The magic of the Mediterranean diet is that it manages to satisfy chefs and nutritionists at once. With its bounty of vegetables and fruit; garlic and herb seasonings; beans, nuts, and ancient grains; its luxurious use of olive oil; and, of course, good wine, it...
(Photo: Natalie Grainger) As someone who has personally suffered from and eventually escaped the diet roller coaster, and who has professionally been on a mission to help others get off it too, it’s no surprise I follow many anti-diet voices on social media...
No single food eaten occasionally will ruin an overall good diet, so instead of thinking of foods in absolute terms–good/bad, clean/sinful, healthy/unhealthy– try taking a wider-angle view of your eating pattern. These food lists can be helpful to guide...
Photo: Vincent Keiman on Unsplash I have a confession to make: I sometimes find it hard to relax at a summer cookout or pool party. While other guests are chatting away and happily sipping on cold drinks as the meal is being prepared, my food-safety radar is usually...
Photo: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post After countless meals of dry, bland chicken breast, you might think that’s just the sacrifice you have to make when you are trying to eat healthy. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Avoid these common mistakes when...
A dollop of pesto is like flavor magic, instantly transforming everyday ingredients with its herbaceous savory essence. There are many variations of pesto, but the classic is made with basil, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. (See my recipe below.) I...
I have always kept a huge variety canned beans in my cupboard – black beans, chickpeas, white beans, pinto beans, lentils, and more. My friends used to make fun of me about it, but now that we’re facing the Corona quarantine they see how on point I have been all...
(Photo Credit:Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash) Healthy isn’t what it used to be. I don’t mean that in the whiplash-inducing way all the clickbait headlines out there would have you think. Despite the seeming back and forth, there is remarkable consistency in core...
Photo by Jennifer Chase It’s no coincidence that the holiday season overlaps the darkest weeks of winter. It’s that way by design. The parade of cookies, cakes, chocolates, cheesy dips, bacon-wrapped bites and grogs and glasses of spirits–lift us up, imparting a...
It all started with Greek yogurt. Once available only in specialty stores, in the past decade it has come to dominate the yogurt aisle in just about every grocery store. Its success has opened our minds and taste buds to yogurt’s world of possibilities, clearing the...
Even when life is at its most hectic, (which, if you are like me, means every weeknight!) you can still get fast healthy dinners on the table, fuss-free. This simple 4-step strategy is a sure-fire way to win at dinner, every time. Cod with Kale and Chorizo in Broth...
You already know fish is healthy–but it may surprise you to learn just how profoundly it can impact your whole body. Here are 5 head-to-toe reasons you want to put seafood on your plate more often. Your brain Eating fish regularly may help keep you mentally...
A while back, five Washington Post staffers embarked on a 30-day diet challenge and wrote about their experiences weekly. I had a role in it, too, interviewing each of them so I could lend my perspective as a nutritionist. One clear pattern emerged at the start: Most...
Photo credit: (Lauri Patterson/Getty Images/iStockphoto) Food is supposed to make us feel good — content, fulfilled, connected. It’s meant to comfort us physically by easing hunger and bringing satisfaction, and emotionally by bonding us to others as we share in the...
Teaching kids where food comes from and engaging them in the process of growing and buying it is one of the best ways to put them on track for a lifetime of healthy food choices. Here are 5 fun and easy ways to make that happen: Grow Something Planting a seed,...
The glorious bounty of food that surrounds us this time of year makes the season a celebration. From cheese plates, party dips and turkey dinners to chocolates, cakes and cookies, it is a time when pleasure and indulgence rule. Many embrace the bacchanalia...
(Photo credit: Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash) The other day, as I pushed my cart around Whole Foods, a new book touting the wonders of apple cider vinegar caught me by surprise. Mainly, I was taken aback that anyone still considers the ingredient a...
A question about smoothies came up in an on-line nutrition chat I ran for the Washington Post, and since the topic is so popular I thought I’d share my reply here with a few tips for enjoying them healthfully: Skip protein powders: To me, they are the very definition...
