept of budgeting your food dollars.  The article "20 Ways to Feed Your Family for $100 a Week" grabbed my attention as I have to confess I have never thought of budgeting when it comes to feeding my family, not because I don't need to (I think we all can learn a lot from setting budgets which hold you accountable for your hard earned dollars) but because I always had the mentality that I would sacrifice other areas so my family could always eat well (and by that I mean highest quality whole foods I can afford).

So I decided that I would see if The Whole Meal's menu planning service could really help families eat whole foods on a budget and set out to devise my Weekly Suggested Recipes within a $50 budget for 6 meals for a family of 4 (an average of about $8/meal).  I also did not want it to be all vegetarian (too easy and unrealistic) nor did I want it to be high in processed carbs (think pastas and breads).  It wasn't a problem at all!  Check out which recipes I chose and notice that they really do not differ from what I usually suggest.

Prevention's article had some great suggestions and not surprisingly the Number 1 tip is Plan In Advance; i.e., meal plan.  While The Whole Meal helps you effortlessly achieve this during the dinner hour, it's also good to plan and budget other meals and snacks.  I have always had my shopping list for dinner and all my food items but I have made an effort to stick to that list instead of also purchasing something I think would be nice to have but not on my list.

Last week's blog post "This Should Be Your #1 Resolution for 2015" was about eating real food so if you need a refresher on where to find these foods give it a read.  And many whole foods can be had for $1 or less a serving such as organic milk, 2 eggs, an avocado, nuts and seeds, in season berries, broccoli.  When you view the price of many whole foods on a per serving basis it almost seems silly to reach for that nutritionally void box of cereal.

Other than meal planning, frequenting farmer's markets, prioritizing someone to make healthy meals at home (which were suggested in last week's blog post)  here are some other budget friendly tips:

• If adding more organic foods into your budget, chose animal over vegetable which tend to concentrate pesticides in higher amounts.  But if you want to incorporate more organic produce, read my blog post linking you to Environmental Working Group's Shopping Guide to Pesticides in Produce .  You'll know which fruits and veggies you can buy conventional and which to buy organic.  They update this list annually.
• Swap out an animal-based meal or two for a whole foods based vegetarian one.  A bag of dried beans and a pound of uncooked rice are inexpensive, are a complete protein and can be made into a few different meals.  Eggs are cheap especially compared to their amazing nurtritional value.
• Get back to basics:  make your own stocks (and buy a whole chicken to do so which means you have a meal or two to boot along with a stock!), use inexpensive cuts of meat in stews and soups (and you can use less of it as it is usually paired with vegetables and whole grains).
• Buy in bulk if your stores have this option for your rices, pastas, other whole grains, dried fruit and beans and stock up on in-season fruits which can be frozen, canned or made into jams for future use.
• Consider having a vegetable garden.  It's a fun way to budget your food and get kids involved; they'll have an understanding where their food comes from.  In the fall try lettuces, collards, carrots and herbs and in the summer try beans, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini.
• Make your own salads, breads (if you like to bake), hummus, dips, granola, even healthy desserts.  The Whole Meal has many of these recipes in its library if you need any inspiration.

Here are additional links with more detailed ways to budget your food costs but still eat healthy:

14 Ways to Save Money on Groceries

10 of the Healthiest Foods You Can Buy for Less Than $1

I highly recommend  "Food Stamped" a funny and eye opening documentary on how a couple tries to eat healthy on a food stamp budget, which is about $1 per person per meal.  You'll get a pretty good idea how hard it is, for various reasons,other than the limited amount of allocated money, for financially struggling families in this country to try and eat well and avoid the lure of fast and convenient food (and maybe less judgemental about the perceived way these government dollars are spent).  If anything, you'll walk away with a better appreciation of the budget you currently have and not take for granted your ability to make choices far easier than most.

This Should Be Your #1 Resolution for 2015

The ball drops at Time Square as the clock strikes midnight, you kiss and hug the ones you love, wish them a Happy New Year and go to bed filled with determined resolve to spring into the new year with a fistful of resolutions.  And as every magazine broadcasts and as every gym swells with new members, weight loss and healthier habits seems to be all the rigor for the month of January.  But as soon as a couple weeks later to the beginning of February those grand intentions have gone out with a limp sizzle.

So this year decide to make just ONE decision which will have a significant impact on your general health, your weight loss goals, your mental state of mind, your energy levels, and chronic health issues: eat REAL food.

That is it.

