Reasons Why It Is Important to Eat Healthy Foods

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Reasons Why It Is Important to Eat Healthy Foods to Stay Healthy
Reasons Why It Is Important to Eat Healthy Foods to Stay Healthy
By Tracii Hanes Oct 03, 2017
A healthy diet is the basis for a well-functioning body. Food is the source of energy for all of our bodily functions and directly affects how our bodies and minds function in every stage of life. There are a variety of reasons why a healthy diet is important, including disease prevention, maintenance of a healthy weight and quality of life.

ENERGY

Calories are the unit of measure for stored energy in food. The energy provided by food calories is needed for every function of the body, including thought, physical activity, growth and healing. According to Medline Plus, foods containing an equal amount of calories and nutrients are ideal for a balanced diet.

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Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the building blocks of energy. After ingestion, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which provides raw energy that is either used immediately or stored in the muscles for later use. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables and fruits provide a balance of calories and nutrients, whereas simple carbs such as sugar and white flour are high in calories and low in nutrients, making them a poor choice for energy production.

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WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

A healthy diet helps maintain an ideal body weight and prevent obesity. When eaten frequently, foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and sugar can lead to excess weight gain and obesity.

While calories are needed for energy, empty calories—those derived from foods with little nutritional value—can lead to weight gain. Eating foods with a balance of calories and nutrients can help provide the body with the fuel it needs to function while avoiding weight gain.

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DISEASE PREVENTION

A poor diet has been directly linked with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Trans and saturated fats are known to cause atherosclerosis, which is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Foods high in cholesterol can raise levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol in the blood, which also contributes to the arterial damage seen in atherosclerosis.

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According to the American Cancer Society, processed meats, fried meats and alcohol are associated with an increased risk for certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the colon or liver. Foods that contribute to obesity are also indirectly linked to cancer, since obesity increases the overall risk for developing cancer.

MOOD AND COGNITION

A healthy diet can lead to better overall performance of the mind and body. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, foods high in antioxidants can help promote generation of neurons into old age while improving the ability of existing brain cells to communicate with each other, resulting in improved cognitive functioning.

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What's more, diet may play an important role in mood and mental health. According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, a healthy diet is associated with a lower incidence of depression, anxiety disorders and dysthymia than a typical "Western" diet high in sugar, processed foods and alcohol.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES
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Fried egg and mashed avocado on toast. Wait…fat can help us maintain our weight? Fat doesn’t make us fat? In a word: exactly.
Why You Need to Eat Fat to Burn Fat
IT GETS A BAD RAP, BUT ADDING SOME FAT TO YOUR DIET MAY BE THE KEY TO A SLIMMER YOU
By K. Aleisha Fetters Oct 03, 2017
For a long time, we thought avocados were good for nothing but ready-made guac and a decent California burger every now and then. But these little nutritional hand grenades were having an explosive impact on our diets for all that time. How so?

They’re infused with a key nutrient for maintaining healthy weight: fat.

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Wait…fat can help us maintain our weight? Fat doesn’t make us fat? In a word: exactly.

Fat is not something to avoid. For starters, it’s essential for normal growth and development. Dietary fat also provides energy, protects our organs, maintains cell membranes, and helps the body absorb and process nutrients. Even better, it helps the body burn fat, says nutritionist and owner of Nutritious Life meal system, Keri Glassman, RD, who recommends that about a third of any weight-loss plan’s calories come from dietary fat.

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BUT: Not all fatty foods are created equal. While pizza, French fries and hamburgers can contribute to weight gain and deterioration of health, the dietetic community is learning that the overall nutritional content of these foods — not their saturated fat — is what’s to blame. Sure, research from 50 years ago found that saturated fatty acids, a type of fat that’s “saturated” with hydrogen and typically solid at room temperature, raised LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

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But a reevaluation of that research has shown that they raise HDL (good) cholesterol just as much, if not more, protecting the body from unhealthy cholesterol levels and heart disease, says nutritionist and national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association Tara Gidus, RD. “Instead of making any one thing in the diet a villain, we need to look at total caloric content as well as quality of food, what are we eating that is ‘good’ and helping our body’s immune system and cells to stay healthy.”

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Most of the fat that you eat — especially if you want to lose weight — should come from unsaturated sources, both monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA), Glassman says. Why?

