A few weeks ago, one of my dear clients sent me an email including the link below with the simple question, “What do you think?”:
Diet: Eating Too Much Protein in Middle-Age Could be Harmful.
A new study suggests that a high protein diet (>1.2g protein per kg of body weight consumed per day) increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, and death among middle-aged adults. Lead author Dr. Valter Longo writes, “We studied simple organisms, mice, and humans, and provide convincing evidence that a high-protein diet – particularly if the proteins are derived from animals – is nearly as bad as smoking for your health.” Cell Metabolism, March 2014
This may look familiar, as it’s study that made the mainstream media rounds with attention-grabbing titles such as High Protein Diet “as bad for health as smoking”. Needless to say, it has caused all kinds of Atkins’ followers to question their livelihood; vegans to rejoice in animal-loving union; and straight up concern or confusion in the rest of the public.
Since she wasn’t the first person who asked what my thoughts were (and probably won’t be the last) on this subject, I figured this was a good time to kick off a series of posts where I will share questions that I receive since they seem to be common concerns that are on a LOT of peoples’ minds! So, for the debut of Client Questions,here was my response to the above…
Always be wary of sensationalized statements such as “high protein diets are nearly as bad for your health as smoking” when coming across articles and even studies. Many clinical studies, even peer reviews, have so many facets and layers not included in the media-spread versions… basically making these newsletter and online stories the “highlighted” and attention grabbing versions that get peoples’ attention and quickly :)
In regards to this study in particular (which I happened to look into when someone else asked about it a month or so ago, unsurprisingly, ha!), here are some bullet points to consider:
It was actually two studies – a mouse intervention study and an epidemiological study. The only time tumor growth is mentioned or causation is applied is towards the mouse study (due to IGF-1 factor).
No participant in the epidemiological study was under the age of 50, and people were divided into 50-65 or 65+ (and actually found high protein diets as beneficial to those over 65 unless they had diabetes)
IGF-1, which is a growth hormone in dairy, meats, etc, promotes cell growth. As in, any cell growth. It doesn’t matter if it’s a muscle cell, cancerous cell, or a tumor. It just encourages growth of cells, period.
The studies do not consider any of the following: the effect of exercise, intake of fruits and vegetables, which sources of protein, lifestyle (healthy or not), what replaced protein in the low protein groups, effect on weight loss, people younger than 50, etc.
In a nutshell, I would say if a person’s underlying diet is bad… then too high protein could be an issue, within the age group in the study. For all we know, the high protein group could have been eating mainly processed meats or other proven carcinogenic less-than-ideal protein sources to provide such results. Basically, there are many things that were not controlled and that are important to consider in this (and any) study.
A more accurate title or heading for this study in the media (or in general) would be something like: “High protein diets for those between 50-65 years of age may be associated with increased cancer risk.”
Depending on the type of protein powder (for the sake of simplicity, I will refer to the two more common comparisons: whey and plant-based), there is little difference when it comes to actual preparation and ways to enjoy.
Compared to whey, plant-based protein (like my favorite: RawFusion), tends to act more like a ‘flour’ when mixed or baked into different things. It is a bit thicker, slightly harder to blend, and can even be made into a pudding quite easily (similar to casein protein for anyone familiar with Casein Fluff). Whey, however (especially whey isolate), tends to become more gummy and liquid-like and would not suffice in a pudding-type treat. Due to this, it does blend into liquids or other foods, like yogurt, much faster and easier.
So in the case of consistency, plant-based proteins = thicker like flour; whey proteins = easier to blend into liquid. Regardless, both are great for blended smoothies. And since most clients I have worked with are in need of a convenient way to use protein powder as opposed to becoming the next Master-of-Creative-Culinary-Uses-For-Protein (guilty, as proven by the video at the bottom of this post), I will share a couple of my favorite go-to protein smoothie ideas that are easy, delicious, and nutritionally-sound.
These are great any time of day: breakfast, an hour or so before your workout, after your workout, or literally any time. Sure, there are certain benefits timing-wise if you want to get more detailed with the science of nutrient absorption versus activity and a whole slew of other metabolic factors, but what ultimately matters is simply getting into the routine of having additional protein and feeding your body favorable nutrients in general. Trust me. Do not over-complicate things, especially with new routines. Focus on the grand scheme rather than minute details. Have your shake or smoothie where it fits best for you and your schedule.
