healthyeating – Sarah.Gives Nutrition

Meal delivery services and kits are one of the greatest ideas to have evolved in the last decade; especially for people who have a super busy schedule. Not only do these services take care of the grocery shopping but the mental fatigue involved with deciding, “what should we have for dinner” is also happily handed off.

I’ve always been curious about meal kit services but never tried one. Since I follow a pretty specific diet I wasn’t able to find a service that would meet my dietary requirements when they first came out. Luckily most delivery kits have some sort of plant-based option(s) available making cooking for me in my multi picky eater household a little easier. There are many out there to choose from but I decided to give Hello Fresh and Purple Carrot a chance.

Hello Fresh

I decided to try Hello Fresh when a friend of mine passed along a discounted trial coupon.

Pros of Hello Fresh

No grocery shopping- huge time saver
App was easy to use to modify and make changes to my delivery
Meals designed to be crowd pleasers
Priced well

Cons of Hello Fresh

Not enough vegan options
Menu was a bit boring and repetitive

Ultimately the deal breaker for me was the lack of vegan options. This meant I had to micromanage our delivery every week to make sure I was either choosing things I could later veganize, were already vegan, or needed to skip. Their menu options of plant-based items usually involved dairy, which is great for some people but a no for me. Price point was pretty good and I did feel that Hello Fresh is one of the best priced options available. If you follow a lacto-ovo or lactovegetarian diet then Hello Fresh might work better for you than it did for me.

Purple Carrot

I can’t even remember anymore where I first heard of Purple Carrot. The decision to try came from a random day of me looking up new recipes to cook at home. One of the recipes was from the Purple Carrot website and next thing I knew I was signing up for a trial box.

Pros of Purple Carrot

Entirely plant-based vegan menu- no need to micromanage delivery
Exciting recipes and variable flavor profiles
High quality ingredients
Also offers a pre-made meal option and “plantry”

Cons of Purple Carrot

A bit more expensive than Hello Fresh

The only con I’ve experienced is that Purple Carrot is a tad more expensive than Hello Fresh. However, the price point is on par with what you would pay at the grocery store for the week’s worth of groceries. And you didn’t have to go to the store, plan the menu, or micromanage the meals arriving in the box. Purple Carrot even offers pre –made meals and a “plantry” so you can include extras you would’ve picked up at the store.

Winner: Purple Carrot

If you’re vegan or vegan curious, or follow a mostly plant-based diet I highly recommend Purple Carrot. The menu selection is huge- and it’s all vegan and plant-based. All of it. There’s no need to micromanage or worry that you’re accidentally forgetting to swap an ingredient. You can also easily add items if you’re someone who does eat a diet that includes non-vegan items. The recipes range from easy to more advanced both in flavor profile and cooking skill. They even started including some produce items pre-chopped making it even quicker for you to make dinner on a busy night! Purple Carrot is great for people who like to taste new flavors- every meal I’ve made has been delicious! Try it out and let me know how it went for you!

I want to take a moment to inform any readers that I’m an affiliate with Purple Carrot. This did not have an impact on my review. I have been a customer of Purple Carrot much longer than I’ve been an affiliate. My opinion and review here is based on my experience prior to joining as an affiliate partner.

Nutrition and Food, Personal Care

New Course Alert!

May 13, 2024 Sarah Miller, RD

I’m so excited to announce that my first educational course, Getting Started on a Plant-based Diet, is here!

I designed this course with you in mind. It’s designed for everyone because everyone can benefit from adding more plants to their diet. As a Registered Dietitian you know I’m passionate about evidence-based practice and this course has been designed to be equivalent to a 1:1 session with me. It covers macro and micronutrients, supplementation, and so much more!

So what are you waiting for? Check out my Teachable content and let me know what you think! What should my next course be? Comment below or send me a message!

Nutrition and Food, Product Reviews

Vitalura Labs Pre-Workout Review

February 13, 2024June 5, 2024 Sarah Miller, RD

Pre-workout is a supplement that I had never tried. Vitalura Labs sent me their new strawberry sorbetto and limoncello flavored pre-workout supplement. I’m an affiliate with Vitalura Labs, however my thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. If you’re new here, I’m a Registered Dietitian with a passion for nutrition and wellness.