These good-for-you foods (like fish, seeds, nuts, leafy vegetables, olive oil, and of course, avocados) pack tons of nutrients. Besides removing LDL cholesterol from arteries and promoting a healthier heart, unsaturated fat can help you burn fat big time without cutting calories.

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A 2009 study in the British Journal of Nutrition, found that participants who consumed the most unsaturated fatty acids have lower body-mass indexes and less abdominal fat than those who consumed the least. Why?

The unsaturated folks ate higher-quality foods. Not long ago, manufacturers marketed low-fat and no-fat everything, and consumers responded by chowing down. It’s healthy, right?

Wrong. All wrong. Besides stripping our bodies of a much-needed nutrient, low- and no-fat diet movements have increased obesity rates. Why?

It turns out that fat provides a big component to the foods we love: Taste. When food manufacturers removed fat from their foods, they had to load the foods with sugar and salt, which are nutrient-free, to increase flavor.

Here are other crucial ways fat can help you slim down:

“Instead of making any one thing in the diet a villain, we need to look at total caloric content as well as quality of food."

Tara Gidus, RD

FAT BURNS FAT
The body needs three macronutrients for energy: Carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A gram of fat packs more than twice the energy of a gram of the other two. “When you don’t have any fat in your diet its like you don’t have fuel to burn calories,” Glassman says. The body requires energy to keep its metabolism properly functioning, and a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming fatty acids can boost metabolic health.

What’s more, “old” fat stored in the body’s peripheral tissues—around the belly, thighs, or butt (also called subcutaneous fat)—can’t be burned efficiently without “new” fat to help the process, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dietary fat helps break down existing fat by activating PPAR-alpha and fat-burning pathways through the liver.

Think of mealtime like baseball spring training: young, hungry players (new fat) hit the field and show the general manger (the liver) that it’s time to send the old, worn-out players (subcutaneous fat) home. And away they go.

FAT KEEPS YOU FULL
Fat isn’t the easiest nutrient to digest, so it sticks around in the digestive system for more time than many other nutrients. MUFAs may also help stabilize blood sugar levels, according to Mayo Clinic. That means you feel full longer, and you won’t feel the stomach-growling urge to raid the refrigerator after mealtime.

In fact, diets with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of PUFA that the body can only acquire through food, create a greater sense of fullness both immediately following and two hours after dinner than do meals with low levels of the fatty acids, according to a 2008 study from University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. It’s no surprise that dieters who consume moderate levels of fat are more likely to stick with their eating plans than dieters who consume low levels of fat.

The result? More weight lost.

FAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
If you don't have a knife handy, simply mash avocado on toast rather than slicing it.
Everyone says that dieting, not to put too fine a point on it, stinks. Eating yummy foods makes you happy, and it turns out low-fat versions just don’t do the trick for one surprising reason: We can taste the fat — not just the salt, sugar and other goodies in food.

Recent research from Purdue University shows that our taste buds can detect fat in food, which helps explain why low-fat foods don’t curb our fat cravings. According to the research, fat may be an entirely different basic taste than what we’ve long considered the four mainstays: sweet, salty, sour and bitter.

On an even happier fat note, omega-3 fatty acids can boost serotonin levels in the brain, helping to improve mood, increase motivation and keep you from devouring a large pizza like it’s your job. 3.5 percent of women and 2 percent of men have suffered from diagnosed binge-eating disorders, while millions more people are occasional emotional eaters, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.

FAT BUILDS MUSCLE
Here's an idea: Put eggs in the middle of the avocado where the seed was.
“Eating good fats along with an effective exercise program can increase muscle,” says trainer and owner of Results Fitness, Rachel Cosgrove, CSCS, who notes that increasing muscle mass is vital to increasing metabolism and burning calories both in and out of the gym. In a 2011 study published in Clinical Science, researchers examined the effects of eight weeks of PUFA supplementation in adults ages 25 to 45 and found that the fat increases protein concentration and the size of muscular cells in the body. Previous studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis in older adults and can mediate muscle mass loss due to aging.

FAT MAKES FOOD BETTER FOR YOU
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy avocado toast. Easiest way: simply slice an avocado, layer on toast and add sea salt!
Many nutrients including vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning that the body can’t absorb them without fat. If your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly, that can lead to vitamin deficiencies and bring on dry skin, blindness, brittle bones, muscle pains, and abnormal blood clotting, according to Gidus.

