Robin DeCicco, Certified Health Counselor, Nutritionist and Label-Reading Expert in Bergen County, NJ

What's In Your Protein Bar?

2/11/2014

What are the best protein bars? The short answer is: the ones made with natural, plant-based, whole-food ingredients.

Most protein bars market themselves as being great to take on the run, which they are - - but they often lack quality ingredients and real nutrients. When you take a snack with you on the go, you should be eating food that gives you long-lasting energy, keeps you full and satisfied and is loaded with the right amount of vitamins and minerals.

The conventional protein bars or granola bars found on the shelves of convenience stores and supermarkets are full of refined carbohydrates, sugars, preservatives and additives; yet, we don’t take the time to notice all of this because the bar is wrapped in a pretty package and fits oh so conveniently in our tote.

When searching for a protein bar, look for recognizable ingredients like nuts, seeds, fruit superfoods, and vegetable extracts and if there is sugar, make sure it is more of a natural sugar like raw honey, coconut palm sugar or fruit sweetened.

It’s important to take note of what type of protein is holding your bar together. The two most popular and in my opinion- unhealthy- forms of protein are whey (milk) and soy. Whey protein is usually derived from a heavily processed form of milk and we know that milk really does NOT do the body good (can lead to digestive distress, promotes several types of cancer growth, increases inflammation in the body.)

Soy protein is the most processed form of a soybean, so by the time it ends up in your bar, none of the actual vitamins and minerals are present in the bean - - plus, the soybean is the most genetically modified crop out there. Women should be especially careful about ingesting too much soy, as certain research suggests that soy contains estrogen promoters (which can lead to women-type cancers).

Bottom line:
** Stick with bars that are made of foods you can actually see, foods that can be picked from a tree or soil and not foods made in a factory.
** Stay away from refined ingredients and sugars like corn, soy crisps, white rice, potato starch, corn syrup, corn starch, partially hydrogenated oils, maltose, sucrose, artificial sweeteners, caramel color, dextrose, cane juice, cane sugar, glucose, malodextrin, sorbitol and more!
** The more refined starches and sugars you eat, the more your body craves sugar and becomes inflamed. Inflammation leads to cancer, stroke and heart disease.

My top picks for bars that are held together with nuts/seeds and most are free of gluten/dairy/refined sugar:

1.) Raw Crunch Bar

2.) Raw Revolution Bar

3.) Earthling Organics Raw Food Bars

4.) Go Raw Bars

5.) Vega Bars

6.) The Good On Ya Bars

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Have a Healthier Holiday Season!

12/1/2013

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The holidays are here, which means it’s the time of year when most of us pack on the pounds. Follow some of my tips below to avoid the holiday weight-gain:

- Don’t abandon your healthy habits during the time of the year. Of course it’s okay to indulge, but do so by choosing a couple meals or gatherings where you can eat some unhealthy ingredients instead of every single meal.

- Stay away from appetizers that are served on white bread, crackers and creamy dips. Instead, munch on raw veggies, nuts and seafood.

- Don’t serve soda at your house and don’t drink it at any other house. Soda is a waste of calories and is equivalent to eating dessert in terms of sugar content. Drink club soda or water with lemon and lime.

- Eat small meals throughout the day, especially when you have a party at night. Never show up to a gathering famished. Make sure to eat nuts or low-fat dairy before a party to curb your appetite.

- Start every meal with a salad or a few vegetables to try to fill up on low-calorie foods before you start eating the fattier foods.

- Offer to bring something to a get-together and make a healthy dish so that you know there will be a healthy option.

- Moderation is key when you want to splurge. Make sure to eat everything on a plate and watch your portions. A taste of something is better than depriving yourself in the long run.

- Make your own food. Anything you make will automatically have less sugar/fat/calories than something processed.

- Get off your butt and exercise. During heavy meals or parties, play with the kids, offer to do the dishes and go for an in-between meal walk.

