If you’re stabilizing you’re blood sugar, then you know how important it is to get complete protein every three to four hours. One of the ways to help make that more convenient is to use deli meat as your source of protein for one of your daily meals. Here is what to look for to make sure you and you’re family are eating the healthiest deli meat possible:
- Choose whole, oven-roasted then sliced deli meat in place of pre-packaged, processed, formed or section meats.
- Stick to lean turkey breast, chicken breast, and roast beef. Avoid beerwurst, bologna, pepper loaf, olive oil, capocolla, corned beef, liverwurst, pastrami, proscuitto, salami and pepperoni.
- Aim for low sodium products
- Avoid any products with fillers, gluten, artificial colors and trans fats
Info from boarshead.com
If you’ve got picky eaters who don’t like the taste or texture of traditional whole wheat bread, the new white “whole wheat” breads may be a great solution. After all, what’s better than bread that looks and tastes like the traditional white bread variety but has the nutrition of whole wheat?
Unlike regular white bread, white “whole wheat” bread contains all of the whole grain and has the same fiber and nutrients as regular wheat bread. The difference is, it is made of a certain variety of wheat that is paler in color and has a milder flavor, and there for well tolerated by white bread lovers!
When shopping for bread, aim for a product with at least two grams of fiber, and preferably three per slice. Take a moment to read the ingredient list as well. The most nutritious products will list “whole” (whole grain or whole wheat) as the first ingredient.
Eat well.
The Venice Nutrition Team
*info derived from www.mayoclinic.com
Chances are if you’ve sat in front of your television lately, you’ve watched more than a few commercials promoting the health benefits of vegetable juice. After all, we know we need veggies and isn’t it easier to gulp them down in 30 seconds then actually peel, chop, cook and prep them? As a Nutrition Coach and health nut who enjoys anything convenient that helps me to live a better lifestyle, I decided to do a little research.
According to V8, the most well known vegetable juice company, 7 out of 10 adults don’t get their daily recommended amount of vegetable servings. In order to help address this concern, V8 has a new mission; to create a diverse line of products to make it easier for adults to reach their recommended 2-3 cups of veggies per day. The result? In addition to their line of 100% vegetable juices, V8 has also introduced a new line of vegetable and fruit juice combinations that are more sweet than savory.
According to experts, 100% vegetable juice can help you to increase your daily servings of veggies. Vegetable juice is also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The only drawback? Vegetable juice can also be high in sodium (a concern for those with high blood pressure) and lacks the amount of fiber found in whole vegetables in their natural state. It’s important to note, however, that V8 does make a low sodium version of their famous vegetable juice.
So what’s the bottom line? In my opinion, I believe that the occasional glass of vegetable juice is a great way to load up on your vegetable intake, but should never completely replace whole vegetables in your diet. In addition to being lower in sodium and higher in fiber, whole, natural vegetables are also digested more slowly in your body compared to a liquid. This helps to keep your blood sugar more stable, allowing you to reach your goals faster. So enjoy the occasional glass of vegetable juice but keep your fresh veggies as the front runner!
Eat well.
My best,
Valerie Cogswell
Head Chef and Lead Venice Nutrition Coach
*information derived from www.v8.com and www.mayoclinic.com
Did you know that beef is the #1 protein source of Vitamin B12 and Zinc? Although beef is sometimes unfairly thought of as unhealthy, the truth is, beef is one of the most nutrient rich foods available. The key is choosing the leanest cuts of beef to gain the extraordinary health benefits while avoiding any unnecessary fat. Below are the best of the best to choose from.
Extra Lean Beef (3.5 ounce portion containing less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol)
Eye of Round Roast
Top Round Steak
Mock Tender Steak
Bottom Round Roast
Top Sirloin Steak
Lean beef (3.5 ounce portion containing less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol)
Round steak
95% lean ground beef
Chuck shoulder roast
Arm pot roast
Shoulder steak
Strip steak
Tenderloin steak
T-bone steak
While shopping for beef, pay careful attention to the cut. “Prime” is typically higher in fat while “Choice” or “Select” are leaner. And of course, beef should be eaten in moderation. For most healthy individuals, it’s fine to eat beef a couple of times a week.