These vitamins are also key to maintaining energy, focus, and muscle health, all of which contribute to a healthy weight. Vitamin E, for example is a powerful antioxidant and helps maintain your metabolism, while the body’s levels of vitamin D predicts its ability to lose fat, especially in the abdominal region, according to a clinical trial from the University of Minnesota Medical School.

So while you can pile your salad high with nutrient-rich spinach, tomatoes and carrots, you really need to thank the olive oil for sending the salad’s vitamins your way.

WHAT TO EAT – AND WHAT TO SKIP – WHEN ADDING FAT TO YOUR DIET
*Unsaturated Fatty Acids: Consisting of both monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they are important for health. MUFAs are found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocadoes, while PUFAs are found in vegetable oils, fish, and seafood.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are two PUFAs that can only be obtained through diet and are called “essential fatty acids.” Adjust your diet accordingly.

*Saturated Fatty Acids: Found primarily in foods from animal sources such as meat and dairy products, like butter and cheese, they are usually solid at room temperature. Some vegetable oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oil also contain saturated fat.

Eat limited amounts as part of a healthy diet – and always try to consume healthier sources. For example, grass fed beef is a much better option than, say, popcorn popped in oil.

*Trans Fatty Acids: Chemically processed vegetable oils, they are semisolid at room temperature and are used in some margarines, fried foods, and processed foods to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life.

Also called “partially hydrogenated” oils, they should be avoided like the plague they are.

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Eggs benedict, a high-fat breakfast choice. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard that fat is bad for you. But, is it true?
Is Eating Fatty Food Actually Bad for Me?
By Joe Donatelli Oct 03, 2017
You’ve probably heard that fat is bad for you. Food manufacturers market and sell fat-free and low-fat products. Restaurants trim fat off meat. And when folks like Dr. Robert Atkins said we should eat more fat and less cereal, they were shouted down by a legion of nutritional experts.

Back in 1973, Atkins was called in front of Congress to defend his diet. One senator told Atkins he had “impugned the reputations” of the doctors who preached that the best way to lose weight was to avoid fatty foods. The American Medical Association attacked Atkins's low-carb diet as a ''bizarre regimen.”

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The medical establishment went all-out against fat a decade later. In 1985 the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute launched a successful national program aimed at reducing cholesterol, which included an effort to get people to lower their saturated fat intake. The notion that people should eat less fat to stay healthy was so seemingly intuitive that it caught on.

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Today fat is still looked down upon. The governments of both the United States and Great Britain encourage their citizens to eat less saturated fat. “Consumer Reports” labels saturated fats as “bad.” They’re hardly alone. Mainstream health experts seldom go on TV and tell people to eat more fat. Food manufacturers never slap “Now with Extra Fat!” on food packaging. There is no McDonald’s McFat Burger. The First Lady has yet to launch a “Let’s Eat More Fat!” campaign.

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In the refrigerator of justice, fat is one of the bad guys.

Or is it?

A funny thing happened on the way to lowering America’s cholesterol. America’s high blood cholesterol and consumption of saturated and total fats decreased while its obesity continued to rise.

America is eating less fat, and it’s getting fatter.

How can that be?

Total fat in any food, or in the diet, should be ignored. One should focus on eating more healthy foods.

Dariush Mozaffarian, Harvard School of Public Health

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LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT FATS
Woman eating a hamburger. Red meat contains a fairly high amount of saturated fat. One 3-ounce hamburger contains 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
When health experts rallied against fat in the 1980s, they were working with the data they had. The case against saturated fat in particular was that it had far more calories than other food groups and it raised LDL, the bad cholesterol.

New research is available, and it says that if one removes saturated fat from one’s diet, it needs to be replaced with something healthier. For a long time, we didn’t make a healthy swap. Many of us still haven’t.

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Today, there is a consensus that polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are healthy. (See sidebar for details.) Saturated fats? The conventional wisdom says they’re harmful, but that tells only part of the story.

In 2010 Patty Siri-Tarino, an associate staff scientist with Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, published a meta-analysis of the association between dietary saturated fat and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease. The analysis looked at 21 separate epidemiological studies that met certain guidelines.

The conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to conclude that saturated fat raises the risk for stroke, coronary heart and cardiovascular disease. The researchers say more study is necessary to determine whether there are associations between the aforementioned health risks and saturated fat in specific age and sex subgroups.

