If you’re a serious lover of Indian food, you will adore this dish! Traditional Tandoori Chicken can have up to 600 calories and 35 grams of fat because of the high fat content in yogurt and all the oil that is used. But this dish has less than 250 calories and only 4 grams of fat! Not only is it mouth-watering, but you won’t have to feel guilty about having it for dinner. Enjoy!

 

 

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp salt
8 ounces Fage Total 0% yogurt
4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and mix well.
2. Add chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove the chicken and discard the marinade.
3. Preheat the broiler or a grill pan on the stovetop.
4. Broil or grill the chicken 5 minutes per side.

Serves 4

Nutritional Content: 220 calories ∙ 3 g carbohydrates ∙ 0 g fiber ∙ 40 g protein ∙ 4 g total fat ∙ 1 g sat fat ∙ 636 g sodium

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Mesotherapy is a non-surgical treatment for the removal of fat and rejuvenation of skin. Employing multiple injections of pharmaceutical and homeopathic medications, plant extracts, vitamins, and other ingredients into the subcutaneous fat, Mesotherapy produces results.

While Mesotherapy has not yet been approved by the FDA in the United States, treatments have been performed throughout Europe and South America for over 50 years. The treatment is particularly popular in Hollywood where residents seek the best Mesotherapy specialists with proven track records; results generally take several treatments but are long-lasting and visible.

Mesotherapy: The Approaches
There are two different types of injectable approaches which can reduce localized fat deposits on the hips, abdomen and buttocks and improve areas of unsightly cellulite. The first is the utilization of a product commonly used in Europe called Lipostabil. Lipostabil is a combination of two active ingredients - sodium deoxycholate and phosphatidylcholine. The combination of these two emulsifying agents acts as a detergent to actually liquify fat cells when injected, thus improving unwanted bulges.

The second Mesotherapy approach is the injection of biologically-active substances such as aminophylline, isopreterenol, ephedrine, carnitine and herbal preparations, amongst others. These combinations also dissolve unwanted fat cells with a similar emulsifying action. There have been scientific studies published in The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery, regarding the utilization of phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate, showing their clinical effect on destroying fat cells and also in treating benign fatty tumors such as lipomas.

FDA studies are presently underway by a company called Kythera to try to standardize formulations that can be used by the aesthetic practitioner.  Mesotherapy is controversial due to the fact that there are no standard treatment formulations.  The procedure is commonly employed by physicians, such as primary care physicians, who are not traditionally treating aesthetic problems. However, when the right physician has been properly trained, results are phenomenal.  In the past, because of the lack of standardization and improper usage, infection, skin ulcerations and other complications have been reported.

Globally, pending the results of ongoing scientific studies following Mesotherapy, it is likely that this already popular modality will evolve into an effective standardized treatment for unwanted fat deposits.

Everyone’s mom seems to have a recipe for meatloaf.  But when a typical serving has around 500 calories and 35 grams of fat, I decided it was time for me to come up with a healthier version of this comfort food to serve my kids. My meatloaf is so moist  - and no one notices it is made from lean ground beef.  And by making this substitution you save about 200 calories and 15 grams of fat.   I think my mom would approve!

 

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• ¾ cup quick oats
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup tomato juice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Sauce:
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl; shape into a loaf. Place into a 9” x 5” x 3” pan.
3. Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.
4. Bake the meat loaf for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and pour sauce evenly over the top. Return the meat loaf to the oven and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Serves 8

Nutritional Contents
Per Serving:   319 calories, 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 23 g protein, 20 g total fat, 8 g sat fat, 581 mg sodium

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Q: Is frozen yogurt a good summer treat? It tastes so good, can it really be that good for me?

A: Not necessarily.  As you said, it is a treat so you should treat it that way.  Many times it can actually pack in more calories and sugar than regular ice cream, especially if you opt for a bigger size because, why not? It’s low-fat isn’t it?

The frozen yogurt industry surged in the 1980s and early-1990s when Americans decided to completely cut fat out of their diets. This trend leveled off as a result of other fad diets such as the low-carb craze and products emerging on the marketplace. However, frozen yogurt is making a major comeback and everywhere you turn there is a Tasti D-Lite or TCBY.  Sure, it can be lower in fat than ice cream (before toppings!) but here are some helpful hints to make sure frozen yogurt is not packing on the pounds.