What is Pre-Workout?

Pre-workout supplements are used with the intent of maximizing your performance during your chosen activity. They generally contain caffeine and electrolytes to give you a boost of energy, enhance performance and improve your focus. Some pre-workout supplements have ingredients like creatine added to them to also jump start your recovery process.

The Details

First timers: This was my first time trying a pre-workout supplement. I’ve always had coffee in the morning before my workouts so I never felt the need. My schedule has been a little all over the place lately so I went ahead and tried the pre-workout. Don’t make the same mistakes I did the first time I tried them. I’ll explain as we go.
Flavors and ingredients: There are two flavors, strawberry sorbetto and limoncello. Both have a bit of a salty taste but are overwhelmingly the flavors of strawberry or lemon, respectively. Ingredients include vitamin C and B12, sodium, potassium, caffeine, l-theanine, rhodiola extract, theacrine and l-methylfolate calcium. This supplement is vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Caffeine: There is 150mg of caffeine per serving. If you are caffeine sensitive you’ll definitely want to pay attention to your total caffeine intake for the rest of the day. I’m someone who is caffeine sensitive and gets very jittery if I consume too much. The days I drank pre-workout I only had 1 coffee that day instead of my usual 2.
Suggested use: 1 scoop of pre-workout mixed with 4 oz water about 30 minutes before your workout/activity.
NSF: like all of their other products, the pre-workout is NSF certified so you can rest assured that you’re consuming what’s listed on the label and nothing more or less.

Drink Up

If this is your first time taking pre-workout pay attention: don’t plan on savoring and sipping this like you would your morning coffee. I mean, I guess you could if you really want to, but I mistakenly made a tall glass and savored mine the first time. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I failed so hard on my first taste test, but if you’ve never taken pre-workout it’s an easy mistake to make! I thought maybe this product isn’t for me. Not every product or experience is for everyone, right? I’m so glad that when the Vitalura Labs Dietitian, Kylie, reached out to me that I wrote back and asked for some tips. She definitely delivered. I followed her advice and it made for an awesome experience and changed my mind about the product.

Know that you really only need 4 oz of water and not a full glass. I suggest using cold water, mixing 1 scoop well and then start drinking, don’t savor. The flavor on your tongue ends up being mostly the sweet tasting strawberry or lemon instead of the salt added for electrolytes. Treat it more like you would a shot of alcohol and drink up.

My Experience

Each time I’ve consumed the pre-workout was first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I was a little nervous about drinking 150mg caffeine on an empty stomach but 30 minutes prior to when you plan to workout is perfect. Each time that I’ve used the pre-workout I definitely noticed a nice perk-up effect starting about 20 minutes after drinking.

The best part is that I never felt regret for my empty stomach- I haven’t experienced any jitters, nausea, or other unwanted side-effects. No crash, either! I felt energized and awake, ready for my workout. I even noticed that my focus was improved and I felt better connected to my muscles and attention on the muscle(s) I was exercising. My mind had that same focus I get from drinking coffee! And since I only needed to drink 4oz I didn’t have a bunch of liquid sloshing around in my stomach; an unpleasant experience I’m sure many of us have had after drinking too much fluid before a workout.

Strawberry or Limoncello?

I prefer the strawberry sorbetto flavor to the limoncello. Both are perfectly named and taste like you would expect, but the strawberry one has a sort of energizing taste and smell that I like more than the limoncello. It’s difficult to describe but after having both I feel like the strawberry one just tastes better to me. If you’re not sure I recommend you try both to start; they’re of the same quality and ingredients and once you chose a favorite you can add that to your supplement subscription so that you never run out.

Final Thoughts- Is Pre-Workout Essential?

Is pre-workout for everyone? No, it’s likely not. If you’re pregnant definitely check with your Doctor before taking any supplements to make sure it’s safe for you and your pregnancy. Pre-workout is definitely a nice to have supplement and not something that is required to achieve better results. If I had to choose only 1 supplement to take I would likely take creatine daily and skip pre-workout.

