Category: Diet

Cold-pressed juices are the latest health craze sweeping online influencers, not to mention your fittest friends. While you've probably already enjoyed fresh-squeezed juice from a farm stand or your own kitchen, cold-pressed juice is a category all its own.

The difference is in the production. Fresh-squeezed juice relies on a centrifugal juicer, which removes the good stuff from your produce with a fast-spinning blade. However, the speed of the blade also creates heat and allows air to enter the mixture. These factors create oxidation, which can deplete the vitamins and nutrients in your morning beverage.

A cold-pressed juicer preserves the good stuff with a hydraulic press that slowly extracts the juice without affecting its quality. This process boosts the nutritional value of your juice by making sure all the minerals and vitamins get into every glass. Jump on the juice express by exploring the health benefits of a refreshing cold-pressed bottle of your faves.

Ample Antioxidants

Compounds called antioxidants help the body fight off free radicals. These environmental pollutants can affect the makeup of our cells, increasing the risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

Some of the best antioxidant sources to look for in fresh-squeezed juice include broccoli, spinach, kale, carrots and sweet potatoes. Most berries are also rich in these valuable compounds, including strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Cold-pressed tomato juice is an excellent source of an antioxidant called lycopene. Studies show it lowers stroke and heart attack risk. You can't beat beets for an antioxidant called betalain, associated with reduced inflammation, heart disease and cancer risk.

Extra Energy

Green veggies contain a substance called chlorophyll that increases your blood oxygen levels. This effect boosts both your physical stamina and your energy to focus on mental tasks. Before your next big work presentation or exercise sesh, grab a cold-pressed juice that contains ingredients like kale, spinach, parsley, celery and cucumbers.

Increased Immunity

Cold-pressed juice with ingredients rich in vitamin C can help your body fight off unwanted invaders. Fruits and veggies that provide an immunity boost include broccoli, garlic, beets, celery and carrots. If that sounds a bit pungent for your first meal of the day, look for a brand with about one part fruit to two parts veggies.

Lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper provide a spicy vitamin C combo if you can handle the heat. This cold-pressed juice blend also contains lots of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Tomato juice is another classic choice with high C content.

As a bonus, vitamin C encourages collagen production. This compound helps the skin retain moisture and elasticity as we age; it also benefits bone, muscle and joint health.

Enhanced Relaxation

A healthy dose of spinach, a popular ingredient in cold-pressed juice, infuses your body with magnesium and amino acid. These nutrients help relax the nerves and muscles, promoting reduced stress and better sleep.

Good Gut Health

If you're in a tropical mood, go for a cold-pressed papaya juice if at all possible. This island fruit is rich in papain, which helps your body process protein. Ginger adds a spicy zing while reducing symptoms like nausea and bloating. If you frequently experience indigestion or constipation, add chopped cabbage to your juice for relief.

Essential Eye Support

Juices that contain cantaloupe, squash, kale, broccoli and carrots have tons of vitamin A. This nutrient helps ward off age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration, which leads to blindness. Vitamin A also supports immune function, strengthens the bones and reduces risk for certain cancers.

The cold-pressing process helps keep the nutrients in the juice so you get even more noticeable benefits from this healthy regimen. When shopping for cold-pressed juice, look for ingredients that address your personal health concerns.

These days, those of us who decide to go meat-free have countless options at just about every grocery store. While many vegetarian meals focus on veggies (of course), sometimes a meat alternative can spice up your supper by providing nutrients along with new tastes and textures. If you're new to the land of tofu and seitan, start your search with this guide to my go-to alternatives to my former favorite meats.

Tofu

Popular in Asian fare and a long-time staple of vegetarian diets, tofu is a versatile choice. This soy-based product can be used in place of chicken or beef in a stir-fry since it takes on the flavors of your favored seasonings. Crumbled tofu is ideal for tacos, chili and lasagna. Shop for different textures, including firm, extra-firm and soft. You'll learn which you like best for different purposes as you experiment with tofu.

