Friday, August 30, 2013

Labor Day Weekend: recipes for a delicious summer send-off

Labor Day is upon us, which means that outdoor activities and meals are as well. While the long weekend off from school and work gives us reason to celebrate, the arrival of this holiday also marks the end of the summer season. Feasting on all of your favorite summer-time dishes, then, is essential, and making use of the fruits and veggies that are soon to be out of their peak season is a must. When hitting the market to prepare for the festivities, be sure to stock up on juicy peaches and blueberries, snag a bag of whole-wheat hotdog and hamburger buns, and get ready to fire up the grill! For some seasonal and healthy Labor Day recipes, check out the links below:


I hope everyone has a relaxing, food-filled weekend! 

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Overeating: how to control the temptation

Portion control is something that many of us struggle with or may not even realize is an issue. Restaurants commonly serve up greater quantities of food than should be consumed in a single sitting, and many of our kitchens are stocked with loose fruit and containers of food. Having an abundance of food at one's disposal creates an environment in which eating can become mindless, and having a clear idea of what a properly portioned meal should look like may be less obvious. This creates a major issue for those looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy one, so in order to keep snacks and meals balanced, becoming observant of portion size is key.

You might be surprised by how easy it is to overeat, but what you may find even more surprising is that the feelings of fullness that come with constraint-free eating can be achieved when eating in proper quantities. In an experiment conducted by Brian Wansink, Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, people in one test group ate soup from normal bowls while people in another group were served from bowls equipped with feeder tubes. The tubes supplied a steady stream of soup as the contents were eaten, thus providing the participants with bottomless bowls. Even though the group with self-refilling bowls ate 73% more, both groups reported to have experienced the same feelings of fullness. In fact, the group that ate more didn't believe that they had eaten any more than the group eating from regular bowls!

As seen in the experiment above, much of the issue with portion control relates to how much food is set before us, and this draws back the size of the plate you're eating off of. When serving food onto a larger dish, you may feel the need to fill it, and thus end up piling on too much. Eating off a smaller plate can easily fix this problem, or as another alternative, you could purchase a Meal Measure Portion Control Plate to ensure a well-rationed meal. These are great for home-cooked meals, but when eating out, you probably won't want to bring it along. In this case, if you choose to order a larger-sized meal, ask the waiter to have half of the food pre-packaged in a to-go container. This way, you won't be tempted to eat the whole thing at once!

Now, what about snacks? Those big bags of chips seem to be where most of the trouble is caused. To avoid carelessly dipping your hand back into the bag after you've had your fill, you could buy individually packaged snacks, or for a more economical solution, you could purchase the regular-size or bulk packages and pre-portion the goods yourself with plastic baggies.

This is easy enough for items like crackers and pre-sliced bread, in which the nuitrition label will likely give you a set number of pieces per serving, but other foods, such as nuts and meat, can be more difficult. With these types of foods, you're typically told the serving size in grams, which can get you into trouble when portioning with self-estimation. Instead of eye balling, I recommend purchasing a digital food scale (you can find these for around $7 - $25 on Amazon). With the scale, you can easily add or subtract food from its surface until you've met the appropriate number. Measuring cups are handy tools as well for foods like cereal and oatmeal, both of which are very easy to go overboard with when pouring directly into the bowl.

For additional tips on how to moderate your eating, check out this link from Cooking Light, as well as this link from Sharecare!

P.S. ~
With my newly increased school work load, I'll be cutting back to two posts per week. I'll now be posting on Tuesday's and Friday's, so be sure to check back in a few days!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Workouts: HIITing your fitness goals in minimal time

With the fall semester beginning this Monday, I realized that I needed to find some efficient yet effective workouts for the days I'm pressed for time. Scoring YouTube for equipment-free, full-body routines, I came across one HIIT (high intensity interval training) video after the next. With each running for approximately 15-40 minutes in length, they definitely fit my criteria in terms of efficiency, but what about effectiveness? Curious to see how great of a workout I could get in from one of these relatively short videos, I decided to give one a try.

Sweat dripping down my face and out of breath, my previous doubt had become laughable by the end of the video. Though the workout was shorter in length than one of my usual routines, it was by no means easier. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with the fitness craze, HIIT consists of short rounds of max intensity exercise with recovery periods in between. Studies have shown that HIIT can provide you with similar or even greater results than those achieved with endurance training. It's also been said that you can improve exercise performance through this method of training.