It seems silly and even obvious but if you really assess your habits a a modern human being living in an industrialized, developed country most of us don't really eat this way.  For the pasty 70 years or so (which is about 5 generations of us) we have been hoodwinked into embracing industrialized food (and I am including animal and vegetables in here too) because this way of eating is CONVENIENT.  Convenience has trumped sound nourishment at the expense, however, of our good mental and physical well being.  The price we pay both individually and as a society is high as evidenced by the soaring rates of obesity, diabetes, autism, attention deficit issues, Alzheimers, and cancer rates (most disturbing is many of the above include children, which had not been the case prior to the industrialization of our food and toxins in our environment).

Here are some tips to keep you focused on eating well most of the time (I am a realist and know it is unrealistic to think we will live 100% of the time shunning fast and processed foods.  My mantra to my own girls is "eat well 80% of the time and you can have a buffer 20% of the time"):

Ask yourself  "Would my great grandmother have eaten this or recognized it?"

I don't think my great grandmother would have eaten margarine as she churned the milk from her cows into butter.  She would have eaten vegetables from her summer garden and canned or pickled them for winter.  She ate eggs from her chicken coop for breakfast.  She probably even ground her own wheat groats to make her famous flaky biscuits.

Here is a realistic caveat for us to eat this way- it is 2015 which means most of us live in urban/suburban areas, work full time and, I for one, am grateful for the farmers and even food companies that stock the grocery stores, farmers markets, and co-ops that I frequent weekly.  Which leads to tip #2.

Go find and eat the best quality whole foods you can afford

Be picky about what you put into your and your family's bodies.  While the obvious places would be a Whole Foods Market, a Trader Joes or your local natural food grocer, your local grocery stores (and even WalMart!) now offer you many great organic choices.

Seek out the farmers markets, farm stands and food co-ops in your local community.  They usually offer reasonable prices and high quality food products, you decrease your carbon footprint (if that is a concern of yours) and you support small local businesses.

It may mean making some sacrifices to fit higher quality food into your budget but wait 'til you taste a pot of black beans simmered in garlic, onions, and oregano ladled over a bowl of hot rice with a side of steamed broccoli; your inexpensive Meatless Monday meal so you can afford to have an organic roasted chicken with roasted organic cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and carrots on Tuesday.  Do your kids really need that $5 gallon of high fructose sweetened ice cream.  Watch what happens when you buy $5 worth of organic and/or local seasonal fruit instead (have you had frozen mango, bananas, or grapes? Wow!).

Most of us spend considerable time researching when we make major purchases (cars, houses, vacations, appliances) but suspend this great practice when it comes to what we eat each and every day.  Take the time to find the best food you can!

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

And when you have chosen the stores that support eating real food, stay mostly along the outer edge of all grocery stores.  This is where you'll find your produce, dairy, meats, seafood.  You should only be going into the aisles for staples like beans, whole grains, some condiments and of course household products.

If you do meander into the chips or cookie aisle be choosy (i.e.; read the label) and buy only enough for a serving or so for the entire family.  See junk for what it is- as a treat not an everyday occurrence.

Be realistic as to the time you have to prepare meals, find the means to do so and NO excuses

Everyone's day to day is different.  Some of us may work from the house and find it easy to pop dinner into the crock pot between conference calls or picking up kids, while others of us are lucky to have 15 minutes between when we leave work, pick up our kids, drop them to an after school activity, have them do homework and eat dinner.  So be realistic in what you can manage but don't use time constraints as an excuse to do nothing.  Spouses may need to tag team in meal preparation or enlist kids to cook one meal a week (and a whole grain or gluten free pasta with a jar of high quality pasta sauce and a bag of salad greens as a side is ok in my book!).

Take advantage of meal planning and, as you know, I am a big fan of this.  Sites like The Whole Meal streamline and help you consistently prepare real food.  You also have sites like Blue Apron that deliver all your ingredients right to your front door and all you do is prepare it.  For those that just do not like to cook and are not on a budget, there are local services (Fitlife Foods in the Tampa Bay area) that offer high quality meals already prepared.  Personal chef services are another good option as long as he or she adheres to the best quality foods with minimal processed ingredients.


It's not rocket science to eat well but it does take desire and some planning to make this second nature.   Start with the above tips and expand from there.  Also recognize your power as a consumer which is the best defense against the industrialization of our food and assuring better access to real food.  We live in a capitalist society which at its best is driven by supply and demand.  The "eat real food" movement (if you want to even call it that; I like to think of it as getting back to basics) is alive and well and in our control.

Most importantly, however, is how great your mind and body will feel when you feed it well.  With all your energy, positive frame of mind, and pounds shed, you will probably be ready to add in some other "resolutions".  Yoga or spin class anyone?