A few years ago, I went on one on the best work trips of my life. I drove five hours to northern Maine to learn more about small, but fierce, wild blueberries. I already knew wild blueberries were delicious, and I learned a lot more about wild blueberries’ benefits when I saw for myself how they are grown, harvested, and packaged.
Note: The Wild Blueberry Commission sponsored my trip, and I thank them because I’ve never forgotten it.
Tough weather conditions actually produce delicious and nutritious wild blueberries! (Photo courtesy of Wild Blueberry Commission.)
How wild blueberries grow
If wild blueberries had a theme song it would have to be “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger.”
Wild blueberry plants are tough. Any living thing that’s been thriving for 10,000 years in a desolate location called The Barrens of Maine, and in Eastern Canada and Quebec, is hardy stock. Wild blueberries love the thin, acidic soil found in such cold, harsh climates. Go figure!
Unlike the larger, cultivated blueberries that are available fresh and frozen, it’s not possible to plant wild blueberry plants, which grow low to the ground. Wild blueberries spread naturally, and they have never been modified by humans.
Wild blueberries ready for harvesting. (Photo courtesy of Wild Blueberry Commission.)
The nutrition benefits of wild blueberries vs. cultivated blueberries
Are wild blueberries better for you?
A cup of either type of blueberries qualifies as a serving of fruit. Wild blueberries, and their larger, cultivated cousins supply good nutrition, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, the skin on both types of blueberries provide beneficial plant compounds called phytonutrients.
Eating foods rich in phytonutrients helps support brain health. Phytonutrient intake is also linked to a reduced risk for heart disease, cancer, and other chronic health conditions. Wild blueberries are smaller than the cultivated kind, so you get more of the skin in a serving, and a greater number and variety of phytonutrients.
Larger, cultivated blueberries are bred for a certain sweetness and size. In addition, they must be able to withstand shipping. Wild blueberries are highly perishable, and once picked, nearly every single berry is frozen individually within about 24 hours. Freezing wild blueberries right after harvesting preserves their taste, and their nutrition, which is the same as fresh wild blueberries.
Freezing these delectable dark blue berries means there’s enough to feed my year-round obsession! Here are some ways I enjoy frozen wild blueberries:
• Microwave 1 cup for 50 seconds, then mix with plain Greek yogurt. No sugar necessary!
• I make a Wild Blueberry, Bean, and Beet Smoothie.
You’re probably wondering: beans in a smoothie? I wanted a smoothie that was different than what I usually make and was a mixture of wild blueberries and vegetables (beans are vegetables, too). You can leave the beans out if you think they are too weird, but trust, me, you can’t taste them, and they add fiber and other nutrients.
Pro Tip
Rim the glass to dress up the drink, especially if you’re serving it as an alternative to cocktails. Combine 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons of beet juice in a small bowl. Invert the rim of the glass into the sugar mixture, rotating to cover the rim. Shake off the excess sugar.
Just thinking about what to eat to lose weight can be overwhelming. The good news is that you don’t have to try so hard! These three delicious no-diet tips for weight loss will put you on track for easier weight control, and you won’t feel deprived.
Breakfast is an opportunity to include the nutrients you need. The energy it provides helps to jump-start the body and brain after sleep.
I talk here about how studies suggest that eating the morning meal does not guarantee better weight control, and it may seem like I am contradicting myself by suggesting breakfast. However, the research about breakfast and weight loss is inconclusive.
You may skip breakfast because you’re not hungry in the morning. Maybe you’re not hungry in the morning because you ate too much before going to bed. Eating more regularly throughout the day, starting in the morning, may prevent overeating at night and may decrease your calorie intake overall.
Many people don’t like traditional “breakfast” foods. Not a problem. Any food eaten in the morning counts as breakfast. Your A.M. meal just needs to be balanced and nutritious and include enough protein, found in foods such as dairy, eggs, and beans.
You don’t have to eat breakfast all at once. It’s OK to divide up the morning into two smaller meals.
