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Is Juicing Good for Your Fertility?

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Juicing is the new, healthy diet “trend” and for a good reason. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that only 33% of American adults eat enough fruit and only 27% take in the recommended amount of vegetables. So, why not go the easy route and just throw some kale, strawberries, spinach, and banana into your juicer to meet your daily produce quota?

As “healthy” as it sounds, an on-the-go juice/smoothie meal may not be the best way to lose weight in order to increase your fertility outcome. And calories and body weight matter when trying to increase your fertility. In fact, a 2011 systematic review of more than 47,000 treatment cycles in Reproductive Biomedicine Online, found that body mass index (BMI) of greater than 25 is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, including lower live birth rates. This effect is present in both overweight (BMI of 25 to 30) and obese women (30 or higher).

Juice Makeover

What goes on in your body when you juice? Mainly, the carbohydrates from the fruits–particularly the ones high in starch and fructose–easily breakdown into glucose, which causes a sugar surge, followed by an insulin rush to try to lower the sugar level. And it won’t be long before you’ll be looking for something else to eat because of the rapid glucose release. In other words, you will eat more later on. To lose weight, you must keep the glucose and insulin response under control to maximize your metabolism. Too much insulin keeps fat from breaking down.

Does that mean you should avoid juices/smoothies? Not necessarily. These liquid meals can have a role in improving your diet—and fertility—if you make them the right way by combining the right amounts of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Indeed, Harvard researchers conducted a groundbreaking fertility study that highlighted dietary considerations to increase fertility: eat more vegetable protein, like nuts and beans, and whole grain sources of carbohydrates to slow sugar and insulin responses; switch fat-free dairy for a full-fat food option once a day; and, if overweight, decrease body weight between 5%-10%. Combined, these factors can make a difference in fertility success.

Of course, whole foods should be your first choice, but at times juices/smoothies can be a more-than-adequate replacement. So do not put your Nutribullet juicer on Ebay yet. Here are two fertility-supporting juice smoothies to get you going:

Fertility Pack Breakfast Smoothies

Kiwi Strawberry Banana Smoothie – one serving
1 Cup Milk, full fat + ½ cup ice water
2 Kiwi, skinned
1/2 medium Banana, frozen
1 Cup Strawberries, frozen
1 Tablespoon Sesame seeds
Calories per serving: 390

Creamy Green Berry Smoothie – one serving
1/4 Avocado, small, peeled
1 large handful Spinach, raw
3/4 Cup Blueberries, frozen
1 Cup Strawberries, frozen, sliced
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed, ground
1/2 Cup Almond milk, unsweetened
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, full fat
Calories per serving: 379

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Break A Sweat and Boost Your Sperm Count

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It is no secret that being overweight brings with it a laundry list of health problems, and impaired fertility surely makes the list. However, to improve fertility outcomes, don’t just keep an eye on your own waist, but also that of your male partner. And, though we know that making dietary changes is essential to losing or maintaining weight, too often we consider physical activity as an “extra” that it is not as important as diet. Wrong! Exercise and a healthy diet are a marriage in weight management, an unbreakable one.

At Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, 137 men seeking fertility treatments between 2006-2012 were evaluated on the relationship between their sperm concentrations and their exercise habits. The study found men who engaged in moderate to high intensity exercise for seven hours a week, showed 48% higher sperm concentrations than those who exercised less than one hour per week.

But does the type of physical activity matter? It does. Outdoor activities and weight lifting were associated with higher sperm performance. The study’s authors attribute these results to the testosterone increase and improved insulin management effect of weight lifting; whereas, outdoor activities may increase levels of vitamin D, which has shown to impact fertility.

Keep Moving!

Plenty of studies show lifting weights in the following manner produces the greatest testosterone boost: three to four sets, 8-12 reps, and selecting exercises that work different muscles at the same time—squats, pull-ups, and push-ups. Likewise, one study observed subjects with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes – a condition often associated to years of excess sugar intake and weight gain. The subjects participated in resistance-training workouts, twice a week, for 16 weeks. The study revealed a favorable impact on insulin sensitivity and/or an increase in the activity of the transporters of glucose to the muscles.