Remember: it is best to start with small and simple habits!
Protein Mocha Frappuccino
8-10 oz. unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 scoop Protein Powder of choice (or 2 for active men) *I use RawFusion
1 Tbsp. Instant Coffee Granules
1 Tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder *omit if you’re using Chocolate-Flavored Protein
1 Handful of Ice
1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds OR 2 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed
Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or any extract of choice! Coconut, Mint, Orange, Banana.. tons of fun flavors out there! Be creative!
Blend in blender and enjoy!
Fruity Protein Smoothie
8-10 oz. unsweetened almond or coconut milk
1 scoop Protein Powder of choice (or 2 for active men) *I use RawFusion Vanilla
Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or any extract of choice! Coconut, Orange, Banana… get creative!
Blend in blender, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and enjoy!
*For those seeking a trusty, inexpensive little blender, I always suggest this Hamilton Beach Single Serving Blender with Travel Lid. It is easy to find (sold at Wal-Mart or Amazon.com for $12-14), blends your shake smoothly, lasts FOREVER (I’ve had mine for over 6 years, plus check out these reviews), and is great to keep at work and/or at home.
The great thing about smoothies is that you CAN very easily adjust and get creative according to your taste! Make it aVeggie Smoothieby adding in some cucumbers, celery, spinach… Make it an Apple Pie Smoothie by using vanilla protein, cinnamon, a chopped apple (or even organic apple sauce), and some walnuts… Make a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie by using pumpkin puree, vanilla protein, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and some pecans… Don’t be scared to try new things! You’ll be surprised at some of the deliciousness you come up with.
For those who ARE open to becoming more creative with protein powder, try mixing it into some organic Greek Yogurt, or mixing it into cooked and cooled down oatmeal, or even making it into a pudding like I mentioned and using it as a dip or sweet cream sauce like I did in this recipe.
Want to get really fancy?
Check out this video recipe for Protein Marshmallows!
Coming soon: Recipes for both my easy, homemade chocolate bars and simple, sprouted grain “graham” crackers to use with the Protein Marshmallows for the delicious S’mores-From-Scratch as shown here…
Like I said, the possibilities really are endless! :)
I absolutely LOVE eggs. Always have, always will. Whether they’re scrambled, sunny-side-up, chopped over a salad, or even straight out of the carton (whites, in that case. And no, it doesn’t taste like foot. It’s tasteless and awesome)… Eggs have always been a staple food in my regime of deliciousness.
Cadbury Creme Eggs were even my favorite holiday treat growing up, for goodness sake. Side note: Are you aware they have actually decreased 30% in size since back in the heyday? Truth.
I partly hold this on account of my dad and the memories of him making his yummy breakfasts of eggs, mushrooms, cumin, and close to a half-stick of butter in a pan. I always wanted whatever he was making because it smelled so warm and spicy. Plus, he always ate everything with Lebanese pita bread. Believe it or not, the pita and butter was my favorite part… I just kind of put up with the eggs (reminder: Nutrition Specialists are not born Nutrition Specialists) and I could still hear my mom saying, “That is TOO much butter for her! Way too much,” to which he would say okay and then slice me off another chunk of golden, melty goodness when she wasn’t looking.
Coincidentally, I really miss my dad about now… and the thought of that much butter at this point kind of makes my stomach turn. But, I digress.
When it comes to the most convenient form of eggs – hard boiled – there is actually a LOT more involved then throwing eggs in a boiling pot of water and then peeling them after a few minutes. It’s a SCIENCE, and if you don’t have it down, you’ll likely experience one (or all) of the following hard boiled fails:
Tearing and peeling half the whites off with the shell. I call this the Moon Crater fail.
Success with peeling… but a puke green rim (or totally green, for that matter) yolk on the inside. Aka: the Groke.
A yolk that isn’t completely cooked and still runny (which is on purpose, at times, ie. the soft boiled egg).
A cracked or broken shell while boiling which ends up in seeping out whites and tumor-growth looking eggs.
(Add your hard boiled egg fail here)
It came to my attention recently that so many people don’t know exactly how to make the perfect hard boiled egg. Whenever anyone asks me what a good, portable, convenient option is for a snack, one of my go-to suggestions is this winner. However, 9 out of 10 people say they can never make them right! As soon as a couple of clients mentioned spending way too much money on a way questionable means of this amazing, protein-packed snack (*cough* 7-11 ready hard boiled eggs in a plastic baggy), I KNEW I had to share this post to benefit their bellies and everyone else who fears attempting the delicousness that is the HBE.
