Sneaky Gluten

Sticking to a gluten-free diet is no easy task. With all of the food restrictions, and temptations, sometimes it can seem a bit overwhelming. There are many that need to follow a strict gluten-free diet, and those who choose to. Whatever the reason, and no matter how disciplined you may be, without proper knowledge, transgression may be imminent. Besides doing the research on what foods are gluten-free, you should also know that some foods are unexpected sources of gluten. Furthermore, to deal with those sneaky foods, many of those foods have gluten-free options. For example, most breads contain gluten, but that does not mean that there are no gluten-free bread options! Gluten can be sneaky, and hide in foods that you would never expect. Let’s check out a few.

Oats: I know what you may be thinking; this does not make sense because oats are naturally gluten-free. While that actually is true, during the processing of oats, there is a lot of cross-contamination with wheat and/or rye that is also processed in the factory. Luckily, there are gluten-free oats!

Condiments: You may be doing a great job sticking to gluten-free foods, only to ruin it by spreading condiments laden with gluten all over your otherwise gluten-free food. As a general rule, since gluten is often used as a thickener, stay away from ‘thick’ condiments such as barbeque sauce, marinades, tomato paste and pasta sauces. Also add soups and other sauces, such as soy sauce, to the list due to the thickening properties of gluten.

Licorice: Surprisingly, both red and black licorices contain wheat! Fortunately, they do sell gluten-free brands of licorice; you just have to do a little searching!

Processed Meat Products: Sausages, hot dogs, and deli meats (especially pre-packaged), often contain gluten used for texture purposes. Also, be weary of BBQ chicken (the barbecue sauce), or teriyaki style meats!

Next time you want to shout out, “gluten-free since ’93,” you better make sure you’re not accidentally ingesting your vice every day! And for those who can’t consume gluten, we certainly hope this helps. And don’t forget, although energy drinks can often contain gluten, Phix is gluten-free!

Happy, healthy, and safe eating to all,

Your friends at Phix

Meat Is Overrated

How many of you consider your dream meal to be filet mignon with a side of steak? Do you incorporate meat in (almost) every meal in some way? I know a lot of you are quivering at the very thought of life without poultry, and red meat, however, did you know that there are a multitude of health benefits associated with the vegetarian lifestyle?

Some of you may worry that even if you wanted to go vegetarian, you could not. First of all, let’s just quash the idea that you can’t receive sufficient nutrients or protein intake without animal meat. There are countless replacements such as tofu, and plant protein just to name a few.  If you are, or are trying to be, a competitive or even professional athlete and worry that you will not be able to keep up with the field on a plant-based diet, that is not true either. Our preconceived notions, thanks in part to television, media, and stereotypes, has us picturing a skinny (and let’s be honest, hippy-like) animal rights activist munching on nothing but salads. Check out the article below for a list of just a few of the professional athletes, in all different fields, who follow(ed) vegetarian diets.

Now that your biases have been tossed out the window (go ahead, toss ‘em out the window), we can all learn some great health benefits spurred by the vegetarian diet.

·         Healthy skin: Plant-based foods are heavily loaded with antioxidants and vitamins which contribute to healthier skin.

·         Chemical and hormone-free food: Meats are often are loaded with hormones (such as hormone contributing to that oversized chicken that can’t support its own weight), as well as chemicals and preservatives.

·         Lower blood pressure: Vegetarian diets are generally (naturally) low in sodium, and fats which helps reduce blood pressure.

·         Lower risk of diabetes / lower cholesterol levels: It is very easy to keep steady blood sugar levels when sticking to a vegetarian diet. Also, without unhealthy meats and fats, that takes care of both lowering the risk of diabetes (blood sugar, again) and lowering cholesterol levels!

·         Improved digestion: If you have stomach problems, fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber which help with both taking foods in (digestion), and getting them out J

 

These are just a few of the countless benefits of a vegetarian diet, not even mentioning the obvious weight loss possibility! If you are serious about getting healthy, why not give this a try for a day, a week, or even a month and see how it works for you! Go online and check out some meat substitutions for an easy transition. Don’t forget, Phix is all-natural and VEGAN!

You’re welcome, animals.

Your friends at Phix

Black Tea vs. Coffee

Whether you wake up at 6am to exercise, get ready for work, get the kids off to school, or just seize the day, mornings can be tough. Heck, for some of us, waking up at the crack of noon can be difficult! Regardless, sometimes we all need a little extra boost. Usually, we gravitate to what will wake us up, not what will be the best for our health—a cup of water isn’t going to help us much in the morning. However, there are many options that can wake you up, and fall in line with our healthy standards of living. We are going to be comparing the world’s most popular wake-up drink, coffee, with black tea; the less-popular cousin of green tea.

