Help! What Sports Drinks Should I Use? The Lowdown on Sports Drinks…

Sports drinks can be helpful for athletes who are training at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. They can actually help you train longer. The basis of all sports drinks includes sugar, sodium, potassium and water. Nowadays there are so many additions from antioxidants to protein; with the hundreds of sports drinks on the market is it sometimes difficult to know which one to choose. Ofcourse, part of the puzzle is to experiment and see what works best for YOU during training.
There are a few main things to look for when choosing a sports drink. Choose a drink that has 5-8% carbohydrates. Studies show this amount moves through your stomach and intestines fastest and won’t cause cramping or nausea. To find the percentage of carbohydrates in a drink, divide the grams of carbs per serving by milliliters of drink per serving and multiply by 100. Also look for the sodium content to be 50 to 250 mg per serving and potassium about 30 mg per serving. Sports drinks have all different blends of carbohydrate sources such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltodextrin (if you have a corn allergy or gluten intolerance stay clear of this sugar) and high fructose corn syrup. Shockingly Gatorade, the drink found at most triathlon aid stations, contains high fructose corn syrup. You may consider bringing your own drink to your next race so you can stay clear of this harmful toxin.

As a holistic nutrition counselor I recommened first trying those with the most natural ingredients and see how they work for you.  Clif recently came out with their new Quench drink which is made with organic evaporated cane juice, Liv Organics uses agave nectar and brown rice syrup  while Vega recently launched their new Sport drink which is uses brown rice syrup as well as an incredible  ingredient list such as kombucha, coconut oil, ginseng and yerba mate. The Vega drink is not yet in stores in the US (only Canada) but is sure to be the performance aid of choice for any health conscious athlete.

Raw Snacks

One of my favorite things to do when I’m in a  new place (or even when I’m not!) is to visit the area’s health food stores.  Strange, I know. But there is something so exciting and exhiliarting about walking into a new store to discover different products or as in the case of the Whole Foods here in Boca Raton, admire the beautiful produce. I guess this is a comprable feeling to walking into the shoe department at Saks 5th Avenue in New York….so much beautiful variety- not enough time or money to buy and use everything!

So this morning, on my trip to Whole Foods Boca Raton (which happens to be a beautiful store!), I was delighted to find a new Raw foods product by Two Mom’s In The Raw. This came at a perfect time while I’ve been on this raw kick, as it is especially difficult doing raw while traveling. I have never seen these Raw crackers and granola before in New York.  Turns out after investingating on their site that they only sell in a few states right now, however you can purchase the goods on their site.  I tried the Gojiberry granola (gluten free) and the Pesto Sea Crackers (gluten free). Both were INCREDIBLY delicious and I’m so excited to have these yummy snacks in my arsenal the rest of the week.

Books to Watch: Food Matters

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman, writer for the New York Times and a Today show regular.

There is no magic bullet

The easiest, surest way to improve the overall health of Americans is for us to adjust our eating habits. We’re not talking about a diet. It’s a change in focus, away from the twentieth-century style of eating and back to something saner, more traditional, and less manufactured.

It’s indisputable that our excessive food intake is bad for our health. The full effect of obesity on overall health has not been determined, but at the very least it’s responsible for reduced mobility and circulation, and for stress on several organs. And there’s no question we’re getting fatter, so much so that there are people who use the term “obesity epidemic.” There are twice as many overweight adults as there were 25 years ago, and about three times as many children and teenagers.

We have not been moving in the direction of “improved nutrition,” and consequently we’ve seen the situation get worse. Since 1990, those diagnosed with diabetes have increased 61 percent; since 1991, the prevalence of obesity has increased 75 percent; and heart disease is not only the number one killer of adults: frighteningly, it’s also the second leading cause of death for children under 15.

But if we know what to do, and we know how to do it, why aren’t we doing it? For one thing, we’re not agreed on what to do. For another, there is a disincentive on the part of the food industry for us to change the way we eat. And for a third, the government agencies that might encourage the “right” diet are beset by confusion and by their ties to the food industry.

It would be unprofitable, for Big Food at least, if we moved our eating habits in the right direction. But not only would profits fall if we ate a moderate diet of wholesome foods; so, too, would the rates of lifestyle diseases, global warming, our collective weight, antibiotic use, environmental damage, and cruelty to livestock. What’s stopping this move, largely, is inertia, habit, a lack of good information, and a drive to maintain the status quo by the people who profit from it. But maintaining the status quo is insane.

Excerpt from Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating *With more than 75 recipes, by Mark Bittman, Simon & Schuster. $16.95.

Delicious Dairy Alternatives

So yesterday I posted an entry about another reason not to eat dairy. Now, I know that their are several dairy lovers out there who are scratching their heads thinking if I can’t have dairy what the heck do I do about milk and ice cream????? These are some of Americans favorite comfort foods! I like yourselves have an affinity for that creamy decadent dessert known as ice cream. So without dairy (or sugar for that matter) what can you eat? Luckily the food industry has gotten pretty sophisticated and advanced. It used to be that people would crinkle their nose s when they heard “healthy food”, but rest assured healthy food no longer tastes like cardboard crackers. So here’s a look at some of the alternatives on the market:

Milk Alternatives:

Hemp Milk – Made from hempseeds. Hemp Milk has a good balance of omega 3’s and omega 6 as well as sulfur to make your skin glow! Contains 40% of daily recommended calcium. I recommend the brand Living Harvest. Make sure to purchase their unsweetened variety.

Almond Milk – Made from almonds. My favorite brand is Blue Diamond unsweetened. Almond milk is lower in calories and fat then hemp, soy and rice.

Soy Milk – Similar to those with lactose intolerance problems, some people find soy difficult to digest and some have soy allergies.

Rice Milk – Made from brown rice. Rice Dream offers a variety of flavors and enriched milks as well as an Organic version.

Ice Cream-

By far one of my favorite new products on the market is the Turtle Mountain Dairy Free Ice Cream. It is made with coconut milk (which has so many benefits it warrants a different posting), agave nectar as the sweetener and few other ingredients. Not only does it taste like real ice cream but I love that it feels so pure, like something I would make at home.

Here’s A Sneak Peak Look At Tomorrow Nights Superfood Teleclass!

I’m so excited to share with you these potent superfoods and their dramatic effect on our health. Here’s a look at one superfood we will be talking about Marine Phytoplankton. Marine phytoplankton are tiny micro-algae supplying arguably the richest source of chlorophyll and minerals (both known and unknown) on earth. They have a number of unique health benefits you don’t want to miss.

*Enhances brain function

*Supports vibrant looking skin

*Provides an immediate energy source- only source of instant ATP

*Helps muscles recovery quickly

*Improves eyesight

*Detoxifies the body

*Strengthens the immune system

*Helps curb cravings

We’ll also be talking about foods such as goji berries, cacao, coconut oil, raw honey and more.

Find out how eating more high quality mineral rich foods actually curb our cravings and stop us from overeating in tomorrow night’s “Superfoods Superbenefits” Teleclass- February 17th 7pm EST.

You can get your dose of marine phytoplankton here: https://www.noblelifeelements.com/estein

Cost $12. Sign up

I was so excited to visit one of my favorite health food stores today, Westerly’s (54th and 8th). Aside from the usual products in the health foods store, Westerly’s carries all these small, up and coming brands. I went there with a mission, to find Dr. Cow’s Raw, Vegan Cheese. Now I know that doesn’t exactly sound tasty but let me assure you it was fantastic. I purchased their Cashew Nut Cream Cheese and paired it with some rice crackers. What a delicious snack.