Delicious, nutrient-dense foods like chocolate and avocado can help you lose weight.

When trying to lose weight, we tend to fixate on the foods we aren’t supposed to eat. We salivate over cheesecake at the coffee shop, eyeball our partners’ pizza and dream about cheese, glorious cheese. Instead, shift the focus to the delicious and healthy foods that actually speed up metabolism, aiding in weight loss and preventing the storage of more fat. You might just get so hooked on green tea, yogurt, avocado and hot peppers that you find yourself cheating on your former favorites, not on your diet.

Green tea

If you want to get your metabolism revving, choose green tea over black tea or coffee. Studies have found that green tea is not only packed with flavonoids and antioxidants, it also has thermogenic properties, promoting fat oxidation. That means it helps burn the calories from the food you’re eating while you’re eating and digesting it.

Apples

That oft-repeated adage about apples and doctors is backed by solid science. Apples are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense source of fiber, so eating them with meals or as snacks can help you feel full longer. Eating an apple each day can also help prevent metabolic syndrome, a disorder associated with abdominal fat, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Low-fat yogurt

Probiotics in products that contain live bacteria, like yogurt, help beneficial bacteria in the gut process food more efficiently. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt (skip the flavored versions, they’re full of sugar!) is a great source of protein and calcium, and studies have found that eating yogurt as part of a reduced-calorie diet can help burn fat faster than going without.

Celery

You’ve probably heard of the “negative calorie diet” which claims that some foods, like celery, take more calories to eat and digest than they contain. That’s only partially true, but eating celery can still help you lose weight. It’s made up of mostly water and undigestible cellulose, so including it in your meals may help you eat less than you would otherwise.

Cinnamon

Did you know that cinnamon is a natural blood sugar stabilizer? After lots of speculation about the effect of this spice on insulin levels, a 2007 study confirmed that a teaspoon of cinnamon added to a dessert helped temper blood sugar spikes. Researchers are still trying to determine whether cinnamon could be an alternative treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Grapefruit

There’s a good reason grapefruit is so often recommended as an optimal breakfast for people who are trying to lose weight. This low-sugar, citrus fruit contains an antioxidant that has been found in studies to reduce insulin levels after eating a meal.

Broccoli

Broccoli contains two essential nutrients, calcium and vitamin C, which team up to boost metabolism – that is, as long as you have a healthy thyroid. Broccoli is also “goitrogenic,” meaning it can slow the production of thyroid hormones in people with thyroid disease.

Lean Meats and Fish

Lean protein from sources like meats and fish can help boost both your metabolism and your energy levels. Protein also helps curb hunger and ensure that the weight you lose is fat, not muscle. Having a higher lean muscle mass helps burn more calories on a daily basis, aiding in long-term weight control.

Garlic

Adding garlic to meals rich in fats and carbohydrates may keep those substances from wreaking havoc on your health. Studies have found that garlic supports blood sugar metabolism and helps control lipid levels in the blood. Of course, that doesn’t mean garlic bread is suddenly a health food, but adding crushed fresh garlic to your meals certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Oats

While many foods, like those high in sugar, can cause blood sugar spikes that cue the body to store fat, oats and other whole grains keep insulin levels low after you eat. This ensures that you burn calories instead of increasing the prominence of all your wobbly bits.

Olive Oil

Taking in fat in order to burn fat? It may not seem to make sense, but healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil can actually aid the body in burning calories. But to get a benefit, you have to replace other types of fat – like cream or butter – with olive oil, and consume it only in limited quantities.

Hot peppers

Cayenne, chili, jalapeno and habanero – make your meals spicier, and you’ll speed up your metabolism, too. Research has shown that adding hot peppers to a meal, even just in the form of a pinch of cayenne, can boost metabolism by up to 25 percent for three hours after you eat.

Avocado
This creamy pale green fruit may be high in fat and calories, but it’s also packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. More importantly, most of the calories in an avocado come from monounsaturated fats, which help control the metabolic rate.

Beans

Another ideal source of lean protein, beans are chock full of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which help lower insulin levels after digestion, causing your body to store less fat. The process of digesting the fiber and proteins in beans burns extra calories, too.