While this form of exercise is great for those who want to see solid results while putting in little time, it's not recommended for everyone due to how physically demanding it can be. Even those in stellar shape need to be careful when taking up HIIT; it has been recommended by many fitness professionals alike to keep HITT training to no more than three times a week. Your body needs time to recover, and pushing yourself too hard could result in overtraining or injury. 

Interested in giving HIIT a try? The video below from Fitness Blender (an awesome source of at-home workout videos) is killer, but you'll be done before you know it! 



Tip: If you choose to do an at-home HIIT exercise video, don't watch it beforehand. By leaving the element of surprise, it's like going to a workout class: you have a general idea of what to expect, but you don't know exactly what moves will be thrown at you. In the past when I'd look up workout videos, I would watch the video first and then decide whether the exercises were manageable or too challenging for my level of fitness. I've come to realize that by not watching the video prior, I'll attempt each move and do my best to keep up. If for some reason I can't, I'll either slow my pace or take a few breathes rest. Improving your fitness is all about pushing yourself, so that being said, press play and get going!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Agave: the full story behind the "healthy" sweetener

With its quick rise to popularity, agave walks around with the confidence of a sweetener shielded by the "health halo." What is this halo I speak of? It's the crown that foods with a reputation for being healthy receive solely because they appear to be healthy, but in actuality aren't all that great for you.

This isn't to say that agave doesn't provide any health benefit, for a serving of the light-flavored syrup mixed into your food or beverage may aid in preventing osteoporosis, and because it's sweeter than sugar, you may not need to use a full 60 calorie serving. These qualities aside, what truly brought agave to fame is its low glycemic index, which helps keep blood sugar levels from spiking. These factors have lead many to believe that agave is a better alternative to sugar (which has a high glycemic index), but these qualities alone shouldn't override the sweetener's less attractive traits.

Agave is typically made up of anywhere from 55-90% fructose (percentages vary depending on how the agave is processed), which makes high-fructose corn syrup, coming in at 55% fructose, look pretty good (don't get the wrong idea, it's not). Taking in too much fructose can result in high blood pressure, liver disease, obesity, and kidney disease. It's true that fruit contains fructose as well, but fruit provides you with a host of benefits, including mighty doses of vitamins and antioxidants, that agave does not. Fruit also contains far less fructose than agave; it's important to keep in mind that it's high quantitates of fructose that can lead to health problems, and eating a few servings of fruit won't put you anywhere near a dangerous level of intake.

Another reason people choose to use agave is because it's "natural", but there's much debate over whether this claim is legitimate or not. Agave in its completely natural state is known as aguamiel, which is the juice extracted from the agave plant. In order to produce a syrup/nectar, the aguamiel has to go through a multi-filtering process (with which many manufacturers use chemicals), and the end product is what you'll find lining the shelves of your local grocer or health foods store. Natural? I'll let you decide.

Agave isn't exactly what all of its impressive marketing has chalked it up to be, so if you're a fan of the sweetener, I recommend opting for the varieties containing lesser amounts of fructose, such as Xagave. With a 47% fructose content, it contains less fructose than other brands of agave on the market and is processed without the use of chemicals. Even when buying varieties with better manufacturing methods, be sure to consume agave in moderation, just like you would any other type of sugar. After all, no matter the form, sugar is sugar.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Microwaveable Recipes: for all of the college students and busy folk out there

When living in a college dorm (or any other housing facility), you don't need a full kitchen to eat healthfully. If all you have is a microwave and a mini-fridge, you're not limited to Ramen and Hot Pockets. The healthy possibilities are actually quite endless with the right ingredients on hand. Below are some ideas for nutritious snacks and meals that'll help keep off that infamous college weight, or post-college weight, for that matter:

Breakfast

Oatmeal/Quick Oats
  • Just as easy as making cereal, pour some oats into a bowl, add in some water or milk of choosing (soy, almond, fat-free, skim), and pop into the microwave. Once ready, you can add in your own healthy toppings, such as fruit and/or cinnamon (serving amount, cook time, and amount of water/milk may vary according to microwave cooking instructions provided on oatmeal/quick oats package).