Many of my Weight Watchers (WW) friends have inquired about the sugar content in my recipes, because that number is needed to calculate Weight Watchers points. This book and the ones I published before it don’t include the grams of total sugar in the nutrition...
It takes a little finesse to give a healthy holiday gift that is genuinely well-received. You could send the wrong message with something like a digital scale or a gym membership which are easily misconstrued as some kind of hint. And, let’s face it, the default...
This time of year a lot of attention is paid to kids’ lunches, but just because you’re grown up doesn’t mean you need a good lunch any less. Whether you head to work five days a week or are out running errands, bringing your lunch has big advantages over eating out or...
We’ve all been there – on the couch after dinner with a late night snack in hand. Or those busy days where a proper meal just doesn’t seem to happen and instead, you find yourself making one too many trips to the snack drawer at work. Whatever snafu you find yourself...
Peanut butter and jelly, cookies and milk, spaghetti and meatballs — these are the Fred-and-Gingers of the food world, duos that are so iconic you can hardly think of one without the other. Each is excellent on its own, but when they are together real magic happens....
If you are thinking you should be cutting back on sugar, you are probably right. The average American eats the equivalent of about 20 teaspoons of it each day — a lot more than the cap of 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men recommended by the American Heart...
These days there are so many brands and types of bottled waters on store shelves that you could drop from dehydration before figuring out which one to buy. Regardless of their prices or promises, all the waters on the market hydrate you equally well, and no better...
When I say “food for healthy bones,” what springs to mind? Milk, of course. That connection is taught to us early on, and rightfully so. Milk and the products made from it — yogurt, cheese, etc. — are packed not only with calcium, but several bone-beneficial...
One of the biggest joys of summer is eating outside in the fresh air, with nothing but sky and trees overhead. Whether at an alfresco cafe or in your own back yard, it instantly helps you decompress. Take it a step further by grabbing a blanket and heading to the park...
When my daughter, Isabella, was 12 years old, she had to take a series of exams at school, nothing too high-stakes, but she was a little nervous about them. To prepare she did her part by studying and getting to bed early the night before, and, as the official house...
If you are trying to eat less meat, you have plenty of company. Our cultural tide is flowing steadily in that direction. Just look around–there are multiple bestselling books touting the benefits of plant based eating; the Meatless Monday campaign has become...
Words matter, perhaps more than you realize. How you describe something expresses your underlying attitude about it, but the words themselves reflect back at you, shaping your thoughts and actions and impacting your success. A lot of research has been done with...
Are you on autopilot when you grocery shop, habitually filling your cart with the same foods week after week? Sure, there is a comfortable security in doing it that way, knowing you and your family will like what you bring home, and it is an efficient way to get in...
As a passionate food lover as well as a nutritionist, I’m always searching for that sweet spot where delicious and healthy meet. Herbs hit it perfectly. These luscious leaves — parsley, basil, cilantro, mint, thyme, oregano, rosemary and the like — not only add...
Eggs have a lot going for them. For just about 70 calories, a large egg provides 6 grams of satisfying protein, vitamin D, a variety of B vitamins, essential minerals such as iron and zinc, choline, which is important for brain health, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which...
Eating raw food used to be something you did without a second thought, like munching a stalk of celery or snacking on a banana. But now “eating raw” gets quotation marks, describing a movement that proponents claim holds the key to weight loss and optimal health. If...
If your typical February night involves searching the kitchen for a snack to lift your spirits, you are not alone. This is prime winter-blues season, the time of year when many of us are plagued with that lethargic feeling that’s like a dark curtain over our mood. An...
Everyone knows good hosts need to feed their houseguests. If the visitors are easy to get along with and especially helpful — they take out the trash, do the dishes, rake the yard and so on — it’s wise to feed them very well so they stay as long as...
