Today I’m sharing a unique twist on my classic Nourishing Muesli — Cherry Cardamom Bircher Muesli. This recipe has quickly become my favorite summer breakfast, and sometimes even dessert!
It’s raw (no fuss with cooking), easy to digest, tastes amazing, and is packed with antioxidants from the cherries.
Cherry Cardamom Bircher Muesli
I love this combination of flavors. It’s sweet, tangy, cool and warm at all the same time. Bircher muesli this time of year is lovely, it’s cool and refreshing since there’s no cooking or heating involved. It contains a healthy dose of fiber, healthy fats, plant-based protein, complex carbohydrates, and is incredibly easy to whip together.
You can even make this a quick breakfast by making it the night before and storing it in the fridge until the next morning!
What Is Bircher Muesli?
I’ve talked at length about what muesli is on the Nourishing Muesli post, but in a nutshell, muesli is simply uncooked granola. All that’s required is a large mixing bowl to combine your favorite nuts, seeds, grains, and dried fruits in any ratio you prefer. I like to keep my mueslis with a higher ratio of nuts and seeds to carbohydrates.
What is the difference between bircher muesli and regular muesli? Bircher muesli is the Swiss version of what many of us simply call overnight oats. My Mulberry Soaked Oat Porridge is a perfect example of a bircher muesli. While regular muesli is dry, bircher muesli is typically made with cream and lemon juice and is eaten after all the ingredients have had time to soak.
How To Make Your Own Ground Cardamom
I love making my own ground cardamom! It’s a fun, hands-on way to get the freshest cardamom possible.
Start by crushing the pod with the back of your hand or peeling the pod with your fingers. Then peel the outer shell of the cardamom pods, in this case the green shell.
You’ll be left with tiny black seeds, these are what you’ll be grinding. Using a grinder or a mortar and pestle (check my kitchen tools page), until the seeds are ground. Store in an air tight jar or spice jar, like the ones I use here!
What Is A Foundational Five Nourish Meal?
The Foundational Five Nourish Meal is any meal that contains all 5 elements within the Foundational Five, non-starchy carbohydrates, starchy carbohydrates, healthy fat, protein, and the Flavor Factor. By following this simple template it keeps food flexible, fun, and nourishing.
Any meal can be made into a Foundational Five Nourish Meal by just knowing the system I teach in our Method Membership and in my free guide about creating healthy eating habits with ease, that you can get right here!
Foundational Five
Learn how you can nourish your body at each meal by creating a Foundational Five Nourish Meal. This is McKel’s simple framework she’s used with thousands of clients in her decade as a Dietitian and now you can use it too!
The Foundational Five supports you in nourishing your physical body so you can learn what to eat, which is the first step in mindful eating. The remainder is knowing how to eat and to experience your food positively.
Eating in this way supports your physical body on a cellular level ensuring you’re consuming the nutrients you need to have a sharp focus, calm digestion, lasting energy, sound sleep, and vibrant long-term health.
Here are the following Foundational Five Elements in this recipe:
Chelsey Amer, MS, RDN, CDN, details the connection between hormones and mental health. Plus: specific hormones to watch out for when it comes to imbalances and your mood.
Do you ever feel sad prior to getting your period? Downright hangry if you haven’t eaten? Nervous and stressy when over-tired?
It’s not your imagination—it’s your hormones.
What do hormones do?
Hormones are your body’s messenger system, and your body produces dozens of them.
These chemical messengers influence many aspects of your overall health, including:
appetite
weight
sleep cycle
emotions
reproduction
fatigue
mood
mental health
Hormones and Mental Health
It’s normal for your hormone levels to fluctuate throughout the day and month. That’s why you get sleepy when it’s dark and feel more alert during the day. It’s also why you may feel sad before getting your period.
That said, it’s no surprise that hormones play a role in mental health.
While you may be familiar with PMS, it’s just one isolated situation illustrating hormonal imbalance and mental health. However, even simple, mundane stressors can make an impact.
4 Hormones That Impact Mental Health
If you constantly feel moody, sad, stressed, and/or irritable, consult your physician to discuss the role your hormones may play in your mental health.
In the meantime, here are the key ones worth understanding when it comes to hormones and mental health.
1. Cortisol
If you’ve ever been stressed (who hasn’t?), you know that it’s no walk in the park. One of the most underrated hormones that influences your mental health is cortisol, a key stress hormone.
Most cells in your body have cortisol receptors. On a daily basis, cortisol influences how your body uses the nutrients you eat, your sleep/wake cycle, your blood pressure, and more. Your cortisol levels normally wax and wane throughout the day.
When you face an acutely stressful situation, your body releases a burst of “fight or flight” hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. You can think of it as a fire alarm going off in your body, mobilizing you to stress-fighting action.
However, if your body doesn’t calm down, your cortisol levels remain elevated.
When your cortisol levels stay elevated, your body’s at risk for things like weight gain and a weaker immune system. Further, constant stress and heightened cortisol levels can compromise your mental health in the long run.
