Introducing the GoodFood Store!

My mission in hosting the GoodFood blog is to simplify healthy eating by providing scientifically-based advice and recipes that can be applied in a real life sort of way. Now the GoodFood blog will also house the GoodFood store! It's a hub where you'll find hand-picked products and books that will help take the guesswork out of finding healthy lifestyle solutions. From appliances, cooking gadgets and cookbooks to gardeing supplies, they're some of my favorite products--many of which have been tested and used in my home! It's another way RDbyyourside is there for you when it comes to living and eating healthfully.

I encourage you to check it out by clicking on the tab at the top of the page or by clicking here. The store will continue to grow as I find more products that fit the GoodFood mantra: good food tastes good, is good for you and is achievable too. If there are any products you love and think simplify healthy living, please share them--they could be added to the GoodFood store too!

The GoodFood store can be accessed by using the tab at the top of the page. You will be redirected to RDbyyourside's webpage; the home of the GoodFood aStore (Amazon store). Via this site, you can purchase any of the products you see. Just add them to your shopping cart (this is actually your Amazon shopping cart). You'll need an Amazon account to make your purchases. When you're ready to check out, simply click the "Proceed to Checkout" button and you'll be redirected to the Amazon website to securely make your purchases. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you have difficulties using the site. I appreciate your support!

Best Type of Diet for Weight Loss

If you've decided it's time to lose weight, you've probably gotten a lot of conflicting information on the best type of diet to follow. Vegetarian? Low carb? High protein? Paleo Diet? Weight Watchers? MyPlate? The list goes on and on. It can be really hard to figure out what's best to meet your weight loss goals...and for your health.

As an RD (Registered Dietitian), this is my specialty. I review the scientific evidence and research on different types of weight loss diets routinely in an effort to give my clients the most up-to-date, accurate and safe advice when beginning a new diet. It's my job to help you sort through the mis-information that's out there. But that doesn't mean that I'm not met with misconceptions every day! It can be hard to stick to "just good-old healthy eating" when the next "best thing" or "shortcut" is broadcasted all around you.

In fact, certain diets can cause more harm than good. Losing weight too rapidly can also cause major health issues, like gallstones, syncope (fainting) or heart arrhythmias, not to mention the long-term negative health effects. Researchers have found that women who followed a low-carb, high-protein diet increased their risk of cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke) by 28 percent. (Read more here.) There have not been any long-term studies, lasting more than 2 years, on the effects of different diet compositions. But we do know that higher intake of saturated fats and lower intake of nutrient-dense, fiber-containing carbohydrates can increase the risk of many diseases from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Rapid weight loss due to over-restricting food (or certain foods) also often leads to rebound weight gain in the end because it's just too hard to stick to.

So what is the best diet to follow for weight loss? Although it may not be what you want to hear, it's really nothing special or outrageous. There are no tricks or secrets--just learning what your body's individual needs are, eating a variety of healthy foods and incorporating regular exercise. No pills. No exclusion of any single food or nutrient. And yes, that dreaded word "exercise."

I view this in a positive light because it means you never have to diet! You can forget those dreaded cycles of dieting, then going back to your old habits, then dieting again...only to weigh more in the end. The best (and healthiest) way to lose weight is through calorie reduction, a balanced meal plan and increased physical activity. Consuming a diet that is moderate in all food groups, even those "less healthy" foods, will help you to maintain your plan and your weight for the long haul.

For some guidance, start with MyPlate and begin an exercise routine. Meet with your dietitian for individualized guidelines, nutrient goals and meal-planning assistance to incorporate MyPlate into your lifestyle. Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to begin exercise, especially if you haven't exercised in a while or have cardiovascular risk factors.

MyPlate emphasizes choosing a variety of foods from each food group, focusing mostly on:

• Whole grains
• Lean protein, seafood, eggs and soy
• Fruits and vegetables
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy
• Plant sources of fat, such as nuts, nut butters, avocados and oils

And don't forget physical activity! Work your way up to at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity, combined with strength training and flexibility activities too.

If you're ready to get healthier and lose weight the right way, contact RDbyyourside with questions or to schedule your nutrition consultation!

Thankful Thursdays

It's time again to reflect on the past month in this month's Thankful Thursday. My how time flies! Join me today on Facebook for the discussion. What are you thankful for today? Remember, the little things and the big things count!

Click here to be directed to RDbyyourside's Facebook page.

Baby's Flavor Preferences Are Born With Them

There are many nutrition and pregnancy myths (or old wives' tales) out there. Have you ever heard any of these? You shouldn't eat nuts while pregnant so your child won't have food allergies... You should eat more meat if you want to have a boy and more veggies if you want to have a girl...

Whether results are merely anecdotal or actually have some truth, now there is some evidence that suggests that children's flavor preferences are actually born with them and can be shaped until the age of 3 to 4 months. So if we want to raise some healthy eaters, who are perhaps less picky and have less of a sweet tooth, we can get our kids to start off on the right foot by choosing healthy foods while we're pregnant.

This research also suggests that breast-feeding is preferable to formula-feeding and formula is preferable to bottles prepared with cow's milk when it comes to a widely varied palette. In the study, babies who were breastfed preferred more savory flavors, which in time develops into the flavors of vegetables, like broccoli, versus sweets. Babies who were given cow's milk were more likely to consume fewer savory flavors and lean more toward sweets.