Lunch/Dinner/Snacks

Sweet Potatoes
  • Rinse a sweet potato under some water, pierce throughout with a fork, and pop in the microwave for 3.5 - 5 minutes. For sweet mashed potatoes, cut down the middle and mash until tender. Sprinkle on some cinnamon for a metabolism boost and enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash
  • Cut the spaghetti squash in half with a good cutting knife (this can be a bit tough, so do so carefully). Microwave each half separately for about 5 minutes. Coming out of the microwave, the squash will be pretty hot, so it let cool for a bit. When you're able to do so without burning yourself,  remove the seeds and then scrape through the squash with a fork (the scraping will produce stringy pieces that resemble spaghetti), moving the contents into a bowl . Garnish with spices, olive oil, or sauce of your liking. A whole squash provides you with a heaping amount, so you can store the leftovers in the fridge and eat throughout the week!
Pre-Made Soup
  • Pour store-bought soup into a bowl and microwave with a paper towel placed over the top (this is important, otherwise the soup may explode all over the microwave... at least that's been my experience) for a few minutes or until hot. For a dose of satiating healthy fat and protein, add in some avocado, and to keep the sodium content down, opt for low-sodium soup varieties.
Pre-Cooked Brown-Rice or Quinoa
  • You can find pre-cooked brown rice and quinoa in packages (like this and this) or in bowls (like this and this). Follow cooking instructions on package for microwave cook times.
Shirataki Noodles
  • Your reason to ditch the Ramen: they're 20 calories or less per serving, depending on the variety (0 calories per serving for standard shirataki noodles, 20 calories per serving for tofu shirataki noodles). They may lack flavor, but pour on your sauce and spices of choosing, pair with a side of veggies, and you've got yourself a meal! Prepare according to cooking instructions provided on package. (If you're in need of a delicious recipe for these noodles, check out my recent post on Peanut-Sauce Shiratake Noodles!)
Burritos
  • Take a whole-wheat tortilla, spread a few drops of water around it, and microwave for 20 seconds or until soft. For the fill, heat some microwaveable brown rice/quinoa and canned black beans (or any type of bean you desire) in the microwave for a few minutes in a microwave-safe bowl. Garnish with low-fat or fat-free shredded cheese and any veggies of your liking.
Pre-Cooked Edamame
  • You can find this protein-packed snack in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. Follow cooking instructions on package for microwave cook times.
Steam Bag Veggies
  • You'll also find these in the frozen foods section, but you can find fresher varieties in the produce section as well. Follow cooking instructions on package for microwave cook times.
Popcorn
  • Pre-packaged microwaveable popcorn bags are coated with harmful chemicals, known as PFCs. You're likely to find additional chemicals in the popcorn's artificial flavoring as well, along with trans fats and high amounts of sodium (for more information on the downfalls of pre-packaged microwaveable popcorn, click the link here). Popcorn can still make for a great healthy snack when you nuke the kernels yourself in a paper bag (for popping instructions, click the link here). For flavoring ideas, check out this link for a diverse array of recommendations! 

Dessert

Chocolate Nut Bark

Single-Serving Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Cherries with Ricotta and Toasted Almonds

Single-Serving Chocolate Mug Cake

Additional microwave-friendly recipes:

One-Minute Clean Blueberry Muffin

Single-Serving Pumpkin Quinoa Flake Microwave Muffin

Microwave Potato Chips

Ginger Salmon

And don't forget about all of those no-cooking required snacks and meals out there! With no appliances, you can easily whip up an open-faced peanut butter-banana sandwich on a slice of whole-wheat or multi-grain bread, a salad, fresh guacamole (mash an avocado in a bowl and mix in any garnishes), greek yogurt parfaits made with fruit and/or sugar-free granola, and frozen banana "ice-cream" (all of the recipes I've come across call for a food processor or blender, but you can always mash up the banana yourself, mix in cocoa powder and/or peanut butter, and top with with unsweetened shredded coconut, nuts, or dark-chcolate chips)!

Additional cook-free recipes: 

Breakfast Cookie Dough

Tuna and Chickpea Salad with Pesto

Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap (you can sub the sharp cheddar out for a low-fat/fat-free cheese to take the fat content down)

Caprese Salad Pita Pockets

Cinnamon-Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

With all of the healthy microwave-friendly options out there, there's no need to stock up on Easy Mac and frozen breakfast burritos. When meal time rolls around, forget the junk food and try out one of the healthy options above!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers: a simple(y), stunning meal

If you're having friends or family over for dinner and want to impress them with the insane cooking skills that you may or may not possess, quinoa-stuffed bell peppers make for a superb choice. After picking up far too many vegetables from the grocery store for a meal I was preparing, I wasn't sure what to do with the bell peppers I had left-over. Doing what I always do when in food-related doubt, I turned to Pinterest, where I found a recipe for roasted, stuffed-bell peppers.

