Eating Out and Portion Sizes

Posted on 17/04/2013 by sbonham

As much as we all try so hard to stay on that diet, reach that goal weight, or just try and live a more health-concious lifestyle, we all stop for fast food or need a “dinner-date-night” time and time again.

So often we go to the restaurant and think – “THIS MEAL COULD FEED A FAMILY OF FOUR!” I remember being at one restaurant in Ohio (USA) once and they asked me what “THREE SIDE DISHES” I would like with my chicken. I was in absolute shock and disbelief. Coming from Toronto, where you only get ONE side dish, this was crazy to me.

healthy-food-portion-size-eco-savy

Shockingly, portion sizes have increased FOUR TIMES since 1950! This is primarily in the USA/Canada though (for those reading this blog in different parts of the world- you’re the lucky ones) . Along with this statistic, American’s are on average 26 pounds heavier!! YIKES!!

So next time you go to the restaurant, try splitting a meal or eat half and take the rest home. 🙂 Or even better, order a salad as a side dish.

Anti Inflammatory Foods

Posted on 15/04/2013 by sbonham

Inflammation in our bodies has been linked to so many chronic illnesses, heart problems, diseases and even cancer. The great thing about all of this is that it can be largely preventable by incorporating certain foods into your diet. Check out this amazing new spin on the traditional food pyramid that focuses on all of the foods you should eat to reduce inflammation within your body. The more you focus on eating better and taking care of your body naturally NOW, the less you will have to worry about inflammatory-related diseases later in life.

How to Increase Metabolism

Posted on 13/04/2013 by sbonham

Increasing your metabolism can be a lot easier than most would think, and it doesn’t involve taking a bunch of supplements and weight loss pills. The food you eat plays a major role in your metabolism!! For example, did you know that studies have found that drinking three glasses of green tea a day can reduce body weight and waist circumference by 5% in three months as well as increase metabolism (note: Green Tea Benefits. net is a great resource if you want to learn more about green tea).

First and foremost, it is important to understand that though diet and exercise play a leading role in losing fat and maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism, your genes are a bigger part of the supporting cast. Unfortunately, it is possible to eat like a guppy but grow bigger than a beluga. However, fortunately new research shows that lifestyle plays a much bigger role than previously thought.

According to Dr. Oz’s book called “You on a Diet!” he referenced a study where two people with the same genes (twins) that were raised with two different lifestyles and on two completely different diets only show 30% of the same propensities for gaining weight -i.e. the other 60% you can CONTROL!

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Herbs that Heal Naturally

Posted on 11/04/2013 by sbonham

Eco-savy is adding a new “info-graphics” section to our ever-growing website.

Feel free to comment and give any suggestions on what you would like to see on the website.

Are Green Nutrition Labels Fooling You?

Posted on 09/04/2013 by sbonham

When you buy a candy bar, would you choose the one with a green nutrition label or red one? A Cornell researcher has found that consumers are now choosing the green labelled candy bars because they are percieved to be “healthier”.

Image: Schuldt, P. (2013) Does Green Mean Healthy? Nutrition Label Color Affects Perceptions of Healthfulness. Helalth Communication, 1-8.

As society continues to want more sustainable, eco-friendly and “green-products”, companies are doing whatever it takes to keep up with the demand…even if it means tricking us at our own game! Unfortunately, this means putting “green-coloured” nutrition labels on the packaging.

Overall, the study was broken down into two parts: (1) comparing which candy bar a consumer would choose –green-labelled one versus red and (2) employing nearly identical images on a label except that the red calorie label was replaced with the white colour (this was to prove no bias amongst the first study with the green label).

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