Brown rice

The all-important fiber in brown rice and its effects on insulin levels are what makes brown rice a great metabolism-boosting food. Choosing a whole, unrefined carb like brown rice instead of white rice, white flour and other processed carbs can be a big boon for weight loss.

Almonds

A low calorie diet rich in almonds can help increase weight loss, according to a 2003 study. Researchers have speculated that the good monounsaturated fats in almonds not only have an effect on insulin levels, but also give dieters a sense of satiety, so they eat less overall.

Dark chocolate

Scientists have discovered that eating dark chocolate can actually aid in weight loss. The benefit comes from chocolate’s effect on stress hormones. Study subjects who ate chocolate each day had reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which prompts the body to store fat.

Ginger

Just like the capsaicin in hot peppers, the heat of ginger root can decrease appetite, aid in digestion, and increase metabolic rates after eating. Try adding sliced or grated ginger to your stir-fry or tea, or add it to baked recipes like banana bread.

Vinegar

A study of 175 overweight Japanese men and women found that acetic acid in vinegar may “switch on” genes that release proteins which break down fat. The study participants who drank either 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks significantly lowered their body weight, BMI, visceral fat and waist circumference.

Water

While the rumors about your body burning more calories when you drink cold substances are a bit spurious, it’s true that drinking lots of water can help speed up weight loss. One study found that drinking two cups of water increased subjects’ metabolism by 30% for 30 to 40 minutes. Experts warn that the effect is “very, very small”, but combining it with all of these other metabolism boosters may help you get the results you seek.

SEE ALSO:

20 Foods To Supercharge Your Brain

20 Foods For Radiant Skin, Healthy Hair & A Super Smile

20 Foods for Increased Energy and Better Sex Drive

Photo: dave fayram, dan zen, oceanaris, everjean

A firsthand account of a one-time colonic.

The billion dollar weight-loss industry is booming like acne on a hormone-riddled teenage boy, and there are no signs of it slowing down. As long as there are wedding dresses to fit into, bikinis to look good in, and ex-boyfriends to make merry, products and services promising the svelte figure of a prepubescent girl will have a lucrative place in our world.

As a victim of 20 years of I-have-no-discipline-and-I-procrastinate-eating-healthily-but-need-to-be-thin-this-weekend dieting research, I’m here to bestow some useful yet non-expert advice: never get a colonic for weight loss.

If someone told me I could lose weight by crawling on all fours through hot coals every morning, I’d have some seriously callused kneecaps and a keen hatred for BBQs. Similar to donuts, cheese, and a good glass of wine, weight loss snake-oil is a weakness of mine that borders on addiction. When you live in a weight-conscious city like Los Angeles, searching for a miracle weight loss cure is modus operandi. From grapefruits and cabbage soup, to cayenne pepper and lemon juice, to infomercial exercise products to carb-cutting and the good ole chew and spit – I’ve tried it all short of anorexia and foreign diet pills.

So when my friend told me how she lost “5 pounds of feces” in one colonic session it was no surprise that I was on her therapist’s table in a bunless gown with no underwear on before I could Google the word “colonic.” Had I researched the treatment like a normal person before making the appointment, I would have discovered that colon hydrotherapy utilizes special equipment and tubes to inject water into your colon via your rectum. This is the kind of information you want to know before it’s being done to you.

As I innocently lay on the table, Sonja, a Ukrainian woman with more hair on her forearms then on her head, started snapping on latex gloves and lubing up a 6-inch plastic disposable tube attached to what looked like a giant electric toothbrush with a hose attached. Quickly I begin to scan the walls for any sort of diagram illustrating how this process worked, or for some sort of certificate or diploma; I figured if my manicurist has one, this woman should, too.

“Roll over,” she said in her thick accent, the smell of onions and sauerkraut from her lunch distracting me long enough not to realize what she was doing. SLURP. The plastic tube was in.

I’m going to avoid any sort of medical terms because I don’t know any, and the experience was not what I would describe as medicinal or healing in any way. In layman’s terms, it felt like my body was a water balloon and she stuck a hose up my ass to fill it. Before I could come up with an excuse as to why I couldn’t continue with the treatment, 100-degree water started to pump through the tube. “This is going to fill your body cavity.  The more the better, so let me know when you can’t take it anymore,” she said.  At first I felt a calming warmth, but was then overcome with a feeling of the worst case of diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, and a hatred for all things beautiful all at once.