I’m pretty happy to say I have it down to a science and am even happier to share it here!
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS
You’ll need:
Eggs
Water
Large sauce pan with lid
Large slotted spoon
Large bowl
Ice
As an example here, I’m using a small saucepan and just a few eggs. But I highly suggest making these in bulk and using the biggest stock or sauce pan you have because you want to make sure the eggs are covered by a good inch of water without it boiling over once things get moving. Plus, it’s amazingly convenient to have a bunch of them ready to go in the fridge, especially if you don’t have time to prepare food during the day and need a quick snack (or protein for a full) to grab and go.
Step 1: Carefully place cold eggs in a single layer at the bottom of your sauce pan.
Notice the bottom egg is a little cracked. At the end, I share a tip that helps salvage the whites if they seep out while boiling.
Step 2: Fill the sauce pan with cold water until all the eggs are completely submerged (about an inch of water above eggs).
Step 3: Put sauce pan on stove and set it to high to boil.
Keep a good eye on it because it won’t need to boil for long…
Step 4: Once water gets going with a rolling boil, let boil for only one minute before removing from stove top.
Step 5: Cover with lid and take off the burner, setting it to the side
Set a timer for 15 minutes. The eggs will continue cooking in the hot water as they sit.
Step 6: Fill up a large bowl halfway with ice and then up about 3/4 high with cold water
Step 7: Once timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove eggs from sauce pan and place in ice bowl.
Let sit about 10 minutes, until ice is mostly melted down.
Can you guess which egg is the one that had the crack in it?
Now. Time for things to get serious.
You’ve made it this far, peeling glory is soon ahead.
And what would an instructional post be without a little video for the visual people?
Main tricks are:
Have water handy for rinsing (and even peeling under). It will help the shell slip off.
Tap both ends of the egg gently on a counter, then do a gentle “rolling’ motion to break it all around before peeling off (this REALLY helps!)
Use the side of your thumb to gently glide the shell off (as opposed to nails or the tips of your fingers). This alleviates risk of tearing any whites off with the shell.
Organic, brown eggs are harder to peel than regular, white eggs. Basically, the fresher the egg, the harder to peel. I definitely suggest and prefer organic, free range eggs if you plan on eating the whole thing including the yolk-y goodness. But if you mainly just want the whites, it will be easier on your prep (and wallet) to just get regular white eggs.
Try not to eat them as you’re peeling. At least not all of them. Yummy little health balls they are.
Additionally, if for some reason an egg cracks in the pot and whites start seeping out (like one of mine did because it had a slight crack in the shell before putting in), have some distilled white vinegar handy and throw a splash or two in the water as it begins to heat up. This helps the white coagulate faster and works well to salvage the egg.
Food for thought: Do you feel like hard boiled eggs make you bloated and gassy?
There is actually justification for this. Eggs (particularly the whites) are very high in sulfur… what most people familiarize with the “rotten egg” or Florida sprinkler system smell. Sulfur is a beneficial nutrient and one of the reasons eggs are a great super food. Any time eggs are cooked, the sulfuric compounds in the proteins are broken down and hydrogen sulfide is released (the cause of that smell). In the case of the HBE, however, this hydrogen sulfide has nowhere to really go. The green rim around the yolk from “overcooking” is actually a reaction between the ferrous iron in the yolk and the hydrogen sulfide in the white (yay, science)!
Some people poke a tiny hole with a very small needle in the shell of the egg before boiling to release pressure and claim this eases any digestive upset caused by the broken down proteins.I’ve never noticed any digestive issues regarding HBE’s personally, but it may be worth trying if you’ve had this issue! People also claim that poking the tiny hole encourages more even cooking, making the eggs easier to peel. But, as you can see once you try my method, a hole isn’t necessary for super hard boiled success!
Now time to go enjoy them however you like! My preference is simple with a bit of sweet and tangy homemade ketchup :)
Now that you know how to cook them up, what is your favorite way to eat hard boiled eggs?