It’s important to actively work to reduce daily stress. Here are some ideas that may help beat stress and stabilize cortisol levels:
get adequate physical activity
practice mindfulness/meditation
eat a well-balanced diet rich in fish, berries, eggs, and even chocolate(!)
maintain proper sleep hygiene
2. Thyroid Hormones
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ positioned in the front of your neck. It’s responsible for producing thyroid hormones, which play a role in your overall energy levels, weight, body temperature, metabolism, and more.
When your thyroid goes awry, becoming either under- or overactive, you can feel both physical and mental repercussions.
Mental health issues tied to thyroid imbalances have been well-established. Even small deviations in your thyroid hormones can lead to moodiness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and more.
These symptoms can be prominent in those on both ends of the spectrum. More specifically, people with an under-active thyroid more commonly experience mood imbalances. On the other hand, those with an overactive thyroid typically experience greater stress and worrying.
If you’re concerned about your thyroid health, speak with your physician and registered dietitian.
3. Serotonin
Serotonin is responsible for happiness, pleasure, memory, sleep, mood, and more. Anything from listening to your favorite music, reading a good book, and exercising can boost your serotonin levels.
Since serotonin is your “feel-good” hormone, lower serotonin levels correlate with a low mood. Currently, researchers debate whether serotonin levels influence mood or vice versa.
In addition, female reproductive hormones (detailed below) may interact with serotonin. They can potentially cause mood swings or sadness before/during menstruation, postpartum, or during menopause.
However, you can support your body’s natural serotonin production. Here’s how:
maintain good gut health (95 percent of serotonin production occurs in your gut!)
eat well-balanced meals, including protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates
get enough vitamin B6, which is essential for the amino acid tryptophan to convert into serotonin
4. Reproductive Hormones
Progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone are the key reproductive hormones that may influence your mental health.
In particular, PMS, mood swings, and postpartum and menopausal mood imbalances all illustrate the power of female reproductive hormones.
PMS
Premenstrual mood swings, nervousness, and low mood are common among up to 50 to 80 percent of women. Due to the cyclical nature of a female’s reproductive cycle, the dip in progesterone and estrogen leading up to a woman’s period may instigate mental health changes.
For instance, progesterone typically has a calming effect, and the lack of progesterone during this time can contribute to the symptoms shared above.
However, some hormone experts argue that PMS symptoms aren’t normal or necessary. To alleviate PMS and promote optimal mental health, be sure to:
Postpartum Imbalances
Welcoming a child is a big life change. However, there’s also a sharp drop in progesterone and estrogen after childbirth, which can instigate mental health changes.
During pregnancy, your body floods with various hormones. Almost immediately after childbirth, there’s a hormonal avalanche out of your body. This can instigate low mood and heightened stress and nerves. Alongside a lack of sleep for new mothers, this quick transition can lead mood imbalances.
As much as it’s possible, postpartum mothers should:
rest when they can
prioritize a healthy diet
seek support from family and friends
Menopause
Lastly, there’s another time of major hormonal shifts that occurs later in life: menopause.
Menopause can potentially instigate mental health challenges in some women. Studies show that even women with normally stable moods were more susceptible to psychological burden during the during the menopausal transition.
Further, the hormonal shifts that occur during menopause can disrupt sleep. On top of that, a lack of sleep can also lead to irritability and moodiness.
Finally, another factor that can influence mental health during menopause is changes in body size. Hormonal shifts may more easily lead to weight gain, which can impact your mood.
To balance your hormones during menopause, eat a well-balanced diet that includes:
leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables
fruit
high-fiber complex carbohydrates
adequate protein
healthy fats
Additionally, limit your intake of sugar and processed and fried foods. A good rule of thumb is to eat food in its whole, simplest form, as guided by your hunger and fullness levels.
The Bottom Line
If you’re experiencing mood fluctuations or other changes in your mental health, your hormones are likely at work behind the scenes.
Hormone balance is a complex topic, to say the least. It’s important to speak with your healthcare professional to understand how to best balance your hormones, especially if hormonal fluctuations are influencing your mental health.
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In 1963, Myriam P. Sarachik tackled a big question in her field.
For decades, physicists had noticed certain metallic materials exhibited odd behavior in electrical resistance — the amount of sluggishness to the flow of electricity.
Usually, the warmer a metal is, the more that electrons bounce off the metal’s vibrating atoms, making it more difficult for a current to pass through. Typically, as a metal cools, the vibrations diminish, the electrons move more readily, and the resistance drops.
But sometimes as some metallic materials are chilled even colder, the electrical resistance starts rising again. It was a mystery.
The phenomenon is now known as the Kondo effect, after Jun Kondo, a Japanese physicist who successfully explained what was going on. The Kondo effect has turned out to be a central component needed to understand the behavior of electrons in solids.
But Dr. Kondo, as a theorist and not an experimentalist, was not the first to show that his supposition was correct.
That instead was Dr. Sarachik, 87, now retired after a career spanning more than a half-century as a professor of physics at the City College of New York.
The experiment was just one of the accomplishments for which Dr. Sarachik received this year’s Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research, a top honor of the American Physical Society.
