Crave more crunch in your meals but want to avoid calories? Don’t overlook low-cal celery. With only 6 calories per cup, celery is a perfect warm weather refresher, helping you stay hydrated, thanks to its high water content. But there’s no reason to limit yourself to the same old sticks. Celery is a great addition to a summertime favorite, the lobster roll. Crunchy Lobster Roll 1 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 pound lobster meat, cut into chunks 1/2 apple, chopped 1 cup kale, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 4 whole-wheat hot dog buns Place celery, lobster, apple, kale, mayo, yogurt and celery salt in a large bowl and mix well. Toast the buns and top with equal amounts of the lobster salad and serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings Celery root, also called celeriac, is the tasty root of the celery plant, but with a less pronounced celery taste. Shop for it in the produce section alongside other root vegetables. Don’t be deterred by its rough, knobby appearance. It can be prepared in many delicious ways. Celery root makes a great alternative to cabbage for a no-cook slaw and is an ideal swap for starchier veggies like potatoes, since it’s lower in carbs and calories — only 65 calories per cup with 14 grams of carbs and…  read on >

Love the idea of using more exotic fresh herbs in your cooking, but not sure where to begin? Thai basil and tarragon are two to try. Thai basil and tarragon are richly flavored, leafy green herbs — both have the aroma of anise or licorice — that can add interest to mild-tasting vegetables, fruits and proteins as well as sauces, dressings and other condiments. Often used in Asian cooking, Thai basil pairs well with sweeter flavors like the pineapple in this fruit salsa. Thai Basil Pineapple Salsa 1 cup Thai basil leaves, chopped 1 cup finely chopped pineapple 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 1 lime, zested and juiced 1/2 teaspoon salt Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Let sit for an hour in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld before serving. Yield: About 2 cups Tarragon is one of the herbs most essential to French cooking and is often used to make distinctive sauces, like Bearnaise. A sprinkling of the herb, finely chopped, will enhance simply prepared chicken and seafood. It’s also the star of this tasty variation of traditional pesto. Tarragon Almond Pesto 1/2 cup almonds 1 garlic clove, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup each tarragon leaves and flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Process…  read on >

If you’re looking for a frozen treat that won’t give your healthy eating plan the cold shoulder, pass on store-bought pops and make your own. Some prepackaged pops might be calorie-friendly, but many have dyes and preservatives. Making your own is easy, and you can use gut-friendly ingredients like kefir (a cultured dairy drink), fresh fruit and dark chocolate. Think of kefir as a cousin of yogurt with a similarly tangy taste. It’s high in protein and loaded with probiotic cultures, up to 11 different strains compared to the one or two found in most yogurts. It’s great in frozen pop recipes because the freezing doesn’t kill the beneficial cultures. Also, its texture is a bit thinner than yogurt, which makes it ideal for freezing with berries and other healthy add-ins, like naturally sugar-free cacao nibs. Nibs are cracked whole cocoa beans. They’re high in antioxidants plus they give you a good dose of fiber and a pleasant crunch. You can usually find them in health food stores or order them online. A bag of nibs will keep for months in your fridge, but you’ll likely use them up in short order. Frozen Kefir Pops 1 cup plain 2% kefir 1 tablespoon honey or sweetener of your choice 1 cup berries or pitted cherries 4 teaspoons cacao nibs Place kefir and honey or sweetener in…  read on >

It seems as though every day brings yet another study on the effects of caffeine or coffee in particular. Researchers have looked at its effects on almost every aspect of health, from overall mortality to the heart, bones, kidneys, liver, fertility and more. Sometimes, separate studies on the same aspect of caffeine consumption have contradictory findings, creating confusion. So, what do you need to know before you take another sip? An exhaustive analysis of 1,277 existing studies published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety found that the potential benefits of drinking moderate amounts of coffee outweigh the risks. In fact, research on caffeine’s heart health benefits, published in the journal Circulation, reversed 20-year-old findings to the contrary. But just what is moderate coffee drinking? About four 8-ounce cups a day. At the other end of the spectrum, research done at the Australian Center for Precision Health has pinpointed the upper end of the safe range, finding that drinking six or more cups a day does pose a danger to heart health. This amount can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. Caffeine isn’t the only active ingredient in coffee, but tracking caffeine milligrams is a good way to measure intake, with 400 milligrams a day being the limit suggested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One 8-ounce…  read on >