Chewing is so last year. The more modern way to get food into your body is, apparently, to slurp it through a straw, suck it out of a pouch or gulp it from a container. Just consider the invasion of fashionable juice bars and bottled cold-pressed or blenderized...
It is resolution time again — something you will be reminded of incessantly in the coming weeks as the media turns its face toward the “New Year, New You” sun. You have, no doubt, already noticed the flood of health-oriented stories in print and on TV, promotions for...
Cookies are a kind of emotional currency during the holidays. We create rituals around baking them to connect to past generations and make future memories. We trade them as tokens of friendship and good cheer, and we prize them as the epitome of a heartfelt gift,...
Grapes are truly a wonder-food, which is why I am thrilled to be working with the California Table Grape Commission spreading the word about just how healthy and versatile they are. You probably already love snacking on grapes, but you might be surprised to learn the...
Seemingly overnight, coconut water has gone from niche to national, with annual sales climbing upwards of $400 million and big beverage companies getting into the game. Is coconut water all it’s cracked up to be? Here’s the scoop: What is coconut water? Coconut water...
There is something extra refreshing about a glass of sparkling water, and served in a cocktail glass with a twist it can help you get through a night of partying without overdoing alcohol. But somehow word has gotten around that bubbly water is bad for you. To...
Photo: demaerre via iStock Beautiful summer days just beg for a picnic. Eating outdoors on a blanket with the grass or a sandy beach underfoot somehow makes the food taste even better. Keep these tips in mind to ensure an optimally healthy and enjoyable...
It’s amusing for me to see the Greek yogurt market explode, since I consider myself an original U.S.A. fan-club member, using it in everything from dips and dressings to smoothies and desserts. In fact, I had been making it myself from regular yogurt, and including...
Use the Freshest Produce Using the absolute freshest and most perfectly ripe, seasonal produce will mean the difference between an OK salad and a really great one. Rather than go to the store stuck on a particular type of salad to make, buy what looks best and go from...
We all know green vegetables are a nutritional home run, but you might be surprised to learn the scope of health benefits they have to offer: Sharp Eyes – Lutein and Zeaxanthin are two antioxidants found in green leafy vegetables, such as kale and collards, that...
Now in everything from smoothies and puddings to chips and cereals, chia seeds have officially made their way into the mainstream. But what exactly are they and do they live up to their promise? Here’s what you need to know. The Basics These tiny seeds, traditionally...
It’s hardly a surprise to hear sugar is bad for us. Everyone knows it adds empty calories and causes our blood sugar to spike. But it’s even worse for you than that: a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed some...
There’s good reason we eat chocolate to celebrate love. Chocolate can actually trigger some of the same brain chemicals released when you’re feeling amorous. It can also be good for your heart in the long run because the cocoa bean, from which chocolate is made,...
Did you know that the method you use for cooking your vegetables can make a huge difference in their nutritional value? Here are three simple tips for the best way to cook vegetables. Limit their contact with water. When you immerse vegetables in water many nutrients...
With all the holiday festivities, it can be tough to stick to your wellness goals. But with a few tricks, you can stay healthy this party season and have fun doing it, too. Here is my 5 point party survival guide: Change Your Mind – Forget the...
The other day I found myself on the glittering, bustling streets of midtown Manhattan with some major hunger pangs and without my usual stash of snacks in my handbag. As I scanned the area for a deli to drop in for a yogurt or some fruit, I stumbled upon the most...
For me it is usually crispy French fries, rich chocolate or cheesy pizza. These are the foods that burrow into my brain and takeover– the foods I crave most often. We’ve all had an intense desire for a specific food, which can rule our every thought until we...
It is easy to trade the usual lunch-box standbys for something just as appealing, but so much healthier. Here are three fruit inspired upgrades your kids will love. Instead of: A fruit roll up Trade up with: A clementine Clementines are succulent and super sweet...