Sweat started to drip down my face.

“STOP!” I yelled.  I couldn’t take it anymore. Then she told me she was going to release the water, and to keep an eye on the tube to see what was coming out of me. The excitement on Sonja’s face felt out of place; it was like she was giving me a sonogram only it wasn’t a baby we were looking at, it was a turd. There it was. Christmas dinner from 1983, gone. I was attempting to find the positive in this traumatic situation, but no amount of “mind over matter” thinking, dim lighting, faux flowers, potpourri, or Yanni playing softly on the ipod dock speakers in the background over the hum of the poop machine could make this entire experience okay. She was able to repeat the inflation and release process two more times before I cried “uncle” and threw in the towel. She then attempted to console me by telling me that first-timers always struggle.

SLIP. The tube was out.

When I got home, I ran to the computer to read up on what miracle I had coming to me now that I was done suffering. According to Wikipedia, “No scientific evidence supports the alleged benefits of colon cleansing. The bowel itself is not dirty and improperly prepared or used equipment can cause infection or damage to the bowel.” What the *@$#?  Not only did I not lose a pound, but I spent the next three days farting water.

As an intelligent woman who knows better, I’m embarrassed to say I succumbed yet again to the false hope of an easy weight loss answer. I am not going to blame colonics, my friend, Sonja, or even the weight-loss industry because it’s not evil. Like the tobacco industry, it’s built on people’s conscious decisions to ignore the truth. In the end, I deserved to be out $125 and to have a memory burned so deep into my soul that I quiver whenever I start my electric toothbrush or see a lawn hose.

Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Image: His_beautiful_girl94

ColumnSkip the weight loss centers and the elliptical machines, there are other fun ways to drop unwanted pounds.

Last spring, I set sail from the States to Europe, where I’m now a legal resident. In the intervening months since my arrival, I’ve shed a handy ten pounds – without even realizing it was happening. In fact, it didn’t occur to me that I was slowly slimming down; I only noticed that my energy levels were wicked high, that I loved shopping for new clothes because I liked how I looked in the dressing room mirrors, and that I felt infinitely sexier than before I came to Berlin. What happened?

I definitely don’t hail from one of America’s Fat Capitals; my former home of San Francisco is one of the healthiest, most physically fit populations in all of the U.S., and my long-preferred, mostly active lifestyle seemed to have all the right cards in place for an optimal waistline: I’ve always walked and biked everywhere (I don’t even have a driver’s license), and as a yoga teacher and (mostly) vegan, it seemed I could do no wrong. And yet, some key ingredient kept me hovering at a Marilyn Monroe body type. These days, I’m certainly no buff beauty queen, but I have definitely stopped thinking and caring about my weight. Who needs to worry when you can just have fun?

This week’s Sex by Numbers provides a little toolbox of four incredibly accessible, easily applicable tips for whittling down your frame – European style – with nary a lick of dreadful dieting or fretting about what the scale reads.

Walk It & Work It

Maintaining fitness isn’t some codified, separate activity from the rest of your daily activities, but rather an integrated aspect of life. In the morning, I walk to the market for breakfast ingredients and mosey on over to the office. On my lunch break, I stroll along the canal that cuts through the city or explore nearby graveyards and parks – it refreshes me and keeps me from going mad from sitting at a desk and in front of a computer all day. In the evening, I use my own two legs to get to yoga class and back home again, and instead of taking the subway to meet up with friends later at night, I walk to whatever bar, club, or restaurant where we’ll be hanging out. By incorporating regular bipedal motion into my everyday life, I get to enjoy the city sights, bump into friends on the sidewalk, window shop, and generally approach each day with appreciation and ease. Sure, it might require more time than driving a car, but it endows routine experiences with increased richness and joy. Plus, there’s no better time for strapping on my headphones and listening to music.

