News

Coming to JAN Edition of VEGNEWS! Finalist in top 10 taste test!
Coming to JAN Edition of VEGNEWS! Finalist in top 10 taste test!
We made the top 10 for this taste challenge. See the results and how we placed in JAN EDITION. Read more...
Cinnamon Roll Protein Waffles
Ingredients: Waffles   Whole-Wheat Flour 1/2 cup (62 g) Cinnamon flavor protein powder 2/3 scoop (22 g) Stevia or erythritol 1 tbsp granulated Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Unsweetened almond milk 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Whole Large Egg 1 Canned pumpkin, not pie filling (see notes below for subs) 1/4 cup (60 g) Vanilla Extract 1/2 tsp Ingredients: Cream Cheese Icing Plain nonfat Greek yogurt 1/4 cup (56 g) Reduced-fat cream cheese 2 tbsp (28 g) Stevia or erythritol 1 tbsp granulated Note Pumpkin can be substituted... Read more...
junk food
How junk food damages your body in 9 days or less
  You don't have to be a rocket scientist–or even a dietitian–to know that binging on junk food is bad for your body. But sometimes the call of a greasy... Read more...
How to manage 3 hormones that can influence weight loss
It’s as old as time: The urge to get into better shape in the New Year. Something about a fresh calendar year and a clean slate beckons you to the gym with hopes of new beginnings, healthier living, and maybe even those washboard abs you’ve never quite been able to make happen. If you’re like the millions of Americans who purchase new gym memberships in January, you may be brimming with motivation right about now— which is great! Ride that wave of willpower. But it’s not just what you eat... Read more...
Health Benefits of Dates
Health Benefits of Dates
The benefits of dates include relief from constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia,  sexual dysfunction, diarrhea, abdominal cancer, and many other conditions. Dates are good for gaining weight also. Dates... Read more...
Body Fat Chart For Men
The cost of getting lean:
Is it really worth the trade-off? SHARE Six-pack abs. Tight butts. Lean, vibrant, flawless health. That’s the image the fitness industry is selling. But have you ever wondered what it... Read more...
Things you didn't know about dark chocolate
  iStock Chocolate has a bad reputation in the food community because most (read: milk) chocolate is packed with sugar and doesn't offer any real nutrition. But dark chocolate can actually be very healthful. If you look at the basic building blocks of chocolate, you'll find that it's full of antioxidants and has been used in traditional medicine throughout South America for hundreds of years. Raw cacao contains potassium, iron, zinc, and magnesium, and has been shown to improve mental function. White cacao (not the same thing as white chocolate,... Read more...
The Anti-Aging Diet
Look younger, boost energy — and drop 10 pounds in a month.   By Annabelle Breakey/Digital Vision/Getty Images These days, anti-aging cosmetics can seem more like food than beauty potions: Everything from pomegranate to soy is being infused into creams, cleansers, and serums. But applying products on your skin's surface is no substitute for actually eating the foods that will nurture your skin from the inside out. "Nutrition plays an important part in limiting the aging process and helping to protect against damage from UV rays, the number one cause... Read more...
Anatomy of a carb craving
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11 reasons why you’re not losing belly fat
  Getting rid of your belly bulge is important for more than just vanity's sake. Excess abdominal fat—particularly visceral fat, the kind that surrounds your organs and puffs your stomach into a "beer gut"—is a predictor of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and some cancers. If diet and exercise haven't done much to reduce your pooch, then your hormones, your age, and other genetic factors may be the reason why. Read on for 11 possible reasons why your belly fat won't budge. You're getting olderAs you get older,... Read more...
Why Steady State Cardio for Fat Loss Is a Bad Decision
A common notion persists that steady state cardio exercise is preeminent for body fat loss. Thus, a frequent plan is concocted that entails a bee-line to the running trail, treadmill, elliptical machine, or similar mechanical device, followed by slogging away at a sub-optimal steady state pace for 45-plus minutes.   That is a poor choice. Of course it's less physically taxing, but you could have made a better decision.  Walking, jogging, or using an exercise machine means you are doing cardio. Doing the aforementioned cardio means you are training aerobically... Read more...
These 6 reasons reveal why conventional AEROBIC TRAINING IS STOPPING YOUR FAT LOSS PROGRESS:
The reason you’re not experiencing DRAMATIC and FAST ongoing results with your workouts, even if you feel like you’re working out hard, is because you’re NOT following the RIGHT TYPES OF WORKOUTS.  Did you know… certain types of workouts could actually being making you look and feel worse? In reality, you’re simply wasting your precious time and could be causing hormonal issues in your body that are actually making you STORE BODY FAT. Did you know… most people’s long (and boring) workouts are actually having negative effects on the body including an increase in oxidative stress in the... Read more...