Our best,
The Venice Nutrition Team
*research found on ask.com © 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).
According to the FDA, healthy adults should aim for less than 2400 mg of sodium per day. It’s very clear that the majority of us get way more than we need. In fact, 2400 mg of sodium per day is equal to only one teaspoon of salt!
Why do we need salt? Sodium is critical for maintaining the correct fluid and electrolyte balance within our bodies as well as helping muscles and nerves to work correctly. The challenge is, in today’s day of overly processed and packaged foods, we are getting too much of it altogether, and this may lead to high blood pressure and excess fluid retention.
So what’s the solution? How can you ensure that you are not exceeding your daily limit of sodium? The first step is reading food labels thoroughly and taking the time to tally up a day or two’s worth of sodium intake. This should give you a good benchmark of how much salt you are consuming on a regular basis. If you find you are taking in too much sodium, it’s time to cut back on processed and packaged foods. Even seemingly healthy items can be loaded in sodium.
In fact, the following list is made of high sodium foods that just may surprise you: packaged or canned soups, frozen dinners, deli meat, canned meats and fish, canned vegetables and beans, entrees with seasoning mixes (like mac n’ cheese or chili), Chinese or Asian food prepared with soy sauce, marinades, marinara sauces, dressings, teriyaki sauce, steak sauce, bbq sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, cold cereals, hot cereals, snack foods like chips, pretzels, crackers, seasoning salts, garlic salt and other spice combinations.
The best way to lower sodium intake is to reduce the amount of processed food items in your diet and work towards choosing more natural, less processed food items. Natural, unprocessed food like fresh chicken, eggs, meat, low fat dairy, fruit, vegetables, brown rice, sweet potatoes, olive oil, avocado and unsalted nuts are naturally low in sodium (not to mention very healthy!). For a complete list of low sodium, unprocessed food items, see the Highest Quality of Foods in your Quality of Food Chart, located in your online manual in your Help/Support Tab.
It also helps to reduce the amount of condiments like ketchup, mustard and other sauces throughout the day, as well as skip the salt shaker altogether. With a little awareness, along with some smart food choices, you can easily lower your sodium intake for a healthier you.
Live well.
My best,
Valerie Cogswell
Head Chef and Lead Nutrition Coach
*high sodium food list fro pamf.org
Though it’s true that nuts are a natural source of protein from plants, you may be surprised to learn that they are not your best protein option. Why? Because in order to stabilize your blood sugar, it’s critical to include a complete protein from an animal source such as dairy products, chicken, fish, eggs, beef, lamb, and turkey. Soy products are also considered complete proteins. What makes a protein “complete”? Complete proteins like the ones listed above contain all of the essential amino acids that the body cannot create on its own. Because the body cannot synthesize these amino acids, it’s essential to include a complete protein (that contains these amino acids) in every meal.
Incomplete protein sources like nuts, seeds, beans and grains are foods that contain protein yet lack the essential amino acids or do not contain enough of them.
Because amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are responsible for building and maintaining the tissues of the body as well as promote the breakdown of fat, complete sources of protein are superior to incomplete proteins like nuts.
So should nuts be included in a healthy, balanced diet? Of course! Nuts are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber and omega 3 fats (also known as “heart healthy fats”) and most definitely should be included as a regular part of your diet, as long as you are not allergic to them. The best way to incorporate nuts is to consider them the fat in your meal. Simply add a carbohydrate along with a complete source of protein in the correct amounts according to your nutritional parameters, and you’ve got a perfectly balanced meal.
Eat well!
Our best,
The Venice Nutrition team
A few days ago, a friend of mine (who swears she’s allergic to her kitchen) called me in a panic. Her in-laws were coming to dinner and she had promised to impress with a gourmet meal. The trouble was, the only “gourmet meal” my friend knows how to cook is instant brown rice and ground turkey (hey, she’s a health nut!). Needless to say, her lack of culinary skills had her sweating. And that’s why she called me.