No-Diet Tip #2: Switch to whole grains
I wrote about a study that showed swapping whole grains for the refined kind burns calories and boosts metabolism. What a gift! You eat delicious whole grains, and you burn calories!
This No-Added Sugar Fruit and Nut Quick Bread is packed with whole grains and nuts. Get the recipe here.
It’s easier than you think to include more whole grains in your eating plan.
For example, instead of white bread, have whole grain. Enjoy oatmeal for breakfast in place of a highly refined cereal. Experiment with whole grains such as freekeh or farro. Munch on popcorn instead of chips.
No-Diet Tip #3: Include nuts for better health
Studies show that nuts often have fewer calories than what’s on the Nutrient Facts label. That’s good reason to include them as snacks, and in other ways.
Research has found that whole roasted almonds have 25% fewer calories than what is listed on food labels; walnuts supply 21% fewer calories; and pistachios also contain fewer calories than what the label says. It stands to reason the same goes for peanuts, too.
Skip the chips, cookies, and candy. Reach for delicious and nutritious nuts!
One ounce of nuts is an excellent substitution for the same amount of snack chips, pretzels, or crackers.
In addition to having fewer calories, nuts provide protein, heart-healthy fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are powerful plant compounds that protect your cells.
Include nuts in salads, homemade trail mix, and in smoothies.
Bottom line: No-diet weight loss tips
Simple changes can help you to lose weight and keep it off. Making a few small tweaks to your eating plan promotes eating satisfaction. In addition, including more healthy food choices in your diet provides you with the nutrients you need to support health.
For the most part, dietitians practice what they preach. However, nobody eats perfectly all the time, not even the experts dishing out dietary advice, including yours truly. (Shocker!) I thought it would be fun to read about dietitans’ eating downfalls, since they love to eat and are just as busy as everyone else. I can relate to each and every one of these!
I wish I had a few less potato chips in my life! I love a good potato chip.
Those salty little fried potato slices are so darn good and somehow make their way onto my plate on a very regular basis, especially when I am eating a sandwich.
I don’t feel I have to give up all the chips in my life, but I know fried salty foods are probably not the best for my heart health. I do try to switch it up and add popcorn, baked tortilla chips or reduced fat potato chips to reduce my fat intake in an effort to be a little more healthy.
Because I associate chips with eating sandwiches, I find I am less inclined to eat them when I have a salad or leftovers at meal time, so including these other meals helps lower my chip intake too.
My 90 year-old mom loved a good potato chip…so I am hopeful that I can enjoy a long life while still enjoying my beloved potato chips…at least occasionally!
I’m the fastest eater and I’m always leaning over my counter quickly eating between clients or before driving my kids around in the evening. I am not a mindful eater and I know it’s something I really need to improve. Much easier said than done for a very busy working mom. However, I am trying to eat at the table more, put away my phone and avoid distractions.
Small changes are my goal. I’m really trying to practice what I preach to my clients every day!
Having spent the better part of my career counseling athletes, I am the first one to say that hydration never takes a vacation. But what we preach doesn’t always translate to what we reach for. And, I admit I don’t get a perfect score for my pour.
I am doing a lot of writing these days and don’t work up a sweat. In addition, I hate to be interrupted when ideas are flowing to have to get going to the bathroom. However, I am committing to hydrating better throughout the day through the number of glasses of liquid, watery foods, and more fruits and vegetables.
In the last year or so I noticed that my “one” glass of wine while cooking dinner turned into one glass while cooking, then topping it off a little if the recipe takes a little longer and then topping that off as I went to the table to eat dinner with my family. I’m a dietitian, not a mathematician but even I know my “one” has quickly turned into 1++.
I’ve made a concerted effort this year to let “one” glass be one glass. While health experts (and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) agree that one glass for women and two for men can be a part of a healthy diet, night after night of more than that means extra calories that I don’t need.
I started the New Year with this new commitment to cut back on my 1++ glass of wine and have already noticed improvements in sleep. That’s a bonus I wasn’t expecting, but am definitely enjoying!
Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, Culinary Nutrition Expert and founder of Nutritioulicious:
One of my worst habits is eating in front of the TV, especially at night after dinner. I have a major sweet tooth, and when I’m busy during the day it doesn’t hit me, but as soon as I sit down to relax the pantry calls my name!
Eating too much at night can lead to weight gain when I take in more calories than I burn. And it leaves me feeling full before bed, which can interfere with my sleep. I often wake up bloated and less hungry for breakfast, which is such an important meal.
Some of the ways I’m trying to break the habit are to brush my teeth after dinner so I am not tempted to eat again. Also, I watch TV in bed instead of in my living room. I also don’t keep the pantry fully stocked with treats.
I love making chocolate chip cookies but am that person who could be fine just eating the dough. I often nibble on dough while making and baking cookies and by the time the cookies are out of the oven, I’ve already eaten the equivalent of my share of cookies.
After thinking this through (also after a belly ache or two), I have decided that I do love the cookies the most. So, I try to talk myself before even starting the cookie making process. I remind me that I really want to be able to enjoy the warm, baked cookies, and the dough isn’t at worth it.
I want to be more conscious of what I’m eating while making cookies instead of mindlessly picking at the dough.
Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE, The Guilt-Free RD, www.SoundBitesRD.com (blog and podcast):
I wish I had better breakfast habits. I grew up eating a healthy breakfast every day, but now that I’m a mom, I’m more focused on the morning rush instead of feeding myself. I find I’m not very hungry and tend to grab a little something that is more of a snack or a treat than “breakfast” like a cookie or a piece of fruit. I wish I could enjoy Greek yogurt with high fiber cereal and berries – something that provides the fiber, calcium and nutrients I need to start the day off right.
After work, I am famished, so that after-work/before-dinner time frame is my Achilles heel! I rummage through my fridge and pantry for things to snack on, whether it’s healthy or not. Sometimes, I eat way too many chips and salsa, a few too many cheese sticks, or leftover pizza to satisfy my craving. So, even knowing that eating all of this food before dinner is ruining my appetite for the healthy meal I am about to cook, I just can’t help myself.
To avoid this, I’m working on planning ahead and (more consistently) have foods like jicama sticks, sliced fruit and/or red pepper strips available to snack on before dinner gets started!
When I worked in an office building, I was the poster child of staying hydrated via water daily. I’d take several breaks from my cubicle to fill my water bottle up at the water cooler (cliche but true.) Since working at home, I struggle to do the same!
My home office is on the second floor and I guess there’s just a mental block with me having to walk all downstairs to refill my glass. And, when I do, I get distracted with a chore in the kitchen and forget to bring the glass back up! But I really want to work on this as when I drink at least 8 glasses a day, I feel so much better.
Jen Haugen, RDN, LD, Author of The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden, and blogger at jenhaugen.com:
My one habit I am working on kicking is not planning meals. I go in and out of phases with this and my weeks go SO much better when I meal plan!
To work on this, I am creating 5-10 freezer meals each month to have ready to go right in the freezer for fast meals. I’ve also set a reminder on my phone for Sunday afternoons to take 10 minutes to put together a menu plan for the week, and I include my family on that so it’s not just what I want to eat 🙂 Taking just 10 minutes to plan creates more satisfying, stress-free meals!
As a working mom in constant motion, I find myself mindlessly eating the first thing I can grab when I feel hunger strike. That may mean a spoon of peanut butter from the jar to my mouth while making a lunch. Or swinging into a gas station to grab an energy bar for “lunch” between meetings.
The main lessons learned from this habit–weight gain, exposing my children to bad habits, and never feeling full and satisfied. My solution of late is to have healthier options prepped and packed. This means I do a little more work on Sunday afternoon chopping fruit, putting a serving of nuts in a baggie or boiling a dozen eggs. When hunger strikes, I have a healthy option ready to eat.
In Conclusion: My Dietary Downfall
‘And now, for my true confession as part of this episode of dietitians’ eating downfalls: I love chocolate and must have it every day after dinner.
There’s no problem with chocolate. My issue is portion control. I have tried portion-controlled chocolate goodies, such as 100-calorie fudge bars. I would eat one of them, but then I would still eat the chocolate, too!
