This time of year can be uber stressful with midterms coming up, job pressures, relationship issues, you name it.  The realization that school is in full swing has finally hit. Many of us are as busy as ever, including moi. And you know what that means: stress eating.

I’m going to be completely honest and admit that when I am stressed, I just want to EAT. Everything. As a nutritional sciences major, I can’t get away from thinking about food and studying it just makes me want to eat it more. Thankfully, as said nutrition major, I am also equipped with some pretty awesome information to prevent myself from becoming overweight. As a person who believes in walking the walk, not being overweight is a career decision for me as well as a health decision.

So what’s some of my stay-skinny secrets you ask?

Well my friends, one of my best secrets is eating nuts and seeds at least once per day. It might seem counterproductive to eat nuts and seeds, which are high in fat, to lose weight, yet studies show that nuts and seeds promote weight loss. Big time.  Research on the issue shows when an equal number of carbohydrate calories are replaced with nuts and seeds, weight loss increases. Scientists from Purdue University did a thorough review of all the research studies that looked at nut intake and weight loss. Guess what? They found a surprising inverse association between nut intake and Body Mass Index. As a lover of almond butter and walnuts, this news could not thrill me more.

Not only did they find nuts were conducive to weight loss, they also found that nuts and seeds are a rich source of nutrients and protect the heart and blood vessels.  So basically, in addition to keeping me skinny, my heart loves the stuff.  For example, almonds have a potent antioxidant effect, which leads to decreases in levels of bad cholesterol, and help to keep our arteries clear of nasty buildup. Read More »

I know, I know – us glamorous CollegeCandy readers are so busy saving the world, getting better than A+ grades, and flirting with the boy next door, that it’s so hard to incorporate a consistent healthy diet into our daily lives. Yet it’s important to understand that beauty and health last beyond our college years, so we have to do everything in our power to keep the summer glow and prevent any aging wrinkles… or at least offset the 5-day benders that seem to get more and more frequent every year.

Try incorporating any of these five foods into your diet and you will see and feel the positive health benefits. Seems daunting? I’ve even included some ways to sneak these foods into your everyday meals, so now you’ve got no excuses not to get healthy.

1. Fruit: Raspberries
These cute lil’ red things are a great source of fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. As translation, eating just a cup of berries a day will reduce cholesterol levels, maintain organ balance, and improve your immune system. In fact, studies have shown that these great tasting berries even diminish risks for cancer. Snack on them in between classes, top them on your breakfast parfaits, or cool down in the summer heat with a raspberry-peach smoothie!

2. Nuts: Raw Almonds
Yes, that says RAW. That means no added sugar, salt, “honey-roasted”, or “dipped in chocolate”. If you snack on 20-23 of these organic nuts, you can be guaranteed some heart-healthy fats, 6 grams of protein, and over 35% of your daily need of Vitamin E. Okay, so “raw” and “nuts” doesn’t sound tempting for your belly? Slather some almond-rich, homemade beauty products on your face! Almonds have been proven to create an awesome complexion and soft skin. Read More »

Everyone wants a set of killer abs. If you have a svelte midsection and you automatically feel healthier and sexier. But are you clocking in hours at the gym and hundreds of crunches a week with no results? There’s a new fad diet out there that’s sending everyone atwitter.

The editors of Prevention magazine have come up with a diet plan that aims to send your excess gut to the gutter…or so it seems.

“The Flat Belly Diet” boasts a flat tummy in 32 days. The flagship website gives you everything you need to get started (read: sh*t you have to buy) including cookbooks (with cupcakes on the cover), exercise DVDs (for the “optional” exercise component), and online subscription program to track your progress. Best of all, what kind of diet would it be without a catchphrase (so you KNOW it works): “A MUFA at every meal!”

What’s a MUFA, you ask? Short for monounsaturated fatty acid, MUFA foods include almonds, peanut butter, olive oil and dark chocolate. The Flat Belly Diet encourages you to eat a serving of one of these foods at every meal. That’s right, glob some peanut butter on your crackers for lunch, and grab some dark chocolate cookies to nosh on with dinner. Does anyone else think this sounds a bit too good to be true?

Just from evaluating the website and the basic diet facts, I don’t feel so confident that the Flat Belly Diet could yield real results. Optional exercise? Chocolate with dinner? It sounds like a recipe for Too-Tight-Jeans-Syndrome, if you know what I mean. Not to mention that the “after” photos of alleged Flat Belly Dieters look like they simply donned a pair of Spanx (see above).

