There are many foods that can help you to improve your hair, brain, and even boost your energy. Here is our guide on what foods to eat:

For Your Hair:
-Low-Fat Cottage Cheese – Since hair is mostly made of protein it is important to eat a lot of protein to have a healthy and vibrant mane. Low-fat cottage cheese is full of protein and has 14 grams in half a cup.
-Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds are full of zinc. Zinc helps to reduce shedding.

For Your Brain:
-Arctic Char – This fish is full of omega-3 fats, DHA, and EPA which all help to improve brain function.
-Kale – A study done in the journal Neurology has reported that getting more than two servings per day of veggies especially leafy green ones such as kale – slows down cognitive decline by 40%.

For Your Nose
-Sunflower Seeds – Hay fever affects many people all over the world, you can stop Hay Fever with vitamin E. Researchers believe that vitamin E calms the part of your immune system involved with allergies. Sunflower seeds have 49% of your daily vitamin E needs in an ounce.

For Your Eyes:
-Whole eggs – If you’re eating eggs, don’t just eat the egg white, eat the yolks too! The yols are a great source for two antioxidants – lutein and zeaxanthin, they are carotenoids that fight cataracts as well as macular degeneration.

For Your Heart:
-Asparagus – Asparagus have lots of foate and potassium which are both nutrients that are great for your heart.
-Grape Juice – Purple grape juice is high in phenolics. Phenolics is a group of powerful antioxidants that swallows up heart-damaging free radicals.

For Your Bones:
-Chocolate – Chocolate is rich in magnesium which is vital for bone health.
-Canned Salmon – The omega-3s in this fish can help to increase bone density. Salmon typically has lower heavy metals such as mercury than other fish. Canned salmon is another great source of calcium which is also essential for healthy bones.

Tag(s): Nutribar

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By eating fruits and vegetables in a wide variety of colours, you will be able to stay thin because they are lower in calories, have tons of antioxidants, and will help to keep you healthy and youthful.

Red: Red foods are filled with lycopene, which reduces the risk of several kinds of cancers. Foods that are associated with this group include: beets, red apples, grapefruits, red peppers, pomegranates, red cabbage, radishes, watermelon, red grapes, cranberries, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, and cherries.

Orange & Yellow: Orange and yellow coloured foods are rich in carotenoid which helps to reduce the risk of hearth disease and cancer. They also help to improve the immune system. Those that eat these types of foods are also less likely to have eye disorders and blindness associated with age. Foods in this group: apricots, butternut squash, carrots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, lemons, mangoes, oranges, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pineapple, pumpkins, and corn.

Green: Green fruits and vegetables contain chlorophyll and lutein which contributes to eye health. Green foods: peas, cucumbers, celery, artichokes, asparagus, avocado, beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, kiwi, spinach, and zucchini

Blue & Purple: Blue and purple vegetables and fruits contain anthocyanins which protect cells from damage. This category includes: blueberries, blackberries, eggplants, figs, plums, prunes, and grapes.

White: These foods help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They also reduce the risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. Foods included in this group are: potatoes, bananas, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, and turnips.

Tag(s): Nutribar

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Vegetable side dishes are often overlooked as part of thanksgiving dinners because of the flashier thanksgiving fundamentals. Cruciferous vegetables are especially healthy for you because they are non-starchy. Cruciferous vegetables are those that belong in the cabbage family: cauliflower, bok choy, broccoli, and cabbage. Collard greens, parsnips, kale, rutabagas, water cress, turnips, and arugula can also be included as part of this family.   Cruciferous vegetables are healthy for you because they contain glucosinolates that can help lower the risk of cancer. Research has also found that these compounds have the capability to stop the development of cancer because they are able to turn on tumor suppressing genes.

Tag(s): Nutribar

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Our bodies attempt to convert all the things that we eat into fuel and some foods deliver better energy than others. Our metabolism is what burns the fat that we eat. Different foods burn fat differently, some are better at burning fat than others. These power foods will boost your metabolism, increase your energy levels, and help to burn fat.

-Hot peppers: Capsaicin is a chemical found in jalapenos and cayenne peppers, this chemical increases heart rates and improves metabolism.

-Good fats: Avocados and olive oil are excellent sources of healthy monounsaturated fats.

- Low-fat dairy products: Calcium triggers metabolism. Yogurt and skim milk are full of complex carbohydrates, which boosts metabolism, this in turn keeps insulin levels low after a meal. High insulin levels indicate the body to keep holding onto the fat in your body.