- When cooking, use LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN/VEGGIE BROTH

- Use COCONUT BUTTER/ALMOND MILK in place of butter or margarine

- Use LOW-FAT CREAM CHEESE/LOW-FAT SOUR CREAM/SKIM MILK when cooking and baking

- Use OLIVE OIL to coat pans and pots and cook your veggie in it

- Serve whole grain baked chips, unsalted nuts and reduced-fat cheese as things to pick on before the meal

- Instead of creamy dips, serve guacamole, salsa or hummus with raw veggies

- Make low-fat protein like white meat chicken and turkey

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Who Says Halloween Candy Has to be Crappy?

10/28/2013

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Refined sugar, a ton of full-fat dairy, preservatives and food-dyes are the leading ingredients of most of the popular Halloween candy on the market.

- 21 grams of sugar sneak into Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

- Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil is in Snickers (TRANS FAT that is so bad for us, it’s actually banned in New York City restaurants)

- Artificial Flavor in KitKat Bars

- Hydrogenated Palm Oil and corn syrup in Skittles

So, instead of eating these artery-clogging and teeth-rotting candy bars, try my favorites this Halloween!

1.) Righteously Raw Caramel Cacao Bar (Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Organic, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free) Made with only the raw cacao bean – one of greatest superfoods in the world with high antioxidant value. Increases blood flow through the body, reduces blood pressure and decreases inflammation. ONLY 7 GRAMS OF SUGAR!

2.) Almond Cacao LOVE Cups (Raw, Vegan, Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free) – Low-glycemic delectable treat made with rich cacao in a perfectly sized cup!

3.) Buddha Cup Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cup (Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free) - Who needs a Reese’s now that these bad boys are here? The simplest ingredients like cacao, almond butter and coconut palm crystals make up these cups with only 3 GRAMS OF SUGAR!

4.) Rawmio Trail Mix Raw Chocolate Bar (Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Organic, Refined Sugar Free) - With vitamin-rich goji berries, high fiber pumpkin seeds and almonds, this cacao bar will satisfy a sweet-tooth and an empty stomach. ONLY 8 GRAMS OF SUGAR AND 5 GRAMS OF FIBER!

5.) Hail Merry Chocolate Macaroons (Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Kosher, Refined Sugar Free) - These chewy treats will make you and your kids forget about candy bars. Made with coconut oil and fair trade dark cocoa, these will melt in your mouth. ONLY 5 GRAMS OF SUGAR!

6.) Gnosis Chocolate Cool Mint Clarity Bar (Raw, Vegan, Organic, Gluten-Free, Kosher, Refined Sugar Free) – Move over Peppermint Patties and make room for this refreshing chocolate bar full of peppermint essential oil and gingko to keep you feeling cool, calm and centered. ONLY 6 GRAMS OF SUGAR!

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It's all about the farm

10/16/2013

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We hear all the time how much healthier it is to buy LOCAL produce and to visit farmer’s markets….. but why?

The answer is because if we are buying strawberries at DePiero’s Farm in Montvale and they are grown here, we are eating produce that has been picked at its prime and put into a container. It’s as simple as that. We are avoiding the hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles most produce travels before landing in our shopping cart.

We often don’t think about it when we are putting peppers from Mexico and kiwi from Argentina in our carts - - but the truth of the matter is that when produce travels this long of a distance, the nutrients are pretty much gone.

The process of how produce from other countries gets to us entails quite a few steps. Once it is picked, it might sit in the sun for days before trucks pick it up and then it travels on trucks or planes – which we hope are clean- for a couple days or more before it lands in the loading dock of our supermarkets and is unpacked.

The whole point of eating fruit and veggies is to feed our bodies with rich vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to boost our immune system and prevent disease, so it remains frustrating that most of the produce available to us has traveled a far way from home.

I recently took advantage of the soon to be ending tomato and eggplant season by buying a lot of each at DePiero’s Farm. The farm did carry produce that was from other parts of the world, but I just stuck to what was grown in Montvale.

I decided to use both fresh ingredients to make a healthier version of eggplant parmesan, which was delicious!

Recipe for 2 – with leftovers for the next night:

1.) Slice 2 eggplants thin and roast in the oven at 425 degrees on baking sheets until softened.

2.) Put tomato sauce on bottom of casserole and layer softened eggplant on top, with sauce in between the layers and on top.

3.) Slice 2 tomatoes and place them on the top layer of the eggplant.

4.) Season the casserole with black pepper and oregano.