Ladies, what do you think?

[image courtesy of flatbellydiet.prevention.com]

We all get the munchies from time to time. No, not just the “It’s 2 AM on a Friday, I’m seven drinks deep, how much does that pizza cost?” munchies, I’m talking about the “It’s 8 AM on a Tuesday and everyone in my lecture hall just looked at my stomach because it made a noise reminiscent of the MGM Lion” munchies.

So, how do you feed the in-class hunger? You’re in college, so no one is going to reprimand you for eating, but that doesn’t mean you should go buckwild and order pizza to the lecture hall, Spicoli-style.

Here are the best and worst snacks for those mid-class munchies.

THE BEST

Cereal Bars, protein bars, PowerBars, you know, the edible bars that don’t serve alcohol: These are lightweight, filling and easy for on-the-go. If you have a long day of classes, throw a couple of these suckers in your bag and you should be set for the day. If you’re heading to the dead silent section of your library, stay away from the extra-crunchy bars, as you might receive dirty looks from people trying to study.

Nuts!: Almonds, peanuts, cashews, whatever your nut of choice is, throw a handful in a baggie and bring ‘em! They’re great protein and fill you up, fast.

Bananas: If this snack isn’t annihilated courtesy of your twenty pound Calculus book, bananas are one of the best mid-class snacks. Sure, you might look a little ridiculous eating it, but bananas are quiet and not stinky, two very irritating factors of the “in class snack.” Read More »

The first time I ate in my college dining hall was the first time I realized that putting on that Freshman 15 wasn’t due to just drinking more alcohol. How on earth can I avoid the temptation of returning to the dessert bar…three times?

Never in my life had tons of food been readily available to me and all paid for. The moment I saw the glimmer of that giant soft serve machine was the moment I knew I was doomed. But I’ve found the solution, people! By keeping some delicious (and healthy) snacks in my room constantly, it’s easier to avoid extras at every meal in the dining hall by reminding myself I can healthfully indulge in between meals. Worried about looking like a food hoarder? I’ve included some cute ways to display your morsels of goodness.

1. Hershey’s Kisses

If you haven’t had a Hershey’s Kiss in a while, let me tell you– they last WAY longer than you’d expect, especially if you let them melt in your mouth. At 25 calories each, you could have four or five before you hit the hay. Plus, they look really cute in a curvy apothecary jar, and I promise you’ll have friends stopping by juuust a little more often if the jar has easy access to visitors. Bonus points for buying the red and green foils during the holidays.

2. Energy Bars

I don’t know about you, but I’m a HUGE energy bar fan. I love trying new ones and have found a few winners for both taste and nutrition: Kashi TLC bars, Powerbar Pria bars (110 calories) and Luna Bars (usually around 180 calories– or try the Mini versions at 80 calories!). Read More »

I’m starting to think that there is some truth to the rule, “You are what you eat.” I think my muffin top would attest to that statement. In general, I stick to a healthy diet (of cupcakes), but when it comes time to crack the books I know that my typical eating habits will affect my scholastic performance. While I usually opt for a bag of M&Ms at the library, I now know that a giant bag of sugar is not the best thing to get me through the hours of cramming.

In contrast, there are foods out there that have been shown to improve memory retention and attention span. Read: The foods I should be eating. I am one who will do anything to pass an exam, even if it means eating my way to better grades. Because what could be better?

Eat? For better grades? Grad school may be for me after all. Read More »

There is nothing I love more than a scone in the morning. Sometimes I’ll sit at my table and devour one while sipping a cup of tea, just to feel intensely proper and English.

The problem with most scones that you can purchase at Starbucks is that they’re absolutely packed with calories and fat–just one scone can run at least 400 calories. When you make your own, they taste just as good but they’re a lot healthier because you actually know what you’re putting in them.

I’ve tried a LOT of scone recipes over the years, but I’ve never, ever found one as good as the following. I imagine it’s pretty versatile, so if you don’t like craisins or almonds you can probably sub in raisins or dried apricots or chocolate chips or whatever else you like. It makes 14 scones, so you can either share with friends or freeze the extras and take one out whenever you need a quick, scrumptious, and pretty healthy breakfast.

Without further ado, here is what you need and how to make the best scones in the world: Read More »