1) Frozen yogurt should not be a meal. It is not nutrient-dense and usually contains half of the calcium and less protein than you would get in a serving of yogurt from the dairy aisle.
Average non fat vanilla yogurt (6 oz): 8 grams protein and 250 mg calcium
Average frozen yogurt (6 oz): 5 grams protein and 100 mg calcium

2) Most frozen yogurts have zero grams of fiber. Therefore, if you eat it for lunch, you’ll be feeling ravenous in a few hours and your “healthy lunch” will have been a waste of calories. An average 16 oz (large) vanilla frozen yogurt with a side of granola contains about 500 calories, 10 g fat, and about 70 g carbohydrates! Instead, you could have eaten a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with an apple for half the carbohydrates (more fiber), higher quality protein, and more satiety until dinner.

3) Watch the toppings. While the yogurt may be non-fat, it does not mean adding crumbled Oreos will not have an effect on your waistline. Choosing Gummi bears and fruit with syrup doubles the sugar content of your yogurt, while granola and chocolate chips hike up your saturated fat intake. If you get a topping, stick to a regular serving of fresh fruit or dry nuts for some healthy fiber and protein.

4) Beware of portions. Many times, the serving size of the cup is much less than the actual amount of the fro-yo they dish out. Ask how many ounces are in a cup and tell them not to overfill. This way, you can keep track of how much you’re actually eating.

The bottom line is: When you do choose frozen yogurt, have it as a small-sized snack and choose healthier toppings.  We searched the country for the best frozen treat and found it at a small, but rapidly expanding chain in Connecticut. Gofer Ice Cream currently has three stores in Darien, Greenwich, and Stamford. They created a soft-serve, non-fat Gofer-Lite which, besides from being delicious contains 11 g fiber per 4 oz serving! I definitely approve this ‘ice cream’!

*My Favorites
Serving sizes below are for ½ cup or 4 oz. Notice, a small size cup is usually larger than 4 oz and the actual cup size served at each place varies, even within a chain.

*Keep in mind that a small weighs in at about triple these amounts! SO, if you’re craving Frogurt for a snack, ask them not to fill the cup over the brim.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Q: Is it really true that eating after 8 p.m. makes you gain weight?

A: At the end of the day, the more calories you eat, the more weight you gain—regardless if it’s during the day or at night.  Even the healthiest foods, when eaten in greater amounts than needed for energy will be stored as fat.  It is not possible to circumvent the laws of thermodynamics and energy balance.  It all comes down to calories in vs. calories out.

The reason most people think that eating at night causes weight gain is because people tend to eat extra at night.  They might not take into account what they have already eaten during the day and this leads to weight gain.  But, if you have eaten well balanced meals during the day and saved some of your extra calories to eat at night, you will NOT gain weight.
So if you eat the same exact meal at 5 p.m. or 9 p.m. it will not affect your body differently. As long as they have the same amount of calories, what really matters is the total amount of food and drink you had over the course of the day, week, or month and how much energy you expended during that time frame.

However, the reason most people do gain weight when eating at night is because they have a late dinner after not eating for a long period of time.  This makes it hard to make good food choices and also to keep portions in control.  You may end up picking up a slice of pizza or two whereas if you weren’t as hungry you would have time to cook a healthy dinner without sabotaging your diet.  The second concern that comes with late night eating is “mindless” snacking in front of the TV, while studying for finals, or hanging out with your buddies.  People tend to pig out on ice cream, cookies, or pizza (not on celery and carrots) and this leads to weight gain because it is usually extra calories taken in.

So aim to spread your calories out throughout the day and if you do have to eat a late dinner, don’t worry about it leading to weight gain as long as you have not overeaten during the day.  Just remember, it all comes down to the total number of calories taken in—regardless of what the clock says.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

“1 year ban on new fast food restaurants in Southern L.A.”

If passed, it would affect about half a million people living in an area that supporters say already has about 400 fast-food eateries and few grocery stores.

 

 

QUICK STATS:

·         Within the Southern LA area there are 400 fast food establishments and little grocery stores

·         30% of children in Southern LA are obese but ONLY 21% in the rest of LA

·         Diabetes in these areas in on the rise, with 11.1% of kids in Sothern LA suffering from diabetes, but ONLY 8.1% on the rest of the country

·         Many fast food restaurants lack fiber in their menu options, making people who consume meals feel hungry shortly after and put them at risk for CVD and DM.

 

WAYS TO SAVE AT THE GROCERY STORE:

·         Buy seasonally–options tend to be cheaper and just as nutritious

·         Prepackaged chips and snack foods can be as much as 4 times as much per oz than buying the bag. Make your own portions-Portion off in zip lock bags

1 oz of Bag of Goldfish vs. 1 oz of prepackaged goldfish costs 4 TIMES as much

·         Powdered milk is a great option, it’s cheaper and keeps longer

·         Cut back on Meats and cut back on both cost and calories. Be a vegetarian 2 nights a week incorporating other protein sources such as cheese, eggs, beans, peanut butter etc. This leads to less expensive menu options.