DIY Dinner

Nothing is sexier than knowing how to hold your own in the kitchen, and a woman who can whip-up a mean meal at a moment’s notice is a hot commodity in the dating market. (Because, let’s face it, relationships are a cultural and social marketplace.) I’m a proponent of intuitive eating and cooking in conjunction with seasonal, regional foods. As such, I advocate stocking up monthly on staples like legumes, lentils, and nut butters, while making frequent trips to the market several times a week for fresh vegetables, fruits, fresh-baked breads, and ethically-produced dairy products. Culinary art is one of life’s most sensual pleasures and is not only an opportunity to nourish your body but delight in a full-fledged orgy of lush colors, scents, tactile exploration, and even the roundly satisfying thwack of a butcher knife against the chopping block. When you enshrine a daily habit of cooking into your routine, you deepen an appreciation for food and can savor it more richly. And there’s the added benefit of the pounds simply melting away.

Have Sex

You can even have lots of it, if you want. It’s an obviously inventive, expressive workout that provides an endorphine rush in equal measure to running a marathon or getting a promotion, except rather than being an exceptional affair, it’s a sustainable activity in which to engage on a daily basis. Further, a healthy sex life results in a healthier physique. We all want to feel completely free of body-consciousness when we’re with our lovers; it allows us to more deeply engage in intimacy and focus purely on the pleasures of sharing ourselves with another person. Having regular sex is rad, and provides constant incentive to keep your body feeling beautiful and strong to share your best self with a lover (or several).

Balance, not Boundaries

Wine with dinner, nice cocktails as nightcaps, a croissant for breakfast, convivial meals and drinks with friends that span for hours and hours – I could go on. Beauty, at its core, is about savoir faire. It’s vital to celebrate life with other people by coming around the table and enjoying its bounty – and this isn’t just about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here in Europe, every meal is occasion for festivity and joy, and people are willing to unplug from their laptops and iPhones to come together on a quotidian basis. Indulgence – in sweets, spirits, and fine company – is perhaps the single most important component of creating balance and joy.

Image: Jamie Neely

ColumnYou’re nothing til you’re nothing.

I once dated a bright man who remarked that after years and years of girlfriends, he had simply come to accept the fact that every woman, no matter how sane and healthy she might appear to be, has at least one serious food “thing.” One girl might avoid carbs. Another won’t touch meat. Another has the issue with the legumes. So when I told him I don’t “do” grains, he was utterly unfazed. He’d long since been hazed by healthy. “I’m starting to think women can’t actually be anything like we expect them to be if they just ate like guys,” he said. Like I said: Bright.

I was reminded of this the other day when I was at a lunch in Sausalito with a writer. She excused herself to use the ladies, so I did what any normal person would do and promptly began listening in on the two women seated next to us. Who wants to be the obnoxious one texting on her iPhone at the table when you can be both retro and rude? Eavesdropping is such a lost art.

They were immersed in a very serious discussion. “So that’s when I realized I really had to give up dairy,” the Marin County Trophy Wife in all her resplendent Lululemon glory said. Blonde but not too blonde, boyish, twin tangelos tacked on her tanned ribcage. You know, tastefully anorexic.

“Of course!” The slightly-less-buffed-and-burnished friend. Oh, who am I kidding: the chubby one. She sallied forth into the good fight: “So do you eat tofu cheese instead?”

“Oh no! Oh absolutely not! I gave up tofu and all soy products this spring. The hormones, you know?”

“Oh, right.” The friend was beginning to understand what she was in for, wearing the resigned expression of having been in for this many times before.

“Yeah, but it’s amazing how wonderful you feel when you eliminate all the toxins from your diet. Obviously I don’t do sugar, flour, grain, alcohol, caffeine, ibuprofen, eggs, fish – the mercury, oh my god – and never meat.”

The usual suspects, I nodded approvingly.

“So you’re vegan but not eating grains? Isn’t that hard to find things to eat then?”

“Oh god, no! There is So. Much. Variety. It’s insane how much. Seriously, if people knew. It’s insane.”

“Like what?”

A pause long enough to put a cow down.

“Quinoa!” Tasteful Tangelo sparkled with triumph. “I eat so much quinoa. You know it’s not really a grain – it’s ancient and the Mayans or something ate it. And it’s a complete protein. I eat it all the time. I just never get tired of it!”

“Oh, okay. So, with veggies then. I wish I had your discipline.” This, in a tone of voice that was not in the slightest wishful.