I'd never ventured into making a stuffed-dish of any kind before, thinking those recipes were to be left for skilled cooks. Not so, my friends! These bell peppers were incredibly easy to make and were bursting with flavor. A bit of sautéing of the vegetables, boiling of the quinoa, deseeding of the peppers, and you're ready to throw them into the oven! I strayed from the original recipe a bit, using kale, onions, and some garlic powder instead of kale, shallots, and mushrooms to add into my quinoa mix. Since I absolutely hate to waste food, I'm a big advocate of using whatever's on-hand.

(The quinoa on the inside of the peppers was actually
quite fluffy, unlike the crispy outer-layer, pictured) 
For a beautifully presented meal that's deceptively easy to make, whip up some of these peppers and get ready to blow your guests away! For the original recipe and cooking directions, click the link here!

P.S. ~
I'll be out of town for the weekend visiting family, so I'll be taking a short hiatus from the blog. Be sure to check back in on Tuesday!


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Workouts: using kettlebells to blast calories

The first time I laid eyes on a rack of kettlebells, I made sure to keep my distance. I'm not exactly sure why, but a black iron ball with an attached handle just looked scary. Don't let that tough appearance frighten you though; after a single strength-training class that incorporated these excellent pieces of equipment, I saw them in a completely new light.

Implementing the kettlebell into your workout routine is a great way to work multiple areas of the body at once. Sarah Laurie, founder of Iron Core Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning in San Diego, explains that kettlebells work to hit all of the major muscle groups simultaneously instead of isolating a single muscle. This is due to the weight being unevenly distributed throughout, unlike the weight distribution of dumbbells. As a result, your muscles have to work harder to keep you balanced, which is key for kettlebell training exercises. Utilizing a range of motion, these moves allow for you to tone while also getting in some heart-pumping cardio. The outcome? Some major calorie-burn and fast results.

If you're thinking about picking up a kettlebell during your next workout session, check out the video below for some ideas on how to put it to good use!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Healthy Weight Gain: higher numbers and smaller sizes

If you're working towards a goal of losing a given amount of weight, you might have picked up on the habit of stepping on the scale each day to track your progress. With healthy eating and regular exercise, you may notice a steady drop in number, but there could come a point when that number refuses to budge or even starts to move back up. All the while, you look noticeably slimmer and more defined, so why doesn't the scale seem to agree?

You might wonder if this is due to you falling back on diet and/or exercise, only to conclude that if anything, both of these have been improving. If this is the case, then weight gain (or lack of weight loss) is most likely due to an increase in muscle mass.

A common misconception is that a pound of muscle weighs more than a pound of fat. One pound cannot weigh more than another pound; what it comes down to is volume.

Muscle is more dense than fat, and therefore weighs more in terms of volume. Think of it like this: five pounds of muscle will take up less space in your body than five pounds of fat. That being said, if there are two people of the same height and weight, it's possible that one could wear a larger pant size than the other. This would be because one of the two carries more fat while the other carries more muscle. So, if you lose three pounds of fat but then gain five pounds of muscle, the scale will read that you're two pounds heavier, but your body may look leaner.

The take-home message here is that as long as you're eating a nutritious and balanced diet and keeping up with your workout regimen, don't be startled by a plateau or rising numbers. If you're healthy and feel great, does the scale really matter anyway? That hunk of metal doesn't have eyes and isn't telling you where the weight placed atop of its cold, flat surface is derived from. Let your signs of progress be based on increased endurance at the gym or a look in the mirror, not on a number.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Chia Seeds: forget the terra-cotta kittens and nourish yourself instead

Centuries ago, the Aztecs used chia seeds as an energy source to prepare them for battle. Flash forward to the present, and we're finally starting to take advantage of this amazing superfood ourselves. Chia seeds are perhaps one of the most nutrient-dense foods we can feed our bodies, being absolutely loaded with magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3s— more so than some of the best natural sources of these components. According to an article by Greatist, per ounce, chia seeds contain roughly 2x more potassium than bananas, 3x more iron than spinach, 6x more calcium than milk, 15x more magnesium than broccoli, more fatty acids than any other plant, and more antioxidants than the power house of antioxidants themselves, blueberries!

Chia seeds come in both ground and whole forms, and unlike flax seeds, you can eat them whole and still derive benefit. However, as mentioned in an article from The New York Times, the Dole Food Company discovered that in milled form, a greater amount of the omega-3s' alpha-linolenic acid hit the bloodstream, converting into a long-chain fatty acid that aids in heart health. The other difference you'll find amongst chia seeds is color. Coming in both white and black, each are equal in nutritional value; therefore, I recommend buying the less expensive option.

