7 Ways to Stop Unhealthy Food Cravings

How often are you overcome with the desire to devour a chocolate bar or cheeseburger? Even the most nutrition-conscious people have to learn how to cope with cravings, sometimes for not-so-nutritious foods. You might think that a longing for these unhealthy treats results from emotions, and that could be true — but not necessarily. “Cravings are usually stimulated by emotional cues, but then fueled by physiological ones as we imagine what it would be like to eat the food we want to have,” says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., professor at Cornell University and author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life. So to avoid mindless munching, you’ve got to determine the causes of your cravings and be set up with strategies to subdue them. Read on for tips to help you do just that.

It might seem simple, but people often neglect to determine their level of hunger before they start noshing. “Take a three-minute time-out and ask yourself, ‘What do I want? How am I feeling?’” advises Caroline Cederquist, M.D., a Naples, Florida–based physician who specializes in weight management. “Identifying that there may be no actual hunger is the first step in not giving in to every craving.” Keep in mind, though, that you very well could be starving and need to eat a full meal, says Wansink; if that’s the case, try consuming a healthy dish and then reassessing your desire.

“All cravings are important because they give you clues to what you’re feeling but also what’s happening in your body biochemically and metabolically,” says Cederquist. Some are a sign that your body needs more of certain nutrients. For instance, a strong taste for red meat could be a hint that you’re low on iron.

A blood test can measure whether you need to load up on any vitamins or minerals in particular. These sort of cravings that suggest a nutrient deficiency generally only occur in cases of extreme deprivation or pregnancy, though, notes Cederquist.

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Your want for certain types of fare could also be a warning sign that you have a health issue worth addressing. If you’re constantly reaching for sweets and starchy foods, for example, it might mean that your body isn’t metabolizing carbohydrates normally, says Cederquist. That means your body isn’t able to move glucose into your cells for energy, so you end up feeling deprived and wanting to eat more carbs.

“This can occur even after someone has eaten a full meal,” she says. “It makes people think their cravings must be emotional, but it’s not necessarily the case.”

If you feel that might be the culprit behind your cravings, see a medical professional.

Once a craving comes on, says Wansink, “We tend to keep imagining what it would be like to eat the food we have in mind — the texture, crunch, smoothness, richness, and so forth. Doing that makes the craving more extreme.” Therefore, distracting yourself from the thought can be enough to make you forget about it. He advises chewing sugar-free gum, as simply having something in your mouth will eliminate your ability to imagine having food instead.

RELATED: Does Intermittent Fasting Really Work?

Before you start nibbling on whatever your mind wants, take a few minutes to drink a glass of water or walk around the block. These two steps help, says Cederquist, because they separate you from the craving. “That separation gives you the time and space to reflect upon the healthy diet you’re trying to maintain and how eating this food might take you off-course from that plan,” she says.

Another option is to sip something warm, like a cup of herbal tea. Drinking a hot beverage takes time, is filling, and stimulates the vagus nerve — which helps manage digestion and can decrease cravings, especially for sugary foods, says Cederquist.

If you’ve assessed your hunger, waited and can’t kick the craving, it’s time to give in — but in small doses. “Try eating only one-fourth of the portion size you really want, then put the rest away and distract yourself for 15 minutes,” suggests Wansink. “See how you feel after that time has passed. Chances are, you’ll be equally satisfied as if you had eaten the whole thing.”

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One of the questions you should ask yourself when you first detect a craving is what you already ate today that could be triggering it. For example, eating candy or desserts can spur the craving for more sweetness, especially when eaten on an empty stomach, says Cederquist. To sidestep that kind of reaction in the future, she recommends including protein and fiber in every meal and snack; doing so can limit subsequent cravings by decreasing the blood sugar response.

If you follow these tips and still feel compelled to devour certain foods, Cederquist recommends consulting your doctor; he or she can test your levels of glucose, insulin, glycohemoglobin, triglycerides, and HDL — which can all be helpful to identify conditions such as metabolic dysfunction. Making a diagnosis like that can be your first step in figuring out a meal plan that can negate those nagging cravings and keep your weight in check.