“And so here I am,” Dr. Sarachik said during a ceremony held in Washington in January. “I can’t even believe it, because I almost didn’t get into the field at all.”
Her career commenced as the United States was racing to catch up in science and space after the Soviets launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957 and the first astronaut, Yuri Gagarin, in 1961. Colleges were establishing and expanding their physics departments. Industry jobs were bountiful.
But even during this golden era of science, women like Dr. Sarachik were discouraged from participating.
Two years before her Kondo effect work, Dr. Sarachik, giving in to the expectations of the day, set aside her physics research a year after finishing her Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York. She was going to stay home and take care of Karen, her newborn daughter.
“I was home for about a month, and I realized I was never going to survive this,” she said.
Her husband, Philip, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Columbia, urged her to return to research. She recalled him saying, “I would rather pay someone to take care of Karen than a psychiatrist.”
But when she attended a job fair at a physics conference in New York, Dr. Sarachik, unlike her Columbia classmates, received no requests for job interviews. “I got none,” she said. “I got absolutely zero. I got, again, very unhappy. So very, very unhappy.”
In despair, she reached out to one of her Columbia professors, Polykarp Kusch.
“I asked him to please help me,” Dr. Sarachik said. “He argued with me long and hard. He said, ‘You don’t really want to do what you think you want to do. You don’t want to do research. Maybe you should take a part-time teaching job.’ And I said, ‘No, I want to do research.’”
She said that at the end of the back-and-forth, Dr. Kusch gave in: “Finally he said, ‘Look, Myriam, we trained you. I don’t know why you want to do what you want to do. But if you want to do it, you have the right to try.’”
In an interview, Dr. Sarachik said of Dr. Kusch, “He had this bias. We all have it, but he was willing to operate above it.”
The next day, she received a phone call from Bell Labs, the research arm of AT&T in New Jersey, which was then a mecca for groundbreaking basic research. Dr. Sarachik said she was hired to what amounted to a two-year postdoctoral position.
‘Not a Quitter’
Image
Dr. Sarachik at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, 1963.Credit…via Myriam Sarachik
It was at Bell Labs that the odd electrical resistance problem caught her attention.
“And nobody knew what to make of it,” Dr. Sarachik said.
Other physicists at Bell Labs were exploring alloys containing metals like niobium, molybdenum and rhenium as well as a smidgen of iron. The small amounts of iron sometimes acted as magnets within the materials.
Dr. Sarachik investigated an aspect of these magnetic alloys, measuring how the electrical resistance changed with temperature, from close to absolute zero, minus 459 degrees, the coldest possible temperature, to about minus 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Measuring electrical resistance is straightforward — something that students might do in a high school physics laboratory. Even the ultralow temperatures were not a technical challenge for a professional laboratory.
Still, “It seemed like a neat thing to try,” she said.
When the magnetism of the iron was present, she observed the unexplained behavior of resistance increasing with falling temperatures. When the magnetism was not present, the resistance continued to drop with the dropping temperatures.
The results caught the eye of Dr. Kondo, who had come up with calculations that suggested that as the alloy cooled, the electrons scattered more and more off the magnets of iron atoms, increasing the electrical resistance.
Dr. Sarachik said that when Dr. Kondo sent her an early version of his paper, she immediately knew that her data fit with his calculations. She thus provided the first experimental confirmation of the Kondo effect.
But her contribution was largely overlooked by others, including by her colleagues at Bell Labs.
“I got no recognition for it for years,” she said, and soon she was looking for a new job.
Dr. Sarachik said in the laboratory’s rankings of employees, she was placed in the bottom third and when her two-year appointment ended, there was no offer for her to stay. At about the same time, her husband did not receive tenure at Columbia and also needed a new job, so the two of them considered moving away from New York.
These days, married academics often talk of the two-body problem — the juggling of careers in the search of a university or company willing to hire both. It can be a convoluted balancing act, but it is commonplace. In the 1960s, that was rare. Only the husband mattered. Indeed, offering a job to the wife as well was often regarded as nepotism.
Philip Sarachik received offers to join the faculty at top-tier universities like the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland. She only received one offer of a temporary postdoctoral position, from the University of Maryland.
Philips Research Laboratories, then located just north of New York City, offered her a job. But the salary would have been thousands of dollars below what a man would earn. She objected; the company told her that was the prevailing practice toward women in the industry. She rejected the offer, even though she had no other options at the time.
Still, she persisted in physics.
“I’m not a quitter,” Dr. Sarachik said. “I couldn’t not do it.”
Reclaiming Her Space
Image
Philip and Myriam Sarachik in Vermont in 1970.Credit…United Press International
Throughout a peripatetic childhood, she often did not fit in. She was born in Antwerp, Belgium, to Orthodox Jewish parents, just as Adolf Hitler was rising to power in neighboring Germany. Through false papers, bribes and an escape from a concentration camp, she, her parents and two brothers fled, first to Cuba and then to New York City. She was among the first girls to attend the Bronx High School of Science, and then she went to Barnard College, taking physics classes at Columbia.