·         Oatmeal and other dry cereals tend to be more cost efficient options than cold cereals which can be much higher in both price and calories

·         Bagged apples/oranges provide you with fruit throughout the week, without the excess cost

·       Frozen Fruits and Vegetables are just as nutritious and cheaper! You can store them too!

MEAL IDEAS: FASTFOOD VS. HOMEMADE - SAVE ALL-AROUND!

Here are some healthy alternatives that are not only cheaper and less calories but also pack a fiber punch!

Breakfast

Fast Food Option: Sausage McMuffin with Egg with Hash Brown, Large Coffee w/ cream and sugar and a small OJ—

Nutrition Information: 650 calories and 30 g of fat

 Price $7.50 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

Versus

Homemade Breakfast Sandwhich

Ingredients

Thomas’ Light Multigrain English Muffin-$0.65

1 Egg-2.79/12-$0.21

1 slice Kraft Free American Cheese-$0.33

Canadian Bacon-$0.35

1 Orange-$0.50

Brewed Coffee-$0.25

Total Cost: $2.00

Total Nutrient Value: 248 calories, 8 grams of fiber, 7 grams of fat

SAVINGS: $5.50, 400 calories, 23 g of fat and 8 MORE g of fiber

Lunch/Dinner

Fast Food Option: Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese Meal (includes med. Fries, and med. Coke)—

Nutrition Information-1100 calories, 45 g of fat

Price $7.50 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

Versus

Homemade Cheeseburger

3 oz lean sirloin-$1.24

1 Whole wheat bun-$0.41

1 slice Kraft Free American Cheese-$0.33

1 Potato-$0.60

1 can of Diet Coke-$1.19

Cost: $3.77

Total Nutrient Value: 275 calories, 9 g of fat, 3 g of fiber

SAVINGS: $4.00, 825 calories, 36 g of fat PLUS 3 g of fiber

 

FAMILY MEAL

KID: Kid’s Meal: Hamburger, small fries, small coke- w/toy

Nutrition Information: 590 calories, 20g of fat

Price: about $4.00 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

MOM: Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken Ranch dressing and a large diet coke – Nutrition Information: 550 Calories, 35g fat

Price about $9.00 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

DAD: Big Mac, Large Fries w/ ketchup, Large Coke

Nutrition Information: 1390 calories, 54 g fat

Price about $8.00  ((NY PRICE w/tax))

FAMILY NIGHT OUT at McDonald’s totals $21

Versus

Chicken with Rice and Beans, Family Dinner Night

1 lb Chicken Cutlets-$4.99

2 cups brown rice, dry (4 cups cooked)-$1.35

3 cans of kidney beans-$3.57 (1.19×3)

2 cup cooked Broccoli-$1.99/bunch

Cost per Family-$12.00

Nutrient Information-370 calories, 7 g of fat, 9 g of fiber

 

Desert

Strawberries and Cream

1 cup Strawberries-3.49/package

Kool Whipe Lite, 2.49/tub

Cost per Family-$4.50

TOTAL COST PLUS DESERT IS $16.50

Nutrient Information: 60 calories, 1.5 g fat, 3 grams of fiber

TOTAL DINNER CALORIES: 430 calories, 8 g of fat, 12 g of fiber

 

SAVINGS: $3.50, 960 calories, 46 g of fat and PLUS 12 g fiber   

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

When I was growing up, the only fish I would eat was Arthur Treacher’s fried fish n’ chips.  The thick coating of fried batter completely overpowered the fish—which is why I probably liked it so much. 

Here is a much healthier and tastier “grown up” version.  This recipe is higher in fiber due to the whole wheat flour and saves you 16 grams of fat!  Pair it with sweet potato chips for a true fish ‘n chips meal that even your kids will love.

• 1 pound fresh fish fillets, ½ inch thick (orange roughly, skinless cod, or catfish fillets)
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels
3. Place milk in shallow dish. Place flour in another shallow dish.
4. In a third shallow dish, combine flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and pepper.
5. Dip each piece of fish in the milk, then in the bread crumb mixture.  Coat both sides and place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray.
6. Spray tops of fillets with non-stick spray and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 4

Nutritional Content
Per Serving:  213 Calories, 19 grams carbohydrates,   2 grams fiber,   27 grams protein,  3 grams total fat, 1 gram  sat. fat,  357mg sodium

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Is it really better to eat a hamburger than have a piece of tilapia?