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Are You Getting Enough Fiber?

Fiber may not be the sexiest nutrient around, but it is one of the most important. Staying regular is far from the only health benefit of this type of carbohydrate, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet. “Fiber does help prevent constipation, but it also helps protect against heart disease, diabetes and various cancers,” she says. “So adding foods rich in it to your diet is one of the best things you can do to increase your chances for a long, healthy life.” Read on to learn if your diet is lacking and the best way to increase your intake of this dietary powerhouse.

“Many people rely too much on processed foods — and those have been stripped of fiber.”

So how exactly does this nutrient benefit your body?  Fiber can decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering cholesterol, says Zuckerbrot. “Fiber absorbs cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract and removes it from the body before it can reach the bloodstream and clog arteries,” she explains. Consume enough of it and your chance of developing diabetes also drops by 30 percent — because it helps you maintain a healthy weight by stabilizing blood sugar levels, says Zuckerbrot. Fiber can also slash your risk of breast cancer and getting more than 30 grams a day has been shown to lower your risk of colon cancer by 40 percent.

The nutrient promotes clear skin, good sleep and a flat belly (by nixing bloating) and can pump up your energy levels as well, says Zuckerbrot.

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Even if you think your diet is nutritious, you likely aren’t consuming enough fiber. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) recommends a daily intake of at least 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. Yet the average American takes in a measly nine to 11 grams per day.

“One of the reasons is that many people rely too much on processed foods — and those have been stripped of fiber,” says Zuckerbrot. Get an inadequate amount and you could suffer from constipation, bloating, nausea or constant hunger. Weight gain or dramatic swings up or down in energy after you eat can be signs you need to up your intake too, says California-based nutritionist Michele McRae, M.S., C.N.

The recommended AND guidelines don’t vary depending on your activity level — but if you work out a lot, make sure you’re downing eight to 12 glasses of water daily. If you don’t replenish the liquid you lose through sweat, the fiber you ingest might not have access to enough water to soften it and help it move through the GI tract, warns Zuckerbrot.

RELATED: 10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren’t Water)

“To get the most bang for your buck, you need to eat a wide variety of fiber-rich foods,” says McRae. She advises consuming both soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble variety turns into a gel-like substance in your stomach, where it slows digestion (to increase nutrient absorption), removes toxins, and helps you feel full. You can find it in oats, oat bran, peas, beans, apples, carrots and citrus fruit such as oranges. Insoluble fiber soaks up water (to make you feel fuller) and helps the body eliminate waste quickly and efficiently. It’s found in whole-wheat bread and pasta, wheat bran cereals, nuts and cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and kale.

Getting your fiber from food is always ideal, says McRae, “but a supplement can help you fill any dietary gaps.” She notes that they’re especially helpful for anyone on a calorie-restricted diet, for pregnant women and for anyone experiencing symptoms of low fiber intake. One McRae recommends trying: Rainbow Light’s Fiber Garden Gummies, which provide four grams of fiber per serving.

It might seem like a cure-all, but be careful not to go overboard on fiber, warns McRae. “It is possible to take in too much and an excessive amount can decrease the absorption of certain nutrients, including iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and beta carotene.” If you want to start elevating your intake, ramp it up gradually, suggests Zuckerbrot, as increasing the amount you consume too quickly can cause cramping, bloating and diarrhea. “The good news is that within a few days, your body will become accustomed to the increased intake and the symptoms will stop,” she says. And within weeks, you can begin reaping the healthy benefits.

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Could Microwave Meals Actually Be Good for You?

It’s been a long day at the office and the last thing you want to do is cook; we feel you. But before you order takeout, give yourself a minute to consider another option — a microwavable meal.

Long derided for being full of artificial preservatives and sodium, frozen meals have undergone a healthy renaissance in recent years. “Frozen meals have changed into integrating more whole grains and more superfoods, like kale, beans and lentils,” says Bethany Doerfler, RD, LDN, and a clinical research dietician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.

