Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Protein has been the buzzword in every food conversation for a few years now. As more and more people are trying on a plant-based eating pattern, the demand for vegan protein sources has never been higher. If the thought sounds less than exciting, or you’re looking to venture beyond tofu … Read More
Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
What was once a simple decision between whole, low-fat, or skim milk, the list of choices now has a variety so vast, it’s dizzying. Whether made from nuts, seeds, legumes, or grains, plant-based milk has skyrocketed in popularity. Cow’s milk still tops retail sales, but nondairy “milk” brought in nearly … Read More
Known as America’s favorite vegetable, potatoes are beloved for their versatility, their compatibility with other foods, and their ability to be transformed into two of America’s favorite junk foods. And although sweet potatoes aren’t as popular, they’re perceived to be a healthier alternative to white potatoes because of their lower … Read More
Rice is a grain commonly consumed all over the world. It’s the world’s third highest-produced grain crop, after corn and wheat and is consumed by millions. Two of most popular types of rice are long-grain brown and white. Both are delicious, versatile, and economical forms of nutrition. Plus, they’re gluten-free, … Read More
Your body makes all the cholesterol you need, and if you eat a diet high in unhealthy saturated and trans fats, you can add to your cholesterol total and potentially hasten the buildup of fatty plaques in your arteries. Fats were once considered the bane of healthful diets. To stay … Read More
The myriad health benefits of vegetables and other plant foods and/or concerns about animal welfare and the environment lead some people to choose a vegetarian dietary pattern. Plant-based diets are becoming more mainstream, and the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes a vegetarian eating pattern as one of its three … Read More
The ancient Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec peoples were onto something about the benefits of chocolate when they began consuming it, mostly in the form of cocoa beverages, some 3,500 years ago. Today science is finding that phytochemical compounds called flavanols found in dark chocolate—the darker, the better—and cocoa have cardiovascular … Read More
Fats were once considered the bane of healthful diets. To stay healthy or lose weight, you needed to follow a low-fat eating plan. Indeed, saturated fat and trans fat have remained dietary pariahs, primarily because of their negative effects on cholesterol. But, there’s no need to be completely fat-phobic. Not … Read More
Despite all the hype about “low-carb” diets, many people have an incomplete understanding of carbohydrates. It helps to look at a Nutrition Facts label, which lists quantities per serving of total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and sugars. The amount of starch isn’t listed, but that’s the third component of carbohydrates: Subtract … Read More
In Part 1 of this article you learned about a study showing how chronic fatigue can be successfully treated with iron supplements in women who have iron deficiency but don’t have full blown anemia.[1] (Find 9 Iron Deficiency Symptoms here.) The French and Swiss researchers found that iron supplementation for 12 … Read More