The sciences were opening up to women, slowly, when she decided to study physics. “If I had tried 20 years earlier, I don’t think it would have been possible,” she said.
Her husband, whom she met in one of her undergraduate physics classes, encouraged her, too. “He was enormously supportive of me,” she said. “He gave me the room to do what I really wanted to do.”
When Dr. Sarachik was having trouble finding a job in 1964, Philip said it was an easy decision to pass on the offers he had until she also found a position in the same locale. “What’s the difficulty in making that kind of choice?” he said. “I had offers in a number of places so I had choices when Myriam didn’t, so it wasn’t very difficult to choose a place where we both had jobs.”
Finally, the City College of New York offered her a position as an assistant professor in 1967 while Philip joined New York University. In three years, she was promoted to associate professor with tenure. Her career thrived.
Then her younger daughter Leah was murdered.
Dr. Sarachik mentioned the loss glancingly during her talk in January. “We had a disastrous family disaster, which took me out of commission pretty much for 10, 15 years,” she said. “And some of you know about that.”
Soon after the start of the fall semester in 1970, the nanny drove the couple’s car to pick up Leah from a play date and never returned. The older daughter, Karen, then 9, was at home alone. Twelve days later, authorities found the nanny dead in the rear of the car from an overdose of sleeping pills.
A month later, Leah’s body was found in a trash can behind a summer house in Vermont.
Dr. Sarachik filled the walls of her apartment with needlework. She helped her graduate students finish their degrees. She taught some classes.
Gradually, she returned to research.
In the 1980s, as she sought to restart her efforts, one of her laboratories at the City College physics department had become a de facto storage room of junk. She sent out a memo asking people to take their belongings. No one did. She sent out another memo saying that anything not removed by the end of the week would be thrown out.
She reclaimed her space.
Laura H. Greene, chief scientist at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Fla., first met Dr. Sarachik around this time. Dr. Greene had just joined Bell Labs, two decades after Dr. Sarachik worked there.
“I didn’t know she was just getting back into physics,” Dr. Greene said. “I knew she had a sadness about her.”
Dr. Greene was switching from a different area of physics and needed to learn about a lot of Dr. Sarachik’s work. “She had infinite patience,” Dr. Greene said. “Really good at explaining things.”
In her second chapter of research, Dr. Sarachik became known for several paradigm-breaking experiments.
She explored how some two-dimensional materials, generally insulators that do not conduct electricity, could turn into metallic conductors, something theorists said was impossible.
“That’s way ahead of the time,” Dr. Greene said. “So she was always pushing the envelope.”
Image
Credit…Calla Kessler for The New York Times
Theorists indeed still have not come up with a convincing explanation for what she showed.
Dr. Sarachik also led experiments that explored the quantum behavior of molecules that act like magnets. The work demonstrated that the north and south poles of these molecules, each consisting of a couple hundred atoms, could spontaneously flip at cold temperatures where such flips are forbidden by classical physics.
Other physicists had tried to show this as well. But at that time, the materials could only be made as powders. The magnetic fields of these crystal specks pointed in random directions, and the evidence was inconclusive.
One of Dr. Sarachik students, Jonathan Friedman, provided a solution by mixing the powder in a liquid glue and placing the mixture in a strong magnetic field. The crystals lined up with the magnetic field, and as the glue dried, remained pointing in that direction.
As a result, her data were clear and convincing.
“It started the whole field with big symposiums, ending up with thousands of theorists and experimentalists working in this area,” said Eugene Chudnovsky, a professor of physics at Lehman College and the City University of New York’s Graduate Center.
“The reason she is a good physicist is because she’s very clever,” said Dr. Chudnovsky, who wrote a letter nominating Dr. Sarachik for the American Physical Society medal.
At the society’s award ceremony, she reflected on her long career.
“Women are no better and no worse at doing physics than men are,” she said. “They are, however, at least if they’re my age, more persistent. It’s tenacity. It’s the will not to be pushed out.”
Hawaii island has had its first two coronavirus-related deaths following an outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.
The home reported the deaths of the patients, who had underlying health conditions, today, according to Elena Cabatu, director of public affairs for the Hilo Medical Center, which owns the building where Avalon Health Care operates the home.
Cabatu said one of the patients died Saturday and the other died Sunday. No more information on the deaths was immediately available, she said.
The latest fatalities raise the statewide coronavirus-related death toll to 65.
Health officials today reported 174 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday on Oahu, 22 on Hawaii island, and four in Maui County. The Big Island deaths were not included in the state Department of Health’s midday tally today.
Sunday’s total coronavirus cases by county since the start of the outbreak included 7,584 on Oahu, 340 in Hawaii County, 334 in Maui County, and 57 in Kauai County. The total statewide counts also include 24 Hawaii residents who were diagnosed out of state.
As of Sunday, Cabatu said, 27 Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home residents, including the two that died, and 10 employees had tested positive.
“It’s thought that the virus entered facility through a staff member. That’s the only way that it could have been brought into the nursing home facilities since its been on lockdown since March,” she said. “They took all the precautions.”