In fact, frozen dishes may be better for you than food you pick up, or even meals you cook at home. They often boast several hundred fewer calories than people normally consume during a standard meal due to their smaller portion sizes, according to Doerfler. But before you go grabbing just any boxed meal, get the scoop on how to pick the healthiest options in the freezer section, and which health-conscious brands you might want to try. 

“Ideally, food starch should be the last ingredient, or one of the last ingredients used.”

Your first order of business in the freezer aisle: Take a close look at the nutrition facts label before tossing anything into your cart. You’ll want to be especially careful to check the sodium levels and grams of saturated fat in your meal choice, to avoid accidentally introducing a bloat-inducing health don’t into your diet.  

“Get something under 600 to 700 milligrams of sodium,” Doerfler says. And when it comes to saturated fats, shoppers should look for a meal that contains no more than a few grams, if any at all.

Your next task is to find a meal containing the least amount of artificial ingredients.

One tip: Ingredients on nutrition labels are listed in order from greatest representation to least. Therefore, the first couple you see should be whole grains, vegetables or lean proteins, according to Doerfler. What you don’t want to find? Food starches. They’re often used to replace fat and provide texture in frozen dishes.  “Ideally, food starch should be the last ingredient, or one of the last ingredients used,” Doerfler says. “It’s not a dangerous food additive, but it’s [mostly empty calories]”

Finally, frozen meals are meant to last a long time —  a bonus when you find yourself coming home late after most stores have closed. But, some will contain compounds such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which is used to prevent oils in foods from going bad over time. While the FDA has declared BHT safe for consumption, people should try to minimize consumption of preservatives like this one, when they can. “The less we can get away with things like BHT, artificial sweeteners or food starches, the better,” Doerfler says. “If you can, stick with simple, clean, whole food groups.”

RELATED: The Beginner’s Guide to Clean Eating

Tying to shed a few pounds? Frozen meals could be a great secret weapon to add to your arsenal.

A well-known study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition followed 100 obese patients throughout a dietary intervention — half relied on conventional foods when dieting and the other half on portion-controlled meal replacements (primarily shakes, bars and soups). Over a two year period, the group using meal replacements lost more weight than the traditional diet group, and was better able to maintain that weight loss. “Hands down the biggest, most likely explanation [for these findings] is that the meals are portion and calorie controlled,” Doerfler says, which is why she recommends pre-packaged frozen foods to dieters as well.

Seek out meals that contain between 250 and 400 calories. For most people trying to lose weight, Doerfler advises consuming around 400 calories for lunch and approximately 500 calories for dinner. That means you can — and should — supplement lower-calorie frozen meals with fresh fruits and veggies, or healthy carbs like a baked potato, to ensure you’re consuming enough calories and nutrients to stay full until your next meal.

“None of our lunch or dinner options have more than four grams of sugar, which is a teaspoon.”

While old favorites like Healthy Choice are continuing to up the ante with their offerings, new brands such as Luvo are making waves with their innovative and delicious frozen meals that include entrees like Chicken Chile Verde or Kale Ricotta Ravioli.

Focused on healthy, natural ingredients, Luvo boasts a menu full of, “BHT-free meals, proteins raised without antibiotics, dairy raised without hormones, cage-free eggs, and non-GMO ingredients for the top six high-risk crops, including corn, soy and canola,” according to Samatha Cassetty, RD, Luvo’s director of nutrition.

Each Luvo meal is cooked en papillote — it’s prepackaged in a paper bag, not a plastic container — ensuring that chicken doesn’t get rubbery and noodles remain al dente when microwaved. “None of our meals have more than 500 milligrams of sodium, and, barring one exception, none of our lunch or dinner options have more than four grams of added sugar, which is a teaspoon,” Cassetty says. To put this in context, the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day for women, and nine teaspoons per day for men.