No!

There has been a lot of confusion lately due to a recent study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine concluding that “farm raised tilapia, one of the most highly consumed fish in America, has very low levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and, perhaps worse, very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids.” The researchers concluded that this combination could be very damaging for patients with arthritis, heart disease, and other auto-immune diseases that are vulnerable to exaggerated inflammatory responses.  According to the study, if individuals are consuming tilapia as a method to control inflammatory diseases then they would be better off having hamburgers and pork bacon (keep in mind however that these are high fat meats full of artery clogging saturated fats.)  The study also showed that tilapia has an average of 11:1 ratio of detrimental omega 6 to omega 3 versus the 1:1 ratio in salmon or trout which is more desirable.

Now let me try to breakdown the details.  

There are two types of fat, omega-3 and omega-6, and both are essential for human health in a ratio of 2:1.  However, the typical American consumes far too many omega-6 fats in their diet while consuming very low levels of omega 3 fats with a ratio of 20:1. Omega 6 fats can be found in corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, and soybean oil. Omega 3 fats can be found in seafood, whole grains, beans, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil. The reason for this change is because our diet now includes huge amounts of vegetable oils used for cooking and in prepared foods.

The highest levels of omega 3’s can be found in fish.  Omega 3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA (DocosaHexaenoic Acid) and EPA (EicosaPentaenoic Acid).  These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases.  While studies show that eating too much omega-6’s and too little omega-3’s causes blood clots and constricts arteries, increasing your risk for heart attacks and worsening arthritis, I would not recommend staying away from a very lean fish such as tilapia.

Studies have shown that excess calories lead to weight gain and an increased chance for morbidity.  Therefore, replacing tilapia with a high saturated fat beef will only cause more harm.  Beef and high fat meats such as pork, bacon, and processed meats are full of artery clogging saturated fat and have 100 calories and 8 grams of fat per ounce.  When was the last time you ate only one ounce of meat?  I can bet you that your hamburger at last Sunday’s BBQ was at least 5 ounces (which puts you at 500 calories and 45 grams of fat.)  And I’m sure that wasn’t the only thing you ate.  However, if you had tilapia for dinner, at 35 calories an ounce and 0.1 gram of fat, a 5 oz piece of fish would only put you at  175 calories and around 3 grams of fat.

 Therefore, why not enjoy your tilapia dinner and still aim to increase your ratio of omega 6s to omega 3s back to a more healthful 2:1 ratio by incorporating more seafood, whole grains, beans and other seeds, and reducing your intake of foods made with or cooked in vegetable oils.

Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Recommended and Usual Intakes
	Adequate Intake (AI), Men 19-50y 1	Usual Intake from Food, Men 19y+ 2	Adequate Intake (AI), Women 19-50y 1	Usual Intake from Food, Women 19y+ 2
Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid)	1.6 g/day	1.7 g/day	1.1 g/day	1.3 g/day
Omega-6 (linoleic acid)	17 g/day	16.8 g/day	12 g/day	12.7 g/day

Dietary sources
Food	Omega-3 (grams per100g)	Omega-6 (grams per 100g)
Flax	20.3	4.9
Hemp seeds	7.0	21.0
Pumpkin seeds	3.2	23.4
Salmon	3.2	0.7
Walnuts	3.0	30.6
Rape seed	2.1	9.0
Herring	2.0	0.4
Soybeans	1.2	8.6
Butter	1.2	1.8
Olive oil	0.6	7.9
Wheat germ	0.5	5.5
Sunflower seeds	0	30.7
Almond	0	9.2
Olives	0	1.6

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

 

Don’t we all love that McDonald’s Egg McMuffin?  But did you know that it has more than 400 calories and 25g fat and NO fiber? 

My healthy version is tastier than the real thing, has more fiber and fewer grams of fat. I promise, you won’t miss a thing and you will feel fuller for longer!

 

 Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 slice Canadian bacon
• 1 egg
• 1 slice Kraft Free American cheese
• 1 Thomas’ light multigrain English muffin

1. In a nonstick skillet, cook Canadian bacon until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Spray pan with nonstick spray. Add egg and scramble.
3. While egg is cooking, place the cheese on one half of the English muffin and put both sides into a toaster oven to toast.
4. Remove English muffin from toaster oven, place Canadian bacon and scrambled egg on muffin, and top with the slice of cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 1

Nutritional Content
Per Serving:  248 Calories, 28 g carbohydrates, 8 g Fiber,  21 g protein,  7 g total fat,  2 g sat. fat, 861mg sodium

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.