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Your Political Leanings May Determine What's on Your Plate

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:20:37 -0800

Everyone says that you are what you eat. But could your political party affiliation be the driver of what goes on your plate, too? That's what food trend analyst Phil Lempert (of koodie fame) is arguing. Examining 2009 data from Hunch, he found conservatives opt for "mainstream, comfort food staples," while liberals are likely to gravitate toward "international and exotic cuisines."

According to Lempert, conservatives correlated with foods like pizza, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly for lunch, plus fried chicken, meatloaf, and steak for dinner, with Italian food being the cuisine of choice.

Liberals, on the other hand, preferred Asian: Thai and Indian for lunch, and veggie burgers and green curry for supper. His findings indicate they also tend to make more nutritionally sound choices, such as eating vegetables more often and fast food less frequently, and making dishes from scratch.

Those looking to toe the bipartisan line should stick to mutually-loved foods such as hot dogs, bacon double cheeseburgers, ice cream sans sprinkles, romaine lettuce, and salt on a margarita glass. Do these findings line up correctly with your political leanings?

Source: Flickr User thebittenword.com

Healthy Eating Tip: Join a CSA

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:10 -0700

With local and organic food having such a high price tag, it can be hard to eat in a sustainable way. One way I've gotten around the high costs is by joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). The idea of a CSA is pretty simple - consumers pay farmers directly for a portion of their crop. It's a huge benefit to my health, and my money goes directly to a small, family-owned farm.

To give you an idea of how a CSA works, I'll use mine as an example. I pay $23 each week for enough produce to feed two people. My last box contained four Braeburn apples, four oranges, two pounds of heirloom tomatoes, one bunch of broccoli, two pounds of red potatoes, one pound of zucchini, one pound of green beans, one bunch of basil, and one head of red lettuce. All of the produce was grown on an organic farm located 90 miles from my home in San Francisco. For an additional fee I can also request organic dairy products, grass-fed meat, and Fair Trade coffee.

For tips on choosing a CSA, read more.

Although the basic idea of a CSA is the same no matter which you choose, details vary among farms. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for a CSA.

Decide how you want your produce box delivered. Many CSAs offer home delivery, while other CSAs leave boxes at convenient pick-up points in your town or city.
Membership is either calculated by the season or on a month-to-month basis. You'll save even more money if you can pay for the entire season at once.
Most CSAs choose what produce they deliver each week. Don't be alarmed -recipes are usually included and you can expect the best the season has to offer, as well as staple items. There are some CSAs that will let you pick and choose specifically what you'd like in your box that week based on their crop.
CSAs are beginning to offer much more than produce. If you are interested in meat, dairy, baked goods, and other eatables, shop around.

Visit the Local Harvest website to find a CSA near you.

Source: Flickr User 427

Lauren Conrad's Life Shapes Up Beyond The Hills

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:28:48 -0700

Lauren Conrad's tale proves that moving on and letting go make for a healthy life. The former star of The Hills has not only embraced love with the actor Kyle Howard, but healthy eating is a staple of her new life, too. Gone is the worry of what others think and the junk-food cravings. All good changes for the natural beauty, which she shares in the upcoming issue of Shape.

Once a calorie counter, LC is more flexible these days when it comes to food choices. Opting for fresh fare - fruit, organic salad greens, and lean proteins - she has tamed her cravings.

"I've found when all I'm eating is really fresh, healthy foods, I stop craving pizza and burgers," she says. Lauren's even switched to super-nutritious nibbles (what she calls "snack plates"): hummus, sliced turkey, cucumbers, and apples. "When I have these foods in front of me, I find it easier to avoid high-calorie binges," she says.

For more on her workouts and her new tattoo keep reading.

New Study Finds Chocolate Could Save Your Life

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:00:12 -0700

Chocolate has certainly been known to save the day. But did you know that eating chocolate might just save your life? A study to be published in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine suggests that eating chocolate can prevent death in heart attack survivors.

Scientists found that those who ate chocolate two or more times a week were three times less likely to die from heart disease than those who never ate chocolate. The results are likely due to cocoa's antioxidant levels, according to study coauthor Dr. Kenneth Mukamal. In other chocolate news, Swiss candy maker Barry Callebaut, the world's largest chocolate manufacturer, has announced it is developing a chocolate that withstands temperatures up to 131°F before melting. While heat-resistant chocolate has long been a staple in both Swiss and American armies, this is the first time the variety will be available commercially.

"Volcano," as the candy will be called, melts on contact with saliva, has a crunchy texture, and, unlike the military version, will be made with cocoa butter. Not only will it be a boon to areas of the world prone to sweltering heat, but food scientists have discovered that the chocolate naturally contains fewer calories.

Alas, I find myself with yet another excuse to enjoy chocolate before bed. Since I'm always paranoid about melting chocolate, I can't wait to try the heat-resistant kind! What about you?