I’ve been battling chocolate urges for decades now, and I am pretty sure that trying to outsmart them is useless, and a waste of energy. Oh, well, I think this is one flaw I’ll just have to live with!
Warning: Rant ahead. Anyone who knows me knows how salty my language can get, including my kids, who are old enough to hear bad language from their parents. I may curse in front of my children without a second thought, but there are certain cringe-worthy nutrition terms I will not say. Here’s where I draw the line, and why.
The F-Word
For me “fat” is a word to avoid unless it’s used to describe the nutrient itself or the cells that store energy in the body. Fat should never be used as an adjective to characterize someone’s appearance, including your own. Even if you don’t say “fat,” you may think it. That’s especially true when you complain or joke about your “thunder thighs” or your “muffin top” in front of your kids.
I avoid the F-word because I heard my mother refer to herself as fat one too many times during my childhood. My mom struggled with her weight, and she was on and off diets for as long as I can remember. She got down on herself about putting on pounds, and was equally elated when she shed them on the latest low-calorie fad.
While my mom never commented on my weight, her dissatisfaction with her own rubbed off on me. To make matters worse, I inherited a slower-than-molasses metabolism and my family loved to eat. I dieted plenty before deciding to be done with all that in my early twenties and to focus on eating healthier on a daily basis.
Skinny
This word really gets my goat. It’s often used as a compliment but it can also be used to shame someone who is on the thin side, especially by those who would like to weigh less. Some people are naturally slim because that’s their body type. While many people crave the label, “thin” people may find it insulting.
I can’t even think of an instance where I would say the s-word, yet skinny has such appeal that it’s a part of book titles and names of web sites. It really bothers me that skinny is used as an aspirational term, because going for “skinny” can be detrimental to a healthy body image. In addition, being waif-like in appearance doesn’t mean you’re in good health.
Clean Eating
I ask my children to clean the kitchen, the bathroom, and their bedrooms, but there is no way that I would ever ask them to “eat clean.” I won’t even talk about clean eating unless pressed to describe what it is.
To be fair, the basic principles of clean eating are admirable: consume fewer processed foods and more whole foods and lightly processed ones. But, as with most eating plans, many people have taken the concept of eating “clean” too far.
Cookies are “dirty,” and I like them that way.
I can’t get past the notion that if you’re not eating “clean,” then you’re eating “dirty.” I also get the idea that some die-hard “clean” eaters look down on those who can’t, or don’t want to, eat the same way. Eating clean can be costly, inconvenient, and uninteresting.
I want my children to see food as fuel to keep their body and brain strong and healthy. What words or terms do you avoid saying in front of young children and teens?
Are you concerned about the sugar in your diet? That’s not surprising, reducing sugar intake tops the list of New Year’s resolutions. Here’s how to eat less sugar without feeling deprived of the sweet stuff.
Are added sugars the same as natural sugars?
I like sweets as much as the next person, but I’m happy that experts suggest a daily limit on added sugar in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). That’s because excess intake is linked to several health problems.
Even with the link to chronic conditions, there’s no need for most people to go completely sugar-free.
The DGA recommendation is for added sugar, not the natural type found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, and plain dairy foods (which is called lactose). People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes should monitor all types of carbohydrates as part of a balanced eating plan that’s right for them. (Eating sugar does not cause diabetes, by the way.)
Sugar can be part of a healthy eating plan. But there’s more room for nutrient-rich choices when you limit added sugar.
For example, sipping low-fat milk instead of regular soda helps to satisfy protein, calcium, and vitamin D needs. And, choosing fruit instead of cookies supplies more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which are protective plant compounds.
How much added sugar can babies and toddlers have?
The 2020-2025 DGA suggest that children under the age of two have no added sugar. Here’s why:
• The calories (energy) in added sugars is likely to displace energy from nutrient-rich foods. For example, milk and sugary soda both have sugar in them. The difference is that milk does not have added sugar and is a source of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Sugary soda offers nothing but calories.