Also, don’t ever think exercise works likes a savings account that bears benefits with little effort. You have to make daily deposits to keep your health balance in the black. Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., FACSM, of Missouri State University, explains in her article in the ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, that exercising on a regular basis is particularly important as the effects on blood glucose levels are lost within days of the activity.

In fact, when healthy subjects reduced their physical activity from more than 10,000 steps per day to less than 5,000 within three days, postprandial glucose (glucose levels measured after a carbohydrate-rich meal) increased significantly. (“Lowering Physical Activity Impairs Glycemic Control in Healthy Volunteers,” published in Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise.)

It’s worthwhile to mention that as great as lifting weights and outdoor cardio may be for male fertility, if biking is your chosen activity, hold off for a while. In the same study, men who biked for more than an hour a week had 34% lower sperm count than those who didn’t cycle. The pressure placed against the scrotum by a bike’s seat, and/or the increased temperature in this area, has shown to impair fertility.

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The Right Fat Can Improve Your IVF Success

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If you are health conscious you try to avoid all types of fats. After all, fat is bad, right? It damages your waistline, heart, and overall health. But you should not fear fat. Not all fats are created equal nor are they necessarily “evil.” In fact, when it comes to in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment success, fat may be your best friend.

Take a look at this recent study published in European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology that involved 147 women who underwent an IVF procedure. The ones with the highest intake of healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats—found in salmon, olive oil, nuts, avocado, and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and sesame seeds—had 11.6 mature eggs to be retrieved. In comparison, the women with the highest intake of saturated fats, like those found in butter and processed meats, had 9.3 mature eggs. (Having more mature eggs can mean more embryos to choose for fresh transfer, particularly among women who have poor ovarian stimulation response.) The difference was enough to significantly change the success rate of the IVF treatment outcome.

Likewise, the women who had the highest intake of the healthy fats had a 3.45 times greater odds of a live birth than the ones who had a higher intake of saturated fats. The study’s authors also noted that the metabolic response of fats varies according to the type. In fact, there’s evidence that high saturated fat intake increases inflammatory compounds and impair insulin response—two issues related to many chronic diseases.

Fertility Boosting Breakfast 
An easy way to make sure that you nourish your body with pro fertility healthy fats is to have a breakfast smoothie. But don’t buy into the bottled beverages at your grocery store. They are high in sugar and calories and low in protein and good fats. Instead, make your own. Here is a great fertility-boosting smoothie with the right balance of nutrients and calories.

Creamy Green Berry Smoothie
1/2 Each Avocado, small (or use ¼ cup of fresh coconut – flesh) 90.0
1 large handful Spinach, raw 14.0
3/4 Cup Blueberries, frozen 62.5
1 cup, sliced Strawberries, frozen 53.0
1 Tablespoon Seeds, flaxseed, ground 64.0
1 1/2 Cups Almond milk, unsweetened 75.0
TOTALS 358.5

 

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Sleep and Be Fertile

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We’ve been told that to lose weight, we’d better have a healthy, balanced diet, eat fewer calories than we burn, and exercise regularly. And somewhere we read something about also managing stress to keep the pounds from piling up. However, other than the standard recommendations, not many people connect losing stubborn pounds with sleep habits. Indeed, you can be doing everything you are supposed to do, but still don’t see the scale balance in your favor. If this is the case for you, read and learn from my patient Mary.

BMI, IVF and Sleep: What do they have in common?

Mary, a patient evaluating fertility treatment options, ate clean and worked out four times a week, but began to notice, little by little, that her pants got tighter. Since she was doing the right things in terms of her health, she thought her weight gain was caused by a hormonal problem. “It must be my thyroid,” she said. After her physician ran all the proper tests, she came to me for overall dietary, exercise and other health-related lifestyle counseling.

By reviewing Mary’s lifestyle, I found she had begun to get up at midnight to make sure her husband was home safe from his night job. So, with this nightly interruption, Mary was getting only about six total hours of sleep a night. Not terrible, but the problem was that her sleep time and quality was being disrupted. And this disturbance she was messing up her metabolism. Translation: she didn’t know why she was hungry all the time or why she was craving sugary food throughout the day. These symptoms were something that she didn’t have before.