“Very likely, the reason for the lack of association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease was that people were replacing their saturated fat with carbohydrates,” Siri-Tarino said. “When you increase carbohydrate in the diet, it can lead to a different problem. It can induce an atherogenic dyslipidemia. You think you’re doing something healthy by decreasing saturated fat, but replacing it with carbohydrates, especially refined and processed carbs, is not going to help you.”

Atherogenic dyslipidemia, according to the National Institutes of Health, comprises a triad of increased blood concentrations of small dense low-density lipoprotein particles, decreased high-density lipoprotein particles and increased triglycerides. It is a feature of obesity and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Studies like this one shed light on the fact that public health experts’ efforts to lower saturated fats and bad cholesterol to reduce heart disease may have led to an increase in atherogenic dyslipidemia, which is a risk factor for heart disease. It’s possible that when we reduced saturated fats in our diets we replaced them with processed carbohydrates and didn’t do ourselves any favors.

Replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat is beneficial, according to research studies, although not all of them. What’s evident is: there is still much to be learned about fat.

A 2010 study by the Harvard School of Public Health using randomized clinical trials found that people who replaced saturated fat in their diets with polyunsaturated fat reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by 19 percent compared with control groups.

In 2013 the Sydney Diet Heart Study concluded that the benefits of the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid -- omega-6 linoleic acid -- have not been established. The authors did a meta-analysis of studies that considered polyunsaturated fats and showed that those where the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio was higher demonstrated beneficial results, while studies where the omega-6 content was higher did not show benefit.

One can see how this is a tough sell for the people who campaign for public health. It’s hard to put “Replace Certain Fats with Certain Other Kinds of Fats That Have Even Longer and More Confusing Names If You Want to Live Longer – Maybe!” on a bumper sticker.

“The field of nutritional science can be murky,” said Siri-Tarino.

SO, HOW SHOULD WE THINK OF FATS?
Dariush Mozaffarian from the Harvard School of Public Health is one of the nation’s leading experts on diet as it relates to disease. He said, “Total fat intake has little or no impact on health.”

According to Mozaffarian, a person can have either a very high-fat or a very low-fat diet that is very healthy or a very high-fat or a very low-fat diet that is very unhealthy. How is that? A food can be either high-fat or low-fat and be healthy, or it can be high-fat or low-fat and be unhealthy. His point is: don’t generalize when it comes to fats.

Mozaffarian advises avoiding unhealthy foods such as refined grains, sugars, starches, sugary drinks, processed meats and foods containing trans fats or high amounts of salt. He recommends replacing them with healthy vegetable fats, oils, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, yogurt, vegetable oils -- especially extra-virgin olive oil -- and modest amounts of cheese.

“Total fat in any food, or in the diet, should be ignored,” Mozaffarian said. “One should focus on eating more healthy foods.”

HERE'S THE PROBLEM WITH ‘LOW-FAT’ FOODS
Toast with egg and avocado includes healthy fats that will keep you feeling full.
There’s an unintended effect that occurs when people eat food that is labeled “low-fat.” They eat more of it.

Cornell researchers found that putting “low-fat” labels on snack foods led to people eating up to 50 percent more than foods with labels that lacked a low-fat claim. People assume low-fat means fewer calories.

Researchers who went to a grocery store and looked at fat and calorie content of “low-fat” processed foods found that the foods contained 59 percent less fat but only 15 percent fewer calories. As the Cornell researchers point out, that’s not enough to justify increased consumption.

Overweight individuals are especially susceptible to such labeling. Assured by the words “low-fat,” those who took part in the study consumed 60 more calories than their thinner peers.

And here’s a tip nutritionists know but has yet to makes its way into the mainstream. Fat satisfies appetite longer, which leads to eating less.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR FAT?
In 2015, Dunkin' Donuts removed trans fats from its doughnuts and muffins.
In the years to come we’re likely to learn that not only are certain fats harmful or good, but certain fatty acids in the context of different food sources are harmful or good. Now, polyunsaturated fats are recommended, but in the future, only certain polyunsaturated fats might be recommended.

The days of making broad, sweeping generalizations about food groups are coming to an end.

“The 1980s was all about ‘low-fat,’ so people increased their carbs,” Siri-Tarino said. “Now health officials are saying to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated or with monounsaturated.”

Siri-Tarino laughs.

She knows this is a hard sell.