Sir Mix a Lot

partysugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:15:59 -0700

My younger sister is one of those people who absolutely adores breakfast foods – she finds herself eating them all day long. So I was shocked when she said she was swearing off one of her a.m. staples: granola. Always health-conscious, she discovered how high in fat and calories a serving could be. I suggested she try the granola from MixMyGranola, a website that allows you to customize the fixings in your granola and check the fat and calorie content of each serving before ordering. Find out how it works after the jump

Must Read: Simply Mexican

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:15:36 -0700

To many of this country's home cooks, Mexican food is a genre reserved for dining out and perhaps the occasional Americanized taco night. But one nutritionist, Lourdes Castro, wants to change that with her new book, Simply Mexican ($16.47). Castro, who is neither a trained chef nor Mexican herself, aims to teach readers how to enjoy the authentic flavors of Mexico using techniques such as roasting, grilling, and stewing. "Feel confident in knowing that these recipes have been developed with one eye on authenticity and the other on practicality," she writes. Find out if her statement proves to be true when you read more

Speak Up: How Do You Avoid Overeating at Barbecues?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:03:34 -0700

Hot dogs and hamburgers are comfort foods of Summer, and I'm sure by now you've eaten your fair share at all the barbecues you've been frequenting. Aside from those staples, grilled corn smothered in butter, potato salad, chips and dip, and cold beer are also favorites. With all this irresistible food, I'm wondering, what are some tips you can suggest to fellow FitSugar readers to help avoid overeating at the next BBQ?

Noteworthy Nibbles - July 14-21, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:02:12 -0700

Although this month's biggest holiday has passed, America's celebrating its favorite seasonal staples in full force. Case in point? The can't-miss National Hamburger Festival that takes place in Akron, OH, each year; New Jersey's statewide ice cream celebration; and watermelon festivals taking place everywhere from Mississippi to South Carolina. Grab a napkin and head to your nearest gathering for some serious Summer eating!

Know of a food festival that we don't? Please add it to our list below!

New York, NY: Bastille Day: La Fête Nationale - July 14
Santa Barbara, CA: California Wine Festival - July 16-18
Mattoon, IL: BagelFest - July 16-18
Des Moines, IA: Rib America Festival - July 16-19
Mize, MS: Mississippi Watermelon Festival - July 17-18
Seattle, WA: Bite of Seattle - July 17-19
Pageland, SC: Pageland Watermelon Festival - July 17-18
Santa Paula, CA: Santa Paula Citrus Festival - July 17-19
Yarmouth, ME: Yarmouth Clam Festival - July 17-19

To see the rest, read more.

Watkins Glen, NY: Finger Lakes Wine Festival - July 17-19
Toms River, NJ: New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival - July 18
Hudson, OH: Hudson Wine Festival - July 18-19
Akron, OH: National Hamburger Festival - July 18-19
Surry, VA: Pork, Peanut & Pine Festival - July 18-19
Bethlehem, PA: Blueberry Festival - July 18-19
Denver, CO: Taste of the Nation Denver - July 19

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Noteworthy Nibbles - June 30-July 7, 2009

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:27 -0700

You may feel like Summer is already almost over, but there's still plenty of time to get in some quality food festivals. This week, that would include the classic Taste of Chicago (full of reliable Windy City staples like the Rainbow Cone and Vienna Beef hot dogs), the Naperville Ribfest (hands-down, the best ribfest I have ever been to), and the ultimate celebration of tart cherries, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, MI. For those of you who can't attend one of the food festivals below, just remember: every 4th of July party is, indirectly, a celebration of food in itself.

Know of anything that's been left off the list? Don't hesitate to chime in below.

Chicago, IL: Taste of Chicago - June 30-July 5
Detroit, MI: Comercia Cityfest - July 1-5
Lombard, IL: Taste of Lombard - July 1-5
Naperville, IL: Naperville Ribfest - July 2-5
Mandeville, LA: Mandeville Seafood Festival - July 2-5

To see the rest, read more.

Healdsburg, CA: Zindependence Weekend at Bella Vineyards - July 3-5
Cedar Key, FL: Clamerica Celebration - July 4
Floyd, VA: Floyd Fandango Beer & Wine Fest - July 4-5
Traverse City, MI: National Cherry Festival - July 4-11
New Orleans, LA: Mixology Masters of New Orleans - July 6

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10 Space Saving High Chair Alternatives

LilSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:24 -0700

When babies move from an exclusive diet of breast or bottled milk to pureed and solid foods, high chairs become a kitchen staple. Most high chairs take up a bit of space, which can be tough for families who are tight on it. While many of the newer high-end high chairs come in a palette of pleasing colors, they don't do much space saving. Check out some of our favorite high chair alternatives - some will even save you a few bucks!

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