5.) Place pieces of fresh basil and a handful of parmesan cheese on the top.

6.) Bake at 350 degrees until crispy.

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6 Healthier Drinks to Quench Your Kids' Thirst

9/23/2013

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Water is undoubtedly the healthiest choice for us and for our kids to drink; however, there are times when H2O just doesn’t cut it and we crave something bubbly, sweet, crisp and refreshing.

Instead of giving in and letting our kids guzzle a few sips – or cans – of soda, keep some of these healthier choices in the house for when they really want it. After a long soccer game, grueling tennis match or an afternoon spent in the car, hand them a drink without the added sugar and preservatives that they will love!

Some drinks even act as filling snacks, so read below to find out how you and your kids can fill up from a tasty beverage.

1.) Orgain Healthy Kids Organic Nutritional Shake – The perfect grab-n-go snack to keep in your tote and hand off to your child after school and before practice. This yummy shake comes in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry and packs 8 grams of protein from organic milk. A fruit and veggie blend add 23 vitamins and minerals.

2.) Organic Flavrz – Mix 4 teaspoons of this fruit juice flavored drink into water for a refreshing drink sweetened with agave and real fruit. With only 9 grams of sugar for an 8 ounce drink, pour up for after-school play-dates.

3.) Sneaky Pete’s All Natural Oat Beverage – The goodness of oatmeal and fruit come together in this high-fiber drink. With 5 delicious flavors to choose from and made with all-natural ingredients like stevia, tummies will stay full from the oats.

4.) Mamma Chia Squeeze Pouch – Packed with essential Omega 3’s, protein and fiber, this drink is made with organic chia seeds, fruit and veggies. Good for you and your kids as an afternoon snack - the chia seeds help to curb your appetite so you don’t overeat at dinner.

5.) Hint Fizz – When they ask for bubbles, try this spring water and natural fruit flavor mixture for a refreshing thirst-quencher. Big flavor and no sugar make this a win-win.

6.) LIV Organic – Let your kids replenish and recharge after the football game or dance class with electrolytes and potassium. Sweetened with agave and rice syrup – two sweeteners that take longer to digest in the body - so no sugar-rush here!

Robin DeCicco is a holistic nutritionist who runs the Tenafly and Ramsey based ‘The Power of Food Education.’ She counsels individuals and families on learning how to make healthier choices and specializes in changing behaviors to achieve life-long success. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about her program, visit www.poweroffoodeducation.com.

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10 Great Snacks for the Wheat-Free Kid (& Grown Up!)

9/15/2013

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More and more of us are developing sensitivities to wheat and have symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal ailments and ‘foggy-brain’ to inflammation and headaches.

If your child has any of these symptoms, it might mean that he/she is sensitive or allergic to gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye.

Researchers are also trying to correlate symptoms of behavioral issues in kids like attention deficit disorder and autism decreasing with a gluten-free diet.

If you would like to explore the gluten-free path to see if it changes how he/she feels, pick up some of my favorite gluten-free snacks listed below.

Remember, gluten-free no longer means ‘taste-free’!

* Most of these products can be purchased at Healthway Natural Foods in Tenafly.

1.) GlutenFreeda Instant Oatmeal – Made with certified gluten-free oats, this oatmeal makes a power breakfast for your little one. Choose between apple cinnamon, banana maple and more. All are packed with protein.

2.) Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers – Brown rice flour and quinoa hold these delicious crackers together. Put these in a baggie with some cheese slices for a perfect lunchbox addition.

3.) Calbee Snapea Crisps – With less fat than potato chips, kids will love the taste of this crunchy snack and, hey, the first ingredient is green peas!

4.) Peeled Fruit Snacks – These organic fruit bags that contain no added sugar are great options to keep in the car for your kids to nibble on after school.

5.) Bobo’s Oat Bars – With four gluten-free flavors like yummy chocolate almond and lemon poppy seed, these organic, non-GMO and vegan bars are moist and hearty. Good for after soccer or tennis practice.

6.) Two Mom’s In the Raw Granola – Whether you break these squares up and baggie them for your kids to bring to school to munch on or you serve it with some milk as an after school snack at home, this granola is packed with good-for-you nuts and seeds.