Healthy Choice is also making strides in satisfying customer demand for better-for-you foods. They recently unveiled a line of gluten-free meals adhering to the FDA’s new rules for g-free products. The name Healthy Choice requires the company to adhere to certain standards, as “healthy” is an FDA regulated term. “Each of the foods has to be low in fat, low in saturated fat, controlled in sodium, controlled in cholesterol and have at least three positive vitamins and minerals,” says Kristin Reimers, PhD, RD and director of nutrition at ConAgra, Healthy Choice’s parent company. 

Doerfler also recommends Artisan Bistro meals, noting that they often contain well under 500 mg of sodium per serving. And she applauds Amy’s Light & Lean line of foods for being low in fat and calories, as well as for providing ample choices for vegetarians and people with food allergies. Their meal options range from Roasted Polenta to Quinoa & Black Beans with Butternut Squash & Chard.

Chosen carefully, frozen meals “are absolutely a part of a healthy diet,” according to Doerfler. So next time you’re too wiped out to cook, hit up the freezer aisle rather than your local fast food joint.

Do you enjoy microwave meals? Tell us your favorite brands in the comments section. 

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Hate Breakfast? Why Research Says That’s Actually OK

The first meal of the day can have a very different meaning for different people. For some, it’s grabbing a granola bar to nibble on during the morning commute; for others, it includes a big omelet with a cup of coffee at home; and then there are the millions who forego grub in the a.m. altogether.

But how do these morning behaviors really affect weight loss, energy levels and appetite throughout the day? In order to help you crack the breakfast code, we tracked down the latest research, in addition to insights from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., a nutrition instructor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Before you do — or don’t — dig in, here’s a reality check on the biggest breakfast myths.

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Reality: Munching in the morning doesn’t have a direct effect on dropping pounds.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when people are trying to lose weight, it doesn’t matter if they devour a dish first thing after waking up or if they skip it altogether. The researchers assigned more than 300 overweight and obese (but otherwise healthy) individuals, ages 20 to 65, to either the control group (that continued with eating habits per usual), a group that was told to eat breakfast or a group that was instructed to miss the meal. After tracking their weight for 16 weeks, the scientists found that those who grabbed a bite in the morning didn’t lose any more weight than those who omitted a.m. snacks.

But take this finding with a grain of salt (maybe over some oatmeal). “Though our study suggests breakfast may not be key to weight loss, we only examined a general recommendation of eating versus skipping,” says Emily Dhurandhar, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Department of Health Behavior at the University of Alabama Birmingham and a lead author of the study. “Specific foods and timing may help,” so if weight loss is the goal, consult with a nutritionist or doctor to determine your best course of action.

Reality: Sure, you should lay off the sweet stuff, but not necessarily the cereal itself.

Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs and Fruity Pebbles may taste delicious, but they aren’t packing a nutrient punch. That’s not to say that other cereals on the market can’t be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. In fact, an Advances in Nutrition study found that whole-grain cereal can lower cholesterol (the soluble fiber prevents re-absorption of the substance in the gut). These slow-digesting carbs can also improve bowel function (the fiber content softens stool and promotes good-for-you bacteria in the digestive system), and help maintain a healthy weight.

The best choices when searching the shelves? Oat and barley mixes work best for those keeping an eye on cholesterol levels, and wheat bran is ideal for those with gut problems, says Peter Williams, Ph.D., honorary professorial fellow at the University of Wollongong in Australia and one of the study’s researchers. Williams suggests portion sizes of about one-third to one-half cup of a heavy cereal, like muesli, or one cup of a light cereal, such as puffed grains.

Reality: Food will increase your energy; just consider your activity of choice.

As for whether a morning meal will help you power through a workout, the answer is most likely. Research from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom found that those who ate breakfast had higher energy expenditure in daily physical activity over a six-week period, compared to those who fasted until noon. The study authors suspect that this effect can occur on any given day breakfast is eaten (discounting a long-term effect), because the improvement in energy levels was apparent from week one, says James Betts, Ph.D., research scientist and senior lecturer in the Department of Health at the University of Bath and lead author on the study.