“Well not all veggies. I don’t do the thyroid inhibitors. They’re really terrible for women, actually.”

“Oh?”

God how I wanted to ask her about nuts.

“Oh there are so many. Let’s see, Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli. Yeah, there are more but those are the main ones. I also avoid mushrooms – I mean they’re a fungus. I’ve read all about it.”

“So…fruit, then?” We actually are running out of foods now.

“Well, sometimes. You have to be extremely careful about fruit. I eat berries, they’re great. The antioxidants, you know? But not other fruit, I mean it’s basically just glorified sugar. And do not get me started on juice.”

“Okay.”

The friend stared at her orange juice and pushed her tuna salad around on her plate in despair.

“So…no fruit and no green vegetables, but quinoa.”

“Oh I eat kale! And chard! I love chard! I eat that constantly. Quinoa and kale. I tried it with butternut squash but you know how starchy squashes are, it’s terrible for your colon. I find that eating any squash or starch – or beans or peas, for that matter – impacts my colon so dramatically it completely destroys my colon’s ability to think. You know the colon is our second brain. My third eye was completely shut down when I was doing the butternut. And obviously carrots and yams are out of the question. The phyoestrogens. Avoid white and orange and you’ll add years to your life. It’s really that simple.”

“I’d never thought of it that way.”

“Oh, it is really true. But the biggest change was last month, and I can’t believe I didn’t tell you! Get this. I have been virtually been poisoning myself with nightshades, so I’m off them now. Completely off them. It’s been incredible.”

“You’re off what?”

“I’m off nightshades.”

“Like the nightshades they were scared of in the 1500s nightshades?”

“Exactly. You know, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and a bunch of other plants in that family. Completely toxic. You’ve really got to read up on this. It’s just crazy what people don’t know about the food they’re eating. I mean I’m just amazed that people don’t care. The insanity of that just baffles me.”

The conversation continued on to the acceptable forms of green tea and the benefits of fermenting Chinese herbs and the continuing drama over little Emma’s rebellious insistence on eating apples with almond butter and why it’s critical to take both probiotics and enzymes but I soon lost interest. Clearly, until you’re off all the things, you’re nothing.

There’s veganism because you care. But there’s also veganism because it’s more socially acceptable than cigarettes and coffee.

There’s gluten intolerance, and then there’s just being a glutard.

Local, seasonal, organic, nontoxic, humane: file these under enlightened, empowered, excellent.

Having a “thing”? File that under being a girl in this world.

There’s diet in the name of health, and then there’s diet in the name of anything.

The Insider’s Guide to Life is back from summer hiatus, exploring topics such as media, culture, sex, living, and anything else, including nightshades. Cheers and spellcheck!

Image: miran

Did you know that global livestock production is responsible for more greenhouse gases than transportation? According to Mark Bittman, eating less meat could have a greater affect on the environment than reducing the mileage we put on our cars!

As the Food Revolution’s grumblings grow louder, more practical guides to eating are becoming available to help us make sense of all the food and health information we’re bombarded with. Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating is one such book, written by Mark Bittman – a food journalist, culinary aficionado, and cookbook writer, who is perhaps best known for his cookbook, How to Cook Everything, first published in 1998.

Focused on making sustainable, lifestyle change, Food Matters includes a practical guide to eating with specific meal plans and simple, daily recipes to follow. Additionally, the book discusses agriculture, food and American eating habits, the environmental impact of our eating culture and a brief history of how we got where we are today.

Written as a personal account and journey about changing his own eating habits, Bittman makes a compelling argument as to why the rest of us should follow his lead. After all, who wouldn’t want to lose weight, be healthier, save money and reduce global warming? Count me in!

Besides being impossibly adorable, this painted enamel adaptation of the Asian field worker’s tacked lunch box is the ideal container for a dieter on the go.

I received one as a gift from my boss over a cup of Joe and a lesson on social networking. She said, “Here, take this and have fun with it. Maybe your kids can use it.”

Maybe, not! I’m not about to let them have another cool gift of mine so they can abandon it on the blacktop, allowing the contents to rot over the course of several months or convert it into a Barbie submarine bath toy.