Cabatu said six patients are hospitalized, 19 are at the veteran’s home under COVID care, and two have died.
Cabatu said a June baseline testing of all staff came back without any positives. However, in August during random testing a staff member was identified as positive, and another staff member was identified as positive through private testing.
Cabatu said all staff and residents were tested Aug. 23-24 and rechecked Aug. 26-27.
“We finally have a majority of the test results in,” she said. “We’ll continue testing every three to four days until everyone is negative.”
The veterans home opened in November 2007 as the state’s first facility to provide nursing home and care to eligible veterans. It is named after World War II veteran Yukio Okutsu, a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Salads seem like the perfect meal for weight loss. They’re chock-full of vegetables, you can add protein-packed lean meat, and with some hearty toppings like nuts or avocado, you get your fill of heart-healthy fats, too.
But you can ruin this waist-friendly meal if you reach for a bottle of dressing. You would never dump several packets of sugar or a glop of high fructose corn syrup on your lunch, yet that’s what you’re getting with some of these grocery store favorites. And while heart-healthy oils like olive oil can help you absorb the vitamins from your salad veggies, many of these are made with cheap and inflammatory vegetable oils, which can be worse for you than sugar.
So when you’re thinking about building your healthy salad, steer clear of these unhealthy salad dressings, ranked from best to absolute worst. And be sure to watch out for The 17 Worst Restaurant Salads in America.
1
Walden Farms Sugar-Free Thousand Island
walden farms thousand island dressing bottle
Per 2 Tbsp (30 mL): 0 calories, 0 g fat, 290 mg sodium, 0 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
Thanks to the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, you’ll find this label on the first item of our list. The California Proposition 65 Warning states, “This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.”
Don’t be fooled by the calorie and fat-free nutrition—this dressing is far from harmless. While it may not derail your diet, it could have detrimental effects on your health.
bottle of girards champagne vinaigrette salad dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (31 g): 60 calories, 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 440 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
One serving of this dressing has nearly one-fourth of your daily sodium intake—and that’s if you stick to two tablespoons. Excess salt intake is linked to elevated blood pressure, a higher risk of heart disease, and sabotaged weight-loss goals. It also causes bloating, so cutting down on sodium is one of the fastest ways to flatten your belly. Not sure how much salt you’re actually consuming? Check out these 10 Saltiest Restaurant Foods in America.
3
Kraft Classic Catalina Dressing
bottle of kraft catalina dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (34 g): 90 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 350 mg sodium, 9 g carbs (0 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 0 g protein
Along with a high sodium count, this dressing contains eight grams of sugar. Yikes!
Per 2 Tbsp (30 mL): 130 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 310 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
Cayenne pepper can boost your metabolism and prevent overeating. However, its waist-whittling effects are canceled out by the sodium and fat content in this dressing.
5
Marzetti Fat-Free Sweet&Sour Dressing
bottle of marzetti sweet and sour dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (35 g): 45 calories, 0 g fat, 300 mg sodium, 12 g carbs (0 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 0 g protein
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the second ingredient in this dressing—hence the 10-gram sugar count. This dressing is a “Not That!”
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 140 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 240 mg sodium, 4 g carbs (0 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 0 g protein
What do you get when you glop 13 grams of fat, corn syrup, and chemical preservatives over your salad? A fattening, cancer-causing, flat belly nightmare. If we haven’t scared you yet, check out these 40 Habits That Make You Sick and Fat.
7
Kraft Honey Mustard
kraft honey mustard dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (34 g): 110 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 270 mg sodium, 10 g carbs (0 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 0 g protein
Unlike actual mustard, which contains cancer-fighting phytochemicals, honey mustard doesn’t do a thing for your health (or your waistline). It’s hard to find one that’s made with just honey and not HFCS, making Kraft’s an exception. Nonetheless, it’s still got 270 milligrams of sodium and eight grams of sugar. Next!
bottle of newmans own sesame ginger salad dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 35 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 290 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (0 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 0 g protein
This dressing doesn’t offer much, other than a salty aftertaste. While it won’t leave you with bulging love handles, it’s not going to be your flat-belly solution, either.
9
Brianna’s Classic Buttermilk Ranch
bottle of briannas buttermilk ranch
Per 2 Tbsp (30 mL): 160 calories, 17 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 280 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (0 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 1 g protein
You fill your plate with a plethora of superfoods like kale, cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and even chickpeas. You top it with a piece of lean grilled chicken and a glopping mound of Brianna’s Classic Buttermilk Ranch. You think you’re doing your body a favor, but you forget that 17 grams of fat is 17 grams of fat, no matter what you place beneath it.
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 130 calories, 14 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 240 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (0 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 0 g protein
Like Brianna’s Classic Buttermilk Ranch, Newman’s Own ranch is loaded with fat and sodium.
11
Ken’s Fat-Free Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
bottle of kens fat free sundried tomato vinaigrette
Per 2 Tbsp (36 g): 70 calories, 0 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (0 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 0 g protein
With 12 grams of sugar and the first ingredient being HFCS, you might as well top your salad with artificial sugar. As Lisa Moskovitz, R.D., founder of the New York Nutrition Group, previously told Eat This, Not That!, “high fructose corn syrup has been shown to increase appetite and lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes.”
