Diet

If you’re eating for heart health – whether it’s on doctor’s orders or not – you may be worried that you’ll have to give up all your favorite foods. Not so!

Cold, thirst-quenching milk; tangy cheese; and creamy yogurt are all very much still on the menu. Some research even indicates that full-fat dairy may be particularly beneficial.

Here’s a quick clip of Dr. Carol Bradley, a registered dietitian nutritionist, explaining how dairy fits into a heart-healthy diet.

It’s simple. It’s delicious. It’s versatile. Cottage cheese is in line to be the next big thing. With benefits for your bones, your taste buds and your wallet, cottage cheese just might become your new favorite ingredient.

Nutrition by Addition

Cottage cheese is low in calories and provides essential nutrients you need each day, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus and high-quality protein.

Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day, and for good reason: Coffee makes the world go ’round. And flavored coffee makes your day a little sweeter. But have you ever looked at the ingredients on that nondairy flavored creamer? They are typically oil + artificial flavors + sugar. Eww. 

Every burger deserves some love, and by love, I mean cheese. Am I right?!

Burgers are the blue jeans of the culinary world. We have burgers on a regular busy weeknight. We invite our favorite people over to enjoy burgers on the grill. We can dress up burgers or serve them as sliders. But burgers are just plain without ooey, gooey, melty, yummy cheese!

We may all scream for ice cream, but it’s time to start saying yay for yogurt. Yogurt shops are popping up all across the country, and for good reason. Yogurt is a tasty treat that can help you get the nutrients you need every day. When was the last time you could say that about other desserts? And compared to other desserts, frozen yogurt offers a lot less fat and fewer calories – though you still need to watch the sugar content. Use these smart tips to be confident in the frozen yogurt you choose.

Our kids snack. Why shouldn’t we? 

As a busy mother of two and a nutrition whisperer (technically, family and consumer science educator), I can assure you there are real benefits to smart snacking. According to Densie Webb, PhD, RD, “Research suggests nutritious snacks that fit into your client’s calorie needs may control weight and improve overall health.”¹

Most Americans are falling short on key nutrients. Smart snacking can fill important nutrient gaps, as long as we stay within our caloric needs for the day.

As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I’ve dedicated my life to understanding food and nutrition. It’s a complex field. Yet some of the advice I hear and read is too simple. 

“4 foods you should never eat!” 

“The one simple trick to help you shed belly fat!”

These hyped-up articles would have you believe that focusing on one thing will solve all your diet problems – and don’t we all wish for that magic bullet? But the true foundation of healthy eating is variety and moderation.

Who doesn’t love cheese? Sliced on crackers. Melted on pizza. Grated over spaghetti. And the good news is, cheese is a nutritious food with important health benefits! It can fit into any healthy eating plan.

So as a registered dietitian nutritionist and self-proclaimed cheese aficionado, I’m officially giving you permission to enjoy cheese with these seven delicious ways.

You probably heard when you were a kid that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet many Americans skip breakfast frequently. So is the morning meal really that important? 

As a registered dietitian nutritionist, here’s what I know based on the science.

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

Your sweetheart may have the key to your heart, but your diet can be the key to a healthier heart. This Valentine’s Day, I invite you to eat with your heart in mind and enjoy a healthy meal that’s full of flavor.

But What Is a Heart-Healthy Diet?