As Head Chef for Venice Nutrition, and a Certified Nutrition Coach for many years, my goal has always been to teach our members how to create food that helps to stabilize blood sugar, tastes absolutely delicious, and most of all…….is simple enough that anyone can make! I have had so many wonderful clients over the years that stick to the same boring food over and over (hello, baked chicken!) because they claim they “just can’t cook”. What I have come to find is anyone can cook a great meal….the key is learning the basics and stepping outside of your culinary comfort zone to try something new.
So , how did I get started? Yes, I did go to culinary school but I’m truly convinced that though I learned some wonderful skills there, I have learned just as much on my own! The confidence I possess today as a cook is not from my formal education, but from the experiments and culinary endeavors (and disasters!) that took place in my very own kitchen. Below are some tips that have helped me to become a confident cook and create meals that I’m proud of.
Start by practicing with a basic recipe that can help to teach you proper seasoning, different cooking techniques and flavor profiles. A great example would be to find a recipe for a soup or chili that appeals to you. Soup and chili are very easy to make, and you can experiment without worrying about drying the dish out or overcooking it. You can slowly add seasoning and “taste-test” it as you go to make sure it’s to your liking. You’ll also gain a great understanding about different flavor combinations of herbs and spices that work well together.
Once you have successfully made one chili or soup, it will help to give you the confidence to make some adjustments. Perhaps in place of a roasted butternut squash soup, you decide to use sweet potatoes instead. Maybe you add a little diced apple to the pot to add a subtle sweet note. Or maybe you toss in a small spoonful of cayenne pepper to add some heat. Maybe in the next chili you create, you skip the ground beef and black beans and try ground chicken and white beans instead. Noticing a pattern yet? By successfully managing a basic soup or chili recipe, you’ll have the confidence to switch it up and make it your own, or try a new soup or chili recipe altogether.
Other simple, basic recipes that I would recommend you try to master? Roast chicken with lemon, garlic cloves and fresh herbs is sure to impress and will feed an entire family. Salads are simply chop, toss and serve and the options are endless. Vegetables drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper and roasted or grilled go with everything. A baked or grilled fish like salmon with lemon, fresh herbs and olive oil is a great starter recipe for all seafood. Find a recipe for that particular dish and then use those culinary techniques to explore and master new recipes.
I like to find culinary inspiration in many sources. After all, we can all learn something from somebody. When I go to a restaurant and enjoy a creative or delicious dish that stands out, I’ll try to remember what was in it and re-create it at home. For example, I once had a butter lettuce, pistachio, cheddar and sliced apple salad with a vinaigrette at a very fancy restaurant in Boston. I was able to re-create this dish at home and give it a healthy spin by reducing the amount of cheese in the recipe and preparing a low-fat vinaigrette. I served it with grilled fish on the side and enjoyed my simple but restaurant-worthy meal without the big check and tip!
I’m also a huge fan of the Food Network. If you’ve never watched this channel before and have any interest in cooking, I highly recommend that you tune in. It’s fun, exciting and designed to teach home cooks how to well…..become cooks! The Food Network has truly changed the way people view the culinary world, myself included. Because there are so many types of culinary professionals teaching their point of view and techniques they’ve developed and perfected over the years, these shows appeal to so many home cooks. It’s an unintimidating and inspirational way to learn to love to cook. I have learned so much and helped to perfect my own culinary skills and point of view from watching the Food Network. When I see a recipe I love, I’ll brainstorm on ways to lighten it up and many times figure out how to simplify it as well. I’ll then test the dish in my kitchen at home and put a creative spin on the recipe to make it my own.
Other ways to find inspiration? When you are done reading this blog, stand up and head to your kitchen. Open up your kitchen cabinet. I can guarantee you have a few cookbooks on hand that have collected dust over the years. Peruse the pages and keep an open mind. What recipe catches your eye? What picture makes your mouth water? That’s the recipe you should create next! Book mark that page, copy down the ingredients to your grocery shopping list and get cooking! Better yet, log in to your Venice Nutrition software program and click on the Recipe Tab. I can personally guaranatee you that everyone of those recipes are balanced, delicious and incredibly easy to make.