Let’s start with the obvious question; which one has more caffeine? An average cup of coffee contains about two times as much caffeine as an average cup of black tea. So, if you find yourself jittery after a cup of coffee, the tea switch might be ideal for you. On the other hand, from a caffeine perspective, if you are still exhausted immediately after a cup of joe, perhaps tea is not your best bet.

Since we are extremely health oriented, let’s hop on this topic for a minute. Of course, we could all pound a standard energy drink first thing in the morning, and that will probably wire us for a few hours (before the inevitable crash and jitters), but we know this is not in our best interest. Coffee has been linked to both positive and negative health effects. While it can regulate blood sugar and decrease the risk of attaining certain diseases, it can also lead to irritability, anxiety, and sleep-related problems. Tea has been shown to help reduce cholesterol levels, increase metabolism, and relax blood vessels, but can have the same adverse side effects as coffee if similar amounts of caffeine are consumed (remember, 2:1 ratio). Both coffee and black tea contain antioxidants, however, black tea contains significantly more.

We can conclude that this is really a matter of preference. While black tea is healthier than coffee, it contains less caffeine so may not have the same wake-up power you need. On an aside, we would recommend if you are going to switch to tea, switch to white or green. White and green teas are both minimally processed, unlike black tea which is fermented. The fermentation process reduces the amount of antioxidants! However, black tea does have just a little bit more caffeine than green and white teas.  Of course, you can always get the best of both worlds by getting a coffee’s cup worth of caffeine, AND a boat load of antioxidants (plus much more) from a Phix Energy!

Rise and shine,

Your friends at Phix

Mother’s Day Ideas

Mother’s Day is approaching fast, and that means it’s time for us to spoil the woman that brought us into this world. The only problem is, what do you give someone that has already given you everything? Although we love our moms and appreciate everything they do, this is also the one day of the year when we realize that we should have been pampering them the other 364 days of the year after all they have done for us!  Unless there is a very special something that they have been non-stop talking about, chances are they don’t want anything materialistic. What they really want for Mother’s day are memories—more specifically, memories with you. This means that you don’t have to spend money to make mom happy this year, but if you do, spend it on something you can do with her! We’re going to give you some ideas to help make this Mother’s Day a special one.

No Money Required:

Go for a walk in the park and stop somewhere for a picnic. Reminisce on old times, and most importantly, just spend time together. Turn your phone off, leave your iPad in the car, and just walk and talk! Pack moms favorite food and drink for the picnic!

Work on her garden with her. Not only will this be fun, and give you quality time to spend with each other and talk, but you will have a chance to help out and take part in your mom’s hobby! If you’re feeling adventurous, pick up her favorite plants and help her plant them.

Break Out The Wallet:

Go out to a nice Sunday brunch. There will be a ton of restaurants catering to the Mother’s Day crowd. Grab some pink pancakes, chocolate covered strawberries, and flower shaped fruits! Loosen up the belt and hit the omelet bar with no regrets! If you are really looking to spice your morning with mom up, order some mimosas!

There is a reason that clichés exist. Don’t worry about being unoriginal when it comes to a spa day with mom! Not only will she love it, but you will too! What’s better than bonding with mom over a stress-relieving massage?

With all of her running around and being super-mom, give her the gift of energy this year! A box of Phix Energy is the gift that keeps on giving J But whatever you do this Mother’s Day, just make sure that you spend time with mom! Remember, she can buy herself flowers, or chocolates, but you can’t put a price on spending time with your children!

We salute you, mom!

Your friends at Phix

Healthy Cinco De Mayo Recipes

May 5^th is right around the corner, and you know what that means—Cinco De Mayo celebrations! With great food, drinks, dancing, and festivities, what’s not to love about it? The problem is that Cinco De Mayo might just be too much fun. This holiday gives Thanksgiving a run for its money in the gluttony category. Perhaps it is not quite as much of a ‘sit down and eat all day’ type of occasion, as is Thanksgiving, but generally speaking, the foods (and drinks) consumed are not the best for you. After downing platefuls of nachos, chips, quesadillas, and other fattening appetizers, it’s time to wash them down with some sugary margaritas each containing up to 800 calories! You’re at (probably over) your daily caloric intake, and your entrée hasn’t even arrived yet. Now comes the plate of greasy tacos loaded with meat, cheese and sour cream to top off your meal. Dessert? Good luck.

You’re probably thinking, “But it’s Cinco De Mayo, it’s just one day!” We agree with you. We’re here to give you a condensed Cinco menu with some traditional favorites made healthier!

Vegetarian bean & butternut tacos with salsa Verde:

Beans are a great and filling source of protein and the butternut squash adds a smooth, creaminess to keep your cravings satisfied. If you’re not a vegetarian, go ahead and add some grilled lean chicken or shrimp to these to spice up your night.