You can read my other Vitalura Lab supplement reviews including creatine and protein (whey and plant-based) to help you decide your optimal supplement routine. You can shop through my links or go directly to the Vitalura Labs website. Make sure to use code “SARAHMILLER” to get free shipping on your order!

Need help deciding what supplements to use or skip? Consider working with a Registered Dietitian to optimize your nutrition and wellness plan! Start here if you’re not sure why a Registered Dietitian is an expert in all things nutrition.

Nutrition and Food

Vegan on a Budget

September 27, 2023 Sarah Miller, RD

Food budgeting is a common household need, regardless of what type of diet you follow. There is a common misconception that eating vegan or plant-based is inherently more expensive. This post is here to help you navigate your local grocery store and show you that eating more plant-based doesn’t have to mean eating more expensive.

Beans

Beans are one of the most inexpensive sources of protein you will find at your local grocery store. I recommend purchasing dried beans in bulk to prepare as needed, or canned with no added sodium. Dried beans also have a long shelf life so you’re likely to reduce your total food waste.

Nutritional Yeast

A common way to impart umami flavoring for savory dishes, nutritional yeast is a vegan source of protein that is also a great source of vitamin B12. You can find this at most grocery stores and even online.

Not sure what nutritional yeast is or how to use it? Read more about this awesome product and why you should consume it while following a vegan diet.

Lentils

Tired of beans? Lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein that can be used in a myriad of ways. If you have a Trader Joe’s (TJ’s) near you, they also sell ready-to-use lentils to save you time. You can find them in the refrigerated section near the produce at most TJ’s locations.

Seitan

This meatless alternative is super versatile and has a similar texture to meat. It is made from wheat gluten so if you have celiac this is NOT a product for you. For individuals who don’t have a wheat allergy this is an excellent and inexpensive source of protein. You can even find many different recipes to make your own seitan using a few items you may already have in your pantry.

Tofu

Tofu is probably one of my favorite foods. Tofu is made using soy beans which have all 9 essential amino acids, so it is classified as a complete protein. Depending on the type of tofu you buy the protein content may vary. Many Asian markets sell tofu for much less than a traditional grocery store, too, so I recommend seeing what shops are in your area and comparing prices.

Many people who don’t care for tofu have honestly not had it prepared correctly or in a way that they like yet. The texture and ways to best prepare tofu are determined by the type that you choose to purchase. For “beginner” tofu eaters I generally recommend eating the firmer varieties as the squish of softer, silken tofu may put some people off to its mouth-feel.

Note: tofu is similar to chicken, meaning that it has practically no taste on its own. Eating plain tofu is another behavior I would consider more “advanced” and not recommended for newbies. Most people who enjoy tofu will tell you that marinating and sauces go a long way with this versatile protein source.

Fruits/Vegetables

There’s a common misconception that fresh fruits/vegetables are always the most superior form, when compared to frozen or canned. However, frozen fruits and vegetables are harvested and processed at their peak meaning that many times they are better tasting and at peak nutritional value when compared to fresh produce.

Like any food product there are some options that are more healthful than others. I generally recommend avoiding frozen produce that has large amounts of added sodium and/or added sauces. This way you still have control over the spices and additives in your fruits/vegetables.

If canned is your preferred or only available option, try to choose varieties of fruits/vegetables that have no or minimal added sodium as well as avoiding fruits in added syrups. This will help limit your intake of added salt and sugars. I also recommend rinsing canned vegetables and beans to help remove some of the sodium that may have been added.

Shop the Sales

Another great way to stay within your weekly grocery budget is to try and make meals based on the items on sale that week at your local grocer. This strategy can sometimes be a bit difficult for fresh items, but definitely one you want to use when shopping for pantry staples and shelf stable food items.

Happy Shopping

Hope you found this information helpful! Check out this previous blog post for tips on transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Nutrition and Food

Study finds Vegan diets more than double the risk of a broken hip- Here’s what you need to know

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 Sarah Miller, RD

By now I’m sure many of you have seen the headline making news this week about a study following more than 50,000 British people over two decades finding that vegans were 43% more likely to suffer a fracture compared to people who ate meat and fish. You can read an article summarizing the study here.

