All posts tagged: intake

Here’s How to Reduce Your Sugar Intake (Including Six Foods to Avoid)

Here’s How to Reduce Your Sugar Intake (Including Six Foods to Avoid)

Published by Jenni Sidey

It’s never a bad idea to reduce your sugar intake, given its links to diabetes and increased cancer risk. But also—sugar tastes really good. Whether you love pounding energy drinks at your 9-to-5, tend to glaze your meat in honey or sugary marinades, or are simply an ice cream guy, it’s likely that you’re consuming more sugar than you realize. But by choosing natural sources of sugar, like fresh fruit, and slowly cutting back on processed sugars, you can make better food choices without feeling deprived. How much sugar do we actually need? According to dietitian Fareeha Jay, the amount of added sugar we actually need each day is, well, zero. Instead of consuming added sugars from things like sports drinks, “healthy” protein bars, and full-fat sodas, Jay recommends we turn to fruits, vegetables, dairy, and more useful, less-processed sources of carbs to get our daily dose of natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and lactose. For men 19 and older, government dietary guidelines recommend about 333 grams of carbohydrates daily, with this amount tapering off …

High sugar intake is linked to increased odds of depression and anxiety in new study

High sugar intake is linked to increased odds of depression and anxiety in new study

Published by José Betancourt

A recent study published in the journal Health Science Reports has found that consuming high amounts of sugar and sugary drinks tends to be linked with a higher chance of experiencing depression and anxiety. By examining the dietary habits and mental health of adults, scientists found that specific types of sugar might play unique roles in mood disorders. The findings suggest that reducing sugar intake could be a modest but helpful step in supporting public mental health. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that the body uses for quick energy. It is found naturally in whole foods like fruits and milk, but it is also added in large quantities to processed foods and beverages. As global consumption of added sugars continues to rise, scientists are working to understand how this dietary trend affects human health. Heavy sugar intake is already known to increase the risk of physical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. However, its direct connection to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety is less understood. Diet is a major lifestyle factor that can …

Genetic study unravels the link between caffeine intake and sleep timing

Genetic study unravels the link between caffeine intake and sleep timing

Published by José Betancourt

Drinking coffee and tea directly improves our alertness during the day, but it does not appear to inherently disrupt how much or how well we sleep at night over the long term. Research published in the Journal of Sleep Research used genetic data to determine that consuming caffeine mainly reduces daytime napping and sleepiness rather than causing insomnia. The findings suggest that common nighttime sleep problems linked to caffeinated drinks might originate from other lifestyle habits rather than the caffeine itself. Most people regularly consume some form of caffeine to start their morning. The chemical is widely recognized as a stimulant that temporarily boosts mental alertness. Yet many observational studies routinely link habitual caffeine intake to poor sleep quality and chronic insomnia. These traditional observational studies face a few fundamental limitations. People often misjudge or misremember exactly how many cups of coffee or tea they consume in a week. Relying on human memory to estimate dietary habits can easily introduce errors into the collected data. It is also difficult to untangle caffeine consumption from other …

The fibre gap: Easy, everyday recipes to boost fibre intake

The fibre gap: Easy, everyday recipes to boost fibre intake

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to IndyEat’s free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free Fibre has had a glow-up in recent years – dragged out from the worthy, bran flakes corner of nutrition and reframed as a quiet hero of gut health, energy, weight management and long-term wellbeing. And yet, despite all the kombucha, kefir and microbiome chat, most of us still aren’t eating anywhere near enough of it. Only 4 per cent of UK adults hit the recommended 30g a day, according to national data – a shortfall the NHS links to higher risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Part of the problem is that fibre still feels abstract. It’s something you’re told to “get more of”, without much guidance on how to do that in real life – on a Tuesday night, when you’re hungry, tired and trying to cook something everyone will actually eat. That’s where these recipes come in. They’re not …

Jury Awards .3 Million to Foster Teen’s Family After His Death at Juvenile Intake Center

Jury Awards $8.3 Million to Foster Teen’s Family After His Death at Juvenile Intake Center

Published by Sam Flores

Jurors have awarded $8.3 million to the family of a Kansas foster teen who died in 2021 after he was held facedown for 39 minutes in a juvenile intake center while in the throes of a mental health crisis. Five juvenile officers in Sedgwick County either used excessive force on Cedric “C.J.” Lofton or failed to intervene, the jurors decided Wednesday after a trial in federal court in Wichita. John Marrese, an attorney for Lofton’s brother and the estate, said Thursday that he was pleased that jurors rejected arguments that the death stemmed from “excited delirium,” a controversial diagnosis discredited by major medical associations. Critics say it was often used to justify excessive force by police. “It’s a good development in the world of prolonged prone restraint in terms of a jury acknowledging how dangerous it is and the fact that it can be fatal,” Marrese said. Sedgwick County, which employed the officers named in the suit, said in a news release Wednesday that it was reviewing the verdict and discussing next steps. Lofton died …