Noooo. I’m going to pack healthy snacks in the tiered compartments because every dieter knows, failing to plan is planning to fail. If you don’t have those chopped organic veggies and fruits handy, you reach for the so-called protein bars (a.k.a. candy) or bagels (six points).

I know this sounds a bit crazy (’cause I am) but I even take it downstairs into the basement with me while I write so that I can keep nose to keyboard and not have to flee every time I get a craving for a chunk of jicama. I’ve also taken it with me when I have to drive a distance and get lots of looks from people who see me toting it. “That lady is stacked,” they’re thinking, and I like the fact they envy what I got on me, you know what I mean?

The best news is my bento is yet another way to eliminate throw-away bags and plastic and is awfully stylish compared to many of the reusable lunch containers made for work and school. It doesn’t leak and is dishwasher safe, too, for those who are sticklers about sanitation – and you should be.

And guess what? VivaTerra is even offering to give away this ultra-cool lunch box for you EcoSalon readers. Just post a comment on how you think you would use it to be entered to win one of your own!

By now you’ve probably  heard about Le Whif, the new way of enjoying chocolate without the calories.

Harvard professor David Edwards, lead inventor of Le Whif, says in a company press release: “Over the centuries we’ve been eating smaller and smaller quantities at shorter and shorter intervals. It seemed to us that eating was tending toward breathing, so, with a mix of culinary art and aerosol science, we’ve helped move eating habits to their logical conclusion. We call it whiffing.”

Edwards says that Le Whif is a terrific way to curb your appetite or to accompany a coffee. New culinary innovations that involve eating by breathing are being developed by the Foodlab at Le Laboratoire, Edwards’ art and science innovation center in central Paris.

New York Magazine’s Grub Street compared the craze to David Burke’s Flavor Spray Diet, which comes is such choices as pesto, ranch, and parmesan.

The product goes on sale at the end of this month, and is sure to have a lot of curious customers. It better be recycled plastic for all those nonexistent calories.

My husband said he’s eagerly awaiting a sushi spray that tastes like spicy tuna. I think I’ll stick with chocolate.

Yes nuts are tasty, can be salty, are often found in small decorative dishes at cocktail parties, and have a bad rap for being high in fat and calories. But did you know that they’re also packed with protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, and may even stave off breast cancer?

Here’s a quiz that was compiled by The American Institute for Cancer Research (and edited by me for clarity). See how you do, but more important, see what you learn.

The Nut of It: An AICR Quiz

1. Nuts have received mixed health reviews over the years because they are:

a. nutrient dense

b. calorie dense

c. both a and b

d. not sure what either term means

2. Approximately how many almonds make up 1 serving (1 ounce)?

a. 9

b. 4

c. 23

3. Peanuts:

a. are a good source of folate and niacin (B vitamins), along with vitamin E.

b. contain resveratrol, a compound found in red grapes and red wine that has shown cancer-fighting properties in lab studies.

c. should not be on this quiz because technically, the peanut is not a nut, it’s a legume.

d. all of the above

4. Approximately how many whole walnuts make up 1 serving (1 ounce)?

a. 23

b. 9

c. 14

5. Nuts are a good source of protein. According to the USDA’s MyPyramid, the nut equivalent for every one ounce of meat is:

a. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

b. ½ ounce of nuts

c. neither, the proteins in nuts cannot replace protein from animal foods

d. both a and b

6. A study published in 2008 found that walnut consumption”¦

a. may improve math scores among high schoolers.

b. increases the growth rate of fingernails.

c. slows the growth of breast tumors in laboratory animals.

7. Studies have linked nuts to:

a. heart health

b. weight control

c. cancer prevention

d. all of the above, but primarily a

8. What accounts for the potential health benefits associated with nuts?

a. omega 3 fats

b. antioxidants

c. fiber and an overall healthy balance of fats

d. most likely synergy (combination of substances), but researchers are still figuring it out

9. The main reason nuts are so calorie-rich is they contain a lot of fat. The primary type of fat in most nuts is:

a. unsaturated fats

b. monounsaturated fat

c. omega-3 fat

10. The key to receiving the health benefits of nuts is”¦

a. portion size.

b. moderation.

c. replace nuts for more caloric, less nutritious foods.

