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New Country of Origin Food Label Law

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:00:00 PDT

I like eating seasonally and locally, but I am a realist too. I know much of the food we all eat comes from outside the US. Remember the tomato and hot pepper salmonella scare? Food regulations vary from country to country and many are not as strict as ones in the US, which can pose some health risks. Now a new food label law comes into effect that will require companies to state where certain products such as meat, produce, and other products came from. Now you'll be able to tell if the foods you buy are imported or not, and from which countries they were produced.

The country of origin labeling requirement has been years in the making, and now that it's here, the law is a little confusing since not all foods are covered under the new regulations. Certain foods that are processed such as roasted peanuts, breaded chicken, and bacon are excluded from this law, as are bags of mixed lettuce. Retailers have six months from now to learn and implement the new labeling rules, so you should begin seeing labels in stores relatively soon. This mandatory labeling could help sell products since many people will appreciate knowing their apples came from a local farm. The food origin labels might also discourage people from buying products from unsafe sources, such as with the recent issues in China. The thing is though, consumers have a right to know where their food was grown or packaged. I'm in full support of this law and look forward to the day when the government requires all food retailers to state where their foods come from. What do you think? Are you happy about this new law or not really phased by it? Will these new labels affect how you shop?

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What Would You Feed Your Pals?

YumSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 17:08:51 PDT

As you may have heard, Katie Holmes loves to treat her fellow cast and crew members to scrumptious tidbits. Over the last few weeks, she's brought ice cream, cupcakes and pizza (which was even flown in from Chicago!) to the cast and crew of her new film, Mad Money. I think it's pretty sweet, and I wonder how she decided what to bring. If money wasn't an object, I'd fly in fresh sushi from Japan and kleiners from Iceland. How about you? What would you feed your pals?

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Minka Kelly Shares Her Heart-Healthy Fitness and Diet Tips

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:02:38 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Esquire magazine once named actress Minka Kelly the “sexiest woman alive," so walking in the Heart Truth’s Red Dress Fashion Show to raise awareness for women’s heart health should be a breeze, right? Not quite. “I’ve been nervous all week!” Kelly said when we got the chance to chat with her on her new ambassador title with Diet Coke. We caught up with the brunette bombshell hours before showtime to get the scoop on how she lives a heart-healthy lifestyle, the exercises she swears by, and more.

Tell us about your partnership with Diet Coke and Heart’s Truth Red Dress Fashion Show. What made you decide to get involved?

Before I started working with Diet Coke as an ambassador, I wasn’t even aware that heart disease is the number-one killer for women. I figured this would be a chance for me to use my voice and let other women know how important it is to eat right and exercise to keep your heart in good health.

How do you manage to stay in shape, especially with such a busy schedule?

I try to do yoga every morning at 7 a.m.; it’s good to get your workout out of the way early. I also work out with my trainer Gunnar Peterson two days a week on top of that. I owe him a lot of credit for the shape I’m in because I love to eat! I have to work out extra hard to balance my love for food out.

Keep reading to learn how Minka Kelly is trying defying gravity.

Do You Track What You Eat in a Food Journal?

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:53:01 PST

No matter how much you exercise, if you're looking to lose weight, changing your diet should also be a priority. And watching what you eat has become so much easier with the availability of iPhone apps, websites, and fitness monitors that can track exactly how many calories you're consuming every day.

Most food trackers have vast databases that make inputting every single thing you eat relatively simple: just search for the specific brand or type of food and add how much you've had (there are several good sites to choose from; FitSugar editor Michele recommends My Fitness Pal). But while being aware of what exactly you're eating is an important aspect in any weight loss plan, food trackers may not be for everyone. It can be hard for some to remember to log every single thing they eat, or it can even turn all-consuming if tracking your food leads you to obsess over every calorie.

What's your take on food journals - do you track your food?

A Doctor Dishes: Which "Superfoods" Are Worth the Cost?

LearnVest — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible - even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93 percent of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells, and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some superfoods are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer, and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste.

Are Superfoods "Good Buys" If I’m Shopping on a Budget?

Read on to find out.

Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Morning Workout

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:50:47 PST

If you work or go to school full time, getting your sweat on in the wee hours of the morn is probably the only time you can fit it in. Kudos to you for resisting the urge to hit the snooze button and skip out. Make setting your alarm and pulling yourself out of bed worth all the effort and avoid these morning exercise mistakes.