This Healthy Recipe of the Month is probably my favorite go-to salad. It’s just perfect to fulfill a craving… it’s filling but still refreshing as a salad should be. I’m a huge texture person and my perfect meal usually has a mix of different bites; crunchy, soft, crispy, creamy, salty, and sweet. This salad definitely has all of that rolled into one. Not only that, but as you can see, it is ridiculously easy to put together AND can be served as a main dish or side salad to accompany a meal.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Nom nom nom ………
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, this is an easily printable format that I provide for health clubs like Anytime Fitness in Ormond Beach and Anytime Fitness in Winter Park, both in Florida. If you would like to receive a Healthy Recipe of the Month for your fitness club or gym, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to add you to the list! :)
Question of the week: What is the BEST salad, homemade or restaurant, that you’ve ever had?
… or for however many you like, really. This impromptu what-do-I-have-in-the-pantry-that-I-can-make-dessert-ish recipe is VERY easy and came out to two super moist and tasty little cakes. The consistency is almost fudge-like; the outside is just crisp enough to make it sort of a less gooey chocolate lava cake.
Yes it is as decadently good as it looks…..
And added bonus, they are egg-free, gluten-free, paleo-friendly (depending how strict of a regimen you’re on considering there is a pseudo-grain flour involved), and it can easily be vegan/dairy-free by simply substituting the kind of protein used in the sweet cream sauce to something like Sunwarrior Protein-Vanilla. Make sure to check out the notes below the recipe for more tips! :)
Try it out and let me know what you think!
Quinoa Cocoa Cakes for Two
Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Quinoa Flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp Stevia*
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
Pinch of salt
Scant 1/4 tsp instant coffee or espresso (optional)
1 Tbsp Ground Flaxmeal
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
1/4 Cup + 3 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350.*
In a small glass or bowl, whisk together flaxmeal, olive oil, water, and vanilla extract. Let sit for 5 minutes.
In another bowl, mix together quinoa flour, cocoa powder, stevia, baking powder, instant coffee, and salt.
Add flax liquid to dry ingredients and whisk together well.
Split batter into two greased large muffin tins (or I had mini-bundt tins). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Plate each on top of half the Sweet Cream Sauce. Optional tops include.. well.. basically whatever you want. I had a dollop of Son of a Butter! Smoky Bacon Peanut Butter and a fresh strawberry.
*Next time I may try baking at 375 for around 18 minutes. If you like a more cakey, less fudgy center, this option would encourage that more.
Crazy Easy Sweet Cream Protein Sauce:
Scoop 1-2 Servings of your favorite vanilla protein powder into a bowl (I used Vi-Shape by Body By Vi since that is all I had on hand) and whisk with just enough water for thick sauce consistency. I added a touch of cardamom and cinnamon for an extra yumminess.
P.S. Don’t forget, if you want photos of recipes as they are created, workout tips, free gym routines, and other random goodness, you can follow me on Instagram or Twitter too. Happy New Year, everyone!
I am so backed up on posting recipes on here that I will probably spend the next couple of weeks putting a new one up every other day! Okay, maybe not that much to bombard your updates… but at least a handful more before the year is over to play catch up a bit. :)
This one also got some awesome reviews from the members of Anytime Fitness. It’s super easy and SUPER yummy, and you can play around with ingredients (adding more veggies you like, including meat/cheese or not, all kinds of fun deliciousness) according to your personal specifications. Make sure to comment below with any fun alterations you try!
I kept this the same format as the last instead of typing it out on here, and will continue doing so due to the feedback about it being easy to print and share. Yay for my computer skills making you happy! :)
Mmm.. I love squash season…
Some more recipes you have to look forward to (just off the top of my head, because there will be a LOT more) are: Oven-Roasted Veggies; Cinna-Beer Buns with Honey Beer Caramel & Chopped Pretzel Filling (the original, unhealthy version… consider it a Splurge-cipe!); my Go-To Dinner Salad (trust me, it’s absolutely mouth-watering); and tons of others I’ve gotten requests for.
If you want to be a little ahead of the game when it comes to food photos, recipes, fitness tips, free workouts, or other randomly entertaining things, add me on Instagram and Twitter.
Also don’t forget to like us on Facebook or subscribe for email updates to the left if you’d like to know whenever a new blog is posted! I am also planning some reaaally awesome give-aways for the beginning of the new year for Facebook friends so clickity click if you want to see what’s in store.