Without analyzing the data and doing a complete deep dive on everything the study found, including any potential flaws, the methods and limitations, it’s important to take a moment to recognize that yes, following a vegan diet will require some planning to ensure that you’re meeting your micronutrient needs. Honestly, most any diet in today’s modern food system that meets all of your nutritional needs is going to require some level of planning, so don’t let that discourage you from making the change to eating more plant-based.

Ways to meet your needs

Lucky for today’s vegans and other dairy-free individuals, many products on the market are fortified with important vitamins and minerals that can be lacking in a vegan diet. A few commonly fortified nutrients that can be lacking in a vegan diet include vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium.

Vitamin B12

The only source of vegan vitamin B12 comes from fortified foods, supplements, and nutritional yeast. Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products including meat and dairy products. I recommend requesting to have your Physician monitor your vitamin B12 levels when you first begin a vegan diet to establish if your levels are optimal and then monitor annually after that to ensure that you’re continually meeting your needs. The general recommendation is for anyone following a vegan diet to take a vitamin B12 supplement. I personally have had a low vitamin B12 level which is embarrassing to admit because I’m a nutrition professional. But we’re all human and it can happen to anyone. Having your vitamin B12 levels out of range can cause permanent damage if not rectified, but luckily your levels increase pretty quickly with supplementation or the use of B12 shots, if indicated. Your Physician or Registered Dietitian can provide you with more information regarding vitamin B12 specific to your needs and lifestyle.

Calcium

Calcium is another nutrient that can be lacking when following a vegan diet and doesn’t always get as much attention as vitamin B12. Calcium is tightly regulated in your body and is required for a ton of processes including vascular contraction and dilation (think blood vessels constricting or expanding), hormone secretion, and muscle function. The level of calcium in your blood does not fluctuate with dietary intake changes which makes it sometimes challenging to find a calcium deficiency because there aren’t any obvious symptoms in the short term. Most low calcium levels result from other medical conditions such as renal failure or use of certain medications. Instead of not having enough calcium to function, your body will steal calcium from its massive reservoir: your bones and teeth. This can be problematic for your bone mineral health if your body keeps leaching calcium out of them. According to the FDA, “adequate calcium and vitamin D as part of a healthful diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life.”

The nuances involved with bone health and remodeling are much too involved to include in this post. The short story is that calcium and vitamin D in conjunction with phosphorus work to keep your bones healthy. If any of these end up out of their recommended range it can have a detrimental effect on your body. A sedentary lifestyle lacking weight-bearing exercises and resistance training can also negatively impact your bone mineral density (BMD). Your body individual ability to maintain calcium balance is based on a lot of factors that you have no control over including calcium excretion in your urine and feces and calcium absorption in your intestines as well as your dietary intake of calcium.

There are many vegan foods fortified with calcium, such as vegan milks, but most people limiting or avoiding animal product consumption will need to have an awareness of what plant foods can also help them meet their daily needs. If you continue to eat dairy products these foods can provide you with calcium and vitamin D. Plant-based sources of calcium include fortified orange juices, chia seeds, tofu, fortified cereals, raw broccoli, cooked kale, bok choy and supplements. Here you can find more vegan sources of various nutrients.

The RDA (recommended daily intake) is the average daily level of intake that is sufficient to meet the needs of nearly all healthy individuals. For a healthy individual between the ages of 19-50 years old, the RDA for calcium is 1,000mg daily. This number changes for women due to hormonal changes that affect their bodies but stays pretty consistent for men until they’re 71+years old. Vegetarians and vegans should also keep in mind that their absorption levels of calcium may be slightly lower due to increased intake of oxalic and phytic acids from plants. Don’t start stressing about having another thing to keep track of. This just means you need an awareness of your intake since oxalic and phytic acids block your bodys ability to fully absorb calcium. That being said, it’s also important to note that more isn’t always better. You can consume too much of a good thing.

Hypercalcemia (elevated calcium)

Excessively high levels of calcium can cause problems including soft tissue calcification, renal insufficiency and even kidney stones and constipation. Make sure to discuss your personal calcium needs with a Registered Dietitian if you have any questions or concerns related to your calcium needs.