Not eating: It's super early, but you need to eat in order to fuel your workout. Munch on something small while you're getting ready, like half a banana or half a piece of toast with a little peanut butter. You'll not only avoid the gnawing hunger pangs, but you'll also have an extra pep in your step to exercise harder or longer than you would on an empty stomach. When you get home, you can enjoy your usual breakfast, which is always something to look forward to.
Loading up on fiber: While it's important to eat a little something, you don't want to load up on bulky fiber that can make you feel too full or upset your stomach.
Not hydrating: Aside from food, you also need water. Definitely don't down half a gallon before you hit the gym because too much water can cause cramping, but make sure you sip a short glass of H2O while enjoying your small snack.
Not laying your outfit out the night before: You don't have oodles of time in the morning, so don't take away from your exercise time by scrambling to find your missing sock. Plan your outfit before you go to bed so you can just slip it on and go.

Keep reading for more morning exercise mistakes to avoid.

Weight Loss Rules You're Allowed to Break

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:58:49 PST

If you love to eat, losing weight can seem so structured, you immediately get frustrated and grab the first decadent food you can find. Even though there are some very specific guidelines that can help you reach your goal faster, there's no one-size-fits-all weight-loss plan for everyone. Here are five rules you can bend and still drop pounds from the scale.

No Cheesecake, Wine, or French Fries
While dessert, alcohol, and fried foods tend to be high in calories, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you have to live without the foods you adore. Actually, denying yourself the bites you crave can backfire, causing you to feel deprived, resulting in bingeing. You can't eat these foods all the time, but it's perfectly healthy to enjoy a few spoonfuls of ice cream or a small glass of chardonnay every once in a while. Just limit your portion sizes and only indulge about once a week.

Salad, Every Day
Salads aren't for everyone, and the dissatisfied feeling you get afterward could cause you to head to the nearest pizza joint. Plus salad toppings can really add up. When a bowl of greens is covered in candied walnuts, cheese, dried cranberries, avocado, and creamy dressing, a seemingly healthy salad can run higher in calories than a burger. If you're not into a bowl of raw veggies, choose other low-calorie meals that incorporate veggies such as sandwiches, broth-based soups, grilled veggies, and whole-grain salads. You have to enjoy the foods you're eating in order to stick with a healthy meal plan.

Keep reading to find out three more diet rules you can break and still lose weight.

Watch Out For These Top 10 Saltiest Foods

Leta Shy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:46:08 PST

Collectively, we really love our salt. We eat so much more than we should, often because of high levels of sodium hiding in many of our favorite foods. A new report released by the Centers For Disease Control identifies the top 10 saltiest foods, and some may surprise you.

Paying attention to the amount of salt hidden in your food is important because too much sodium in your diet can lead to diseases like hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. The recommended daily intake of salt is 1,500 milligrams to 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon), depending on your risk factors. But most Americans (about 90 percent of us) eat more than 3,300 milligrams a day. Want to know which foods are the worst to eat if you're watching your salt intake? Read the list below.

The 10 saltiest foods are:

Snacks like potato chips, popcorn, and pretzels
Meatloaf and other "meat-mixed" dishes
Pasta dishes
Cheese
Cheeseburgers and sandwiches

Read on for the top five saltiest foods.

Healthy Swaps: Best Choices For Protein-Rich Dairy

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:25:29 PST

Depending on how active you are and how much you weigh, a woman needs about 60 to 100 grams of protein a day, which is a pretty hefty amount. Protein helps build lean muscle and can also help with weight loss, so it's important to get enough each day. Dairy products are a great vegetarian source of this macronutrient, but some foods are richer in protein than others. Check out these healthy swaps to find out how to get more protein at every meal, including snacks.

Source: Thinkstock

Relaxing Ways to Stay Healthy and De-Stress

Leta Shy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:38:17 PST

Exercise is a proven way to beat stress, but if you're more in the mode for relaxation, here are some ways to ensure you stay healthy and stress-free without a bead of sweat.

Eat fresh: Greasy, fried foods may be endorphin-boosting since they're addictive, but in the end, they'll only make you feel bloated and tired. Instead of eating processed foods, reach for feel-good foods that will not only help you get the nutrition you need but will also boost your happiness, like these five foods that fight stress.

Think low-intensity, not no-intensity: On those lazy days when you don't want to sweat it out, there's ways to still burn calories and boost endorphins. Whether you're walking or practicing restorative yoga, make sure you stay moving when you're feeling especially overwhelmed.

Read on for more tips after the break.