Betts and his team also found high glucose levels in the breakfast-eating group, which signals to the brain and central nervous system that there’s energy available and motivates you to move. “You may realize the quality of your physical performance that day is not critical, say if you’re performing simple housework, so you opt for skipping breakfast to take advantage of the negative energy balance,” explains Betts. “Or you may decide that you need breakfast to support your energy needs and perform to the best of your ability.” Either way, breakfast can help support an active lifestyle.

Reality: It’s not guaranteed to reduce calorie intake in the afternoon, but eating in the morning does release chemicals to the brain and can also steady glucose levels throughout the day.

A new study just released from the University of Missouri found that having breakfast, particularly dishes high in protein, increased young adults’ levels of dopamine (a brain chemical responsible for moderating impulses and reward), which may reduce food cravings and overeating later in the day. Eating initiates a release of this neurohormone, which then triggers feelings of reward, explains Heather Leidy, an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri and author of the study. That reward response, Leidy adds, is what helps people regulate how much they chow down.

If someone has eaten three meals in a given day and they’re still munching in the evening, that usually due to reasons other than hunger, like convenience, boredom, stress, or a reward, says Zeratsky. But that doesn’t necessarily mean eating breakfast will stave off late-night cravings. The above-mentioned University of Bath study found that having breakfast didn’t suppress caloric intake later in the day but that it did, however, regulate glucose levels in the afternoon and evening. The benefits: “More variable glucose levels can indicate a poorer diet or a more unsteady metabolism,” says Betts. “And chronic inflammation from the body’s excess exposure to glucose can lead to issues like diabetes or cardiovascular disease.” So while breakfast might not help you cut back on calories, it may cut disease risk.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Stop Unhealthy Food Cravings

Reality: It’s less about one meal than it is about what you over the course of the day.

According to the above recent research, weight loss isn’t necessarily tied to breakfast habits. It comes down to calories instead. “It’s the total number [of calories] that matters, whether you divide that into two meals or six,” says Zeratsky. But again, that doesn’t give you a free pass to skip breakfast every day. Having some foods to start out the day can promote a nutrient-rich diet overall, Zeratsky says.

Her go-to power meals: “energy foods,” including fruits and whole grains and “hunger-controlling” foods, like milk, yogurt, or eggs. If you are working out in the early a.m., opt for something smaller (particularly if you have a sensitive stomach), such as a banana or whole-grain bread with peanut butter or honey. If you do choose to eat early in the day, be sure it’s something healthy that will do your body good.

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How Bad Is Your Food From 1 to 10? Try This Food Calculator

By now, most health-conscious folks know that it’s a good idea to take a peek at their groceries’ nutrition facts before hitting the checkout line. But how much does that little label really reveal?

“Many consumers focus on the food label as a way to gauge food quality. While this gives you one metric regarding nutrients, it doesn’t tell you much about the wholesomeness of your food,” says Bethany Doerfler, RD, LDN, and a clinical research dietician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.

Enter the new Food Scores tool, released this week by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The easy-to-use food calculator gives shoppers insight into how healthy grub is, based on scores derived from nutrition content, processing and artificial ingredients. The database of over 80,000 foods, which took three years to develop, ranks each item on a scale of 1 (good) to 10 (bad).

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Spend five minutes with this tool and we’re sure you’ll discover some disturbing facts about items that may be lurking in your pantry. Only 18 percent of the products in the database received a score of 1 to 3.5, placing them in the “green” zone, indicating that they are healthy choices. Meanwhile, 25 percent of foods land in the “red” zone, receiving marks of 8 to 10. Here, we break down a few of the most interesting findings revealed by Food Scores.

These snacks pack a nasty punch when it comes to added sugar — the EWG found that 92 percent of granola and trail mix bars contained the sweet stuff. “In some cases sugar made up to a third of the weight of the granola bar. Think about it, it’s mind-boggling,” says Nneka Leiba, EWG’s Deputy Director of Research. In fact, some Quaker Chewy Dipps Granola Bars contain up to 45 percent sugar by weight. 