Agave
Agave: Why We Were Wrong
by Mehmet Oz, MD Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly concerned about a sweetener that I’ve recommended on my show in the past. After careful consideration of the... Read more...
How soy supplements may affect breast-cancer genes
Reuters Taking soy protein supplements may lead to some concerning genetic changes for women with breast cancer, a new study suggests. In the study, half of 140 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer took soy protein powder and the other half took a placebo for between seven and 30 days before they had surgery to remove their cancer. The researchers compared tumor tissues from before and after surgery, and found changes in the expression of certain genes that promote cell growth among women in the soy group and that could... Read more...
Is Eating Breakfast Really That Important?
  The age-old advice about breakfast being the most important meal of the day is being questioned in a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. More specifically, the researchers wanted to see how breakfast, or lack thereof, effects weight loss. In a 16 week randomized trial of 300 obese yet healthy adults, no discernible difference in weight loss was found between those who ate breakfast and those that skipped. So, should you feel guilty or not guilty about skipping breakfast? To answer, let’s look at the... Read more...
dark chocolate
7 Proven Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
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Is EFT the Secret to Enhanced Athletic Performance?
I've been working on freestanding handstand push ups. If you’ve never tried them before, they’re quite the combo of strength and skill.Not only do you have to press up your entire bodyweight, but you must also do it while staying balanced on your hands. Although I had been working on them on and off for over a year and could consistently do one, I was never able to do anymore than that. The move was too hard.   Finding the Breakthrough That was until that one breakthrough workout. I realized the only reason... Read more...
Carbs
How to tell which foods will make you fat! Know your Glycemic Index numbers!
                      So I was talking with a couple guys today and it kind of dawned on me that there needs to... Read more...
brown fat
How brown fat benefits your health
  Body fat certainly has a bad reputation, but it turns out that not all fat is equal. There's growing evidence that brown fat can actually be beneficial for your health and... Read more...
What is fiber? What is dietary fiber? Fiber rich foods
Fiber is also known as roughage. It is the indigestible part of plant foods that pushes through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way and easing bowel movements. The word fiber (North American) can also be spelled fibre (British). It comes from the Latin word fibra, meaning fiber, thread, string, filament, entrails. Dietary fiber refers to nutrients in the diet that are not digested by gastrointestinal enzymes. This Medical News Today information article provides details on the types of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble), a list of some fiber-rich foods, the function and benefits... Read more...
Truth About Soy
WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT SOY (HINT: ITS NOT A PRETTY PICTURE)
A discussion was initiated on Twitter Friday afternoon about the harmful effects of soy. After more and more people chimed in that they discovered their soy allergy just after being... Read more...
Infographic: Fats - Good, Bad and Ugly
 Fats play a key role in both optimal health and weight loss.  Nowadays, there is so much conflicting information out there about which fats are good and which are bad - its enough to make your head spin! This infographic entitled "Fats - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" illustrates six types of fat, and why each type is considered healthy or unhealthy, and lists typical foods in which each type of fat is found.  Here are some highlights:The Bad and the Ugly:Trans Fats increase total cholesterol and LDL... Read more...
5 Ways To Bring Your Best Self Forward (Wrong Way vs Right Way)
5 Ways To Bring Your Best Self Forward (Wrong Way vs Right Way)
  As a Balanced Babe, I try and find ways to honor my best self.  Getting and giving support is a wonderful way to love ourselves and others. Treating ourselves... Read more...
How do you get enough protein on a plant-based diet?
This is a very popular question. And an important one, but even if you aren’t following a plant-based diet, do YOU know how much protein you should be eating on a daily basis? How much protein do we actually need? Well, in the United States, the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To calculate your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. That number is about how many grams you need each day. Approximately 15-25%... Read more...
Fiber + Protein + Fat= (satiety, feel fuller longer, slow down sugar absorption)
Protein + Fat= Where It’s At! Protein and healthy fats are extremely important when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. You’ve probably heard the phrase food is fuel more than once, and it’s true. Our bodies are very complex machines, and what we put into them, and how we maintain them matters.  A doughnut and coffee can leave us sputtering on the side of the road, while an egg with bacon and whole-grain toast can keep us chugging along happily until the next gas station comes our way. In my last article 5 Components of a... Read more...