-Berries: Blueberries have the most antioxidants. Berries are also a great source of fiber.

-Green vegetables: Green vegetables are great because they are low in calories and high fiber. Asparagus is one of the best vegetables to eat because it flushes out the body’s system and reduces water retention.

-Grapefruit: They are full of pectin which helps to break down body fat.

-Tea: Tea helps to burn calories. Green tea is the best tea to drink because it has EGCG which is a chemical that causes the brain and nervous system to run more quickly which helps to burn more calories. Black teas and white teas are also healthy for you but be sure to avoid processed bottled teas.

-Whole grains: They are a great source of fiber as well as complex carbohydrates.

-Nuts: Nuts contain fiber, protein, and healthy fats that help keep you full. Peanut butter is also good for you because it’s filled with Niacin which helps to prevent bloating.

-Coffee: Coffee with caffeine increases heart rates and assists in burning more calories. Although good for you, the coffee you drink should have low fat milk and have very little sweeteners.

Tag(s): Nutribar

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Hard to believe that that we live in a world where vegetables that make your skin glow are a good thing, but… oh, I see, different kind of glow. Well, no one explained that to me. In any case, it’s true. According to HealthZone, eating sweet potatoes, mangoes and carrots will increase your intake of carotenoids. This, obviously, is a lot more healthier than suntans at the electric beach. 

That being said, eating too many carrots obviously give you that weird jaundice look medical professionals know as carotenemia. You can also watch a video and see for yourself.

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Canadians are crazy for produce! Or so claims StatsCan, indicating in their latest study that that on average, we consumed a record amount of fresh fruits and vegetables last year. Canadians also ate a lot less meat, with research saying that our consumption declined to 23.4 kilograms per person in 2009 – compared to a high of nearly 32 kilograms in 1981.

Read the full story – what do you think? Have you ditched the beef and eat more fruits and vegetables?

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Blast off! The space shuttle Discovery took off this morning around 6:20AM from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, located in Florida. The team is going to spend 13 days in space, on their mission to the International Space Station.

That’s great and all, but let’s get to the good stuff: the food they ate! While on the WriteStuff blog, we found found this gem, detailing what the crew ate as their last ‘Earth meal’:

Commander Alan Poindexter feasted on a turkey and swiss sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce and tomato, a small pear romaine salad and potato chips. Pilot James Dutton chose an identical meal, save a change in cheese – Dutton went with provolone cheese.

Mission specialist one Rick Mastracchio ate a BLT on wheat bread with a small tossed salad, creamy Italian dressing and potato chips. Mission specialist two Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger decided on a large pear romaine salad, while mission specialist three Stephanie Wilson ate trout with lemon wedges and steamed carrots. Mission specialist Naoko Yamazaki had turkey with lettuce and tomato on wheat bread, a small pear romaine salad and potato chips. Last but not least, mission specialist five Clay Anderson had roast beef with lettuce and tomato on wheat bread and a side of potato chips.

During their 13-day mission, the STS-131 crew has a meticulously planned menu of foods balanced not only for taste but physical performance in space as well. Astronauts participating in EVAs take extra snacks such as Clif Bars to provide energy for the physically-demanding task[s].

But “space food” isn’t just about dehydrated strawberries and Neopolitan ice cream. They don’t eat space dots in space either. Some of the crew’s food choices this mission include chicken fajitas, BBQ beef brisket, chocolate pudding cake, seafood gumbo, tomato basil soup and cherry blueberry cobbler.

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Hi everyone! Tried out this recipe last night – it’s fantastic. Check it out, let me know what you think. 

• 1 lb. (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken (or turkey) breast, cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cups sliced vegetables (carrots, celery; tomato; sweet red, orange or green bell peppers)
• 1 large onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp. teriyaki sauce
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in large pan or wok over medium-high heat; stir-fry chicken (or turkey) until the pink colour disappears. Add half the garlic and half the optional ginger root to the pan, along with black pepper as desired. Remove from pan, then add vegetables one at a time in order of hardness. Some may need longer cooking times for example, carrots, peppers, celery, then onions. Add tomatoes last, along with remaining garlic and ginger.

Return chicken or turkey to pan and toss with vegetables. Combine chicken stock, teriyaki sauce and cornstarch in bowl; mix and pour over stir-fry mixture.
Cook until heated through and sauce reaches desired thickness.

Serves: 4
Calories per serving: 220
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Protein: 30 g
Fat: 6 g

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