How now to go about adding chia seeds into your diet? Being virtually tasteless, you can add chia seeds into just about anything without altering your foods' flavor (if you're not convinced, check out this entertaining YouTube video that was featured on The Huffington Post Canada). Simply add a couple of tablespoons into your morning oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt, and you're good to go!

P.S. ~
If you didn't happen to notice my new instagram button, check out my sidebar! Follow for a look into some of my health and fitness adventures and findings!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Peanut Sauce Noodles: a low-carb, Thai-inspired dish

Of all the recipes I've posted to date, this is by far the one I've been most excited to share. Why? Because it took me three attempts to get it right. Determined to succeed, I ate this same dish on three consecutive nights, making three separate trips to the grocery store to repurchase the main ingredient, tofu shirataki noodles. If you haven't heard of them before and happen to love noodles but are eating a low-carb diet, you're going to be mighty happy you're reading this post.

These noodles contain only 20 calories, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 15 grams of sodium per 4 oz serving, plus 2 grams of fiber. I'll admit that they do have a funky aroma, but if you follow the directions provided on the packaging in which you're advised to drain, rinse, and either microwave them for a minute or boil them for 2-3 minutes, the smell will go away. After drying them out in a paper towel, you're left with a blank canvas of noodles for which the flavoring possibilities are endless.

I originally decided to experiment with tofu shirataki noodles after two events occurred:
1) a coupon for  tofu shirataki noodles appeared in Sprouts' weekly coupons, and 2) a craving for peanut sauce hit me. My family used to mess around with me whenever we'd go out for Thai food, asking on each visit how my order of peanut sauce with spring rolls was. In times past, I would drench anything I could in the heavy sauce, and don't act like you didn't (or still currently) do the same. What then sounds better than a bowl of peanut sauce-laden noodles?

A quick google search revealed that I wasn't the only one with this ingenious idea, but the majority of the recipes called for far more ingredients than I was willing to purchase (oh, the life of the college student). Improvising, I decided to pull certain aspects from a couple of different takes on the dish and then based the sauce on this lightened-up peanut sauce recipe by Eating Bird Food. For the comparatively minimal amount of ingredients and preparation needed to make this dish, the noodles turned out fantastically!


To make these peanut sauce noodles, you'll need:

For the base:
- One package of tofu shirataki noodles (or non-soy shirataki noodles)
- A piece of lean chicken breast (around a 4 oz serving)

For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

Optional additions:
- A wedge of lime
- Sesame seeds (amount as desired)

To make the base, prepare the noodles following the instructions mentioned above and heat the chicken over a stovetop until fully cooked. As for the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until you have a thick and creamy mixture. After all is prepared, simply combine the noodles, chicken, and sauce into a bowl. You can choose to squeeze on some lime juice for tanginess (this also makes stirring in the sauce much easier without watering everything down... hence where I went wrong in my first two attempts) and sprinkle on some sesame seeds for added crunch. And there you have it! I would have liked to have had an additional taste tester with me when I made the dish, but since my roommate was out of town, I'm interested to hear what you all think!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Sugar in Disguise: the unlikely victims

It's no secret that pre-packaged desserts and decadent, specialty coffee drinks commonly boast high amounts of sugar. These may be obvious culprits, but you might be surprised to hear that many other food products from the opposite spectrum contain similar amounts. Who would've thought that goods such as marinara sauce, granola, and whole-grain cereal would fall victim? It's a sad reality, but even healthy foods can become sabotaged in our tastebuds' pursuit of sweetness.

Sugar is used by many food manufacturers alike to enhance their products' flavor. This is bad news for our waistlines and overall health, for over-consumption of sugar can result in weight gain, increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and sugar addiction. In order to prevent an unintentional sugar overload, I've provided a list of healthy foods gone sugary to look out for on your next trip to the food store, along with a corresponding product to give you an idea of just how much sugar you may find lurking:

- Tomato pasta sauces: Newman's Own Cabernet Marinera Pasta Sauce, 9 grams per 1/2 cup
- Granola: Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Raisin Granola, 16 grams per 2/3 cup
- Bottled tea: AriZona Lemon Tea, 24 grams per 8 oz serving (contains approx. 3 servings per bottle)
- Ketchup: Heinz Tomato Ketchup, 4 grams per tablespoon
- Protein bars: ProMax Cookies and Cream Protein Bar, 30 grams per bar
- Fat-free salad dressing: Ken's Fat-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette, 12 grams per 2 tablespoons
Frozen dinners: Healthy Choice Sesame Chicken, 21 grams per meal
- Whole-grain cereals, breads, and crackers: Special K Multi-Grain Cereal, 6 grams per cup

The American Heart Association's recommended sugar allowance is 6 teaspoons (24 grams) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day for men. If you eat any of the above items, that allowance can dwindle rapidly if you're not careful. The best way then to keep yourself in good standing is to check nutrition labels, but even this can get confusing.

