Go Nuts!

I'm a huge fan on snacking on raw almonds. They've got protein, calcium, monounsaturated fat (the good kind), potassium, vitamin E... the list goes on. So this morning I was excited to read in the Tufts Health Letter that new research by the USDA Agricultural Research Service shows that almonds actually have 24% fewer calories than originally thought! The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the article, which shows that for some foods like nuts, the original way of figuring out how many calories a food contains could be inaccurate. They got real nitty gritty to measure this, by analyzing "output" shall we say, from people participating in the study. Here's an article that summarizes the study. Keep in mind that this new information only applies to whole, raw almonds, not chopped or roasted or those covered in wasabi, honey, or chocolate!

Fantastic Farmer's Market Finds

It drives me crazy that my local farmer's market doesn't open until mid-June. But then when it does open, I walk through turning up my nose at things labeled "green-house grown." I want fresh and local, and I want it now! Which means I have to be patient. Luckily I was able to bring home some pretty good finds yesterday and while I've been considering what to do with them, I thought of some handy tips for shopping at a farmer's market.

• Try new things. If you aren't sure what something is, it's OK to ask the purveyor how it is generally used or what dishes it might complement. My best suggestion for trying a new vegetable is to first saute in olive oil with a little bit of salt and pepper; that way you'll get a sense of the true flavor before tossing it in with other veggies and seasonings. You'll be able to figure out yourself what it would pair well with!
• Bring cash and ask for weights. I'm not great at eyeballing what a pound of squash might look like, so it can be tricky to know how much to ask for when items are sold by weight. Yesterday I only had $3 left by the time I reached the final booth and the pattypan squash were $2/lb so I asked the woman for $3 worth. I ended up with a whole lot more squash than I actually wanted! But that's OK because it's delicious and I can share with friends. But I probably would've been better off asking how much a couple of small squash would cost to begin with.
• It's in season if there is a lot of it. A few years ago I was so excited that a stand had eggplant for just $1 each. Then the next summer I had a recipe in mind and went to the farmer's market all ready to purchase them only to find that I was several months too early for eggplant at such a cheap price. In the beginning of the season you're likely to find lots of lettuce and other leafy greens; tomatoes and other more colorful vegetables come a bit later.

Pattypan squash from the farmer's market

If you're looking for motivation to try a new fruit or vegetable, try doing an internet search for the health benefits. For example, I just got the newsletter from SCAN, the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition subgroup of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In it, I learned about the aerobic exercise performance enhancing qualities of beets, rhubarb, and arugula. One study showed that eating 7-8 beets 3 hours prior to performance can improve performance in addition to improving circulation! Another study showed that consuming tart cherries made for faster muscle recovery. So if you're looking for performance benefits or just looking for something delicious, head to your local farmer's market and get cooking.

So You Think You Eat Healthy?

It's something that even my soon-to-be dietician friends and I say to each other: "I'm eating healthy, but I'm not losing weight!" We have studied very meticulously the specific reasons for this, but complaining about it always makes you feel a little bit better. For those times when it seems like there's just nothing you can do, no way to possibly eat healthier, here are some reminders...

Just because it's "healthy" or "better" doesn't mean you can throw portion control out the window. With the exception of some raw or steamed vegetables, even healthy food in large portions will give you a lot of calories. I know I personally give myself a bit of a pass to eat a little bit too much if I'm having whole grains with vegetables and a lean protein. But especially with foods like rice or pasta, whole grain or not, you should still only be having about a 1/3 cup size portion.


Eating healthy without exercising isn't enough. If you are a person who normally exercises and then stops, just eating healthy will not make your body feel the same. Also make sure that you're not overcompensating for hard workouts when you eat afterward; calculate calories burned and consume equal or less, but not more.


Your body has a "set point" where it likes to be. This can be the hardest point of all to remember. If you're trying to lose weight and are doing it in a safe, healthy way but nothing seems to work, remember that your body is very happy right where it is and might be fighting your efforts. Remind yourself that you're doing the best that you possibly can for your body and that while you might not be losing weight, you're likely preventing a host of diseases both short term and long term by eating clean, unprocessed foods, whole grains, and super nutritious veggies.