Plump, perfectly ripe tomatoes are one of summer’s biggest highlights. So cut one up, put it on a plate, sprinkle with some sea salt, drizzle with olive oil, and enjoy as you consider these juicy tomato facts. 1. Fruit or vegetable? You can stop arguing whether a...
A few simple ingredients can make all the difference when it comes to having incredibly delicious food that is also healthy. Here are my top 3 healthy flavor boosters that get you there, nearly effortlessly: 1) Fresh Herbs A simple sprinkle of fresh herbs like...
Grilling can be one of the tastiest and healthiest ways to cook, but any time you cook meat at a high temperature, cancer promoting compounds called Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) can form, particularly in the blackened/charred areas. Don’t throw out your grill just...
Sprouted grains and beans are shooting up all over the grocery store as ingredients in products like breads, cereals and snacks, and as sprouted whole foods like mung beans, lentils, rice and quinoa. Touted for their nutritional superiority, I thought I’d dig through...
The surest way to know if your meat is cooked properly is to test it with a meat thermometer. But if you find yourself without one (as I did at my summer vacation rental), you can find an easy guide to meat doneness, literally at your fingertips. (See the chart below...
Question: At a restaurant, I was recently asked what temperature I wanted my fish cooked. How do I know? Answer: Chances are, you ordered salmon or tuna, because most other types of fish, like flounder, sole, snapper, tilapia and shellfish are simply cooked through...
Just as a good marriage elevates each partner, certain foods are better—for health and taste– when eaten together. Scientists are beginning to uncover food combinations – or food synergies – that work to boost nutrient absorption and...
Some common foods you might have never thought of grilling before suddenly become new and exciting when they meet the open fire. Let’s call it grills gone wild. Fire up these five fresh foods to add a tasty, healthy, and unexpected twist to your summer cookouts....
Tired of seeing broccoli left untouched on your child’s plate? It can be extremely frustrating when, try as you may, their love for kale just isn’t happening. Don’t despair just yet – skip the bribery and nagging and try these 5 proven ways that can help get...
Berry season is upon us! These plump, juicy jewels are a healthy food lover’s delight, packed with sweet-tart flavor, endless culinary possibilities, lots of fiber and antioxidants– all for very few calories. How to Buy Berries Buy them: Look for plump and firm...
Q. There are so many eating plans that claim to be the best. What do you suggest that is nutritionally sound? Should I count calories, carbs, fat? There is a new “discovery” everyday and it is a challenge to separate marketing from science. Question submitted by Kathy...
We all strive for happiness and well-being, and sometimes a simple shift in our eating habits can make a big difference. Did you know that certain foods may help boost our mood and uplift our spirits? Here are some of the top mood boosting foods, and the science...
If you have already broken your New Year’s resolutions or are struggling to stick to them, don’t get down on yourself. Instead, rethink them to make them work for you. To make resolutions that really stick, make them S.M.A.L.L.: S: Specific Instead of resolving to...
This delightful veggie is in season now! Although green asparagus is most popular and widely available, keep your eyes peeled for purple and white varieties too (white asparagus is grown underground and isn’t exposed to sunlight). No matter what color you choose, here...
If you have an eye for numbers you might wonder why the breakdown of the individual types of fat (mono, poly and sat) listed in my nutrition data usually add up to less than the total fat. For example, one recipe lists the fat content like this: Total Fat 11g (Mono...
Depending on who you talk to, agave nectar is either pure goodness sent from the heavens or something from the labs of Dr. Evil. This is often seen with foods, where we build them up to a “super food” status, only to knock them down. But sometimes things aren’t as...
$149 Smoothie Ever make a $149 smoothie? I have, just last year. Here’s how: put some milk, fruit and ice into your good blender. Then, using a stainless steel spoon, add about a tablespoon of almond butter. When the phone rings and you go to answer it, leave the...
One of the most successful programs the Wellness Committee and I started at my daughter’s elementary school are the Vegetable Tastings. We felt they were having a big impact, but we didn’t realize just how big until this past week when a Columbia graduate student,...