A 4-oz serving of tofu has just 60 calories but contains multitudes. You'll get your full recommended daily dose of vitamin B12 along with lots of iron and calcium.

Jackfruit

When I decided to limit my meat intake, I truly missed pulled pork barbecue. Now that I found jackfruit, I'll never go back. You'll be shocked at how close this shredded, pulpy fruit mimics the texture of long-smoked pork. Pile it on a bun with your go-to barbecue sauce for an unforgettable meal.

A cup of jackfruit provides most of the major vitamins and minerals, including but not limited to potassium, vitamin C and protein. Each serving is also packed with healthy fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants.

Tempeh

Another soy-based choice, tempeh provides a "meatier" experience than tofu without sacrificing the nutrients. It can stand up to flavorful marinades and sauces and features a firm texture that works well sliced in a sandwich, salad or wrap. Some varieties incorporate other healthy beans and grains to enhance flavor and texture.

This protein-rich product is free of cholesterol and sodium. You'll get the benefit of B vitamins, calcium and iron.

Seitan

If you eat gluten, consider this wheat-based meat substitute. Seitan has a chewy texture that swaps out seamlessly for beef or chicken in soups, stews, stir-fries and just about any other recipe. I love throwing this so-called "wheat meat" on the grill instead of a traditional veggie burger. The earthy flavor will be a win for mushroom fans.

A 3-oz serving of this selection has just over 100 calories. Seitan is also a low-carb choice that will give you a boost of protein and iron.

Texturized Vegetable Protein

Commonly called TVP, this soy flour product is the cornerstone of all those frozen veggie "chicken" nuggets and other processed options. You can also purchase dehydrated TVP for home use, especially if you want to enhance the protein content in your diet. You can add a scoop to just about any recipe.

Mushrooms

Speaking of mushrooms, these fungi provide a classic crowd-pleasing alternative to meat. Try grilling a portobello instead of a burger or slicing smaller mushroom varieties to give your salad a nutritional punch. This low-cal, high-fiber fare is a smart choice if you're trying to lose weight since mushrooms keep you feeling full.

Science supports the benefits of reducing meat intake. Vegetarians tend to have lower obesity rates, lower risk for heart disease and cancer, and lower cholesterol. Eating less meat is also associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

With all these delicious meat alternatives (and so many more I don't have space to cover), it might be time to give a meat-free diet a try. If you're new to the veggie game, try starting with one meatless meal each week.

There are too many myths and “facts” circulating on any given day when it comes to nutrition and fitness. So-called fitness gurus tell you to eat on a consistent schedule, some even suggesting interrupting your sleep schedule to stick to the routine. Fortunately, getting healthy and staying healthy is a lot simpler than people make it out to be, which likely stems from health and fitness being a multi-billion dollar industry.

When it comes to carbs, people have a longstanding love-hate relationship. Some people believe that carb-loading before a workout is ideal. Others believe that consuming too many carbohydrates before an activity will make you sluggish, leading to ineffective exercise. The truth is somewhere in between.

Eating Carbs Before Working Out

According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, consuming carbs can affect the intensity and duration of intense exercise. For the study, participants either consumed high-carbs at 1.5g of body weight or low-carbs. The group consuming more carbohydrates maintained performance levels longer than those consuming less. However, the low carb group did experience greater fat oxidation.

Therefore, eating carbs before a workout depends on the exercise and its intensity. For lower intensity activities, like walking, you can avoid the extra calories, but if you want to extend your workout, even light exercise, carb-loading can help your performance.

Carb-Loading and Endurance Work Outs

If you are planning a long-lasting activity requiring high endurance levels, carb-loading can help. If you want to go for a 90-minute bike ride, and you want your performance to remain strong throughout, consuming 1.5 carbs times your body weight in kilograms is a safe and effective formula. For example, a 120 lb female (54.4 kg) should consume 81.6 kg before the activity, and a 180 lb man (81.6 kg) should consume 122.4 g.

