Making the Case for Food Prep

A recent study has suggested that individuals that choose their meals at least an hour before they eat them will choose lower-calorie options than their counterparts that order in the moment. This study shows that a company that offers lunch options to employees at least an hour before their lunch break will have employees that choose lower-calorie, nutrient dense meals. This choice leads to happy and healthier employees. With just an hour of preparation the company saw a tremendous change it its employees’ eating habits, with a day’s preparation imagine what food prep could do for you and your loved ones.

There is nothing special about food prep. It is the simple act of preparing more food than you need and then storing that food in individual serving-sized containers and eating that food through the week. Many practitioners of this dieting method find that cooking several large meals on a Sunday can have them prepared for the week that lies ahead.

We see that food prep clearly leads to healthier food choices and we also can see how it saves time, but food prep also saves another valuable thing, money. By buying food in bulk you can save money, and by preparing you food ahead of time many practitioners of this dieting method find themselves eating out far less than their unprepared counterparts.

Regardless of whether you prepare your food at home, or you find yourself ordering in with a couple of coworkers for lunch on a Friday, it is always better to decide what you will eat at least an hour before you plan on eating it. Our stomach and our brains are closely connected, so it is easy to order that piece of pie in the diner window when you haven’t eaten since breakfast.

Stay away from the pie. Next week give food prep a try. Your waistline, calendar, and pocketbook will all thank you.

Two Ways to Get Happy: Eat Fruits, Eat Veggies

Eating an apple or a carrot stick may not induce the immediate spike in energy or joy that a cup of coffee or a hot fudge sundae creates, but the long term benefit is enduring happiness. A recent study from England and Australia promotes the increase of fruits and vegetables in one’s diet to experience happiness long term.

Two joining universities studied the food journals of about 12,000 people and the effects diet had on mood and health. The results showed that people who ate an extra serving of produce in a day experienced happiness symptoms congruent with the amount they consumed. Those participants that went from zero to 100, having consumed no produce in the past and changing their diets to eating eight servings a day, reported happiness feelings similar to those who went from being unemployed to getting their dream job. The difference was staggering.

We have all been told to eat our vegetables and fruits from the time we were little kids, hearing that they were good for us. Studies have shown for years that produce consumption increases health and long life, but these foods do not create instantaneous spikes in serotonin. The feel-good benefits of fruits and vegetables generally start to show after around two years of changing one’s diet.

Despite all we know about how good produce is for us, the CDC says that 76% of Americans still do not eat the recommended servings of fruit per day, and 87% aren’t eating enough vegetables as well. In an instant gratification kind of world, these foods don’t seem to have an attractive record because the health benefits often come years later, like preventing cancer. We like results we can see right away.

This study hopes to show that mental health benefits may not be instantaneous, but are felt rather quickly in comparison. A year or two of eating vegetables and fruits is not a very long time, especially if it could monumentally upgrade your mood and general happiness.

The study did not show exactly why produce seemed to increase happiness, and more investigation is under way. The hypothesis is that these types of foods heighten the level of antioxidants in the blood, which can have a similar effect.

The case for fruits and veggies keeps getting stronger and stronger. For all the curmudgeons who still doubt the benefits and stay away from produce, eat an apple and try not to smile. 

Red Foods Linked to a Reduced Risk of Prostate Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer for men. The average man has a one in five chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in his life, but these odds increase for African American men, men over the age of 50, and men with a family history of the disease.

Issues with the prostate are typically identified through a blood test called a PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. High PSA levels can indicate inflammation or infection in addition to cancer, so a biopsy is usually required to further test for prostate cancer.

Previous research has been done to study the effects of nutrition on prostate health and the risk of developing prostate cancer. A vegetarian diet has been proven to protect against prostate cancer. This is likely due to the high level of lycopene in a vegetarian diet. Lycopene is a pigment that gives fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, apricots, and watermelons their red color. Studies show that lycopene can lower PSA levels and reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Some studies have found a benefit in using lycopene supplements, but lycopene is usually beneficial because it comes along with the cancer-fighting nutrients found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Eating red foods cooked in fat, like tomatoes cooked in olive oil, improves the body’s absorption of lycopene compared to eating raw red foods.

Another nutrient that has been proven to reduce the risk of prostate cancer is vitamin D. Vitamin D has a protective effect on the cells that make up the prostate gland. It is still unclear whether receiving vitamin D naturally through sunlight or by taking supplements is more beneficial. However, prostate cancer patients often show low levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream.

When considering preventative measures to stave off prostate cancer, the National Cancer Institute cautions that vitamin D can become toxic when taken in high doses. It is always best to consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

Your Short-Term Diet Might Be Doing More Harm Than Good

Short-term diets are very popular in today’s society, due to their easy availability and instant gratification of shedding pounds in a short amount of time. These short-term diets are successful in helping people lose weight quickly, but they yield few long-term results.

These diet plans are typically based on drastically reducing a person’s caloric intake, resulting in a calorie deficit. This deficit in calorie intake is usually combined with a limited array of permitted foods. Dieters often try to cut out an entire food group, like fats or carbohydrates, rather than maintain a balanced diet.

Short term dieters generally only consume 1,000 calories or fewer each day, achieving less than half of the recommended daily amount of 2,000 calories. This drastic reduction in calorie intake puts a lot of stress on the body. The body enters survival mode and begins to slow the metabolism and fat burning processes as a way to conserve energy. It is common for short-term dieters to quickly return to their pre-diet weight after quitting the program, because their body is rapidly trying to replace the lost calories.

Short-term diets are also harmful because they cause the body to lose muscle mass. Rather than drawing energy from stores of fatty adipose tissue, the body tries to make up for the lack of calories by pulling energy from water and muscle mass. Thus, the initial weight loss experienced by rapid dieters is usually due to a loss of muscle, not fat.

Additionally, the lack of food diversity in these diets causes deterioration to occur in the hair, nails, and teeth. The immune system is weakened due to lack of nourishment, making the body more susceptible to illness. Short-term dieters often experience a breakdown in mental and emotional health, which can lead to mental illnesses and eating disorders.

Quick diets promise immediate weight loss and a great physical appearance, but the positive results rarely last. Those looking to shed pounds and gain a healthier lifestyle should perform in-depth research into whatever diet plan they choose, and make sure to maintain healthy exercise and sleeping habits while dieting.