Not only could this research blossom into valuable information for helping our children to eat as nutritionally as possible, it is also a step in the way of obesity prevention. Although we all enjoy sweet treats, it's important that they don't become a stable in our diets since consumption of high-fat, high-sugar treats can lead to excess calorie intake and displacement of healthier foods. If what mom is eating during pregnancy may start to influence baby even before birth, women have a unique advantage in helping their babies have a broad sense of taste for all types of foods. Breastfeeding is preferable (and cow's milk should be avoided until age 1) to help shape baby's flavor preferences during the first few months--a window of opportunity that may make staying healthy easier for the rest of their lives.

What's a healthy meal look like? Find out more here! If you are interested in more specific meal-planning strategies, no matter where you are in life, check out RDbyyourside.

Source: Food Navigator

How to Freeze Peaches Perfectly

Yes, still on the subject of my favorite fruit, peaches. As I said in a recent post, I purchased a peck of peaches at the local orchard so I would have extras to freeze--just so I could hold on to my favorite flavor of summer a little longer. Peach season is just about over, so I thought I would pass along some tips (and lessons learned) in case you'd like to hold on to it too :) There are many ways to freeze and can fruit, but I wanted to freeze peach slices without sugar. That's slightly more difficult. I found, after a bit of trial and error, a great way to do this that will preserve the peaches' color and texture. In other words, using the following technique, your peaches won't turn to brown mush after you thaw them! Yuck.

This was a project, so allow yourself a couple of hours and enlist some extra hands if you can (thanks, Mr. Patton). So why go through the trouble? Let me just ask you this question: Have you ever had frozen peaches from the grocery store? They're hard and lacking flavor. Total bummer. By freezing your own fruit, you get a much tastier product and you'll save money too. In my opinion, totally worth it.

So here's my step by step approach. You'll be blanching and peeling peaches working in batches of 4 to 6 peaches at a time. My peck of peaches (which filled over half a brown grocery bag) yielded 4 gallon-sized freezer bags filled 3/4 full of peach slices. The supplies you'll need are:

• Large pot, filled with boiling water
• Slotted or mesh spoon
• Ice bath: a large bowl filled to 1/3 with ice, then filled to 2/3 with water
• Towel or drainboard to dry peaches after they're removed from the water
• Knife
• Fruit preservative (I used Ball's Fruit-Fresh, found at my local grocer)
• Additional water
• Small bowl
• Cookie sheets, lined with wax paper (plus extra wax paper on hold)
• Gallon-sized zipper-top freezer bags

1. Gently wash peaches to remove dirt. I filled my sink with water and about a tablespoon of produce wash. Rinse peaches.

2. Cut an "X" on the top of each peach. This will make them much easier to peel after they're removed from the water.

3. Gently place 4 to 6 peaches in boiling water. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Remove the peaches using a slotted or mesh spoon after 2 minutes and place them immediately in the ice bath. Allow them to sit in the ice bath for a couple minutes, gently stirring occasionally, until they no longer feel warm. Remove them from the ice bath and place them on a towel or drainboard to dry. Congratulations; you have just blanched peaches. This halts the cooking process and will ensure the peaches retain their color and a palatable texture. I found this step to be absolutely essential. I tried freezing peaches without doing this and they turned brown and became mushy when thawed.

4. Peel peaches by pulling the skin where you made the "X". The skin will come off very easily after blanching.

5. Slice peaches into 8 slices each. Hold the peach gently and make a few cuts to create 2 to 3 slices right next to each other. The slices should then start to fall off the pit easily. This helps so you don't bruise the peach by trying to remove slices in the process of cutting.

6. Combine fruit preservative with water in small bowl according to your package's instructions. I used Ball Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector which called for 2 teaspoons preservative mixed with 3 tablespoons water.

7. Place peach slices in the bowl (I did 2 peaches=16 slices at a time) and gently turn to coat.

8. Remove 1 slice at a time, allowing extra wash to drip off, and place it on your wax paper-lined cookie sheet. You will have to make a fresh bowl of water+fruit preservative every so often; my package recommended after 4 cups of fruit to ensure effectiveness (although I stretched it a little further). Continue this process until you have a complete layer of peaches on your cookie sheet. Place peaches close together, but not touching. This will ensure that peach slices freeze individually and can be easily removed from your bags once frozen. When one layer is complete, lay another sheet of wax paper across the top and create another layer of peaches. When the second layer is complete, lay another sheet of wax paper across the top.

Tip: I didn't have enough cookie sheets, so I tried this in cake pans and created 4 layers (below). When I removed them from the freezer, it was difficult to remove the peach slices...they were stuck to the paper. That's why I would advice using a cookie sheet and creating no more than 2 layers!

9. Place cookie sheets in the freezer (temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least a couple of hours. Freezing times may vary; just check that peaches in BOTH LAYERS are frozen solid before removing.

10. When peaches are frozen solid, remove the slices from wax paper and place in zipper-top freezer bags. Label them with the date. Peaches should retain their quality in the freezer for six months.

When you're ready to eat some, remove slices from the bag and thaw either in the fridge or at room temperature. Here they are completely thawed. See how pretty they stayed!

And here's my favorite way to indulge in frozen peaches. Just like my grandma served at her house in the summer--with vanilla ice cream. Such a wonderful memory! I added half a crumbled graham cracker on top. Yum.

 

You can freeze many other types of fruits in this same way too, especially if they are soft-fleshed fruits that have a tendency to brown at room temperature. You may be able to skip the fruit preservative, but I thought it improved color retention. It's just vitamin C (ascorbic acid) anyway, so no harm done.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine! Click here for my Peach and Honey Yogurt recipe--great for fresh or frozen peaches.