4 Things You Should Never Do When Detoxing

If you’re considering a detox plan to give your body a reboot, reading these four common misconceptions may make you rethink the hype.

Mistake #1: Following a Juice-Only Detox Plan
Your body requires more than just nutrients from juice during the detoxification process. According to Danielle Omar, M.S., RDN, integrative dietitian at Food Confidence, “juice alone can deprive the body of protein, healthy fats and adequate calories to function optimally. Protein is necessary to help carry toxins through the body for elimination, and fats are needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.” Another reason that it’s important to take in fats and proteins during the detox process is that they take longer to digest and will help stabilize your blood sugar, keeping you satisfied between meals.

Mistake #2: Believing the Hype
According to Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D., author of The Only Cleanse and host of Samantha Heller’s Health & Nutrition Show on SiriusXM Doctor Radio, says, “Teas, enemas, magnetic foot pads, fasting or juicing protocols, potions or tonics that claim they can ‘detox’ or ‘cleanse’ your body are a bunch of hooey. What they do is cleanse your wallet!”

Mistake #3: Focusing Too Much on What Not to Eat
Most detox plans eliminate many foods from your diet. Omar stresses that you should stop placing too much focus on what you’re not eating and not enough on what you are. “Detoxing isn’t just about eliminating the bad stuff. What you add to your diet is equally, if not more, important,” she says. She recommends taking in several servings of leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and kale), berries, raw nuts and seeds, and fresh herbs and spices each day.

Mistake #4: Believing That Your Body Needs “Help” Detoxing
According to Heller, “There is no such thing as detoxing. Your body is cleansing and detoxing itself 24/7. Our cleansing organs like the liver, kidneys, lungs and gastrointestinal tract are smacking down pathogens, detoxifying toxins and expelling pollutants every second of every day.” So how can you help your body? Heller stresses the importance of following a healthy, more plant-based diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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Coleslaw: Is It Healthy?

Yes
According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 90 percent of adults do not consume the daily recommended dose of vegetables. The veggies from coleslaw can count toward your recommended daily amount. Further, you don’t have to drown your coleslaw in mayo. In my cookbook, The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day, I explain how you can use a 50:50 ratio of reduced-fat mayo to nonfat plain Greek yogurt to get the flavor you love for a fraction of the calories. Or instead of using a half-cup to one cup of mayo, you can use a quarter-cup.

Coleslaw can also go beyond cabbage, so don’t be afraid to think outside the coleslaw box and use shredded veggies like carrots, kohlrabi, radishes or cucumbers as the base for your slaw. You can also make a slimmed-down slaw like those in the recipes below:

Coleslaw with Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette
Bobby Flay uses lime juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin as a lighter dressing.

Classic Coleslaw with Caraway
Ellie Krieger uses a combo of yogurt and low-fat mayo for 110 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving.

Asian Red Cabbage Slaw with Peanuts
The chefs in Food Network Kitchen give their coleslaw an Asian flair for less than 120 calories per serving by using toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, spicy mustard and grated ginger.

No
One cup of regular mayonnaise contains a whopping 916 calories, 78 grams of total fat and 12 grams of saturated fat. It also provides an alarming 1,671 milligrams of sodium. Even if your slaw serves six to eight people, that’s still a lot of unnecessary calories, fat and sodium for one dish.
If you order coleslaw at a fast-food or sit-down joint, the calorie count can run around 300, with 21 grams of fat. And keep in mind that this high-fat side is also typically served alongside already high-calorie foods like fried chicken or seafood.

The Verdict: Yes. Coleslaw can absolutely be part of a healthy eating plan as long as you choose your dressing carefully.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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Patriotic Cheesecake Parfaits

Take all the great, rich flavor of cheesecake, layer it with summer’s best berries, then add a little crunch and a touch of chocolate, and you have what may just be the perfect summer dessert. Best of all, a great big, celebratory serving of this parfait clocks in at less than 400 calories. (This recipe can also be made to serve six instead of four. Just use smaller glasses and divvy the recipe up into six parfaits with less than 250 calories each. We pinky-swear it won’t feel skimpy!)

In honor of Old Glory, this version is red, white and blue, but you can certainly toss in other fruit as well. Each fruit layer may be made with a combination of fruits, or you can alternate to create red and blue stripes. The crumb layer may be made several days ahead and stored in a closed container at room temperature; the cheesecake layer may be made a day or two ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Wait until just a couple of hours before serving to assemble the parfait, to ensure the crumb layer stays crunchy.

 

Patriotic Cheesecake Parfaits

Serves 4-6

 

Ingredients:

8 ounces Neufchatel (light) cream cheese, at room temperature

One 5.3-ounce container vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

6 chocolate wafer cookies, crumbled

1/2 cup crisp rice cereal

14 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

1 cup blueberries

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

 

Directions:

Beat the Neufchatel, yogurt and sour cream with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and again beat until smooth.