The good news: There are healthy granola bar options out there; you just have to look for them. “You can’t just assume that because it’s a granola bar, it will be a safe option,” Leiba says. “But the good thing about database is that for every single category, regardless of how good or bad, we’re always able to suggest healthier options.”

RELATED: 9 Healthy Homemade Protein Bar Recipes

A better choice: Larabar’s Banana Bread bar, which earns a 2.8, is high in protein and contains no artificial or industrial ingredients.

When it comes to cold cereals, the findings are just as grim. Thirty-two percent of cereals in the database contain ingredients of “high concern,” due to the presence of preservatives, additives or contaminants.  Products like Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes contain 51 percent more sugar than the average cold cereal. 

As Turkey Day approaches, you might want to plan on making homemade stuffing, and nixing boxed-up store mixes altogether. Thirty-nine percent of packaged stuffing contains ingredients of high concern, such as pesticides, food additives, antibiotics or contaminants linked to health problems. And, the EWG’s research reveals that a whopping 100 percent of stuffing mixes contain added sugars.

“That was definitely a surprise,” Leiba says. “If you think you’re trying to avoid sugar, you avoid the cookies and candy aisle, not stuffing… But in our society sugars have become ubiquitous.” With their new tool, the EWG hopes it will be easier for consumers to spot items containing hidden sweeteners — and weed them out of their diet. 

There’s no sugar-coating this one: Up to 98 percent of deli meats contain added sugars, according to the EWG. What’s more, 52 percent of meat products also contain highly worrisome ingredients, including nitrites, a suspected carcinogen. “Nitrites are found in processed meats as a preservative,” Leiba says. “A lot of people aren’t aware there are additives in food linked to cancer — why would there be? That’s a question we want to know and we are asking.”

While Applegate’s Organic Smoked Turkey breast ranks at a respectable 3.5 due to its organic label and antibiotic-free production, Buddig’s Honey Roasted Turkey clocks in at a 9. The less-savory choice contains four ingredients of concern: sodium nitrite, sodium phosphates, natural flavors and carrageenan.  

Step away from the Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats. Despite having only 90 calories per bar, these beloved marshmallow bites are deceptively bad for you. Each serving contains the equivalent of two whole teaspoons of added sugar, making the squares 36 percent added sugar by weight. Also found in these snacks: butylated hydroxytoluene, an ingredient that’s been linked to lung cancer, thyroid problems and liver tumors in animal studies, according to the EWG. 

RELATED: 11 No-Bake Energy Bites Recipes

Another surprise: Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Squares with assorted fillings clock in at a 10 on the Food Scores scale. Though the packaging is fancy, and the chocolate is dark, these rich bites contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils — a source of trans fats. With 37 percent of your daily saturated fat and five teaspoons of added and natural sugars in each three-square serving, we’re going to say this sweet treat might not be worth it. Compare it to Scharffen Berger Dark Chocolate, which was ranked at a 4. 

Even more shockingly, it turns out not even frozen yogurt is a safe bet when it comes to sweets. Ben & Jerry’s Raspberry Fudge Chunk Greek Frozen Yogurt gets a 9. It has six teaspoons of added and natural sugars per serving, and high levels of saturated fats. A better bet: Stonyfield Oikos Organic Nonfat Greek Frozen Yogurt in chocolate earns a slightly more respectable 4.5.

Don’t worry, the database will never encourage you to give up your favorite snacks entirely. “If you’re looking for corn chips and the EWG says, ‘No, have an apple,’ [we know the] consumer will laugh,” Leiba says. “So on every product page we have a graph to show how the product you’re looking at compares to other products within the same category.”

That said, nutrition experts advise that eating clean is the best way to stay healthy, in the long run.