However, it is necessary to listen to your body. Every person is unique, meaning that their carbohydrate requirements for endurance are not the same. Some people do better with less; the important thing is to uncover what works for you.

Maintaining Sustainable Behaviors

Typically, the longer the exercise, the more critical it is to carb-load, but it should never feel forced. If forcing yourself to eat carbs before a workout drains your ambition, don’t do it. While there are some minor benefits to consuming carbohydrates before an endurance activity, it is more important that you complete the exercise.

The goal of both health and fitness is to find sustainable behaviors. You want to do things that encourage active participation in your life, something that motivates you to live healthily and thrive. If carb-loading is an uncomfortable practice that leaves you feeling lethargic or unmotivated, then avoid it. Focus on the behaviors and habits you enjoy that still move you in the right direction.

Carb-loading is not a myth, and it can be useful for certain exercises. If you do not perform endurance activities like sustained sprints or biking, you might not experience a tremendous benefit from the practice. Have you ever tried carb-loading? What was your experience, and would you recommend it to others? Leave a comment below.

When it comes to seltzer water, you either love it or hate it. There’s not much room for anything in-between. In my case, I love pouring a glass of seltzer water anytime I’m craving a soda. It gives me the same carbonated fulness I get from soda, but without the harmful flavorings or colorings.

I’ve also believed over the years that seltzer water is good for me and can help me stay hydrated. Well, I finally decided to see if my belief is based in fact or fiction. So I did a little research into the matter over the weekend. Here’s what I learned about seltzer water and its benefits.

What Seltzer Water Is and Isn’t

Seltzer water is sometimes confused with other types of carbonated waters. But it’s not the same thing as tonic water, club soda or sparkling mineral water. Each of these types of carbonated beverages look exactly the same, but they are created using different methods.

Seltzer water is the simplest of these four different types of carbonated water. It is created using only plain water carbonated with carbon dioxide.

Seltzer water is not sparkling mineral water, which is full of dissolved solids such as magnesium, potassium and sodium. It’s also not tonic water, which has a bitter flavor and contains sugar. Seltzer water most closely resembles club soda, but it doesn’t contain sodium citrate, disodium phosphate or sodium bicarbonate. It’s just plain water.

Seltzer Water Benefits

The main benefit of seltzer water is that it gives you that nice, tingly feeling when you drink it. For people who don’t enjoy plain water (such as Yours Truly), seltzer water a great alternative to sugary soda.

If you’re at the movie theater and you have to choose between soda and seltzer water, go for the seltzer water! It’s much better for your body. It hydrates you just as much as regular water. In fact, it may help you stay even more hydrated, since you’re more likely to drink it throughout the day than you are to drink regular water.

Some research also shows that a carbonated drink of water may also improve your digestion and reduce constipation. When you get to be my age, any drink that can do those things is somewhat of a miracle!

Seltzer Water Drawbacks

Although it has a lot of benefits, seltzer water isn’t without its drawbacks. I know, I know. If you don’t want to hear about them, just stop reading at this point. But if you’re aware of the potential drawbacks of seltzer water, you can make a more informed decision about how much of it you want to consume on a daily basis.

Research suggests that seltzer water may increase ghrelin (a hunger hormone). The good news is that it seems to do so in men more than in women. So ladies, you may still be able to enjoy your carbonated water without adding inches to your waist.

Another drawback is that seltzer water is slightly acidic. It turns out that the reaction of water and carbon dioxide produces carbonic acid, which is a relatively weak acid. Still, seltzer water is much less acidic than sugary or sugar-free sodas. It is more acidic than plain water, though. For this reason, it may be wise to cut back a little on your seltzer water intake and try to drink more plain water when you can.

If you don’t like the flavor of plain water, try infusing natural flavors into it. You can buy a fancy infuser pitcher to do this, or you can simply chop up some berries and throw them in your glass. You’ll get a nice, subtle flavor that just might turn water into your new beverage of choice.