Food manufacturers aren't required to state whether the included sugars are naturally-occuring (like those found in fruit and milk) or if they're added in (in forms such as table sugar). To find out, some investigating has to be done on our part.

The relative amount of sugar used in a product can be determined by its placement on the ingredient list. If you see a sugar source listed near the top of the list, a good amount of sugar will be present. Conversely, if a sugar source falls towards the bottom of the list, there isn't much to worry about. The Harvard School of Public Health warns us to be watchful of multiple sources of sugar appearing on a given ingredient list, providing a list of commonly used added sugars:

- Agave nectar
- Brown sugar
- Cane crystals
- Cane sugar
- Corn sweetener
- Corn syrup
- Crystalline fructose
- Dextrose
- Evaporated cane juice
- Fructose
- Fruit juice concentrates
- Glucose
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Invert sugar
- Lactose
- Maltose
- Malt syrup
- Molasses
- Raw sugar
- Sucrose
- Sugar
- Syrup

An easy way to avoid taking in too much sugar altogether is by consuming fewer processed foods, but another alternative would be to keep the above list handy when you hit the food store-- perhaps keeping it on your phone for easy access. I'm just about to go on a food run myself, and you bet I've got these jotted down!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Face-off: greek yogurt vs. regular yogurt

Both greek yogurt and regular yogurt offer much nutritional benefit. They both contain probiotics (which aid in digestion), are packed with calcium, provide you with more protein than milk per serving, can boost immunity, and have similar calorie counts, but how do they stack up against each other?

Yes, regular yogurt makes for a great addition in one's diet for all of the reasons listed above, but when it comes to nutritional superiority, greek yogurt takes the win.

Greek yogurt is heavily strained, which in effect cuts out a large portion of sugar, sodium, lactose, and whey. This not only gives the yogurt its creamy consistency, but also decreases the carb-count and increases its protein content considerably. While greek yogurt contains around 15-20 grams of protein and 5-8 grams of carbohydrates, regular yogurt contains around 9 grams of protein and 13-17 grams of carbohydrates, according to U.S. News and World Report. When it comes to calcium content though, regular yogurt gets the point since some of the calcium is lost during greek's straining process. Even so, greek yogurt still provides you with 20% of your daily calcium intake. Not a huge setback, but still worth mentioning.

When buying your yogurt, you'll want to be wary of the fat content. Full-fat yogurt has a high amount of saturated fat (which can raise LDL cholesterol), so I always opt for non-fat, but low-fat is a fine option as well. It's also best to stray from the flavored varieties. The ingredients used to make a yogurt taste like fruit or a specialty dessert add a load of sugar, so if plain yogurt isn't your thing, you can mix it up by adding in fresh fruit, honey, nuts, or cinnamon. While these toppings (sans the nuts and cinnamon) will increase the sugar content, by making these additions yourself with healthy, natural food products, you'll benefit from the nutritional value they offer (for example, while fresh blueberries provide you with a mean dose of antioxidants, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrups do not).

For a more dessert-like yogurt, check out my previous post on cookie-dough greek yogurt, or try out this pumpkin pie greek yogurt that I fell in love with over the fall season. Even easier, you could simply add in a 100 calorie pack of Blue Diamond's Dark Chocolate Oven Roasted Almonds to some plain yogurt (thanks mom for the suggestion!).

Although greek yogurt is great straight from the cup, it also makes for an awesome substitute for sour cream, oil, cream cheese, mayo, and butter, putting a healthier spin on a plethora of snacks and meals. For some greek yogurt-infused recipes, check out the links provided below:

Avocado Egg Salad

Slender Cilantro Jalapeño Ranch Dressing

Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes

Skinny Greek Yogurt Chicken

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Creamy Oikos Mashed Potatoes

Spinach-Pesto Dip

Sesame Seed-Crusted Salmon Burger with Yogurt Sauce

Mac and Cheese Lite

Low-Fat Cinnamon Peach Banana Bread

Funfetti Cake Frozen Yogurt