Combine the crumbled cookies and cereals in a small bowl.

Build the parfaits: Place a small spoonful of the cheesecake mixture in the bottom of each of four parfait glasses or wine goblets. Add a layer of fruit, followed by a second layer of the cheesecake mixture; top with a layer of the crumbs. Repeat. Arrange a final layer of berries on top, place a decorative dollop of the last of the cheesecake mixture and sprinkle with the crumbs.

 

Per serving (1/4 of total recipe): Calories 369; Fat 15 g (Saturated 9 g); Sodium 388 mg; Carbohydrate 47 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 13 g

Per serving (1/6 of total recipe): Calories 246; Fat 10 g (Saturated 6 g); Sodium 259 mg; Carbohydrate 32 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 9 g

 

Marge Perry is an award-winning  food, nutrition and travel writer and teacher whose work appears regularly in Rachael Ray Every Day, AllRecipes, Newsday, and on her blog, A Sweet and Savory Life. In addition, Marge is a chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and an Adjunct at New York University, where she teaches food writing.

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Corn and Cantaloupe Salad

It’s that time of year when refreshing summer produce is in full swing, the perfect accompaniment to hot and sunshine-filled days. For evenings when you don’t want to spend a lot of time at a hot stove, try this unique corn and cantaloupe salad instead. It’s the perfect balance of salty and sweet, and it’s a great go-to for potlucks or lunches; you can even serve it as a side dish with whatever you’re taking off the grill.

Cantaloupe is one of my favorite summer fruits, though it can be tricky to pick a ripe one from the market. Because the melon is the star of this dish, its quality and taste will change the overall outcome. The best way to pick a cantaloupe is to smell the round section where the vine was attached; it should have a sweet, slightly musky scent. A ripe cantaloupe will be orange or golden in color and feel heavy for its size. Avoid melons with too much green or white color.

This recipe calls for barely cooking the corn to eliminate some of the rawness, but if you can get your hands on really fresh, sweet corn, feel free to forgo the cooking process altogether and add the raw kernels right to the salad. The briny feta cheese perfectly balances the juicy cantaloupe and sweet corn kernels, though Gorgonzola or blue cheese can be used instead.

Corn and Cantaloupe Salad
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
3 ears fresh corn
1 medium cantaloupe, chopped (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the corn ears, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 4 minutes. Remove corn from water and let cool until able to handle. Cut off corn kernels and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels with all remaining ingredients. Toss to combine, check seasonings and serve immediately.

Per serving (about 1 cup): Calories 120; Fat 4 g (Saturated 2.1 g); Cholesterol 11 g; Sodium 211 mg; Carbohydrate 19 g; Fiber 2.3 g; Sugars 8.8 g; Protein 4.2 g

Alex Caspero MA, RD, RYT is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher. She is the founder of Delish Knowledge (delishknowledge.com), a resource for healthy, whole-food vegetarian recipes. In her private coaching practice, she helps individuals find their “Happy Weight.” 

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Gluten-Free Fourth of July Feast

Kick off this Fourth of July weekend with a feast of lightened-up, gluten-free versions of American classics. We’ve swapped in a creamy cashew ranch dressing for heavy mayo in our veggie-packed macaroni salad. Want super-crispy fried chicken? Go ahead and let your oven do all the work for you instead of frying it in oil. Bonus: you’ll be rewarded with less cleanup, too!

Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
Serves 6

Ingredients:
Canola oil, for greasing
2 cups unsweetened corn flakes
6 tablespoons raw almonds
6 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk
1 cup gluten-free flour, for dredging
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken tenders

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet with oil. Using a food processor, pulse together the corn flakes, almonds, sesame seeds, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, dried thyme, pepper, cumin and salt until coarsely chopped; transfer to a shallow bowl.

In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Place the flour in a third shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, then in the egg mixture and the corn flake mixture; place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 346; Fat 12.2 g (Saturated 1.7 g); Cholesterol 158 mg; Sodium 532 mg; Carbohydrate 25.9 g; Fiber 2.2 g; Sugars 1.4 g; Protein 33.2 g

Creamy Ranch Macaroni Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews — soaked for 4 hours, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon honey
Salt
One 8-ounce box quinoa elbow-macaroni pasta
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
20 grape tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 leaves lacinato kale, finely chopped
1 ear corn, kernels removed

Directions:
Blend the cashews, oil, vinegar, dried herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, honey and 1 cup water in a high-speed blender until smooth; season to taste with salt and refrigerate until cold.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes; rinse with cold water and drain. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss; let cool.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooled macaroni, celery, tomatoes, bell pepper, kale and corn. Add the dressing and toss to combine.