Per 2 Tbsp (29 g): 120 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 350 mg sodium, 2 g carbs (0 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 0 g protein
One word: Velveeta. You don’t need to be a health expert to know that topping your salad with this chemical cheese sauce is a major no-no. It’s fatty, salty, and it probably tastes like a straight-up heart attack.
13
Newman’s Own Family Recipe Italian Dressing
newmans own italian dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 120 calories, 13 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 270 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
Italian dressing sounds like it should be healthy—it’s usually just a mix of oil, vinegar, and herbs. But Newman’s Own adds a ton of questionable ingredients, including corn syrup, caramel color, and the elusive “natural flavor.” Add to that the 13 grams of fat coming from the bad-for-you vegetable oil, and you have a dressing that’s anything but healthy.
14
Ken’s Chunky Blue Cheese
bottle of kens chunky blue cheese dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 150 calories, 16 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 290 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
Chunky is what you’ll be if this is your go-to salad dressing. Blue cheese dressings, like ranch dressings, are typically calorie bombs, especially because each two-tablespoon serving is easy to bypass if you’re pouring straight from the bottle. And 16 grams of fat per serving is nothing to scoff at; this soybean oil-based dressing is a “Not That!”
15
Brianna’s Creamy Balsamic
briannas creamy balsamic salad dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 mL): 160 calories, 17 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 290 mg sodium, 6 g carbs (0 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 0 g protein
While the ingredient list is far from the worst one on this list, this dressing has a nutritional profile that’s less than impressive. Instead, top your greens with calorie and fat-free balsamic vinegar and heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil. When it comes to nutrition, simplicity is everything. P.S. A Purdue University study found that certain healthy fats—like those in olive oil—were necessary to absorb the full benefits of the other vegetables in a salad.
Per 2 Tbsp (28 g): 180 calories, 19 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 135 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 0 g protein
Garlic is great for the body, but when it’s soaked in saturated fats, it’s not doing you or your social life any favors. That’s not the real reason it ranks so low on our list (it’s the poor nutritional profile!), but maybe you needed the extra motivation to step away from this salad dressing.
17
Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar
newmans own creamy caesar dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 g): 160 calories, 18 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 340 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
The Caesar salad has doubled in size and calories over the last two decades—and with dressings like this one, it’s no surprise. For starters, Caesar salad is drenched in dressing. Imagine you use four tablespoons (as opposed to the advertised serving size of two): You’re looking at 320 calories, 36 grams of fat, and 680 milligrams of sodium from the dressing alone. No, thank you! And for the salads to steer clear of, check out these 25 Unhealthiest Restaurant Salads in America.
18
Wish-Bone Creamy Caesar
bottle of wishbone creamy caesar dressing
Per 2 Tbsp (30 mL): 190 calories, 20 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 370 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber,
If you’re still craving that Caesar salad, know that Wish-Bone’s version of the dressing is worse for you than the already-bad Newman’s Own. It packs more calories and just a little bit more sugar.
But it’s the ingredient list that’s the most unappetizing here. The main ingredient is inflammatory soybean oil, and the dressing uses not just sugar as an ingredient, but also corn syrup—yuck!
Per 2 Tbsp (28 g): 120 calories, 13 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 180 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 1 g protein
Any dressing with the word “creamy” in it is a red flag, and this dressing is no exception. With a whopping 13 grams of fat, 2.5 of which are saturated fat, this dressing will ruin your salad.
Per 2 Tbsp (29 g): 170 calories, 19 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 250 mg sodium, 1 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 0 g protein
“Buttermilk ranch” is usually code for “caloric and fattening dressing,” and Ken’s version certainly fits the bill. There’s a reason it’s the worst bottled salad dressing on this list. It has nearly 200 calories in just two tablespoons and an astounding 19 grams of fat, three of which are saturated.
With ingredients like inflammatory soybean oil and “natural flavor,” this dressing is a no-go. These are just some of our 12 Tips to Make Healthy Salad Dressings.
Losing weight could prevent or even reverse diabetes, according to late breaking research presented today at ESC Congress 2020.1
In 2019, approximately 463 million people worldwide had diabetes, of which the vast majority (around 90%) was type 2 diabetes.2 Diabetes doubles the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease.3 Obesity is the main modifiable cause of type 2 diabetes, while genetic make-up may also identify individuals with a greater likelihood of developing the condition.4
“Because we are born with our genes, it might be possible to pinpoint early in life who has a high chance of developing diabetes during their lifetime,” said principal investigator Professor Brian Ference of the University of Cambridge, UK, and University of Milan, Italy. “We conducted this study to find out if combining inherited risk with current body mass index (BMI) could identify people at the highest risk of developing diabetes. Prevention efforts could then concentrate on these individuals.”