7.) Edward & Sons Brown Rice Snaps – Top these snaps with peanut butter and kids will forget they are gluten-free!

8.) My Dad’s Cookies – For a sweet treat, surprise the kids with these popular homemade cookies. Great flavors include Chocolate Sandwich Cookie and the Black and White Cookie.

9.) LifeIce Chocolate Crisp- When the whole family wants to crunch on something sweet and refreshing, these naturally flavored ice cubettes serve as a delectable frozen treat that satisfies the palette! Made with agave, coconut water and fruit concentrates, these cubettes are Kosher and GMO free. For an added punch of nutrients, try the Green Grind flavor- fused with detoxifying spirulina and chlorella powder.

10.) Mediterranean Snacks Baked Lentil Chips- These dippers and hummus make a great pair, so don't be afraid to dip away! Low in fat, the bean flour in these chips keeps the fiber and protein content high.

Robin DeCicco is a holistic nutritionist who runs the Tenafly and Ramsey based ‘The Power of Food Education.’ She counsels individuals and families on learning how to make healthier choices and specializes in changing behaviors to achieve life-long success. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about her program, visit www.poweroffoodeducation.com.

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Back to School, Back to Sugar!

9/5/2013

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That first trip to the supermarket to buy back to school snacks can be daunting - - from trying to decipher the ingredients in products to listening to our kids implore for the snacks they see advertised on TV, it’s not an easy task.

Corporations have made it their top priority to market their products to us by making us believe that they are not only good for us, but that they actually are contributing to our health.

By using phrases like, ‘packed with whole grain,’ ‘added fiber’ and ‘natural sugar,’ these food giants are tricking us into thinking their brands are health-conscious.

Don’t believe everything you see on TV and don’t let your kids fool you into picking up the coolest snack of the school year, because kids are consuming more added calories and sugar from the snacks they eat during the school year than we thought.

The sugar in added drinks and foods makes up almost 16 percent of the calories U.S. children and teens consume, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published online in the National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief.

This report looked at added sugar consumption in children due to the significant prevalence of childhood obesity. The report showed that boys consume about 362 calories a day from added sugar and girls eat about 282 calories in added sugar on a daily basis. Sugar consumption also went up as children got older.

These numbers not only reflect the added sugar kids eat at birthday parties and trips to the ice cream shop, but they demonstrate just how much sugar is in products we buy every day.

Foods like fruit snacks, salad dressing, ketchup, dried fruit, flavored milk, iced teas and lemonade and low-fat cookies all contain loads of sugar.

While TV commercials tell us that snacks now contain ‘real fruit’ and ‘good grains,’ I invite you to pick up a snack and see for yourself what it’s really made of.

The fruit snack Gushers claims to be a ‘fruit flavored snack’ on the front package. There are 12 grams of sugar in one package and the second, third and fourth ingredients are all different names for sugar, while there is only one ingredient of fruit.

The Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snack contains 18 grams of sugar per serving with the word ‘sugar’ listed before any of the fruit purees on the ingredient list.

Thinking of feeding your family popular granola and cereal that claims to be ‘all natural’ for breakfast? Think again.

In one cup of Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins, there is 30 grams of sugar - - that’s more than if you ate Cocoa Pebbles.

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Cinnamon Almond has 18 grams of sugar per serving from sugar and brown sugar syrup and Udi’s Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins pack 21 grams of sugar from cane syrup.

V8 wants us to think their drinks are full of vitamins – and although they might be, they are also full of sugar - V8 Splash Berry Blast has 16 grams of it, mostly from high fructose corn syrup.

Nabisco Teddy Grahams created the Strawberry Banana flavor to win you over, yet, there are 7 grams of sugar for every 9 cookies with multiple names for sugar on the ingredient list.

Bottom Line: Turn off the commercials and investigate companies yourself! Your health is your most important asset and NO ONE cares about it as much as you.

Robin DeCicco is a holistic nutritionist who runs the Tenafly and Ramsey based ‘The Power of Food Education.’ She counsels individuals and families on learning how to make healthier choices and specializes in changing behaviors to achieve life-long success. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about her program, visit www.poweroffoodeducation.com.