“What does that mean to the person on the street?” she says. “Eat fish, nuts and avocado more often, and use fish to replace beef.”

THE FOUR FATS
All fats are not created equal. Some are unhealthy, and others convey big health benefits.

TRANS FATS: The consensus is these fats are unhealthy. They are found in meats, but are most common in processed foods such as cookies, breads and crackers. Trans fats increase the bad LDL cholesterol and reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol.

SATURATED FATS: These occur naturally and can be found in fatty beef, pork, poultry with skin, cream, butter, cheese and other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat, such as 2 percent milk, among other foods. They contain dietary cholesterol.

POLYUNSATURATED FATS: Widely considered a “good fat” and a recommended part of a balanced diet, polyunsaturated fats are also known as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They’re beneficial for cholesterol and for lowering triglycerides. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in fish, walnuts and cooking oils.

MONOUNSATURATED FATS: They’re found in olive oil, avocados and most nuts. They contain nutrients and antioxidants. Eating monounsaturated fats improves blood cholesterol levels.

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A vegan salad with kale, quinoa, lentils, lima beans, nuts, sundried tomatoes and raisins.
The Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet
By Katie Farmand Oct 03, 2017
Out of all the diets championed by health experts these days, veganism can seem like the most intimidating. The name almost sounds like a religion. And perhaps that’s fitting: Many vegans cite ethical reasons for why they only eat plant-based foods.

Values aside, the lifestyle can be a pretty big commitment: Vegans skip any animal-derived product, including meat, dairy and eggs. This extends to foods processed with animal products, like refined sugar. Add up all of the dietary restrictions, and you have a nutritional plan that only the most committed people can sustain. It’s precisely these reasons that scare some people off of veganism altogether.

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The good news? You don’t have to become a full-fledged vegan to reap many of the benefits of the diet. In fact, a growing number of health experts believe that simply eliminating meat and dairy for a few days a week can make you healthier.

One reason: Cutting out animal-products makes more room in your diet for fruits and vegetables—a goal that most people fail to meet. According to the CDC, nearly three out of four people eat fruits and vegetables less than five times per day –which is a shame, since a study in the European Heart Journal found that with each serving of produce a person consumes, their risk for ischemic heart disease declines by 4%. Those who had eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowered their risk for the disease by a whopping 22%.

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Skipping animal products can also help you reduce your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, says Nicole Geurin, MPH, RD. This in turn can help boost your HDL (good) cholesterol and lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides—all of which may reduce your risk of heart disease.

So if you’re considering dabbling in Veganism, here are a few easy meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Include them in your diet a few times per week and reap the nutritional benefits.

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BREAKFAST: ALMOND MILK AND FRUIT SMOOTHIES
Milk is practically synonymous with breakfast, and for a good reason: The one-two nutritional punch of protein and calcium is a great way to start your morning. To match milk’s intake of nutrients, try blending a smoothie made with calcium-rich spinach, tofu and almond milk.

“When you cut out dairy, you want to eat more dark green leafy vegetables to make up for the loss of calcium,” says Trish O’Keefe, RD, and author of Dishbytrish.com.

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For a creamy, dairy-free breakfast smoothie, blend together 1 cup silken tofu, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup diced mango, a splash of orange or pineapple juice, a drizzle of honey, 1 packed cup baby spinach and enough almond milk to blend into a smooth consistency.

BREAKFAST: TOFU BREAKFAST BURRITOS
Eggs are another morning meal classic. They’re loaded with enough protein, which keeps you full until mid-day, and they take on the flavor of just about anything they’re mixed with. Luckily, so does tofu—another great source of vegan protein, says Geurin.

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For an easy vegan breakfast burrito, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a handful of chopped veggies (leftovers from last night’s dinner are a good option) and sauté until just softened. Toss in about 1/4 pound firm tofu that’s been patted dry. Sprinkle the mixture with salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika. Stir the veggies and the tofu until the ingredients come together. Scoop the food out and wrap it in a warm whole-wheat tortilla.

LUNCH: CHICKPEA AND RICE SALAD
One misconception about vegan diets is that to hit proper protein levels, they require mysterious meat substitutes. “Nearly all vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds contain protein,” O’Keefe says. Toss enough of these foods together, and you’ll meet your quota.