Bittersweet Truth

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020 Sarah Miller, RD

There are numerous negative health effects of a diet high in sugar including increase of dental caries and increase in body weight, potentially leading to multiple chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The information in this article applies to individuals who have no blood sugar management issues such as type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with a type of diabetes, including pre-diabetes, I strongly recommend that you request a referral from your Doctor to receive a consultation for diet education from a Registered Dietitian to teach you proper carbohydrate counting and other methods for managing your diet and blood sugars. Your future self will thank you for following the appropriate diet recommendations and managing your blood sugars.

No matter what sweetener you are using, whether it’s brown sugar, maple or date syrup, or even organic cane sugar, it is still a source of extra calories. Unless of course the sweetener you’re using is a non-nutritive sugar substitute like splenda, erythritol or stevia.

The problem with sugar is the quantity of sugar we consume daily. There are times in life when we want to have a treat, and that’s ok! Moderation really is important for so many things nutrition-related, especially sugar. I’m not here to tell everyone to stop eating sugar; we honestly couldn’t even if we tried. And why should we? Sugar can be a delicious part of a well rounded diet.

Added Sugar vs Naturally Occurring Sugar

Added sugars and naturally occurring sugars are not the same. The sugar in fruit is not the same as the sugar added to processed foods and baked goods. Fruits do contain sugar, but fruits are also loaded with fiber to help your digestive tract and vitamins/minerals to support your metabolism and other bodily functions. The fiber in fruit slows down how quickly the sugar in that fruit reaches your blood stream as it slows the transit time through your gastrointestinal tract. Slower transit time means you feel satisfied for longer so you will likely not need to eat again for a little while. When you eat foods with added sugars, like a candy bar, there is generally no fiber to slow down digestion and generally no vitamins/minerals for your body to take in and use.

Let’s compare the nutrition of 1 tbsp white cane sugar and 1 medium banana. According to the USDA 1 medium banana (118g) provides 105 calories, 422mg potassium, 1mg sodium, 3.1g fiber, 14g sugar (about 3.5 tsp), and 1.3g protein. One tablespoon of cane sugar provides 48 calories, 0mg potassium, 0mg sodium, 12.6g sugar (about 3.15 tbsp), and 0g protein. When comparing the two, you’ll notice that the banana and the plain tablespoon of sugar are almost identical in the grams of sugar provided and both are a low/no sodium food. The important difference is that the banana also provides potassium, fiber, and protein. This means that you’ll feel more satisfied eating 1 medium banana than 1 tbsp of sugar and your body’s metabolic processes will thank you for the potassium.

Sugar in some common foods:

Many low-fat flavored yogurts can have 45g of sugar or more per serving. That’s approximately 11.25 teaspoons of added sugar.
One frosted blueberry Pop-tart contains 18g of sugar. That’s 4.5 tsp in only 1 pop tart. Who eats only 1 pop-tart? They come 2 per pack and we all know 1 isn’t enough for satiety.
One can of Red Bull has 5.35 teaspoons of sugar. Mixing that with alcohol? Don’t forget the sugar in your liquor of choice.
Snickers bars contain 57g sugar per servings. That’s 5.83 tablespoons!

Sugar Intake Recommendations

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting your daily added sugar to no more than 10% of your discretionary calories. Discretionary calories means the “extra” calories you have after your body has met all of its macro and micronutrient needs. For example, if you require 2000 calories/day but meet all of your body’s minimum needs of macro and micronutrients with only 1900 calories, this leaves you 100 discretionary calories. The AHA also notes that the amount of added sugar daily for women should be limited to approximately 6 tsp daily and 9 tsp daily for men. That means if you ate 1 low-fat flavored yogurt today, you’re already over the recommended amount of added daily added sugar consumption.

Remember that all foods can fit into a well balanced diet, including sugary ones. Eating isn’t only about survival and fueling our bodies, it should be fun, too. Check out some of my favorite sweet recipes including banana nice cream and frozen pumpkin spice bites!

Tag: healthyeating

Meal kit face-off Hello Fresh vs. Purple Carrot