Per serving: Calories 409; Fat 23 g (Saturated 2.7 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 107 mg; Carbohydrate 46.6 g; Fiber 3.9 g; Sugars 5.1 g; Protein 7.7 g

Grilled Cherry Cobbler
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cups cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium-high (about 375 degrees F). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix in the milk, vinegar and oil until just combined.

In another medium bowl, toss together the cherries, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch. Transfer the fruit into the prepared skillet and dollop the dough over the fruit; sprinkle with sugar. Cover with foil and grill until the juices are bubbling and the top is golden, about 20 minutes; let cool.

Per serving: Calories 135; Fat 2.5 g (Saturated 0.2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 179.5 mg; Carbohydrate 26.6 g; Fiber 1.3 g; Sugars 8 g; Protein 1.7 g

Silvana Nardone is the author of Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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Nutrition News: Workday Walking, Gut Speed, Meal Timing

Optimal meal timing? The jury is out.

We know what we eat is important, but does it matter when we eat it? A new research review has concluded that national dietary guidelines ought to provide us with stronger recommendations about optimal meal timing. “Whilst we have a much better understanding today of what we should be eating, we are still left with the question as to which meal should provide us with the most energy. Although the evidence suggests that eating more calories later in the evening is associated with obesity, we are still far from understanding whether our energy intake should be distributed equally across the day or whether breakfast should contribute the greatest proportion of energy, followed by lunch and dinner,” Dr. Gerda Pot, who was involved with the study at the King’s College London, said in a release. “There seems to be some truth in the saying ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,’ however, this warrants further investigation.”

Get up and walk around.

Your standing desk may be doing less for your waistline than you’d like to think. A new study, conducted at the University of Pittsburgh’s Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, has concluded that standing at work, rather than sitting, though it may have other health benefits, burns only 8 or 9 extra calories per hour. (By comparison, The New York Times points out, “a single cup of coffee with cream and sugar contains around 50 calories.”) Walking for an hour mid-workday may be a more effective weight-management plan, however, burning 130 calories per hour. Seth Creasy, the study’s lead author, suggests workers position printers a distance from their desk or eschew water bottles and work regular walks to the water fountain into their routine. “Brief periods of walking can add up to make a big difference,” he told the Times.

Digestive health and gut speed are connected.

When it comes to digestive health, time may be of the essence. The time it takes the food you eat to travel through your gut affects the amount of “harmful bacterial degradation products” your body produces along the way, a new study from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, has concluded. Basically, the longer food takes to travel the length of your gut, the more harmful bacteria is produced. “Conversely, when the transit time is shorter, we find a higher amount of the substances that are produced when the colon renews its inner surface, which may be a sign of a healthier intestinal wall,” professor Tine Rask Licht explains in a release, adding that diet can help. “You can help food pass through the colon by eating a diet rich in fiber and drinking plenty of water. It may also be worth trying to limit the intake of, for example, meat, which slows down the transit time and provides the gut bacteria with lots of protein to digest. Physical activity can also reduce the time it takes for food to travel through the colon.”

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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Skinny Maple Granola

I love the idea of granola.

Sweet, crispy oats paired with nuts, seeds, and fruit – it feels like a treat for breakfast every day.

My only issue with granola is that it always ends up being super high in sugar and calories, because most store bought granolas are made with way too much sugar, unhealthy fats, and dried fruit that also has added sugar to it!

Luckily, it is super easy and quick to make your own granola at home, and it actually tastes even better than the store-bought variety. It also stores really well — you can keep it in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

This particular granola has all of the fixings of the traditional variety: toasted rolled oats, almonds, pecans and dried fruit of your choice. But there are some fun, healthy add-ins: toasted quinoa, ground flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and coconut oil for some healthy fats!

The way I like to eat granola for breakfast is: I start with a bowl full of low-glycemic fruit (about 1-1.5 cups of chopped apples, pears, and berries). Then I top the bowl with about 1/4 cup of granola, and then 6-8oz of low fat plain Greek Yogurt. It’s super filling, and only about 300 calories total for breakfast.

Print

Skinny Maple Granola

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 16 servings (or 4 cups)

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

Calories per serving: 127

Fat per serving: 6.5g

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 127 Calories, 6.5g Fat (1.8g Saturated), 17mg Sodium, 15.8g Carbs, 2.4g Fiber, 6g Sugar, 3g Protein

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1.5 cups Rolled Oats
• 2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
• 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 8 Tbsp Sliced Almonds
• 1/4 cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1/2 cup Dried Fruit (Raisins, Cherries, Cranberries) - just make sure there is no sugar added
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• Pinch of Ground Nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread oats and quinoa on a parchment lined baking sheet, toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once.
2. Remove oats/quinoa from the oven, pour into a bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients.
3. Spread back onto a baking sheet, and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.

Notes

Inspired by ForagedLove

3.1

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

This particular recipe was inspired by Unearthed: A memoir inspired by foraging and the healing ability of gardens. I’m participating in the Unearthed blog party through this post!

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