One good way to do so is by making a Moroccan-inspired chickpea and rice salad. Combine 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas, 1 small diced red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon raisins or dried currants, a sprinkle of slivered almonds and 2 minced green onions. For the dressing, whisk together lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, to taste; whisk in 1/4 teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper. Add salt to taste, and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Combining the rice and chickpeas makes a complete protein, while the bell pepper, currants and almonds all add fiber, vitamins and minerals.

LUNCH: CARROT AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
Another easy lunch idea is gingery carrot and white bean soup. Creamy and filling but low in calories, this soup is packed with fiber and the carrots deliver a hefty dose of the antioxidant vitamin A. “A high-fiber diet is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers, and antioxidants combat cancer-causing free radicals,” says Geurin.

Combine 1 pound chopped carrots, 1 small chopped onion, and 1 tablespoon chopped ginger root in about 3 cups vegetable stock. Simmer until carrots are tender; add a can of drained, rinsed white beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully puree in a blender; serve warm drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Pair with vegan pita chips for a little extra crunch.

DINNER: SOBA NOODLES WITH MUSHROOMS AND VEGGIES
All too often, dinners revolve around one protein paired with a few vegetable side dishes. But by moving veggies to center stage, you can make your meal even healthier. For example, many people cook beef for dinner—and while meat is indeed a good source of iron, mushrooms and dark green leafy vegetables are even better sources of this mineral on a per-calorie basis, says O’Keefe. By combining the two with high-fiber buckwheat soba noodles (which can reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol and blood pressure), you’ll have a robust, nourishing supper in no time.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat; add chopped shiitake, Portobello and/or crimini mushrooms to the pan, tossing to combine; let sear until parts are dark brown. Turn heat to medium-high and add 1 bunch chopped lacinato kale (also called Tuscan kale) and season with salt. Cook until kale wilts. Meanwhile, cook soba noodles in boiling water per package directions. Toss drained soba into skillet and season with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.

DINNER: RISOTTO PRIMAVERA
“Another great—and complete—protein source is quinoa,” Geurin explains. For dinner, try making whole-grain risotto primavera, which combines high-protein quinoa and high-fiber barley, which can help lower LDL cholesterol and control blood sugar. Adding a variety of vegetables to the meal will pack even more fiber, vitamins and minerals to the meal.

Toast 1/2 cup of each quinoa and pearl barley in a drizzle of olive oil in a large, deep-sided sauté pan over medium heat until just golden. Meanwhile, heat 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Ladle in vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until grains absorb broth before adding the next ladleful. When grains are tender, add in 2 handfuls chopped spinach, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/4 cup chopped basil, 1/2 pint halved cherry tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until vegetables wilt and everything is hot.

5 AMAZING VEGAN PROTEINS
Meat isn’t the only source of protein. By incorporating these non-animal based foods into your diet, you can reduce your of saturated fat intake while meeting your daily protein quota.

TEMPEH – Made from cultured and fermented soybeans, tempeh mimics the texture of meat. It also has an earthy flavor, which makes it an especially good substitute for beef. Try it in tacos, stews and pot pies.

TOFU –It gets a bad rap as bland and boring, but this curd—made from soybean milk—can take on the flavor of almost anything you pair it with. For those averse to its soft texture, try using extra-firm tofu and pressing it between paper towels for an hour before using.

EDAMAME – These soybean pods have become a ubiquitous sushi restaurant appetizer, but the shelled beans are also delicious as a side dish, like succotash. Or puree them oil and herbs to make a tasty spread.

BEANS – Bored with the run-of-the-mill bean dishes? Try mixing mashed black beans into brownie batter for an extra dose of fiber and protein. Or create a festive (and easy) dip by pureeing pinto beans with jarred salsa.

LENTILS – Lentils are filled with protein, as well as folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc, making them a nutritional powerhouse. Try sautéing lentils with spinach, smoked paprika and diced, cooked potatoes for a tasty, one-dish meal.

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Stuff Medjool dates with tahini for a quick snack.
How to Gain Weight With Dates & Tahini as a Vegan
By Sandi Busch Oct 03, 2017
To gain weight, you must consistently consume more calories than your body burns. To keep healthy, weight gain should come from nutrient-rich foods rather than empty calories. Dates and tahini can help you meet your weight-loss goals, and they’re both naturally vegan choices. Be sure to add strength training to your routine so that you can increase lean muscle rather than gaining weight by storing excess fat.