Do you have a friend or family member who always manages to wow his or her dinner guests? You know who I’m talking about. The friend who makes the stickiest, fall –off- the bone BBQ chicken on the grill or the aunt whose famous pasta and meatballs are to die for. Ask them to teach you one or two of their favorite recipes in your kitchen. Offer to purchase all of the ingredients and invite them to stay for dinner. People that love to cook also love to show off their culinary skills and would more than likely be happy to help. Observe, take notes and ask a lot of questions. Pretty soon it will be your dish everyone is raving about.
Cooking is a skill that can be learned, perfected and mastered. The key is putting yourself out there and trying something new. The old saying, “practice makes perfect” may be a cliché but it’s true, especially when it comes to being confident in the kitchen. Try something new and before you know it, you will be a confident cook who is not afraid to wow your own dinner guests. Eat well.
As a nutrition coach and Head Chef for Venice Nutrition, I understand the need to spice up your meals from time to time and step out of your culinary “box”. As a person who leads a very busy lifestyle and is trying to balance work, fun and making my health a priority, I understand how easy it is to eat the same foods day in and day out. Sometimes I think to myself, if I eat another chicken breast, I’m going to scream! But yelling won’t get me (or my clients who count on me to help them progress) anywhere! However adding some creativity to my meals (and yours) will.
One of my long term clients (and great friend) came to me not too long ago because she was struggling with getting back on track. She had lost weight with me in the past and due to health issues and life circumstances out of her control, fell off course. When she tried to re-visit her meal plans she just “couldn’t do it.” I did a little digging and realized that she was eating the same foods day in and day out. Her protein shake breakfast was always followed by her eggs and oatmeal. Her snacks were always cottage cheese and fruit. Now I’m not knocking any of these choices- they’re not only healthy but happen to be a few of my personal staples. The challenge was my client was only eating these foods and not trying anything new. Sound familiar? We put into effect a few of the strategies below and my client is finally back on track and enjoying food again.
So how do you break out of your same old diet? It’s time to add some spice!
1. It all starts at the grocery store. When you make up your list each week, vow to try a new food item in each category. For example, if you always grab pears as your fruit of choice, try some pre-cut pineapple. Sick of broccoli? How about bok choy or roasted asparagus? Can’t stand another piece of chicken? Pork tenderloin is lean, easy to prep and delicious.
2. Visit the Venice Nutrition Recipe Tab. These recipes are designed to get you to try new foods altogether or to at least put a creative spin on some of your old favorites. Best of all, there fast and simple to make. For example, we all have chicken and brown rice on hand but that can get boring. Check out our new Creamy Chicken and Rice recipe for a hearty, home cooked and delicious take on your old stand-bys.
3. If you’re pressed for time but really want some variety try visiting your local gourmet market like Whole Foods. Here you can find pre-cooked and seasoned seafood like grilled shrimp and salmon and even roasted vegetables. Another great choice is rotisserie chicken which can be found at even your local market.
4. Visit the spice aisle. There are so many delicious seasonings out there to choose from; cilantro, red pepper flakes, thyme, lemon pepper and more. Sometimes a different flavor profile can change an entire dish.
The greatest benefit to breaking out of your boring culinary rut is the renewed sense of excitement. Having a few tasty and different meal options to choose from may be just what the nutrition coach ordered! Have fun and enjoy!
Valerie Cogswell
Head Chef and Nutrition Coach
You may have heard that yogurt is the perfect option for a healthy breakfast or snack. After all, yogurt contains an abundance of calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin B12 and even probiotics to improve digestion. The challenge is, as “healthy” as yogurt is, it’s also loaded with sugar! For those of you that are trying to stabilize your blood sugar to lose body fat and increase your lean muscle and metabolism, traditional yogurt may not be the way to go. The average 8 oz cup of fruit flavored, low-fat yogurt contains a whopping 42 grams of sugar and is very low in protein and fat. That amount of sugar and carbohydrates alone is too much for the average female. Add a piece of fruit on top of the yogurt and you now have an unbalanced snack with enough carbohydrates to rapidly spike your blood sugar only to crash again a few hours later! So what is the solution for people who love the taste and convenience of yogurt and also want to keep their blood sugar stable? Aim for Greek Yogurt!