• Consuming foods with added sugars, such as granola bars, beverages, and cookies, is linked to an increased risk of becoming overweight in children.
• Children develop food preferences early in life. The more added sugars they eat as babies and toddlers, the more likely they will prefer sweet foods.
What about 100% fruit juice for babies? The report recommends no juice for kids under 12 months. Between the ages of one and three years of age, kids should drink no more than four ounces a day of 100% fruit juice according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
How to eat the right amount of added sugar for your body
Suggested sugar limits are related to calorie intake. That’s why young children with lower calorie needs should have less added sugar than active teen boys, for example. (See Figuring Your Daily Sugar Allowance, below.)
First, find out how many calories you need to lose, maintain, or gain weight here. Then, do the math to figure your daily added sugar limit in grams. Many adults need about 2,000 calories a day.Here’s an example using a 2,000 calorie/day eating plan:
• Figure the number of sugar calories allowed: 2,000 calories daily multiplied by .10 (10%) of calories as sugar daily = 200 calories of sugar daily
• Find your sugar allowance in grams: 200 divided by 4 (there are 4 calories in each gram of sugar) equals 50 grams of sugar daily
50 grams of sugar is the equivalent of 12.5 level teaspoons of table sugar. That’s about the amount in 16-ounces of regular soda.
How to read food labels to eat less added sugar
Knowing your sugar allowance in teaspoons and in grams is helpful for curbing intake. The revised Nutrition Facts panel on food labels lists the amount of added sugar in grams and as a %Daily Value (%DV).
The %DV is a guide to the nutrients in a serving of food. For example, if the label lists 10 percent of the DV for a nutrient, it means that a single serving provides 10 percent of the daily allowance.
The %DV for nutrients is based on a 2,000-calorie eating plan for healthy adults, so your sugar “allowance” may differ. For example, a person who requires 2,600 calories to maintain a healthy weight can eat up to 65 grams of added sugar daily as part of a balanced diet.
Once you know your sugar limit in grams, it’s possible to tally the amount you get from packaged foods as well what you add to foods, such as coffee, tea, and cereal. For reference, one level teaspoon of sugar contains four grams.
Simple tips to eat less sugar
I can’t say that I’ve completely tamed my sweet tooth, and that’s OK. Here are some simple tips to help keep your added sugar in check.
• Avoid sugary drinks. Drink water, milk, or calorie-free beverages instead of regular soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and other sugary beverages.
• Minimize sweet treats. Enjoy smaller portions of cookies, candy, and other sweet treats, such as a mini cupcake or a fun-size candy bar. The first few bites of any food are the most pleasurable.
• Count ALL the added sugar. Honey, maple syrup, and molasses are sources of added sugar.
• Cut down on sugar in favorite foods. Mix your favorite sugary cereal with an unsweetened kind, like nutrition expert, mom, and blogger Sally Kuzemchak does. (See her post about 5 Easy Ways to Cut Sugar from Your Child’s Diet.) Fill a tall glass with cold seltzer water and add just a splash of 100% fruit juice. Sweeten plain yogurt with a teaspoon of sugar, honey, jam, or molasses.
• Bake with less. When baking muffins and other quick breads, cut the granulated or brown sugar by at least one-third.
• Rely on fruit. Swap syrup on pancakes and waffles for applesauce or other pureed fruit. Whip up a smoothie with ripe fruit and milk or Greek yogurt. This delicious muffins have no added sugar.
• Compare packaged foods. Sugar is added to foods such as bread, granola, instant oatmeal, and pasta sauce. Compare brands and opt for the least amount of sugar per serving as seen on the Nutrient Facts panel.
I’ve been on a lot of low-calorie diets, mostly as a teenager, and my dietary deprivation always involved frequent tracking of my “progress” on the bathroom scale. I felt accomplished when I dropped a pound or two, and terrible when I didn’t. As a registered dietitian counseling people about weight control, I made stepping on the scale optional, but should you weigh yourself every day?
Is it OK toWeigh Yourself Every Day?