The study included 445,765 participants of the UK Biobank. The average age was 57.2 years and 54% were women. Inherited risk of diabetes was assessed using 6.9 million genes. Height and weight were measured at enrolment to calculate BMI in kg/m2. Participants were divided into five groups according to genetic risk of diabetes. They were also divided into five groups according to BMI.
Participants were followed-up until an average age of 65.2 years. During that period, 31,298 developed type 2 diabetes.
Those in the highest BMI group (average 34.5 kg/m2) had an 11-fold increased risk of diabetes compared to participants in the lowest BMI group (average 21.7 kg/m2). The highest BMI group had a greater likelihood of developing diabetes than all other BMI groups, regardless of genetic risk.
“The findings indicate that BMI is a much more powerful risk factor for diabetes that genetic predisposition,” said Professor Ference.
The investigators then used statistical methods to estimate whether the likelihood of diabetes in people with a high BMI would be even greater if they were overweight for a long period of time. They found that the duration of elevated BMI did not have an impact on the risk of diabetes.
Professor Ference said: “This suggests that when people cross a certain BMI threshold, their chances of diabetes go up and stay at that same high-risk level regardless of how long they are overweight.”
He noted that the threshold is likely different for each person and would be the BMI at which they start to develop abnormal blood sugar levels. Professor Ference said: “The findings indicate that most cases of diabetes could be avoided by keeping BMI below the cut-off which triggers abnormal blood sugar. This means that to prevent diabetes, both BMI and blood sugar should be assessed regularly. Efforts to lose weight are critical when a person starts to develop blood sugar problems.”
“It may also be possible to reverse diabetes by losing weight in the early stages before permanent damage occurs,” said Professor Ference.
References and notes
1Abstract title: Integrating the Effect of BMI and Polygenic Scores to estimate Lifetime Risk and Identify Optimal Treatment Targets to Prevent or Reverse Diabetes.
2IDF Diabetes Atlas 2019.
3Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, Sarwar N, Gao P, et al. Diabetes mellitus, fasting blood glucose concentration, and risk of vascular disease: a collaborative meta-analysis of 102 prospective studies. Lancet. 2010;375: 2215-2222.
4Khera AV, Chaffin M, Aragam KG, et al. Genome-wide polygenic scores for common diseases identify individuals with risk equivalent to monogenic mutations. Nat Genet. 2018;50: 1219-1224.
Funding: National Institute for Health Research? University of Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.
Disclosures: Research Grants: Merck, Novartis, Amgen, Esperion Therapeutics, Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Consulting Fees, Advisory Boards, Honoraria: Merck, Amgen, Regeneron, Sanofi, Novartis, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, The Medicines Co, Mylan, Daiichi Sankyo, Silence Therapeutics, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, dalCOR, CiViPharma, KrKaPhamaceuticals, Medtronic, Celera, American College of Cardiology, European Atherosclerosis Society, European Society of Cardiology.
Collagen has been a hot topic in the world of wellness and beauty for years now. Here’s what we know about it: First off, it’s a protein that occurs naturally in the body. It’s plentiful in our skin and musculoskeletal systems. As we grow older, our bodies’ natural collagen production becomes depleted, which might mean two things. First, our mobility, muscles, tendons, and joints could suffer. Second, signs of aging could appear in skin (think fine lines and wrinkles), along with loss of elasticity and maybe even loss of hydration, too.
To prevent these aging effects of time, people turn to taking daily collagen supplements, which promise to boost the body and skin. For the latter, that means improving upon the complexion’s youthful vitality. The problem is, there’s no agreed-upon answer when it comes to the efficacy of these supplements. Some say they work wonders while others are skeptical that orally supplemented collagen can affect the skin at all. There’s no definite yes or no answer to the question of whether or not to take collagen, but there are, in fact, many experts who find these supplements to be an effective and helpful boost to skin. There’s even some affirmative research out there, too.
We’re all about prevention and skin health, so why not try something that has the potential to improve our skin? These are the five collagen supplements we believe have made a real difference in our skin.
Vital Proteins is a big name in the collagen supplement business. It sources collagen peptides from marine and bovine sources, checking for the highest quality. While the brand’s Collagen Peptides ($20) are the classic option, assistant editor Erin Jahns calls this collagen-infused matcha mixture her favorite of all Vital Proteins products. “I’m obsessed with Vital Proteins matcha. It’s my go-to for days when I want to skip the coffee and gives me a healthy kick of caffeine sans jitters. It also blends beautifully, and I like to combine it with one scoop of the brand’s regular collagen peptides, one-and-a-half cups of coconut milk, cinnamon, and some stevia. It’s better than the $12 coffee shop versions.”
Another Vital Proteins product, but this one was meant for those that want their collagen fix on the go. Social editor Steph Limiti is obsessed with the Blueberry Mint flavor. “I’m not one to drink anything besides water and coffee, but this drink has a nutrition label I can actually understand, packing 10 grams of collagen and just 3 grams of sugar. It’s super light, too, and feels like the perfect refreshing drink post-workout or with my lunch.”