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Getting your kids back into a healthy routine!

9/3/2013

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It’s time to put away the goggles and flip-flops and time to bring out the sharpened pencils and notebooks. Kids all around the country are gearing up to go back to school and whether or not they like it, it’s time to get back into a routine.

During the summer, most kids are happy eating hot dogs, ice cream and bags of Goldfish at camp and pool parties, but now that the school calendar has begun, we need to start feeding them foods that will keep them alert and focused throughout the day.

While Goldfish and other popular snack crackers are tasty, they are won’t do anything to help your kids perform their best during the school day - - instead, these foods are loaded with enriched wheat flour, which has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals and can cause an initial peak of energy, followed by sluggishness, irritability and cravings for sweeter foods.

We want our kids to feel energized and alert for the entire day, so why not give them snacks that will help them to feel their best?

When shopping in the supermarket for school snacks, try to slowly move away from the big companies like Nabisco, Lay’s and Keebler, as most of their products are full of refined flours like wheat flour, white flour and enriched wheat flour. The healthier type of flour is listed as “whole wheat flour.” Most of the time, this ensures that the wheat hasn’t been processed.

Keebler Town House Crackers, Sunshine Cheeze It’s and Ritz Bitz all contain wheat flour or enriched wheat flour - - meaning the good parts of the wheat that contain the bran and germ and all of the protein, fiber and vitamins is NO LONGER THERE. So, most kids are eating snack foods with no fiber, thus not keeping them as full or as satisfied.

When kids eat foods that are full of refined ingredients, they tend to lose focus, become irritable at a quicker rate and crave more and more snacks. Refined flours cause a short blast of energy; whereas, whole grain flours lead to long-lasting continued energy with no crash.

So, instead of filling their lunch boxes with snacks that lack nutrients, try the following:

1.) Pack Fresh – Include a bag of mini carrots, cut up celery and peppers. These veggies give a solid crunch and are full of fiber and vitamins to keep them going strong all day long.

2.) Mix the New with the Old – They might not like the taste if you only give them the newer, healthier pretzels at first - - so combine them. Try adding Newman’s Spelt Pretzels, Snyder’s Honey Wheat Pretzels or Shiloh Farms Sprouted Whole Grain Pretzels into their mix. These have much more fiber and protein than regular pretzels to keep their tummies full.

3.) Don’t Take No For an Answer - Each week, tell your kids they should try one new snack as part of an experiment to see what they like. They don’t have to eat a whole serving, but make sure they try a couple each day of the week. The more times you give it to them, the more likely they are to want to eat it.

4.) Pop It! – Popcorn is such a tasty treat, but it doesn’t have to be reserved for movie- time. Try lunch-size bags of Skinny Pop Popcorn and Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop Popcorn. No butter or anything artificial here – just a fun snack.

5.) You Don’t Always Need the Milk – Dry cereal in a baggie is a perfect school snack, especially if the cereal is full of real whole grains like oats and buckwheat and low amounts of sugar. Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal and Barbara’s Bakery Puffins are favorites.

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Power Food & Tip Archives- August 2013

9/1/2013

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The perfect thirst quencher to beat the heat: Harmless Harvest Coconut Water. Drink this all-natural, nothing added raw coconut water known as the "healthy Gatorade." With electrolytes and potassium, this is a great alternative to highly processed sports drinks that are full of artificial dyes and added sugars. It will satisfy your thirst and replenish your body with nutrients you lose when you sweat.

Summer's coming and the temperature is rising! We often get more dehydrated in the summer from prespiring and don't even realize it. When we're dehydrated, we are more susceptible to headaches, feelings of fatigue, muscle stiffness and urinary problems. Keep a bottle of water on you at all times and chug away. It's common to mistake thirst for hunger, so drink your thirst - - don't eat it!

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Author:
Robin DeCicco

Robin DeCicco is a passionate food educator who wants to help you live your healthiest life!

Robin's blog is dedicated to educating the public on why we gravitate towards certain foods and what this says about our mindset, in addition to explaining the reasons for eating certain kinds of food and brands over others. Pick up tips on how to feel your healthiest and keep up to date with all the latest health news by reading this nutritionally-dense blog!

Author: Robin DeCicco

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