Mary’s body mass index (BMI) – a measure of weight-height relationship classification – was now over 25, when it used to be 23. This put Mary in the overweight category. The fact that Mary now was overweight increased not only her pant size, but also her risked her fertility and overall health. In fact, a recent study, in which more than 47,000 treatment cycles were included, found that raised BMI (>25) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome in women undergoing IVF with ICSI treatment, including lower live birth rates. (Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 2011.)

Unfortunately, Mary could now be part of this statistic. How are sleep deprivation or erratic sleep patters linked to weight increase? In a study published in the international journal Psychoneruendocrinology, sleep-deprived people selected greater portion sizes of energy-dense food snacks – high in sugar and fat –and meals than they do after one night of normal sleep. Another study published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolismshows that even with subjects of healthy weight, when they experienced just a single night of sleep loss, the part of the brain related to the desire to eat experienced a greater activation than when they slept their regular number of hours.

Experts explain that lack of sleep or sleep disruption, throws off important hormones that control appetite and satiety: ghrelin and leptin. When these two hormones are out of whack, hunger increases while satiety is slow to kick in. This affects other hormones that also impact the metabolism, such as insulin and cortisol. So, basically, your energy goes down and neither your body nor mind processes that you’ve already eaten, therefore you feel hungry all day, and your energy stays low. All this makes it harder for you to do the two things that can best control your weight: making nutritious food choices and exercising.

Even when you do manage to control your diet, in a study in which subjects on a diet slept 8.5 hours or 5.5 hours, they lost the same amount of weight, but the ones who slept the 8.5 hours lost more body fat and less lean muscle than those who slept less.

The takeaway message: we know how important is to maintain a healthy weight during fertility treatments; one more thing to evaluate if you’re fighting the pounds is your sleep pattern.

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Timing Your Meals Helps with PCOS

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To many women’s surprise, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – a health condition in which sex hormones are out of balance, disrupting normal menstrual cycles, increasing infertility risks, and disturbing insulin and blood glucose patterns – does not discriminate over how much you weigh. Although PCOS is most common in women who are overweight or obese, you can still suffer from PCOS when at a healthy weight.

One of the most common problems with PCOS is insulin resistance, a condition in which your body is unable to use insulin properly, putting glucose levels out of whack. Insulin and glucose are affected by overall caloric intake and the food you eat – white carbohydrates rapidly spike glucose levels, fiber-rich whole grain carbohydrates slow down the glucose response. Yet, a recent study shows meal time and distribution also play an important role in controlling insulin resistance for women with PCOS.

A total of 60 lean women with PCOS were given the same daily caloric intake – around 1800 – but the caloric intake and distribution for each meal varied. For example, the Breakfast Diet had most calories consumed in the morning – 980 at breakfast, 640 at lunch and 190 at dinner. For the Dinner Diet, most calories were consumed in the evening – 190 at breakfast, 640 for lunch, and 980 for dinner. The research, published in Clinical Science, showed that only the Breakfast Diet was able to provide significant fertility-related benefits, such as:

  1. Decreased free testosterone by 50%
  2. Increased sex hormone-binding globulin by 105% – an important protein in controlling testosterone and estrogen that decreases when high testosterone and insulin are present
  3. Increased ovulation rate

The researchers attributed the results to improved insulin sensitivity and to a reduced enzyme that affects the sex hormones, particularly testosterone, which is produced in excess when you have PCOS. So watch what you eat — and when.

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Can the Sunshine Vitamin D Improve Sperm Performance?

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More often than not, we look at the woman’s health side when discussing fertility issues. But men need to be part of the conversation too. One major topic of discussion: low vitamin D levels.

Chances are you have heard about the benefits of adequate vitamin D – from heart health to diabetes to decreased belly fat. But does vitamin D levels affect fertility, especially for men? The Unit of Reproductive Endocrinology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, recently reviewed 30 years of research involving vitamin D and human reproduction. They found evidence for a “favorable effect of vitamin D supplementation on semen quality, testosterone concentrations, and fertility outcomes.” The bad news: some studies have reported that most people, especially men, run low in vitamin D. The leading factors include aging, limited sun exposure, and/or certain cholesterol drugs.