And, one last thing: Please, please, PLEASE share our Veteran’s Corner page with any and all military veterans you know! It is bound to be a GREAT venue for them, whether they are experienced writers or not, and we are very excited about making this something special! I have also decided to include veteran’s spouses, family members, or significant others as possible contributors. If this describes you, please go check out the submission page and I look forward to hearing from you soon!
I know we are already well-beyond our tryptophan comas, but I still had to share this delicious and EASY recipe with everyone since it got such rave reviews from the members at the Anytime Fitness where I train and lend a helping hand.
Rather than re-typing it out on here, I attached it in the same handout format that I originally made. This way, you can just click on and print to size (either in a new window, or right click and hit “print”). Easy, breezy.
Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments below! And, of course, Happy-Deliciously-Belated-Thanksgiving!
Super easy, super delicious, super festive ANY time of year!
I was recently sent an email asking this question. It was the third time in two weeks the topic of binge eating has come up, with someone seeking advice on how to overcome it through means of a proper nutrition plan. I am sharing my response because I have the feeling it will be relevant to many people out there who find themselves asking the same question (or even those who have not become aware of the existence and severity of binge eating).
Binge eating is more neurological than actually food-based. I can recommend the book Crave by Cynthia Bulik, which is a very good read to help understand that subject more. Binging is an eating disorder just like the most common ones, except not as recognized (even though it actually is the most abundant form of disorder in men and women). Surprisingly to most, it is even INCREDIBLY common with competitors and professionals in the fitness world. Many times, people with eating disorders think they have overcome it when, in actuality, they transfer to a different form of obsession with food.
From what I’ve noticed, binge eating is a result of too much restriction. You shouldn’t focus on restriction in your diet, but more on what you CAN have. Practicing mindful eating is important. Focus on the food you are eating, its taste, and how it actually nourishes the body instead of counting calories, being preoccupied with what you cannot eat, and worrying about numbers. Avoid keeping binge triggers in your home, mindless snacking in front of a TV or computer, and pay attention to emotional triggers that set off binge eating. Keeping busy in general helps, as does setting a time where you stop eating for the day (7pm for example). I’d also focus on eating whole, real, organic foods and cutting out anything synthetic or genetically altered- especially “sugar free” foods where the sugar has been replaced with a substitute like aspartame, saccharin, or sucralose. Such foods can possibly manipulate hormones and insulin levels, which can result in the body feeling deprived.. which only leads to more binge eating.
When you are craving anything, always stop and ask yourself if you are actually HUNGRY, or just mentally craving it. Learn to pay attention to your body and gauge physiological hunger vs a mental craving. If you restrict yourself all day and come home at night famished, you’re basically setting yourself up for disaster. Sometimes cravings are due to your body actually needing a certain nutrient, but just remember that for the most part, the brunt of binge eating is purely neurological.
If you say you “cannot” eat foods, I assume it’s because of an allergy or other medically-related reason. If you are saying you cannot because they trigger binge eating, then I assume you restrict your diet and exclude these foods – which you actually enjoy – only to have it bite you in the butt as soon as you are home, by yourself, finishing a full package of it. You can assure it’s mental and not an actually nutritional craving by adding a little extra complex carbohydrate and fat to each meal throughout the day (sweet potato + coconut or almond butter, quinoa + avocado). It’s been my experience that doing this helps immensely with craving and binging because you are supplying your body with the right nutrition to stabilize insulin levels and avoid any blood sugar crash… which leads to binge eating.
All in all, it is just important to know that any disordered eating or unhealthy relationship with food stems from an emotional place and has nothing to actually do with the food at hand. Food just acts as the outlet since all we truly have control over is what we feed our bodies. Binge eating should be considered just as serious as anorexia or bulimia because it can be just as harmful to the body (and your mental state).
If exercise is important to you, even 10-15 minutes a day of a fully body-weight workout is doable no matter what your schedule may be. Nutrition is the forefront, but staying active is a vital supplement to maintaining optimal health.
I hope this helped. I would be more than happy to help you with a personalized health plan like you asked. I just like to make anyone aware that, although education through a meal plan is a great catalyst, it is not a cure-all in such situations. I would rather bring awareness to that than simply supply you with a quick-fix service. I do highly suggest that you read that book and look into the practice of mindful eating. I could suggest a licensed counseling specialist in disordered eating if you think you may benefit from that venue, as well.