In my personal and professional experience, the scale can leave emotional scars. That’s why I was a bit surprised by an article that suggests weighing yourself daily is helpful for losing weight and preventing weight gain.
That conclusion may be based on the results of several research studies, but it does not apply to everyone, and certainly not to children.
It was clear that my self-esteem was affected by the numbers on the scale, and I didn’t like the feeling.
If you struggle with disordered eating, weighing yourself daily may not be a good idea. In fact, the studies mentioned in USA Today excluded people with a history of disordered eating, who may be more prone to obsessing about weight and respond to falling or rising numbers on the scale with extreme dieting or binging.
How to Make Peace with the Scale
I would like to think that I’ve made peace with the scale, even though I weigh myself more often now than in the past 20 or 30 years. I use the scale to confirm that I must get back on track before the pounds really add up, not to deride myself for veering off course.
Most of us have a love/hate relationship with weighing ourselves. Do you weigh yourself on a regular basis?
Many nutrition rules that we take for granted are more hype than help. It may come as a relief that you can ignore some nutrition advice and still eat healthy!
Advice: Put only the most colorful fruits and vegetables on your plate.
Bottom line: This rule shortchanges white, brown, and tan produce, such as mushrooms, cauliflower, and bananas, which are just as nutrition-worthy as their brighter counterparts. Most of us fall far short of suggested fruit and vegetable servings, so concentrate on including the types you like, no matter how pale. And while we’re at it, let’s stop shaming starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and peas, as nutrition expert Janet Helm so aptly puts it.
Advice: You should eat breakfast every day to control your weight.
Bottom line: The research doesn’t support the claim that eating a balanced breakfast is necessary for weight control, but if it works for you, stay with it. Skipping breakfast probably won’t cause weight gain or prevent weight loss if you stick to your calorie budget throughout the day, but there’s more to breakfast than the number on the scale, including fuel and nutrients for body and brain.
Don’t like to eat when you get up? Divide a balanced breakfast of fruit, yogurt, and a whole grain roll into two morning snacks that you finish before lunch. If you’re not into “traditional” breakfast foods, munch on a slice of leftover thin-crust cheese pizza and fruit, or half a turkey and cheese sandwich and carrot sticks.
Advice: Shop only the perimeter of the grocery store.
Bottom line: Yes, the outer parts of the store have lots of nutritious foods, including the fish counter, produce section, and the dairy case, but the bakery is also located there. The aisles house healthy options including whole grain cereal and pasta, as well as canned seafood and beans, and jars of fruit packed in their own juice. Plan meals and snacks, and head to the grocery store with a list to make it easier to peruse the aisles for nutritious choices. Don’t shop when you’re hungry, or that bakery along the perimeter may be too tempting to walk past.
Advice: You must drink 64 ounces of plain water every day.
Bottom line: Probably not! Water is an essential nutrient, but most of us don’t need to down a half gallon of the stuff every day. Men, and women who are not pregnant or nursing require between nine and 13 cups of fluid daily, about 72 to 104 ounces, respectively. (Physically active people may need more.) Plain water is preferable for meeting fluid needs, but the water in other drinks, such as milk, coffee and tea (even the caffeinated kinds) contributes fluid, so it’s easier than you think to meet your quota.
Advice: Eating at night leads to weight gain.
Bottom line: Only if you overdo it, which is often the case. If you’re extremely hungry (from under-eating during the day; see section on breakfast, above), stressed, or bored, and you reach for high-calorie foods such as cookies, chips, or candy, you may find it difficult to limit your calorie intake. It’s OK to eat at night as long as you’re mindful of your daily calorie needs. If you struggle to control calories after the sun goes down, read this by Yoni Freedhoff, M.D.
Hi, I'm a registered dietitian, writer, recipe developer, and mother of three who specializes in food and nutrition communications and believes in progress, not perfection. If you're interested in easier ways to live a healthier life, you're in the right place. Welcome!
Hi, I'm a registered dietitian, writer, recipe developer, and mother of three who specializes in food and nutrition communications and believes in progress, not perfection. If you're interested in easier ways to live a healthier life, you're in the right place. Welcome!