6 Natural Sugar Blockers
Did you know you can slow the absorption of sugar just by using the natural power of food? Believe it or not, this doesn’t involve any extreme or gimmicky diets, just some basic tips of what to eat and when to eat it. Check out these 6 sugar-blocking tips: Eat a fatty snack up to 30 minutes before a meal. A teaspoon of nuts or cheese will trigger the pyloric valve between your stomach and small intestine. This valve regulates the flow of food to help slow down digestion. This helps... Read more...
Nature's Best Sugar Blockers
Find which high-fibers foods are the best at blocking sugar in your bloodstream Rob Thompson, MD             You may have heard that whole grain products are high in fiber. However, the starch in grains quickly turns to sugar and overwhelms any blood sugar-blocking effect the fiber might have. Of course, all fruits and vegetables contain sugar; that's what makes them carbohydrates. Nevertheless, most contain proportionately more soluble fiber than sugar, so they don't raise blood sugar as much as grain products and other refined carbohydrates... Read more...
Refined sweeteners
Highly Processed Foods and Ingredients to Avoid:
  Artificial ingredientsThis includes both synthetic dyes (like FD&C Red No. 40, Tartrazine, or Blue No. 1) and artificial sweeteners (like saccharin, aspartame, or sucralose). When you look at the history of... Read more...
Fructose Overload (Buyer Beware)
   Beware of Foods That Contain Toxic Amounts of Fructose! Sweet, tasty, and satisfying – these are the usual words used to describe sugar. I, on the other hand, think of sugar as the exact opposite: addictive, dangerous, and deadly. f all the foods capable of inflicting harm in your body, sugar is one of the most detrimental. A sea of research now suggests that fructose, especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is taking a devastating toll on your health. It is a MAJOR factor in the increasing rates of... Read more...
FIBER ONE HALO
DON’T FALL FOR THE FIBER ONE HALO
 Hey guys! I couldn’t help but giggle the other day when a Fiber One commercial came on and the motto was “Fiber beyond recognition” because that’s exactly what it is... Read more...
What's the Perfect Body Fat Percentage When Trying to Build Muscle?
How lean should you get before starting a mass phase? Is there a point where you're "too fat to bulk?" And while we're on that topic, how lean can you stay and still be able to pack on muscle? Do you have to get chubby to get strong? What is the optimal body fat percentage for muscle gains? And do the rules change depending on your genetics? These are big questions. Shelby Starnes has big answers.  Game Plan Train with weights, eat well, recover, rinse and repeat. The how-to of building muscle... Read more...
my fitness pie
Best DIY diet? MyFitnessPal app, says Consumer Reports
By Diane Mapes Hoping to see less of yourself in the new year? Then grab your smart phone and start typing. Consumer Reports surveyed more than 9,000 of its readers,... Read more...
Raw Organic Foods Can Turn Your 2013 Resolutions Into Reality
How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution that involves your health?  We’re betting quite a few.  Now, think about how many times you actually followed through on that New Year’s resolution.  Like most of us, that number is probably pretty low.  This year, let’s follow through with it together.  We want to hear your success stories!  In this article, we will give you 8 great tips you can use to make sure your resolution is successful.  Log Your Food: The MYFITNESS PAL smartphone app will get you... Read more...
date fruit
Dates & Diabetes | Are Dates Good For Sugar, Diabetic Patient
Turn away from the pastry shop, look away from the candy store…the ‘sugar disease’ needs you to be extra cautious of what you eat and how much you eat! At... Read more...
Cinnamon
The Healing Power of Cinnamon
Cinnamon, one of the oldest spices known to man, has long been used not just as a flavor enhancer, but also for its medicinal qualities. Cinnamon is an antioxidant, and... Read more...
warning
Newest Research On Why You Should Avoid Soy
 by Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. Cinderella's Dark Side  The propaganda that has created the soy sales miracle is all the more remarkable because, only a few decades... Read more...
Monsanto Roundup weedkiller and GM maize implicated in ‘shocking’ new cancer study
 The world’s best-selling weedkiller, and a genetically modified maize resistant to it, can cause tumours, multiple organ damage and lead to premature death, new research published today reveals. In the first ever study to examine the long-term effects of Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller, or the NK603 Roundup-resistant GM maize also developed by Monsanto, scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumours and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females, compared with 23 and 14 months respectively... Read more...
Health benefits of dates
Health benefits of dates
Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and  minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall... Read more...
Coconut
The Science Behind Why Coconut is Good for You
Coconut    (Cocos nucifera)   The Tree of Life The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means "monkey face" because the three indentations... Read more...