“While this tool is a great guide to eating well, consumers can eat intuitively by simply sticking to real foods. Try to avoid as many packaged and processed foods as possible,” Doerfler says. “There should be no confusion that an apple rivals corn puffs….even if [those corn puffs] are organic and minimally processed.”

What did the Food Scores tool reveal about your favorite goodies? Tell us in the comments section. 

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New Study Says an Apple a Day Might Keep You Slim

If the old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” wasn’t enough to get you pumped about the crunchy fall fruit, apples are now getting props for helping people fight fat as well. New research published this week in the journal Food Chemistry reveals that a compound in apples could actually help prevent obesity-related inflammation, too.

“Apples in general are a package of bioactive compounds including polyphenolics and fiber, which have been shown in several studies to exert health benefits [and] prevent or delay the progress of diseases related to obesity,” says study author Giuliana Noratto, an assistant professor of food science at Washington State University.

RELATED: Mini Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwich Recipe

These compounds make it easy to argue that apples are a bona fide superfood: Polyphenols are an antioxidant often found in plants, and a polyphenol-rich diet has been shown to help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Additionally, fiber, a non-digestible carbohydrate, helps people stay full and keeps blood sugar under control, while also aiding digestion. 

If you’ve spent any time in a grocery store, you know apples come in a variety of shapes, size, colors and flavors. The researchers set out to compare and contrast the beneficial compounds in several beloved cultivars including Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, McIntosh and Red Delicious. They found that one apple seemed to rise above the rest: the tart, green Granny Smith.

“We identified Granny Smith for its enhanced content of polyphenolics and fiber, [and] low content of available carbohydrates, which makes it a novel apple to combat obesity,” Noratto says.

Once identified, the scientists ran tests to discover if the compounds in Granny Smith apples could potentially help change the proportions of fecal bacteria in obese mice. According to Noratto, obese people often suffer from an imbalance of bacteria in the colon, leading to low-grade, chronic systemic inflammation and metabolic disorders.

“It has been demonstrated that [inflammation] is the cause of metabolic disorders that lead to increased fat synthesis and [fat] storage in the adipose tissue, liver and muscle,” Noratto says.

The researchers believe that by restoring a balance of bacteria in the gut, the inflammation at the root of these metabolic disorders can be resolved. Supporting this theory, the team found that compounds in Granny Smith apples actually changed the balance of fecal bacteria in obese mice to be more similar to the proportions found in lean mice.

In other words, adding Granny Smiths to your grocery list might not be a bad idea.

One tip: While baked apples are tasty, raw apples may be most beneficial to your health. “The cooking process degrades polyphenolics,” Noratto says. 

Have we got you craving the crunch of an apple? Check out these 10 Amazing Apple Recipes for Fall. 

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Intermittent Fasting: Should You Exercise on Empty?

Food is fuel. So what would happen to your exercise regimen if you weren’t eating your standard three meals (plus snacks) per day? 

Intermittent fasting, which can involve anything from fasting for 14 hours at a time to forgoing food a couple days a week, is all about restricting food consumption during specified periods of time. You consume little to no calories during “fasting” periods, and eat pretty normally during “feasting” times. The end result is impressive weight loss, according to many devotees of this trendy diet. Some intermittent fasting methods even claim that this on-and-off eating plan can help regulate blood sugar, prevent diabetes, lower the risk of heart disease and slow the aging process.

RELATED: 5 Intermittent Fasting Plans: Which One Is Best for You?

Here’s the catch: The timing of when you do (or don’t) eat can have a major impact on your workout. Is it risky to exercise on an empty stomach? Read on to find out. 

While you may shed more fat when exercising on an IF diet, you may lose more muscle, too.

Whether you’re pounding the pavement or cranking out squats, your body primarily uses glycogen, or stored carbohydrates, to fuel exercise. The exception occurs when your glycogen reserves are depleted — which could happen if you haven’t eaten in a while, says Kelly Pritchett, Ph.D., R.D., a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and an assistant professor in nutrition and exercise science at Central Washington University. When that’s the case, your body is forced to find (and burn) other energy sources, such as fat. That’s why, in one British Journal of Nutrition, men who ran before eating breakfast burned up to 20 percent more fat than those who fueled up before their run.