If you’ve never tried Greek Yogurt, then you’re really in for a delicious surprise. Greek Yogurt is thicker and creamier in texture than traditional yogurt, similar to sour cream. Best of all, one 7 ounce container of Greek Yogurt naturally contains approximately 17 grams of protein and only 8 grams of sugar! Because Greek Yogurt doesn’t contain all of the calcium that traditional yogurt does, it’s important to supplement your diet with other calcium –rich foods like milk and low fat cottage cheese. We recommend that you try the plain, unflavored version of Greek Yogurt so your in control of the type of carbohydrates. A few drops of artificial vanilla or almond extract is the perfect flavoring for this creamy yogurt. Add some berries or sliced fruit of your choice and mash slightly for a sweet, fruit-flavored version. A sprinkle of nuts mixed in (or even a drizzle of flax seed oil if your allergic to nuts) is a delicious and heart healthy source of fat. Lastly, if your looking for a little extra sweetness, stir in some Stevia or Splenda to taste.
So where can you find Greek Yogurt? The brand that we prefer is Fage, and we recommend that you try the Fat Free or Low Fat version of the yogurt (so your in control of the type and amount of fat added). You can typically find Fage Greek Yogurt at your local specialty market like Whole Foods or Trader Joes, and occasionally at your regular grocery store. The key is to stock up on this yogurt (the individual serving sizes are great for this) so you always have it on hand. For delicious and healthy recipe ideas using Greek Yogurt such as Greek Yogurt Parfait or Greek Chicken Pita with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, see your Recipes tab inside your Venice Nutrition program today.
You wake up every morning and eat your favorite breakfast of eggs and toast. Three hours later you have your protein shake with banana and peanut butter. Lunch is always a turkey sandwich on wheat with cheese. You packed your protein bar to ward off mid-afternoon munchies and you look forward to your grilled fish and veggie dinner every night. Your meals are balanced, your energy is high, your body is changing in a positive way, and then it hits you…… you are downright bored with your meals! And that piece of pizza is looking better and better by the minute.
If the above scenario sounds familiar, you are not alone. As a nutrition coach and chef, I see plain old boredom push even the most motivated health nut off his or her program all too often. So what can you do if your ho-hum meals are getting you down? It’s time to pull yourself out of the food rut and get a little creative!
Creativity is the spice of life and this is particularly true when it comes to food. As human beings we like to experience different tastes, textures, scents and even visually see different shapes and colors on our plate. Just because your eating healthy doesn’t mean you can’t have a variety of delicious, creative (not to mention easy to make) meals throughout your day.
The best way to get started is to set the goal for yourself that you will experiment with one new creative, healthy recipe each week. For easy and waist friendly ideas, I encourage you to check out your Recipes Tab within your personalized plan. The Venice Nutrition recipe collection contains simple, fast and fun recipes like “Restaurant Worthy Steaks” (when’s the last time you feasted on a perfectly cooked filet at home?) to “Salad with Fries” and “Banana Cinnamon Pancakes”. Every recipe in the collection contains easy to follow instructions and the nutritional breakdown, so you can be assured that your getting a balanced meal. Perhaps you pack the “Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Wrap” for lunch in place of your plain old turkey sandwich. Maybe instead your usual mid-afternoon protein bar, you snack on a creamy, sweet “Greek Yogurt Parfait”. If your getting hungry, all of these recipes are found in your Recipes tab!
If creating a new recipe seems overwhelming, start slowly by incorporating a new food item into your plan. Perhaps in place of the cheese in your sandwich, you have some sliced avocado instead. Maybe you switch out your banana and peanut butter smoothie for a strawberry almond variety.
The goal is that once you have established consistency and are completely comfortable with your meal plans, try slowly breaking out of your comfort zone slowly. Keep the meals that you love, switch out the ones that your bored with. I promise that with a little creativity on your end, you can prevent a food rut, and reach your goals that much faster.
Valerie Cogswell
Nutrition Coach and Head Chef
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