BOOST METABOLISM WITH ORGANIC COCONUT & COCONUT OIL
 ORGANIC COCONUT & COCONUT OIL Coconuts contain protein, potassium, magnesium and provide many beneficial nutrients that are good for building muscle. The iodine content in coconuts nourish the metabolic system. The heart healthy fat in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA). MCFAs are easily metabolized and used for energy so they are not stored as fat. Because the MCFAs metabolize so efficiently, they act like a carbohydrate to boost endurance and provide immediate energy for athletes, dieters and those who have difficulty digesting... Read more...
The 5 Worst Protein Bar Ingredients
Most people don’t know these facts.  Have you ever taken a few minutes to look at most protein bars? I think you’re going to be in for a shock when you read the TRUTH about the ingredients in some of the most popular protein bars on the market right now. Here are the facts:… #1 – Soy Protein Isolate (SPI) This is, unfortunately, one of the most prevalent protein sources you’ll find in protein bars, especially those marketed to women. This marketing would have you believe that soy is an excellent protein source for... Read more...
16 Ways to Burn Stubborn Body Fat
 Eat less … lose weight?!? Here’s the other stuff you can do to get leaner. 1) Don’t diet to extremes. Reducing calories by 15-20% a day will almost exclusively burn fat while larger cuts in calories will burn a combo of muscle tissue and fat. Muscle drives the metabolism – calorie burning. If you’re currently eating 3000 calories, reduce to 2400-2550, but do so according to smart guidelines like those laid out in The Living Health Weight Loss Audio. 2) Graze all day. Professional athletes and models eat all day... Read more...
FACT SHEET:LEARN ABOUT THE RECENT INTRODUCTION OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS
Questions and Health Concerns  What are genetically engineered (GE) foods? These are foods created from the insertion of a gene, bacteria or virus from one species into a different species to produce a desired effect, usually resistance to herbicides or insects. The terms genetically modified (GM) and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are typically used interchangeably with GE.  Are they the same as foods from traditional breeding? No. Traditional breeding between the same or similar species, such as crossing two types of corn or apples, has been done for thousands of... Read more...
ONE THIRD OF HONEY IN THE U.S. IS POTENTIALLY TAINTED
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Whey Protein vs. Soy Protein --Which is the Best?
There are many differences when it comes to protein these days. For example, should bodybuilders and athletes use animal protein, whey protein, or soy protein? Furthermore should they use one exclusively, or should they use a combination or mix of the three protein supplements? Researchers have recently stated their concerns regarding the potential effects of animal protein and it's effects on the body. Because of this more and more athletes and bodybuilders are turning to toward whey protein as well as soy protein. But which one is better? What are the... Read more...
Glycogen (The fuel your body runs on)
    General Characteristics polysaccharide, (C-6, H-10, O-5)n stored primarily in the liver and muscle tissue readily converted to glucose as needed by the body to satisfy its energy needs supplies energy during heavy work. stored with water (1 gram of carbohydrates stored with 3 grams of water) central nervous system (CNS) is dependent on hepatic glycogen for energy Glycogen vs Fat Glycogen can be rapidly mobilized in skeletal muscle Glycogen can be utilized a fuel substrate in the absence of oxygen Fat oxidation requires energy input Glucogen can maintain... Read more...
The Low Down on Agave, Honey, and Date Sugar
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Which protein bars are the best?
For those of us workout buffs and workaholics out there, a high protein bar can save the day (especially a very busy one—sometimes I find myself busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest!) The problem is there are so many protein bars out there it’s hard to sort through them all. There seems to be more new bars on the market than web sites going up. But which protein bars are the best? How can they be beneficial? What do you need to know before purchasing... Read more...
Is "Evaporated Cane Juice" Any Better Than Sugar?
Evaporated cane juice is a healthy alternative to refined sugar. While both sweetners are made from sugar cane, evaporated cane juice does not undergo the same degree of processing that refined sugar does. Therefore, unlike refined sugar, it retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane. Cane juice is available throughout the year.    This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Cane juice provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.... Read more...
Why do I need L-Glutamine?
The extremely popular amino acid L-Glutamine can be found in protein powders, beans, meats, fish, poultry, dairy products, and of course, L-Glutamine supplements from Bodybuilding.com. 2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this? Fuel Your Performance!* Promote Glycogen Resynthesis!* Support Protein Metabolism!* The Athlete's Amino Acid!* Glutamine is highly in demand throughout the body. It is used in the gut and immune system extensively to maintain optimal performance.* 60% of free-form amino acids floating in skeletal muscles is L-glutamine. L-glutamine plays a very important... Read more...