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GAIN WEIGHT THE HEALTHY WAY
To gain 1 pound, you have to consume 3,500 calories more than you burn for energy. If your activity level stays steady and you add 500 calories to your current daily intake, you’ll gain 1 pound per week. As your daily exercise increases, you'll also need to determine the number of calories used by each activity and increase daily calories to make up for those burned. You can do your own calculations of calories in and out, but an easier alternative is to use online calculators, such as those available from Wake Forest Baptist Health, Health Status and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s SuperTracker, to calculate your needs, then add the calories required for weight gain.

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Your reason for gaining weight is also an important factor. If you’re underweight and want to gain weight for health reasons, take it slow and easy. Those involved in intense physical training who want to build muscles need enough calories to prevent protein from being used for energy, which may demand more than 500 extra calories daily. If you need to offset undesired weight loss caused by a medical condition, talk to a registered dietitian or your physician first to be sure your approach is the best for your health.

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BOOST DAILY CALORIES WITH DATES AND TAHINI
You’ll find many varieties of dates in the grocery store, but two favorites are Deglet Noor and Medjool dates. Deglet Noor dates are smaller, chewier and drier compared to the larger Medjool dates, which are moist and soft. One Deglet Noor has 20 calories; one Medjool, 66 calories. If you eat three Deglet Noor dates, you’ll get nearly the same calories and macronutrients as one Medjool.

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Tahini, or sesame butter, is made by grinding sesame seeds until they form a paste. A small amount of vegetable oil is often added to create a thinner and creamier sesame butter. Because it consists almost entirely of sesame seeds, tahini has all the calories and nutrients from the seeds, yet in a concentrated form because it takes 1 cup of sesame seeds to produce about 1/2 cup of tahini. One tablespoon of tahini supplies 89 calories, reports the USDA.

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If you eat one Medjool date -- or three Deglet Noor dates -- and a tablespoon of tahini, you’ll add 155 calories to your daily diet. Eat the same combination three times daily as snacks, and they’ll contribute nearly 500 calories. Spread 2 tablespoons of tahini on a slice of whole-wheat bread, then top it with two sliced Medjool dates, and you end up with a 386-calorie snack. Two of those each day contribute significant calories.

COMBINE VEGAN DATES AND TAHINI
The combination of dates and tahini creates a complementary mix of macronutrients. One Medjool has 18 grams of carbs and 16 grams of sugar, which is good for energy, because you'll only get 3 grams of carbs and no sugar from 1 tablespoon of tahini. Both ingredients have nearly equal amounts of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of dietary fiber, which slows down sugar absorption to help keep blood sugar balanced. Dates are naturally fat-free, but 1 tablespoon of tahini supplies 8 grams of total fat, which consists mostly of healthy unsaturated fats.

Gain extra calories with a tahini-date milk shake that includes tahini, dates, bananas and coconut or soy milk It may take some experimentation to come up with the proportion of ingredients you prefer, but if you begin with a banana, 2 tablespoons of tahini and three Medjool dates for each serving, you’ll get about 500 calories from the banana, tahini and dates, plus whatever the milk alternative contains.

You can create a snack by blending tahini paste, Medjool dates and cashews, then roll the mix into bite-sized balls. Replace cashews with any of your favorite nuts or seeds, then add cocoa powder to boost antioxidants. If the mixture is too dry to hold together, add more dates. Make a savory version with tahini, dates, nuts and sun-dried tomatoes or other vegetables. Drizzle in olive oil to create the right consistency to form the mix into balls.

PROTEIN FOR WEIGHT GAIN IN A VEGAN DIET
Even if you don’t plan to train for the purpose of bulking your muscles, it’s still important to synthesize new muscle as you gain weight to maintain muscle health. To accomplish this goal, you need sufficient calories plus muscle-building protein. One way to maximize muscle protein synthesis is to spread protein consumption out over the day rather than getting a large percentage of protein at one meal in the evening, reported the Journal of Nutrition in June 2014.

You may not think of dates and tahini as high-protein foods -- and that’s true for dates, as one Medjool barely has a trace of protein. But tahini is a different story. Two tablespoons of tahini has 5 grams of protein. The recommended dietary allowance for women is 46 grams of protein daily, while men should get 56 grams, according to the Institute of Medicine. That means women get nearly 11 percent of their daily protein, and men get 9 percent, from just 2 tablespoons of tahini. You can effectively use tahini to add protein and promote weight gain by including it at meals and snacks throughout the day