Before you get too excited, consider this: “When glycogen is in short supply, your body also reverts to breaking down protein — your muscles’ building blocks — for fuel,” Pritchett says. So, while you may shed more fat when exercising on an intermittent fasting (or IF) diet, you may lose more muscle, too. If you’re heading out on a long run, but haven’t eaten any carbs, your body might start burning protein within a couple of hours. 

RELATED: Does Fasted Cardio Really Burn More Fat?

That won’t just thwart how much weight you can bench press or how toned your butt looks — it will also slow your metabolism, which can make losing weight more difficult in the long run. In an effort to prevent starvation, your body adapts to the number calories you give it. So if you’re frequently making drastic cuts to your calorie intake, your body will eventually adjust — burning fewer calories per day to ensure you have enough energy left to stay upright, breathing and healthy, Pritchett says.

In one small study from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, after a group of men and women fasted every other day for 22 days, their resting metabolic rates (how many calories they burned each day by simply living), had dropped by five percent, or 83 calories. Not exactly ideal for any exercise plan that’s supposed to end in weight loss.

RELATED: Does Intermittent Fasting Really Work?

Plus, if you’ve ever tried to power through a tough workout with a growling stomach, you know that working out on empty is just plain hard. If your glycogen or blood sugar levels are low, you will feel weak. And if you don’t have enough energy to really go after it during workouts, your fat-burning and muscle-building results will suffer, says Jim White, R.D., owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios in Virginia.

Intermittent fasting enthusiasts don’t need to throw in the towel on tough workouts just yet, though. Maintaining a consistent exercise routine is important for your health — both physical and mental. So if you’re following an IF plan, here are the best ways to structure your workouts so you can still get great results: 

1. Keep cardio low-intensity if you’ve been fasting.
A good gauge of intensity is your breathing: You should be able to carry on a conversation relatively easily if you’re exercising mid-fast. “If you are going out for a light jog or stint on the elliptical, you probably aren’t going to have an issue,” says White. But it’s important to listen to your body, and stop exercising, if you feel light-headed or dizzy. If you push your exercise intensity or duration too high, your workout will become a struggle.

2. Go high-intensity only after you’ve eaten.
Intermittent fasting programs like LeanGains have strict rules about scheduling meals around workouts to maximize fat loss while still staying fueled. In general, the closer you schedule any moderate to intense sessions to your last meal, the better. That way you’ll still have some glycogen (aka leftover carbs) available to fuel your workout, and you’ll reduce your risk of low blood sugar levels, he says. Try to follow high-intensity workouts with a carb-rich snack, since your glycogen-tapped muscles will be hungry for more.

3. “Feast” on high-protein meals.
If you’re looking to build serious muscle, you’ll need to eat — both before and after lifting. While a pre-workout snack can help you fuel, regular protein consumption is vital to muscle synthesis both throughout the day and right after your strength workout, when your muscles are craving amino acids to repair themselves and grow, Pritchett says. To maximize muscle growth, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming 20 to 30 grams of high-quality protein every four hours while you are awake, including after training. On an IF plan, timing is key: Schedule your strength training workouts so that they’re sandwiched between two meals, or at least two snacks. And make sure to use your “feast” meals to meet your protein needs. 

4. Remember: Snacks are your friend.
Some IF plans allow dieters to eat both snacks and meals during their feast periods — so take advantage of that flexibility. A meal or snack consumed three to four hours before your workout (or one to two hours before, if you’re prone to low blood sugar) will help ensure you have the energy to power through those reps. Aim for a meal that combines fast-acting carbohydrates with a blood sugar-stabilizing protein (like toast topped with peanut butter and banana slices). Within two hours of your last rep, chow down on a post-workout snack containing about 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbohydrates to promote muscle growth and help replete your glycogen stores so you stay energized, White says.

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