Nutrition: (based off recipe on link below) Per serving: 406 calories; 9 g fat ( 2 g sat , 4 g mono ); 3 mg cholesterol; 70 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars;13 g protein; 13 g fiber; 517 mg sodium; 1006 mg potassium.

 Shredded turkey and pinto beans burrito:

Turkey is a great source of protein and contains very little fat—far superior to beef, when it comes to calories and fat content. Beans provide more protein and added fiber to keep you feeling fuller faster and longer. Throw some veggies in there and sprinkle it with homemade salsa and you have a complete, nutritious, and delicious meal!

Per serving: 392 calories; 12 g fat ( 5 g sat , 4 g mono ); 84 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 38 g protein; 6 g fiber; 652 mg sodium; 616 mg potassium.

If you are craving an appetizer, here are some quick and easy tips for a healthy nacho platter:

è Use chicken, not beef

è  switch to low fat cheese, and sour cream (try to cut out the sour cream altogether)

è Use whole grain chips and go heavy on the veggies, light on the fillers.

And finally, the moment you have all been waiting for; the margarita! There is really one simple change that can cut out between 300-500 calories from your drink alone! Instead of using the pure sugar and calorie laden margarita mix, use fresh cute lime wedge juice (or if you’re feeling lazy, store bought lime juice). Go ahead, have a second drink you deserve it!  (Approximately 150 calories per ‘rita)

For more healthy meals, as well as ingredients and cooking directions for the ones above, follow this link!

Also, don’t let the sugar crash from those margaritas bring down your night, grab an all-natural, low-sugar, healthy pick-me-up Phix Energy and celebrate like it’s your 21^st birthday!

"Healthy Food" Myth-Busters

Every year, popular health trends that were supposed to be the future of dieting, are disproved and new trends make their way in. One year, the Atkins diet is ‘in’ and red meat is our savior. Now, red meat is connected with shorter life expectancy. Carbs are good. Carbs are bad. The list goes on and on. Although it’s hard, if not impossible, to know what to believe, its safe(est) to assume that the newer information is the most accurate. Although the same Harvard study that condemned red meat may have been conducted by the same people who praised the Atkins diet just a few years earlier, it’s hard to argue against up-to-date information. As technology and science progress, new information and trends are bound to appear; it seems as though keeping up with the times is half the nutritional battle. What are some of the new trends from this year that seem to contradict what we thought about healthy eating? Let’s bust some of these misleading health myths!

To most people, Greek yogurt and healthy eating go hand-in-hand. Being a protein and calcium rich, better version of already healthy ‘regular’ yogurt, what’s not to love? Before you take my head off screaming that you know Greek yogurt is healthy and you don’t care what any study says, well, yes and no. It is very true that plain non-fat Greek Yogurt is not only extremely healthy but may even be considered a super food. A 6oz nonfat plain Chobani has just 100 calories, a whopping 18 (!!!) grams of protein, just 7 grams of sugar, calcium, vitamins, and is great for your digestive tract! On the other hand, take a 6oz nonfat blueberry flavored Chobani, and you’re getting 140 calories, 14 grams of protein, and 20 (!!!) grams of sugar! Not to mention there are low-fat, 2% and even worse versions for you, so NOT all Greek yogurts are created equally!! And get this; a 5.3oz Fage Total 2% With Honey has 29g of sugar, so make sure you buy plain flavored and throw some real fruits, or granola in there yourself.

This next one has been a more widespread trend, especially after Dr. Oz got his hands on the issue—fruit juices. For starters, these juices contain less nutrients and vitamins than the real fruits have. Next, they obviously have no satiety effect and can’t fill you up, such as an apple can. Also, it is easy to consume too many calories, as a large glass of apple juice may contain 150 calories, whereas an actual apple may have 75 calories and fill you up. Now, add in all of the sugar added into fruit juices, and in reality, they aren’t much better than soda! Going back to Dr. Oz, he found high levels of arsenic in samples of 88 different juices, so these diet-poisoning drinks may actually be poisoning you!

One of the most popular trends these days seems to be fiber content. What if we told you this was one of the healthy food scams? Much like the Greek yogurt situation, this is true and false. Fiber IS great for you—if it is naturally occurring. Fruits and vegetables should be your main sources of fiber. Oatmeal, quinoa and other oats are great sources of fiber as well. The problem with fiber lies in products such as Fiber One dessert brownies that add fiber…along with maltodextrin, sorbitol, and inulin which basically act as faux fiber. These are not nutritionally beneficial for you, and cause stomachaches and bloating.

With thousands of different research studies offering contradicting ‘facts’, our best advice to you is keep it simple, and natural! Don’t opt for flavored items at the risk of high sugar and artificial flavoring. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, raw foods, nuts, whole grains, and naturally occurring products and you will be just fine! Stay away from sugar-packed drinks and opt for an all-natural, low-sugar Phix Energy instead!