If a man suspects low vitamin D is the source of his fertility problems, he should first talk to his doctor who can run a blood test to measure serum 25(OH) D concentration, which can determine if he is D deficient. A serum level of 20 ng/mL is considered “good” although some studies have shown higher benefits in the 25-35 ng/mL range.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) of vitamin D for most people is 600IU. How much should you take to reach serum 25 (OH) D levels? It is quite easy. For every 1ng/mL that you need to bump up, you require an additional 100IU of vitamin D per day.

Supplements are an easy way to get more D. If your doctor advises to take one, look for Vitamin D-3, which has shown to raise the levels more effectively than D-2. Equally important is to take it with your biggest meal as this increases its absorption by 50%, according to a study from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Bone Clinic.

Besides supplements, you can increase your vitamin D levels with foods, such as egg yolk, salmon, fortified milk, yogurt, and cheese. Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because your body can get it from the sun. And while some sun exposure (about 10 minutes) can complement your vitamin D diet and supplements, relying too much on sunlight may increase your risk of skin cancer. It’s often safer to stick with supplements and food.

Be aware that too much vitamin D can increase one’s risk of heart and liver issues. However, if the “boys” need some help, a little extra D may do the trick.

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20 Minute Combo Belly Fat Burner Workout

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You eat a giant bagel and wash it down with an extra large coffee mixed with plenty of cream and sugar. Then you spend the next 6-plus hours stuck at your computer to make a pressing deadline. Your regular workout? There is no time. And when the day finally ends, you unwind by staying up to watch The Tonight Show or Conan and only drop off when full fatigue sets in.

This scenario may sound harmless, but it is the perfect formula for increasing abdominal fat. Here is how.

Insulin hormone spikes due to the rapid sugar release from the bagel. This flow of energy will be barely used right away, so it gets deposited as belly fat. Since you are under stress from your deadline, cortisol goes up. Visceral fat loves cortisol, which stimulates enzymes like lipoprotein lipase and promotes fat storage. Everything gets worse when you cut back on your sleep, which throws off some metabolic hormones and make you crave even more sugar and fat. In the end, you are trapped in a fat belly cycle that never ends.

Cortisol and insulin are critical for many body functions, but when they get out of control, they will not only inflate your pants size, but take a serious toll on your overall health, including your fertility. Poor insulin performance increases the risk of insulin resistance, a condition in which your body keeps up insulin production, but cannot efficiently use it. Insulin resistance is a leading cause of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a known cause of infertility problems.

Fat Facts

The skin you can pinch between your fingers is your subcutaneous fat. This fat may not be 100 percent directly related to some health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, metabolic syndrome, and even infertility. However, the more this fat increases, the more visceral fat (the fat deep within the belly) can be stored, and the greater your risk for health issues.

The good news is that while the belly is the body’s preferred fat storage, it is also the first spot to shrink when you exercise. To lose pesky abdominal fat, you need to mix both resistance and cardio training. However, you cannot maximize the results without the right exercise selection, order, and intensity.

Your cardio intensity makes a significant difference in your mid-section. Belly fat is highly stimulated by sympathetic activity. Aerobic exercise increases the sympathetic response through the release of epinephrine, dopamine, and other catecholamine that ignite your metabolism to use your mid-section fat as a preferred source of energy. Thus, the higher the intensity, the more fat you burn.

In fact, High intensity exercise training (HIET) was more effective at reducing total abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat, and abdominal visceral fat than low intensity training, concluded a study published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

The most common exercise protocol for HIET is to alternate between short periods of high intensity exercise (no more than 60 seconds on a scale of 8-9 with 1 being very easy and 10 very hard), followed by a recovery period. This varies according to your fitness level, but is often double or triple the time of the high intensity interval. The perceived exertion should be in the 4-5 range using the same scale.

Following the same exercise protocol used in the study, the following routine calls for what is known as a Peripheral Heart Action Super-Set, which means alternating between one upper and lower body part. It also selects exercises that work big muscles. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood from one extreme to the other, which increases the intensity right away along with a brief cardio burst in between.

