Can You Lose Weight by Eating Chocolate?

Institute Editorial Team 09/20/2021

Imagine a world where you can lose weight by eating chocolate. It sounds like a fantasy, right? Well, maybe not. Some research indicates that consuming chocolate every day, at specific times, may help our body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels. Before you file this under “too good to be true,” let’s explore how chocolate may not be the enemy to our waistline after all. How Blood Sugar Affects Your Weight If your doctor has indicated that you are diabetic or even pre-diabetic, you may be paying closer attention to your sugar intake. However, if your annual physical indicates that all is normal, then you may not think about sugar intake as much as you should. The connection between blood sugar, belly fat, and…

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Categories: Self-care, Wellness & Personal Growth

Tags: chocolate, diet, health, weight management, wellness

Institute Editorial Team

fruits and vegetables representing calories and micronutrients

Calories vs. Micronutrients & Why We Need Both

Calories and Micronutrients are critical to understand for our health; but most of us don’t know the difference. Ever wonder why it is so hard to maintain a healthy weight, especially as we get older? You are not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control, 42.4% of Americans are obese, with many elements coming into play. Among these elements are biological factors, like our genes; environmental factors, including those people we interact with; and modifiable components, like the food choices we make. I like to use the analogy of a car when I’m explaining nutrition. The gasoline we put into our car is what makes the car run. The car’s fuel is analogous to macronutrients that make our body’s run. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins…

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Lynn Ulatowski 01/10/2022

5 Wellness Trend Predictions for 2023

One of the most rewarding parts of my job as Heinen’s Registered Dietitian is introducing loyal, health-conscious customers to new developments in wellness. I sat down with our Wellness category experts to learn all about coming trends in 2023 based on their research. Get the inside scoop on each of these trends, plus top Fx-friendly products to help you move the needle towards a healthier you in the new year! Trend #1 Immune Health: Quercetin & Mushrooms The fact that people continue seeking ways to improve their immune health even though the pandemic is behind us, is evidence that fear is a powerful motivator. Because the immune system is our first line of defense against disease (including viral and bacterial infections), strengthening it should be…

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Institute Editorial Team 12/12/2022

Focus on Fiber to Improve Health

When you think about the word “fiber”, you may equate that with an older adult taking a supplement to be “regular.” However, fiber is an under-appreciated nutrient that has so many health benefits. If you make one lifestyle change, focus on fiber. Why? Fiber has no Calories. It also decreases your risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and of course digestive disorders. Notably, this zero Calorie superstar does not get the respect it deserves because most Americans consume about 16grams per day. This is less than half of the Institute of Medicine’s daily recommended amount of 28 grams for women and 35 grams for men. What is fiber? Fiber is technically a polysaccharide member of the carbohydrate family found in plant products. …

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Lynn Ulatowski 08/30/2021

Resolutions: African American woman smiling

Resolutions: How to Actually Follow Through With Yours This Year

We all set resolutions this time of year, but how can you actually stick to them? The new year is here, and many of us are thinking about what we love about our lives 一 and what we want to change. With that said, if you’re like most people, your resolutions probably lay forgotten around February 1st or so. The daily tasks of life have a way of getting in the way of our long-term goals, and it’s easy to put your New Year’s resolutions 一 and all of the hope and optimism that went with them 一 by the wayside. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are ways to set, and work towards, resolutions that may make you more likely to…

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Saya Des Marais 01/02/2023

How to add the Mediterranean Diet into your Lifestyle

When you hear the word “diet,” you probably think of calorie counting, long lists of forbidden foods and much shorter lists of “allowed” foods. Perhaps you’ve even tried your fair share of popular diets and the thought of entertaining another one is enough to make you polish off a pint of ice cream. Relax, put down the spoon and let’s consider how Merriam-Webster defines “diet.” Food and drink regularly provided or consumedHabitual nourishment The words “regularly” and “habitual” describe more of a lifestyle, or pattern of eating. One such lifestyle is the Mediterranean diet—a balanced way of eating reflecting the traditional food patterns of those countries surrounding the Mediterranean. A great body of scientific research supports the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including: Longer…

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Institute Editorial Team 10/24/2022

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