If not the Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen, Erin reaches for these collagen peptides from an under-the-radar brand named Further Food. “I love Further Food because it’s a lesser-known brand that still delivers on quality. It dissolves quickly and is grass-fed, pasture-raised, non-GMO, kosher, gluten-free, Paleo, and keto. Plus, it was started by threewomen, each of whom had personal experiences with chronic illness.”
Primal Kitchen sells an array of healthy condiments—like its unsweetened salad dressings and cult-favorite avocado oil mayo—but its collagen peptide powders should also be on your list. Steph can personally say the hype is definitely worth it. “I’ve tried probably a million vanilla flavored protein powders to add to my morning smoothies, and this is the only one that doesn’t taste like chalk but adds a light vanilla flavor that really levels up my breakfast. After only a few weeks of drinking this daily, I noticed the biggest difference in the strength of my nails. And this is coming from someone who gets a gel manicure on the regular. I’ve also heard good things about their chocolate flavor, too, which is next on my list to try.”
I go for these collagen capsules, which promise firmer skin, and while I can’t say I saw any difference in that area, my skin felt significantly smoother and plumper after taking these for 90 days. I’m guessing that’s due to the mixture of vitamin E, collagen, and hyaluronic acid that’s found inside. I also liked knowing that these are sustainably sourced, non-GMO, and free of soy, gluten, artificial colors, and preservatives.
You may recognize the brand Bulletproof as the one that convinced you to add butter to your coffee, but it also offers a repertoire of collagen products, as well. These Vanilla Shortbread bars are a go-to of Steph’s when she’s in a pinch and is looking for something filling. “They literally taste like you’re eating a buttery shortbread cookie except you actually feel satisfied after eating just one. I haven’t eaten these consistently enough to notice where the collagen makes a difference in my skin, but I can say they make for a healthy, tasty treat when you’re craving something sweet.”
As we roll into the last few days of August, I’m pulling out a whole slew of recipes that celebrate summer…with one back-to-school favorite in the mix, too. Enjoy!
These aren’t just for summer, but it is nice to have a no-cook supper this time of year. They’re paired with a barely spicy peanut sauce, which makes them a bit more filling. I also like to assemble a quick side of sliced cucumbers with a splash of rice vinegar. If you want to share the work of assembling the rolls, set it up DIY style and let everyone make their own.
Blended beef and mushroom burgers are a lighter fix to quench your burger craving. Just add your favorite bun and any toppings, maybe with this summer potato salad on the side. I’ll be posting a demo of how these burgers are done over on Instagram this Wednesday, so tune in there.
Built on a foundation of summer produce, now is a great time to make this simple enchilada casserole. I call it “lazy” because you layer all of the ingredients instead of rolling up each individual enchilada. Any Mexican sides are fair game: sour cream, guacamole, pinto beans, extra salsa. A salad on the side adds nice crunch.
I’m crazy about these chicken kebabs, which are tender and tasty thanks to a fabulous yogurt marinade. The chicken gets threaded onto skewers and can be done under a broiler instead of a barbecue if you prefer. The Middle Eastern flavors of the dish are a nice match for this Quinoa Tabbouleh.
Even though you can buy eggplant year-round, it’s never better than it is during the summer. It’s also excellent in these vegetarian meatballs paired with homemade or store-bought marinara sauce. Heat up a baguette to set on the table for sopping up all the goodies.
The farmers’ market is teaming with local berries and this is one delicious way to enjoy them. It’s a pretty presentation and means you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Since we’re in the swing of back-to-school, I figure it’s a good time to break out the snack bars. These are SO GOOD, especially with a glass of cold milk.
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SHOPPING LIST // WEEK 35
Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
3 ounces thin rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup coarsely grated carrots
1 cup mung bean sprouts
8 ounces medium peeled, deveined cooked shrimp
2 avocados
1/2 English cucumber
Several sprigs fresh mint leaves
Several sprigs fresh cilantro leaves
Ten 8 to 9-inch rice paper sheets
1/3 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 small clove garlic
1-2 squirts Sriracha
Beef and Mushroom Blended Burger
1/3 pound cremini or white button mushrooms
3/4 pound lean ground beef
Four whole grain Flatout Foldits (or favorite burger buns)
Lazy Girl’s Enchilada Pie
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red or yellow onion
2 medium zucchini
2 ears corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 lime
Nine 6-inch corn tortillas
One 15-ounce can low- or non-fat refried black or pinto beans
One 15-ounce can mild green enchilada sauce
2 cups coarsely grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
Grilled Chicken Kebab Wraps
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt
2 large cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 large handfuls hearts of Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup English or Persian cucumbers
1/2 red onion
1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 multi-grain Flatout flatbreads
Eggplant Meatballs with Tempeh in Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 pounds eggplant
6 ounces tempeh
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino cheese or vegan Parmesan
1/3 cup dried currants
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Yogurt Parfait on a Plate
(1 serving, scale up as needed)
2/3 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup granola
1/2 heaping cup blueberries
2 dates
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
No-Bake Almond Butter Bars with Dark Chocolate
1 cup smooth, unsweetened, natural almond butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup dried tart cherries (or dried cranberries)
1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds
1/4 cup cacao nibs
