Entries by Banister Nutrition

What the Health

What the Health is a recent Netflix documentary that attempts to link the cause of chronic diseases to meat, eggs, and dairy products. Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn produce a convincing film, and it can be tempting to believe every word. However, to conclude that all animal products produce detrimental effects on human health and […]

Nutty Nutrition Facts

Nuts have been a “nut”ritional trend for a while now.  It’s widely known that they have many health benefits, including being anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, which are both important for heart and blood vessel health as well as muscle and tissue repair.  Satiation, or feeling satisfied or “full”, is one of the other important benefits […]

Can Convenient Be Healthy?

Can Convenient Be Healthy? Yes!  Recently there has been an influx of healthier convenient foods and this can serve as your guide with reviews from a dietitian.  More convenient meals do usually mean more cost when compared to cooking from scratch, but similar in cost to take out of similar quality foods.   Meals in […]

Tomatoes: Fruit or Vegetable?

The big question—is the tomato a fruit or vegetable? Botanically, they are considered a fruit. However, their nutrient profile more closely aligns with vegetables. A typical New Jersey beefsteak tomato contains only 33 calories, which is the type you would regularly find sliced onto a sandwich since they hold shape better than most other varieties. […]

How body language can be related to nutrition

Right now, note your body language. Continue. Our self-perception impacts more than we realize. Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, states that “our non-verbals govern how other people think and feel about us.” However, she then examines the opposite: “do our non-verbals govern how we think and feel about ourselves?” Cuddy found that portraying an open […]

Whole 30 Diet

The Whole 30 Diet…is it a whole lot of wisdom? Or should it be buried in a hole in the ground…   The Whole 30 asks people to avoid a list of foods for 30 days and consume whole foods. The “No-No” list includes: added sugar (real or artificial), alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy; carrageenan, MSG […]

The Wonders of Watermelon

There is a sweet simplicity to the name of watermelon. Right from the get-go, it tells you that it is an excellent source of hydration (water-melon), being 92% water. Its high-water composition contributes to its low caloric content. Additionally, watermelon provides 17% of the daily value for vitamin A and 20% for vitamin C, and […]

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

A food allergy is when the immune system is unnecessarily triggered from a protein in food.  A food intolerance is when the body has trouble digesting a certain food normally.  Some people are surprised to know that, according to the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) group, a significant amount of minor food allergy symptoms […]

The French Paradox

The French Paradox Have you ever considered the American culture and its relationship to food? Furthermore, have you ever compared our view of food in the U.S. to another country’s view of food? There are some surprisingly interesting and vastly different approaches to food in other countries that are very foreign to the American mindset. […]

The Sweet Truths about Sugars

Which is the healthiest sugar to use? Are alternative sweeteners safe? While new sugars regularly surface on the market, some basics remain. Sugars are a type of carbohydrate, providing 4 kcal/g. Sugars have many useful functions when it comes to food: sweet taste, desirable mouthfeel in candies and syrups, and providing volume and a golden-brown […]