Exercise Routine Guidelines

Perform this routine in super-set (two exercises: one for the upper body and one for the lower body) for 60 seconds each. Select a weight in which you struggle to make it to the end. This is followed by 2 minutes of cardio—like jogging in place, bike, squat jumps, elliptical. Alternate between 30 seconds high intensity and 30 seconds recovery during the 2-minute span. Total hard workout: 16 minutes.

– Recovery time at the end of each strength-cardio super set is no longer than 90 seconds.
– Perform this routine two to three times a week on alternating days.
– Warm-up for 2 minutes with some dynamic stretching and then cool-down for 2 minutes with static and foam roll stretching.

Peripheral Heart Action Super-Set 
Super-set one: Barbell Chest Press (top) followed by Barbell Squat.
Super- set two: Lat Pull Down (top) followed by Straight Leg Deadlift. (You can do this with a tubing or lat pull-down machine.) For the Straight Leg Deadlift this make sure your buttocks is out while your back remains straight. Set your legs a little bit wider than shoulder width apart to work the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and inner thighs. Go as low as you can while keeping your back straight. Keep the weight close to your body, your chest up, and use your hamstrings and glutes, not your back.
Super- set three: Barbell Shoulder Press (top) followed by Barbell Lunges.
Super-set four: Barbell Back Row (below) followed by Leg Press (not shown). For the Back Row, bend at a 45-degree angle, and keep your chest up, core tight, and your arms close to your body. Do not shrink your shoulders. You should feel the effort in the middle of the back. For the Leg Press, use the standard seated leg press machine in either a wide or close stance. A wide stance shifts the focus to the inner thighs while the close one works the outer thighs.

Image credits Andrew Meade Photography

 

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The Gluten Free Craze: Does it Work?

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Actresses, athletes, and not so famous people swear their weight loss, improved mood, joint pain relief, and any other ailment cure is the result of a gluten free diet—avoiding foods made with wheat, rye, and barley. Certainly, if you are among the 1% of the American who suffer from celiac disease (a condition in which you cannot digest gluten) you must be put on a gluten free diet. But what about the rest of us? Will going gluten-free really work as an almost one-size-fits-all type of remedy for so many health issues? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer either.

Gluten is a protein found in those grains. People without celiac disease can still experience an inflammatory response from consuming gluten (called non-celiac gluten sensitivity, NCGS). This may decrease the absorption of important nutrients while increasing oxidative stress (cell damage). So they may benefit from avoiding gluten rich foods. But what you choose as food substitute matters as much as staying gluten clear. If your first choice is to eat any of the hundreds of gluten-free products on grocery shelves, you also could consume extra sugar, fats, and other poor nutritious content that may lead to other health issues. However, gluten-free can also mean increasing more foods like veggies, fruits, beans and lentils, and gluten-free grains, all of which are high in fiber, amino-acids, magnesium, iron and other important nutrients. This option can help you lose weight as well as improve your overall health.

Nowadays, we know that behind many health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, arthritis and even some conditions that affect fertility like endometriosis, lays chronic inflammation. Thus, by avoiding gluten you may better manage these conditions. In fact, a recent study found that women who suffer from painful endometriosis symptoms and followed a gluten-free diet reported significantly less painful symptoms compared to those who did not follow the diet. (Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.) Keep in mind that going gluten free may mean you need to supplement your diet with vitamins A, D, E, and K, iron, calcium, folic acid, and B-complex vitamins. Gluten-free takes dedication and discipline to follow. But if you have digestive issues, it could help you find welcomed relief.

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A Winning Pair: 8 Food Combos for Better Wellness

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Have you realized how many pills may you take daily without notice? After your workout you feel your muscles burn and automatically reach out for acetaminophen. At breakfast, you may take a multi vitamin with some “added benefit claim.” And maybe at night an Ambien pill is your best friend for a good night sleep.

Surely, drugs and supplements have a place in a healthy life, but sometimes the easiest move—popping a pill—is not the healthiest choice for the long term.

Although you can get these pills over the counter, this does not make them safer than some prescription drugs—supplements are not FDA approved, which leaves the consumer unprotected. Instead of looking in a bottle for health benefits, check out the supermarket aisle.

More studies show how when some foods are paired together they may provide similar benefits as some drugs, but with the advantage of supplying other healthy nutrients that pills do not. Here is how you can combine certain foods (and thus specific vitamins and nutrients) to improve your overall health and well being.