Scoring Your Nut Knowledge:

1. c – give yourself 3 points

a or b – 2 points

Nuts are packed with calories and nutrients. Calorie density, often referred to as energy density, is a relative term when comparing food calories. Foods that are calorie-dense (energy dense) have more calories ounce-for-ounce than foods that have low-energy density. Likewise, foods that are nutrient dense have more nutrients ounce-for-ounce than foods that have low-nutrient density.

You can read more about calorie density in a Nutrition Notes column.

2. c – give yourself 3 points “¨

b – 2 points

The USDA National Nutrient Database provides serving sizes and nutrition information for a variety of nuts.

1. d – 3 more points

a or b – 2 points

Peanuts pack a lot of healthful compounds and yes, in the botanic world, they are legumes. Legumes are plants that grow as bushes and vines and develop pods that are edible, such as green beans, or contain an edible food, like peanuts. But from a nutrition perspective, peanuts share similar qualities to other nuts. For more information log on to The Peanut Institute.

1. c Р3 pointsӬb Р2 points
2. d – 3 more points

a or b – 2 points

Nuts fall under the Meat & Beans group of MyPyramid. Proteins are somewhat different, depending upon the food source, but nut proteins can substitute for animal food proteins.

Plan your meals and read more about the food included in this group in MyPyramid.

1. c – 3 points

After 35 days of feeding mice ground walnuts, the breast cancer tumors of the walnut-fed mice were only about half the size of the tumors in mice that were not fed walnuts.

Read more about the study, published in Nutrition and Cancer.

7. d – 3 points

a, b, c – 1 point

The strongest evidence for nut health benefits indicate that nuts may help reduce heart disease. But a growing body of research suggests that nuts can help with weight control, and fight cancer.

8. d

The studies continue.

9. b – 3 more points

c – 1 point

Most nuts contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats, a type of unsaturated fat. Often termed the “good” fat, unsaturated fats do not raise blood low-density cholesterol (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats also raise the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol. Walnuts are the only nut source that contains a significant amount of omega-3 fats, which are known for heart health and other health benefits. (See question 6.)

Read more about The Facts about Fats.

10. 3 points for all

Since all nuts are high in calories (240 to 285 per one-third cup) make sure you watch how many you eat. To avoid gaining weight as you gain nutritional benefits, substitute nuts for less healthy foods rather than adding them to what you currently eat.

Score:

21-30 points – Excellent. You are nut-wise.

12-20 – Pretty good. You can always learn more, but give yourself a pat on the back.

12 and below: You may want to explore AICR’s site and the Nutrition Facts labels on nut containers.

Image: macinate

With hundreds of wellness articles at EcoSalon, where’s an eco gal to start? Right here. You’ll find everything you need to eat well and be well while going green. (Psst…the sex part is at the end.)

Recipes and Tips

10 Last-Minute Green Appetizers

Have surprise company dropping in? Whip up these eco appetizers in minutes with what you have on hand. Plenty of vegetarian options.

6 Last Minute Healthy Snacks and Eco Hors d’oeuvres

Eco appetizers are so popular, and no wonder: you can make them and munch them, tapas style, any time. They’re not just for parties. These recipes are vegetarian-approved.

7 Easy Salad Recipes for the Hopeless Cook, Part 1

There’s nothing greener (literally) or healthier than a salad. Salads are inexpensive, great for your body, helpful in weight loss, and ideal for lightening your eco footprint. Here are some fast, delicious recipes you’ll never tire of.

12 Easy Salad Recipes for the Hopeless Cook, Part 2

Even more great recipes for lightening your footprint (ecologically speaking, of course).

8 Things to Do with Dates (the fruit, not the men)

Dates are overlooked, but they ought to be part of your pantry – and your entertaining strategy. Or snacking strategy. Actually, these date recipes will fit right in with nearly any eating strategy.

8 Ways to Strange Your Smoothie

Who wants a boring banana shake with whey? We test-drove some fun flavors, unusual spices and wacky combinations to find the tastiest ways to “strange” your smoothie. The result? Delicious, healthy smoothie recipes.

Vegetarian Must Reads

6 Essentials to Build Your Blood on a Vegetarian Diet

If you’re concerned about anemia or overall health on a vegetarian or vegan diet, look no further than this helpful guide to 6 essential foods for vegetarians and vegans.