What Happens When Mortals Try to Drink Winston Churchill’s Daily Intake of Alcohol

What Happens When Mortals Try to Drink Winston Churchill’s Daily Intake of Alcohol

Published by José Betancourt

I have tak­en more out of alco­hol than alco­hol has tak­en out of me. — Win­ston Churchill Win­ston Churchill had a rep­u­ta­tion as a bril­liant states­man and a prodi­gious drinker. The for­mer prime min­is­ter imbibed through­out the day, every day.  He also burned through 10 dai­ly cig­ars, and lived to the ripe old age of 90. His come­back to Field Mar­shal Bernard Mont­gomery’s boast that he nei­ther smoked nor drank, and was 100 per­cent fit was “I drink and smoke, and I am 200 per­cent fit.” First Lady Eleanor Roo­sevelt mar­veled “that any­one could smoke so much and drink so much and keep per­fect­ly well.” In No More Cham­pagne: Churchill and His Mon­ey, author David Lough doc­u­ments Churchill’s dis­as­trous alco­hol expens­es, as well as the bot­tle count at Chartwell, his Ken­tish res­i­dence. Here’s the tal­ly for March 24,1937: 180 bot­tles and 30 half bot­tles of Pol Roger cham­pagne 20 bot­tles and 9 half bot­tles of oth­er cham­pagne 100+ bot­tles of claret 117 bot­tles and 389 half bot­tles of Barsac 13 bot­tles of brandy 5 bot­tles of …

I’ve been making these five-ingredient energy balls for six months and they’re the perfect snack to increase your protein and fiber intake Recipes

I’ve been making these five-ingredient energy balls for six months and they’re the perfect snack to increase your protein and fiber intake Recipes

Published by Jenni Sidey

I tend to make pretty healthy meals and I’m happy to cook from scratch most of the time. However, I generally find myself reaching for sugary, highly processed foods when I snack. Store-bought healthy, tasty snacks are few and far between, so I often found myself reaching for chocolate or chips, which didn’t really have any nutritional value. This would leave me feeling sluggish and low on energy. That was until I started making homemade energy balls. Around six months ago, I was trying to use up a glut of nut butters and seeds that had amassed in my pantry and I came up with a recipe that is not only delicious, but full of fiber and protein. You may like They’re sweet, chocolatey and super filling with lots of nutritional value. In fact, one ball contains around 117 calories with 2g of fiber. Plus, they keep me full for hours. They also take less than 20 minutes to make. I almost always have these energy balls in my fridge now, making a batch of …

The signs you’re not drinking enough water – and how to up your intake

The signs you’re not drinking enough water – and how to up your intake

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter As the colder months draw in, many of us instinctively bundle up, turn up the heating, and opt for comforting hot drinks rather than reaching for a glass of water. However, it remains crucial to remember that your body still requires consistent hydration to function at its peak, and it possesses subtle ways of signalling when it’s running low. This winter, pay attention to these six potential signs that your system is craving more H2O. 1. Dry mouth “The most obvious sign of dehydration is thirst which is often accompanied by a dry mouth, lips or tongue,” highlights Michael Zemenides, co-founding GP of A-Z General Practice at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK. open image in gallery Dry mouth, lips and tongue are a sign of dehydration (PA) 2. …

Can’t get enough protein? Boost your intake with these six easy food swaps suggested by a nutrition expert

Can’t get enough protein? Boost your intake with these six easy food swaps suggested by a nutrition expert

Published by Jenni Sidey

There’s no question about it—protein is good for you. It’s often referred to as the building blocks of life because of its role in forming and repairing everything from muscle and bone to skin and hair. It also plays a part in hormone production and immunity, and supports the brain, heart and liver—plus so much more. This means consuming enough protein is essential, and because I’m a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I’m often asked what is the easiest way to get more protein in my diet without eating lots more food? You may like There’s a really simple answer, and it’s not supplements like protein powder. It’s food swaps. You don’t need to load up on even more chicken or stuff yourself with lentils and beans, just try some alternative foods and reap the high-protein benefits. Here are six of the best food swaps to amp up your protein intake. 1. Try hummus on toast instead of butter (Image credit: Getty Images / Varlay) With hummus offering around 1.5g of protein per tablespoon compared …