When it comes to blood pressure readings, the “top” number seems to grab all the attention. But a large, new study confirms that both numbers are, in fact, critical in determining the risk of heart attack and stroke. Blood pressure measurements are given as a “top” and “bottom” number. The first reflects systolic blood pressure, the amount of pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts. The second reflects diastolic blood pressure, the pressure in the arteries between heart muscle contractions. For years, systolic blood pressure has been seen as the one that really matters. That’s based on studies — including the famous Framingham Heart Study — showing that high systolic blood pressure is a stronger predictor of heart disease and stroke. At the same time, though, doctors measure both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and treatment guidelines are based on both. So just how important is that diastolic number? “The idea behind this new study was to address the confusion,” said lead researcher Dr. Alexander Flint, an investigator with Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s division of research. Using medical records from 1.3 million patients, his team confirmed that, yes, high systolic blood pressure was a stronger risk factor for heart attack and stroke. But those risks also climbed in tandem with diastolic pressure; and people with normal systolic readings were still at risk if their…  read on >

People are getting the message about the dangers of sugar. Nearly 70% of Americans have cut back on foods high in added sugars, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. But there’s still a long way to go. One of the key ways to reduce your sugar intake is by drinking plain water or low- and no-calorie beverages instead of soda and flavored waters. Pre-sweetened beverages represent half of all the added sugars we eat. Note that while 100% juices have only natural sugars, they don’t have the fiber found in the whole fruit and could cause blood sugar spikes, so you need to be judicious about your intake. Top Sugary Drinks to Avoid Soft drinks, including soda Fruit-flavored drinks Sweetened coffee and teas Energy drinks Alcoholic beverages Flavored waters It’s also important to know the various names sugar goes by. There are at least 61 forms of added sweeteners used in processed foods, according to the University of California, San Francisco’s SugarScience. They include various types of sugars, syrups and other ingredients ending in “ose.” To uncover sources of sugar in your diet, read the ingredients label of every food you buy, including those you may not associate with sugar, like yogurt, protein bars, whole grain cereals and even some salty snacks. And just because a label says no “high-fructose…  read on >

In the quest to lighten up on carbs and refined grains, cauliflower rice is the hands-down favorite substitute. But you don’t have to buy pricy, pre-riced bags of cauliflower when a simple countertop appliance can do the job for you quickly and easily. Cauliflower is one of the healthiest vegetables around, high in vitamins C and K, fiber and folate, but not everyone loves it on its own. The beauty of cauliflower is that other ingredients can transform its taste into familiar dishes. For instance, when mashed and seasoned with chives and/or sauteed garlic, cauliflower can step in for potatoes. A ricer is the kitchen tool typically used to turn cooked cauliflower into fine, uniform shreds and works great to create a thick puree. But when you want to use cauliflower as a substitute for white rice and need to rice it raw, reach for the processor. Riced cauliflower can be used for many dishes that call for rice or pasta. This Asian fried “rice” is the perfect introduction to cauliflower cuisine. Cauliflower Fried Rice 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 4 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons ginger, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup corn kernels 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon hot sauce…  read on >

The sugar substitute xylitol may help you lose weight, but it can be deadly for your dog, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Xylitol is present in many human foods and other products, and the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has received a number of reports over the past several years of dogs being poisoned by xylitol. The most recently reported case involved sugar-free ice cream, said FDA veterinarian Dr. Martine Hartogensis. Other products that may contain xylitol include: sugar-free chewing gum; breath mints; baked goods; some peanut and nut butters, sugar-free desserts; cough syrup; children’s and adult chewable vitamins; mouthwash; toothpaste; over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements. When dogs eat something containing xylitol, the sweetener is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and can trigger a surge of insulin from the pancreas. This could lead to a rapid, severe drop in blood sugar levels that can be life-threatening, according to the FDA. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include vomiting, decreased activity, weakness, staggering, lack of coordination, collapse and seizures. If you think your dog has eaten xylitol, take it to a veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital immediately, Hartogensis advised. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk that your dog will consume xylitol. “Check the label for xylitol in the ingredients of products, especially ones that advertise as…  read on >