5 Vegetarian Foods That Build Muscle

It’s a myth that you need to eat a lot of meat to stay toned and strong. This guide to nutritious, muscle-building 5 vegetarian foods is a must-read whether you’re veg or not! (And you’ll be surprised at the last one.)

7 Delicious Meat Alternatives (and not a lick of tofu!)

When you think vegetarian protein, do you think of bland, slimy tofu? You’re missing out. There are many delicious, high-protein meat alternatives that are unprocessed, easy on the planet, and great for you.

Dining Out Green

25 Best Green Restaurants in the United States

Wondering where to eat green across the U.S.? Here is a guide to the best 25 green restaurants across the country. Highly recommended! Be sure to add your favorite green restaurant to the list.

7 Signs of a Green Restaurant

If a restaurant you enjoy isn’t on the above list, it may very well be green. Here are 7 factors that show you how to determine if a restaurant is green or not.

8 Tips for Greener, Healthier International Cuisine

There’s nothing like a spicy curry or a fresh plate of steaming pad Thai. Learn how to green your international food favorites, and make healthy choices, too.

Eating Better for a Better Planet

Eat Lower on the Food Chain

It’s easy to eat lower on the food chain with these simple tips from the 5 Day Challenge. Get started now and enjoy better meals this week with these stress-free ideas.

An Easy Foundation for Greening Your Diet

Start with a salad, and get creative. We show you how to make a salad a whole meal in 7 steps – without getting bored or feeling starved two hours later. You’ll lose weight, lighten your footprint and feel great.

Eco TV Host Sara Snow’s Top 10 Organic Picks

Green expert and television personality Sara Snow shares her recommendations for going green at the grocery store. Learn which foods are most essential to buy organic.

Healthiest Foods to Buy and Try Now

The Top 20 Organic Brain Boosters

There are plenty of incredibly potent vegetables, fruits, herbs and organic meats to include in your brain-boosting toolbox. This is the best that research has to offer for staying sharp, improving your memory, and maintaining brain health.

Step Away from the Candy! Healthy Choices Your Body Will Crave

These healthy alternatives to candy cravings you get at 3 p.m. every day are sure to please – and prevent that subsequent late afternoon crash.

Best Natural Aphrodisiacs to Supercharge Your Sex Drive

Did someone say orgasmic organics? Charge your sex drive with these amazing organic aphrodisiac foods. (Do you even know what a maca is? Do you want to know? Trust us, you do.) Side benefit: these foods improve health and reduce stress.

P.S. I recommend bookmarking this post on your favorite social network for easy future reference.

Images: thebittenword, mela sogono, Lachlan Hardy, Derek Purdy, Llima

Montage images: Phil Romans, gliving Green Chefs, Ruth L, Ahmed

After the indulgences of the holidays, you’re probably thinking about eating lightly over the next few weeks. But if you’re like me, your body isn’t craving raw salads and steamed greens over brown rice; it wants hot, nourishing foods that are still light. I want soup!

Here’s an easy soup that comes together in a snap. If you have some homemade chicken or vegetable broth in your freezer, all the better. But feel free to use an organic brand of whichever you prefer.

Potato and Kale Soup with Parsley-Arugula Pesto

Serves 2 or 3

Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small organic onion, chopped
2 organic celery stalks, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 quart organic chicken or vegetable broth
3 or 4 small waxy organic potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
2 bunches of kale (any variety) cut into ribbons
Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and garlic along with a little salt and sauté, stirring, until vegetables are soft and fragrant (about 10 minutes). Add the broth and the potatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes) Add the kale and salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer until the kale is tender but still bright green.

While the soup simmers, make the pesto:

Feel free to add other herbs like basil, marjoram or cilantro, whatever is in season or growing in your own herb garden.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup washed and dried Italian parsley leaves
1 cup arugula
1 clove garlic
Salt to taste
Olive oil

To make:

Pound the herbs, garlic and salt together in a mortar with a pestle until finely chopped. Add olive oil to desired consistency. You may also use the small bowl of your food processor. Serve the soup hot with a generous dollop of the green pesto on top and a flurry of good Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Image copyright: ostwestwind