Easy Two

1)     Eggs (protein) + Sweet potato (vitamin A & C) = Look younger

In a study where more than 4,000 middle-aged women were assed the relationship between aging and skin aging, those who had less protein, potassium, vitamin C, and Vitamin A in their diet, had a more wrinkled appearance, says Martina M. Cartwright, Ph.D., R.D., adjunct faculty member at University of Arizona, in the IDEA Fitness Journal.

2)     Bell peppers (vitamin C) + Chicken (vitamin B12) = Decrease stress

In periods of chronic stress, vitamin C can be depleted because of an overworked adrenal gland. Likewise, the B-complex vitamins, particularly B12, are needed by the nervous system to relieve stress, according to Nutrition Almanac.

3)     Chocolate (arginine) + Peanuts (Folate) = Fertility

The amino-acid arginine plays an important role to relax the blood vessels, thus improving blood flow. Studies show than men with lower sperm counts and motility improved their numbers after taking arginine. Also, research from the University of California showed healthy men with high levels of folate in their diets had a significantly lower risk of sperm with chromosomal abnormalities. Peanuts are a great folate source and also contain over 30 other essential nutrients. They are high in arginine as well.

4)     Almonds (tryptophan) + Apricots or Dates (magnesium)  = Better sleep

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that acts as a precursor of serotonin – the calm chemical – and can be converted to melatonin (the sleeping hormone regulator), which promotes relaxation. Magnesium, is a stress beater and necessary for metabolic function, heart beat regulation, and to help maintain normal muscle/nerve function.

5)     Whey protein  + Skim milk  (calcium) + Dark Chocolate (arginine) = Lose weight

Studies show that whey protein improves body composition by decreasing body fat and hunger compared to other protein food types, such as soy and casein. Dairy, has whey protein and calcium, and this combo my improve body fat ratio. And in a recent study, chocolate lovers showed a lower body mass index than non-chocolate eaters.

6)     Ginger + Extra Virgin Olive Oil = Reduce pain and inflammation

Gingerols are the anti-inflammatory compounds found in ginger, which inhibit the formation of pro-inflammatory substances cytokines, Likewise, Extra-virgin oil may act as natural anti-inflammatory like some pain relief drugs. The chemical oleocanthal in olive oil reduces one of the enzymes that promote inflammation.

7)     Chia seeds (omega 3-fatty acids)  + Oats (fiber) = Improve heart health

Diets high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants have shown to decrease inflammation, which is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Viscous fibers like found in oats increase bile acid losses, which are linked to lower triglycerides—a type of fat found in vegetable oils and animal food. Low levels help increase weight loss and lower your risk of heart disease, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition.

8)     Popcorn (fiber) + Pistachios (protein) = Best energy snack

A 100 percent whole grain carbohydrate will give you the energy pick-me-up that will last for a while, according to Erin Palinski, RD, CDE, CPT, author of Belly Fat Diet for Dummies. One of the best options is plain popcorn, a 100 percent unprocessed whole grain. Popcorn has more polyphones (antioxidants substances) than fruits and vegetables, making it the ideal snack. Research published in the Journal Neuron shows protein, not sugar, activates the cells that keep you awake and helps to burn calories. To increase your energy and your attention span, pair whole grains with protein. In particular, good sources of the amino-acid tyrosine, which increases the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter critical for brain alertness. A 25g portion of pistachios can provide 70mg of tyrosine.

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When Healthy Food is Not Your Taste

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You know that you have to bump up your diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, fish, and other healthy food staples. But there is a problem—you can’t tolerate the taste!

So how do you still enjoy the nutrients these superfoods provide to your waist and overall health, without having to eat them?

There’s no way that you will look, perform and feel at your best if your diet doesn’t provide plenty of food sources rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and good fats. But odds are you may be filling one compartment more than other. For instance, you love fish, but hate vegetables. This can lead to a nutrients imbalance—plenty of omega-3 fatty acids while little antioxidants and fiber.

Take the case of people who avoid gluten. They can pack on protein and veggies, but be short on other nutrients. “A gluten-free diet, as typically followed, may be high in fat and low in fiber and many vitamins and minerals, including calcium, folate, and niacin,” says Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant for celiac disease.

Healthy Swaps

Instead of avoiding healthy foods you do not enjoy swap them out for more appealing choices that have the same or similar nutritional benefits. Here are some examples from Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, author of “The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories & Fat Disappear- with Fiber!”

1. Nuts

What’s good? From omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and magnesium to vitamin E and fiber, nuts are a true nutrition star. They are not just good for the heart and the skin, but studies show people who eat nuts regularly have less belly fat. Some nuts provide fewer calories than originally thought. And if you go nuts when eating them and can’t stop after a handful (they are still high in calories) have them shelled, like pistachios. A recent study showed that people who ate shelled pistachios had less than unshelled pistachios eaters.

What’s a good swap? Flaxseeds contain vitamin E and are packed full of fiber (just be sure to use ground flaxseed to get the benefits of flaxseeds’ vitamins and minerals). Soybeans contain fiber and protein, a winning combination to help you stay full in between meals. Try adding steamed edamame to stir-fry dishes, as a side dish, or you can enjoy dried soy nuts and add them to a salad for a delicious crunchy topping.

2. Fish

What’s good? Fish is a calorie bargain. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, protein, B-vitamins, calcium, and other important nutrients. It is not just one of the best options to build muscle mass and joint health, but also provides plenty of the B-vitamins to keep your metabolism going and energy up.

What’s a good substitute? To get omega-3 fatty acids try including nuts, soybeans, canola oil, and flaxseeds. You can get B vitamins from pork, poultry, and yogurt. Egg whites provide tons of protein without extra fat and calories, which makes it a great non-fish alternative. Chia seeds may have it all—this nutty tasting seed contains more omega-3 fatty acid in a serving than salmon. Chia seeds are also high in fiber; 2 tablespoons contain 8 grams of fiber, and are a good source of protein and calcium.

3. Veggies/ fruits

What’s good? Both provide ample amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are tough to get from other food choices. Your five-servings-a-day can make you healthier, leaner, and even happier since many colorful veggies and fruits support neurotransmitters linked to relaxation, calmness, and better sleep.

What’s a good swap? If you loathe most vegetables then bulk up your fruit intake. Fruits have more calories and sugar, but still serve up plenty of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Choose high fiber fruits, such as raspberries, apples, pears, and blueberries. And if you are not a fruit fan load up on broccoli, which is one of the greatest cruciferous and a rich source of calcium, vitamin C, A, folate, and fiber.

And if you can only tolerate your five-a-day in a juice, make sure to throw your veggies and fruits with the peel, which contains most of the fiber. Likewise, beware of serving size as an apple may have 80 calories and apple juice may be over 100 calories and loaded with added sugars.

If you’ll buy soup, check out the calories on the label—usually it’s two servings per package so multiply by two everything: calories, fiber, protein, fats, sodium, fat, and sugar. It should be less than 1.5g for salt, 15g total for fat, and less than 15g for sugar, per 100g of food.

4. Dairy

What’s good? Dairy is rich in calcium, vitamin-D, and protein. This makes it one of the best food sources for bone and muscle mass health. It is also linked to weight loss control due to its whey and casein protein content along with essential amino acids supply). Dairy boosts heart health too due to its potassium content, which may help to manage high blood pressure.

What’s a good swap? For those who are lactose intolerant there is plenty of Lactaid dairy products or hard cheeses and Greek yogurt, which are low in lactose and are well tolerated. If you are allergic to dairy there are still plenty of alternatives that provide similar nutrients, such as egg whites, poultry, fish, and calcium fortified tofu and soy products. (Edamame contains the equivalent amount of protein as meat or eggs, making it a great protein option if you are vegetarian or vegan.)

5. Whole grains

What’s good? Whole grains retain the bran and endosperm layer, which contains vitamins A, E and B-6, as well as zinc, iron, and fiber. The fiber found in whole grains is important for a healthy diet because it keeps you full; fiber slows digestion, keeping the food in your stomach longer, leading to stable blood sugars and increased satiety.

What’s a good swap? If you are not a fan, or are allergic, flaxseed, millet, buckwheat, and quinoa are great ways to add the fiber and vitamins and minerals found in whole grain products.